Jacksonville Jaguars Bob Babich fired: 4 possible DC replacements
By Luke Sims
Outside the Box) Jim Tomsula
Past Positions: San Francisco 49ers head coach, interim 2010, 2015 (6-11 record); San Francisco 49ers defensive line coach, 2007-2014; Rhein Fire head coach, 2006; Berlin Thunder defensive coordinator, 2004-2005; Scottish Claymores defensive line, 1999-2003
A coach who cut his teeth in NFL Europe and rose suddenly from a position coach to a head coach with the San Francisco 49ers in the Jim Harbaugh vacuum list last year, Jim Tomsula has the requisite experience and speciality (defensive line) that the Jacksonville Jaguars need.
While a lot of the work he did as a defensive line coach in recent years has its credit given to defensive coordinator Vic Fangio (who does deserve a lot of it), Tomsula’s defensive line units have been stout against the run and been pretty solid creating pressure and limiting the pass. Fangio’s defenses relied on the defensive line to create pressure on its own, rarely blitzing (numbers from 2014 and 2013 here), which Tomsula delivered regularly.
Perhaps more than anything, Tomsula as a DC would help continue Gus Bradley’s approach at trying to implement Pete Carroll’s defense that relies on the front four delivering consistent pressure without a lot of blitzes. Tomsula may be able to deliver that better than anybody else on this list, though it may be possible that the Jags are trying to get away from that approach.
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Since Tomsula hasn’t been a DC since time with the Berlin Thunder, it would be interesting what he could scheme up as a dedicator coordinator on the NFL level. He may not be able to be as creative as others, but he could also prove to be something special. He’s already got some fans excited, but that could just be the mustache. (credit to Big Cat Country‘s Alfie Crow for possibly starting a movement to get him)