Trgovac Speaks Out

[magnus]

http://blogs.charlotte.com/panthers/...esh-start.html

Trgovac says he simply wanted a "fresh start"
Mike Trgovac said this afternoon that he loved working for John Fox and the Carolina Panthers, but that the time had come for a change.

"There was no one determining factor," he told The Observer of his decision to turn down the team's offer to remain as defensive corodinator. "I had been there seven years. In coaching, that's a lifetime. I just thought it was best that I did it at this time. I just wanted a fresh start. When I put all my thoughts together and all the situation together, it came down to that."

Trgovac addressed media reports that four Panthers defensive assistants, including himself, were upset with the team for offering contract extensions late.

"What this whole thing looks like is not really what it is with everybody on the defensive side of the ball going to other places," said Trgovac. "I don't speak for other people, but I know in my case ... this had nothing to do with contracts or anything else.

"I felt it was best for John and best for me."

Asked why he thought his leaving was best for Fox, Trgovac said: "I just felt it was best for him to get a fresh start as well."

Trgovac, who served as defensive coordinator the past six seasons, said he enjoyed his stay with the Panthers. His defenses ranked in the NFL's top 10 three times and the Panthers made three playoff appearances during his tenure.

"I was very fortunate to come to this organization," he said. "Mr. (Jerry) Richardson has built a fabulous place here. I wanted to depart this place as friends with everybody, and I think I've done that.

"I truly had seven good years with John (Fox) and I appreciate everything he and (general manager) Marty Hurney did for me."

Trgovac said his friendship with Fox remains strong. "I think he has a fondness for me, and I have a fondness for him."

Trgovac had planned to accept the Panthers' offer of a contract extension, but informed Fox Wednesday night in Mobile, Ala., where they were scouting prospects at the Senior Bowl, that he had changed his mind.

Trgovac said his unpopularity with some fans was not a factor in his decision.

"The fans are very important to any pro football team," said Trgovac. "It had nothing to do with the pressure from the fans.

"When you take a job as a defensive coordinator in a high profile job, you're always going to have your critics. ... That had absoultely nothing to do with it. ... That's why this game is so great -- the fans' love for it (and) the way the fans dive into it."

Trgovac confirmed that he has accepted a job with Green Bay to coach the Packers' defensive line. He'll work with former Panthers head coach Dom Capers, Green Bay's new defensive coordinator.

"I know Dom well, and I look forward to it," said Trgovac.

 

[DoWork]

Trgovac

With peppers leaving I knew He couldn't cover up the fact that I am a dumbass as a Defensive Coordinator anymore , so I decided to hide under A less public Job title.

Trgovac

 

[Collin]

As much as NFOF's newest account annoys me, there might be some truth to that. Without Peppers, the defensive situation looks grim indeed, and you wouldn't want to be tied to that as a coordinator while looking for a new job.

 

[Black&Blue]

I've never seen so many coaches from the same staff making lateral moves. Even McCoy will be taking a big backseat to McDaniels. It's definitely not something to be too optimistic about.

 

[Paladin]

As much as NFOF's newest account annoys me, there might be some truth to that. Without Peppers, the defensive situation looks grim indeed, and you wouldn't want to be tied to that as a coordinator while looking for a new job.

Yeah, with the current talent level, it's going to take a lot of money and drafts to just shore up the holes. Put yourself in Trgo's shoes: Losing Peppers and the prospect of serious holes on the D next year - get out now before it muddies your resume.

 

[stratocatter]

Mo better article:

Green Bay - From an outsider's perspective, Mike Trgovac went the wrong direction in his career this week when he declined an offer to remain as defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers to become defensive line coach for the Green Bay Packers.

From the inside, however, Trgovac knew joining Mike McCarthy's staff was the perfect choice for him and his family.

"When this opportunity came up with Mike I jumped all over it," Trgovac said Friday from his home outside Charlotte. "I hadn't even talked to anybody else. I had not had any job offers when I made the decision."

Fewer than 10 assistant coaches in Packers history have returned for a second tour of duty. Trgovac is the latest, having coached the defensive line under Ray Rhodes in 1999 before the entire staff, including McCarthy, was fired by Ron Wolf.

Trgovac, 49, agreed to terms with McCarthy and will begin work Feb. 2. The staff has next week off.

For Trgovac, a self-styled workaholic, coming back to Green Bay made absolute sense for himself, his wife, Angela, and their two children, daughter Jordan (18) and son Michael (10).

"My wife told me, 'You haven't been a very good father the last year. Let's just take a step back and get a fresh start,'?" Trgovac said. "It was just because I've been such a hard worker?.?.?. not that I'm not going to work hard.

"These past couple years have been very hard on me. I spent a couple nights a week at the office. You throw your whole life into these jobs."

Carolina coach John Fox hired Trgovac as his first defensive line coach in 2002, then promoted him to coordinator in 2003 when Jack Del Rio left for Jacksonville. In six seasons under Trgovac, the Panthers ranked eighth, 20th, third, seventh, 16th and 18th in yards allowed and lost to New England in the 38th Super Bowl.

"He offered me a contract and I told him I just wanted some time to think about it," said Trgovac, who was with the Panthers' contingent this week at the Senior Bowl. "The last couple days they were saying, 'What are you going to do? What are you going to do?'?"

But when McCarthy broached the idea of joining him and coordinator Dom Capers, Trgovac didn't dawdle.

"I thought John needed a fresh start and I thought I needed a fresh start," he said. "And I wanted to depart as friends and depart this organization on good terms. I gave everything I had for seven years."

Fox, whose expertise is on defense, worked hand-in-hand with Trgovac. However, Trgovac called the game.

"I can understand how it looks," Trgovac said, alluding to the downward career move. "But things aren't always what they appear, I guess. Sometimes working for a defensive head coach is harder than working for an offensive head coach."

Trgovac will try to pump life into a unit that had major problems against run and pass last season. He hasn't coached the 3-4 since the 1989 season at Navy but has talked several times with Capers over the years.

In the 2003 offseason, Trgovac studied Pittsburgh's zone-blitz scheme and tapes of Capers' defenses. He spent much of '03 training camp installing it as a mixer but linebacker Mark Fields was lost to Hodgkin's disease and the scheme was never used.

"Hell, it's what I played in college," said Trgovac, a middle guard at Michigan in the early 1980s under Bo Schembechler. "I've (coached) every one of those techniques that's going to be taught here. I've been a ball coach for a long time.

"I'm one of those guys, when you have nothing to do, I put tape on. I play with my kids, take my wife somewhere and coach football."

As for defensive end Julius Peppers, who last weekend said he was done playing in Carolina, Trgovac said, "From my perspective, I thought our relationship was very good. But you'll have to ask Peppers that."

Meanwhile, a league source said the Packers had interviewed Travis Jones for what appears to be either the assistant defensive line job under Trgovac or what is expected to be one of two linebacker positions.

Jones, 36, worked under Capers in Miami for two years. He was the Dolphins' assistant line coach in 2006 and defensive ends coach in '07. He spent '08 as assistant line coach in New Orleans.

Jones spent eight years coaching at Georgia, Appalachian State, Kansas and Louisiana State before joining the Dolphins in 2005.

McCarthy also interviewed Chet Fuhrman to be strength coach but a source said Fuhrman had been notified he no longer was being considered. Fuhrman held that job for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1992-2006.

The Packers have had two specified defensive line coaches since 2003. Trgovac, however, said he didn't know whether McCarthy would hire an assistant to him.

"If that happens, great," Trgovac said. "If not, I don't need an assistant."

Greg A. Bedard of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report from Mobile, Ala.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/38258714.html

 

[chipshotx]

Maybe he didnt hate Fox or the situation but he wasn't happy with it.

So, pretty much reinforces that he didn't get much control over the defense and no matter who comes in it's not going to change anything about the D.

That's not very positive.

We aren't going to see a 3-4, Thelt

 

[Malapoo]

But you could also read it as he was devoting too much time to the team being the DC and maybe line coach will lessen his hours a little. We may never know the real reasons because everyone is being politically correct, but time will tell.

 

[Collin]

Interesting stuff. Besides the whole issue of coaches wanting to leave, imagine having beat writers who could actually produce enlightening, professional articles.

 

[chipshotx]

I read "And I wanted to depart as friends and depart this organization on good terms" to mean if he stayed it would not happen.