DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Your list of people you want as our next coach...(or gm?)

j/c

I would like to see Dick Lebaue(sp?), DC of the Steelers #1 D and Former Head Coach of the Bengals get a look here. We would be taking a major component of the Steelers and getting a guy with some HC experience.

And yes, I know he struggled in Cinci but B. Belichek(sp?) struggled here too.

Thoughts?

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Problem being, you have nothing to base your opinion of him on. He played one and one quarter of football until he broke his finger. So it's pure speculation. And yes, we played the Broncos. But he had three days to prepare as starter. And it was his first NFL start. So IMO, anybody that knows Jack or Bill or Tom,Dick or Harry, could see that there is great reason to be optimistic in regards to BQ.

Nothing concrete, no sure thing. But a lot of poise and potential. More than we've seen since our return.

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i based my opinion on a couple of factors. the first one, leading up to the draft was "would quinn be in the talk of 1st round draft if a) weiss was not his coach or b) if there was another 2nd SOLID prospect?" i maintain that if weiss were not the coach, he would've been drafted along the 2nd to 3rd round. additionally, i also feel that if we put in a leinart, cutler, or even rodgers in the discussion, maybe quinn wouldn't have been picked in the 1st round entirely. when was the last time there was only one qb taken in the draft? dunno but what i do know is everyone is all over any qb so i doubt we ever see one or no qb taken in the first round.

as far as his first start goes, the poise was there because the broncos didn't gameplan for him and he had a field day. once the pressure came, i didn't see the poise. against the bills, i saw hurried, bad decision making. heck, even against the broncos, there were bad decisions but for some reason, people wanted to ignore them like they didn't even happen. when you combine that with how people smack on every little thing any other qb does, it's pretty agitating when you're trying to be fair. yes, my stance is unpopular but it at least adds some balance on this thread. heck, don't remember who it was but someone had less than glowing reviews for quinn after most of the games, noting bad decision and he was a self-proclaimed quinn-atic. at least he was fair. not blind in expectation. i can still give you specific examples of bad plays quinn had in the broncos game. if you want them, i can provide them but i find it's only fair if one qb is given that treatment, the other gets it too.

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I on the other hand have a firm grasp of the obvious.

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the obvious that a qb in the first round has a 50% chance of busting? the obvious that quinn has all the makings of a huge bust for a city that has huge expectations for him? this is why browns fans are always truly heartbroken. because we have unrealistic expectations. i don't expect quinn to be more than average in this league. he doesn't look like a real qb out there and in all honesty, he looks like trent edwards. that might be good enough if the other facets of our team are good enough but if you're expecting a manning, it's my opinion that you'll be disappointed.

but we should probably take this to the qb thread as we're off topic.

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And if you're not DA's agent, you GOTTA BE related to him!

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man i wish. maybe i could've gotten something nice for christmas

i thought about labeau but isn't he like upper 60s, even up to 70 years old?

Just curious, how old is Dick LeBeau? He's a former HC with one of the consistantly good defenses in the league. It may be his HC career was hamstringed by the bengals.

In all honesty, I would prefer a young coach to come in make the team his.

j/c, and I didn't read this whole thread so I am sorry if I repeat things.

I for one am hoping for Pioli as GM.

If it is Pioli, I think he'd look at McDaniels and Mangini as HC. Now for an off the radar name, I think he'd also look at Paul Pasqualoni. Pasqualoni is the DC of the Dolphins and is a Parcell's guy, who happens to be Pioli's father-in-law I believe. Pasqualoni was also an assistant at Syracuse University while Pioli was a graduate assitant at SU, so they probably know each other. Pasqualoni does have lots of HC experience, although it was at the college level. He has done a good job in Miami as DC though. Just a name to keep an eye on if Pioli is hired.

j/c

I thought this was a REALLY interesting read regarding Savage.

Falcons' McKay among Browns' GM candidates

BEREA: Count Rich McKay as a candidate to run the front office of the Browns.

And if he becomes a serious candidate, he'd be an extremely attractive hire.

New England Patriots Vice President Scott Pioli seems to remain the team's top choice, but McKay would bring much to the Browns.

Monday morning, Browns owner Randy Lerner confirmed that he had been given permission to interview Pioli, but he said there's another candidate with a team that he did not want to name.

It seems that candidate is McKay, president of the Atlanta Falcons.

McKay is as well-respected an individual as there is in the league. He's been successful in two locations — Tampa Bay and Atlanta — and for a decade, he's been co-chairman of the league's Competition Committee.

He's worked best as the man in charge who supervises football folks, and he's done that with the Falcons and Buccaneers. In 14 seasons as an NFL general manager, McKay guided six playoff teams, three NFC Championship Game teams and one Super Bowl winner.

He was caught in the Mike Vick dogfighting mess, but he was not with the Falcons when Vick was drafted.

McKay lost the GM's role when Tom Dimitroff was hired, but with him as president, the Falcons also returned to the playoffs after drafting Matt Ryan, signing Michael Turner and hiring Mike Smith as coach.

He is said to be interested in finding a job with a team that would involve more football-related responsibilities, but it's not known whether the Browns have asked for or received permission to interview him.

McKay would provide strong leadership as a president-type with the Browns, but would have to be given permission to leave the Falcons by owner Arthur Blank because the move would not be a promotion.

At the least, McKay is a strong and attractive Plan C for Lerner and the Browns — and perhaps the best of all the plans under consideration.

Plan A was Bill Cowher, but he took himself out of consideration.

Plan B remains Pioli, who has worked hand in hand with Bill Belichick and helped produce three Super Bowls for the Patriots.

But Lerner also needs to ensure that the structure for his new hires is strong and fits the people he hires. Because the last one didn't.

Flawed system

What started out as a coach-GM partnership eventually frittered into a GM-takes-the-turf scenario

That fact became more and more apparent as Monday went on and more and more folks started talking about the Browns' situation.

Lerner conceded Monday morning that former GM Phil Savage had final say in the hiring of assistant coaches.

Savage always was in charge of the draft.

And, as Savage said many times, he chose the 53-man-roster.

This had coach Romeo Crennel in a position of leading a team of players he didn't choose or draft and working with coaches that were not his.

Consider a head coach working with two coordinators he did not hire. That's what Crennel did this season.

This is not to say that Crennel did not like and respect Rob Chudzinski and Mel Tucker. He did.

But Savage picked them.

Coaches deserve the right to pick their staff and have strong input on players. Crennel didn't have either, a situation reminiscent of the position in which Al Davis has placed his coaches in Oakland.

The coaching staff, for instance, did not favor the drafting of linebacker Beau Bell or tight end Martin Rucker.

Savage decided to do so, and even traded a future draft pick to acquire Rucker.

As the season went on, neither played. Because the coaches did not think they could.

Jerome Harrison was used as a change-of-pace back, and at times, it was effective. But the coaching staff did not think he could handle a larger workload. Same with Joshua Cribbs, who had trouble learning plays at receiver, let alone quarterback.

Draft picks also found homes in Cleveland for a longer time than the coaching staff deemed worthy. Word around the league was that if a player was drafted by the Browns, he'd get three years no matter what he did.

Guys like Antonio Perkins, Babatunde Oshinowo, David McMillan, DeMario Minter and Isaac Sowells were carried for two or three years because the guy who drafted them decided on the final roster.

Other problems

Disagreements were exacerbated this season over the use of the quarterbacks — Brady Quinn was lifted in the loss to the Houston Texans because of his broken finger — and over the front office's decision not to add veteran help at receiver or cornerback.

The coaches believed all year long it was playing with cornerbacks who were not starting caliber, and they felt the lack of a second receiver hurt Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards.

The total result: The coaching staff felt handicapped by decisions made by folks in the front office who were not on the field or in the meeting rooms every day.

Some of these problems come from front-office structure, certainly.

Most league observers reacted with great surprise when they learned Crennel did not choose his coaches.

They wondered how the team could set up that structure, and why Crennel didn't fight it.

But some of it, too, was personality.

Then-President John Collins wanted to remove Savage after his first season. It seemed (and was) ridiculously early in Savage's tenure to make that move, but some of the reasons Collins gave then make sense now.

Then, when Collins left, Savage stepped into a power void.

And after the following season — a bad one — Savage gave Crennel a list of assistant coaches he had to fire. Savage then hired the replacements.

When Tucker replaced Todd Grantham a year ago, it was assumed Crennel had asserted authority. The move was Savage's.

Both Savage and Crennel received contract extensions in the offseason, but Savage got one more year than Crennel did.

The Browns were coming off a 10-win season, so things looked positive.

Falling apart

When the team started losing, Savage started to make statements that he did not coach the players. One report (from Channel 3's Jim Donovan) said Savage drew up a list of possible coaches for Lerner following the loss to the Denver Broncos — with seven games remaining.

Crennel never went public with his concerns. He also never demanded changes in the structure — even after he learned that alleged statements and questions Lerner asked through Savage were never actually voiced by the team's owner.

The won-lost record reflected the way the team had come apart.

Lerner let Savage go on Saturday, two days before he let Crennel go.

It was just two days, but it spoke loudly of the owner's feelings about how things were handled by the front office, and how Savage had reacted to proposed changes Lerner had brought to him.

The coach? He did not win enough, but he still has the personal respect of the owner, who spoke fondly of him even after firing him.

Lerner's style is to hire people and get out of the way. But he said Monday morning he was responsible for the current state of the team. He created the structure that allowed what happened to happen.

Lerner now will make the next hires in an attempt to turn the team around.

The people he is considering — Pioli and McKay — both are excellent choices with sound leadership skills.

Neither seems to have the ego to overreach and walk over the coach's job duties. But neither did Savage when he was hired. The longer he stayed, the more he wanted control and power and the more problematic things became.

The people Lerner is thinking of hiring are important.

But the way their jobs are defined and carried out might be more important.

link

interesting is right. it makes savage sound like a huge ass. say what you want about crennel but it's clear he was doomed from the start. now we know why he "favored" the veterans: because he didn't want some of the younger players to begin with.

Yer right. It IS an interesting read..

To my way of thinking there are more GM candidates that I like and would be happy about than there are HC candidates that I like.

I'm okay with Pioli, McKay and Reese.

So, why exactly is RAC gone if he really had no control? I'm not saying it's right or wrong, I just don't get it.

ESPN and their analysts were saying the same thing this morning's Sports Center.. RAC was fired thru not much fault of his own. When you have double digit IR lists and you deal with a staff thats not yours, it's hard to see how you win.

My guess would be that Randy wants to start over and do things the right way this time.

Thanks, that's what I figured...a fresh start all the way around. Still sucks that the guy took the fall through no fault of his own, as far as we know. Maybe it was that he didn't speak up and voice his concerns. :shrug:

I agree with what you're saying, Michelle. But, at the same time, RAC certainly didn't help his cause with his poor time management and some poor in game coaching.

Eventually, the blame falls on the guy at the top. It sucks when a lot of the problems come from someone else, though.

Oh, I agree that RAC wasn't the perfect HC...far from it, probably. I just wonder what else, or how deep, the rift was running. Now I'm wondering if he was nervous because of Savage and made stupid mistakes due to it. If Savage got to choose the roster, what else did he control that we don't know about?

I don't know, but everything is coming out of the closet now....

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That fact became more and more apparent as Monday went on and more and more folks started talking about the Browns' situation.

Lerner conceded Monday morning that former GM Phil Savage had final say in the hiring of assistant coaches.

Savage always was in charge of the draft.

And, as Savage said many times, he chose the 53-man-roster.

This had coach Romeo Crennel in a position of leading a team of players he didn't choose or draft and working with coaches that were not his.

Consider a head coach working with two coordinators he did not hire. That's what Crennel did this season.

This is not to say that Crennel did not like and respect Rob Chudzinski and Mel Tucker. He did.

But Savage picked them.

Coaches deserve the right to pick their staff and have strong input on players. Crennel didn't have either, a situation reminiscent of the position in which Al Davis has placed his coaches in Oakland.

The coaching staff, for instance, did not favor the drafting of linebacker Beau Bell or tight end Martin Rucker.

Savage decided to do so, and even traded a future draft pick to acquire Rucker.

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That's messed up. The closer it got to the end of the season and the more little tidbits started to leak out, the more I wanted RAC to stay and Savage to go.

Romeo gets a bad rep I think because he isn't the most eloquent speaker. Yeah, he made questionable decisions (or non-decisions), but after knowing he didn't have control of his own players and team, it sheds a whole new light on the situation.

Pioli, Mangini, and RAC doesn't sound bad to me at all.

Just clickin,
Now that things are starting to come out, where are all the so called RAC bashers?? If the front office set this up, then it was destined to fail. How can the coach even discipline players when even THEY KNOW that Savage is calling ALL THE SHOTS!! Maybe this is why RAC was always trying to cover for the players because he was not or could not make the decision anyway! Or when Chud is calling a crappy game, RAC cannot take over because he did not pick him. If he had TOTAL control over the roster, that is why people were drafted and over paid because Savage picked them!! RAC should have left earlier because this was destined to fail!!

Savage has always had full roster control, and that has been widely known. It has also been widely known that he chose the assistants since the infamous Mo Carthon canning. What wasn't known is some of the stuff that CoachB was posting about.....such as sitting in on team meetings, and forcing the coaches to play certain players over others. The most important aspect that has come out is the fact that Phil didn't listen to the coaching staff when it came to which players to draft that fit their scheme. I have to believe that Phil really was difficult to work with from all of the stuff we are hearing.

Maybe that is why the players were so loyal to RAC. They knew Savage was not at practice but was making decisions. And this might be why Lerner is keeping a option open for RAC because he did not have control.

RAC went so far as to deny that he wasn't a part of picking the coaches, even within the organization. He took TONS of heat here and other places for all of this that wasn't his doing.

You know CoachB,
What people forget is that when things would go well for the Browns, like last year, Savage would be real accessible. But when things would go bad, he would send RAC out to take the fire! Just like the whole Winslow/staph situation, RAC was sent out first to answer the questions! Savage showed leadership when things were good, not when they were bad.

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We cracked a bit on Jim Schwartz, but I just talked to hunting friend of mine from the Nashville area and I wish I had a transcript!

He loves him! Agressive, smart, he says he's just a great fans type guy who takes no crap from his players but they'll run through walls for him.
Thinks the Cleveland fans would connect with him instantly and says for enthusiasm and attitude is right there with Cowher!

I believe he was scout or coach or something here in his earlier days?

Maybe we can dig up a bio on him or something.

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Couple of highlights are his scouting past, and quality control past. From what I understand, coaches that are quality control watch film of opposing teams weeks in advance to help lay the ground work for gameday planning.

Also, he was once a part of the Browns organization . . .

(below has been edited for length)

here ya go, from the Titans web site

Jim Schwartz is in his 10th season with the Titans and eighth as defensive coordinator.

Last year, the Titans defense was a catalyst to the team’s success and ranked in the top 10 of the NFL in a number of categories, including overall yards (5th), rushing defense (5th), defensive points allowed (7th, 276), takeaways (6th, 34), first down yards (1st, 4.34) and sacks (7th, 40). The Titans limited three teams under 200 total offensive yards during 2007 and RB LaDainian Tomlinson was held to the lowest rushing total of his career (42) with 20 or more carries in the playoff loss to Chargers.

During his tenure as defensive coordinator, two statistics have been at the heart of the team’s success – third-down defense and rushing defense. Over the last seven seasons, the Titans rank sixth in the league in third-down defense (36.3% conversion rate) and eighth in the league in rushing defense (105 yards per game). Currently, the Titans defense has allowed only eight 100-yard rushers in the last 56 home games.

In 2005, Tennessee fielded one of the youngest defenses in the league with starters averaging only 3.5 years of experience, including starting two rookie corners for only the second time in the franchise's 46-year history. The defense still had plenty to boast about, ranking eighth in the NFL in third down defense (35.5%), ninth in sacks (41) and second in three and outs (31.3%).

The 2003 edition of the Titans defense yielded a number of accolades and successes beyond the rushing defense, including: ranking fourth in the AFC in "red zone" defense (43.9%), fifth in the AFC in takeaways with 34 and recording the most interceptions (21) by a Titans defense since 1995.

Schwartz was elevated from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator in January of 2001. In addition to coaching the linebackers in 2000, he also coordinated the team's third-down package, which led the NFL in third-down efficiency. Schwartz originally joined the Titans coaching staff in 1999 as defensive assistant/quality control.

Prior to joining the Titans, Schwartz spent three years as an assistant/quality control coach with the Baltimore Ravens. While in Baltimore, Schwartz also coached the Ravens' outside linebackers.

Prior to the Cleveland Browns moving to Baltimore, he spent three years in the Browns' personnel department, serving as both a college and pro scout. He also assisted the defensive coaching staff with film breakdowns and scouting reports . Schwartz began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Maryland, tutoring the Terrapins' linebackers from 1989-90 and then served as graduate assistant at the University of Minnesota (1990-91). He became a position coach in the secondary at North Carolina Central (1991-92) before moving to Colgate (1992) as linebackers coach.

With all the info that is coming out. And the situation that has unfolded.

If i was Randy Lerner...I would hire a GM, and let them both interview Romeo to get his job back. Maybe he wouldnt get it, but I think after all this new stuff, he deserves a shot.

sadly...i agree.

but, as much as ive disliked his coaching. I think he should be given the chance to re-earn his job. Its like a 2nd chance, and if he proves to sound better than any other candidates...give him his job back.

That being said. With Mangini getting canned, i think he'll be very on board with working with his GM to make his roster settled because his fate was very very saddled to Brett Favre. As went Brett, so went Mangini.

This will be golden for him going forward. He was afraid of checking Brett because of the possible ramifications perhaps in the lockerroom or media or fans or both. Thatll never happen again with Mangini, I think we'll find ourself a no-nonsense coach thatll check egos at the door, which appears very necessary with our current roster.

I know the players love Romeo, but do they respect him? I dunno if they would now being with whats happened. Or if he got his job back, would they have increased respect for all this. I dunno...

Does it matter? We need a voodoo doctor for coach right now...what the heck is this curse? Even God only burnt down the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. I just don't have any clue at this point. They are all gambles in my opinion.

Thanks for the Schwartz info bluecollar!

RAC may have been hosed...but it was Romeo with the bad clock mgmt., bad
timing for FG's etc.

I loved him on a personel level but still not sure he had what it took.

Having said that, seeing him attempt it on a more level playing field
would have been nice!

Still have an odd feeling that he lands the DC gig here as part of the NE trio.

GM : Pioli

HC : Josh Mcdaniels

Mangini would be next if Mcdaniels goes elsewhere. BUT Randy is gonna open up his wallet. dont be suprised if all three of these guys come over in some capacity, Randy wants to get it right and Mangini as head coach and Mcdaniels as Asst. head coach with RAC as Def. Cord. ?


I hear Schwartz from Tennessee is very intrested in the HC job, If Mcdaniels goes elsewhere Schwartz might be intresting.

What wasn't known is some of the stuff that CoachB was posting about.....such as sitting in on team meetings, and forcing the coaches to play certain players over others.

I think we had a glimpse when certain players allowed to walk or were traded and the guys that Phil drafted were playing..

The coaching staff, for instance, did not favor the drafting of linebacker Beau Bell or tight end Martin Rucker.

I didn't have a problem with Bell or Rucker who I think can play..but why did the coaching staff not want them?


Draft picks also found homes in Cleveland for a longer time than the coaching staff deemed worthy. Word around the league was that if a player was drafted by the Browns, he'd get three years no matter what he did.

Guys like Antonio Perkins, Babatunde Oshinowo, David McMillan, DeMario Minter and Isaac Sowells were carried for two or three years because the guy who drafted them decided on the final roster.


These were wasted roster spots..and yet they survived...

When Tucker replaced Todd Grantham a year ago, it was assumed Crennel had asserted authority. The move was Savage's.

Ehhhh Todd was power hungry and wanted to upsurp Rac...he needed to go.
But the article also stated something every damaging..

One report (from Channel 3's Jim Donovan) said Savage drew up a list of possible coaches for Lerner following the loss to the Denver Broncos — with seven games remaining.

Now after seeing it..Phil didn't want Rac for whatever reason..and Rac was over his head ..he wasn't going to fight back..he was rolling with the crap Phil was shoveling at him..and Phil handicapped him greatly..sneaky and underhanded..


The coaches believed all year long it was playing with cornerbacks who were not starting caliber, and they felt the lack of a second receiver hurt Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards.


Now Phil claimed that were financial concerns in regards to Law and some other additions..but it appeared to be a excuse..Phil wanted Rac out and it's being exposed..

JC


GM- Pioli

HC- Magini. I like the way he got his team prepared to play their division rivals. He coached with a chip on his shoulder and if there are any co-ordinators off of the Belicheck tree that most resemble his style it would be him. Not to mention he is a 3-4 guy and has ties with Pioli.

OC- I would like to see Chud stay. I know that may not be popular with many on here but I think that he has what it takes to turn things around for our offense. IMHO, we would be set back this year on Offense as the players try to digest another system.

ST- I would love to see Dasher stay for reasons that are obvious.

DC- I am intruiged by Marinelli. He was a big catalyst for the Tampa 2 defense and he has experience with the position. Think he could give us success if we can get some more fresh bodies in through the draft and he could bring a new dimension and fire to our players on that side of the ball.

JMHO...

I don't see how anyone could want Chud to stay on. The guy's play calling was just plain horrendous.

Schottenheimer has coaching bug … again


While football’s focus continues to shine on former Steelers coach Bill Cowher despite the fact that he will not be back on the sidelines in 2009, another proven veteran NFL head coach is ready and willing to return to the game.

Former NFL head coach Marty Schottenheimer is willing to coach again in the right situation surrounded by the right people, a league source said Monday. Schottenheimer already has been contacted by one team with a head coach opening, though no interview has been scheduled yet.

Any team in need of a turnaround — and that includes just about any team firing a head coach — would be well advised to look at Schottenheimer, who is 4-for-4 in turning around franchises in Cleveland, Kansas City, Washington and San Diego. Schottenheimer also has built strong coaching trees around him, hiring assistant coaches such as Cowher and Herman Edwards, among others.

Schottenheimer recently underwent a physical in which the doctor praised him for his physical and mental condition. Now Schottenheimer soon could be getting checkups from NFL teams in need of a head coach.

Adam Schefter

http://blogs.nfl.com/2008/12/29/schottenheimer-has-coaching-bug-again/

GM: Pioli
Head Coach: McDaniels
Offensive Coordinator: Chud
Defensive Coordinator: Mangini

Rish brought up the idea of Mike Nolan as DC... I like that better than my wish for Marinelli. Just would rather see Manginan than another inexperienced co-ordinator.

Mangina got a raw deal in NY thanks to "the best QB that has graced this planet " had yet another collapse...

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I like that better than my wish for Marinelli

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Me too. Marinelli runs the Tampa 2 and I want to run the 3-4. I would be thrilled with Nolan as our Defensive Coordinator.

well his experience on that side of the ball as well as being a firey motivator and teacher was why I wanted him.

hopefully that 1 team is us

How do you legitimize a coordinator having a bad YEAR? A bad game, maybe, but an entirely bad YEAR? C'mon...