ATLANTA (AP) — o the Atlanta Falcons running game and offensive balance with new coordinator Dirk Koetter.The Falcons’ outside zone scheme won’t change Youth Ricardo Allen Jersey , though Quinn on Thursday said Koetter and the revamped offensive staff will bring new tweaks to the playbook.Quinn has made a dramatic overhaul of his coaching staff following a disappointing 7-9 finish . He fired each of his three coordinators while announcing he will take over the defense.On Tuesday, Quinn brought back two former Falcons offensive coordinators when he hired Koetter to direct the offense and Mike Mularkey as tight ends coach.Quinn said Koetter, the former Tampa Bay coach, won’t totally remake the offense.“The systems will stay very similar,” Quinn said. “The vision will certainly stay very similar in how we want to play ball. The way we go about executing that and find different ways to feature guys, that will have some change to it.”The Falcons lacked offensive balance this season, relying too heavily on a passing game led by quarterback Matt Ryan, receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley and tight end Austin Hooper.Atlanta ranked sixth in total offense but only 27th in rushing. Those numbers were affected by season-ending injuries suffered by running back Devonta Freeman and starting guards Andy Levitre and Brandon Fusco.Quinn said he was impressed by Koetter’s success featuring running backs Doug Martin in Tampa Bay and Maurice Jones-Drew in Jacksonville, where Koetter was offensive coordinator from 2007-11.“Having that kind of balance, Dirk and I both agree Stitched Ryan Schraeder Jersey , is the best way to attack and is the best way to feature the guys on our team,” Quinn said.Expect to see more carries for Falcons running backs in 2019.“The thing I think for us to get back from an identity standpoint is the amount of run attempts,” Quinn said, adding he likes the way “we attack” through the air.“What I’d like to make sure is we can feature … the run game” to make play-action passes more effective.“We’re going to work really hard at that,” he said, adding “That will be a big part of our identity, not just this year but for years to come.”Quinn announced new roles for some assistants. Kyle Flood, who had been assistant offensive line coach, will have a new senior assistant position. Quinn said “a big part of his role” will be assisting with clock management and replay decisions on the sideline.Also, Dave Brock will coach running backs instead of wide receivers. Bernie Parmalee Youth Ryan Schraeder Jersey , who had been running backs coach, will assist new special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica , who was hired from the Washington Redskins on Wednesday.Koetter and Mularkey will be renewing relationships with Ryan. Mularkey was Ryan’s first offensive coordinator in 2008-11 under former coach Mike Smith. Koetter directed the Falcons’ offense from 2012-14.Quinn said that familiarity will help the transition in 2019.“I do believe a past relationship of working together can pay off,” Quinn said, adding Koetter and Mularkey have talked with Ryan and other players.Quinn said “more than two or three” candidates were interviewed before Koetter and Mularkey were hired. He said Ryan was not consulted during the interviews.“I would say in no way was he involved in the process,” he said. FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Looking for a positive vibe after a disappointing season, the Atlanta Falcons instead faced scrutiny Monday over a coaching decision that would normally attract scant attention.Shortly after taking the field for their first practice, the Falcons announced former Maryland coach DJ Durkin will serve as a guest coach during training camp.This is first official coaching job for Durkin since he was fired by the Terrapins last season amid allegations that a toxic culture within his program led to the death of 19-year-old offensive lineman Jordan McNair.Durkin will only be with the Falcons for about 10 days, but head coach Dan Quinn faced immediate questions about his decision. He defended the hiring and said he expects Durkin to provide valuable insight into a defense that endured a rash of injuries in 2018 Stitched Andy Levitre Jersey , contributing greatly to the first losing record (7-9) in Quinn’s first four seasons in Atlanta.“I would hope people would understand and know me well enough that nothing’s more important than team,” Quinn said. “The fact that I know this coach firsthand, and I know what his character is, and then the due diligence that goes with that, I would certainly hope that anybody covering the team or the fan base would know that I always have the team’s best interests in mind and would never put anybody into a space that would be otherwise.”On a sweltering summer day, the Falcons began an abbreviated training camp schedule ahead of their appearance in the Aug. 1 Hall of Fame game against the Denver Broncos. Durkin’s stint will end when the team departs for Canton.The hiring of Durkin was buried in an announcement that began with three other coaches who will join the team during training camp as part of the Bill Walsh fellowship program.There was no mention of the tumultuous ending to Durkin’s head coaching stint at Maryland, which began to unravel after McNair’s heat-related death during a team workout. After being placed on leave for the first eight games of the 2018 season, Durkin was reinstated by the Terrapins on Oct. 30 — only to be fired the very next day when the school faced withering criticism.A university investigation found that Durkin and his staff created a culture in which players were afraid to speak out. McNair died two weeks after collapsing during a team conditioning drill, leading to revelations that trainers failed to recognize the signs of heat distress or take steps to cool the player.Durkin’s relationship with Atlanta’s coach goes back to their tenure at Florida. Quinn served as Gators defensive coordinator in 2011 and 2012, while Durkin worked with the linebackers and as special teams coordinator. When Quinn left for the Seattle Seahawks Youth Andy Levitre Jersey , Durkin took over as Florida’s defensive coordinator.“I know DJ firsthand,” Quinn said. “I coached with him. I know what his character is. We did all of our due diligence of calling everybody at Maryland and had our own follow-up to there.”Hassan Murphy, an attorney representing McNair’s parents, said the family had no comment on Durkin’s assignment with the Falcons.Durkin also spent some time with Nick Saban’s Alabama coaching staff ahead of the College Football Playoff last season. But Saban called it a “professional development” assignment and stressed that Durkin was not been hired in any capacity by the Crimson Tide.“He is simply observing our operation as many other coaches have done through the years,” Saban said at the time.Quinn, who is adding the role of defensive coordinator to his head coaching duties this season, said he believes Durkin can provide some helpful insight to a unit that is looking to bounce back from an injury-plagued year, which was especially disappointing for a team just two seasons removed from a Super Bowl appearance.“I think it’s a huge advantage to have someone you respect who can look at certain things to help your team in the evaluation,” Quinn said, adding that he had no reservations about hiring a coach who was sure to bring plenty of criticism given the way he ran things at Maryland.“Unfortunate situation? Of course Stitched Jake Matthews Jersey ,” Quinn said. “But as far as eyes to look at the defense, the special teams, to help us, I definitely knew the advantage of that.”NOTES: WR Julio Jones did not participate in practice, but Quinn said it had nothing to do with the star receiver’s ongoing negotiations for a new contract. Jones is coming off a foot injury, and the team plans to ease him back into full-speed workouts. … S J.J. Wilcox, who was signed in free agency to add depth in the secondary, left the first practice with what appeared to be a right knee injury. Quinn said he would not have an update on Wilcox’s condition until Tuesday.