Offseason Overhaul Continues as Giants Round Out Coaching Staff

When you enter MetLife Stadium for the Giants’ opener this fall, you’ll be wise to pick up a program. The New York Football Giants continued revamping their organization on Thursday when they finalized their 2018 coaching staff. New head coach Pat Shurmur has added ten new faces to the group, including three new coordinators, while retaining six coaches from Ben McAdoo’s staff.

Coming in the door are three new coordinators: James Bettcher (defense), Mike Shula (offense) and special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey. Bettcher was previously the DC with the Arizona Cardinals under the retiring Bruce Arians. Shula, the son of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula, has a long resume of his own with stops in Tampa Bay, Miami, Jacksonville, Chicago and most recently, Carolina. He was the head coach at the University of Alabama from 2003-2006, preceding Nick Saban.

“I’ve known Mike a very long time,” Shurmur said of Shula. “He’s done an outstanding job developing and working with quarterbacks. He was the offensive coordinator of a team that was recently playing in the Super Bowl. They’ve done an excellent job on offense in Carolina. We share a vision in terms of what we want to do offensively. We’re excited that he’ll be with us. He’ll be the offensive coordinator and also work with the quarterbacks.

Shurmur has said he personally will be calling the offensive plays this season but didn’t rule out handing that responsibility off to Shula at some point.

“He’ll assume all the roles that any offensive coordinator would have, and he’d obviously be in positon to call it, if need be.”

McGaughey was a former ST assistant for the Giants under Tom Quinn from 2007-10 and was most recently the coordinator with the Panthers. Before that, he ran specials for the 49ers, Jets and the LSU Tigers. The club announced that Anthony Blevins has been signed to be McGaughey’s assistant. Blevins comes over to the Giants after being on Arians’ staff in Arizona the past five seasons.

Joining Shula on the offensive staff will be holdovers Craig Johnson (running backs), Lunda Wells (tight ends) and Ryan Roeder (offensive assistant). The newcomers are Tyke Tolbert (wide receivers), Hal Hunter (offensive line) and Ben Wilkerson (assistant offensive line). Only two defensive assistants – LBs coach Bill McGovern and defensive assistant Rob Leonard – are holdovers. The rest are new: Gary Emanuel (defensive line), Lou Anarumo (defensive backs) and Deshea Townsend (assistant defensive backs).

The team has decided to retain strength and conditioning coach Aaron Wellman and longtime assistant Markus Paul, as well as Joe Danos (performance manager) and Pratik Patel (director of performance nutrition).

Whether all of this change under new GM Dave Gettleman will equate to success remains to be seen. Gettleman replaced the embattled Jerry Reese in December and quickly sent player personnel guru Marc Ross packing with him. It is Gettleman’s quest to return the Giants to a physical down-in, down-out style of football that the fans have been long for. With the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, Gettleman  and Shurmur can continue to reform the Giants’ sagging roster and status this offseason.

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