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The Buffalo Bills remain a team in turmoil as former offensive coordinator Turk Schonert told a Buffalo television station Friday afternoon he was fired because the Bills' offense "wasn't simple enough" for coach Dick Jauron.
"He wants a 'Pop Warner' offense," Schonert said in a phone interview with WIVB. "He limited me in formations, and limited me in plays. He's been on my back all offseason."
Schonert said he was fired by Jauron during a Friday morning meeting. ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen reported Saturday that Bills owner Ralph Wilson Jr. had a meeting at his Detroit home with Jauron, general manager Russ Brandon, quarterback coach Alex Van Pelt and running back coach/running game coordinator Eric Studesville.
A Bills spokesperson would neither confirm nor deny a meeting occurred.
Friday afternoon in a press conference, Jauron said Schonert was fired for a "lack of productivity," though he also said the fault was not all Schonert's.
The Bills' offensive starters failed to score a touchdown in five preseason games after ranking 25th in the NFL in offense in 2008, Schonert's first as the team's play-caller.
Jauron said while the firing of Schonert was a relatively new idea to him, it wasn't one he wanted to sit on for long.
"When you make a decision you know when you should do it," Jauron said. "I wasn't thinking about firing him three days ago. I wasn't thinking about it two weeks ago. And when you start to think about it, I think you need to move on it and do something. Clearly I believe it's the right thing to do."
Schonert said the problem was the complexity of his system.
"He [Jauron] told me the offense wasn't simple enough for him," Schonert said. "We had too many formations, too many plays. I didn't simplify it to his liking."
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What ever happened to all the smart guys we were supposedly drafting. The Stanford Qb, the thinking mans O-lineman. I think it's Dick's brain that isn't bright enough. Maybe ol Dick would be happier with a playbook that said things like, "do a 5 yard button hook and I'll hit ya behind the Buick. "
If any of this article is true, Dick threw Turk under the bus. . granted Turk was OC , but give me a break, nothing will changed around here. nothing. We really do have a Dick for a head coach!
