Tee's Corner: Return to the No-Fly Zone

What’s up Who Dat Nation! Today I’ll discuss the return of Coach Dennis Allen and the possible impact that he will have on the New Orleans Saints defense, specifically the defensive backs. The move to hire Allen came as a surprise to very few people who follow the Saints because many were actually hoping the team could get him back. As many of you know, Allen was the DB Coach on the SB44 team and we know how productive those guys were in the secondary. While defensive back play may not be the only missing piece to the contender puzzle, it could spell out relief for a defense that bends and breaks often. As I have mentioned in previous Tee’s Corner articles, a good position coach can take average DBs and work them into players who have good timing for making plays and coverage skills that give opposing quarterbacks pause. Let’s hope that Allen is ready for the task, even if he isn't the defensive coordinator at the moment.

The first question that comes to mind about a coach being brought in is how he can get the players to play to and above their potential. I would venture to say that he must properly evaluate his players on a refine, repair, and replace basis. The most important factor that needs to be considered is the talent level of a player; he has to poses the skill needed to handle the duties of his position. In terms of cornerbacks, the player will need the ability to play zone and man coverage effectively. Coach Allen’s resume is not stellar, but given his history with defensive back play, I’m confident he would have a positive impact on the players.

*Denotes Allen was DB Coach, Defensive Coordinator, or Head Coach on team.

During Allen’s tenure with the Oakland Raiders, his teams’ pass defense ranked higher than the Saints in 2 of the 3 seasons. In 2011, one season after Allen left the Saints to be the defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos, his defense ranked higher against the pass than both the Saints and Raiders. This information is not to make you believe that the defense will be instantly better due to Allen’s presence, but it is safe to assume that his knowledge has to help a unit that has been starved of the basic training that NFL DBs need.

You’re probably now wondering how great of an impact Allen will have, but as with most new coaches, there is at least one season of uptick due to culture change. I expect better from the young players, especially Stanley Jean-Baptiste. What do you guys think? Will Dennis Allen make a difference?

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