Obviously it’s a bittersweet day for the Giants organization, which loses former defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to the St. Louis Rams. Here are a few statements from members of the organization following the official announcement by the Rams naming Spags as their new head coach.
Head coach Tom Coughlin: “I’ve very happy for Steve. He did a great job in his two years with the Giants. We’ve been very, very aggressive on defense and we’ve been able to have two very successful years back-to-back. When Steve came in, he was obviously very energetic, very enthusiastic, very thorough, very knowledgeable and he knew exactly what he wanted to do. Steve is a very smart coach and he became a disciple, if you will, of the way I wanted the program to be handled as well as anybody I’ve ever seen in a first-year coach. He came in and assessed what I wanted out of a program and worked with our defensive coaches to get it done. He’s done an outstanding job both on and off the field, and he’s been a real Giant in terms of his contribution. We wish Steve well and we know he’s going to do very well as a head coach in the National Football League.”
DE Justin Tuck: “Obviously, it’s a great opportunity for him. We are happy for him. He has done a lot for this organization in his short time here. Winning a Super Bowl in your first year as defensive coordinator is pretty impressive. I really think he has the skills necessary to be a successful head coach. He’s a hard worker and he quickly gained the respect of all his players. We wish him all the best.”
CB Corey Webster:"I think Coach Spags is going to be very successful as a head coach. You could see when he first came in here, early on, that he is a stand-up guy. We all had to earn his trust, but once we did, we began to play the aggressive style defense we all love to play. He is an aggressive coach by nature and that’s what makes him fun to play for. Spags did a great job here, but we have great players and coaches who contributed to that and who will look to continue the success.
DT Fred Robbins:"Everybody knows Coach Spags turned this defense around in his two years here, but just that and his defense's stats are not what’s going to make him a good head coach. He is well-respected by all of us as players. He’s more than a coach, it's more than just football with Coach Spags. He’s a mentor and takes a personal interest in his players. I wouldn’t say he’s a players coach, but he knows what it takes to motivate his players. He gets us to work hard, but we have fun doing it and enjoy it, so it makes us want to work even harder."
Coughlin, by the way, didn’t indicate how he plans to replace Spagnuolo, but I’m sure he will move quickly in lining up a replacement. As reported in a previous blog, ESPN has reported that Dom Capers, who worked with Coughlin, is at or near the top of the list.
