Matt Eberflus Expected to Become Colts Defensive Coordinator
By Andrew Ites
It is being reported that Josh McDaniels will be the Colts next head coach. McDaniels has reportedly already begun building his staff as he is expected to hire Matt Eberflus as his defensive coordinator.
Josh McDaniels is expected to accept the Colts head coaching job when it is offered to him following the Patriots’ most recent playoff run.
With an offensive-minded head coach like McDaniels, making a successful defensive coordinator hire is key to building a successful coaching staff. Dallas Cowboys linebackers coach Matt Eberflus is expected to fill that position once McDaniels is officially hired in Indianapolis.
With Josh McDaniels ticketed for the #Colts, former #Cowboys assistant Matt Eberflus is expected to come along as defensive coordinator, I'm told. Lot of parts falling in place now.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 15, 2018
Eberflus has been the Cowboys’ linebackers coach since 2011, but he also added the title of passing game coordinator for the Dallas defense in 2016. Before joining the Cowboys’ coaching staff in 2011, he was a linebackers coach with the Browns for two seasons .
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Dallas’ defense has been known to outperform their talent level on that side of the ball in recent years, and that is usually credited to the coaching staff. It’s hard to tell how much of that credit should go to Eberflus, but the Cowboys have done a good job of developing linebackers during his tenure with the headliner being Pro Bowler Sean Lee.
Before getting his first NFL job with the Browns, Eberflus was the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Missouri from 2001-08. He was promoted to being an assistant head coach along with his duties as a defensive coordinator under Gary Pinkel in 2006, and the Tigers enjoyed one of their most successful runs in school history during Eberflus’ tenure.
Eberflus began his career by coaching at his alma mater Toledo from 1992-2000.
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Eberflus is an extremely qualified coach with experience coaching multiple position groups in his career and running a successful defense at Missouri, but he’s never been an NFL defensive coordinator. I don’t think anyone knows if he will be a great defensive coordinator, but Eberflus will be critical to the success of the Colts under Josh McDaniels.