Packers Hire New DC

Interesting hire.. But let's review:

Nobody wanted a retread - check
People wanted an innovator - check
People wanted a guy who schemed for personnel - check
People wanted a guy who focus on technique - check
Expert in an area Pack was dreadful in - check

The fact he was a great recruiter and Sherman spoke highly of him tells you he can command respect.

Pretty much the only box it doesn't check is fixing the run game. But if he hires the right DL/LB coaches that could help that issue.

Solid hire on the surface. I can see why ML would like him.
 
My semi-immediate take is that he is an objectively, no question better hire than Joe Barry was. Barry was a proven, failed DC. Good positional football coach, locker room guy, all that, but failed DC who was hired solely to teach a scheme. Hafley has been a DC and had success, and he's run a program. Having that leadership experience is a boon, because it should mean that he's going to take that side of the ball and run with it. He seems like a very strong Xs and Os guy, which is a very ML sort of trait. I said before and I know not everyone agrees, but going into this I was way more concerned with getting the right man/coach rather than deciding on a scheme and getting a guy to teach it. I'm not enamored with "play man" or "play zone" and I like that he has shown a strong commitment to technique and holding guys accountable.

I guess my main concerns at the moment are: 1. how will players respond to him? Other coaches who interviewed were arguably less experienced than Hafley and they were also position coaches at the NFL level - which Hafley had been for a years, successfully. But they're in the NFL and he isn't. Will his methods with accountability and motivation work on pros versus college kids? and 2. how does his style translate to NFL schemes? Does he have what it takes to go toe to toe with NFL offenses, to plan a game properly, install and then adjust if needed? He said it himself, the college game is a different ball game than the pros. To that end at least, he HAS been a pro coach.
 
rpiotr01 said:
My semi-immediate take is that he is an objectively, no question better hire than Joe Barry was. Barry was a proven, failed DC. Good positional football coach, locker room guy, all that, but failed DC who was hired solely to teach a scheme. Hafley has been a DC and had success, and he's run a program. Having that leadership experience is a boon, because it should mean that he's going to take that side of the ball and run with it. He seems like a very strong Xs and Os guy, which is a very ML sort of trait. I said before and I know not everyone agrees, but going into this I was way more concerned with getting the right man/coach rather than deciding on a scheme and getting a guy to teach it. I'm not enamored with "play man" or "play zone" and I like that he has shown a strong commitment to technique and holding guys accountable.

I guess my main concerns at the moment are: 1. how will players respond to him? Other coaches who interviewed were arguably less experienced than Hafley and they were also position coaches at the NFL level - which Hafley had been for a years, successfully. But they're in the NFL and he isn't. Will his methods with accountability and motivation work on pros versus college kids? and 2. how does his style translate to NFL schemes? Does he have what it takes to go toe to toe with NFL offenses, to plan a game properly, install and then adjust if needed? He said it himself, the college game is a different ball game than the pros. To that end at least, he HAS been a pro coach.
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Well said, and I agree. I'm hoping ML has figured out that the way he's been doing things wasn't overly successful when it comes to picking a DC. He seems to have gone about this in a different way and I'm hopeful he got it right this time. One thing is for sure - this hire screams ML. I don't think there was much if any input from Murphy or Gute on this selection so it seems like ML has the power he needs to coach/run the team as he sees fit.
 
57packer said:
Well said, and I agree. I'm hoping ML has figured out that the way he's been doing things wasn't overly successful when it comes to picking a DC. He seems to have gone about this in a different way and I'm hopeful he got it right this time. One thing is for sure - this hire screams ML. I don't think there was much if any input from Murphy or Gute on this selection so it seems like ML has the power he needs to coach/run the team as he sees fit.
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Well Murphy will love the fact he will probably be cheaper than an already established big name NFL coach …
 
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