A Look at The 2009-2010 New York Giant Coaching Staff

Kevin Gilbride- Offensive Coordinator

This is the 3^rd full season that Gilbride will be the Giants O-Coordinator.  Since taking over full responsibility of the play calling, he has increased the Giants yardage and more importantly, their scoring.  Prior to taking over as the offensive coordinator, he was the quarterbacks coach.  Gilbride had a big part in the growing process for Eli Manning, making him the quarterback that he is today.

Key Player for Gilbride:  Hands down this is Eli Manning.  Not only is he the most important player for Gilbride, but also the most important player for the Giants entire team.  His ability to control the game, along with his composure has been one of the big reasons for the giant’s recent success the past 2 seasons.

Pat Flaherty- Offensive Lines Coach

This is Pat’s 6^th season as the Giants O-Line coach.  To say that Flaherty has been an important part of the Giants run game would be an understatement.  In the 5 years he has been the offensive line coach, the Giants have had a 1,000 yard rusher.  Last year they even had two.  Every football fan knows that you can have the greatest running back in the league, but if you do not have a good o-line it will not matter.  Flaherty coaching has made the Giants Offensive line one of the best, if not the best, in the NFL.

Key Player for Flaherty- This is a tossup between LT David Diel and C Shaun O’Hara, but I’m going to go with O’Hara.  The biggest factor in this is the Giants really do not have a back-up center on their roster.  They have players to step in if O’Hara goes down, but they will not be able to do half the things that O’Hara does for Flaherty and the Giants.  O’Hara is the quarterback of the offensive line, and the glue that holds this unit together.

                Jerald Ingram- Running backs coach

This is Jeralds 6^th season, just as it is Flaherty’s.  Ingram has coached a 1,000 yard rusher in each of his first 5 seasons as the Giants running back coach, and he tries to make it 6 in a row this season.  Ingram prides every running back that he coaches not only on being a good runner, but also a pass catcher and blocker out of the backfield.  Jerald played fullback while at the University of Michigan, helping his team win two big ten titles.

Key Player for Ingram-  This is easily Brandon Jacobs.  He is the most physical running back in the league (along with the biggest), which helps the Giants in short yardage and throughout the game.  If Jacobs goes down, Ingram will have to replace him with Bradshaw or Ware.  Both backs will be a downgrade from Jacobs, and the Giants offense will be in trouble with the big question mark coming in with their wide receivers.

Mike Pope-Tight Ends Coach

This will be Popes 10^th season as the Giants tight end coach.  He was the only coach on the Giants roster that Coughlin kept when he took over in 2004.  Coughlin believed, and still believes, Pope is the best tight end coach in the NFL.  Pope has 27 years experience coaching in the NFL, and has been a big part of helping whomever the Giants line up at tight end someone to worry about.  He helped turn former Giants TE Jeremy Shockey into a pro bowler, and is helping Kevin Boss become a better tight end every day. 

Key Player for Pope- Kevin Boss is Pope’s most important player.  He is so versatile, much like Shockey was for the Giants.  He can line up on the line or split out wide.  He has become a reliable target for Eli to look for each game.  He does need to improve on his blocking, as he is definitely a better  pass catching tight end then blocker.

Mike Sullivan- Wide Receivers Coach

This will be Sullivan’s 6^th season as the Giants WR coach.  He has had a very unique path to the NFL.   He was a graduate assistant at Humboldt State while in college, but then was a defensive coach for linebackers and secondary personnel for 5 years and 2 years for the Jacksonville Jaguars.  In 2004, he came back over to the offensive side of the ball and was named the Giants WR coach.  He has coached great receivers such as Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer while with the Giants, and comes into this season with the biggest question mark on the team; who will be the Giants number 1 guy with Plaxico gone?

Key Player for Sullivan- Hakeem Nicks will be his most important player.  It all depends on how fast he matures as a rookie for the Giants.  He has all the tools for a number one receiver, however we all know that the learning process for rookies at this position takes time.  The best thing for Nicks and Sullivan is the Giants running game.  If the running game continues to be successful like it has in recent years, this will open up one on one coverage for receivers on the outside.

Chris Palmer-Quarterbacks Coach

This will be his 3^rd season with the Giants as quarterbacks coach.  Palmer came over to the Giants after being the Cowboys quarterbacks coach.  He guided Tony Romo into a starting QB that had never thrown a pass in the league, to a pro bowl player.   Palmer has had NFL coaching experience as a head coach, offensive coordinator and also quarterbacks coach.

Key Player for Palmer- Eli Manning is Palmer’s number one guy just like he is Gilbrides.  Pure and simple

Tom Coughlin-Head coach

Coughlin is coming into his 6^th season as Giants head coach.  He became the 26^th different coach to win a Super Bowl two seasons ago, and the only other Giants besides Bill Parcells to win the big one.  Before his arrival in 2004, the giants had won 4 games the season before.   Coughlin’s tough approach to coaching was a bit harsh when he came into New York, and it was not taken positively by some in the locker room.  Coughlin prior to the 2007 season decided to change his attitude towards coaching to a more personal approach and the team responded by winning the Super Bowl.  He is one of the best coaches in the league, and will continue to be throughout his coaching career.

Key Player for Tom Coughlin-The Entire team.  Being the head coach he does not just look for one person to be productive for him, but the entire unit. 

Bill Sheridan Defensive Coordinator

Sheridan comes into this season being his 1^st as the D coordinator.  He was previous the linebackers coach for the giants.  He takes over for Spagnuolo who took the head coaching job with the St. Louis Rams.  Sherdian will coach from up in the press box, which Spags did not do in previous years.   The Giants brought in new players through free agency to help their defensive line and LB core add depth.  

Key Player for Bill Sheridan- The health of the defensive line.  They brought in Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty to give more depth on the defensive line.  Last season the Giants played the entire year without their best player Osi Umenyiora, who is back.  They tired down the stretch and could not get any pressure on opposing team’s quarterbacks.  With the addition of Bernard and Canty, and Osi back, the Giants could possibly have the best defensive line in football.  The more pressure they put on the quarterback the easier it is for their secondary in coverage.

Peter Giunta Secondary Coach/Cornerbacks

Giunta comes into his 4^th season with the Giants.  He has helped turned a young secondary into a very smart and feared group.  Prior to coming to the Giants he was the secondary coach for the Chiefs, Jets, and Eagles, along with the defensive coordinator of the Rams.  Giunta has had great success as a secondary coach in the NFL.  His defense was part of a Super Bowl winning team with the Rams where they led the NFC in total interceptions, and were ranked 3^rd in pass defense in the league.  While with the Eagles they led the league in passing defense, and while with the Jets they also led the league in passing defense.  Every secondary Giunta has coached has shot to the top of the NFL in pass defense.

Key Player for Giunta- Corey Webster is the most important player for Giunta.  Aaron Ross is not ready to be a shut down number 1 corner, and with Webster on the field, this allows Giunta to put Ross on the opposing teams 2^nd receiver whom he can cover extremely well.  Webster has turned into a very legit number one, but health issues have been a problem in his short career. 

David Merritt Secondary Coach/Safeties

This will be Merritt’s 4^th season as the Giants secondary/safeties coach.  He had spent 2 years prior as part of the Giants coaching staff as quality control coach and defensive assistant coach.  Merritt played for the Cardinals for 2 seasons as a linebacker before going over to NFL Europe in 1997.  He will be a very big part of Kenny Phillips growth while at free safety for the Giants throughout the next couple of seasons.

Key Player for Merritt-Kenny Phillips is the key player for this coach.  He is still very young, but is talented, big, and fast.   He is the Giants only true free safety, and if injured could cause problems for the Giants.  They could move Michael Johnson over to free safety with the addition of C.C. Brown through free agency this off season, however Johnson is a better fit at strong safety.  

Jim Herrmann- Linebackers Coach

Herrmann comes into his first season as the Giants LB’s coach after coaching the same position with the Jets for a few seasons.  Prior to going to the Jets, he was the defensive coordinator for the University of Michigan for 9 years.  He has ties with the new defensive coordinator of the Giants Bill Sheridan, who was the linebackers coach while Herrmann held the defensive coordinator title at Michigan.

Key Player for Herrmann-Antonio Pierce needs to stay on the field for Herrmann as he is the quarterback for the defensive unit.  Pierce has lost a step the last few years which has caused him to suffer as a covering LB, however he has one of the best football IQ’s in the NFL.  The Giants do not have a replacement for Pierce if he gets injured for a long period of time, and would be scrambling to find someone to step in for Pierce.

Mike Waufle-Defensive Line Coach

Mike comes into his 6^th season with the Giants, but has over 30 years experience coaching.  Waufle has coached players such as Tuck, Kiwanuka, Strahan, and Umenyiora into the best at their position.  Waufle had over 19 years experience coaching in the collegiate ranks before coaching the Oakland Raiders for 4 seasons, and then coming over to the Giants in 2004.  Waufle has one of the best defensive lines in the NFL, if not the best and should use the tools he has extremely well in putting up good numbers again this season.

Key Player for Waufle-  This is a tough one with so many good players under his tutelage.  I would say the most important player for him is Osi Umenyiora.  He is coming back from a severe injury, and if healthy could be the best DE in the NFL.  With Osi staying healthy, this allows Waufle to move Tuck all around the line, making it harder for offensive lines to block everyone.  Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard where brought in as free agents and will step into starting rolls right away.

Tom Quinn Special Teams Coach

Tom comes into his 4^th season as a coach for the Giants and his 3^rd as the special teams coach.  Prior to being an assistant special teams coach for the Giants in 2006, Quinn coached at the collegiate level for 15 years.  Quinn has had the privilege to coach Jeff Feagles for the last few seasons, who is looked at as one of the NFL’s best directional punters.

Key Player for Quinn-This one is easy as it is Jeff Feagles.  Feagles has over 20 years experience in the league and at times helps the Giants with field position.  He consistently helps the defense out by pinning opposing offenses inside their 20 yard line.