Blake Williams fired

Photo - Fox Sports

After a committee approach to running the Rams defense this past season, Jeff Fisher took a large step toward installing a permanent defensive coordinator today by firing linebackers coach Blake Williams, who served unofficially as DC. It's said he called plays with significant input from Fisher and assistant head coach Dave McGinniss. It's also suddenly being said today that Blake was "brusque and tactless" in dealing with players and fellow coaches. Rumors he was on his way out have actually been circulating for a few weeks. (Note how well the Ram defense played the last few weeks, too.)

So, Blake Williams is/was a jerk, but good grief, how big a jerk does it take to piss off Jeff Fisher? There has to be some major jerk quotient there.

Blake's dismissal is also probably a warmup act to the Rams officially parting ways with his father Gregg, who of course is still under league suspension for the Bountygate scandal in New Orleans. That's a move the Rams have to make, and jerk or not, it's probably best for both sides that Blake's also off the staff. I wouldn't be too keen on working for somebody who fired my dad.

So, before we start thinking it's going to be a completely stable offseason at Rams Park, Fisher's going to have to name a new defensive coordinator and a linebackers coach. Please don't everyone start saying Lovie Smith, either. I completely respect him, but he'd be a poor fit for the defense the Rams are trying to build. This isn't a cover-2 defense, and Fisher is building a bigger, meaner defense, where Lovie likes a faster defense. The first thing Lovie would do if he came here is tell Michael Brockers to lose weight. Romeo Crennel's a 3-4 guy, so don't say him, either. I won't guess Rod Marinelli because he'd be taking kind of a demotion to come here, with McGinniss already the AHC here like he was in Chicago.

RamView will make McGinniss the favorite to become the official defensive coordinator. As for the linebackers coach, I'll throw out a name: Bob Babich, who coached LBs here in 2003. I assume he'd be available from the Bears' staff.

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