On the same day Falcons head coach Mike Smith said he was dissatisfied with the club’s play in the trenches this season, the team said that defensive line coach Ray Hamilton and offensive line coaches Pat Hill and Paul Dunn would not be back for the 2014 campaign.
Smith made his remarks about the club’s play along the line of scrimmage during a press conference with G.M. Thomas Dimitroff on Monday afternoon.
“If we’re going to be successful, we’ve got to be able to control the line of scrimmage,” Smith said. “I don’t believe that we did that effectively during the season, and it’s something that we definitely have to improve on.”
The 62-year-old Hill was head coach at Fresno State from 1997 through 2011 before joining the Falcons’ staff in 2012. Dunn, 53, had been on the Falcons’ staff since 2008, as had the 62-year-old Hamilton.
The Falcons were last in rushing yards gained and 31st in rushing yards allowed in 2013. Also, quarterback Matt Ryan was sacked a career-worst 44 times.