The Green Bay Packers have hired a new defensive coordinator.
After firing Joe Barry last week, Green Bay spent the majority of the week evaluating candidates, but one name stood out from the rest.
Former Boston College Eagles head coach Jeff Hafley, who led the team to a 22-26 record over four years, has been named the next DC.
Prior to that, he served as Ohio State’s co-defensive coordinator, where he helped develop Jeff Okudah and Chase Young.
Hafley has coached in the NFL, as he was the secondary coach for the Cleveland Browns from 2014 to 2015 and defensive backs for the San Francisco 49ers from 2016 to 2018.
Fan reacts to the Green Bay Packers’ hire in DC.
This hire stunned everyone because Hafley was not rumored to be a target for DC, nor did he interview for the position.
However, Hafley has a proven track record of coaching defensive backs, and the expectation is that he can improve a defense that struggled under Joe Barry.
The supporters shared their thoughts on the change.
He was an excellent defensive coordinator for Ohio State before taking on the BC position. Very unusual hire, but I’m not upset about it.
What implications does Jeff Hafley’s employment have for the Green Bay Packers?
Jeff Hafley’s defensive plan appears to be man-to-man rather than zone coverage. This is welcome news, as Green Bay has spent the better part of two decades allowing teams to complete simple passes rather than forcing turnovers.
Hafley stated this in 2019, and now we wait for him to develop a ball-hawking secondary that induces turnovers.
“I love press man,” Jeff Hafley stated of the zone vs. man coverage controversy. “I think you have to be able to play both.”
In the past, Green Bay’s defensive concern has been that they have not played both coverages. The prior four defensive coordinators like to sit in the matchup zone. The issue with zone coverage is that a savvy quarterback picks up simple completions, making first and second downs easier to handle.
Brian Gutekunst has drafted great defensive players, but they did not fit into Joe Barry’s scheme. With the appropriate system, this defense can pressure the quarterback and force turnovers.
The Jeff Hafley era in Green Bay has sparked unprecedented excitement.
