Falcons’ Decision to Retain Armstrong, Cox, Robiskie: Genius!

When new Head Coach Dan Quinn came to the Atlanta Falcons from Seattle in February, I knew that much of former HC Mike Smith’s staff would not be retained for the 2015 NFL Season.  Rather than bringing in an entirely new coaching staff, Quinn elected to keep three coaches from the old regime in Flowery Branch.  Quinn chose wisely as I would have kept the same three coaches on staff that he did: Special Teams Coordinator Keith Armstrong, Defensive Line Coach Bryan Cox, and Wide Receivers Coach Terry Robiskie.

While it will be tough to see Dirk Koetter drawing up aerial attack plans for Jameis Winston in Tampa, Coach Quinn had his mind made up on working with Kyle Shanahan and his zone blocking scheme.  The good news is that Matt Ryan has shown that he can evolve in any offense he leads and that Armstrong, Cox, and Robiskie aren’t coaching elsewhere.

Keith Armstrong’s passion for special teams is obvious.  Last training camp, you could see him getting after rookies on HBO’s Hard Knocks on why it’s important to contribute in the other phase of a football game.  Armstrong has two very talented players on special teams: Return man extraordinaire Devin Hester and one of the league’s most clutch kickers in Matt Bryant.  Career special teamers want to play for Armstrong.  Just look at Nate Stupar and Eric Weems’ signings last year.  Armstrong did interview as a potential coaching replacement for Smitty.  He will get his opportunity to lead an NFL franchise one day soon.  But for now, I’m thrilled he’s still with the Atlanta Falcons.

In Coach Smith’s trying attempt to get tougher in 2014, the Atlanta Falcons hired the in-your-face and outspoken DL Coach Bryan Cox.  It was a great hire as Cox had worked with then DC Mike Nolan in Miami.  Keeping Cox in Atlanta might have been the best decision the Atlanta Falcons made in the offseason outside of hiring Dan Quinn from Seattle.

A former two-time Pro Bowl linebacker, Cox played with a mean streak throughout his NFL career.  Cox was by far the most entertaining aspect of last summer’s Hard Knocks.  Watching him work on then rookie DT Ra’Shede Hageman made for great television.  Now that GM Thomas Dimitroff and HC Dan Quinn have addressed the Falcons’ non-existent pass rush through free agency and the draft, expect Coach Cox to have a much easier time getting his guys to knock opposing quarterbacks into the turf on Sundays.

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Terry Robiskie has an outstanding reputation league-wide with his ability to coach wide receivers .  Wideouts almost always seem to improve under Robiskie’s tutelage.  Robiskie joined the Falcons coaching staff when Mike Smith took over back in 2008.  Roddy White and Julio Jones have been to the Pro Bowl multiple times playing for Coach Robiskie.  Harry Douglas became a legitimate slot receiver threat for the Falcons before signing with the Titans this spring.  Even Devin Hester who was strictly a return specialist for the Bears made third down catches and scored touchdowns in his first season with the Falcons.

Rookie Justin Hardy could not be walking into a better situation as a rookie receiver in the NFL.  He will play alongside Jones, White, Hester, and newcomer Leonard Hankerson while expanding his knowledge of route trees in the classroom with Robiskie.  Hardy led the FBS in receptions his senior season at East Carolina.  Terry Robiskie is arguably the best receivers coach in the entire National Football League.

Coach Quinn made it his priority to form his Falcons staff with great teachers that want to reach players so that they can get the best out of their 53-man roster.  By retaining Keith Armstrong, Bryan Cox, and Terry Robiskie on his staff, Coach Quinn kept the three best teachers on the 2014 Atlanta Falcons’ staff in Flowery Branch for a promising new era of Atlanta Falcons football.