DeGuglielmo Took The Fall But Not Alone

0 Flares Twitter 0 Facebook 0 Google+ 0 StumbleUpon 0 LinkedIn 0 Pin It Share 0 Reddit 0 0 Flares ×

VIDEO: The Best of Dave DeGulielmo. Watch Exciting Video Below..

As we reported Monday night, offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo’s head rolled after the Patriots 20-18 loss in Denver on a day when Tom Brady took about two dozen hits and the offensive line was non-competitive.

After his playing career ended, DeGuglielmo started off his coaching career at Boston College as a graduate assistant for the 1991-1992 seasons. During this time he served on the staff of then head football coach, Tom Coughlin, and studied under legendary offensive line coach, Mike Maser. Upon the conclusion of this apprenticeship, he left to coach the offensive line at his alma mater, Boston University, from 1993-1996. Leaving four years later he took a similar job at the University of Connecticut, working for head football coach, Skip Holtz. He left Connecticut after the 1998 season for the University of South Carolina, where he coached in a variety of roles including offensive line coach, and tackles and tight ends coach. After five years under Hall of Fame Coach, Lou Holtz, he accepted a job as George O’Leary’s first offensive line coach at the University of Central Florida in the winter of 2004. Leaving within a month, he joined the New York Giants staff under head coach, Tom Coughlin, whom he had served as a graduate assistant at Boston College 13 years earlier. In his tenure, the Giants made the playoffs four consecutive years, won a Super Bowl (XLII),and set a franchise record for rushing yards (2,518) and yards per carry (5.0) in 2008.

The last time the team moved quickly to replace a coach after a unit went bellyup was when defensive coordinator Dean Pees was let go following the team’s 33-10 loss to the Ravens in the 2009 playoffs.

During that time, Lexington High School won two Middlesex League Championships and played for the Division I Super Bowl title against nationally ranked Brockton High School (MA). Moving on to play collegiately at Boston University, he red-shirted his first year (1986) at BU. Despite being a non-scholarship “walk-on,” he ultimately became a four-year letterman at Boston University from 1987 to 1990. DeGuglielmo trained under world-renowned Strength and Conditioning guru, Mike Boyle, who was at the time the Terriers’ head strength and conditioning coach.

Looking back, the Patriots knew they were screwed up front.

Which is why we saw them slamming their heads against the wall in Miami in Week 17 trying to establish a running game that wasn’t there. Which is why Belichick was taking knees before halftime, kicking off in overtime and actually articulating a lack of aggressiveness offensively being related to worry about strip-sacks.

Sunday was just the culmination of it. The woes of the offensive line were brought onto center stage. The miscommunications. The mental errors (Cannon false start and nonsensical Stork personal foul penalty). The lack of anything resembling cohesion.

DeGuglielmo is the guy that takes the fall, but the issues we saw on Sunday were not related to him alone. And I’d put money down that Belichick will eventually say that as well.