Bill Davis
Bill Davis Less than a month after firing defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt has found his replacement. The Cardinals have promoted linebackers coach Bill Davis to be their new head man on defense.

Whisenhunt moved quickly with the hire in the possibility that Davis would be up for other jobs, such as the defensive coordinator position with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Davis spent the last two seasons as the Cardinals' linebackers coach. Before that he was the defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers under head coach Mike Nolan. Davis' 16 years of NFL coaching experience began in 1992 when he served as a defensive assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Under Clancy Pendergast, the Cardinals ranked
19th in the NFL in overall defense in the regular season, giving up 331.5 yards per game. They were 22nd in pass defense and 16th against the run.

During the 2008 season, the Arizona Cardinals were the model of inconsistency. Late in the year they struggled in blowout losses to the Eagles, Vikings and Patriots. However, they were able to rise to the occasion during the Cards improbable run to the Super Bowl.

Davis is expected to use a 3-4 scheme. He and coach Whisenhunt are firm believers in the odd-man front formation that is designed to utilize the speed and athleticism of linebackers to be successful.

On the other side of the ball, the Cardinals now will need to address the ffensive coordinator position left vacant when Todd Haley moved on to become the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.