Running Through The NFL- The Coaching Career of Tobias Grimm

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Well, it's been a while since I last started up a coaching career. My last one was the coaching career of Zarek Stryker, the new head coach of the Tennessee Titans. While I was having fun with that, my xbox decided it would be a good idea to delete all my saved data, effectively killing Zarek and his impressive 11-1 start. This time, however, I will make changes. I should not start out as strongly, and will hopefully keep things more entertaining. And hopefully keep all my saved data :P

Now let's introduce the man who will take over one of the NFL's worst teams, Tobias Grimm. Tobias is an ex-college coach, having coached at Wayne State University to begin his career. For five years he led the Warriors, posting a 39-16 record as he led the team to three separate Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference titles.

After his success at Wayne State, he was hired as offensive coordinator for the Eastern Michigan Eagles, where he spent four years turning that offense into a smashmouth offense that ran the ball down the defense's throat. Despite the team seeing little success in their overall record, (but still better than it used to be) Grimm was given a job as Head Coach at the University of Buffalo. There, he instilled his patented running game while showing a very diverse defense, which culminated in the Bulls becoming annual BCS busters for seven years. Grimm was high on a lot of people's radar, and everyone knew it was only a matter of time before he was given a shot in the NFL.

*Grimm's career numbers come from playing almost two decades of games in NCAA 13, except for the Wayne State stats. For the purposes of this career story, however, his time in the NCAA will reflect coaching from 1992-2008 (5 year at WSU, 4 years at EMU, 7 years at Buffalo for 16 years total)

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Changes in Atlanta

Mike Smith No Longer Considered For Falcons Job

After many reports stated that the Atlanta Falcons were ready to hand the head coaching job over to ex-Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Smith, the Falcons seemingly pulled a 180 and instead announced the hiring of ex-Buffalo Bulls head coach Tobias Grimm. Grimm, fresh off a 12-0 season culminating in an Orange Bowl victory, was on many teams radar as a potential hire. However, the Falcons were the one to pull the trigger, giving him an option to take his game to the next level.

“I don’t know what to say.” Tobias stated when asked by the media. “It’s been my dream to coach in the NFL, but I didn’t see it happening anytime soon. I love Buffalo, love my team, but this is a once in a lifetime chance. Hell, Trevor (Scott, Bulls defensive end) was as excited as I was, and told me to make sure I drafted him with the third-overall pick.”

Tobias has had success at the collegiate level, posting a 59-25 record at Buffalo. This was all done with an outstanding rushing attack that led the nation in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns 3 of the past four years. Combine that with a defense that struck at opportune times, and you saw the rise of one of the newest premiere teams. However, many doubt Grimm’s ability to coach at a high level.

“He (Grimm) looks to be a great coach, but he hasn’t played against high-caliber opponents. Buffalo plays in the MAC, so most of his victories came against that weak competition. And when you look at his body of work against Top 25 teams, he only has a 1-3 record. I don’t know if he can lead a team against stronger competition.” One NFL executive was stated as saying. Only time will tell if the Falcons have found their head coach of the future, or if this young coach will flounder.

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New head coach Tobias Grimm took over the locker room fairly quickly, instilling his beliefs into the team. The first thing he did was post a bulletin on every locker, laying out his philosophies for the team.

Important Notice!
All Players Pay Attention

Keys to success:
1.) Have Fun. This isn’t a job, it’s a game. Remember that. Most people would kill to be able to do something they love, so live it up.
2.) The only number that matters is Wins. I don’t care if we only crack 1000 yards on the season, as long as we win.
3.) Want To Be Here. You have to want to be here. If you don’t want to play for this team, the door is right there. Get out.
4.) Earn Your Spot. Nothing is guaranteed in life, and that includes your job.
5.) Win! Win! Win! While this may be a game, nobody likes to lose. In fact, this is the second time this is on here, in case you weren’t paying attention. Did I get it through your heads yet?


Quarterback: Field General/ Strong Arm (Tools)
Reasoning: While we will run the ball most of the time, we still need a quarterback that can control the game. He needs to be aware of the defense and what they are doing, and have the arm to get the ball down the field if we need him to. Most importantly, he needs to be accurate. Most of our passes will be shorter, going for sure-fire completions to keep the clock running and control the game.

Halfback: Workhorse/Power/Moves
Reasoning: Running the ball most of the game, we will need at least three running backs on the roster at all times, though I would prefer four. They will all need to be solid at worst, with our number one back capable of carrying the ball at least 20-25 times a game. They need to be powerful to run between the tackles and pick up yards. At least one should be shifty and fast to give defenses something else to think about.

Fullback: Blocking
Reasoning: The fullback won’t be asked to carry the ball or catch the ball too often, so he needs to be big and strong enough to open holes for our halfbacks and help the run game

Wide Receiver: Quick/Route Runner
Reasoning: We need sure-handed receivers to catch the ball when they are thrown at, and they need to be quick enough to get off the press and get free. I expect short three-step drops and want the ball out of my quarterbacks hands quickly so he doesn’t take a licking

Tight End: Balanced/Blocking
Reasoning: Our tight ends need to be strong enough to block any blitzers or lineman from getting behind the line of scrimmage and freeing up the halfback to get to the edge. They also need to be competent enough in the passing game to catch the ball as a safety valve for our quarterback

Tackle: Balaned/Pass Blocker
Reasoning: While we are a running team, our tackles will need to be strong in pass protection to create a solid pocket for our quarterback to throw from. Here, we can sacrifice some run blocking ability if we need to, though don’t expect us to

Guard: Run Blocking
Reasoning: Pretty self-explanatory. Our team will run the ball a lot, and most of our running game will be straight up the gut, north-to-south. Our guards will need to be able to drive the defensive lineman off the ball and open running lanes for our halfback.

Center: Run Blocking/Zone Blocking
Reasoning: The center is the leader of the offensive line, and needs to be smart enough to help diagnose the defense. He will need solid footwork to pick up extra blockers or move to extend the hole, and will need to be a solid run blocker

Defensive End: Versatile
Reasoning: Our ends need to be quick enough to get off the blocks, strong enough to stop the run, and be able to move around depending on our defensive alignment

Defensive Tackle: Versatile
Reasoning: see above

Outside Linebacker: Balanced
Reasoning: The outside linebackers will be asked to blitz and to fall back in coverage. They need to be fast enough to cover the field, strong enough to break blocks, smart enough to cover their zone and break up passes, and sure tacklers to bring down the ball carrier

Middle Linebacker: 3-4/Tackler
Reasoning: Captain of the defense, the middle linebacker needs to be the best tackler on the team. It’s his job to stop the running back if he breaks through the line, and he needs to be quick to cover the area and smart to find the hole the running back will break through

Cornerback: Man Coverage/Ball Hawk
Reasoning: Our corners will be left on an island most plays, so they need to be strong at covering their receiver on their own. This includes locating the ball to make plays on it

Free Safety: Centerfielder
Reasoning: This safety is our last line of defense. He needs to be able to cover a large area on his own, and be able to bring the ball carrier down in the open field. If they get past him, it’s an automatic touchdown

Strong Safety: Run Support/Big Hitter
Reasoning: Our strong safety needs to bring the lumber down on opposing ball carriers. It’s his job to lay out opposing players and make them fear his side of the field

Kicker: Accurate
Reasoning: We need to be able to rely on our kicker to make field goals. A strong leg is no good to us if he can’t accurately kick it between the uprights

Punter: Big Leg
Reasoning: Exactly the opposite of our kicker. While an accurate leg is a bonus, our punter needs to be able to put a charge into his kick more than he needs to be able to place it accurately somewhere

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With free agency right around the corner, Grimm was busy looking over his roster and preparing himself for the upcoming days. With $66 million to spend in salary cap, there was room to improvise, but he knew the team had many holes. After going over every position, this is what he came up:

Quarterback: none. Only Chris Redman on the roster, and he’s a free agent, so we can’t even count him. This is a definite need.
Potential targets: Chris Redman, Trent Green, Joey Harrington

Half Back: Jerious Norwood, Jason Snelling. Neither are key contributors, but they can be solid backups. Still need a starting running back.
Potential targets: Michael Turner, Marion Barber, Kevin Jones, Samkon Gado

Full Back: Ovie Mughelli. Mughelli is a good run blocker, and should open holes for whoever our running back is.
No Need

Wide Receiver: Roddy White, Joe Horn, Laurent Robinson, Michael Jenkins, Brian Finneran, Adam Jennings. White and Robinson are the only true keepers here, as Robinson is potentially a solid #4 receiver. Horn is up there in age, and we will see what we can get for him. Jenkins, Finneran and Jennings will all be released as they don’t fit the mold of what we need
Potential targets: Javon Walker, Jerry Porter

Tight End: Martrez Milner. Milner is a solid back-up, but that’s it. If we don’t pick up anyone he’ll be thrust into the starters role, and I don’t want that.
Potential targets: L.J. Smith, Eric Johnson

Tackle: Quinn Ojinnaka, Todd Weiner, Patrick McCoy. Weiner is the only true starter here, as Ojinnaka and McCoy are better suited as backups at this point. Definitely need at least one tackle
Potential targets: Adam Goldberg, Jordan Gross, Max Starks

Guard: Justin Blalock, Tyson Clabo, Kynan Forney, D’Anthony Batiste. Blalock is the only true starter, as the rest are just back-ups. Clabo will probably be retained, but we will more than likely release Forney and Batiste
Potential targets: Jacob Bell, Stacy Andrews, Jake Scott, Rex Hadnot

Center: Ben Wilkerson, Todd Mcclure, Doug Datish. None fit the mold of what we need, though Wilkerson and McClure are decent blockers. Datish will be released and we will look to upgrade this spot
Potential targets: Justin Hartwig, Jeff Faine

Defensive End: Jamaal Anderson, Derrick Jones, John Abraham. Anderson and Abraham are the starters, and have the skill set to be solid contributors. Jones will be released and we will look to back up the position with more solid depth
Pick up depth in draft

Defensive Tackle: Trey Lewis, Jonathan Babineaux, Montavious Stanley. Lewis is the only safe player as he is the only one who fits our prototype
Potential targets: Babatunde Oshinowo, Ethan Kelly

Outside Linebacker: Michael Boley, Stephen Nicholas, Demorrio Williams. Nicholas is the only one under contract, and both Boley and Williams are free agents. Will try to re-sign them but, if we cannot, this will be a key need
Potential targets: Michael Boley, Clark Haggans, Calvin Pace, Karlos Dansby, Victor Hobson

Middle Linebacker: Keith Brooking, Tony Taylor. Brooking is a veteran linebacker, a leader on defense, and fits the mold of what we need. He’s a definite keeper. Taylor struggles as even a backup, so we will look to upgrade here, most likely through the draft
No need

Cornerback: Chris Houston, David Irons. With only two corners on the roster, this is a definite need. Irons is safe due to a lack of depth
Potential targets: Asante Samuel, Randall Gay, Jacques Reeves, Drayton Florence

Free Safety: Jimmy Williams. Solid back-up who may be forced into a starter’s role. May have to pick up depth in the draft
Potential targets: Eugene Wilson, Gibril Wilson, Erik Coleman

Strong Safety: Lawyer Milloy, Darren Stone. Neither are terrific options for our defense, but Milloy is a pro-bowl caliber safety. Due to many other needs on the roster, this position will be left untouched
No need

Kicker: Morten Andersen. His contract is up, and it’s not worthwhile to franchise him. Will upgrade during free agency
Potential targets: Jason Elam, Josh Brown, Lawrence Tynes, Matt Prater

Punter: Michael Koenen. One of the best, though his contract is up. While command a lot during free agency, so may franchise
None, will franchise Koenen

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Looking ahead to the upcoming NFL Draft, Tobias already had it worked out on paper. He had been studying this draft intently, and what players he wanted to target at each position:

Quarterback: Matt Ryan (top 5), Dennis Dixon (4th round), Matt Flynn (5th round), Alex Brink (7th round)
Halfback: Darren McFadden (top 5), Ray Rice (2nd round), Mike Hart (4th round), Lex Hilliard (7th round)
Fullback: Jerome Felton (4th round)
Wide Receiver: DeSean Jackson (2nd round), Early Doucet (2nd Round), Harry Douglas (3rd round), Jaymar Johnson (6th or 7th round)
Tight End: John Carlson (1st round), Dustin Keller (2nd round), Martellus Bennett (2nd round), Craig Stevens (4th round), Cole Bennett (6th round), Keith Zinger (7th round)
Tackle: Jake Long (top 5), Ryan Clady (1st round), King Dunlap (4th round), Nathan Bank (5th round), James Blair (5th round), Carl Nicks (7th round)
Guard: Branden Albert (1st round), David Hale (3rd round), Kalvin Black (5th round), Kurt Edwards (6th round)
Center: Steven Justice (4th round), Adam Spieker (5th round)
Defensive End: Trevor Scott (5th round), Jason Jones (2nd round), Calais Campbell (2nd round), Andrew Harper (5th round), Buddy Jackson (7th round)
Defensive Tackle: Nick Hayden (4th round), Greg Chandler (6th round), Bryan Hartwell (7th round)
Outside Linebacker: Shawn Crable (3rd round), Xavier Adibi (4th round), Robert James (3rd round)
Middle Linebacker: Tavares Gooden (3rd round), Philip Wheeler (3rd round)
Cornerback: Mike Jenkins (1st round), Patrick Lee (2nd round), Justin Tyron (5th round)
Free Safety: Quintin Demps (3rd round), Kareem Moore (5th round), Josh Barrett (5th round)
Strong Safety: Dominique Barber (4th round), Craig Steltz (4th round), Bo Wilson (6th round)
Kicker: Alexis Serna (6th round)
Punter: Andrew Larson (7th round)

*For the most part, I am going to try to avoid the sleepers/well-known players. I'm going to play this like a real-life coach would: as if I don't know the players potential. I'm going to focus on the regular season scouting details and use that as the basis for my draft board. Yes, I will take some of the known sleepers, but I'm going to attempt to avoid Serna, Woodson, Johnson, Jackson, Rice, etc. Some of them because I've already used them, and others because it would be too easy to just take them. I'm going to try to build this like a team would, with weaker players at back-up for depth. I'm not going to go all out and enhance every position with the best of the best. That will take away from the other teams, making it even easier for me to dominate.

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Okay, now that all that background stuff is done and you have gotten a look at the mindset of Tobias Grimm, it's time to get to the meat and bones of this career. I won't go in depth into other teams movements, but will note anything of interest. Stay tuned for my next update

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The Senior All-Star practice and game came and went, and Tobias went to work scouting the players he wanted to see more of. With many holes in the Falcons roster, and an abundance of talent to scout, many assume that Grimm could not fail in his first draft. Rumor has it that the Falcons are looking for a franchise quarterback with the third overall pick, but the gates have been left open for any player to steal the show and solidify themselves as the Falcons potential pick. While they were watching everyone, it appears that Grimm and the Falcons were most intrigued by the following players:

Quarterback: Michigan's Chad Henne and Oregon's Dennis Dixon
Running Back: LSU's Jacob Hester, Tulane's Matthew Forte, Georgia Tech's Tashard Choice, and California's Justin Forsett
Receiver/Tight End: LSU's Early Doucet, Louisville's Harry Douglas, Tennessee's Brad Cottam, and California's Lavelle Hawkins
Offensive Lineman: Wake Forest's Steven Justice, Nebraska's Carl Nicks, and Pittsburgh's Michael McGlynn
Defensive Lineman: Eastern Michigan's Jason Jones, Buffalo's Trevor Scott, Gardner Webb's Buddy Jackson, and Iowa State's Athya Rubin
Linebackers: Georgia Tech's Philip Wheeler, Michigan's Shawn Crable, Virginia Tech's Xavier Adibi, and Penn State's Dan Connor
Defensive Backs: Auburn's Patrick Lee, UTEP's Quintin Demps, Michigan's Jamar Adams, California's Thomas Decoud, Boston College's DeJuan Tribble, and USC's Terrell Thomas
Kickers/Punters: Oregon State's Alexis Serna and Georgia's Brandon Coutu

“The talent in this year's draft runs deep.” Tobias was stated as saying after the All-Star game. “There are a lot of quality players that can instantly upgrade any roster.” When asked who surprised him the most, he didn't hesitate to answer. “There were many surprises. Several players who weren't even on our radar have now jumped up our draft board, and we look forward to seeing them at the combine.”

Rumor has it that some of those players include Tennessee's Brad Cottam, USC's Terrell Thomas, and Michigan's Jamar Adams.

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FALCONS RATHER QUIET IN FREE AGENCY

GRIMM SEEMS FOCUSED ON NFL DRAFT

ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Many people thought the Falcons would be buyers in this years free agent market seeing as the team had over $60 million to spend, but they were rather quiet. "This is a long-term plan. While the fans want us to win now, we have to be smart. We're not going all out on one or two players. No, we will operate smartly, only picking up those who fit our scheme and our budget."

The Falcons were smart in free agency, despite having many holes to fill. The biggest names came quickly as Atlanta signed two ex-Patriots in corner Randall Gay and safety Eugene Wilson. The other big name was ex-Chargers back-up Michael Turner to bolster the running game, and other players were splashed in to round out the roster.

"We could have signed everybody." Grimm stated in a press release before the draft. "We had the money, and there were quite a few good players out there. But we still had the draft coming up, and that is most important. It is our plan to build from the draft." Evidently, Grimm and the Falcons are banking on the draft giving them the players they need, and picking up the rest of the roster as training camp invitees.


Free Agent signings:
FS Eugene Wilson- 5 year, $24 million with a $3.5 million bonus
“Wilson is a safety capable of patrolling the backfield for any defense. After playing for the Patriots last year and falling short of hoisting the Lombardi trophy, New England let him go, much to the chagrin of the fans. Their loss is our gain, however, as Wilson will patrol the backfield for our improved secondary.”

CB Randall Gay- 4 year, $20 million with a $3.5 million bonus
“Gay is another ex-Patriot that will now improve the Falcon's secondary. After posting 33 tackles with 3 interceptions last year and 7 passes defended, the Patriots found themselves with too many options and only one franchise tag. That resulted in the loss of Gay along with Wilson, and the Falcons get much better in the secondary because of it.”

HB Michael Turner- 4 year, $22 million with a $3.5 million bonus
“Turner played for San Diego the past four years, backing up Ladainian Tomlinson. As such, he has very limited wear-and-tear on his body. In fact, he's only ran the ball 228 times in his career up to now, posting 1257 yards and 6 touchdowns in that span. He's shown great skill, and should be the every-down back for the Falcons as they try to bring back their winning ways.”

RG Ben Noll- 4 years, $19 million with a $2.5 million bonus
“Noll is a big, strong guard that has an explosive burst off the line. He's strong enough to push the bigger defensive lineman away and open running lanes for his halfback, while quick enough to pick up blitzers and keep his quarterback upright.”

CB Jacques Reeves- 4 year, $16 million with a $2.5 million bonus
“Reeves is a young corner who shows great upside. He hasn't seen much playing time, but when he has played, he's shown a knack for getting to the ball and disrupting plays. Playing and learning alongside Randall Gay should help him drastically improve his game and be a solid force in our secondary.”

WR Javon Walker- 2 year, $6.5 million with a $1 million bonus
“Walker is coming off an injury that kept him out half the season last year, but we're banking on him returning to the form he showed his first year in Denver and back in Green Bay. If he can, he's a solid 3rd or 4th receiver in our system. He's always been a sure catcher and runs crisp routes. If not, then he can help White, Robinson, and any rookies we bring in acclimate to the NFL and our system.”

OLB Ian Gold- 2 year, $4.6 million with $500K bonus and a $250k incentive for 100 tackles and another $250k incentive for 10 sacks
“Ian has been a solid linebacker for Denver over the past eight years, managing to rack up 524 tackles over that span. Not flashy numbers, but he can solidify a weak linebacker corp and should thrive in our defensive scheme.”

QB Gus Frerotte- 1 year, $2.4 million with no bonus
“Gus is a 14-year veteran who has been solid, if unspectacular, in his career. He didn't play last year, but will be asked to lead our offense this year as we tutor our young quarterback of the future, or back-up the rookie if he can't recover from his year off.”

T Pete McMahon- 1 year, $800k with no bonus
“Pete is a young tackle that has shown flashes of greatness, especially in the run game. His acquisition allows us to shift Todd (Weiner) from the right side to the left side and will protect the quarterback since he (Todd) is a better pass blocker than run blocker.”

K Matt Prater- 1 year, $900k with no bonus
“Matt has a strong leg and is fairly accurate, though he can get better. With no kicker on the roster, it is his job, and he was glad to accept our offer.”