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A funny, but true Schonert article on cbs sports
On the grander scale, coaches canning offensive coordinators this close to showtime is a bad and cowardly idea, as it shows (a) that the head coach is under fire from up the know-littles and cowards upstairs and doesn't have the stones to stand up for his guy, (b) that the head coach wasn't paying attention and/or (c) needs a scapegoat.
In all cases, it is a sign of weakness that players understand and use when things go bad to deflect blame from their own failings. You start that circle, you go 4-12, and everyone's out the door.
But Schonert's case is different because it sounds mostly like he and Jauron couldn't agree on Jauron's offense, and that last adjective is the key. "Jauron's." This isn't even a matter of who knows more about offense, because we assume Schonert is the better versed of the two. It's about who has the say, and in no NFL operation, not even in Dallas, do the assistants dictate terms to the head coach.
And having explained himself so eloquently instead of simply resigning and telling Jauron that he just can't work the way Jauron wants, Schonert will now find himself branded a malcontent, not a team player, a guy who thinks he's smarter than the guy who hired him. In a rigid hierarchical structure like the NFL's, where everyone works at full pucker 24/7, these are all minuses on the résumé.
And when the season starts, and the Bills do struggle on offense, he'll have the satisfaction of saying, "See, I told you" to the family dog while he's raking up leaves.
And the dog will look at him sympathetically and say in that telepathic way dogs have, "I could use a treat right now." Because that's how much assistants who prize their egos too grandly get their ideas heard.
In all cases, it is a sign of weakness that players understand and use when things go bad to deflect blame from their own failings. You start that circle, you go 4-12, and everyone's out the door.
But Schonert's case is different because it sounds mostly like he and Jauron couldn't agree on Jauron's offense, and that last adjective is the key. "Jauron's." This isn't even a matter of who knows more about offense, because we assume Schonert is the better versed of the two. It's about who has the say, and in no NFL operation, not even in Dallas, do the assistants dictate terms to the head coach.
And having explained himself so eloquently instead of simply resigning and telling Jauron that he just can't work the way Jauron wants, Schonert will now find himself branded a malcontent, not a team player, a guy who thinks he's smarter than the guy who hired him. In a rigid hierarchical structure like the NFL's, where everyone works at full pucker 24/7, these are all minuses on the résumé.
And when the season starts, and the Bills do struggle on offense, he'll have the satisfaction of saying, "See, I told you" to the family dog while he's raking up leaves.
And the dog will look at him sympathetically and say in that telepathic way dogs have, "I could use a treat right now." Because that's how much assistants who prize their egos too grandly get their ideas heard.
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