The 38-21 loss to a Washington Redskins team led by a fourth-round, second-string rookie quarterback named Kirk Cousins all assured it, and last week's lackluster 34-12 drubbing by Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos all but cemented it.
By this time next week, Pat Shurmur will be gone, and Tom Heckert may as well be gone, too.
That's even if the Browns can somehow knock off the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road this Sunday, clinching the first season-sweep of our hated rivals since 1988 and first since the team returned in 1999. In fact, it would only be the four season-sweep of the Steelers since 1970 (the Browns went 0-16 in their first 16 years playing at Three Rivers Stadium and wound up only winning there five times before it was mercifully imploded following the 2000 season).
The Browns will go into that game potentially with their third-string quarterback under center -- Thaddeus Lewis, who has never taken a regular season snap and was on the practice squad for most of this season. Josh Johnson, a former Tampa Bay quarterback who had been out of the league since the 49ers cut him in training camp, was brought in as the emergency quarterback in case starter Brandon Weeden or backup Colt McCoy (both shoulder injuries) can't go.
It's eerily reminisent of the last act of the Romeo Crennel/Phil Savage era. The Browns couldn't keep a healthy quarterback as the 2008 season wore down, losing Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson and third-stringer Ken Dorsey to injuries heading into the season finale at Pittsburgh. Bruce Gradkowski, who had just been signed two weeks earlier, was thrust into action and went a dismal 5-of-18 in a 31-0 drubbing by the Steelers.
That Steelers team wound up winning the Super Bowl, even though Ben Roethlisberger was carted off the field during that loss. This Steeler team is lugging a three-game losing streak into this season finale and have only won one game since the Browns beat them, 20-14, at home. All three losses have come with Roethlisberger at the helm, and the last two have directly been his fault with late interceptions directly leading to the game-winning points.
Oh, and did I mention the Steelers will miss the playoffs? Beauty.
Joe Banner has promised to make speedy decisions on both Shurmur and Heckert, which means that, by 10 a.m. New Years Eve, you can expect to get a press release saying both parties have been fired, followed by a press conference held by both Banner and owner Jimmy Haslam III defending their decision to make the change and talking about potential candidates.
Those candidates include Alabama head coach Nick Saban, Oregon head coach Chip Kelly, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, soon-to-be fired Eagles head coach Andy Reid, ESPN football commentator Jon Gruden, Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and the possibly fired Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett.
The Browns will have competition as they look for a new head coach. There could be at least 11 teams making a change at head coach this season. Along with the Browns, the Chiefs, the Chargers, the Eagles and (if they miss the playoffs) the Cowboys are assured of seeking a new head coach. The axe could be falling in Buffalo, New York (Jets), Jacksonville, Carolina, Arizona and Tennessee this offseason as well. So, they'll need to act fast if they want to hire the best person for the job.
Reportedly, if Saban wants the Browns job, it's his. Haslam is prepared to offer him a 10-year contract to come to Cleveland, reportedly, and that's regardless of who they hire at GM. Kelly has also been linked to taking Romeo Crennel's job in Kansas City, while Reid has been linked to Norv Turner's job in San Diego.
The new coach and GM's first major decision will be made at quarterback, with 30-year-old Weeden entering his second-year in the NFL. If he doesn't take another snap, Weeden will finish with 14 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions and 3,385 yards. Those are the most yards in a single-season since Derek Anderson threw for 3,787 yards, 29 touchdowns and 19 interceptions for the Browns in 2007. That year, the team went 10-6, but missed the playoffs by tiebreakers.
Tim Couch, the last Browns quarterback to start all 16 games in a regular season, threw for 3,040 yards with 17 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in 2001 for a Browns team that went 7-9.
Weeden's yardage total is the second-highest for the Browns since they've returned in 1999. In fact, it's the third-highest single-season total by a Browns quarterback since Bernie Kosar threw for 3,487 yards, 18 touchdowns and 9 interceptions for a 6-10 Browns team in 1991. That was also the last time a Browns quarterback started all 16 games until Couch did it in 2001.
It's pretty apparent that Weeden is a ill-fit for the West Coast offense operated by Pat Shurmur. Weeden has had a ton of passes batted down at the line of scrimmage because of the slant and short crossing routes -- defensive linemen who are blocked just follow his eyes and reach up as Weeden tries to thread the needle. That offense will be history next season.
Weeden has the arm strength to succeed in the NFL, especially in a cold-weather climate like Cleveland. He has displayed poise and has a bit of a gunslinger's attitude. That has led to some interceptions. However, Shurmur and Brad Childress have tried to rein him in, and that has only hindered Weeden's progress.
Unlike last season, there is not a deep quarterback draft to find an heir apparent. Matt Barkley and Geno Smith are the two best options, and both have fallen off the radar after dismal seasons.
In trades or free agency, the choices aren't all that great, either. The 49ers' Alex Smith, the Jets' Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow, the Jaguars' Blaine Gabbert, the Seahawks' Matt Flynn, the Patriots' Ryan Mallett and the Eagles' Michael Vick are the most intriguing options that could be obtained, and all of them don't necessarily ooze "franchise-changer" at QB.
Joe Cleveland is inclined to give Weeden another season with an offense more tailored to his strengths and the strengths of running back Trent Richardson. Joe Cleveland does not want to see Colt McCoy return as the starter -- we've seen enough. Also, Bears backup QB Jason Campbell, Chiefs' deposed starting QB Matt Cassel or Raiders starting QB Carson Palmer aren't attractive options, either.
Let the speculation go in full force a week from now. But for now, this edition of the Browns have one more game to play and it's against the hated Steelers.
***
Before Joe Cleveland goes, congrats to Browns' left tackle Joe Thomas on his sixth Pro Bowl berth of his six-year NFL career. Thomas was Phil Savage's lone great choice (yeah, he passed on Adrian Peterson for him, but I think Thomas will have a longer career) and is well on the way to a Hall of Fame career.
Also, a hearty congratulations to long-time kicker Phil Dawson on his long-awaited, well-overdue first Pro Bowl berth. Dawson certainly deserves it after a long and successful career as the Browns' primary kicker since they returned in 1999, and his 2012 season has been fantastic. He's only missed one field goal, and that kick was blocked. Hopefully, Haslam and Banner ensure that Dawson ends his career in the Brown and Orange, because he certainly deserves to.
With Josh Cribbs (kick returner and special teamer), D'Qwell Jackson (inside linebacker) and Alex Mack (center) as first alternates, there could very well be five Browns playing in Hawaii the week before the Super Bowl. Joe Cleveland may have to actually watch the game now.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Showing posts with label Jon Gruden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jon Gruden. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
Shurmur's Replacements
Before we get going, wasn't it refreshing to see the owner of the Cleveland Browns during a telecast of the football game?
Seeing him was enough (especially since we never saw Randy Lerner). But seeing him give genuine emotion during the game? Times, they are a changing, my friends.
Jimmy Haslam III's body language during Sunday's game in Indianapolis told Joe Cleveland a lot about what he thinks about the coach he inherited, Pat Shurmur.
It now leads me to believe that the question is no longer "if" Shurmur will be fired at the end of the season, it now becomes "when."
As in, will Haslam fire Shurmur next week? At the bye week? With two weeks to go in the regular season? In the locker room following the season finale?
Mike Holmgren is on his way out the door. Shurmur's fresh out of friends. Sure, new CEO Joe Banner knew Shurmur when the latter was an assistant coach on Andy Reid's staff in Philadelphia, but that may not be the best thing for Shurmur.
Shurmur's only won five games in a year-and-a-half. Shurmur has an 11-game losing streak to his credit. Shurmur has made countless coaching blunders during games that have cost his teams a chance to win.
I'll let this one sink in for you ... Shurmur was outcoached yesterday by an interim coach. Bruce Arians (remember him as the offensive coordinator who perpetuated the Tim Couch-Kelly Holcomb controversy back in the early 2000s) outcoached Pat Shurmur.
Joe Cleveland woke up Monday fully expecting to see a banner headline on Cleveland.com saying that Shurmur was fired. It would not have surprised me.
Sure, Shurmur could still save his job. But this team is 1-6 and lost to a very beatable Colts team. Coaching decisions, such as the decision to punt on fourth-and-1 from the Indy 40 with six minutes left (then going for it from the same yard line but fourth-and-six), kicking the extra point instead of going for the potential game-tying 2-point conversion after Josh Gordon's touchdown to start the third quarter, and essentially abandoning the run game against a very weak run defense in a game that within one possession the majority of the game will come back to haunt him.
Shurmur would have to win at least five more games over the remaining nine to even be in the discussion to come back. I believe that he would have to sweep the Steelers as well. Can it be done? There are some winnable games on the schedule -- the Chiefs, the Redskins, the Raiders, the Steelers (both), the Ravens and the Chargers are all winnable games. That's seven of the remaining nine games, so it's not as if they're having to play the Patriots, Packers, Falcons, Texans and 49ers.
The only two games on the schedule that look like definite losses are the Cowboys and the Broncos on the road. Even the Cowboys look beatable.
Will it be done? Even with a roster of up-and-coming talent that has been competitive each and every week, I don't think it will.
So, let's get the ball rolling and see who could be on the short list of guys to replace Shurmur. Mike Holmgren essentially took himself out of the equation by retiring at the end of this season, and I can't see existing assistants with head coaching experience such as Brad Childress and Dick Jauron being legitimate candidates.
Haslam and Banner will want a proven head coach that can turn this collection of talent into a perennial winner, or at lease someone with a winning background. Here's who could be on that list:
1. Jon Gruden, ESPN Monday Night Football analyst: Gruden, a Sandusky native who grew up as a Browns fan, was everyone's No. 1 choice two years ago when Holmgren fired Eric Mangini. Gruden was from the Holmgren coaching tree and the two remained close through the years. Gruden turned a struggling Raiders franchise into a winner then left after a falling out with owner Al Davis. He landed in Tampa Bay and won a Super Bowl (over the Raiders) in his first season there, giving the perennial losing Bucs their first Super Bowl berth and title. He kept the Bucs a perennnial winner, but was fired in 2008 after his team missed the playoffs. For whatever reason (ego?), Holmgren decided to go the unproven route (a decision that greased his skids out of town). But the time may be right for Gruden to get back into coaching. He's also high on current rookie QB Brandon Weeden, and he may look forward to working with him. Gruden has ring, the local pedigree and the big name to get people talking.
2. Bill Cowher, CBS NFL analyst: Cowher is always on Browns fans' radars whenever they make a coaching change. He'll always be the one that got away in a lot of fans' eyes when the Dead Judas passed on the former Browns linebacker and defensive assistant for Bill Belichick back in 1991. The next year, Cowher was hired to replace Chuck Noll at Pittsburgh, and he immediately turned around a franchise that was stagnant under Noll back into a contender. Cowher was always a thorn in the Browns' side, but, like his mentor Marty Schottenheimer, his Steeler teams were prone to a big playoff choke every single year. He finally got that monkey off his back in his second-to-last year when the Steelers won the Super Bowl in 2005. Since he stepped down, he's been a fixture on CBS's Sunday game-day telecasts. At least once, Cowher turned down Randy Lerner to be the Browns head coach and he has not given any indication that he would be interested in returning. Also, Haslam's Steeler ties occurred AFTER Cowher left, so they do not have a prior relationship. Do I think Cowher would come to Cleveland? Probably not. But, as long as there is a coaching vacancy, you have to include him on any short list.
3. Nick Saban, Alabama head coach: Saban's name has suddenly become hot rumored commodity, especially after Saban's interview for the NFL Network documentary "Cleveland 95: A Football Life," in which he waxes poetically about his time as the Browns defensive coordinator under Belichick and how close that team was to becoming a winner. Saban left the Browns to become Michigan State's head coach, and he has been very successful there, at Louisiana State (a national championship in 2006) and at Alabama (two national championships in 2008 and 2011 and potentially a third this year). In between LSU and Alabama, there was a forgettable two-year stint as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2005-06, in which his teams went 15-17. Saban's track record shows a guy who doesn't like to get settled down in one place too long, and he may feel the time is right for a return to the pro game. With his former Tide star Trent Richardson as the cornerstone of the Browns' offense, and with Haslam's deep checkbook, Saban could come here. But, let's take a moment and remember the last college coach that came here, Butch Davis, and how well that four-year stint went. Just because a guy was successful in college doesn't mean that will translate to the pros.
4. Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles head coach: Reid's hot seat in Philly keeps getting hotter the more his team loses games. His firing of defensive coordinator Juan Castillo at the bye week reeked of a desperation move. He came very close to losing his job last year after going 8-8 despite a ton of high profile free agent signings that bolstered both defense and the offense. He's only been to one Super Bowl in his 10 years in Philly, so it may be title or bust for him. Banner worked closely with Reid at the Eagles, although their relationship was strained at best (according to some reports). Reid also worked with current Browns GM Tom Heckert, although Reid had final say on the roster. Reid may keep a lot of the assistant coaches because of his familiarity with them and may keep up some of continuity. Reid's a proven winner (129-83-1), but he's never won a championship.
5. Brian Billick, FOX NFL/college game analyst: If Cowher's the one that got away for the old Browns, Billick is the one that got away for the expansion era. Billick quickly emerged as Carmen Policy's No. 1 candidate to be the head coach of the new Browns. After his Vikings were upset in the NFC Championship game by the Atlanta Falcons, then-GM Dwight Clark was whisked to Minneapolis on Al Lerner's private jet with a contract for Billick to sign. However, Billick wanted to meet with the Ravens first and talk about their opening. An insulted Policy yanked the offer away from Billick and watched him agree to become the Ravens coach. He quickly turned Baltimore's fortunes around, winning the Super Bowl in just his second year and turning the franchise into a perennial winner. The Browns may have cost him his job in 2007, when they memorably swept his Ravens and knocked them into a losing season. Since then, he has not been a serious candidate for any head coaching openings. Who knows if he has the itch, but his familiarity with the AFC North Division (especially the Ravens) would make him a legitimate candidate if he decided to test the waters. Plus, he has a ring and his name is recognizable. Oh, and did I mention he was an Ohio native (Fairborn)?
6. Jim Tressel, University of Akron vice president: Tressel is like a modern-day Paul Brown when it comes to Ohio football coaches. Tressel, after turning Youngstown State into a perennnial Division I-AA (FCS) powerhouse, winning four national championships in the 80s and 90s, came to Ohio State and immediatly won the school's first national championship since 1968 (well, in his second year, but it was pretty close to immediate). He coached the Buckeyes to two other national championship games and always had his program on the verge of national contention. His teams owned the Michigan rivalry, only losing once from 2001-10. However, he was forced out following a scandal involving several of his players selling their memorablilia (such as trophies) for tattoos. Last season, he served as a consultant for the Indianapolis Colts and was interviewed for their head coaching job (which wound up going to Chuck Pagano). The NCAA has barred him from accepting another college head coaching job for the next five years. He stated many times that the one NFL job he would even consider leaving Ohio State for was the Browns job, because he grew up in Berea and was still a die-hard Browns fan. He was even linked to the job twice during Romeo Crennel's up-and-down four-year tenure, but was never a serious candidate. While his style may be best suited for college players, there's no denying that he's a winner. Plus, he'd be a very popular choice with the fans -- many still think he got a raw deal even though it was proven that he lied to NCAA investigators.
7. Tony Dungy, NBC Sunday Night Football analyst: Dungy, like Cowher, Gruden and Billick, has found a home on television following his retirement from being the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts following the 2008 season. Since then, Dungy has been a fixture on NBC's Football Night in America highlight show and on the SNF postgame studio show. Dungy was in the process of turning Tampa Bay's football fortunes around from 1996-2001 before he was mysteriously fired (and replaced by Jon Gruden, who promptly won a Super Bowl with his players). Indy snapped him up to replace Jim Mora, and, with the help of Peyton Manning, rode a wave of prosperity with the Colts from 2002-08, even winning the Super Bowl in 2006 and building a team that got to the Super Bowl a year after he stepped down. Dungy, a former Steeler player and assistant coach, is one of the most respected figures in professional football today and would bring instant credibility to this franchise. However, it appears he's comfortable as a TV analyst and hasn't leaked any indication of a possible return to coaching. He'd be worth talking to, though.
8. Kevin Gilbride, New York Giants offensive coordinator: As the architect of the Giants' offense, Gilbride has won two Super Bowl championships over the last five years and has the chance to win a third this season. Gilbride is one of the most respected offensive minds in the NFL, dating back to his Run-&-Shoot offensive scheme with the Houston Oilers in the early 1990s. However, as a head coach, he didn't cut the mustard, going 6-16 during his two years as the head coach of the San Diego Chargers (1996-98). Gilbride may be one of those guys who is just cut out to be a top-level assistant but not ready to be a head coach. However, the work he's done with the Giants lately has seemingly put him back on the radar for head coaching gigs. He's arguably the top candidate among current assistant coaches. If the Giants reach the Super Bowl again, his name will definitely be a hot commodity.
9. Philip Fulmer, CBS college football analyst: I throw Fulmer's name on this list because he's a coaching legend from the University of Tennessee. Haslam's father was a football player for the Volunteers, and the Haslam family is one of Tennessee's biggest athletic boosters and a very influential family down there. Fulmer won Tennessee's only BCS National Championship in 1997, and his Volunteers are still the last SEC team to win back-to-back conference championships (1997-98). Fulmer hasn't coached anyone since Tennessee fired him after a 5-7 season in 2008, but he has said that he hasn't ruled out a return to coaching. I refer to my earlier statement on college coaches making the transition to the NFL, and, if any college coach makes the jump, it's likely to be Saban. Also, Fulmer has never even been an NFL assistant coach. But, anything's possible.
10. Dom Capers, Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator: Capers has had a sketchy track record as an NFL head coach. In two four-year stints with the Carolina Panthers (1995-98) and the Houston Texans (2002-05), his record is just 48-80. However, he did take over two expansion franchises, and his Panthers reached the NFC Championship game in just his second year. However, that 1996 season was his only winning season as a head coach. His defenses were always tough, but his offenses were conservative and lackluster. Capers is an Ohio native (Byesville) who played collegiately at Mount Union and also served as an assistant coach with both Kent State (1972-74) and Ohio State (1982-83), so he has some Ohio ties. He was also the Steelers' defensive coordinator from 1992-94 under Cowher. His Packers' units are known to be among the top defenses in the NFL. However, he did win a Super Bowl with the Packers in 2010 and could very well do it again this year. His background in the 3-4 defense clashes with the Browns' current desire to go with a 4-3.
HONORABLE MENTION: Urban Meyer, Ohio State head coach; Aaron Kromer, New Orleans Saints interim head coach; Todd Haley, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator; Herman Edwards, NFL Network analyst; Kirk Ferentz, Iowa head coach; Jay Gruden, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator; Wade Phillips, Houston Texans defensive coordinator; Joe Vitt, New Orleans Saints assistant head coach; Rob Ryan, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator.
There is no shortage of legitimate candidates to be the next Browns head coach, one that would surely get the fans excited and help put this team over the hump.
And, I've got to say, I would prefer anyone on this list over Pat Shurmur.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Seeing him was enough (especially since we never saw Randy Lerner). But seeing him give genuine emotion during the game? Times, they are a changing, my friends.
Jimmy Haslam III's body language during Sunday's game in Indianapolis told Joe Cleveland a lot about what he thinks about the coach he inherited, Pat Shurmur.
It now leads me to believe that the question is no longer "if" Shurmur will be fired at the end of the season, it now becomes "when."
As in, will Haslam fire Shurmur next week? At the bye week? With two weeks to go in the regular season? In the locker room following the season finale?
Mike Holmgren is on his way out the door. Shurmur's fresh out of friends. Sure, new CEO Joe Banner knew Shurmur when the latter was an assistant coach on Andy Reid's staff in Philadelphia, but that may not be the best thing for Shurmur.
Shurmur's only won five games in a year-and-a-half. Shurmur has an 11-game losing streak to his credit. Shurmur has made countless coaching blunders during games that have cost his teams a chance to win.
I'll let this one sink in for you ... Shurmur was outcoached yesterday by an interim coach. Bruce Arians (remember him as the offensive coordinator who perpetuated the Tim Couch-Kelly Holcomb controversy back in the early 2000s) outcoached Pat Shurmur.
Joe Cleveland woke up Monday fully expecting to see a banner headline on Cleveland.com saying that Shurmur was fired. It would not have surprised me.
Sure, Shurmur could still save his job. But this team is 1-6 and lost to a very beatable Colts team. Coaching decisions, such as the decision to punt on fourth-and-1 from the Indy 40 with six minutes left (then going for it from the same yard line but fourth-and-six), kicking the extra point instead of going for the potential game-tying 2-point conversion after Josh Gordon's touchdown to start the third quarter, and essentially abandoning the run game against a very weak run defense in a game that within one possession the majority of the game will come back to haunt him.
Shurmur would have to win at least five more games over the remaining nine to even be in the discussion to come back. I believe that he would have to sweep the Steelers as well. Can it be done? There are some winnable games on the schedule -- the Chiefs, the Redskins, the Raiders, the Steelers (both), the Ravens and the Chargers are all winnable games. That's seven of the remaining nine games, so it's not as if they're having to play the Patriots, Packers, Falcons, Texans and 49ers.
The only two games on the schedule that look like definite losses are the Cowboys and the Broncos on the road. Even the Cowboys look beatable.
Will it be done? Even with a roster of up-and-coming talent that has been competitive each and every week, I don't think it will.
So, let's get the ball rolling and see who could be on the short list of guys to replace Shurmur. Mike Holmgren essentially took himself out of the equation by retiring at the end of this season, and I can't see existing assistants with head coaching experience such as Brad Childress and Dick Jauron being legitimate candidates.
Haslam and Banner will want a proven head coach that can turn this collection of talent into a perennial winner, or at lease someone with a winning background. Here's who could be on that list:
1. Jon Gruden, ESPN Monday Night Football analyst: Gruden, a Sandusky native who grew up as a Browns fan, was everyone's No. 1 choice two years ago when Holmgren fired Eric Mangini. Gruden was from the Holmgren coaching tree and the two remained close through the years. Gruden turned a struggling Raiders franchise into a winner then left after a falling out with owner Al Davis. He landed in Tampa Bay and won a Super Bowl (over the Raiders) in his first season there, giving the perennial losing Bucs their first Super Bowl berth and title. He kept the Bucs a perennnial winner, but was fired in 2008 after his team missed the playoffs. For whatever reason (ego?), Holmgren decided to go the unproven route (a decision that greased his skids out of town). But the time may be right for Gruden to get back into coaching. He's also high on current rookie QB Brandon Weeden, and he may look forward to working with him. Gruden has ring, the local pedigree and the big name to get people talking.
2. Bill Cowher, CBS NFL analyst: Cowher is always on Browns fans' radars whenever they make a coaching change. He'll always be the one that got away in a lot of fans' eyes when the Dead Judas passed on the former Browns linebacker and defensive assistant for Bill Belichick back in 1991. The next year, Cowher was hired to replace Chuck Noll at Pittsburgh, and he immediately turned around a franchise that was stagnant under Noll back into a contender. Cowher was always a thorn in the Browns' side, but, like his mentor Marty Schottenheimer, his Steeler teams were prone to a big playoff choke every single year. He finally got that monkey off his back in his second-to-last year when the Steelers won the Super Bowl in 2005. Since he stepped down, he's been a fixture on CBS's Sunday game-day telecasts. At least once, Cowher turned down Randy Lerner to be the Browns head coach and he has not given any indication that he would be interested in returning. Also, Haslam's Steeler ties occurred AFTER Cowher left, so they do not have a prior relationship. Do I think Cowher would come to Cleveland? Probably not. But, as long as there is a coaching vacancy, you have to include him on any short list.
3. Nick Saban, Alabama head coach: Saban's name has suddenly become hot rumored commodity, especially after Saban's interview for the NFL Network documentary "Cleveland 95: A Football Life," in which he waxes poetically about his time as the Browns defensive coordinator under Belichick and how close that team was to becoming a winner. Saban left the Browns to become Michigan State's head coach, and he has been very successful there, at Louisiana State (a national championship in 2006) and at Alabama (two national championships in 2008 and 2011 and potentially a third this year). In between LSU and Alabama, there was a forgettable two-year stint as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2005-06, in which his teams went 15-17. Saban's track record shows a guy who doesn't like to get settled down in one place too long, and he may feel the time is right for a return to the pro game. With his former Tide star Trent Richardson as the cornerstone of the Browns' offense, and with Haslam's deep checkbook, Saban could come here. But, let's take a moment and remember the last college coach that came here, Butch Davis, and how well that four-year stint went. Just because a guy was successful in college doesn't mean that will translate to the pros.
4. Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles head coach: Reid's hot seat in Philly keeps getting hotter the more his team loses games. His firing of defensive coordinator Juan Castillo at the bye week reeked of a desperation move. He came very close to losing his job last year after going 8-8 despite a ton of high profile free agent signings that bolstered both defense and the offense. He's only been to one Super Bowl in his 10 years in Philly, so it may be title or bust for him. Banner worked closely with Reid at the Eagles, although their relationship was strained at best (according to some reports). Reid also worked with current Browns GM Tom Heckert, although Reid had final say on the roster. Reid may keep a lot of the assistant coaches because of his familiarity with them and may keep up some of continuity. Reid's a proven winner (129-83-1), but he's never won a championship.
5. Brian Billick, FOX NFL/college game analyst: If Cowher's the one that got away for the old Browns, Billick is the one that got away for the expansion era. Billick quickly emerged as Carmen Policy's No. 1 candidate to be the head coach of the new Browns. After his Vikings were upset in the NFC Championship game by the Atlanta Falcons, then-GM Dwight Clark was whisked to Minneapolis on Al Lerner's private jet with a contract for Billick to sign. However, Billick wanted to meet with the Ravens first and talk about their opening. An insulted Policy yanked the offer away from Billick and watched him agree to become the Ravens coach. He quickly turned Baltimore's fortunes around, winning the Super Bowl in just his second year and turning the franchise into a perennial winner. The Browns may have cost him his job in 2007, when they memorably swept his Ravens and knocked them into a losing season. Since then, he has not been a serious candidate for any head coaching openings. Who knows if he has the itch, but his familiarity with the AFC North Division (especially the Ravens) would make him a legitimate candidate if he decided to test the waters. Plus, he has a ring and his name is recognizable. Oh, and did I mention he was an Ohio native (Fairborn)?
6. Jim Tressel, University of Akron vice president: Tressel is like a modern-day Paul Brown when it comes to Ohio football coaches. Tressel, after turning Youngstown State into a perennnial Division I-AA (FCS) powerhouse, winning four national championships in the 80s and 90s, came to Ohio State and immediatly won the school's first national championship since 1968 (well, in his second year, but it was pretty close to immediate). He coached the Buckeyes to two other national championship games and always had his program on the verge of national contention. His teams owned the Michigan rivalry, only losing once from 2001-10. However, he was forced out following a scandal involving several of his players selling their memorablilia (such as trophies) for tattoos. Last season, he served as a consultant for the Indianapolis Colts and was interviewed for their head coaching job (which wound up going to Chuck Pagano). The NCAA has barred him from accepting another college head coaching job for the next five years. He stated many times that the one NFL job he would even consider leaving Ohio State for was the Browns job, because he grew up in Berea and was still a die-hard Browns fan. He was even linked to the job twice during Romeo Crennel's up-and-down four-year tenure, but was never a serious candidate. While his style may be best suited for college players, there's no denying that he's a winner. Plus, he'd be a very popular choice with the fans -- many still think he got a raw deal even though it was proven that he lied to NCAA investigators.
7. Tony Dungy, NBC Sunday Night Football analyst: Dungy, like Cowher, Gruden and Billick, has found a home on television following his retirement from being the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts following the 2008 season. Since then, Dungy has been a fixture on NBC's Football Night in America highlight show and on the SNF postgame studio show. Dungy was in the process of turning Tampa Bay's football fortunes around from 1996-2001 before he was mysteriously fired (and replaced by Jon Gruden, who promptly won a Super Bowl with his players). Indy snapped him up to replace Jim Mora, and, with the help of Peyton Manning, rode a wave of prosperity with the Colts from 2002-08, even winning the Super Bowl in 2006 and building a team that got to the Super Bowl a year after he stepped down. Dungy, a former Steeler player and assistant coach, is one of the most respected figures in professional football today and would bring instant credibility to this franchise. However, it appears he's comfortable as a TV analyst and hasn't leaked any indication of a possible return to coaching. He'd be worth talking to, though.
8. Kevin Gilbride, New York Giants offensive coordinator: As the architect of the Giants' offense, Gilbride has won two Super Bowl championships over the last five years and has the chance to win a third this season. Gilbride is one of the most respected offensive minds in the NFL, dating back to his Run-&-Shoot offensive scheme with the Houston Oilers in the early 1990s. However, as a head coach, he didn't cut the mustard, going 6-16 during his two years as the head coach of the San Diego Chargers (1996-98). Gilbride may be one of those guys who is just cut out to be a top-level assistant but not ready to be a head coach. However, the work he's done with the Giants lately has seemingly put him back on the radar for head coaching gigs. He's arguably the top candidate among current assistant coaches. If the Giants reach the Super Bowl again, his name will definitely be a hot commodity.
9. Philip Fulmer, CBS college football analyst: I throw Fulmer's name on this list because he's a coaching legend from the University of Tennessee. Haslam's father was a football player for the Volunteers, and the Haslam family is one of Tennessee's biggest athletic boosters and a very influential family down there. Fulmer won Tennessee's only BCS National Championship in 1997, and his Volunteers are still the last SEC team to win back-to-back conference championships (1997-98). Fulmer hasn't coached anyone since Tennessee fired him after a 5-7 season in 2008, but he has said that he hasn't ruled out a return to coaching. I refer to my earlier statement on college coaches making the transition to the NFL, and, if any college coach makes the jump, it's likely to be Saban. Also, Fulmer has never even been an NFL assistant coach. But, anything's possible.
10. Dom Capers, Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator: Capers has had a sketchy track record as an NFL head coach. In two four-year stints with the Carolina Panthers (1995-98) and the Houston Texans (2002-05), his record is just 48-80. However, he did take over two expansion franchises, and his Panthers reached the NFC Championship game in just his second year. However, that 1996 season was his only winning season as a head coach. His defenses were always tough, but his offenses were conservative and lackluster. Capers is an Ohio native (Byesville) who played collegiately at Mount Union and also served as an assistant coach with both Kent State (1972-74) and Ohio State (1982-83), so he has some Ohio ties. He was also the Steelers' defensive coordinator from 1992-94 under Cowher. His Packers' units are known to be among the top defenses in the NFL. However, he did win a Super Bowl with the Packers in 2010 and could very well do it again this year. His background in the 3-4 defense clashes with the Browns' current desire to go with a 4-3.
HONORABLE MENTION: Urban Meyer, Ohio State head coach; Aaron Kromer, New Orleans Saints interim head coach; Todd Haley, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator; Herman Edwards, NFL Network analyst; Kirk Ferentz, Iowa head coach; Jay Gruden, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator; Wade Phillips, Houston Texans defensive coordinator; Joe Vitt, New Orleans Saints assistant head coach; Rob Ryan, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator.
There is no shortage of legitimate candidates to be the next Browns head coach, one that would surely get the fans excited and help put this team over the hump.
And, I've got to say, I would prefer anyone on this list over Pat Shurmur.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Friday, January 14, 2011
The murmur for Shurmur
So, Mike Holmgren has hired his new head coach for the Cleveland Browns, and it's the offensive coordinator from the St. Louis Rams, Pat Shurmur.
Most Browns fans aren't happy. They wanted a big name like Jon Gruden to become the head coach. Heck, there's even some who believe the job should have went to Marty Morninwheg or Mike Mularkey instead.
Really? Both Morninwheg and Mularkey weren't exactly success stories in their first (and only) head coaching gigs prior to returning to more success as assistant coaches. Morninwheg only won 5 games in Detroit (and made an infamous coin toss choice in an overtime game), while Mularkey's best year in Buffalo was 9-7 before his teams slumped down to reality.
Maybe it's Joe Cleveland's belief that anything can be better than what we've witnessed ever since 2003 (with the exception of 2007, although that season ended without the playoffs), but I'm willing to give Holmgren and Shurmur the benefit of the doubt.
For starters, it seems the recent trend is to hire an unknown guy and let him go. Falcons fans weren't exactly lining up at the ticket counters when Mike Smith was hired to replace Bobby Petrino. Steelers fans preferred Ken Wisenhunt or Russ Grimm over the "outsider" Mike Tomlin when Dan Rooney hired him to replace Cowher. Ravens fans had no idea who John Harbaugh was before he was tapped to be their head coaching replacement for Brian Billick. And, there's others where that came from, but you catch my point.
Today, all those teams are in the playoffs and are one of 8 teams still alive with a berth in the Super Bowl. Tomlin's already won one Super Bowl title, Harbaugh's teams have reached the playoffs every single year, and won at least one playoff game in each, and Smith's team is the No. 1 seed in the NFC and, if they win a tough game with Green Bay, should be the favorite to reach the Super Bowl this year.
Don't you think the Browns would love to trade places with one of those teams? Joe Cleveland certainly would have.
Probably the best factor in all of this is that, for once, there is in single, solitary unified vision for the Cleveland Browns from the top on down. Shurmur comes highly recommended from Andy Reid, who has been probably the best Holmgren disciple as a head coach. And, Tom Heckert was the GM in Philly prior to coming to Cleveland with Holmgren.
Shurmer's uncle, Fritz Shurmur, was a highly successful defensive coordinator under Holmgren at Green Bay. Holmgren trusted Fritz Shurmur completely to run his defense, which allowed Holmgren to focus on the offensive side. So, there's a connection there.
Pat Shurmur has been indocrinated into the West Coast offensive system that Holmgren prefers. Shurmur has helped develop Donovon McNabb to become an elite QB, and helped develop rookie Sam Bradford into a consistant QB last year with the Rams. I'm sure Holmgren is expecting Shurmur to do the same with his own youngster, Colt McCoy.
A West Coast system favors McCoy, because it relies on shorter passes and quicker plays. McCoy doesn't have the "howitzer" arm that other QBs have, but McCoy's got smarts and a great attitude. He's got born leadership abilities, which is something most Cleveland QBs have lacked since they returned to the NFL in 1999. I can't think of a Browns QB who was renouned for his leadership abilities. In fact, it always appeared the team was divided between which QB they preferred (Couch-Holcomb, Garcia-Anyone else, Dilfer-Frye, Frye-Anderson, Anderson-Quinn).
Shurmur probably comes cheap, which is good since the Browns are still on the hook for Mangini's salary (and probably Crennel's salary). Shurmur doesn't have a big ego, which means he'll be eager to learn and use Holmgren's valuable resources to make himself better.
Perhaps he becomes a "puppet-hire" for Holmgren. Holmgren doesn't have to coach the team himself, but he has a guy he can mold and turn into a sucessful coach by essentially calling all the shots. Holmgren can surround his new protoge with veteran assistants (Dave Wannstedt is already rumored to become the defensive coordinator) to to help his transtion. And, Holmgren and Heckert can continue to draft and sign players they believe fits into their unified vision and know they have a coaching staff that can execute their vision (unlike Mangini).
Now, because of Shurmer's connection with McNabb, ESPN is already pegging Cleveland as a rumored destination for the veteran QB to allow McCoy to soak up more of the offense while not being forced to immediately play. That would be interesting.
It will be interesting to see how Shurmur (or Holmgren) fills out his coaching staff and to see how this offseason progresses. Shurmur is expected by the fan base (and Holmgren) to hit the ground running and show some immediate improvement next season. And, the onus falls on Holmgren because of how quickly he settled on Shurmur. He doesn't have Mangini to scapegoat now, the bulls-eye is squarely on him.
I have a feeling that's exactly how Holmgren wants it.
Joe Cleveland is willing to not jump to conclusions with the Shurmur hire is allowing himself to step back and observe how things go. The Browns have never had such a unified front office/coaching staff, probably since Paul Brown was running things back in the 1950s before Art "the Meddler" Modell came in and made a mess of things. We all know how great those Paul Brown teams were.
Perhaps Pat Shurmur is the next version of a Tomlin, Harbaugh, Smith or even Sean Payton or Mike McCarthy. Give him some talent, and let's go!
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Most Browns fans aren't happy. They wanted a big name like Jon Gruden to become the head coach. Heck, there's even some who believe the job should have went to Marty Morninwheg or Mike Mularkey instead.
Really? Both Morninwheg and Mularkey weren't exactly success stories in their first (and only) head coaching gigs prior to returning to more success as assistant coaches. Morninwheg only won 5 games in Detroit (and made an infamous coin toss choice in an overtime game), while Mularkey's best year in Buffalo was 9-7 before his teams slumped down to reality.
Maybe it's Joe Cleveland's belief that anything can be better than what we've witnessed ever since 2003 (with the exception of 2007, although that season ended without the playoffs), but I'm willing to give Holmgren and Shurmur the benefit of the doubt.
For starters, it seems the recent trend is to hire an unknown guy and let him go. Falcons fans weren't exactly lining up at the ticket counters when Mike Smith was hired to replace Bobby Petrino. Steelers fans preferred Ken Wisenhunt or Russ Grimm over the "outsider" Mike Tomlin when Dan Rooney hired him to replace Cowher. Ravens fans had no idea who John Harbaugh was before he was tapped to be their head coaching replacement for Brian Billick. And, there's others where that came from, but you catch my point.
Today, all those teams are in the playoffs and are one of 8 teams still alive with a berth in the Super Bowl. Tomlin's already won one Super Bowl title, Harbaugh's teams have reached the playoffs every single year, and won at least one playoff game in each, and Smith's team is the No. 1 seed in the NFC and, if they win a tough game with Green Bay, should be the favorite to reach the Super Bowl this year.
Don't you think the Browns would love to trade places with one of those teams? Joe Cleveland certainly would have.
Probably the best factor in all of this is that, for once, there is in single, solitary unified vision for the Cleveland Browns from the top on down. Shurmur comes highly recommended from Andy Reid, who has been probably the best Holmgren disciple as a head coach. And, Tom Heckert was the GM in Philly prior to coming to Cleveland with Holmgren.
Shurmer's uncle, Fritz Shurmur, was a highly successful defensive coordinator under Holmgren at Green Bay. Holmgren trusted Fritz Shurmur completely to run his defense, which allowed Holmgren to focus on the offensive side. So, there's a connection there.
Pat Shurmur has been indocrinated into the West Coast offensive system that Holmgren prefers. Shurmur has helped develop Donovon McNabb to become an elite QB, and helped develop rookie Sam Bradford into a consistant QB last year with the Rams. I'm sure Holmgren is expecting Shurmur to do the same with his own youngster, Colt McCoy.
A West Coast system favors McCoy, because it relies on shorter passes and quicker plays. McCoy doesn't have the "howitzer" arm that other QBs have, but McCoy's got smarts and a great attitude. He's got born leadership abilities, which is something most Cleveland QBs have lacked since they returned to the NFL in 1999. I can't think of a Browns QB who was renouned for his leadership abilities. In fact, it always appeared the team was divided between which QB they preferred (Couch-Holcomb, Garcia-Anyone else, Dilfer-Frye, Frye-Anderson, Anderson-Quinn).
Shurmur probably comes cheap, which is good since the Browns are still on the hook for Mangini's salary (and probably Crennel's salary). Shurmur doesn't have a big ego, which means he'll be eager to learn and use Holmgren's valuable resources to make himself better.
Perhaps he becomes a "puppet-hire" for Holmgren. Holmgren doesn't have to coach the team himself, but he has a guy he can mold and turn into a sucessful coach by essentially calling all the shots. Holmgren can surround his new protoge with veteran assistants (Dave Wannstedt is already rumored to become the defensive coordinator) to to help his transtion. And, Holmgren and Heckert can continue to draft and sign players they believe fits into their unified vision and know they have a coaching staff that can execute their vision (unlike Mangini).
Now, because of Shurmer's connection with McNabb, ESPN is already pegging Cleveland as a rumored destination for the veteran QB to allow McCoy to soak up more of the offense while not being forced to immediately play. That would be interesting.
It will be interesting to see how Shurmur (or Holmgren) fills out his coaching staff and to see how this offseason progresses. Shurmur is expected by the fan base (and Holmgren) to hit the ground running and show some immediate improvement next season. And, the onus falls on Holmgren because of how quickly he settled on Shurmur. He doesn't have Mangini to scapegoat now, the bulls-eye is squarely on him.
I have a feeling that's exactly how Holmgren wants it.
Joe Cleveland is willing to not jump to conclusions with the Shurmur hire is allowing himself to step back and observe how things go. The Browns have never had such a unified front office/coaching staff, probably since Paul Brown was running things back in the 1950s before Art "the Meddler" Modell came in and made a mess of things. We all know how great those Paul Brown teams were.
Perhaps Pat Shurmur is the next version of a Tomlin, Harbaugh, Smith or even Sean Payton or Mike McCarthy. Give him some talent, and let's go!
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Bye-Bye, Mangini!
Joe Cleveland wasn't surprised to see Eric Mangini get canned as the Cleveland Browns head coach this morning (in fact, I turned on my cell phone to see at least five people texted me that Mangini was toast early this morning).
I was a little surprised, however, that Mangini actually finished the season.
The writing was on the wall when the Browns fell to the lowly Buffalo Bills in a lackluster effort, and it was pretty loud and clear when they duplicated that same effort the following week against the lowly Cincinnati Bengals. At that point, it was obvious to anyone with half a brain that Mangini had to win both of his remaining games if he expected to come back for a third season as Browns coach.
That didn't happen.
From my seat in Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sunday, after the hated Steelers had just gone up by two touchdowns with less than half of the first quarter gone, I wondered aloud if Mike Holmgren himself would descend from his luxury box down to the sideline, Haskell in tow, tap Mangini and Brian Daboll on their respective shoulders, tell them to get lost, grab their headsets and coach the rest of the game. Most of people in my section thought that would have been the greatest thing ever. Unfortunately, it didn't happen.
However, Holmgren waited until Mangini walked into his regular meeting with him this morning and basically told him the exact same thing.
For the time being, though, it appears Holmgren isn't interested in coaching himself. I wonder if that's part of the "due dillegence" he has to do to placate the NFL in the search. He has to interview at least one minority candidate (thanks, Dan Rooney), although, I think that rule doesn't help minority candidates at all. Most of them wind up taking token interviews even though the team has already decided on the candidate they want. The fact is, the best man usually gets the job, and I think the color of a man's skin has little to do with it anymore (college football, on the other hand ...)
If, after two weeks of interviewing candidates, Holmgren decides that the best candidate is himself, so be it. I think the Browns could do a lot worse than a guy who has 3 Super Bowls under his belt. One loss was to John Elway, who simply wanted it to much. The other loss was one of most controvercial Super Bowls in history, thanks to a litany of questionable officials non-calls and penalties.
If Holmgren is comfortable in his role as the president, here's a few names to keep an eye on:
Jon Gruden: Gruden has a history with Holmgren in both San Francisco and Green Bay. They share the same offensive vision and they share the same agent. Gruden also grew up in Ohio as a Browns fan and would relish the chance to coach the team back to prominance. Gruden also personally reccommended Colt McCoy to Holmgren, and it was Holmgren who lobbied his GM, Tom Heckert, to draft him. It depends on if Gruden is ready to return to coaching this year or not, but I'd have to say he's the No. 1 candidate.
Marty Mohrningweg: I don't know if this is how you spell his name, but many NFL experts are saying Marty is the favorite. Mohrningweg does have head coaching experience, however it came with the Detroit Lions under Matt Millen. Mohrningweg's teams went 5-27 while he was there, and included a curious decision to kickoff to start an overtime that wound up biting his team in the ass. Mohrningweg has made a name for himself as an offensive coordinator, especially lately with the Philadelphia Eagles. Mohrningweg has said that he learned a lot of lessons from his first coaching stint, and Holmgren and Heckert should be a bit more competant at running a team than Millen was. Mohrningweg shares the same offensive philosophies (and agent) as Holmgren, and it appears he's one of the coaches Holmgren has already asked permission to interview.
John Fox: Fox's name started coming up in conversation as soon as his Carolina Panthers began to take a turn for the worse. Fox has never coached in the Holmgren tree, but they both share the same agent and have similar philosophies and a mutual respect and admiration for each other. Fox is more of a defensive coach, but he took the Panthers to their only Super Bowl and coaxed some great seasons out of Jake Delhomme, who is currently a backup QB for the Browns. Its obvious that the Panthers needed to make a change, but Fox's reputation is that he's a solid coach who gets the most out of his players.
Perry Fewell: At first, I thought Fewell was just going to be interviewed to placate the Rooney Rule. However, Fewell did do fairly decent as Buffalo's interim head coach two seasons ago and made a seemless transition to become the Giants' defensive coordinator. I think he's a darkhorse candidate at best, because I think Holmgren wants an offensive-minded coach. However, if his contract is up, I could see him coming in as the defensive boss here.
Jim Harbaugh: I don't agree with Harbaugh as a candidate, because I don't think coaches can make the transition from college to the NFL. Even though Harbaugh ran a pro-style system at Stanford, and he spent many years as an NFL quarterback and his brother has been successful as the Baltimore Ravens coach, I would rather some other team take the flier on Harbaugh. As long as Michigan doesn't get him (speaking as a Buckeye fan), I'll be happy. That being said, I couldn't see Harbaugh coaching in the same division as his brother anyway.
Brian Billick: One prominant radio guy has been saying Billick should be a front-runner for this job. Billick did coach a West Coast offense at Minnesota under Denny Green, who was on the same coaching staff as Holmgren in San Francisco, so there is a connection there. Billick can be abrasive, but he did coach Baltimore to their only championship since they left Cleveland (and only Super Bowl). He knows the North Division inside and out. And, he was ready to come here to coach the Browns before Policy overstepped his bounds and tried to wave a "take it or leave it" offer at him just hours after his Vikings were upset in the NFC championship game in 1998. He's been out of coaching since Baltimore fired him three years ago, so it will be interesting to see if he leaves his TV job. I can't see him as a legitimate candidate.
Steve Mariucci: Mariucci coached with Holmgren in both Green Bay and San Francisco before taking over for George Seifert in San Francisco for a few years. Supposedly, Mariucci was ready to take the Browns job in 1999 if he was to be fired as 49ers coach (as had been rumored) before Terrell Owens made that terrific touchdown catch in the playoffs to eliminate Green Bay (and Holmgren) and save his job. Mariucci has enjoyed his cushy gig on the NFL Network, but you have to assume he might be on Holmgren's list of confidants.
Gil Haskell: Holmgren brought Haskell in as an advisor to both him and to Mangini's coaching staff. Haskell was Holmgren's long-time offensive coorindator in Seattle. Holmgren always wondered why Haskell was never given an opportunity to become a head coach, and there are some who think that this may be that opportunity. Haskell is also up there in age and I can't see him becoming the head coach. Offensive coordinator, yes. Head coach, not so much.
Josh McDaniels: His name popped up because he's from Canton and played at John Carroll and because he shares the same agent as Holmgren. If Mangini would have been retainined, I could have definitely seen McDaniels becoming the offensive coordinator next year. However, McDaniels does not share Holmgren's offensive vision. And, do we really need another Bill Belichick disciple coaching the Browns, especially since the last two worked out so well (sarcasm)? Assistant coach, yes. Head coach, no.
Karl Dorrall: The former UCLA coach's name popped up in Plain Dealer reports as a candidate. He was a fine assistant coach at Carolina and many feel that he's on fast track to becoming an NFL head coach. Unless Holmgren is trying to bring in an unknown that he can puppet-string around (Denver offensive coordinator Mike McCoy would be another one), I can't see Dorrall as a viable candidate at this point.
Rob Ryan: I put him on the list because he's currently under contract with the Browns and he's being linked to other head coaching openings. Supposedly, Holmgren liked Ryan a lot. I don't know if the guy his head coaching material, considering his defenses were usually inconsistant. He'd be entertaining as a head coach, to say the least, and I think it was fairly significant that the defense ran out as a group with Ryan leading the way. The players love him. That being said, he is a bit of a loose cannon whose words could come back to bite him. It will be interesting to see what happens with him -- I wouldn't be surprised if he was retained by Holmgren as DC if he didn't find a head coaching gig.
Do you have any candidates you believe should be kept an eye on? Any opinions on the coaching search? Feel free to comment on them below.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
I was a little surprised, however, that Mangini actually finished the season.
The writing was on the wall when the Browns fell to the lowly Buffalo Bills in a lackluster effort, and it was pretty loud and clear when they duplicated that same effort the following week against the lowly Cincinnati Bengals. At that point, it was obvious to anyone with half a brain that Mangini had to win both of his remaining games if he expected to come back for a third season as Browns coach.
That didn't happen.
From my seat in Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sunday, after the hated Steelers had just gone up by two touchdowns with less than half of the first quarter gone, I wondered aloud if Mike Holmgren himself would descend from his luxury box down to the sideline, Haskell in tow, tap Mangini and Brian Daboll on their respective shoulders, tell them to get lost, grab their headsets and coach the rest of the game. Most of people in my section thought that would have been the greatest thing ever. Unfortunately, it didn't happen.
However, Holmgren waited until Mangini walked into his regular meeting with him this morning and basically told him the exact same thing.
For the time being, though, it appears Holmgren isn't interested in coaching himself. I wonder if that's part of the "due dillegence" he has to do to placate the NFL in the search. He has to interview at least one minority candidate (thanks, Dan Rooney), although, I think that rule doesn't help minority candidates at all. Most of them wind up taking token interviews even though the team has already decided on the candidate they want. The fact is, the best man usually gets the job, and I think the color of a man's skin has little to do with it anymore (college football, on the other hand ...)
If, after two weeks of interviewing candidates, Holmgren decides that the best candidate is himself, so be it. I think the Browns could do a lot worse than a guy who has 3 Super Bowls under his belt. One loss was to John Elway, who simply wanted it to much. The other loss was one of most controvercial Super Bowls in history, thanks to a litany of questionable officials non-calls and penalties.
If Holmgren is comfortable in his role as the president, here's a few names to keep an eye on:
Jon Gruden: Gruden has a history with Holmgren in both San Francisco and Green Bay. They share the same offensive vision and they share the same agent. Gruden also grew up in Ohio as a Browns fan and would relish the chance to coach the team back to prominance. Gruden also personally reccommended Colt McCoy to Holmgren, and it was Holmgren who lobbied his GM, Tom Heckert, to draft him. It depends on if Gruden is ready to return to coaching this year or not, but I'd have to say he's the No. 1 candidate.
Marty Mohrningweg: I don't know if this is how you spell his name, but many NFL experts are saying Marty is the favorite. Mohrningweg does have head coaching experience, however it came with the Detroit Lions under Matt Millen. Mohrningweg's teams went 5-27 while he was there, and included a curious decision to kickoff to start an overtime that wound up biting his team in the ass. Mohrningweg has made a name for himself as an offensive coordinator, especially lately with the Philadelphia Eagles. Mohrningweg has said that he learned a lot of lessons from his first coaching stint, and Holmgren and Heckert should be a bit more competant at running a team than Millen was. Mohrningweg shares the same offensive philosophies (and agent) as Holmgren, and it appears he's one of the coaches Holmgren has already asked permission to interview.
John Fox: Fox's name started coming up in conversation as soon as his Carolina Panthers began to take a turn for the worse. Fox has never coached in the Holmgren tree, but they both share the same agent and have similar philosophies and a mutual respect and admiration for each other. Fox is more of a defensive coach, but he took the Panthers to their only Super Bowl and coaxed some great seasons out of Jake Delhomme, who is currently a backup QB for the Browns. Its obvious that the Panthers needed to make a change, but Fox's reputation is that he's a solid coach who gets the most out of his players.
Perry Fewell: At first, I thought Fewell was just going to be interviewed to placate the Rooney Rule. However, Fewell did do fairly decent as Buffalo's interim head coach two seasons ago and made a seemless transition to become the Giants' defensive coordinator. I think he's a darkhorse candidate at best, because I think Holmgren wants an offensive-minded coach. However, if his contract is up, I could see him coming in as the defensive boss here.
Jim Harbaugh: I don't agree with Harbaugh as a candidate, because I don't think coaches can make the transition from college to the NFL. Even though Harbaugh ran a pro-style system at Stanford, and he spent many years as an NFL quarterback and his brother has been successful as the Baltimore Ravens coach, I would rather some other team take the flier on Harbaugh. As long as Michigan doesn't get him (speaking as a Buckeye fan), I'll be happy. That being said, I couldn't see Harbaugh coaching in the same division as his brother anyway.
Brian Billick: One prominant radio guy has been saying Billick should be a front-runner for this job. Billick did coach a West Coast offense at Minnesota under Denny Green, who was on the same coaching staff as Holmgren in San Francisco, so there is a connection there. Billick can be abrasive, but he did coach Baltimore to their only championship since they left Cleveland (and only Super Bowl). He knows the North Division inside and out. And, he was ready to come here to coach the Browns before Policy overstepped his bounds and tried to wave a "take it or leave it" offer at him just hours after his Vikings were upset in the NFC championship game in 1998. He's been out of coaching since Baltimore fired him three years ago, so it will be interesting to see if he leaves his TV job. I can't see him as a legitimate candidate.
Steve Mariucci: Mariucci coached with Holmgren in both Green Bay and San Francisco before taking over for George Seifert in San Francisco for a few years. Supposedly, Mariucci was ready to take the Browns job in 1999 if he was to be fired as 49ers coach (as had been rumored) before Terrell Owens made that terrific touchdown catch in the playoffs to eliminate Green Bay (and Holmgren) and save his job. Mariucci has enjoyed his cushy gig on the NFL Network, but you have to assume he might be on Holmgren's list of confidants.
Gil Haskell: Holmgren brought Haskell in as an advisor to both him and to Mangini's coaching staff. Haskell was Holmgren's long-time offensive coorindator in Seattle. Holmgren always wondered why Haskell was never given an opportunity to become a head coach, and there are some who think that this may be that opportunity. Haskell is also up there in age and I can't see him becoming the head coach. Offensive coordinator, yes. Head coach, not so much.
Josh McDaniels: His name popped up because he's from Canton and played at John Carroll and because he shares the same agent as Holmgren. If Mangini would have been retainined, I could have definitely seen McDaniels becoming the offensive coordinator next year. However, McDaniels does not share Holmgren's offensive vision. And, do we really need another Bill Belichick disciple coaching the Browns, especially since the last two worked out so well (sarcasm)? Assistant coach, yes. Head coach, no.
Karl Dorrall: The former UCLA coach's name popped up in Plain Dealer reports as a candidate. He was a fine assistant coach at Carolina and many feel that he's on fast track to becoming an NFL head coach. Unless Holmgren is trying to bring in an unknown that he can puppet-string around (Denver offensive coordinator Mike McCoy would be another one), I can't see Dorrall as a viable candidate at this point.
Rob Ryan: I put him on the list because he's currently under contract with the Browns and he's being linked to other head coaching openings. Supposedly, Holmgren liked Ryan a lot. I don't know if the guy his head coaching material, considering his defenses were usually inconsistant. He'd be entertaining as a head coach, to say the least, and I think it was fairly significant that the defense ran out as a group with Ryan leading the way. The players love him. That being said, he is a bit of a loose cannon whose words could come back to bite him. It will be interesting to see what happens with him -- I wouldn't be surprised if he was retained by Holmgren as DC if he didn't find a head coaching gig.
Do you have any candidates you believe should be kept an eye on? Any opinions on the coaching search? Feel free to comment on them below.
Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!
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