For Some Reason, Jets Let Offensive Line Coach Speak to Press

I have been unimpressed by offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo from the day the Jets hired him. His previous job as offensive line coach of the Miami Dolphins impressed nobody. He took shots at Bill Callahan about how he had a Super Bowl ring, and Callahan didn't, as though winning a championship as an assistant position coach with the Giants in 2007 shows some sort of coaching aptitude. He made bold statements about how he would have to be shot for Wayne Hunter to not be the starting right tackle as though he had some magical formula to make Hunter play better.

It's one thing to be bad at your job. It's another to be arrogant. DeGugliemo has given off the impression he is both. For some reason, the Jets let him speak to the press today, and he delivered a DeGugliemo-esque performance as we can trace through some of the beat writers on Twitter.

Dennis Waszak Jr. ‏@DWAZ73 DeGuglielmo says Ducasse playing comes "from high above me." Hmmm. #Jets

This is not what you want to hear on many levels. First of all, the offensive line coach is fighting with somebody high above him in the press. That's not going to kill those dysfunction stories. Second, it indicates something other than the evaluation of coaches is at play.

Former beat writer Rod Boone chimed in on Twitter.

Rod Boone ‏@rodboone Comes from GM who went to same alma mater & picked him. RT @DWAZ73: DeGuglielmo says Ducasse playing comes "from high above me." Hmmm. #Jets

As I have watched Ducasse, I haven't been able to figure out why he is seeing time. There's the whole thing about continuity being important on the line. The line really is one unit. You need to be familiar and have chemistry with the guy playing next to you because decisions on whom to block need to be made instantaneously. Not that Matt Slauson is a superstar, but from what I have seen, he certainly looks a lot better than Ducasse.

I have had suspicious this is the typical Jets way of dealing with a problem, denying it exists and playing people who do not deserve playing time to show the world that somebody is good. I don't think it's unfair to say Ducasse has been a bust. Playing him a bit might convince some that he isn't and take heat off the decision makers. It's interesting to see a former beat writer apparently has the same opinion.

Dennis Waszak Jr. ‏@DWAZ73 DeGuglielmo on Ducasse: "He's playing well enough to be an every third series guy. Maybe.” #Jets

And we're into ripping players to the press. Now I'm not a fan of Rex Ryan telling us the offense is improving and that Bart Scott needs more playing time. But there's a happy middle ground between lying that somebody is good and outright calling him bad to the press.

Brian Costello ‏@BrianCoz Guge also not a fan of statistical web sites: "What is that? All of a sudden we're Moneyball with offensive linemen."

Brian Costello ‏@BrianCoz Guge also told reporters to compare how many QB hits the Jets have allowed with "the great New England Patriots."

Why would we use stats to evaluate job performance? Maybe he doesn't like statistical websites because like Pro Football Focus, they tell you Guge's offensive line is allowing a full extra hit per game on his quarterback than the great Patriots. It doesn't make the job he's doing so great.

What we have here is a bad position coach calling out his bosses and players. And telling us things other than performance get you playing time in this organization.

It's another banner day in Jets World.