Liggy Fired by Rams ... Hired by Steelers ...

[MauiRam]

Ligashesky gets job with Steelers
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Saturday, Jan. 27 2007

Bob Ligashesky didn't stay unemployed for long.

Just one day after head coach Scott Linehan confirmed that Ligashesky would not
return to the Rams for the 2007 season, Ligashesky was hired as special teams
coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Ligashesky, 44, is a Pittsburgh native who played football at Indiana (Pa.)
University and coached at the University of Pittsburgh from 2000-03.

He replaces Kevin Spencer, who was hired as special teams coach by new Arizona
Cardinals coach and former Steelers assistant Ken Whisenhunt.

[RamWraith]

Our earlier story about Ligashesky's firing:


The Rams will have a new special teams coach after all in 2007. After much
deliberation, coach Scott Linehan has decided not to renew the contract of Bob
Ligashesky, who has coached Rams special teams the past two seasons.

"He's a good coach with a bright future," Linehan said Thursday. "But we need
to make some improvements on special teams. Sometimes change is good for both
parties."

Ligashesky has been given permission to interview elsewhere, and according to
league sources, already has spoken with a couple of teams and may be close to
landing with another club. Pittsburgh is one possibility. (He is a Pittsburgh
native and coached in the college ranks for the Pitt Panthers.)

Linehan, meanwhile, interviewed two potential replacements in Mobile, Ala.,
while attending the Senior Bowl college all-star game workouts. Linehan, who
was returning from Mobile on Thursday afternoon, said he planned to interview a
third candidate before making his decision.

"They're good candidates," Linehan said. "So I think it'll be a win-win for
both parties."

Linehan did not reveal the candidates' names. One veteran special teams coach
who is available is Pete Rodriguez, who was recently among several assistants
fired by Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville. Rodriguez was named NFL special teams
coach of the decade in the 1990s by the Dallas Morning News. As recently as the
2005 season, the Jaguars' special-teams unit was ranked eighth in the NFL by
the Morning News. But as of Thursday afternoon, Rodriguez had not heard from
Linehan.

Another possibility is Scott O'Brien. He was brought to the Miami Dolphins by
Nick Saban as coordinator of football operations and assistant to the head
coach. But Saban has left the NFL for the University of Alabama, and O'Brien
has a long track record as one of the NFL's better special teams coaches, most
recently with Carolina (1999-2004). Linehan knows O'Brien after spending the
2005 season as Dolphins offensive coordinator.

"You look for continuity," Linehan said. "You don't want to change year after
year. I'm looking for someone who's going to be here for a while, and you hope
it works out."

Despite signs of improvement in some areas in 2006, the Rams again finished
near the bottom of the league in punt returns (tied for 25th), kickoff returns
(26th), and kickoff coverage (28th). Rams coverage units did force and recover
a fumble against San Francisco on Nov. 26, and recovered a muffed punt at
Oakland on Dec. 17. But the Rams also yielded three return touchdowns — on a
punt return by Seattle's Nate Burleson on Nov. 12, and twice on kickoff returns
by Chicago's Devin Hester on Dec. 11.

Rams special teams have struggled this entire decade, beginning with Mike
Martz's first season as head coach in 2000. Ligashesky's replacement will be
the team's fifth special teams coach of the decade, a list that includes Mike
Stock (2004), Bobby April (2001-03), and Larry Pasquale (2000).

Over that span, Rams special teams have allowed 20 touchdowns, while scoring
only six. Things weren't quite so bad during Ligashesky's tenure. The Rams
allowed four special teams TDs, while scoring two in '05 and '06. Both Rams
scores came in 2005: Chris Johnson returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown
against Seattle, and Brandon Chillar returned a blocked punt 29 yards for a
score against Jacksonville.

Ligashesky, 44, was among only three coaches from Martz's staff retained when
Linehan was named Rams head coach 12 months ago. At his season-ending news
conference 3½ weeks ago, Linehan said he didn't anticipate any staff changes.
But he has been contemplating making a change at special teams coach since the
end of the season, something Ligashesky was aware of.

Ligashesky could not be reached for comment Thursday.

[keith m. klink]

this can only be good new's. linehan is putting a solid stamp on this team . hard thought out decisions that can only make their special teams better. everyone new that mike martz could have cared less about special team. if we could score 40+ points , screw special teams boy's. vermeil on the other hand used the special teams very well, and it showed in 1999. we do have good players , now linehan will get a coach to solidify this . very happy with this decision.

[bruce4life]

can someone say a repeat of bobby april.... lol...

[AlphaRam]

If we would have prevented one of Hester's returns and prevented the Nate Burleson return, we would have finished 10-6 and won the division.

[blood85]

Can you blame them? Our SPT's were hideous....I understand it's not all the guy's fault, but, we haven't been any good since the "Tony Horne" days, remember that guy? Jeff Wilkins is a bright spot, but our special team's is horrific. We need a major improvement,as alot of games are won based on good field position.

[Nick]

I saw this snippet on an ESPN article reporting that we're moving on...

In this decade alone, the team has employed Larry Pasquale (2000), Bobby April (2001-03) and Mike Stock (2004). All were regarded as standout special teams coaches and all were fired.

I understand not being satisfied with a coach who can't get things to work out, but how many more good special teams coaches do we have to go through before we start realizing it's the personnel? The fact that Ligashesky was immediately hired by Pittsburgh shows you something about his caliber.

[RamsFan16]

Well then what was the reason ours were so horrible? The wedge's were terrible as was the coverage and blocking on K/KR, P/PR.

I hope we get our guy soon.