Should coordinators be HOFers?

[Fritz]

This article once again got me thinking they should be.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/news/2003/0502/1548584.html

Arnsparger, 76, retires for second time after 26-year career

SAN DIEGO -- Bill Arnsparger retired from the NFL for a second time on Friday, ending a coaching career that included 26 years in the NFL.

Arnsparger, 76, had been the associate head coach of the San Diego Chargers the last two seasons.

He was best known for his tenure as defensive coordinator with the Miami Dolphins, when he was architect of the "No-Name Defense'' in the 1970s and the "Killer B's'' in the early 1980s. The Dolphins went to the Super Bowl four times while he was defensive coordinator, including the 1972 team that went 17-0.

Arnsparger's defenses ranked either first or second in the NFL for fewest points allowed in nine of his 11 full seasons with Miami.

Arnsparger was the Chargers' defensive coordinator from 1992-94, and retired for the first time shortly after the Chargers' only Super Bowl appearance, an embarrassing 49-26 loss to San Francisco in which Steve Young burned San Diego for a record six touchdown passes.

Arnsparger returned to the NFL in 1999 as a defensive assistant at Washington, sat out 2000 and then returned to the Redskins under coach Marty Schottenheimer last year. All along, he and his wife kept their San Diego home.

As head coach of the New York Giants in the mid-1970s, Arnsparger gave Schottenheimer his first NFL coaching job. Schottenheimer brought Arnsparger with him from Washington when he was hired as Chargers head coach in January 2002.

"Bill Arnsparger will be missed greatly,'' Schottenheimer said.

Arnsparger began his NFL career as a defensive assistant with the Baltimore Colts in 1964. In 1970 he left Baltimore to join Don Shula's staff in Miami.

Arnsparger was named head coach of the Giants in 1974, a job he held until midway through the 1976 season. Arnsparger rejoined Shula's staff in Miami and remained there until 1983.

He was head coach at Louisiana State from 1984-86 and was athletic director at Florida from 1987-91.

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If having the stingiest D 9 out of 11 years is not wothy of enshrinement, I don't know what is.

[sabotai]

I think they should. I mean, why not? There have been coordinators in the past who have tried their hand at head coaching and it just did not work out. But they owned the field as a coordinator.

[vtbub]

Well considering that three of the best assistant coaches ever are already in, it would seem to be a no-brainer, except...Landy, Lombardi, and Walsh had great head coaching careers too.

If Buddy Ryan is ever seriously considered for the HOF, then Arnsparger should be too.

[tucker342]

I think they should be, but it should be a very select group.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Yeah he should be considered for HOF . with a good career like that .

[ISiddiqui]

I think they should, but it should only go to the best of the best. Marvin Lewis may have a case for it, but unless he doesn't do well with the Bungles or doesn't coach afterwards, he may be on the wire.

Arnsparger should be in, though, definetly. So should Buddy Ryan, IMO.

[sabotai]

I'm not so sure about Lewis yet. I know everyone's high on him, but I don't think he comes close to Arnsparger yet.

Lewis had a handful of good seasons at Baltimore (with 1 awesome year). As shown above, 9 of the 11 years Arnsparger was with Miami, their defense gave up the fewest points (or the second fewest points) in the league. That's something Lewis hasn't come close ot yet.

[andy m]

i think it should depend if what they did in their time as co-ordinator had a profound influence on shaping how the game was played.

[QuikSand]

I suspect Arnsbarger has the best case to be made, but as much as I like(d) him, I still lean against.