Coughlin promotes two assistant coaches
Giants head coach Tom Coughlin checks his stop watch as he watched defensive lineman run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. (Feb. 27, 2012) Credit: AP
Tom Coughlin has promoted two coaches who already are part of the Giants' family -- one of them more literally than the other.
Sean Ryan was named quarterbacks coach Thursday, replacing Mike Sullivan, who departed to become the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive coordinator shortly after the Super Bowl. Kevin M. Gilbride, the 32-year-old son of offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, was promoted from offensive assistant to receivers coach, the position previously held by Ryan.
"Continuity is important," Coughlin said. "It's not that I don't think there are some talented people out there. But I do think that these two are very talented, and the best approach we could possibly take would be to continue to support our players at those positions with people who are products of the system."
The Giants made virtually the same move two years ago when quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer retired. At that time, Coughlin moved Sullivan from wide receivers to quarterbacks and bumped Ryan from offensive quality control coach to receivers. Gilbride took Ryan's old job at that time, too.
Coughlin said he has been impressed with Gilbride's energy and enthusiasm in two years on the staff. Eli Manning, coming off the best season any Giants quarterback has ever had, said making the transition to a new position coach will not be difficult.
"Coach Ryan and I have worked closely together since he was with the receivers," Manning said. "I'm excited about him and I know we'll have a great relationship. We shouldn't miss a beat."
Ryan will work with an established Pro Bowl quarterback. Gilbride, whom the Giants blocked from interviewing for a quarterbacks coach position with the Bucs last month, will have a room of still mostly young players. The Giants likely will be looking for a third wide receiver to play alongside Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz if they lose Mario Manningham to free agency.
"The great thing about those guys is they have such different skill sets, but they can be incredibly dynamic in what they do," Gilbride said of the receivers. "If they continue to develop, they can be dominant receivers in this league for a long time, and that's what's exciting."
Notes & quotes: WR Domenik Hixon, who missed a second consecutive season with a torn ACL, will be checked out by team doctors Friday in New York. If things go well, Hixon is expected to re-sign with the Giants later in the day or over the weekend. All signs suggest he should pass the medical aspect. "He's 100 percent and ready to go," said his agent, Eric Metz . . . CB Terrell Thomas, also coming off ACL surgery, said on Sirius NFL Radio that talks with the Giants are going well. "I don't think they want me to hit the free- agent market," Thomas said, "so we'll know in a couple of weeks whether I'm a free agent or I return to the New York Giants." Thomas also noted that "when you do the study on people coming off injury, the best possibility is always to return to the same team that you were previously with. They know you best.'' That can be construed as a swipe at former Giants and USC teammate Steve Smith, who signed with the Eagles last summer while still rehabbing his own serious knee injury and had a disappointing 2011 season.
