Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter showed up for a scheduled media session Tuesday, confirmed his pursuit of Boise State’s head coaching position and wouldn’t say if he expects to remain with the Falcons or head back to his home state.
“I’m here right now,” Koetter told reporters. “You are looking at me. I’m in the flesh.”
That could change by the end of the week, however, if not sooner.
The Idaho Statesman reported that Koetter had a second interview with Boise State on Tuesday, this time with university president Bob Kustra, and that a new coach could be announced as soon as Wednesday.
Koetter, 54, is a native of Pocatello, Idaho, and played football at Idaho State. He was head coach at Boise State from 1998 to 2000 before leaving to coach Arizona State. He was Jacksonville’s offensive coordinator from 2006 until joining the Falcons for the 2012 season.
Koetter has another year remaining on his Falcons contract.
Multiple media reports have identified other Boise State candidates as Arkansas State coach Bryan Harsin and University of Washington defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox. Harsin played quarterback at Boise State under Koetter and later was the team’s offensive coordinator. Wilcox was defensive coordinator on the same Boise State staff as Harsin.
Media reports late Tuesday indicated Harsin would remain at Arkansas State.
The Falcons (3-10) have been one of the major disappointments in the NFL after losing in the NFC championship game last season. Koetter’s unit has been stymied by injuries, poor offensive line play and inconsistent execution.
“We haven’t lived up to expectations,” Koetter said. “We have not played as well as we are capable of on offense. When you are a football player or a football coach, losing, whether you like it or not, it works on your ego side.
“But, let’s face it, life is good. I’m a football coach in the NFL. I’m doing what I love to do and I’m working with great guys, players and coaches. But we need to win more games.”
Nolan's future: Atlanta's defense has been worse than its offense and coordinator Mike Nolan has run the defense for seven different NFL teams since 1993.
But he declined to say whether he plans to return in 2013.
“That’s the team’s decision, not mine. So that’s a question for later,” Nolan said.
The Falcons’ defense has been hit by injuries even harder than the offense. As the losses have piled up, the team has played rookies more regularly. Four first-year players were on the first-team defense for most of Sunday’s 22-21 defeat at Green Bay.
Nolan said one positive for the season has been identifying unknown rookie talent such as linebackers Paul Worrilow and Joplo Bartu, who both were signed as college free agents. He said he also liked some of the schemes he came up with this year, even if the results didn’t show it.
“So going down the road, there are some things we did that we will be able to utilize in the future,” he said. “And maybe it’s good they didn’t go so well because other people won’t be expecting us to use them, thinking, ‘Well, that couldn’t be anything they want to carry over.’”
'Hit on screws': After Falcons kicker Matt Bryant missed a field-goal attempt from 52 yards at Green Bay on Sunday, coach Mike Smith later decided to go for it on fourth-and-5 rather than let Bryant attempt a 51-yarder with two minutes to play. The Falcons failed to convert the fourth down.
Smith said Bryant’s earlier miss influenced his decision not to try the potential game-winning kick. Special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong said Bryant’s missed attempt was within the range coaches and Bryant determined before the game.
“He hit the ball on the screws,” Armstrong said. “The ball went end-over-end. It was a great ball. It was short. He can’t hit it any better. It was inside the uprights. We pressed it and it didn’t work.”
