O-C D?
Giants' Gilbride Not the Best, But Better Than Most of the Rest
For so many years, Giants' fans have demonized our Offensive Coordinator, Kevin Gilbride. A man with over two decades of NFL coaching experience, and a longtime favorite of Tom Coughlin. They look at the Giants' lack of success over the last few years and demonize him as a "washed-up" coach who has no grip on the modern day league and how it works.
Gilbride began his coaching career with the Houston Oilers as a quarterback coach in 1989. In his sole season, Warren Moon passed for over 3,600 yards and threw 23 touchdowns. Moon's success prompted the team to name Gilbride offensive coordinator the following season.
In his five years as OC, the Oilers finished among the top five scoring teams each year except two: 1992, when he was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer and was unable to coach for a majority of the season, and 1994, his final season in Houston.
In 1995, the Jacksonville Jaguars hired their first head coach, Tom Coughlin, and he in turn hand-picked Gilbride to be the OC on his team. The worst two years of Gilbride's career were spent in Jacksonville, as the team finished 27th and 14th in his two years. He was then hired by the Chargers as a head coach.
After two years, he returned to his more familiar role as OC when he was hired by the Steelers in 1999. He spent two years in Pittsburgh and his offense finished 17th in the league both times.
These sub-par years cost Gilbride a chance at another coaching job in 2001. The following year, he was hired by the Buffalo Bills, who improved to 8-8 and set SEVEN team offensive records. A sub-par record in 2003, when the Bills finished 30th in the league caused his firing. But not for long...
In 2004, the New York Giants hired Tom Coughlin as head coach and he hand-picked Gilbride as the quarterbacks coach. Working closely with rookie Eli Manning for half the season before he assumed the starting role, their relationship helped shape the Giants' upcoming success.
In 2005, Manning's Giants won the division for the first time since 2000, and the following year they again made the playoffs, being ousted in the first round.
This was not enough for John Mara and Steve Tisch, who gave an ultimatum for the 2007 season. That year, the team finished 10-6 and swept the playoffs before capturing the franchise's third Super Bowl title. Four out of Gilbride's five years (not counting 2013), the Giants have scored 400 or more points in a season.
Their 2011 playoff run was a true testimony to his brilliance and the Super Bowl XVLI matchup allowed the team to capture their fourth title, the most under any coaching regime since Parcells. That season they had the ninth ranked league offense.
Their 429 points in 2012 were the sixth in the league, and the current team's turnaround, as well as Eli Manning's resurgence, are all you need to know about our OC, Kevin Gilbride.
He has presided over the most successful Giants teams in decades, captured two championships, and, in the end...
Canton may come calling....
Gilbride began his coaching career with the Houston Oilers as a quarterback coach in 1989. In his sole season, Warren Moon passed for over 3,600 yards and threw 23 touchdowns. Moon's success prompted the team to name Gilbride offensive coordinator the following season.
In his five years as OC, the Oilers finished among the top five scoring teams each year except two: 1992, when he was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer and was unable to coach for a majority of the season, and 1994, his final season in Houston.
In 1995, the Jacksonville Jaguars hired their first head coach, Tom Coughlin, and he in turn hand-picked Gilbride to be the OC on his team. The worst two years of Gilbride's career were spent in Jacksonville, as the team finished 27th and 14th in his two years. He was then hired by the Chargers as a head coach.
After two years, he returned to his more familiar role as OC when he was hired by the Steelers in 1999. He spent two years in Pittsburgh and his offense finished 17th in the league both times.
These sub-par years cost Gilbride a chance at another coaching job in 2001. The following year, he was hired by the Buffalo Bills, who improved to 8-8 and set SEVEN team offensive records. A sub-par record in 2003, when the Bills finished 30th in the league caused his firing. But not for long...
In 2004, the New York Giants hired Tom Coughlin as head coach and he hand-picked Gilbride as the quarterbacks coach. Working closely with rookie Eli Manning for half the season before he assumed the starting role, their relationship helped shape the Giants' upcoming success.
In 2005, Manning's Giants won the division for the first time since 2000, and the following year they again made the playoffs, being ousted in the first round.
This was not enough for John Mara and Steve Tisch, who gave an ultimatum for the 2007 season. That year, the team finished 10-6 and swept the playoffs before capturing the franchise's third Super Bowl title. Four out of Gilbride's five years (not counting 2013), the Giants have scored 400 or more points in a season.
Their 2011 playoff run was a true testimony to his brilliance and the Super Bowl XVLI matchup allowed the team to capture their fourth title, the most under any coaching regime since Parcells. That season they had the ninth ranked league offense.
Their 429 points in 2012 were the sixth in the league, and the current team's turnaround, as well as Eli Manning's resurgence, are all you need to know about our OC, Kevin Gilbride.
He has presided over the most successful Giants teams in decades, captured two championships, and, in the end...
Canton may come calling....
