Mike Zordich was a five-year starter for the Eagles at strong safety, and other than a game here or a game there, the only two free safeties he played alongside were Greg Jackson and Brian Dawkins.
He knows how important it was to play 34 straight games with Jackson and 45 of a possible 49 with Dawkins.
Fast forward a decade and a half. Zordich now coaches the Eagles defensive backs with Todd Bowles, and he believes the same communication, the same understanding, that made him and Jackson and him and Dawk productive tandems is about to happen with Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman.
Allen is 24, Coleman is 23, and Eagles fans might not be convinced theyre the Eagles safeties of the future, but Zordich is.
The more they play together, the better theyll be.
That goes such a long way, Zordich said on Tuesday. When you play with a guy for a certain period of time and youre that comfortable with a guy, that says a lot just about your game speed. Because I know where my help is, I know what this guys going to do, I know that hes communicating to the next guy.
And when its mixed into a play that happens so fast, Im not thinking, Im just reacting, because all that thinking is done. So its a great feeling to know that they are so comfortable with themselves and be able to communicate so well.
Last year was a fractured one for the Eagles safeties.
Allen was never right coming off off-season knee surgery and got himself benched early in the season after struggling in training camp and the preseason games. Coleman struggled early in the year and was also benched for a couple games before regaining his job when the Jarrad Page thing didnt work out.
But both have shown flashes. Allen played very well before getting hurt in 2010 and again late last year. Coleman did have four interceptions last year and has shown a knack for big hits and tough, physical play.
Both are smart and work hard. Everybody inside the NovaCare Complex would be shocked if this doesnt work out.
Its going to get nothing but better as time goes, and thats whats so great about these OTAs, Zordich said. We get to spend so much time together with these guys. In the classroom, on the field, its going to do nothing but grow being out here.
Allen will open the 2012 season as one of the Eagles most scrutinized players. Right up there with Brandon Graham, the Eagles other early 2010 draft pick.
Zordich was asked if theres a lot of pressure on Allen to have a huge year in 2012, and he said he wouldnt phrase it quite that way.
I hope he doesnt look at it like that, said Zordich, who was an All-America safety at Penn State and played 12 NFL seasons with the Jets, Cards and Eagles before going into coaching.
I hope he looks at it like a challenge and grabs it and runs with it, and I think thats what he wants to do. I know theres some frustration in him from the injury, from the slow start, but I would think hes going to grab it, take it as a challenge, and just embrace it and go for it. Because the guy, hes unbelievable. The ability he has within him. Hes fun to watch. Hes pretty to watch run. Its just effortless. I think hes going to be fine. Great player.
The Eagles also have former second-round draft pick Jaiquawn Jarrett, rehabbing special teams stud Colt Anderson, former Bengal Tom Nelson and undrafted rookie Phillip Thomas at safety. All are 26 or younger.
I thoroughly enjoy working with them all, and the great thing is weve got five or six of them, and all theyre going to do is keep pushing each other, because they all want that job, Zordich said. So theyre going to keep pushing each other and continuing to get better and better and better.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com.
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