Source: Bills Head Coaching Candidate List (via Jason Cole)

[DraftBoy]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2316763-insider-buzz-top-candidates-to-replace-doug-marrone-as-buffalo-bills-head-coach

Dan Quinn DC Seattle
Terrell Austin DC Detroit
Josh McDaniels OC New England
Adam Gase OC Denver
Pep Hamilton OC Indianapolis

Says the Bills will go young for HC barring any changes to Whaley and Brandon.

Also the video starts by saying that Whaley and Brandon are still under review.

[THRILLHO]

Basically every other team's list.

[DraftBoy]

Basically every other team's list.

Yes, but no previous HC guys like Ryan or Cowher. Also no Reich which I thought was odd given everything else we've heard.

- - - Updated - - -

Also X this is how you wanted to the off-season threads done, right? Or would this be more rumor than source?

[BillsImpossible]

Jason Cole has Man Boobs.

I don't trust a man with boobs after seeing Gregg Williams up close.

"...as owners, Tom and Kim Pegula..."

Tom?

[jdbillsfan]

I guess no college coaches? Gary Patterson is interesting.

[soapman]

Josh McDaniels or Dan Quinn if not Schwartz

[BertSquirtgum]

Bills should get Art Briles and shut the book.

[GvilleBills]

Love me some Dan Quinn.

[WagonCircler]

Just no college coaches, please.

The college game is totally different. You can get away with having running backs play QB.

In the NFL, the Linebackers and DBs, and in many cases the D-Linemen are just as athletic as any QB.

So QBs need to be pro style QBs in pro style Offenses.

Spare me all this Chip Kelly nonsense. He didn't even make the playoffs.

I kind of like he idea of McDaniels, if for no other reason than that he must have some insight into how to beat the Pats.

[Ingtar33]

i can't get out of my head what a clusterf*** the broncos were under mcdaniels.

thats an underwhelming list right there.

[Albany,n.y.]

Josh McDaniels who was way over his head in Denver? If the Bills hire him, then they're going to be contending for the #1 pick in the 2016 draft.
The last guy I'd ever want to see as head coach is Josh McDaniels. He didn't just fail in Denver, he bombed. Let some other team deal with one of the worst head coaches ever.

[X-Era]

Yes, but no previous HC guys like Ryan or Cowher. Also no Reich which I thought was odd given everything else we've heard.

- - - Updated - - -

Also X this is how you wanted to the off-season threads done, right? Or would this be more rumor than source?Works just fine.

[X-Era]

Josh McDaniels who was way over his head in Denver? If the Bills hire him, then they're going to be contending for the #1 pick in the 2016 draft.
The last guy I'd ever want to see as head coach is Josh McDaniels. He didn't just fail in Denver, he bombed. Let some other team deal with one of the worst head coaches ever.
Unfortunately he's probably my top guy on that list.

[X-Era]

I sort of hope this isn't true.

Why does this feel like shopping at the Dollar Store General?

[Mr. Pink]

That is an underwhelming list and if the coach comes from that group, I won't be surprised if there is another coaching search in 3-4 years.

[Ingtar33]

lets not forget he ran jay cutler out of town (coming off a probowl season) before even meeting him because he wanted to trade for Matt Cassel and make him the starter, and then promptly ran brandon marshall (probowl wr) out of town in the next offseason.

Now i'm not going to say jay cutler is a great qb, but when you decide to dump a probowl qb because you have a friend on another roster who knows your offense, and you want him to be your qb, then there is something wrong with your head. The players in denver wanted to lynch mcdaniels by the end of the first training camp. he was hated by half the city by the end of his first season, he was fired in the middle of his 2nd season after the team quit on him and he got caught taping (al la BB) the 49ers practice.

so yeah, i think we can skip him.

[BertSquirtgum]

Unfortunately he's probably my top guy on that list.

Why? Without Brady he would be a nobody.

[BertSquirtgum]

I would rather have Schwartz as the head coach rather than any of those guys on the list. Then move PepperJ to DC. It's too bad Schwartz isn't interested in a HC gig yet. It's rumored that the Giants want PepperJ as DC. I hope the Bills don't lose him.

[swiper]

I'm telling you. You'd all warm up to Pioli coming in place of Brandon. Keeping Whaley as GM/personnel evaluator, and McDaniels as HC. You'd have to keep Schwartz as DC somehow. And then go about finding a QB.

[Beebe]

Pat Shurmur would be great and keep the defense the same, and Special teams the same.

[swiper]

Josh McDaniels who was way over his head in Denver? If the Bills hire him, then they're going to be contending for the #1 pick in the 2016 draft.
The last guy I'd ever want to see as head coach is Josh McDaniels. He didn't just fail in Denver, he bombed. Let some other team deal with one of the worst head coaches ever.

How did Belichick do in Cleveland?

[swiper]

lets not forget he ran jay cutler out of town (coming off a probowl season) before even meeting him because he wanted to trade for Matt Cassel and make him the starter, and then promptly ran brandon marshall (probowl wr) out of town in the next offseason.

Now i'm not going to say jay cutler is a great qb, but when you decide to dump a probowl qb because you have a friend on another roster who knows your offense, and you want him to be your qb, then there is something wrong with your head. The players in denver wanted to lynch mcdaniels by the end of the first training camp. he was hated by half the city by the end of his first season, he was fired in the middle of his 2nd season after the team quit on him and he got caught taping (al la BB) the 49ers practice.

so yeah, i think we can skip him.

Jay Cutler is a head coach killer. How many times now? That's why I want nothing to do with him.

[sudzy]

I have to question the list seeing that Schwartz isn't on the list. He at least gets an interview. And whether or not the want to hire Reich, he gets a courtesy interview.

[Fixxxer]

lets not forget he ran jay cutler out of town (coming off a probowl season) before even meeting him because he wanted to trade for Matt Cassel and make him the starter, and then promptly ran brandon marshall (probowl wr) out of town in the next offseason.

Now i'm not going to say jay cutler is a great qb, but when you decide to dump a probowl qb because you have a friend on another roster who knows your offense, and you want him to be your qb, then there is something wrong with your head. The players in denver wanted to lynch mcdaniels by the end of the first training camp. he was hated by half the city by the end of his first season, he was fired in the middle of his 2nd season after the team quit on him and he got caught taping (al la BB) the 49ers practice.

so yeah, i think we can skip him.

Yeah, I can't believe we're interested in the little brat, besides, he's a Bellichick puppet, and those don't farewell without him. Dimitroff can have him.

[YardRat]

Nobody on that list is even remotely desirable, IMO. I'm tired of giving guys whose NFL balls haven't dropped yet on-the-job-training and decent bank to fail and bail. I want somebody with experience, that can also bring with them assistants with experience. If they are going to go young, they might as well blow up the entire organization as some have suggested and just kiss this version goodbye completely.

[Historian]

I agree Rat, the entire list sucks.

And McDaniels is the worst of the lot, for reasons already stated.

[kscdogbillsfan1221]

Reich is probably off the list because bill Polian is no longer coming back. Just my opinion

[The King]

I assume Bowles will be on this list once AZ is out.

No way to McDaniels.

[The Jokeman]

I'm telling you. You'd all warm up to Pioli coming in place of Brandon. Keeping Whaley as GM/personnel evaluator, and McDaniels as HC. You'd have to keep Schwartz as DC somehow. And then go about finding a QB.

McDaniels convinced Bronco's management to take Tebow to be Denver's QB. That thought just scares me. As Tebow from a passing/playing standpoint was the worst starting QB I've witnessed in the last two decades plus of watching NFL football. My top choice is Gary Kubiak with Shwartz coming in second. Pep Hamilton is an interesting name but not sure he's ready to be a head man but he has been around the NFL and had some success in college but he might be riding the Andrew Luck success train lately. He's also coached Chad Pennington and Alex Smith in the NFL who were far from great QBs the year he was their coach.

[TacklingDummy]

I would rather have Schwartz as the head coach rather than any of those guys on the list. Then move PepperJ to DC. It's too bad Schwartz isn't interested in a HC gig yet. It's rumored that the Giants want PepperJ as DC. I hope the Bills don't lose him.

It's going to be Schwartz.
Reich has a outside chance.

[Novacane]

I'm not to worried. This is just Jason Cole making up a list of who he thinks may get the job. Pegula knows better than to hire jokers like Josh Mcdaniel

[jamze132]

If any of those coordinators gets the Bills HC gig, you can bet they'll be exercising their opt-out clause in a couple years...

What a ****ing joke. 9-7 season gets us this nonsense?

[Night Train]

NO ONE is good enough for us. Every single candidate sucks ! :up:

[Don't Panic]

Spare me all this Chip Kelly nonsense. He didn't even make the playoffs.

You mean the same Chip Kelly who had Nick Foles breaking records and even made Mark Sanchez look good? His way of doing things is here to stay... better get used to it. That's why I like Gus Malzahn. Brilliant offensive mind... great demeanor... winner. He would make EJ Manuel into a decent QB. Decent enough to have us truly competitive next year.

[DraftBoy]

i can't get out of my head what a clusterf*** the broncos were under mcdaniels.

thats an underwhelming list right there.

I actually love that list, but I've been wanting the Bills to hire a young and up and coming coach since they dumped Greg Williams.

[DraftBoy]

I have to question the list seeing that Schwartz isn't on the list. He at least gets an interview. And whether or not the want to hire Reich, he gets a courtesy interview.

Reports have been coming out that say Schwartz doesn't want the HC job.

[RedEyE]

This list is precisely the reason I didn't want the Bills hunting an HC this off season. And because of this lack luster list I see no reason not to dip into the college coaching stream.

Looking at the QB list was headache enough.

[colin]

I would rather have Schwartz as the head coach rather than any of those guys on the list. Then move PepperJ to DC. It's too bad Schwartz isn't interested in a HC gig yet. It's rumored that the Giants want PepperJ as DC. I hope the Bills don't lose him.

is that a fact? just curious where you heard about schwartz not wanting to be hc. if it is true, then it sounds to me like he's trying to pad his CV another year to get out of town. if it is true, this team might be fubar

[kscdogbillsfan1221]

I actually love that list, but I've been wanting the Bills to hire a young and up and coming coach since they dumped Greg Williams.

yea, they tried that again. his name was mike mularkey

[DraftBoy]

yea, they tried that again. his name was mike mularkey

Many people didn't think Mularkey was a bad coach at all.

[kscdogbillsfan1221]

Many people didn't think Mularkey was a bad coach at all.


i hear you. to me, i thought he was a little too much like Donahoe. I felt like his gameplans were to show that he was the smartest person in the room kind of thing. i wasn't a big fan

[DraftBoy]

i hear you. to me, i thought he was a little too much like Donahoe. I felt like his gameplans were to show that he was the smartest person in the room kind of thing. i wasn't a big fan

I get that.

[cookie G]

I'm telling you. You'd all warm up to Pioli coming in place of Brandon. Keeping Whaley as GM/personnel evaluator, and McDaniels as HC. You'd have to keep Schwartz as DC somehow. And then go about finding a QB.

Oh...they warmed up to Pioli in KC very quickly, and thought they'd be the Pats-Midwest Division. Nobody questioned some of his moves because...well...he was from NE.

So Matt Cassel was given a franchise type contract;
Todd Haley was named HC;
Lawrence Jackson was the 3rd pick in the draft (I think Pioli saw him as the next Richard Seymour).

It took about 2 years before the Patriots mystique wore off, and he was shown as not as good as his image portrayed. Once he was taken out of the Patriots environment and tried to establish his own...he failed.

[GvilleBills]

Oh...they warmed up to Pioli in KC very quickly, and thought they'd be the Pats-Midwest Division. Nobody questioned some of his moves because...well...he was from NE.

So Matt Cassel was given a franchise type contract;
Todd Haley was named HC;
Lawrence Jackson was the 3rd pick in the draft (I think Pioli saw him as the next Richard Seymour).

It took about 2 years before the Patriots mystique wore off, and he was shown as not as good as his image portrayed. Once he was taken out of the Patriots environment and tried to establish his own...he failed.

100% agree, I'm just not stoked about rehashing what didn't work in KC.
And it was Tyson Jackson from LSU they thought would be the next Seymour. He flew up draft boards late, but never lived up to the draft position. Solid, but JAG.

[jpdex12]

You mean the same Chip Kelly who had Nick Foles breaking records and even made Mark Sanchez look good? His way of doing things is here to stay... better get used to it. That's why I like Gus Malzahn. Brilliant offensive mind... great demeanor... winner. He would make EJ Manuel into a decent QB. Decent enough to have us truly competitive next year.Imagine Chip Kelly's offense with our defense?

[Don't Panic]

Imagine Chip Kelly's offense with our defense?

Exactly. When you already have one of the most dominant defenses in the league, it makes a **** ton of sense to take a chance on offense and try to get ahead of the next curve. After looking at these lists I'm more and more about a guy like Mahlzan.

[Albany,n.y.]

How did Belichick do in Cleveland?

Pretty good in comparison to McDaniels
Belichick in Cleveland:
1991 6-10, 1992 7-9, 1993 7-9, 1994 11-5 (wild card), 1995 5-11 (amid turmoil of announced move to Baltimore). That's 5 years where the team got better and made the playoffs before the disastrous 1995 season where the team was torn apart by the owner's announcement of the team leaving Cleveland.
McDaniels in Denver: Before ever coaching a game, he alienated the QB who demanded a trade. The Broncos then traded Cutler to the Bears. He also was a driving force in drafting Tim Tebow in the 1st round.
2009 8-8 after starting 6-0.
2010 3-9 fired during the season, amid a videotaping scandal.

So on one hand you have a coach who spent 5 seasons with a team that showed gradual improvement through year 4, reaching the playoffs with an 11-5 record, then had the owner rip the team apart in his worst season & was fired so said owner could bring back a coach popular in his new city.
On the other hand you have a guy who was nothing but trouble from day 1, forced his QB off the team before ever coaching a game, got fired before his 2nd season was over with a 5-17 record over his last 22 games.
I'd say Belichick's Cleveland record TOWERED over McDaniel's Denver disaster.

[Ed]

As someone who lives in Denver and was here during the Josh McDaniels era, I would hate it if he was the guy. Pat Bowlen was a great owner for a very proud Broncos franchise and I think he'd be the first to admit that hiring McDaniels was the worst decision he ever made.

[RedEyE]

Imagine Chip Kelly's offense with our defense?

Good lord. Dominance!

[ublinkwescore]

We need to get the guy with the best offensive mind, and have him grab the best oc he can and tell himhe's got to fix the offense. Do NOT touch the defense. Obviously, this year, we won't be able to grab a franchise qb, but we can build a line, and grab a true workhorse back to cram down the opposition's throat.

[Strongman]

Let's not forget that Josh McDaniels was involved in a Spygate videotaping controversy while in Denver. Something he undoubtedly learned from his time in New England.

[Ed]

Let's not forget that Josh McDaniels was involved in a Spygate videotaping controversy while in Denver. Something he undoubtedly learned from his time in New England.
Yeah, that was a huge embarrassment for Bowlen and the Broncos. I believe that's what ultimately got him fired sooner than later.

[YardRat]

This is different from other seasons...we are basically one Gruden-like hire and Brad Johnson-like contribution away from being very competitive. Any Diaper Dan isn't going to bring that with him.

[X-Era]

I think I'm warming to Bevell.

https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/551140706639548416

[swiper]

McDaniels convinced Bronco's management to take Tebow to be Denver's QB. That thought just scares me. As Tebow from a passing/playing standpoint was the worst starting QB I've witnessed in the last two decades plus of watching NFL football. My top choice is Gary Kubiak with Shwartz coming in second. Pep Hamilton is an interesting name but not sure he's ready to be a head man but he has been around the NFL and had some success in college but he might be riding the Andrew Luck success train lately. He's also coached Chad Pennington and Alex Smith in the NFL who were far from great QBs the year he was their coach.

But TEBOW WON games for them. And I am not a TEBOW fan. Explain that. He WON games.

[swiper]

I think I'm warming to Bevell.

https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/551140706639548416

Give me the keys Tom Cullinan.

[The Jokeman]

But TEBOW WON games for them. And I am not a TEBOW fan. Explain that. He WON games.

He didn't win toward the end of his run. Remember that game when the Bills rocked him? Sure he beat the Steelers on a miracle play in the playoffs but then got squashed the next week by the Patriots.

[billser]

List looks good, up and coming coaches all the teams are interviewing as well. I don't understand, who do ppl want??

[billser]

I'd take mcdaniels in a heartbeat. We need offensive guy and we can get the oc from the pats??? Guy who runs an amazing offense w nobody wrs, has experience yrs working w Brady. You guys are hating on his past coaching experience, he was 33 and was 8-8 his first yr, lol. We'd be lucky to get him.

[better days]

I'd take mcdaniels in a heartbeat. We need offensive guy and we can get the oc from the pats??? Guy who runs an amazing offense w nobody wrs, has experience yrs working w Brady. You guys are hating on his past coaching experience, he was 33 and was 8-8 his first yr, lol. We'd be lucky to get him.

His Coaching record is not the reason I don't want McDaniels.

He has Pats* STINK on him. That is the reason I don't want him.

Just as I would not want Brian Cox as a Coach on the Bills.

[billser]

His Coaching record is not the reason I don't want McDaniels.

He has Pats* STINK on him. That is the reason I don't want him.

Just as I would not want Brian Cox as a Coach on the Bills.

I actually LOVE that reasoning. I agree with that, so long as you don't tell me it's because he's not a good enough coach.

[jimmifli]

I think I'm warming to Bevell.

https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/551140706639548416

Creative use of players while essentially playing "Marty ball". He's all about clock management, field position and winning time of possession. He just uses jet sweeps instead of smashmouth to accomplish that. The strategy works well with an elite D.

[tonyc37]

I doubt that Schwartz would stay with the team passing him over for any of those guys on that list.Just my opinion but usually new coaches don't hire ex head coaches to be part of their staffs.Plus a new coach could mean a different offensive and defensive scheme which Schwartz may not want to run.

[Strongman]

Belichick protégés don't seem to do well outside of New England.

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=cleveland-browns&id=3084&src=desktop&rand=ref~%7B"ref"%3A"https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F"%7D

The book"Spygate" makes a real good case that their success is simply because they benefitted from either Belichick being a good coach, Brady being a good QB, or the Patriot's "system." Personally, I think it's because they still cheat, but have just gotten better at hiding it.