Report: Minnesota Vikings To Interview Spagnuolo, Tucker, Singletary For Defensive Coordinator Role
The search for the next defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings appears to be getting a bit more interesting.
According to Clark Judge of CBS Sports, the Vikings will be interviewing four different individuals for the position. They've already interviewed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers' head coach Raheem Morris, having done so yesterday. Apparently next on the agenda are Steve Spagnuolo, Mel Tucker, and Mike Singletary.
Spagnuolo is, obviously, the most intriguing name on this list. He most recently had a pretty rough stint as the head coach of the St. Louis Rams, going just 10-38 in his three seasons on the job. However, prior to that, he was the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, and was the main architect of the defense that knocked off the 18-0 New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
Tucker is a bit of an interesting story as well. He was the defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns in 2008, and took the same job with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2009. He was named the team's interim head coach this season after Jacksonville fired Jack Del Rio. While the Jaguars went just 5-11 this year, their problems certainly didn't appear to be related to the defense, as the Jaguars finished 11th in scoring defense in 2011, and sixth in terms of total yardage allowed/game. They were 8th in the NFL against the pass in terms of yardage allowed, and 9th against the run.
Singletary is one that we're familiar with, having been brought aboard by Leslie Frazier prior to this season to be the team's linebackers coach. However, if some of the stuff that has come to light recently about Singletary is true, I don't think there's really any chance at all that he gets the job.
Concerns about Singletary's strategic acumen followed him to Minnesota, and his approach to preparation has raised red flags. According to two sources, Singletary has left assistant Jeff Imamura in charge of some position meetings, skipped all of the Vikings' meetings the night before last month's game at Detroit to attend a wedding and has occupied himself much of the season with side projects instead of the next opponent.
Side projects? Does Singletary have a jazz band that I'm currently unaware of or something?
In any case, it appears as though Fred Pagac getting canned isn't a matter of "if," but "when." The Vikings are certainly bringing in some impressive candidates for the DC job, that's for sure.
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I'm really glad they're finally bringing in some bigger names.
Spags would be awesome to have as a DC. I guess I don’t know too much about Mel Tucker, but he seems like he could sure help. Something major needs to be done in order restore faith in this team and the fact that they’re at least interviewing the big names out there that most teams want goes a long way in my eyes. Now, if they actually got Spags or another big name with proven success, I would be a very happy man.
Totally agree SirGrizzly...
Steve Spagnuolo as our next DC would make me a very happy fan…we definitely need someone with a proven track record and he would lead the defense back to greatness…
%$&^%&*^%*#& WHERE CAN I GET A JOB APP FOR THIS
SHIT if singletary has a shot at this i need to get my name on the list or get his old job if he gets promoted , hell i played class B 9 man 30 years ago and i have 7 first place trophys in fantasy football and ill work for 1/2 the salary and do just as good as he did this year hahahahahahahahah
by THORS BLOOD THIRSTY HAMMER on Jan 7, 2012 4:23 PM CST reply actions
even if it's not true...
we should get rid of him IMO.
our LB’s seemed to get worse this year, especially our best one (Greenway).
Singletary and Duke Silver...
have a regular gig at local jazz clubs in St. Paul (nod to Parks and Rec).
Seriously, the fact that Singletary is even considered kind of gives me shivers. And makes me question Frazier even further. If that’s the path he goes down, he’ll be gone in a year and Spielman will finally have FULL control, as he should.
Spags would be awesome indeed. Sign me up for that.
My rankings...
of candidates we’ve heard of so far:
1. Spags
2. Tucker
3. Morris
4. Singletary
Like most it appears, I’m glad some folks with a history of success are being brought in rather than settling for inexperience or those already within the franchise.
If that news about Singletary is true
He not only should not get the DC position, but he also ought to be let go period.
Christian Ponder: Super Bowl 50 MVP for the Minnesota Vikings
For Basketball Reasons
I don't put much stock in that "report" about Singletary
It sounds to me like the sources are a couple of wussies to be honest. Be a man and put your name behind the words. They could be telling the truth or they could have an axe to grind or maybe they just do not like Mike?
I got no respect for men like that.
Also, the lazy reporter did not even bother to ask Frazier if it was true. You would think that Frazier would give Singletary permission to attend a wedding.
And why wouldn’t he leave his assistant to handle some meetings? He knows what Imamura knows. He may have felt that Imamura deserves a chance to run a meeting on his own. To criticize him for teaching his assistant and allowing his assistant to handle a meeting is ridiculous without all the facts. I think it is a great teaching opportunity for Imamura and he gained some valuable experience. Singletary is also charged with training his assistants too. On top of all that, the lazy journalist did not even bother to ask what kind of meeting it was. Maybe they just went over some film or specific situation which Imamura kows like the back of his hand.
I think to put down Mike without knowing all the facts or even attempting to get a response from Imamura is something I cannot put much stock into.
I know some of you are ready to jettison Mike already and that if fine. But this report is very weak and there is not enough there for me to draw any conclusions.
I like Mike and would not care if he was the DC. They need some players most of all.
When you have really good players, all of a sudden you look real good as a coach.
I just don't care about the report...
but our LB’s, especially Greenway (who is pretty damn good, IMO) regressed under him. I’d fire him for their performance more than this report.
I really did not see any regression from Greenway
The stats indicate he had a very similar year to 2010.
http://www.nfl.com/player/chadgreenway/2506881/profile
The reality is he is not very good in coverage and never had been.
You can fire Singletary for that I suppose but it seems like it is not his fault that Greenway is not good in coverage. It just is the way it is.
Greenway is not going to get better either. If he has not done it by now I see no reason to project that he can be coached up into being better in coverage.
http://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2011/12/19/re-focused-saints-vikings-week-15/
not a stat guy for football, myself...
he just didn’t seem as good or as impactful this year as last year.
People forget
That Greenway is an outside linebacker.
Most impact linebackers are middle linebackers (or inside linebackers in a 3-4 scheme), who generally help stop the run as well as seal the middle for passes. The fact that Greenway has as many tackles as he does coming from one side without many blitz calls is astounding.
If anything, we need to look closer at E.J. and see why he is not having hardly any impact.
Plus I agree with MarkSP18… if this journalist or whoever it is won’t put their name on something then they have no business covering a man’s sport…
by liveforadrenaline on Jan 10, 2012 10:42 AM CST up reply actions
It'll probably be Singletary who gets the job.
We all know how the Vikings like promoting within.
Tucker was a pretty good coordinator
for the Jaguars. I am a Jaguar season ticket holder and watched every painful minute this year. There were so many injuries on the defense throughout the season and the defense played well most games. The players responded well when he relieved Del Rio as head coach and he interviewed for the position this week.
Waiting for Relevancy...
Yes
Very happy to hear Spags is lined up to interview for our DC job. I really hope he gets it. It would be a huge improvement, and give us fans a little hope. I like the Mel Tucker interview too. He also used to be a DB coach too so, depending on what happens on Jacksonville, it would be nice to see him or Morris at DB coach.
If the report about Singletary are true, then I think that he should be given the boot. Leaving the spot open for Pagac to move back into, if he would accept. He served well as LB coach for us. However, I doubt the report is completely true. I can’t see iron mike half assing his job and responsibilities as our LB coach. If we had a some decent DB’s to back up the LB’s they could actually defend against the run and make more big plays.
I’m not sure at all who they have in mind to take over the DL coaching spot though..
I would love to see our defensive staff rebuffed with tons of experience that any of these coaches would bring with them. Ideally for me..
DC- Spags/Tucker
DL- ??
LB- Singletary/Pagac
DB-Morris/Tucker
I would love to see all these new faces, with all of that coaching experience.
dfewkes15
by dfewkes15 on Jan 7, 2012 8:16 PM CST via mobile reply actions
due diligence is good
singletary…get rid of him, he is horrible…
spags or morris….but keep the 4-3…!
doleman to the hall!!!!
by los vikingos on Jan 7, 2012 8:45 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions
Hopefully it's Spags or Morris
We have the kind of D-line that Spags likes minus Ayodele. With the pass happy Division we’re in we need someone who’s going to help our secondary, Tucker would be a nice consolation prize.
Yeah, Ayodele is bad.
but Spags could probably turn Ballard into a Justin Tuck kind of player. He already plays DT but is good enough to be a DE as well if they need it.
by REVENGE4KLUWE on Jan 9, 2012 6:55 PM CST up reply actions
I hope it's either Spags or Tucker
I think if the vikings sign one of the four though, it will be Tucker. Would be awesome to have Spags, but he will probably cost quite a bit of money, where Tucker would be a little cheaper. Still, both these two are great candidates for the defensive coordinator position in my opinion.
Frazier’s job depends ENTIRELY on how well the team does next year – so his best bet is to hire the person with the strongest track record. No need to get cute by hiring Singletary and hoping he pans out – there is zero conceivable benefit, because the best he could do is what the other guys have already PROVEN they can do. Plus, when Spags etc eventually coach their way to a head coaching position elsewhere, Singletary will still be available.
Frazier couldn’t possibly be stupid enough to promote Singletary … right?
Actually you just gave the perfect reason for him to hire Singletary..
If he hires Spags and the the Vikes only have 4-5 wins next year then he just hired his replacement.
I doubt that the Wilfs or Spielman will give the HC job to Singletary.
by midnightwonder on Jan 10, 2012 1:12 PM CST up reply actions
SPAGS ALL THE WAY!!
i live in NJ area so all i hear is Giants and Jets talk. and when he was DC for the Giants when they won the SB that guy was a god around here. the last thing ppl want around here is for him to go to philly. and i feel the same way. if there any way we could get him. out Defense would be in awesome. hes not a HC but as a DC. HE’S THE REAL DEAL! id love to have him here and the players would love him too
kind of strange..
that a proffesional company like the viking organization would interview people for a job that isn’t even open yet. although it is a foregone conclussion that pagac will be replaced, it is however kind of classless to interview for a new dc without publically announcing his firing/demotion. the dunbar firing took me by surprise as well. living in indiana, we don’t hear alot about our beloved vikes, so i don’t know if there was a story behind that or not. i get most of my info from DN.
anyway, that being said, i hope we land spagnola.
GO VIKES!!!
After watching the Giants dismantle the Falcons,
…I’m certainly not opposed to Spag. Granted, he wasn’t the D-coordinator for that game, I saw what type of defense the Vikings could have with their strong d-line.
suprised we haven't heard
Jack Del Rio’s name mentioned for a D-coordinator role anywhere….
I think it is Singletary's
Let’s face it….they created a title to get him here. “Special Assistant to the Head Coach” or something like that. I don’t think the egos at the top of the food chain are willing to admit their mistakes after just one season (Note the very soft cover two that has lost us games in the last 5 yrs), the amount of time it took Wilf to realize he made a mistake with Childress (after giving him a couple of extensions), the Triangle of Authority, Frazier’s complete faith in McNabb 3 weeks after it was noted the season was lost; Frazier’s faith in Musgrave’s horrible play calling and personell groupings.
Just heard a report on NFL network
that Tucker is being considered the front-runner for the position. Frankly, he doesn’t look like a person who would put up with too much crap.
Build up your weaknesses until they become your strong points." --Knute Rockne
After what happened
to LSU, perhaps the Vikes should be looking at the DC for Alabama.
Or the DC for LSU
If your offense never made it pass the 50 and you were able to force 5 field goals still doing okay on defense to me.
by midnightwonder on Jan 10, 2012 1:16 PM CST up reply actions

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