Posted by Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune January 12, 2009 5:20PM

Eliot Kamenitz / The Times-Picayune

The Saints completed their offensive coaching staff Monday by promoting quarterbacks coach Pete Carmichael to offensive coordinator, promoting Aaron Kromer to offensive line/running game coach, promoting Joe Lombardi to quarterbacks coach and hiring Bret Ingalls as running backs coach.

Ingalls, a longtime college assistant, spent the past three years as Northwestern University, where he served as offensive line coach and running game coordinator.
“My philosophy in hiring coaches has always been to make finding teachers of the game and enthusiasm the biggest priorities during the interview process,” Saints Coach Sean Payton said in a statement. “Bret is well respected for his knowledge and communication skills with players. He has a wealth of experience working with several position groups and as a coordinator and I am very excited with what he will bring to our coaching staff.”

The promotions had been anticipated since the Saints lost former offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Doug Marrone last month, when he took the head coaching job at Syracuse University.

Carmichael, a rising young offensive mind, has been the Saints’ quarterbacks coach since he joined Payton’s staff in 2006. He twice turned down opportunities to leave for an offensive coordinator job with the Miami Dolphins (first under Cam Cameron, then under Tony Sparano), so he could continue working with Payton and quarterback Drew Brees.

Kromer joined the Saints as running backs coach last year after seven years as an offensive line coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders. Lombardi, the grandson of legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi, spent the past two seasons as an offensive assistant

“Pete’s promotion is well-deserved and I can’t say enough about his ability, and Aaron did a great job with the running backs last year, particularly with the development of Pierre Thomas,” Payton said in the statement. “Moving to the offensive line, where the majority of his NFL experience is, was a natural progression on our staff, and he’ll also contribute to our game-planning with the running game.

“Joe worked closely with Pete last season and has a strong understanding of our philosophy on offense. I like the way these moves complete our offensive staff, and the promotions from within maintain our continuity on an offense that has been extremely successful.”

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