Login

HappyViking · 08-08-2018, 01:09 PM

It's very sad that coach Sparano passed so suddenly at such a young age. I'm sure this did effect the team, and had them scrambling around some trying to make up for this unfortunate loss.

Has anyone heard news about Tony's replacement? I wonder who's taking over Tony's assignments now?

08-08-2018, 01:15 PM

https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-ann...ne-coaches
The Vikings have shuffled their coaching staff around following the tragic and sudden passing of Tony Sparano.
Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer announced Saturday morning that Clancy Barone and Andrew Janocko will be co-offensive line coaches for the 2018 season.
Todd Downing, who was hired in February as a Senior Offensive Assistant, will coach the tight ends.
“Clancy coached the Denver Broncos offensive line when they won the Super Bowl,” Zimmer said. “Andrew is a great young coach and he was Tony’s right-hand man, knows everything that Tony did. I feel really good about it, these guys are experienced in the things that they’re doing. I think it was the best way to go."

08-08-2018, 01:19 PM

Thanks Ralphie!

08-08-2018, 05:01 PM

Without any disrespect for Sparano the man, he was unimpressive in his first season, 2016. That was a snakebit season, so you can give him some latitude, but I thought he was on thin ice at the beginning of 2017. Then they brought Clancy Barone in as TE coach, even though he had years of experience coaching the Broncos' OL which employed a very effective zone blocking scheme, and the Vikings shifted to much more zone blocking - and were far more effective in 2017.
OL and TE units tend to work pretty closely... I think Barone had a big hand in the OL last year, at least in designing blocking schemes, and continuity is going to be maintained.