The Eagles have announced that Bobby April has been hired to take over Philly's special teams. He replaces special teams coordinator Ted Daisher, whose second stint with the team lasted only one year. April, one of the "hottest assistant coaches on the market", was being pursued by Washington and Pittsburgh. (PFT)
I hope he wasn't the guy who told Leodis McKelvin to take the ball out of the endzone back in Week 1. (deadspin via dirtywudders)
The Eagles also have terminated the contracts of strength and conditioning coach Mike Wolf and assistant strength and conditioning coach Jay Merlino.
Bobby April's Coaching Career
Years Team/School Position
2006-09 Buffalo Bills Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams
2004-05 Buffalo Bills Special Teams Coordinator
2001-03 St. Louis Rams Special Teams Coordinator
1996-99 New Orleans Saints Special Teams Coordinator
1994-95 Pittsburgh Steelers Special Teams Coordinator
1991-93 Atlanta Falcons Tight Ends/Special Teams
1991 Ohio State University Secondary
1987-90 USC Secondary/Special Teams
1980-86 University of Arizona Defensive Line/Secondary
1979 Tulane Tight Ends
1978 Southern Miss Graduate Assistant (Defense)
1976-77 Chalmette (LA) High School Assistant Coach
(NFL.com)
Lenoard Weaver was named to the All-Pro Team. He was one of 14 first timers on the squad. Here is the full team.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
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From Peter King's MMQB
ReplyDeleteBobby April and DeSean Jackson. Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
When the Eagles convinced April, formerly of the Buffalo Bills, to take their special-teams coordinator job Thursday, they obviously got a great mentor for their kicking game; April, the NFL special-teams coach of the year in 2004 and 2008, had the best combined special teams in Buffalo three times in the past six years, according to rankings compiled by Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News.
One of April's fortes is getting rookies who have never played special teams in college to be key guys as gunners on the punt team or pursuit men on kickoff teams. With a weapon like Jackson in his hands? Who know how great the Eagles punt-return team can be. Jackson had two touchdowns and a 15.2-yard average punt return this season, and scored an NFL-record eight touchdowns of 50 yards or longer. Jackson, who made the Pro Bowl this year as both a returner and receiver, has become what the Bears hoped Devin Hester would be -- a punt-returner who doubles as a deep-threat receiver.
"I had Deion Sanders,'' April said the other night, "and I don't want to put a lot of extra pressure on DeSean, but he has that kind of big-play ability. He's special. He's very similar to Roscoe Parrish, who I just had in Buffalo . We'll have to make sure he stays disciplined and hungry.''
April preaches the punt return is the first play of the offensive series. He's had the backing of his prior coaches in making the kicking teams an equal third of the team, and this can only ratchet up the danger of the already formidable Philadelphia special teams