Coaching Carousel - Thoughts?

[poptart]

Line Of Scrimmage: Coaches On The Hot Seat, And Who's Next

By Tony Moss, NFL Editor


Philadelphia, PA -- - Time was, an NFL head coaching candidate needed to ask himself one simple question when entertaining a job offer.

"Can I win there?"

Those days are gone, banished for all time along with pay phones, $2 tanks of gas, and country music that actually sounds like country music.

In 2007, the only pertinent question goes like this:

"Can I win now?"

Consider the case of Romeo Crennel. It was way back in February of 2005 when the then-New England Patriots defensive coordinator, en route to his third Super Bowl title in four years, was a highly sought-after head coaching candidate. He landed with the Browns, who looked at the time to have made a major score with the hire.

Cleveland made sufficient if not earth-shattering progress in year one of the Crennel era, improving from 4-12 to 6-10 in '05 and giving long-suffering Browns fans some hope for the immediate future.

Then Crennel made two decisions that will likely haunt him for the rest of his days. He hitched his wagon to two people, offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon and quarterback Charlie Frye, who eventually proved incapable of performing their respective jobs. The Browns went 4-12 again in 2006, and Crennel was lucky to stay out of the firing line when the season careened to a hideous halt.

In this past April's draft, the Browns made a statement of intent by drafting Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, who will likely start but can't realistically be expected to win in 2007. Which means that unless Crennel has some type of magic serum he's keeping from the rest of us, Cleveland is staring in the face of double-digit losses again this season.

That quickly, Crennel is likely to be a highly sought-after defensive coordinator entering next season.

Given what he inherited and the wayward direction of the organization, is it fair to judge Crennel on three less-than-stellar campaigns? Not really, but chances are the 60-year-old coach will be among the least surprised people in C-Town if and when he is eventually let go.

No matter the circumstances, you won't find many NFL owners who will allow a coach to survive three consecutive losing seasons. Program building is all well and good, provided you can build quickly. And the highly-paid men who take these high-pressure, ultimate accountability jobs know the score going in, which is why there won't be many tears shed for Crennel if he gets the boot.

Crennel will be a victim of his time, and a victim of the fact that he didn't get much of it.

Below we take a look at all of the coaches that enter 2007 on the hot seat, followed by a glimpse of the possible next generation of league head men:

THE HOT SEAT

1. Romeo Crennel, Browns (10-22 in two seasons with Cleveland)

So many of Cleveland's struggles in the past two seasons have seemed beyond Crennel's control (the dearth of talent left by the Butch Davis regime, major injuries on both sides of the football, the strength of the AFC North), but even the head coach's apologists know that another campaign producing double- digit losses would justifiably mark the end of the line. It's going to be tough for Crennel to avoid that ignoble fate, since the talent on defense remains spotty, the offensive principles are greener than the Cleveland Browns Stadium grass, and the division rival Ravens, Bengals, and Steelers are all high-quality outfits.

2. Tom Coughlin, Giants (25-23 in three seasons with New York, 0-2 in playoffs)
Coughlin has waded through a contentious NFC East to lead the G-Men to a couple of playoff bids in the last three years, but has not exactly been embraced in the swamps of Jersey. His players either don't like him, can't stay healthy, or both, franchise player Eli Manning has not developed quickly under Coughlin's watch, and there have been big-game meltdowns aplenty. With Tiki Barber gone and the defense looking only marginally better on paper, Coughlin is fighting an uphill battle to make it to a fifth year at the helm.

3. Jon Gruden, Buccaneers (39-41 in five seasons with Tampa Bay, 3-1 in playoffs)
Tampa Bay was mostly uncompetitive during last year's 4-12 disaster, the second time in the last three years that the Bucs have finished at the bottom of the NFC South. Noted offensive wizard Gruden couldn't inspire his team to score any points a year ago, prompting the seemingly desperate offseason signing of veteran quarterback Jeff Garcia and a re-tooling of the offensive scheme. In a division that includes at least two superior teams (New Orleans, Carolina) Gruden needs to pray that Garcia has some magic left. Otherwise, his matinee-idol countenance could be staring through a camera lens on an ESPN studio set in 2008.

4. Joe Gibbs, Redskins (21-27 in three seasons with Washington (current stint), 1-1 in playoffs)

Think it would be awkward for the Redskins to cut ties with the man that led them to three Super Bowl titles? Think again. In terms of heartlessness, Daniel Snyder is the Ann Coulter of NFL owners, and if Gibbs fails to win in 2007, the coach will be back watching cars drive in circles. It won't be easy for Gibbs, who needs last year's 31st-ranked NFL defense to be light-years better, and needs an oft-stagnant offense to jell in its second year under coordinator Al Saunders.

5. Jeff Fisher, Titans (105-93 in 13 seasons with Tennessee, 5-4 in playoffs)
The Titans pulled something of a Lazarus act last season, as Fisher led a young team that lost its first five games to an 8-8 finish and a late (and ultimately failed) run at the playoffs. There was major talk of Tennessee rewarding Fisher with a long-term deal, but those negotiations appear to have cooled. And the Titans had a terrible offseason, losing key offensive pieces like Travis Henry and Drew Bennett while also contending with the Pacman Jones circus. If Tennessee posts its fourth straight non-winning season in 2007, which looks like a real possibility, it seems unlikely that the Titans brain trust would reward Fisher with a lucrative long-term deal.

6. John Fox, Panthers (44-36 in five seasons with Carolina, 5-2 in playoffs)
Fox has been to a Super Bowl and a couple of NFC Championships in his five years with the Panthers, but that doesn't mean Carolina fans are necessarily enamored of their coach. Two of Fox's past three teams have underachieved, including a 2006 edition that was believed to have Super Bowl talent but missed the playoffs altogether. The wolves are not yet at the door for Fox, but if the Panthers endure another second-half meltdown in '07, those whispers about the head coach's job security could turn to screams.

7. Lane Kiffin, Raiders (first season with Oakland)

Here's a statistic that should frighten the young Kiffin: of the last six Oakland Raiders head coaches, team owner Al Davis has canned five after two seasons or fewer. That means Kiffin, who had never previously been a head coach on any level nor held a meaningful NFL job, won't be afforded lot of time to feel his way around. A franchise that is 15-49 (.234) since its Super Bowl season of 2002 needs to be exciting offensively and win to appease Davis, and there's not a heck of a lot of evidence to suggest that the 31-year-old Kiffin can get both done.

8. Herm Edwards, Chiefs (9-7 in one season with Kansas City, 0-1 in playoffs)

Kansas City snuck into the playoffs a year ago, but you probably won't find many in the vicinity of Arrowhead Stadium who would call Edwards' first season on the job an unqualified success. Year two will find Edwards playing to win the game while dealing with gaping holes at quarterback, on the offensive line, and at wide receiver, all while fielding a defense that is looking mighty long in the tooth at present. Edwards will probably get a mulligan if Kansas City goes in the tank in '07, though the franchise that canned Gunther Cunningham after two years and a 16-16 record back in 2000 might do some serious deliberating about that future.

9. Mike Holmgren, Seahawks (72-56 in eight seasons with Seattle, 3-5 in playoffs)

Seattle has made four straight playoff appearances and is just two years removed from its first trip to the Super Bowl stage, but it appears that the window of opportunity is closing for Holmgren's crew. The offense is aging, the defense remains deficient in places, and the weak division that partly enabled Seattle's prolonged prominence is getting better. If the Seahawks fail to make the postseason in 2007, the 59-year-old Holmgren will have a choice between cutting bait while keeping his reputation intact or remaining the captain of a fishing boat that looks to be taking on water.

10. Marvin Lewis, Bengals (35-29 in four seasons with Cincinnati, 0-1 in playoffs)

It might seem ridiculous that Cincinnati would consider axing a head coach that has presided over a rare period of respectability for the franchise, but the Bengals and their fans are well within their rights to expect more from Lewis than he has produced. Like Dick LeBeau, Bruce Coslet, and Dave Shula before him, Lewis has not led Cincinnati to a playoff victory, despite possessing one of the league's top offenses. The club's many off-the-field problems aren't helping matters either. Lewis will probably get until at least 2008 to move his team up the ladder, before management begins to question whether someone else is better suited to get the organization to the next rung.

AND KEEP AN EYE ON...

11. Jack Del Rio, Jaguars (34-30 in four seasons with Jacksonville, 0-1 in playoffs)

Just one postseason trip in four years, and Del Rio's Jaguars don't look any closer to the behemoth Colts in the AFC South.

12. Mike Shanahan, Broncos (123-69 in 12 seasons with Denver, 8-5 in playoffs)

Back-to-back playoff absences would not sit well in a city that has seen one postseason win in the last eight years.

13. Dick Jauron, Bills (7-9 in one season with Buffalo)

Jauron actually did a decent job in his first season with the Bills, but the team's uncertain front office future could spell trouble for him down the line.

14. Norv Turner, Chargers (first season with San Diego)

Could Turner really screw this up? If he does, look for plenty of calls for change from frustrated San Diego fans.

15. Bill Belichick, Patriots (75-37 in seven seasons with New England, 12-2 in playoffs)

Of course Belichick won't get fired, but there is reason to believe he could choose to hang it up after one more Super Bowl run.

WAITING IN THE WINGS

1. Bill Cowher, Studio Analyst, CBS

Redskins? Giants? Browns? Conventional wisdom suggests that Cowher will have his pick of jobs when the season ends, and that his chosen employer will pony up a record-setting dollar figure for his services. All of which is pretty amazing for a guy that spent most of his coaching career with a (somewhat unfair) reputation for not being able to win the big one.

2. Ron Rivera, Inside Linebackers Coach, Chargers

Rivera's name was mentioned in connection with a majority of the NFL's post-2006 coaching vacancies, but the Bears' Super Bowl run probably hurt the then-Chicago defensive coordinator's chances. Then, the notoriously frugal Bears refused to offer Rivera what he deemed to be a suitable compensation package, and so he walked, with no head coaching or coordinator job waiting for him at his next destination. Rivera will lick his wounds for a year in the paradise that is San Diego, and there is little reason to suspect that he won't be among the league's top head coaching candidates once again post-2007.

3. Pete Carroll, Head Coach, USC

When a college coach swears up and down that he has no interest in moving to the professional level (or vice versa, in the case of Nick Saban), that's more reason to believe that he's plotting his next move. If Carroll and the Trojans can secure another national title this fall, and a job with a stable, first- class NFL organization falls into his lap, wouldn't the former Jets and Patriots head coach have to give it serious consideration?

4. Mike Singletary, Assistant Head Coach/Defense, 49ers

Though he was passed over for the Cowboys head coaching job (which went to Wade Phillips) and the 49ers defensive coordinator job (the Niners hired Greg Manusky), Singletary remains in a favorable position to become an NFL head man sooner rather than later. San Francisco is seen as a team on the rise, and Singletary's highly recognizable name is bound to garner interest among owners looking to cherry-pick from a hot staff. What's more, Singletary will spend 2007 getting another year of seasoning under noted defensive mind Mike Nolan, experience that will help when the former All-Pro linebacker makes the inevitable switch to the head coaching chair.

5. Mike Martz, Offensive Coordinator, Lions

There are countless reasons why an organization should not want to make Martz its head coach (his spotty record with the Rams, his egomaniacal nature, his lack of attention toward the defensive side of the football, etc.), but Mad Mike will remain a hot candidate nonetheless. Martz knows offense to the degree that he somehow turned Mike Furrey into a 98-catch NFL receiver. Offense sells tickets, and it even got Martz's Rams to the Super Bowl back in 2001. If you're the fan of a team scoring 13 points per game, how could you not want Martz as your coach?

6. Rex Ryan, Defensive Coordinator, Ravens

Baltimore caught a break when the Chargers inexplicably passed over Ryan in favor of Norv Turner back in February, meaning the Ravens' stifling defense should continue to run at a high-level under its well-regarded coordinator. Baltimore's previous DC's, Marvin Lewis and Mike Nolan, have both proven themselves to be capable NFL head coaches. There is every reason to expect that Ryan, who will begin his third year as the Ravens' defensive mentor, will do exactly the same.

7. Josh McDaniels, Offensive Coordinator, Patriots

Eric Mangini proved that hiring a young head coach with limited coordinator experience wasn't such a bad thing, provided that person has learned at the feet of Bill Belichick. The 31-year-old McDaniels fits that description, and after wisely resisting the Raiders' flirtations during this past offseason, the youngest offensive coordinator in NFL history should see better offers begin to pile up. Helping McDaniels' cause is New England's projected 2007 offensive lineup, which should have the Pats scoring points in bunches.

8. Kirk Ferentz, Head Coach, Iowa

Ferentz's name constantly comes up in relation to NFL coaching vacancies, both due to the fact that the Hawkeyes coach spent six years as an assistant in the league and because his teams at Iowa have generally overachieved. Ferentz has fended off all NFL advances to date, but at some point, you might expect the 51-year-old coach to grow weary of butting heads with the football factories at Michigan and Ohio State and take on a new challenge. Is Cleveland a realistic future destination for the former Browns assistant?

9. Jim Mora, Assistant Head Coach/Secondary Coach, Seahawks

Mora couldn't find a way to avoid controversy in his three years with Atlanta, and also couldn't find a way to make Michael Vick into a consistent NFL player. But this is the same coach who led the Falcons within a game of the Super Bowl in his first year, and Mora's pedigree and his obvious knowledge of the defensive side of the ball are significant marks in his favor. Mora is only 45 years old, and will receive a deserved second chance once he rehabilitates his image a tad.

10. Rob Ryan, Defensive Coordinator, Raiders

The son of Buddy and twin brother of the Ravens' Rex (see above), Rob Ryan possesses one of the few names within the Oakland organization that has been synonymous with success of late. Ryan's overworked defensive unit kept the Raiders in several games that the offense attempted to give away last season, though Al Davis' preoccupation with offense prevented Ryan from being promoted to the head coach's chair following Art Shell's dismissal. Whether Lane Kiffin is the answer or a disaster in his first year in Oakland, Ryan's defense should continue to be a bright spot, meaning the long-haired guru should get a head coaching opportunity with someone in the near future.

AND KEEP AN EYE ON...

11. Bill Parcells, Studio Analyst, ESPN

No matter what you want to say about his failings in Dallas, he's made every organization that has employed him better.

12. Marty Schottenheimer, NFL Insider, ESPN

He'll be 64 in September, but it would be unjust if last year's 14-2 campaign marked Marty's curtain call.

13. Urban Meyer, Head Coach, Florida

A consummate winner, and you have to believe that NFL owners have been noticing.

14. Gregg Williams, Defensive Coordinator, Redskins

Stock is way down after Redskins' 2006 debacle, but a solid defensive year for Washington would restore his image.

15. Jim Haslett, Defensive Coordinator, Rams

Has never been a marquee name, but he proved himself to be a capable head coach during tenure in New Orleans.

[RevLimiter]

Herm Edwards on the "hot seat"????



Ummm, whatever.

[Qbert]

Tony Moss doesn't have a Grasp of the State of the Cleveland Browns.

O-Line injuries are not the fault of Romeo Crennel.

O-Line replacements are not the fault of Romeo Crennel.

O-Line Drafting...errr...you get the picture.

Maurice Carthon was a TARD for sure.

but, you can't throw Charlie Frye under the Bus just yet either.

every time you make a Coaching Change....you're setting your Team Back at Least 2 Years.

alledgedly....The BROWNS are on a 5 Year Plan.

PLUS, now they'ev Added a new OC....Rob Chudzinski (at Start of year 3).

if Lerner decides to Blow EVERYTHING Up after this season....the Team will be furked until 2000'whenever.

its not gonna happen.

they'll be inbetween 5-7 wins this season; and, it will be Progress Forward.

This Team STILL Has NO Real DEPTH.

this Tony Moss needs to be able to see the Forest through the Trees.

[poptart]

this Tony Moss needs to be able to see the Forest through the Trees.

Sincerely,

TardTardBen




Paul, I'm thinking we'll be hearing a lot of squawking from Chef fan for Herm to be whacked before this coming season is over.

JMO, of course.

[Qbert]

poppy

i have the "HAMMER"....i'm not afraid to use it....(with your Blessing...of course...)

[War Wagon]

Thoughts? I think you spammed the forum with a longwinded horseshit article 'tart. That's what I think.

But what the hell, I don't have to work tomorrow, so I'll play.

8. Herm Edwards, Chiefs (9-7 in one season with Kansas City, 0-1 in playoffs)

Kansas City snuck into the playoffs a year ago, but you probably won't find many in the vicinity of Arrowhead Stadium who would call Edwards' first season on the job an unqualified success. Year two will find Edwards playing to win the game while dealing with gaping holes at quarterback, on the offensive line, and at wide receiver, all while fielding a defense that is looking mighty long in the tooth at present. Edwards will probably get a mulligan if Kansas City goes in the tank in '07, though the franchise that canned Gunther Cunningham after two years and a 16-16 record back in 2000 might do some serious deliberating about that future.

What the Fuck is that? Herm somehow managed to back into the playoffs. No, it wasn't an unqualified success, but it wasn't an unqualified failure either. Starting and staying with Trent past halftime in the playoff game at Indy... that was an unqualified failure. :brad:

Hey! That guy may be right.

Herm's a fucking idiot.

[RevLimiter]

Herm's a fucking idiot.

I'm not one of Herm's blind faith fans either, but to say THAT is going a tad too far.

Herm DID realize one thing- that this team was getting really OLD really FAST and that he needed to get younger at a LOT of positions, and so far he's done that.

His job will be FAR easier this season if LJ get paid and the revamped O-line plays better than expected. We shall see.

[poptart]

The 'waiting in the wings' and the 'keep and eye on' categories have some interesting names.

Anyone want to take a shot at naming where Bill Cowher will land?

Is Marty done, or will he get one more shot somewhere?

Bill Parcells - done?

hmmmmmmm ............

[Qbert]

cut it OUT....Cowher will not be in Cleveland.

really.

not next year.

doesn't Want IT.

really.

Sin,

~#53

[velocet]

"4. Joe Gibbs, Redskins (21-27 in three seasons with Washington (current stint), 1-1 in playoffs)

Think it would be awkward for the Redskins to cut ties with the man that led them to three Super Bowl titles? Think again. In terms of heartlessness, Daniel Snyder is the Ann Coulter of NFL owners, and if Gibbs fails to win in 2007, the coach will be back watching cars drive in circles. It won't be easy for Gibbs, who needs last year's 31st-ranked NFL defense to be light-years better, and needs an oft-stagnant offense to jell in its second year under coordinator Al Saunders."



Not accurate.

Coach Joe is also Team President. Make of that what you will but it is indicative of the truth of how well dug in Gibbs is here.


Gibbs called the first owner he worked for "Mr. Cooke". He calls the current owner "Danny".

Danny is a 'Skins fan in addition to being the owner. Skins fan fire GIBBS????? Never.

A Gibbs departure would have to be a retirement.


Yep. This article was written as a full on troll job.




velocet

[Goober McTuber]

The 'waiting in the wings' and the 'keep and eye on' categories have some interesting names.

Anyone want to take a shot at naming where Bill Cowher will land?

Carolina.

[Tom In VA]

Gibbs won't depart. He owns part of the team now if I'm not mistaken. He will more than likely step down as head coach should this season flop real bad but he'll still be "involved" in some capacity, if only cashing checks signed by one Daniel "SuperFan" Snyder. Besides part of Gibb's deal was to own part of the team if I'm not mistaken. Gibbs has nothing to prove to Washington.

Dan and his compadre Vinny, on the other hand do.

[BSmack]

Anyone want to take a shot at naming where Bill Cowher will land?

On TV, if he has half a brain. He has nothing left to prove in coaching and can make a pretty lucrative living as an analyst.

Has he actually said he'd like to get back in to coaching?

No, Cowher has said no such thing. It's just assumed that he will want to get back into coaching so he can Seifert his reputation by wallowing in mediocrity in Carolina.

If NBC had half a brain, they would throw Cowher a deal to replace Madden on Sunday Night Football.

[Goober McTuber]

They’d have to buy a slicker for Al Michaels.

[Tiny]

Good call Goobs...