Coker praises ex-Canes Shockey, Vilma

• By LES EAST
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: Jul 23, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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NEW ORLEANS — The Saints’ two biggest offseason acquisitions were praised by their former college coach Tuesday morning.

Larry Coker, who coached tight end Jeremy Shockey and linebacker Jonathan Vilma at the University of Miami, is now an ESPN commentator and was the guest speaker at Day 2 of the Sun Belt Media Days.

Coker, who led the Hurricanes to a BCS championship and No. 2 finish before being fired after the 2006 season, said the Saints made good moves when they traded with the Jets to get Vilma in February and with the Giants to canonize Shockey on Monday.

“Jeremy Shockey is an outstanding talent,” said Coker, who recruited Shockey to Miami. “He’s a special, special player. Jonathan Vilma is one of the smartest players I’ve ever been around. He can be as good as he wants to be.”

The Saints gave up second- and fifth-round picks in next year’s draft for Shockey, whose ongoing dissatisfaction with his role on the Giants made his future there untenable. A four-time Pro Bowler, he will turn 28 next month.

Coker acknowledged Shockey’s excessive emotion and said his passion for the game is a plus as long as it’s channeled properly. He thinks the fact that Saints coach Sean Payton was the Giants’ offensive coordinator during Shockey’s All-Pro rookie season in 2002 bodes well for the reunion.

“That says it all,” Coker said of Payton’s familiarity with Shockey. “Sean’s not going to bring a bum into his football program. Get Jeremy on your football team and you’re going to win some games. I think it’s a great match.”

New Orleans’ first major offseason acquisition came when it brought in Vilma, a former Pro Bowler, to be its new starting middle linebacker.

Its last major acquisition, apparently, was bringing in Shockey, who missed New York’s postseason run to the Super Bowl title because of a broken leg last season, to add a new weapon to an already potent offense.

Shockey’s proven ability to get open down the middle of the field should cause another concern for defenses that also have to try and contain running backs Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush and cover wide receiver Marques Colston while quarterback Drew Brees orchestrates things.

“One of the special things I love about Jeremy Shockey is that he brings passion and emotion to the game every week,” Coker said. “He’s my kind of player. He’s a tremendous playmaker.”

Coker recalled speaking with Shockey when he was trying to convince the young tight end to leave his native Oklahoma and join the Hurricanes.

He asked Shockey what he wanted to accomplish and Shockey said he wanted to win a national championship, be a first-round draft choice in the NFL, and be the first tight end drafted.