Student Teacher

PHILADELPHIA — There’s a common thread shared among the Eagles’ coaching staff, rooted in their intrinsic enthusiasm as teachers.

For Joe Kasper, a fast-rising defensive assistant who in January was promoted from safeties coach to defensive passing game coordinator, the path that would ultimately set the course in his evolution as a coach, and teacher, can be traced back to his days as a defensive quality control coach under Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.

That was when Kasper first overlapped with Vic Fangio, who then functioned as a consultant for the 2022 Eagles team that reached Super Bowl LVII.

In what likely stemmed from Kasper’s preparedness and understanding of principles and schematics – along with an eye for detail – Fangio took a liking to the young assistant. The two forged the Kasper would describe as a “great relationship,” and when the Miami Dolphins hired Fangio to become their defensive coordinator in 2023, the veteran coach brought Kasper with him to undertake the role of safeties coach.

“We got close that year, with just talking about the game and sharing different insights,” Kasper recalled when speaking to a group of local beat reporters. “And through that process – we obviously played for a long time that year, which was great – so we got closer and closer and he came around and around, and we just developed a pretty genuine relationship. And then when an opportunity presented itself for him to go somewhere, and he was like, ‘Look, I think you’d be perfect in this kind of a role,’ I jumped at it.

“Coach is an amazing teacher at coaching coaches. Not just of players. I think everybody realizes how great he is for the players, and what he does schematically for us as an organization, but just for the coaches, to sit in there every day in his process, is really unique. And for me, it was like, ‘I can’t wait to learn from this guy. I can’t wait to be a part of his system. I can’t wait to be a part of his process,’ the day-to-day, week-to-week operation with how we uncover what gives us advantages and what disadvantages or what kind of weaknesses do we want to avoid. So, I was just thrilled to have the opportunity.”

GETTY IMAGES: Eagles passing game coordinator Joe Kasper is schooled in the Vic Fangio principles of defense.

Spending the previous four seasons around Fangio has profoundly impacted Kasper’s coaching DNA. He’s had a bird’s eye view working alongside one of the league’s brightest defensive minds, a luminary figure who coaches his coaches equally as tough as his players to spark his insatiable desire to win.

But as Kasper will tell you, as long as your motivations and intentions are aligned with Fangio’s, you’re probably in the clear.

What’s most resonated with Kasper, however, has been observing Fangio’s calculated process and his approach of developing players. And contrary to popular assumption, Kasper revealed that Fangio still remains a step ahead.

“The best part about Vic, in my opinion, is that he’s constantly evolving and changing despite what people think,” he said. “So, to be exposed to that, I think, is awesome and awesome for me. He’s seen that process, that evolution year to year, week to week, and how we tweak things and people sometimes pick up on it – and hopefully never do – and sometimes don’t. And how we take advantage of that. Seeing that process is really cool. And then how that comes to life on game day.”

The knowledge absorbed and experiences gained over the years prepared Kasper for his most recent climb up the coaching ladder, a role he doesn’t perceive as “vastly different” from his previous one.

Kasper has been a crucial background component to vaunted Eagles defenses under Fangio. He’s sat in meetings and is schooled when it comes to commanding a room. Kasper is also uniquely positioned to benefit from the continuity aspect as it pertains to personnel, some of which he’s invested years of development. His vision is articulated with confidence and conviction.

Kasper, as he said, felt ready.

His core principles as a teacher can be boiled down to three tenets: service, character, capacity. Service is a top priority for Kasper, as a coach’s primary function is to serve players. When it comes to character, Kasper said, he emphasizes doing things the right way, by being honest, genuine and upfront. His players know exactly where they stand. And as far as capacity, Kasper believes in having an answer to every technical or schematic question posed to him, or at minimum, the ability to access every answer.

“A coach, a teacher is meant to help people get to another level,” he said. “So, that’s my goal to get every player that we have and every assistant coach that we work with to another level, in terms of their own performance. And hopefully, that tide rises all of our boats.”

Kasper’s previous background, at least at the pro level, consisted of working exclusively with safeties, but the Eagles meet as an entire secondary before splitting off. It’s also worth noting that Kasper is well-versed in the corner space. As a graduate assistant at Duke, Kasper presided over the cornerbacks, with several of his players playing professionally, including Mark Gilbert, Josh Blackwell, Michael Carter II and Leonard Johnson.

Kasper’s teaching prowess will be foundational in kickstarting a safety room in transition without mainstay Reed Blankenship. One of the key developmental components in this equation is Carter II, a nickelback by trade. When the Eagles acquired Carter II via trade with the New York Jets ahead of last season’s trade deadline, perhaps most appealing was his positional versatility, theoretically creating optionality for Fangio. That flexibility, apart from stepping in when injuries necessitated a helping hand, never materialized, as Carter II played only 106 defensive snaps for the Eagles.

Carter, 27, would roll up 65 snaps at safety in the Eagles’ season finale against Washington, showcasing his intelligence and toughness. A logical school of thought would be that his performance in the Eagles’ 24-17 loss is what ultimately set the wheels in motion, but Kasper always viewed safety as a possibility for his longtime student.

“Shoot, I think I probably have coached Mike longer in his life than anybody else at this point,” he said. “We used him in a versatile role at Duke. And his intelligence – we got a smart group, and that’s a major strength of ours. He’s really smart. Cooper [DeJean]’s really smart. [Quinyon Mitchell} is really smart. Andrew [Mukuba]’s really smart. [Marcus] Epps, really smart.

“Intelligence is a premium in the evaluation process, and the personnel department’s done a great job of emphasizing that, specifically as it speaks to the scheme that we run here. And Mike fits into that and he’s doubly as helpful or enticing of a player to have because he can play multiple spots and he’s done it at a high level. So, we have that vision for him because of that intelligence and the body type and the way it looks and how we see that position evolving.”

Carter II’s progress will certainly be worth monitoring in the coming months, but the spotlight hovers brightest over second-year safety Drew Mukuba, a 23-year-old who graduates to proverbial headliner status after teaming with Blankenship last season as a rookie.

Mukuba last season appeared in 11 games (10 starts), logging 672 snaps before a fractured ankle ended his season prematurely. The Texas product takes centerstage in his return from injury, and will be tasked with majoring in the communication and technical intricacies entailed to play the position at a high level in this defense.

His rookie campaign was abbreviated, sure, but it’s worth noting that Mukuba appeared increasingly comfortable as the season progressed, playing fast and free, giving him a foundation on which to build.

Kasper was bullish when asked for his assessment of Mukuba’s initial offering, conveying a strong endorsement of his new top safety.

“My impressions were strong,” he said. “I really like Drew a lot. I’m thrilled that he’s here. I’m thrilled that we took him. I was disappointed to see him get hurt, obviously, but he had taken some major steps, major steps from when he first got here, and he continued to get better and he continues to get better every day.

“I’ve been really pleased with the rehab process and where he’s at right now. I wasn’t sure where he would get to by the time we got to this point with what he had suffered from. And I’m thrilled that he’s out there with us, and he’s done an exceptional job. And that’s, again, our group collectively is really, really about the right stuff, to put it simply.

“Cooper, Q, these guys work. Drew works like he was going to do everything he could to get back, to get as many reps as he can get to play, and really encouraged by that. I’m excited about him.”

— Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com