LeBeau to sign deal to stay as Steelers' defensive coordinator

[SH-Rock]

Tuesday, February 15, 2011
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://post-gazette.com/pg/11046/1125590-100.stm

Dick LeBeau spent the weekend playing golf in North Carolina, not mulling his future with the Steelers or any other NFL team.

After all, there was nothing to mull.

"I'm not coaching anywhere but here," LeBeau said today after returning from four days off to start getting ready for the NFL combine that begins Feb. 23 in Indianapolis.

The Steelers want LeBeau, 72, back as their defensive coordinator and he intends to sign a new one-year deal any day now to return as the leader of a defense that ranked No. 2 overall and No. 1 against the run in the National Football League in 2010.

Signing a one-year contract is nothing new for LeBeau: He has done that every year with the Steelers since returning for his second stint as defensive coordinator in 2004. And that is his choice, not the Steelers, who typically sign all their assistant coaches to two-year contracts.

[pete74]

Long-time defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will remain in Pittsburgh and sign a one-year deal, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.


LeBeau's contract expired after the season and there were rumors the Hall of Famer leaving the Steelers, possibly to Arizona. Instead, his assistant, Ray Horton, took the Cardinals' defensive coordinator job.


LeBeau, 72, put any rumors of being done with the Steelers to rest Tuesday, telling the paper, "I'm not coaching anywhere but here."


The Steelers finished the 2010 season second in the league in total defense and first against the run, boasting one of the best run defenses in league history.


The way we see it


This does not come as a huge surprise, although LeBeau reportedly took the weekend to decide whether or not he wanted to return. He is one of the greatest defensive minds in the game, and linebackers coach Keith Butler still appears to be LeBeau's successor.

[Merchant]

No surprise here. If he left, bad things would happen to inanimate objects in my house.

[stb_steeler]

[bubbletownwr88]

is it just me but is Lebeau's defense getting a bit predictable i mean if i can tell what he's gonna run right after the previous play i'm pretty sure the other team can. I'm not saying he should leave because he's a great coach, but switch it up a little.

[stb_steeler]

Originally Posted by bubbletownwr88

is it just me but is Lebeau's defense getting a bit predictable i mean if i can tell what he's gonna run right after the previous play i'm pretty sure the other team can. I'm not saying he should leave because he's a great coach, but switch it up a little.

You may think that way but lets not forget, Dick had Troy playin deep to help with coverage for Gay an Mcffaden.....at least thats how i see it....

[Merchant]

Originally Posted by bubbletownwr88

is it just me but is Lebeau's defense getting a bit predictable i mean if i can tell what he's gonna run right after the previous play i'm pretty sure the other team can. I'm not saying he should leave because he's a great coach, but switch it up a little.

You mean the defense that finishes in the Top 3 season after season?

[SH-Rock]

Originally Posted by Merchant

You mean the defense that finishes in the Top 3 season after season?

I think we're being too predictable with our consistency. Should be dropping to 15th every other year

[FanSince72]

Originally Posted by bubbletownwr88

is it just me but is Lebeau's defense getting a bit predictable i mean if i can tell what he's gonna run right after the previous play i'm pretty sure the other team can. I'm not saying he should leave because he's a great coach, but switch it up a little.

Stale is more like it.

I don't know about anyone else but I for one am getting a little tired of watching even half-assed passing teams convert 3rd and 8's into 1st downs more often than not.

Sure, LeBeau's defense looks great against non-West Coast or poor passing teams which thankfully are still most of the teams out there. But good passing teams with West Coast offenses like New England, New Orleans, Green Bay and even the Jets ate our lunch this year and that has to stop otherwise every team in the league will just set up in 4 and 5 receiver sets and walk us down the field.

Le Beau needs to wake up and realize this isn't the good ol' days when all teams used a running game to set up the passing game. These days, offenses are very complex and the either / or approach (run or pass) isn't that simple anymore and just having a bunch of big guys up front isn't going to get it done. We need versatility and we need to be able to adapt to various offenses and stop depending on "zone-blitzes" (which everyone has pretty much figured out) and "run stoppers" to get it done.

I think we need to go in the direction of less bulk and more quickness overall and try to become more adaptable instead of trying to "impose our will" on everyone with overly complicated blitz packages which won't work if the QB gets rid of the ball before anyone gets to him, which has become the simple formula for beating our front seven.

I think everyone needs to stop looking at LeBeau like he's some kind of god and start realizing that he's got some work to do to get this defense ready to play in ALL situations, not just the ones we're good at.

(OK, I've said my piece --- flame away!)

[SH-Rock]

We only have Ike as a pro CB. Everyone else is way below average. Troy is a double edged sword and Ryan is starting to slow down. You want Lebeau to play for them?