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10 things Bills fans should know about Sean McDermott

Orchard Park, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills found their man.

The Bills hired Sean McDermott as their next head coach on Wednesday. The Panthers defensive coordinator has received plenty of head-coaching interest over the last few years, and his chance will finally come in Buffalo.

Here's what Bills fans should know about him.

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He's an accomplished coordinator

Sean McDermott is the only defensive coordinator who can claim to have led a top 10 defense in four of the last five seasons. While the Panthers have had plenty of talented players, McDermott has found a way to get the job done despite roster turnover and injuries. The results speak for themselves.

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He had other interest

The Bills weren't the only team interested in McDermott. Last offseason, two teams interviewed the Panthers' defensive coordinator, and he was a hot name this time around. He's been a defensive coordinator since 2009 and was definitely due for a shot at a head gig.

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He could get Mike McCoy as his offensive coordinator

McDermott has often been linked to Mike McCoy, who was recently fired by the San Diego Chargers after three seasons. McCoy worked in Carolina before McDermott got there, and McCoy went on to become the Broncos' offensive coordinator. While McCoy's head-coaching stint in San Diego was underwhelming, the offense was hardly the issue.

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McDermott runs a 4-3

For those hoping the Bills rid themselves of the 3-4 concepts Rex Ryan's defense was rooted in, McDermott will likely do just that. He runs a 4-3 scheme that would seem to fit the Bills' personnel better than Rex's scheme did. The Bills would, however, need to find some athletic linebackers to handle the blitzes and coverage responsibilities in this defense.

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Sacks and turnovers

Rex Ryan talked a big game when it came to producing sacks and turnovers, but since 2013, McDermott's defenses have been near the top of the league in both categories. Over the last four seasons, the Panthers ranked No. 1 in the NFL in turnovers and No. 2 in the league in sacks. That production matters.

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He can adjust his scheme to his players

While Rex Ryan tried to ramrod his defensive scheme on the Bills, McDermott is a big proponent on fitting the scheme to the players and has the track record to back it up. As he told David Newton of ESPN, McDermott believes trust is the foundation the defense is built upon and he doesn't like to force players into roles that aren't comfortable.

"That's important, rather than tying them up with intricate schemes and things," McDermott said. "We can certainly do that. It's like the game of chess. But at the same time a player has to be able to execute and play fast and be fundamentally sound."

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He got his start in Philadelphia

McDermott, a Pennsylvania native, worked his way up through the ranks with the Eagles. He started off as a scouting administrative coordinator and later became a positional coach. McDermott took over as the defensive coordinator when Jim Johnson's health began to decline and held the position after Johnson passed away.

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He was a high school wrestler

Not only did McDermott wrestle in high school, but he did it better than everyone else. He won national prep championships in 1992 and 1993 at 171 pounds and was offered college scholarships to wrestle.

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He walked on at William and Mary

McDermott had to walk on to the William and Mary football team, but once he did he became an all-conference safety and was twice named to the Academic All-Conference team. He was also teammates with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.

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What does this mean for Whaley?

This much is unclear. Might McDermott want some control over the roster? Is he a Pegula guy or a Whaley guy? Those are questions worth raising.

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