When Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur decided to fire defensive coordinator Joe Barry, he was also signaling a massive change in defensive coaching personnel. For a coach that has been criticized mightily by the fanbase for favoring coaches he is familiar with or worked with before, LaFleur should be equally praised for going out and finding legitimate coveted football coaches.
Of key coaches from Barry’s staff, only Jason Rebrovich and Ryan Downard are being retained, and each of them is getting a different role on staff. Rebrovich is moving from linebackers coach to defensive line coach, and Downard is moving from safeties coach to defensive backs coach.
Of course, the biggest change is that Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley is replacing Barry as defensive coordinator. Since his hiring, he has also added Vince Oghobaase as an assistant defensive line coach and the highly coveted Anthony Campanile as linebackers coach and run game coordinator.
In years past, the Packers’ defensive backs coach has doubled as the team’s passing game coordinator. Instead of giving Downard that role, Hafley and LaFleur have decided to turn to a former NFL defensive coordinator to be their passing game coordinator.
The Green Bay Packers Hire Derrick Ansley as Passing Game Coordinator
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported on X (formerly Twitter) that the Packers have hired former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley as their passing game coordinator:
The Packers have the last major piece to the new defensive staff now in place. Former Chargers DC Derrick Ansley will be the new pass game coordinator, per a source. There will likely be a few quality control or assistant position coaches added but all key positions are filled.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) February 7, 2024
As Demovsky notes, Ansley was the defensive coordinator for the Chargers last season. Prior to that role, he was their defensive backs coach. Prior to taking the job with Los Angeles, Ansley was the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for the Tennessee Volunteers.
Ansley has also worked as a defensive backs coach for the following college programs:
- Huntingdon
- Alabama
- Kentucky
Additionally, Ansley was the Oakland Raiders’ defensive backs coach in 2018.
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