The Jacksonville Jaguars have ended their coaching search, selecting Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley as their next head coach, the team announced today. Bradley had been the Seattle Seahawks' defensive coordinator since 2009.
The hire is somewhat surprising considering a trend towards hiring offensive coaches to lead teams. It's also surprising considering the Jaguars have now interviewed their own defensive coordinator, Mel Tucker, twice for the job. Tucker's status is currently still up in the air.
Under Bradley, the Seahawks ran a 4-3 defense that was able to morph to a modified 3-4 defense, making the Seahawks very difficult to figure out on that side of the ball. Their defense was able to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, as well causing errors that often led to turnovers and points for Seattle.
It was Monte Kiffin that originally convinced head coach Jim Mora to bring in Bradley back in 2009. Kiffin gave him a ringing endorsement, and Mora took his advice. Mora recalled the event to Clare Farnsworth in 2009, "Monte says, 'J.L., listen to me. I have got a guy here in Tampa that is one of, if not, the finest football coaches I have ever worked with. He's an A-plus. He's a once-in-a-lifetime coach. You need to talk to him."
Apparently Monte Kiffin saw something in Bradley then, and Jaguars general manager David Caldwell sees something in him now. Time will tell if they're right about Bradley.
