You Bettcher: Arizona Cardinals to name new DC
By Scott Allen
James Bettcher is the current outside linebackers coach for the Arizona Cardinals
There is a report out on Saturday evening that current Arizona Cardinals linebackers coach James Bettcher is going to be named as the new defensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals. The report comes from ABC 15’s Craig Fouhy.
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Bettcher became the lead candidate after reports had come out that Dick LeBeau was not coming to Arizona in any capacity, either as defensive coordinator or a linebackers coach. Bettcher was a guy who I initially thought could be the guy if they were going to promote within as reports had suggested.
.@CraigFouhy: @AZCardinals to name James Bettcher Defensive Coordinator #abc15
— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) January 25, 2015
Staying in house with Bettcher makes a lot of sense. He’s a guy that knows head coach Bruce Arians system and knows the players. That’s not saying a guy couldn’t have come in from the outside but it would have had to have been a special hire, a guy like Dick LeBeau who knows Arians’ system. Otherwise promoting from within makes the most sense.
Bettcher will be entering his fourth season in the NFL as a coach. This will be his third overall with the Cardinals. He spent 2012 with Arians as a special assistant for the Indianapolis Colts.
Bettcher has made the rounds in NCAA football. He was an assistant for New Hampshire and Ball State. He was also a graduate assistant with North Carolina from 2007-2009 and Bowling Green in 2006.
When rumors started flying a couple of days ago that Bettcher would be the likely choice, there were people that didn’t know what to make of it but had about the same reaction I would have. Who is James Bettcher?
James Bettcher as DC? Not a clue about him besides him being a young coach, but he'll have my support.
— BRIT-ish GannonGang (@BritishBirdgang) January 23, 2015
Well we know LeBeau isn’t coming but what he says is fairly correct. It will be nice to have some continuity. James Bettcher isn’t a big name but we know, especially in Arizona, having a recognizable name doesn’t always make you a winner in town. Isn’t that right Buddy Ryan?