Will Atlanta Falcons’ head coach Dan Quinn make an impact?
While the team remains under the same management from 2014, Atlanta Falcons owner, Arthur Blank opted to let former head coach, Mike Smith go after two back-to-back losing seasons.
Atlanta’s head coaching track hadn’t been very good up until Smith’s hire in 2008, but the first time head coach led the team to five consecutive winning seasons and to an NFC title game in 2012.
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After losing that game to the San Francisco 49ers who would go on to lose in the superbowl, the Falcons failed miserably in 2013, finishing with a 4-12 record. But, because of Smith’s prior track record, management didn’t think twice about retaining Smith for the 2014 season, but another poor year ultimately led to his release.
In comes another first time head coach. The Falcons waited longer than any other team to hire a new head coach and choose former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator, Dan Quinn for the job.
Quinn led the Seahawks’ defense to the leagues best in two consecutive years which is something the Falcons are desperately looking for. Atlanta finished dead last in the NFL in total yards and finished 27th best in 2013. The Falcons have not finished inside the top 15 in total yards allowed since they finished 12th best in 2011.
Quinn spent several years in the NFL as a defensive line coach before accepting a defensive coordinator job on the collegiate level with the Florida Gators from 2011-2012. Quinn then returned to the NFL to be the Seahawks defensive coordinator, his first coordinator job in his NFL coaching career.
May 26, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn shown on the field during OTA at Falcons Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Quinn credited his success as a coordinator in Seattle to his college experience with the Gators. ” I got to learn how the college kids think and it has really helped me in knowing how to develop players in the NFL,” Quinn stated. “I’m totally fortunate to of had that two-year stint to build relationships with those guys and to give me a perspective of the world they live in.”
That has been Quinn’s main objective thus far as head coach of the Falcons, to build a band of brothers. Quinn expects everyone to treat every day like there is a championship on the line. The more competitive the practice, the better.
This aspect of football is something that Smith failed to do while with Atlanta. He lacked the leadership needed to take a team to a championship, while Quinn feeds off of that. The impact Quinn has brought to Atlanta is already very obvious and will hopefully translate into many more wins in 2015.
Quinn lacks experience on the offensive side of the ball, but Quinn handled that with the hire of Kyle Shanahan to be his offensive coordinator.
While Richard Smith is the new defensive coordinator, many believe that Quinn will call the plays on defense, but nothing is set in stone as of yet. Either way, the Falcons will be in good hands on the defensive side of the ball under Quinn.
Many believe that a coaching staff is worth 2-3 wins per year. If this statement is holds true, you can expect Quinn to reach that number with ease.
Quinn’s next task will be to build an exciting atmosphere for the Falcons’ 2015 training camp which kicks off in Flowery Branch, Georgia in late July.