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Al Holcomb - new defensive assistant
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Al Holcomb - new defensive assistant
Big_Pete Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:25 pm
from http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2009/02/new_york_giants_fill_out_coach.html
New York Giants fill out coaching staff with new defensive assistant
by Mike Garafolo/The Star-Ledger
Monday February 09, 2009, 2:23 PM
The Giants have been shuffling to fill the holes in their coaching staff from the departure of three coaches this off-season. Today, they plugged the last of those gaps created when defensive quality control coach Andre Curtis left to join Steve Spagnuolo with the Rams.
Replacing Curtis will be Lafayette defensive line coach Al Holcomb, according to someone informed of the hiring. The Giants are expected to announce the hiring shortly.
Holcomb was the defensive coordinator/DBs coach for Division II Kutztown from 2004-05. Before that, he coached LBs and special teams at Division II Bloomsburg (Pa.). The key to getting a nod for this Giants gig was likely his coaching internship with the Jets in 2007. Perhaps Jim Herrmann, the Giants' new LB coach who spent the past three seasons as a Jets assistant, vouched for Holcomb.
Holcomb's age isn't listed on the Lafayette site, but his profile states he graduated from West Virginia in 1993, so he's likely 37 or 38.
Oh, and I get this question a lot: what does a quality control coach do? He basically advances the next opponent on the schedule, charting tendencies, formations, etc. He also prepares cards for the scout team in practice to make sure the starting defense gets a good look at the team they're about to face. But that doesn't mean he doesn't have input in the Giants' defense, as Spagnuolo often included Curtis' name when he gave the staff credit for the defense's success.
Okay, so to sum up all of the shuffling on the Giants' coaching staff this off-season:
*Spagnuolo left for the Rams. LBs coach Bill Sheridan was promoted to replace him.
*Herrmann was hired from the Jets to fill Sheridan's spot.
*Curtis left to join Spagnuolo. Holcomb was hired to replace Curtis.
*And on offense, assistant OL coach Dave DeGuglielmo was hired as the Dolphins' OL coach. The Giants tabbed former Boston College assistant Jack Bicknell Jr. to replace him.
*And an Internet report on safeties coach David Merritt's leaving was clearly a mistake.
MG
Big_Pete- Giants Legend
Re: Al Holcomb - new defensive assistant
Big_Pete Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:28 pm
his bio from lafayette
Al Holcomb
Position: Defensive Line
Alma Mater: West Virginia '93
Al Holcomb is in the midst of his third season as the defensive line coach at Lafayette.
In 2007, Holcomb mentored All-Patriot League First-Team tackle Kyle Sprenkle and second-team defensive end Keith Bloom as part of the nation's top-ranked defense. The Leopards allowed an NCAA-best 260.1 yards per game and ranked fourth in the country in rushing defense (85.7 ypg) and eighth in scoring defense (16.9 ppg).
In his first season on College Hill, Holcomb coached defensive end Marvin Snipes and tackles Dan Liseno and Kyle Sprenkle to All-Patriot League honors. The Leopards led the conference in rushing defense (139 ypg). In 2007, Keith Bloom will join his senior classmate, Sprenkle, as the anchors on the defensive line.
In the summer of 2007, Holcomb participated in the NFL's minority coaching internship with the N.Y. Jets. He spent mini camp and training camp working the Jets' defense.
Holcomb has coached 29 all-conference players on the defensive side of the ball over the last 12 seasons, including six in 2007.
Prior to coming to Lafayette, Holcomb coached at Division II Kutztown University, where he was the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach in 2004 and 2005 and served as acting head coach in the winter of 2005. While at Kutztown, he mentored defensive back Mike Baldwin, the 2005 PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year and an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American.
Holcomb was the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Bloomsburg for six seasons, beginning in 1998, before moving to Kutztown. Bloomsburg won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship four straight years (2000-03) and made appearances in the NCAA Playoffs in 2000 and 2001. The Huskies played in the national championship game and boasted the eight-ranked defense in the country in 2000, and won the Lambert Cup both years.
Prior to his time at Bloomsburg, Holcomb was linebackers coach, assistant track coach and a physical education instructor at Colby College, a Division III institution in Waterville, Maine. In 1996 and 1997, he was the graduate assistant coach in charge of linebackers at Temple when the Owls were a member of the Big East.
A 1993 graduate of West Virginia with a bachelor's degree in Sport Management, Holcomb earned his master's degree in Athletic Coaching Education from WVU in 1996. He began his coaching career as linebackers coach at Morgantown High School in the fall of 1994, and served as a volunteer administrative assistant with the Mountaineers while pursuing his graduate degree.
Holcomb and his wife, Toni, are the parents of a son, Alex, and reside in Center Valley.
Al Holcomb
Position: Defensive Line
Alma Mater: West Virginia '93
Al Holcomb is in the midst of his third season as the defensive line coach at Lafayette.
In 2007, Holcomb mentored All-Patriot League First-Team tackle Kyle Sprenkle and second-team defensive end Keith Bloom as part of the nation's top-ranked defense. The Leopards allowed an NCAA-best 260.1 yards per game and ranked fourth in the country in rushing defense (85.7 ypg) and eighth in scoring defense (16.9 ppg).
In his first season on College Hill, Holcomb coached defensive end Marvin Snipes and tackles Dan Liseno and Kyle Sprenkle to All-Patriot League honors. The Leopards led the conference in rushing defense (139 ypg). In 2007, Keith Bloom will join his senior classmate, Sprenkle, as the anchors on the defensive line.
In the summer of 2007, Holcomb participated in the NFL's minority coaching internship with the N.Y. Jets. He spent mini camp and training camp working the Jets' defense.
Holcomb has coached 29 all-conference players on the defensive side of the ball over the last 12 seasons, including six in 2007.
Prior to coming to Lafayette, Holcomb coached at Division II Kutztown University, where he was the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach in 2004 and 2005 and served as acting head coach in the winter of 2005. While at Kutztown, he mentored defensive back Mike Baldwin, the 2005 PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year and an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American.
Holcomb was the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Bloomsburg for six seasons, beginning in 1998, before moving to Kutztown. Bloomsburg won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship four straight years (2000-03) and made appearances in the NCAA Playoffs in 2000 and 2001. The Huskies played in the national championship game and boasted the eight-ranked defense in the country in 2000, and won the Lambert Cup both years.
Prior to his time at Bloomsburg, Holcomb was linebackers coach, assistant track coach and a physical education instructor at Colby College, a Division III institution in Waterville, Maine. In 1996 and 1997, he was the graduate assistant coach in charge of linebackers at Temple when the Owls were a member of the Big East.
A 1993 graduate of West Virginia with a bachelor's degree in Sport Management, Holcomb earned his master's degree in Athletic Coaching Education from WVU in 1996. He began his coaching career as linebackers coach at Morgantown High School in the fall of 1994, and served as a volunteer administrative assistant with the Mountaineers while pursuing his graduate degree.
Holcomb and his wife, Toni, are the parents of a son, Alex, and reside in Center Valley.
Big_Pete- Giants Legend
Re: Al Holcomb - new defensive assistant
Big_Pete Mon Feb 09, 2009 7:03 pm
from Coughlin, Holcomb (Giants.com)
“Al Holcomb is a veteran coach who has been at the collegiate level his entire career,” Coughlin said. “As a coordinator he has coached all three position groups (line, linebacker and secondary). John Loose called Bill Sheridan and said this is an extremely impressive football coach who is deserving of an opportunity like this if someone would give him a chance to interview - so we did. I was impressed with Al and with his whole thought process in terms of how he got in to coaching. He did not play football at West Virginia but became a G.A. at Temple right out of college. He has a master’s degree and I think he will make a solid addition to our staff.”
Holcomb previously coached at Kutztown University, Bloomsburg and Colby. In the summer of 2007, he participated in the NFL’s minority coaching internship with the Jets.
“I am humbled and it is a great honor and a privilege to be a part of a great organization like the New York Giants,” Holcomb said. “They have such a storied tradition and franchise and I am certainly looking forward to contributing and being a part of a great season. Coaching in the NFL was a goal of mine. This has been a lifelong dream of mine, to be honest with you.”
“Al Holcomb is a veteran coach who has been at the collegiate level his entire career,” Coughlin said. “As a coordinator he has coached all three position groups (line, linebacker and secondary). John Loose called Bill Sheridan and said this is an extremely impressive football coach who is deserving of an opportunity like this if someone would give him a chance to interview - so we did. I was impressed with Al and with his whole thought process in terms of how he got in to coaching. He did not play football at West Virginia but became a G.A. at Temple right out of college. He has a master’s degree and I think he will make a solid addition to our staff.”
Holcomb previously coached at Kutztown University, Bloomsburg and Colby. In the summer of 2007, he participated in the NFL’s minority coaching internship with the Jets.
“I am humbled and it is a great honor and a privilege to be a part of a great organization like the New York Giants,” Holcomb said. “They have such a storied tradition and franchise and I am certainly looking forward to contributing and being a part of a great season. Coaching in the NFL was a goal of mine. This has been a lifelong dream of mine, to be honest with you.”
Big_Pete- Giants Legend
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