Guys that might be ready to be head coaches

[painekiller]

What coordinators and position coaches look ready to move up to a higher position?

I am going to write this up in a couple different post.

I am going to break this down into west coast offensive guys, non-west coast guys, and on defense 3-4 vs 4-3 guys.

I will add in some of the recycled HCs later.

Defensive guys 1st.

Defensive guys 4-3
Colts DC Larry Coyer, even though teams run all over them they continue to have one of the best pass rushes in football.
Colts position guys to watch – Dline John Teerlinck,

Titans DC Chuck Cecil, has a bunch of no names near the top of the league in sacks.
Titans position guys to watch – Asst HC/LBs Dave McGinnis, DBs coach Marcus Robertson, Dline coach Jim Washburn.

Vikings asst HC/DC Leslie Frazier, his guys have been bad this season, but is that on him or his players, or his nutty HC.

Saints DC Gregg Williams, has ties to Houston Oilers and has been a HC before. One of the most aggressive DC in football.

Giants DC Perry Fewell, has the Giants defense looking strong again

Defensive guys 3-4
San Diego DC Ron Rivera – defense is ranked #1 with a bunch of no names.
Position guys to look at on San Diego- DB asst Cris Dishman,
Pittsburg DC Dick LeBeau – Hall of Fame player and should be as a coach as well. Been a HC once with little success, maybe it time for another try.

Position guys to look at - LB coach Keith Butler, DB coach Ray Horton, asst HC/Dline John Mitchell,

Baltimore DC Greg Mattison, Only been in Baltimore since 2008, but has kept them near the top.

NY Jets DC Mike Pettine, Rex Ryans anointed one to run the defense.

Washington DC Jim Haslett, former HC in New Orleans. Has not had time in Wahington to get the defense to it final level, but very capable.
Redskin position guys to watch, Passing game Safeties Steve Jackson, LB coach Lou Spanos

49ers DC Greg Manusky, was the guy leading the old Chargers defense when they where one of the best. Does not have the talent yet to have an elite defense in San Fran.

[HPF Bob]

Q: Does Rick Smith avoid any blame here? I mean, there have been some notable whiffs on his part and he seems just as responsible for the suckish defense as the coaches are.

Q: If we do look for a new head coach, why limit ourselves to assistants? Why not go whale hunting and finally land a big name like Cowher or Gruden? If coaching is the problem, not talent, wouldn't that be ideal for a top gun who knows how to turn talent into champions?

Q: Do you change coaches at all right before a strike year where your new coach may just be sitting around for several months? Wouldn't a change make more sense after labor peace has been restored?

[chuck]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Q: Does Rick Smith avoid any blame here? I mean, there have been some notable whiffs on his part and he seems just as responsible for the suckish defense as the coaches are.

Q: If we do look for a new head coach, why limit ourselves to assistants? Why not go whale hunting and finally land a big name like Cowher or Gruden? If coaching is the problem, not talent, wouldn't that be ideal for a top gun who knows how to turn talent into champions?

Q: Do you change coaches at all right before a strike year where your new coach may just be sitting around for several months? Wouldn't a change make more sense after labor peace has been restored?

1. Yes, but he's on the competition committee and he's not going anywhere.

2. Yes.

3. Yes, wait until after the dust clears. If I were an owner, even one as flush as McNair, no way would I hire a dude and pay him $5MM or whatever a year knowing that there is a very good chance he's going to be sitting there scratching his ass for a year cashing my paycheck for doing nothing. Hell, I already have a guy that does that.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Q: If we do look for a new head coach, why limit ourselves to assistants? Why not go whale hunting and finally land a big name like Cowher or Gruden? If coaching is the problem, not talent, wouldn't that be ideal for a top gun who knows how to turn talent into champions?

I'm sorry if I was not clear in the 1st post, this is only part one of the guys to look at. The ex HCs and the OC are to follow in separate posts.

[HPF Bob]

I don't want an OC. As the Broncos are finding out, you don't replace an offensive HC with another one when defense is your problem.

[WMH]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

I don't want an OC. As the Broncos are finding out, you don't replace an offensive HC with another one when defense is your problem.

Uh....didn't we already try the "defensive coach" for the first 5 years? Granted, I will give up the first 3 years, but we digressed the last two under Capers, hence us hiring an "offensive coach".

[HPF Bob]

Despite some dumb habits, offense isn't the problem. We can run. We can pass. We score points. What sucks to high heaven is the defense and bringing in another team's offensive coordinator won't solve any of the problems on defense.

Maybe the offense will backslide under a defensive head coach but it will take a few years before it deteriorates to the level of the defense. Hopefully, by that time, the defensive head coach is smart enough to find an offensive coordinator who can retool the offense.

Besides, this team has lacked a mean streak from the very beginning. I want a head coach who is willing to coach some toughness into these guys and, usually, that's a defensive coach.

[painekiller]

OK let’s look at the out of work Head Coaches. I am going to list most of them from 2002 to the present. Why look at the bottom guys? Well remember at one time Bellichick was a bust in Cleveland then he was a genius when given a second chance.

Dick LeBeau former Bengals HC and current DC of Pittsburgh
Marty Mornhinweg former Lions HC (had a bone headed coin toss decision) current OC of Philly WCO
Bill Callahan Raider Super Bowl Head Coach and current Assistant HC of the Jets/OLine WCO
Jim Fassel former Giants HC and current Head Coach of the Las Vegas Locomotives also former OC of the Ravens
Dave McGinnis former Cardinals HC and current LB coach for the Titans
Gregg Williams former Bills HC (fired due to poor offense) current Saints DC
Jim Bates former Interim Miami HC, out of the league (64 years old)
Butch Davis former Browns HC, and current HC of North Carolina
Dennis Erickson former Seahawk and 49ers HC, current Arizona State HC
Steve Mariucci former 49ers and Lions HC, currently out of the league for 5 years
Mike Mularkey former Bills HC and current Falcons OC
Mike Tice former Vikings HC and current OLine coach for the Bears.
Bill Cowher former Super Bowl winning HC of the Steelers, out of football
Brian Billick former Super Bowl winning HC of the Ravens, out of football
Cam Cameron former Dolphins HC and current Ravens OC
Romeo Crennel former Browns HC and current DC of the Chiefs
Tony Dungy Super Bowl Winning HC of the Colts, out of football
Herman Edwards former Jets and Chiefs HC, out of football
Jon Gruden Super Bowl Winning HC of the Bucs, in the TV booth
Jim Haslett former Saints HC and current DC in Washington
Scout Linehan former HC of the Rams and current Lions OC
Rob Marinelli former HC of the Lions and Current DC of the Bears
Mike Nolan former HC of the 49ers, current Dolphins DC.
Jim Zorn former Redskins HC and current QB coach for the Ravens

Tear into these guys, the list is long.

[painekiller]

As of today: Wade Phillips former HC of the Dallas Cowboys, a 3-4 specialist.

[Warren]

Originally Posted by chuck

3. Yes, wait until after the dust clears. If I were an owner, even one as flush as McNair, no way would I hire a dude and pay him $5MM or whatever a year knowing that there is a very good chance he's going to be sitting there scratching his ass for a year cashing my paycheck for doing nothing. Hell, I already have a guy that does that.

And Kubiak would still be cashing your paycheck, too. He's signed through 2012, so you'd have two head coaches on the payroll and no income.

[Warren]

Some other assistants whose names have been mentioned as possible HC candidates:

Offense
Chargers AHC/TE coach Rob Chudzinski -- #1 offense based on yardage
Cardinals AHC/OL coach Russ Grimm -- not as much as the year the Cards won the NFC
Titans OC Mike Heimerdinger -- #1 offense based on points scored

Defense
Dolphins AHC/DB coach Todd Bowles -- Parcells protege
Browns DC Rob Ryan -- based on his twin brother's success and recent signs of life in Cleveland. The Ryan style would seem to be a "programmatic non-fit" with Bob McNair.
Bengals DC Mike Zimmer -- not as much as last year


For purposes of making the list more complete only, a few more active former HCs:
Dave Campo, former Cowboys HC, current Cowboys DB coach
Dom Capers, former Panthers and Texans HC, current Packers DC (Collinsworth was really pushing him as a candidate on SNF last night )
Gunther Cunningham, former Chiefs HC, current Lions DC
Kevin Gilbride, former Chargers HC, current Giants OC
Bobby Petrino, former Falcons HC, current Arkansas HC
Mike Sherman, former Packers HC, current Texas A&M HC

And a couple college guys who get mentioned a lot due to their NFL backgrounds:
Iowa HC Kirk Ferentz -- the Texans reportedly wanted to talk to him during their last HC search
Stanford HC Jim Harbaugh

[chuck]

Originally Posted by Warren

And Kubiak would still be cashing your paycheck, too. He's signed through 2012, so you'd have two head coaches on the payroll and no income.

Right. I guess my point was that Kubiak's not going anywhere until after the situation gets sorted out.

If they hire Kevin Gilbride I am seriously going to hurt somebody.

[WMH]

Guys, this is really a moot point. Unless we go completely in the crapper, Kubes ain't going anywhere. For better, or slighly worse, he will be here next year. We can all have our opinions, but his is the only one that truly matters.

Texans' owner: Kubiak is 'doing a good job'
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/7285574.html

[chuck]

Originally Posted by WMH

Guys, this is really a moot point. Unless we go completely in the crapper, Kubes ain't going anywhere. For better, or slighly worse, he will be here next year. We can all have our opinions, but his is the only one that truly matters.

Texans' owner: Kubiak is 'doing a good job'
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/7285574.html

That's owner talk for 'I'm not going to fire him during the season.'

He may not fire him after a 6-10 season, either, because of the labor issue and because of his contract and because people keep buying tickets and because he'll keep telling himself and anyone who will listen that the team is close.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by Warren

For purposes of making the list more complete only, a few more active former HCs:
Dave Campo, former Cowboys HC, current Cowboys DB coach
Dom Capers, former Panthers and Texans HC, current Packers DC (Collinsworth was really pushing him as a candidate on SNF last night )
Gunther Cunningham, former Chiefs HC, current Lions DC
Kevin Gilbride, former Chargers HC, current Giants OC
Bobby Petrino, former Falcons HC, current Arkansas HC
Mike Sherman, former Packers HC, current Texas A&M HC

I skipped Campo, Capers, Petrino, and Sherman because I did not think they would/should be entertained for the job.

I missed Gilbride and Cunningham from the list by mistake.

I agree with Bob, I think we should go with a defensive type, or at the very least a coach with a reputation for being tough (ie Gruden).

As for the OCs, have not done that group yet.

And BTW I like Jim Harbaugh, but I also do not want another rookie HC learning on the job, and college HC have not done well in the NFL in the last few years.

As for Ryan and Zimmer, not sure that Ryan is HC material, even Al Davis skipped over him, and he was a disruptive force on the Raiders before he was let go. Zimmer's current defense is not impressing me right now so he was excluded from my list.

Hope this clears up some of the omissions.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by chuck

That's owner talk for 'I'm not going to fire him during the season.'

He may not fire him after a 6-10 season, either, because of the labor issue and because of his contract and because people keep buying tickets and because he'll keep telling himself and anyone who will listen that the team is close.

I agree with this statement.

[painekiller]

OK I am going to skip the OCs and college guys. Most of us know the guys we like.

So who is on my short list?

Cowher
Gruden
Gregg Williams
Jim Harbough
Chuck Cecil
Dave McGinnis
Mike Heimerdinger


If I go with a defensive guy as the HC, then I am looking hard at keeping Dennison here. If I go with an offensive guy, then I try to get Wade Phillips in here to run the defense. Or if the rumors are true, Singletary can be my DC.

[Nconroe]

Me, I like Gruden the commentator but not Gruden the coach, fwiw, about 1/2 cent. He lost his job in Tampa didn't he.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by Nconroe

Me, I like Gruden the commentator but not Gruden the coach, fwiw, about 1/2 cent. He lost his job in Tampa didn't he.

As Bum Phillips once said "There's two kinds of coaches, them that's fired and them that's gonna be fired."

[Nconroe]

maybe just worth 1/4 cent then.