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Seattle Seahawks defensive backs coach Kris Richard received a promotion and will now serve as the team's defensive coordinator. The team announced the move on Monday.
Richard is the man behind the league's most talented secondary, which may be a double-edged sword when it comes to public opinion. Some will suggest that because he has guys like Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, you can't put too much stock in his impact on what that group has accomplished.
On the other (more sane and fair) hand, Richard has served as the defensive backs coach since 2011, and the secondary has definitely transformed under his watch. He didn't take over a group of guys who were already playing better than everyone else -- they got there under him. Now, he'll take over the entire defense, the rest of which is overshadowed by the secondary but still among the most talented in the league.
He takes over for Dan Quinn, who left to become the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons once he was free of his duties with Seattle. There was talk that Richard could follow Quinn to Atlanta to serve as the defensive coordinator there, but he's already familiar with the guys in Seattle and it is, to be fair, a much better situation to be in.
Seattle ranked first in the league in passing yards allowed per game (185.6) and third in the league in rushing yards allowed per game (81.5). Promoting from within gives the Seahawks the consistency they'll need to stay on top of the NFC West and make another run at the Super Bowl in 2015.
In addition to promoting Richard, the Seahawks hired Micheal Barrow as their new linebackers coach and former Seattle linebacker Lofa Tatupu as an assistant linebackers coach.