Alex Gibbs to Seattle as OL coach (1 Viewer)

[Sammy Traveller]

LINK

Carroll brings Alex Gibbs to Seattle

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on January 12, 2010 1:43 PM ET

Pete Carroll already has his own parking spot. Now he's starting to build a coaching staff.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that Carroll has landed Alex Gibbs as his offensive line coach, a significant coup for a new staff that may be made up mostly of college coaches.

Gibbs, the godfather of zone blocking in the NFL, has long been known as one of the premier offensive line coaches in the league. He's enjoyed success in Denver, Atlanta, and Houston. His contract with the Texans as assistant head coach ran out at the end of the season.

As Mort points out, Gibbs' approach to the running game will work seamlessly with what Jeremy Bates wants to do. Bates worked in Denver before working under Carroll at USC and is expected to be named Seattle's offensive coordinator.

We'll have more from Carroll's introductory presser shortly. In the meantime, put the next Seahawks starting running back on your fantasy football sleeper list for 2010.

UPDATE: Carroll didn't confirm the Gibbs news at his press conference. "If that happens, [hiring him] will be an outstanding achievement."

that's significant. he seemed headed to Washington but that doesn't look to be the case.bump Seattle's RB's?

 

[Shaolin Hangman]

I'm surprised he didn't follow Shanny. Any insight as to why, Denver fans? Didn't he leave Denver before Shanny, and was that because they had a falling out or something?

 

[perry147]

I'm surprised he didn't follow Shanny. Any insight as to why, Denver fans? Didn't he leave Denver before Shanny, and was that because they had a falling out or something?

I heard he chop blocked Shanny too get the last spot at the urinal.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Excellent hire if true. From the initial rumblings I'd been hearing, it seemed like Carroll was leaning too much toward a "keep the band together" type staff with too much college focus and not enough NFL experience. Gibbs is a great move.

J

 

[Don Quixote]

I have not watched much of the Seahawks, but I thought one of the reasons that Mora/Knapp were canned was because zone-blocking offense was a bust. Not sure Bates/Gibbs represents much of an overhaul.

 

[Buckna]

I wouldn't say he had much success in Houston, especially this year.

 

[Buffaloes]

I'm surprised he didn't follow Shanny. Any insight as to why, Denver fans? Didn't he leave Denver before Shanny, and was that because they had a falling out or something?

Can't find the link but rumor is that Gibbs and Shanahan had a bit of a falling out after Shanahan fired his son David from the Broncos staff back in 2005.I figured Denver OL coach Rick Dennison would be headed to Washington but he's been offered and is seriously considering the Houston Texans OC job.

 

[scrumptrulescent]

Wonder if they draft a RB. If not, Forsett could be nice in 2010.

 

[Buffaloes]

I'm surprised he didn't follow Shanny. Any insight as to why, Denver fans? Didn't he leave Denver before Shanny, and was that because they had a falling out or something?

Can't find the link but rumor is that Gibbs and Shanahan had a bit of a falling out after Shanahan fired his son David from the Broncos staff back in 2005.I figured Denver OL coach Rick Dennison would be headed to Washington but he's been offered and is seriously considering the Houston Texans OC job.

Shaolin, here's an old link I found.Excerpt:

In November 2004, Shanahan fired Gibbs' son, David, as Broncos secondary coach.

Mike Shanahan hopes it is water under the bridge.

"He's one of the best coaches I've ever been around," he said of Alex. "He's got no holes. He demands a lot. I think he's a great hire for Gary."

As for firing David Gibbs, who now is Kansas City's secondary coach, Shanahan added, "It's always tough any time you have the type of decisions that I would have to make. It's not easy. But Alex and I go way back. So there's a very strong respect level that I have for him and, hopefully, he has for me."

Alex Gibbs was hesitant to talk about the situation but said there's absolutely no animosity between him and Kyle.

"It wasn't anything he did, wasn't anything I did," Gibbs said a few months ago.

But he said he and Mike Shanahan felt so differently about what had taken place, "there wasn't any way to kiss and make up."

He admitted then the strained relationship hurts but held out hope that maybe someday something could be worked out.

"I've kind of lost a good friend, I mean a really good friend, and in our business, you don't make many of those. You make a whole bunch more enemies," Gibbs said.

Gibbs has retired and unretired before, several times.

He left the Broncos after the 2000 season, saying the pressure and long hours had him on the brink of a nervous breakdown. He ended up coming back to work part time for three years.

 

[BigJim®]

Wonder if they draft a RB. If not, Forsett could be nice in 2010.

I'm not expecting much in 2010. I have a hunch this OL will need more than a coaching change to perform up to Gibbs standards. That said, if they do use a relatively high draft pick at RB, look no further for the likely uber hyped 1.1 rookie pick in dynasty leagues.

 

[gradin123]

It is a good move by Carroll.

I don't get all the hating I am seeing on these boards when it comes to Pete. I think he immediately brings credibility back to a franchise that was a mess and headed nowhere. Do you think Gibbs would come to Seattle to work under Mora?

I don't think this will be the last good move by Carroll, I think Seattle has just become a much more desirable place to go for both players and coaches. Some people just assume that Carroll is destined to failure because of past high profile college coach failures. I don't see it that way at all. Pete already has NFL experience and while it wasn't great it certainly wasn't a disaster either. Above all else Pete Carroll is a very smart man and I don't expect he will repeat the same mistakes that past college coaches have. This move is the first evidence in my view that Pete knows what it will take to succeed in the NFL.

 

[Buffaloes]

It is a good move by Carroll.

I don't get all the Carroll hating I am seeing on these boards when it comes to Pete. I think he immediately brings credibility back to a franchise that was a mess and headed nowhere. Do you think Gibbs would come to Seattle to work under Mora?

It's possible, Alex Gibbs came back to coach under Mora while he was in ATL

 

[gradin123]

It is a good move by Carroll.

I don't get all the Carroll hating I am seeing on these boards when it comes to Pete. I think he immediately brings credibility back to a franchise that was a mess and headed nowhere. Do you think Gibbs would come to Seattle to work under Mora?

It's possible, Alex Gibbs came back to coach under Mora while he was in ATL

Yeah and that was probably all he needed to see.