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Bill Sheridan

Bill Sheridan is in his first season as the Giants' defensive coordinator after spending the previous four seasons as the team's linebackers coach. This is Sheridan's 29th year in coaching and fifth in the NFL. Sheridan, who was a highly successful collegiate coach before joining the Giants, was named defensive coordinator on Jan. 19.

"Bill is a very good football coach," head coach Tom Coughlin said when promoting Sheridan. "He does an excellent job of teaching, of reinforcing what we aspire to be with our defensive team. He's coached our linebackers, he's given a big assist to Steve (Spagnuolo, his predecessor as coordinator) in all that he has done. As a linebackers coach, you're a central figure in the spoke, because you're involved in the coordination of the front and the linebackers and then the back seven. He has done a good job of encompassing the entire defense and grasping the aggressive style."

Under Sheridan's tutelage, the Giants linebackers played at a consistently high level since 2005.

In 2008, middle linebacker Antonio Pierce led the team with 113 tackles (37 more than runner-up Michael Johnson), despite missing one game. When Osi Umenyiora's injury prompted Mathias Kiwanuka to return to defensive end, veteran Danny Clark stepped in at strongside linebacker and played well the entire season, finishing fourth on the team with 74 tackles. When the Giants needed a weakside backer, Sheridan helped facilitate Chase Blackburn's transfer from his position as Pierce's backup in the middle. The Giants finished fifth in the NFL in defense, allowing only 292.0 yards per game.

The previous season, Sheridan was instrumental in helping Kiwanuka make a successful transition from defensive end to the strong side. Kiwanuka had 47 tackles and 4.5 sacks in nine games before suffering a fractured fibula at Detroit. Reggie Torbor started the final 10 games of the season and played well. Sheridan also integrated a new weakside linebacker in Kawika Mitchell, while Pierce led the Giants with 116 tackles.

In 2006, Sheridan helped steer the linebackers through a series of injuries as LaVar Arrington, Carlos Emmons and Brandon Short missed significant playing time. But Pierce remained healthy the entire season and was selected to his first Pro Bowl after leading the team with 159 tackles (93 solo). Pierce joined the Giants three weeks after Sheridan and under his coach's tutelage, has developed into one of the NFL's finest middle linebackers.

Injuries to Pierce and others forced Sheridan to constantly juggle the linebackers in his first season with the team. At one point during the NFC Wild Card Game vs. Carolina, Sheridan's group on the field was composed of Kevin Lewis, Alonzo Jackson and Jay Foreman, none of whom had been on the team before late October.

Prior to joining the Giants, Sheridan spent three seasons at the University of Michigan, the first as linebackers coach and the last two as defensive line coach. He was also the school's recruiting coordinator in 2002-2003 and netted a pair of classes that were rated among the 10 best in the country.

Sheridan, 50, began his coaching career at Shrine High School in Royal Oak, Mich. from 1981-84. He was then a graduate assistant at Michigan for two seasons before coaching linebackers at three schools - Maine, Cincinnati and Army - from 1987-95. In 1996 and 97, Sheridan coached the defensive backs at West Point. He then put in a three-year stint as the linebackers coach at Michigan State. Sheridan spent the 2001 season at Notre Dame, where he coached safeties and special teams. He moved to Michigan the following year.

A native of Detroit, Sheridan earned four letters as a linebacker at Grand Valley State University. He graduated from De La Salle High School in Detroit.

Sheridan and his wife, Jaycine, have four children: Joe, Nick, Mark and Natalie.

                                                Sheridan at a Glance

1981-84                                   Shrine High School                 DBs, LBs, WRs, OL
1985-86                                   Michigan                                 Graduate Assistant
1987-88                                   Maine                                      Linebackers
1989-91                                   Cincinnati                                Linebackers
1992-95                                   Army                                       Linebackers
1996-97                                   Army                                       Defensive Backs
1998-2000                               Michigan State                        Linebackers
2001                                        Notre Dame                            Safeties, Special Teams
2002                                        Michigan                                 Linebackers
2003-2004                               Michigan                                 Defensive Line
2005-2008                               New York Giants                    Linebackers
2009                                        New York Giants                    Defensive Coordinator