00:00You
00:05The Giants and John Harbaugh made their most important coaching staff.
00:10Editions on Sunday when we were all snowed into the house when they hired defensive coordinator.
00:15Denard Wilson and special teams coordinator Chris Horton.
00:19Harbaugh's not done.
00:20Not done yet though ladies and gentlemen.
00:22Ken McCusick of Film Study Ravens hops on.
00:25Give us a look into what Big Blue could potentially look like under the Baltimore.
00:30The Giants coaching staff.
00:32Ken thanks for hopping on with this.
00:34I will come to Baltimore.
00:35The Giants because it's like Harbaugh is bringing all his boys up here to East Rutherford.
00:40And we'll start with Denard Wilson.
00:42Brian Dable wanted him as D.C. back in 20.
00:452025 but he took the Titans D.C. job instead.
00:49Turned them around.
00:50Right away.
00:50He was also with Harbaugh in Baltimore in 2023 as DB's coach.
00:55So what do you remember most about Coach Wilson and the Ravens?
01:00secondary that season and what do you think about this hire for the Giants defense?
01:05So let's start with Harbaugh for a second.
01:08Latan Pack that you gave me right that.
01:09Harbaugh.
01:10Harbaugh put in a list apparently of 24 names of people he wanted to interview from the
01:15Ravens and they had to be released or whatever to do so.
01:18So he's going to pick apart.
01:20The Ravens coaching ranks, at least that's what I expect.
01:22And not only the coaching ranks, it may be, you know.
01:25People in the building otherwise who have a adjacent.
01:30Role to football operations that he'll get as well.
01:32So maybe some analytics people, maybe other settings.
01:35Anyway, that Harbaugh is going to seriously dig in.
01:37But as far as Denard Wilson goes, he led the second.
01:40for the Triple Crown defense in 2023, they led the NFL in points per game.
01:45sacks and turnovers under Mike McDonald.
01:47Got a huge season out of Ronald Darby.
01:50of all people that year.
01:51So they hired two people.
01:52They brought in two free agent corners.
01:54Ronald Darby.
01:55who we thought was completely done.
01:57He'd been benched twice the previous year in Denver.
02:00And Rak Yassin, who had some success with the Colts.
02:03They thought Rak Yassin would start.
02:05Rak Yassin total dud.
02:06Ronald Darby was in the top five in terms of yards per target of all corners.
02:10And the NFL that season earned a big contract with the Jags thereafter.
02:14The season all.
02:15We also saw the emergence of Kyle Hamilton as the top safety in the game.
02:19And
02:20and was very dominant as a whole.
02:21Wilson went to Tennessee in 24 and 25.
02:24Honestly, from a DV.
02:24VOA perspective, his teams didn't do any better than the previous Tennessee administration.
02:29Had them they're very similar in 24 and the decline slightly in 25 in terms of DV.
02:34VOA he's a he's 43 played safety in the NFL, a guy who I really respect.
02:39As a coach, I think he'll, he'll do a, a very solid job.
02:44I don't think.
02:44I think he's a total game changer at defensive coordinator the way some other guys will be.
02:49We'll see how.
02:49Well, I like what you said about how he got the most out of Ronald Darby because.
02:54There's a lot of giants fans that are listening to that right now.
02:57And the, I mean, there's just a light bulb that went off.
02:59And their heads like, hmm, well, if he got that out of, out of Ronald Darby, maybe he can get something.
03:04Everything out of Taye Banks as we wait to see what John Harbaugh and this staff is going to do.
03:09With Taye Banks, that former first round draft pick.
03:13And then also the light bulb goal.
03:14Close off where you talk about Kyle Hamilton.
03:17They drafted Tyler Newbin in the sec.
03:19Second round two years ago and he kind of regressed this past.
03:24Last season as opposed to his rookie season.
03:28So there are two names.
03:29The first.
03:29Second round and the second round pick right there that Giants fans are hoping to get the most out of.
03:34And you're hoping that a John Harbaugh and his culture and now a Denard Wilson led defense.
03:39Can get the most out of these two guys if they choose to hang on.
03:44Keep both of these guys in house.
03:47But let's flip to the offensive side of the football now.
03:49Because all eyes right now are on if former Ravens offense coordinator Todd Monk.
03:54Is going to get that Browns head coach head coaching job reports say that Harbaugh.
03:59The football wants him to be offensive coordinator here if he doesn't get it.
04:04You watched Todd Monk and Cook for three years in Baltimore.
04:08In fact we've even talked.
04:09We talked about what that offense looks like.
04:12So what do you think a Giants offense.
04:14Will potentially look like under Todd Monk.
04:17And what do you think that.
04:19Dynamic and relationship will be like between both he and Jackson Dart.
04:24All right a lot to go there for starters again.
04:27Let's talk about Harbaugh and Monk in.
04:29In last year they had some back and forth in the media with each other which is really.
04:34Strange they clearly Harbaugh is tremendously loyal to a lot of his people.
04:39But Monk apparently is very loyal to Harbaugh as well and wants the O.C.
04:44job there in New York which obviously be a big feather in his cap too but but the two.
04:49Some are going at it like an old married couple at midseason about the advice you know that Harbaugh.
04:54Gives Monk and over the over the headset on the offensive side anyway not to go too deep in.
04:59That Monk and what he brought brought to the Ravens offense was a little more.
05:0411 personnel but the Ravens still remain the heaviest team in the entire NFL with 1.8.
05:095 tight ends plus fullbacks plus 06 per play.
05:13So I know people talk 12 or 13.
05:1414, 22, etc.
05:16Ravens use a whole bunch of all that stuff to get to 1.8.
05:198.5 tight ends plus fullbacks plus offensive line per play to put that in perspective.
05:24That means you only have since you have one running back every single play basically.
05:29You've used up 2.85 and you only have 2.15 wide receivers per play.
05:34Now that's not very many by current NFL standards where 11 personnel is the product.
05:39Dominant offensive formation but Monk can certainly adapt at the 2 tight end usage and that's.
05:44For a lot of the Ravens strength was tremendous success with the tight ends in 23 and 24.
05:49Lamar Jackson and the other Ravens quarterbacks included had 143.5.
05:54passer rating throwing to the tight ends that included 30 touchdowns and one interception.
05:59It's a historic two-year run for tight ends.
06:03Only Grykowski and her.
06:04Hernandez for I think it's 0.9 and 10 or even close in terms of all.
06:09Time a couple of consecutive years but that dropped off to 91.3 in 2025.
06:14All of the Ravens tight end and fullback contracts all four of them came due.
06:19At the same time so the Ravens obviously are in a position where they have to make some changes.
06:23The Ravens dropped off.
06:24In terms of drive success rate in 2025 a lot of that was a function of Lamar Jackson's.
06:29Injuries and the resulting loss of misdirection which is really what fuels the Ravens offense is.
06:34Lamar Jackson running the read option along with a number of other misdirection elements.
06:39That they have in terms of counters jet motion etc that really throw off opposed.
06:44Defenses get linebackers moving in the wrong direction so they can make big ground in the middle.
06:49Typically they also had some weak interior offensive line play in 25.
06:54And that's something the Ravens need to address but obviously Monk and he's going to inherit a Giants offense.
06:59Which is probably in a little bit better shape right now and that should be pretty good for him.
07:04I'm not sure.
07:04If Dart is capable of reading leverage well certainly in the same way Jackson does.
07:09Because he's an athlete in his own class as far as reading the opponent's leverage.
07:14But I'm not sure if they really even want Dart to try and read leverage and run the read option the same way.
07:19So that may not be the best possible use but I'm sure Monk is a very adaptive.
07:24Coach from his various times previously and will find the best use of his personnel.
07:29Whether that be Scadaboo or the offensive line Dart and of course Blake neighbors.
07:34Yeah it's pretty interesting right there because Dart's development is priority up here.
07:39Up in New York but let's say Monk takes the Cleveland job.
07:43It's been reported that.
07:44Harbaugh would actually kind of give that OC job to his friend and running back's coach.
07:49Willie Taggart I know he's interviewed for the job obviously as a condition of the ruin.
07:54But what do you think a Giants offense could look under Willie Taggart?
07:59So Willie Taggart anyway though three years as the Ravens running back coach.
08:04Lawrence is known for a very high success rate on running backs as I said fueled by the Lamar Jackson.
08:09Lamar Jackson's improved every running back he's played with.
08:12So Taggart hopefully is.
08:14Somebody who will be positioned to look for.
08:19running back success rate as a key metric and that means you stay ahead of the sticks.
08:24You stay on on schedule to get first downs.
08:27That's the way to win snap count and do.
08:29a lot of the things that the Ravens did well when their offense was at the at the top.
08:34One interesting.
08:34possibility I'm thinking of is that Patrick Ricard might be someone the Giants pick up at fullback.
08:39If Taggart takes over it could be if Makan takes over too for that matter.
08:43And.
08:44That is a scary potential combination of Ricard and Scadaboo in the same backfield.
08:48And you've already seen a.
08:49A lot of Giants fan pages and people out there kind of list Ricard.
08:54Is someone that they want to the Giants to target and free agency and I think that would be great.
08:59Especially with the way I know the Giants run like you know to a lot of two tight end sets but having that.
09:04Pure fullback in there because we haven't seen the Giants have one in quite some times.
09:09You go back to like the days of earth wind and fire and Derek Ward and.
09:14Brandon Jacobs and Ma Bradshaw the tight end I mean the full.
09:19Back at that time Madison Hedgecock was an absolute bruiser and I feel like Ricard.
09:24Is Hedgecock 2.0 because he can catch the football out of the backfield.
09:29As well let's move the special teams man because special teams has been a roller coaster.
09:34Ride for the Giants and for the fan base.
09:38Harbaugh has brought his special.
09:39Special teams coordinator since 2019 Chris Horton with them to fill that same position.
09:44So fill in the blank the Giants special teams have the potential.
09:49To be a top blank unit with Horton as coordinator.
09:54Top 10 unit certainly Horton is not the only reason for the Ravens special team success that also.
09:59Is Randy Brown their kicking coach who's absolutely outstanding.
10:03I'm fearful that he might.
10:04End up with the Giants too but we'll see how that how that plays out.
10:08Horton has been the Ravens special teams.
10:09Coach since 2014 so that's a very long stint with one team seven years as the coordinator.
10:14He succeeded the legendary Jerry Rosberg who's an assistant head coach and kind of a.
10:19In-game strategic assistant head coach with Harbaugh.
10:24Before he retired the Ravens have been always near the top of special teams DVO way with the exception of.
10:292024 and Tucker has been a decline for three years before he.
10:34Was finally out this this winter under the various allegations and what not.
10:39He returned the Ravens return to the top of the rankings in 2025.
10:44With Stout earning 81 honors as a punter but he also is probably.
10:49The best holder in the NFL the Giants don't get those players with this coach.
10:54But they certainly can improve the players that they do have so I don't think the top 10 is.
10:59Is out of range having the kicking coach and the entire kicking department and frankly.
11:04The entire recruiting kicking department for the entire league.
11:09Is what you get with Randy Brown so that would that's something that the Ravens have really been.
11:14Benefited from over the past few years and and you know will lots and Steve house.
11:19And a lot of the most accurate kickers of all time came through came through Randy Brown's camps and.
11:24In terms of what they did so you don't get him at least I hope you don't get him but.
11:29But Horton was originally blocked for for interviews he was one of the few people that the Ravens said no you.
11:34Can't take him over the weekend they released their block on him and allowed him to go and.
11:39We think that Anthony Levine his number two might move up to be the special teams coordinator.
11:44Here well with all the the woes and losses that we've had up here because.
11:49Of the kicking situations and guys being hurt and you know international guys.
11:54Coming in missing extra points and field goals Randy Brown Chris Horton.
11:59Just come on come on down come on down they'll eat for they'll eat for free early here all we got.
12:04To do is see some stability in the in the kicking in the kicking.
12:09position.
12:10Uh Kim appreciate you hopping on with this man like that's you really.
12:14gave us a lot of insight on what the Giants could potentially look like.
12:19I know Coach Harbaugh has a lot of the staff to still round out, but I feel like it's
12:24going to be like a mini Baltimore up here in terms of, you know.
12:29The names that are going to be up in this facility, and I mean, you gave the man $100 million and
12:34the ability to make personnel decisions, I don't blame him for wanting to bring his
12:39guys the people that he knows, so Ken, appreciate you hopping on with us.
12:44All right, Brandon.
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