(02-19-2019, 05:29 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Agreed. This guy is the definition of settling.

But, when you have upwards of 10 people turn you down/get blocked...that's what happens.

This guy wouldn't be on anyone's Top 3 list to be a DC. Yet...he's our DC now.

So much for having an experienced DC so the rookie coach could focus on the offense.

The thing that makes this look like settling to me is this: Taylor worked closely with this guy in Miami.

If he thought highly of Anarumo, then why is he like the 10th guy we talked to, 2 weeks later? 

(02-19-2019, 05:32 PM)McC Wrote: Positive take, negative take, it's all really just guessing and assuming.

Seems like the least popular take is just waiting until a team is on the field and then deciding with some actual data at hand.

I'm judging resumes, which takes no guessing or assuming. I just look at what this guy has done, and I can tell you it's not that impressive. In fact, I don't think anyone will even try to argue against that, because it's obviously a losing argument. 

I'm not firmly declaring anything about the future. For all I know, this guy could be an amazing hidden gem. I'm just saying that it doesn't seem likely given his resume, which is mediocre at best. 

Do you really disagree? If so, tell me what about Anarumo excites you, other than he's new to us.

(02-19-2019, 07:12 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: The thing that makes this look like settling to me is this: Taylor worked closely with this guy in Miami.

If he thought highly of Anarumo, then why is he like the 10th guy we talked to, 2 weeks later? 

Gotta look at it this way.. We didn't talk to most of the DC Canidates.. or at least interview them.

Speculation for JDR was all we had in the beginning so we thought it made sense..  Apparently he was interested by we turned him down. 

Grathnam used us to get a raise  happens.....

Several guys we asked to interview were blocked  so we didn't talk to them at all. (interviews always don't mean hirings)
Dude at Ohio state just got that job and didn't want to leave which is commendable.
Capers apparently had other plans. (in Jacksonville now)  but I don't believe we interviewed him but asked if he would interview.


All in all  I don't think we have actually talked to too many of these prospects..  Some of the other names where interviewed during the HC search so not sure they can count as DC interviews.

(02-19-2019, 07:12 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: The thing that makes this look like settling to me is this: Taylor worked closely with this guy in Miami.

If he thought highly of Anarumo, then why is he like the 10th guy we talked to, 2 weeks later? 

Yeah, he definitely didn't seem to make the initial lists of candidates. But, given where they are now, he's a guy that Taylor has history with and is presumably comfortable with, and maybe he's the best option left in Taylor's eyes.

I don't know enough about the guy to form an opinion yet. I've read a few good things, and also some not so good things. I just hope that if he does wind up the choice, he can take advantage of the opportunity and become a solid DC for us.

How exactly do we Lou Anarumo?

(02-19-2019, 07:17 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: Gotta look at it this way.. We didn't talk to most of the DC Canidates.. or at least interview them.

Speculation for JDR was all we had in the beginning so we thought it made sense..  Apparently he was interested by we turned him down. 

Grathnam used us to get a raise  happens.....

Several guys we asked to interview were blocked  so we didn't talk to them at all. (interviews always don't mean hirings)
Dude at Ohio state just got that job and didn't want to leave which is commendable.
Capers apparently had other plans. (in Jacksonville now)  but I don't believe we interviewed him but asked if he would interview.


All in all  I don't think we have actually talked to too many of these prospects..  Some of the other names where interviewed during the HC search so not sure they can count as DC interviews.

We did a phone interview with JDR. We reached out to Capers. We made offers to 2 coaches, one of which was Grantham. We interviewed Pleasant and maybe a couple others. We requested interviews (that were blocked) with Aaron Glenn and Jeff Hafley. Then we ask permission to interview Anaruma. That kinda makes it look like he was pretty far down the list.

(02-19-2019, 07:21 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: Yeah, he definitely didn't seem to make the initial lists of candidates. But, given where they are now, he's a guy that Taylor has history with and is presumably comfortable with, and maybe he's the best option left in Taylor's eyes. 

I don't know enough about the guy to form an opinion yet. I've read a few good things, and also some not so good things. I just hope that if he does wind up the choice, he can take advantage of the opportunity and become a solid DC for us.

In other words, he's the best of what was left. We had to settle for this guy. You're just putting a nicer spin on it than I am.  

(02-19-2019, 07:28 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: We did a phone interview with JDR. We reached out to Capers. We made offers to 2 coaches, one of which was Grantham. We interviewed Pleasant and maybe a couple others. We requested interviews (that were blocked) with Aaron Glenn and Jeff Hafley. Then we ask permission to interview Anaruma. That kinda makes it look like he was pretty far down the list.

The whole Pleasant thing was strange. We literally didn't hear a peep about how it went. The one guy I was really intrigued with. 

(02-19-2019, 07:32 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: In other words, he's the best of what was left. We had to settle for this guy. You're just putting a nicer spin on it than I am. 

Basically...yes. But hey, that's the same reasoning my wife had for picking me from her 'husband material candidates list' and that turned out just fine...right? 

(02-19-2019, 07:33 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: The whole Pleasant thing was strange. We literally didn't hear a peep about how it went. The one guy I was really intrigued with. 

Pleasant was my 2nd favorite option behind Del Rio. Simply because I wanted another guy from the Rams that could help carry over that atmosphere and success. Flores hired another guy from the Patriots to be his DC, for comparison.

(02-19-2019, 07:28 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: We did a phone interview with JDR. We reached out to Capers. We made offers to 2 coaches, one of which was Grantham. We interviewed Pleasant and maybe a couple others. We requested interviews (that were blocked) with Aaron Glenn and Jeff Hafley. Then we ask permission to interview Anaruma. That kinda makes it look like he was pretty far down the list.

Yeah, no way he intentionally waits this long to find his DC. I’m intrigued by the JDR situation, and how “the fit wasn’t there”. How did he not realize that before hand when he started going over “his guys”? Was he not as suited for our roster? I also wonder what his network is like. Does he have strong relationships with coaches? It seems that was also a ML strong suit.

(02-19-2019, 07:38 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Pleasant was my 2nd favorite option behind Del Rio. Simply because I wanted another guy from the Rams that could help carry over that atmosphere and success. Flores hired another guy from the Patriots to be his DC, for comparison.

Lou Anarumo's coaching resume is alot better than Aubrey Pleasants.

(02-19-2019, 07:44 PM)Synric Wrote: Lou Anarumo's coaching resume is alot better than Aubrey Pleasants.

But Pleasant knows Sean McVay!

If we would have signed the first DC we were linked to many around here would have called it a lazy hire.

I think we've had a grand total of one person turn us down and that's because he got a raise to stay in sunny FLA where his family is rooted.

I still don't know why we haven't tried Baby Zims.

(02-19-2019, 07:47 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I still don't know why we haven't tried Baby Zims.

I wouldn't mind them bringing in Adam Zimmer. He has as much coaching experience as alot of the guys they've requested to interview.

(02-19-2019, 07:05 PM)TheBengalsMind Wrote: I like him.

Here's a quick bio on him.

"Lou Anarumo was in his first season as the Giants’ defensive backs coach, a position he held the previous six years with the Miami Dolphins.

A native of Staten Island, N.Y., Anarumo earned his Bachelor of Science degree in special education from Wagner in 1990. While in college, he served as head junior varsity coach at Susan Wagner High School in Staten Island, N.Y.

From January to June 1990, Anarumo was a part-time running backs coach at Wagner College. He filled that same role at the United States Merchant Marine Academy from September 1989 to January 1990.

Anarumo was a graduate assistant coach at Syracuse University during the 1990-91 seasons. He was assistant defensive backs coach under Phil Elmassian – whom Anarumo replaced on the Purdue staff – and was responsible for film breakdown and organization of the scout teams.

From 1992-94, Anarumo was defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. He also served as the admissions liaison to the athletics department.

Prior to his stint at Marshall, Anarumo was assistant head coach at Harvard University from 1995-2000, working with the defensive backs and coordinating the special teams. During his tenure, he helped build a pass defense that led the league in pass efficiency defense in 1999 and ranked No. 2 in interceptions in 2000. 

Anarumo at Marshall University where he coached the defensive backs from 2001-03. He also served as special teams coordinator in 2003. The Thundering Herd ranked 10th in the nation in passing defense in 2003, allowing 177.4 yards per game. They were sixth in 2002 at 161.5 yards after ranking No. 37 in 2001 at 198.7 yards. Marshall compiled a 30-8 record over the three seasons and won the GMAC Bowl in 2001 and 2002.

From 2005-06, the Boilermakers rebuilt their secondary and improved from 287.3 passing yards allowed per game to 241.2 yards. Safety Bernard Pollard was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round (54th overall pick) of the 2006 NFL draft, becoming the highest-drafted Purdue defensive player since linebacker Fred Strickland (47th overall) by the Los Angeles Rams in 1988.

Anarumo joined the Dolphins after spending eight seasons (2004-11) as the defensive backs coach at Purdue University. With four new starters in 2010, the Boilermakers’ secondary featured true freshman corner- back Ricardo Allen, who finished with three interceptions, returning two of them for touchdowns and led the Big Ten in interception return yardage while earning freshman All- America honors.

In Anarumo’s first season with the Dolphins in 2012, safeties Chris Clemons and Jones both had the best seasons of their career to date. Starting all 16 games, Clemons set a career high with 96 tackles (69 solo), while Jones recorded 95 tackles (74 solo), one sack, two forced fumbles and four interceptions.

Anarumo guided a secondary that in 2013 saw marked improvement in his second season in Miami, going from 27th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game in 2012 to being ranked 16th. The defense also nearly doubled its interception output, from 10 in 2012 to 18 in 2013. The team’s 35 touchdown passes allowed over the 2012-13 seasons were the second-fewest in the NFL to the Seattle Seahawks (31). The unit was fifth in the NFL in passer rating against, limiting opponents to a 77.3 rating. Grimes earned a Pro Bowl trip after tying for the team lead with four interceptions and pacing the unit with 17 passes defensed.

In 2014, Anarumo led a secondary that allowed only 222.3 passing yards per game, good for sixth-best in the NFL and the third-straight season of improvement in that category. His group scored three defensive touchdowns (cornerback Cortland Finnegan on a fumble return at Oakland and safety Louis Delmas and Grimes on intercep- tion returns at Jacksonville), marking the first season since 2003 when the Dolphins had three different players score defensive touchdowns. Grimes recorded a team-leading five interceptions en route to his second straight Pro Bowl and Jones was one of three players in the NFL in 2014 to record 70 or more tackles, one sack and three interceptions.

Anarumo entered the 2015 season as the secondary coach and was named defensive coordinator on Oct. 8. Under Anarumo’s direction, cornerback Brent Grimes and Jones were selected to the Pro Bowl, marking the first time since the 2003 season that Miami had two members of their secondary participate in the Pro Bowl in the same season.

The previous year, Anarumo’s secondary helped the Dolphins have their best season since 2008, winning 10 games and reaching the playoffs for the first time in eight years. The defensive backs helped the Dolphins string together seven consecutive games with a takeaway from Week 9 to Week 15, totaling 19 turnovers, the most in a seven-game span since 2004. Miami won nine of its final 11 games and during that stretch, Anarumo helped the passing defense rank No. 15 in the NFL (238.5 passing yards allowed per game) and force 21 turnovers, which tied for fourth in the league. Cornerback Tony Lippett led the team and tied for 11th in the NFL with four interceptions in his second NFL season, despite playing wide receiver in college.

In 2017, strong safety Reshad Jones led the Dolphins with 122 tackles and was selected as a starter on the AFC Pro Bowl team. Cornerback Xavien Howard was one of 25 NFL players with at least four interceptions, including one he returned 30 yards for a touchdown."

Reps brother, made me feel much better about Anarumo, thanks.

(02-19-2019, 07:12 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: The thing that makes this look like settling to me is this: Taylor worked closely with this guy in Miami.

If he thought highly of Anarumo, then why is he like the 10th guy we talked to, 2 weeks later? 


I'm judging resumes, which takes no guessing or assuming. I just look at what this guy has done, and I can tell you it's not that impressive. In fact, I don't think anyone will even try to argue against that, because it's obviously a losing argument. 

I'm not firmly declaring anything about the future. For all I know, this guy could be an amazing hidden gem. I'm just saying that it doesn't seem likely given his resume, which is mediocre at best. 

Do you really disagree? If so, tell me what about Anarumo excites you, other than he's new to us.

I won't have an opinion until I see his Bengal defense play, if he ends up getting the job.  I feel no need to make a judgment in February. There.  That's my stand on the whole situation. 

The majority of my life was lived before the internet, so I guess I never really developed that right this second with no real information available mentality.  When someone is hired, my reaction will be okay, they hired a guy.  Will he be good or not?  We'll know when we know.  Call me crazy if you will.

I don’t really want to read 8 pages of this, did we officially hire this guy?

(02-19-2019, 08:11 PM)CarolinaBengalFanGuy Wrote: I don’t really want to read 8 pages of this, did we officially hire this guy?

Not yet.

(02-19-2019, 07:05 PM)TheBengalsMind Wrote: I like him.

Here's a quick bio on him.

"Lou Anarumo was in his first season as the Giants’ defensive backs coach, a position he held the previous six years with the Miami Dolphins.

A native of Staten Island, N.Y., Anarumo earned his Bachelor of Science degree in special education from Wagner in 1990. While in college, he served as head junior varsity coach at Susan Wagner High School in Staten Island, N.Y.

From January to June 1990, Anarumo was a part-time running backs coach at Wagner College. He filled that same role at the United States Merchant Marine Academy from September 1989 to January 1990.

Anarumo was a graduate assistant coach at Syracuse University during the 1990-91 seasons. He was assistant defensive backs coach under Phil Elmassian – whom Anarumo replaced on the Purdue staff – and was responsible for film breakdown and organization of the scout teams.

From 1992-94, Anarumo was defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. He also served as the admissions liaison to the athletics department.

Prior to his stint at Marshall, Anarumo was assistant head coach at Harvard University from 1995-2000, working with the defensive backs and coordinating the special teams. During his tenure, he helped build a pass defense that led the league in pass efficiency defense in 1999 and ranked No. 2 in interceptions in 2000. 

Anarumo at Marshall University where he coached the defensive backs from 2001-03. He also served as special teams coordinator in 2003. The Thundering Herd ranked 10th in the nation in passing defense in 2003, allowing 177.4 yards per game. They were sixth in 2002 at 161.5 yards after ranking No. 37 in 2001 at 198.7 yards. Marshall compiled a 30-8 record over the three seasons and won the GMAC Bowl in 2001 and 2002.

From 2005-06, the Boilermakers rebuilt their secondary and improved from 287.3 passing yards allowed per game to 241.2 yards. Safety Bernard Pollard was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round (54th overall pick) of the 2006 NFL draft, becoming the highest-drafted Purdue defensive player since linebacker Fred Strickland (47th overall) by the Los Angeles Rams in 1988.

Anarumo joined the Dolphins after spending eight seasons (2004-11) as the defensive backs coach at Purdue University. With four new starters in 2010, the Boilermakers’ secondary featured true freshman corner- back Ricardo Allen, who finished with three interceptions, returning two of them for touchdowns and led the Big Ten in interception return yardage while earning freshman All- America honors.

In Anarumo’s first season with the Dolphins in 2012, safeties Chris Clemons and Jones both had the best seasons of their career to date. Starting all 16 games, Clemons set a career high with 96 tackles (69 solo), while Jones recorded 95 tackles (74 solo), one sack, two forced fumbles and four interceptions.

Anarumo guided a secondary that in 2013 saw marked improvement in his second season in Miami, going from 27th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game in 2012 to being ranked 16th. The defense also nearly doubled its interception output, from 10 in 2012 to 18 in 2013. The team’s 35 touchdown passes allowed over the 2012-13 seasons were the second-fewest in the NFL to the Seattle Seahawks (31). The unit was fifth in the NFL in passer rating against, limiting opponents to a 77.3 rating. Grimes earned a Pro Bowl trip after tying for the team lead with four interceptions and pacing the unit with 17 passes defensed.

In 2014, Anarumo led a secondary that allowed only 222.3 passing yards per game, good for sixth-best in the NFL and the third-straight season of improvement in that category. His group scored three defensive touchdowns (cornerback Cortland Finnegan on a fumble return at Oakland and safety Louis Delmas and Grimes on intercep- tion returns at Jacksonville), marking the first season since 2003 when the Dolphins had three different players score defensive touchdowns. Grimes recorded a team-leading five interceptions en route to his second straight Pro Bowl and Jones was one of three players in the NFL in 2014 to record 70 or more tackles, one sack and three interceptions.

Anarumo entered the 2015 season as the secondary coach and was named defensive coordinator on Oct. 8. Under Anarumo’s direction, cornerback Brent Grimes and Jones were selected to the Pro Bowl, marking the first time since the 2003 season that Miami had two members of their secondary participate in the Pro Bowl in the same season.

The previous year, Anarumo’s secondary helped the Dolphins have their best season since 2008, winning 10 games and reaching the playoffs for the first time in eight years. The defensive backs helped the Dolphins string together seven consecutive games with a takeaway from Week 9 to Week 15, totaling 19 turnovers, the most in a seven-game span since 2004. Miami won nine of its final 11 games and during that stretch, Anarumo helped the passing defense rank No. 15 in the NFL (238.5 passing yards allowed per game) and force 21 turnovers, which tied for fourth in the league. Cornerback Tony Lippett led the team and tied for 11th in the NFL with four interceptions in his second NFL season, despite playing wide receiver in college.

In 2017, strong safety Reshad Jones led the Dolphins with 122 tackles and was selected as a starter on the AFC Pro Bowl team. Cornerback Xavien Howard was one of 25 NFL players with at least four interceptions, including one he returned 30 yards for a touchdown."

Pretty good write up! His units seem to always improve year to year.

(02-19-2019, 07:12 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: The thing that makes this look like settling to me is this: Taylor worked closely with this guy in Miami.

If he thought highly of Anarumo, then why is he like the 10th guy we talked to, 2 weeks later? 


I'm judging resumes, which takes no guessing or assuming. I just look at what this guy has done, and I can tell you it's not that impressive. In fact, I don't think anyone will even try to argue against that, because it's obviously a losing argument. 

I'm not firmly declaring anything about the future. For all I know, this guy could be an amazing hidden gem. I'm just saying that it doesn't seem likely given his resume, which is mediocre at best. 

Do you really disagree? If so, tell me what about Anarumo excites you, other than he's new to us.

Yes! In fact, I can't see how someone looks at these guys resumes and assumes that they're all great hires. Many, including Taylor has been mediocre at all of his stops except the Rams.

Taylor is the Mike Mamula of coaches. Just because he's young and an offensive coach who coached for the Bearcats...they hire him.

(02-19-2019, 07:33 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: The whole Pleasant thing was strange. We literally didn't hear a peep about how it went. The one guy I was really intrigued with. 


Basically...yes. But hey, that's the same reasoning my wife had for picking me from her 'husband material candidates list' and that turned out just fine...right? 

I wonder if Pleasant turned it down?

IF we made offers to 2 guys, we know about the outcome of all the other ones except Pleasant and Manual. I doubt unemployed Manual would turn it down.