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Saints add ST coach Rizzi to coaching staff
Posted on 2/11/19 at 1:55 pm
Posted on 2/11/19 at 1:55 pm
Great hire imo. LINK
New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton announced today that the club has hired Darren Rizzi as special teams coordinator.
Rizzi, comes to New Orleans with 26 years of coaching experience, including a ten-season stint with the Miami Dolphins from 2009-18. Rizzi coordinated the Dolphins special teams efforts from 2011-18, additionally serving as assistant head coach/special teams coordinator from 2015-16 and associate head coach/special teams coordinator from 2017-18.
Rizzi’s Dolphins units the past eight seasons were ranked first in the NFL with 11 blocked punts and second in the league with 22 total blocked kicks. During his Dolphins tenure, three special teams players have been named to four Pro Bowls. he coached five players to the NFL All-Rookie team in the past six years. Rizzi’s units served in the top half of NFL writer Rick Gosselin’s annual special teams rankings in all eight years that he served as the Dolphins special teams coordinator.
In 2018, the Dolphins graded out fourth in the NFL in Gosselin’s rankings. Kicker Jason Sanders drilled 18-of-20 (90.0 pct.) field goal attempts and was selected to the PFWA All-Rookie team selection. He was one of only four NFL kickers to kick in all of his team’s games and miss just two or fewer field goals and one of only four to miss three or fewer kicks. His 90.0 field goal percentage was ranked eighth in the NFL and fifth-best in Dolphins history. Punter Matt Haack’s 35 punts inside the 20-yard line ranked fifth in the NFL. Miami was eighth in the NFL in punt return average (10.5 avg.) with Jakeem Grant leading the league (16.3) before being placed on Injured Reserve in Week 13. Senorise Perry led the Dolphins with 12 special teams tackles.
Rizzi joined the Dolphins in 2009 with four years’ experience as a collegiate head coach, including the 2008 season at his alma mater, the University of Rhode Island. Prior to taking over the URI program, Rizzi was an assistant at Rutgers for the previous six seasons (2002-07), where he headed up the Scarlet Knights’ special teams among his responsibilities. Before his stint at Rutgers, he was the head coach at the University of New Haven from 1999-2001. He coached special teams/linebackers at Northeastern in 1998 and coached at New Haven as an assistant from 1994-97. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Colgate in 1993. The Hillsdale, N.J. native played tight end at URI from 1989-92, where he first walked on in 1988.
New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton announced today that the club has hired Darren Rizzi as special teams coordinator.
Rizzi, comes to New Orleans with 26 years of coaching experience, including a ten-season stint with the Miami Dolphins from 2009-18. Rizzi coordinated the Dolphins special teams efforts from 2011-18, additionally serving as assistant head coach/special teams coordinator from 2015-16 and associate head coach/special teams coordinator from 2017-18.
Rizzi’s Dolphins units the past eight seasons were ranked first in the NFL with 11 blocked punts and second in the league with 22 total blocked kicks. During his Dolphins tenure, three special teams players have been named to four Pro Bowls. he coached five players to the NFL All-Rookie team in the past six years. Rizzi’s units served in the top half of NFL writer Rick Gosselin’s annual special teams rankings in all eight years that he served as the Dolphins special teams coordinator.
In 2018, the Dolphins graded out fourth in the NFL in Gosselin’s rankings. Kicker Jason Sanders drilled 18-of-20 (90.0 pct.) field goal attempts and was selected to the PFWA All-Rookie team selection. He was one of only four NFL kickers to kick in all of his team’s games and miss just two or fewer field goals and one of only four to miss three or fewer kicks. His 90.0 field goal percentage was ranked eighth in the NFL and fifth-best in Dolphins history. Punter Matt Haack’s 35 punts inside the 20-yard line ranked fifth in the NFL. Miami was eighth in the NFL in punt return average (10.5 avg.) with Jakeem Grant leading the league (16.3) before being placed on Injured Reserve in Week 13. Senorise Perry led the Dolphins with 12 special teams tackles.
Rizzi joined the Dolphins in 2009 with four years’ experience as a collegiate head coach, including the 2008 season at his alma mater, the University of Rhode Island. Prior to taking over the URI program, Rizzi was an assistant at Rutgers for the previous six seasons (2002-07), where he headed up the Scarlet Knights’ special teams among his responsibilities. Before his stint at Rutgers, he was the head coach at the University of New Haven from 1999-2001. He coached special teams/linebackers at Northeastern in 1998 and coached at New Haven as an assistant from 1994-97. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Colgate in 1993. The Hillsdale, N.J. native played tight end at URI from 1989-92, where he first walked on in 1988.
This post was edited on 2/11/19 at 1:57 pm
2
Posted on 2/11/19 at 1:58 pm to GMoney2600
He was easily the best Special Teams coach on the market. Good job by CSP.
Posted on 2/11/19 at 2:01 pm to GMoney2600
Posted on 2/11/19 at 2:23 pm to GOON
My bad. I never saw that thread.
Posted on 2/11/19 at 2:46 pm to GMoney2600
Posted on 2/11/19 at 3:18 pm to GOON
Here's the 2018 coaching staff. Looks like we only have to replace Joe Brady (Offensive Assistant) & the special teams assistants. Not sure if CSP will hire them or let Rizzi decide. Looks like the entire defensive staff is coming back.
We're in a really good spot imo. CSP has gotten much better at hiring/replacing coaches over the last 2 or 3 years imo. Like a lot better.
Front office
Executive vice president/general manager – Mickey Loomis
Asst general manager/college scouting director – Jeff Ireland
Head coaches
Head coach – Sean Payton
Assistant head coach/tight ends – Dan Campbell
Assistant to the head coach – Kevin Petry
Offensive coaches
Offensive coordinator – Pete Carmichael
Quarterbacks – Joe Lombardi
Running backs – Joel Thomas
Senior offensive assistant/wide receivers – Curtis Johnson
Assistant wide receivers – Ronald Curry
Offensive line – Dan Roushar
Assistant offensive line – Brendan Nugent
Offensive assistant – Joe Brady (left to coach at LSU)
Defensive coaches
Defensive coordinator – Dennis Allen (just signed a new contract)
Defensive line – Ryan Nielsen
Linebackers – Mike Nolan
Secondary – Aaron Glenn
Senior defensive assistant – Peter Giunta
Defensive assistant/linebackers – Michael Hodges
Defensive assistant – Leigh Torrence
Pass rush specialist – Brian Young
Special teams coaches
Special teams coach – Mike Westhoff (retired)
Special teams coordinator – Bradford Banta (fired)
Assistant special teams – Kevin O'Dea (fired)
Coaching assistant – Deuce Schwartz (fired)
We're in a really good spot imo. CSP has gotten much better at hiring/replacing coaches over the last 2 or 3 years imo. Like a lot better.
Front office
Executive vice president/general manager – Mickey Loomis
Asst general manager/college scouting director – Jeff Ireland
Head coaches
Head coach – Sean Payton
Assistant head coach/tight ends – Dan Campbell
Assistant to the head coach – Kevin Petry
Offensive coaches
Offensive coordinator – Pete Carmichael
Quarterbacks – Joe Lombardi
Running backs – Joel Thomas
Senior offensive assistant/wide receivers – Curtis Johnson
Assistant wide receivers – Ronald Curry
Offensive line – Dan Roushar
Assistant offensive line – Brendan Nugent
Offensive assistant – Joe Brady (left to coach at LSU)
Defensive coaches
Defensive coordinator – Dennis Allen (just signed a new contract)
Defensive line – Ryan Nielsen
Linebackers – Mike Nolan
Secondary – Aaron Glenn
Senior defensive assistant – Peter Giunta
Defensive assistant/linebackers – Michael Hodges
Defensive assistant – Leigh Torrence
Pass rush specialist – Brian Young
Special teams coaches
Special teams coach – Mike Westhoff (retired)
Special teams coordinator – Bradford Banta (fired)
Assistant special teams – Kevin O'Dea (fired)
Coaching assistant – Deuce Schwartz (fired)
This post was edited on 2/11/19 at 3:28 pm
Posted on 2/11/19 at 9:43 pm to GMoney2600
quote:
Special teams coach – Mike Westhoff (retired)
Man I wish we could've gotten this guy a ring. He did a hell of a job for us.
Posted on 2/15/19 at 10:56 am to GMoney2600
LINK Looks like CSP might be letting Rizzi hire his own guys.
The New Orleans Saints are hiring former Penn State assistant coach Phil Galiano to assist new special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, according to an ESPN report.
Galiano has coached in the college ranks since 2014 and has spent the last two seasons with Penn State. He was an off-field defensive consultant in 2017 and served as the special teams coordinator last season.
The Nittany Lions struggled on special teams in their lone season under Galiano. In coverage, they ranked No. 69 in punt return average (8.57) and No. 84 in kick return average (21.33), allowing a return touchdown in each. Penn State’s kickers made just 16 of 24 field goal attempts, ranking No. 93 in field goal percentage (66.7 percent).
The special teams issues were especially evident in Penn State’s 27-24 Citrus Bowl loss to Kentucky.
This will not be Galiano’s first time working under Rizzi.
He served as the outside linebackers coach in 2001, Rizzi’s last season as New Haven’s head coach, then was on the same Rutgers staff as Rizzi from 2004-06. Finally, Galiano spent the 2016 season as a special teams intern with the Miami Dolphins, where Rizzi was the special teams coordinator from 2010-18.
The Saints announced Rizzi’s hiring earlier this week.
The New Orleans Saints are hiring former Penn State assistant coach Phil Galiano to assist new special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, according to an ESPN report.
Galiano has coached in the college ranks since 2014 and has spent the last two seasons with Penn State. He was an off-field defensive consultant in 2017 and served as the special teams coordinator last season.
The Nittany Lions struggled on special teams in their lone season under Galiano. In coverage, they ranked No. 69 in punt return average (8.57) and No. 84 in kick return average (21.33), allowing a return touchdown in each. Penn State’s kickers made just 16 of 24 field goal attempts, ranking No. 93 in field goal percentage (66.7 percent).
The special teams issues were especially evident in Penn State’s 27-24 Citrus Bowl loss to Kentucky.
This will not be Galiano’s first time working under Rizzi.
He served as the outside linebackers coach in 2001, Rizzi’s last season as New Haven’s head coach, then was on the same Rutgers staff as Rizzi from 2004-06. Finally, Galiano spent the 2016 season as a special teams intern with the Miami Dolphins, where Rizzi was the special teams coordinator from 2010-18.
The Saints announced Rizzi’s hiring earlier this week.
This post was edited on 2/15/19 at 10:59 am
Posted on 2/15/19 at 11:38 am to GMoney2600
I dont like going to fan sites to shite on a hire, but most of us are celebrating Galiano leaving. Hopefully him being an Assistant to the ST Coordinator will recharge his batteries, maybe teach him some new tricks, and help the Saints achieve success next year.
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