[HUbison]

Marmie likely will join Seahawks staff

MIKE SANDO; The News Tribune
Published: February 17th, 2006 02:30 AM





The Seattle Seahawks are expected to add former St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Larry Marmie to their coaching staff in the coming days, NFL sources said Thursday.
Marmie, 63, spent the past two seasons as the Rams’ defensive coordinator. He was with the Cardinals from 1996 through 2003, serving his final four years there as coordinator.

The Seahawks interviewed Marmie this week.

Marmie recently interviewed for the Green Bay Packers’ opening as defensive backs coach. The job went to Kurt Schottenheimer.

In Seattle, Marmie presumably would help out with the secondary.

The Seahawks have sought to add another experienced coach to a group that already features coordinators John Marshall and Ray Rhodes.

Marshall took over for Rhodes during the 2005 season after Rhodes suffered two mild strokes; the team has not yet publicly defined their roles for 2006.

The Rams’ defense ranked 17th under Marmie in 2004 and 30th last season. Marmie posted a 22-21-1 record as head coach at Arizona State from 1988 to 1991.

The Seahawks have had success drawing from the Rams’ defense in recent years. Free-agent defensive ends Grant Wistrom and Bryce Fisher left St. Louis to become starters in Seattle, helping the Seahawks improve to a No. 16 defensive ranking last season.

The defense was particularly effective late in the season and during the playoffs as Seattle advanced to the Super Bowl.

Seattle’s defense ranked 26th in 2004.