DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Al Saunders named interim head coach

Cleveland Browns interim coach Al Saunders has proven track record of success at NFL level
Cleveland Browns interim coach Al Saunders has a proven track record of success at the NFL level and brings a wealth of knowledge to the locker room.

Saunders has been in the coaching profession for nearly 50 years, including more than three decades in the National Football League.

A native of Hendon, England, Saunders served as head coach of the San Diego Chargers from 1986 to 1988. Saunders’ run as head coach of the Chargers started on an interim basis in 1986 after Don Coryell resigned his position.

Saunders went on to serve as assistant head coach/wide receivers coach of the Kansas City Chiefs (1989-1998) and St. Louis Rams (1999-2000) before returning to Kansas City as assistant head coach/offensive coordinator (2001-2005).

Following his second stint in Kansas City, Saunders moved on to be the associate head coach/offense of the Washington football team (2006-2007), along with stops in St. Louis and with the Oakland Raiders as offensive coordinator.

Saunders has been on teams that combined to make 15 playoff appearances with five division championships and a Super Bowl XXXIV victory for the Rams over the Tennessee Titans following the 1999 season.

Saunders was named the NFL’s Offensive Coach of the Year in 2005 and has been credited with guiding two of the most dynamic receiver corps in league history, as he led the Rams’ record-setting “Greatest Show on Turf” in addition to his time at the helm of the Chargers’ “Air Coryell.”

Under Saunders’ guidance, the 2000 Rams set NFL records with 7,075 total yards, 5,232 passing yards and 540 points scored, an average of 33.8 points per game. That came on the heels of a successful 1999 season, when the Rams led the NFL with 6,412 total yards, 272.1 passing yards per game and 32.9 points per game.
During Saunders’ second tenure in Kansas City, the Chiefs set 46 offensive records, generated 2,157 points, scored 262 touchdowns and gained 30,470 net yards, more than any other team during that five-year stretch.

In 2004, the Chiefs gained 6,695 total yards, an average of 418.4 yards per game, and led the NFL in total offense for the first time in franchise history. Additionally, Saunders’ offense broke multiple NFL records, including a single-season mark of 398 first downs and equaling an 42-year old standard with 63 rushing touchdowns.

Saunders’ first game as interim coach of the Browns will come against one of his former teams, the Chiefs, at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland Sunday.

https://www.wkyc.com/article/sports/nfl/...el/95-609191762

Al Saunders’ Coaching Background:

1970-71 University of Southern California, graduate assistant
1972 University of Missouri, wide receivers coach
1973-75 Utah State University, offensive backfield coach
1976-81 University of California, assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach
1982 University of Tennessee, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach
1983-84 San Diego Chargers, receivers coach
1985-86 San Diego Chargers, assistant head coach/ receivers
1986-88 San Diego Chargers, head coach
1989-98 Kansas City Chiefs, assistant head coach/wide receivers
1999-00 St. Louis Rams, associate head coach/wide receivers
2001-05 Kansas City Chiefs, assistant head coach/offensive coordinator
2006-07 Washington Redskins, associate head coach/offense
2008 St. Louis Rams, offensive coordinator
2009-10 Baltimore Ravens, senior offensive assistant
2011 Oakland Raiders, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach
2012-14 Oakland Raiders, senior offensive assistant
2015 Miami Dolphins, senior offensive assistant
2016 Cleveland Browns, senior offensive assistant

I wonder why neither NFL Network nor Jim Donovan are saying Saunders?

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns did not have to search far for their replacement for Coach Hue Jackson, as the front office kept things in house and elevated longtime assistant Al Saunders to interim head coach.

WKYC’s Jim Donovan confirmed that Saunders was named the Browns’ interim head coach shortly after Jackson’s dismissal Monday.

How often is a mid-season interim head coach *not* from the current staff?

I guess it makes sense . Al Knows the playbook and can call his own plays. No need for Todd.

I'm down with Al.

And I agree, no need for Todd as he was gonna get fired anyway with a new HC coming in at some point.

Every coach on this team is likely to be looking for work after this season.

Poor Mr. Saunders.

We are once again the laughing stock of the NFL.

One more year like this and this franchise is in serious trouble.

Saunders said no, lol??!

Oh God, I hope this isn't true.

I hope not...
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/myles...ss-to-steelers/

ruh-roh

The #Browns have an interim...Ian Rapoport added,
Mary Kay Cabot
Verified account

@MaryKayCabot
I'm hearing DC Gregg William will be the interim head coach

You literally can not make this stuff up.

We are "Brownsing it" again.

Saunders went to high school with Jesus, he may not want the stress

Apparently because it wasn't true...lol.

Freddie Kitchens is the new OC. I have to wonder if Al being so close personally with Hue played into his not wanting to take over (if in fact he was offered).

Lol. Jim DID report it...

j/c:

If the latest report is true about Williams being the Interim HC, it makes me wonder if the dolts upstairs even asked Saunders if he wanted the job before they made their decision to fire Hue.

I could see Dorsey and Haslam coming to Saunders and telling him they were making him the HC for the rest of the season and Saunders telling them:

I'm cool with Greg Williams being the HC. I like him. Of course, I liked Hue and I liked Haley. Williams won't put up with any BS, that's for sure. I guess we will see who is who and what is what at 4:30.

Thanks...did not know that. So much coming out right now hard to keep up...lol.

I like Mr Williams

I'm fine with GW as HC for the rest of this season (and perhaps beyond?). He, as we all know, is no-nonsense and will bring some consistency and accountability. There will be no dysfunction. We are back on track! Diam: Get that ferry bailed out...

Maybe someone should start a thread with the true info.

I feel like I'm watching Gilligan attempt to repair the Minnow III.

So who is it? AS or GW? smh

According to Mary Kay, it's Williams HC and Kitchen OC.

Williams' son will likely take over as DC.

I would but the way things are moving I'm not sure what is going to happen.

ESPN reporting it's Williams

So is NFL Network.

So was Saunders HC for like an hour? Shortest HC gig ever.

They already fired him. The team quit on him.

LOL

I'm more comfortable with this than any other scenario. Saunders made no sense and led me to believe everything would be gutted by the end of the year. I love Williams, I'm glad he gets a chance to audition for the job. He IS no nonsense. No more BS behind the scenes. He will tell you what he expects and won't sugar-coat when he doesn't get it... That has been missing from this team for about a decade.

don't get too settled in, lol!


Barring a miraculous turnaround, I do not see Williams being here in 2019 - definitely not as HC, likely not at DC.

Unless he had a Belichick-like epiphany of self-discovery following his last tenure as HC, I'm betting we will see a lot of the same that he exhibited in Buffalo when he was HC there.... meaning a bad record. We already see enough in the way of befuddling decisions from him weekly just in the capacity of DC, now we should get to see the same on both sides of the ball.

lol. I know, I know. It least there is a glimmer of hope there. I'd rather see he auditioning than a lame duck in Saunders.

Does Diam have a Ginger also?