Like it or not, I think we're looking at an internal promotion

[Halbert]

Now that we don't even need to bother dreaming about the playoffs ...

As much as I'd like to fantasize about bringing in a name coach like Coughlin or Green, or even some other rising young star coordinator (admit it, GW looked good at the time), we are almost certainly looking at LeBeau as HC here next year.

The main reason is because Ralph does not want to start from scratch. A name coach will want to bring in his cronies, probably for good reason, which sets the program back at least a year if not a minimum of two. Promoting LeBeau is the most logical choice if the Bills want to try to maintain some continuuity with the good things they have done (the vast improvement in defense and special teams) and give the team the best chance to be a contender immediately.

When I realized this, part of me was bummed looking at LeBeau's stunning success in Cincy, but part of me was relieved that we wouldn't be starting over. I don't know which one of me will end up being right but LeBeau and a new Offensive Coordinator that knew what the hell he was doing might not be such a bad thing after all.

[Halbert]

Did I spell LeBeau right? I'm too lazy to look it up.

[Halbert]

Do I get negative points for subscribing to the Wys school of triple posting?

[Halbert]

Originally posted by Halbert
Do I get negative points for subscribing to the Wys school of triple posting?
How about quoting myself?

[lordofgun]

Gruden won it all in his first year in Tampa.

Parcells is doing quite nicely in Dallas.

I'll take an entirely new staff, thanks.

[BuffaloRanger]

Entirely new staffs work fine if the team has a good amount of talent. The Bills do.

[helmetguy]

Gruden kept several assistants from Dungy.

[RedEyE]

Unfortunately, I think that you're right Halbert.

[Turf]

I'm afraid you're correct too Halbert.

[saviorbledsoe]

I think it will depend on who is out there this offseason and thats the reason the 2 numbnuts are still there as we speak.

[Earthquake Enyart]

LeBeau is too old.

[Tatonka]

you assume that lebeau wants the job.

[Ebenezer]

Originally posted by Earthquake Enyart
LeBeau is too old.

So was Levy :rolleyes:

The defense is not the problem with this team. As I said earlier in the week notice nobody is complaining about Jerry Gray this year. Possibly, just possibly, LeBeau was a calming force and is really mentoring these guys. Would that be a bad thing for the whole team?

[justasportsfan]

I would'nt be surprised if Lebeau turns out to be our next HC. TD handpicked this guy as well and may want to save face after chosing GW by trying to substitute GW w/ another handpicked coach.

[G. Host]

If LeBeau is promoted to head coach it will because the Bills front office wants to minimize amount of money lost on cut coaches and LeBeau is more likely willing to keep more coaches who are already comitted money to.

[Mr. Miyagi]

I'll be 100% behind LeBeau.

[IHateTheDullphins]

:up:

[ryven]

Dick might be fine now that he is out of cincy the thing I wonder about is how much the owner was responsible for how cincy was doing. Up til they signed lewis they had no scouts which means the coaches have to go out and look around which takes them away from there primary job. From what I have heard from a few cincys fans is that the owner was trying to controll even what plays were called.

[NC-BILLS44]

I LeBeau is promoted to HC, what about promoting Les Steckel to OC? Does anyone think that's a possibility?

[Turf]

I think Lebeau will be coach for the sake of continuity.

[IHateTheDullphins]

Originally posted by NC-BILLS44
I LeBeau is promoted to HC, what about promoting Les Steckel to OC? Does anyone think that's a possibility?


I think this is exactly what is going to happen, and also our best option right now. It would also keep fans interested to see what kind of effect they have on the team's success.

[Mr. Miyagi]

:up: Steckel likes to run the ball, being a RB coach right now. Fits our offense built for smash-mouth football.

[Throne Logic]

Although promoting LeBeau and Steckel makes perfect sense - and I've posted this a few times in the past - I'm now wondering about something.

Why not do it now, or last week, or the week before that? If that is truly TD's plan moving forward, then why wait? It couldn't possibly make things any worse to make the change during this season. Worst case senario is the team stays about the same and LeBeau and Steckel get a head-start on next year.

This worries me on both sides of the coin.

[caveboy]

Well, if Bledsoe is still here, then whoever comes in needs to adapt an offense/system to fit HIM. Unless Drew's been hiding a talent to run the WCO, run n' shoot, be a mobile QB, etc, we're in for more of the same next year.

Get this guy a line that will at least block long enough for him to overlook his 2nd and 3rd reads again (lol) and still hone in on #80. Drew's among the last relics of the stand-in-the-pocket-and-chuck-it-deep era QB's. Didn't someone up at 1BD figure he'd need more protection than just drafting M. Williams?

And cut Jennings. Every holding penalty he has erases pos. yards we try to get in drives. He's not getting any better. Geez, does he try and outdue his previous year's total every season?

Guess running the laps as punishment didn't work GW.

;-p

[TedMock]

Drew's glaring weaknesses include holding the ball too long and forcing passes. His best attributes are play action and arm strength. We, of course, ran 1 play action Sunday and zero the two weeks prior. That would free up some time too. I'm not necessarily against promoted Lebeau. He was in a real bad situation with Mike Brown. Don't forget before the son took over Lebeau took them to two Superbowls (they lost bothe to S.F.). Mike Brown was very cheap and constantly starting a power struggle. I know Marvin Lewis is doing much better there but let's all be realistic and realize that Brown has finally loosened the reigns and is allowing Lewis to run the team. a la Jerry Jones with Parcells. Don't get me wrong, Marvin's a great coach but I don't think he'd do that well in a piss poor situation either.

[helmetguy]

Sorry, Ted, but I see some major inaccuracies:

It was Sam Wyche that took Cincy to SBXXII against San Fran. Before becoming HC at Cincy, LeBeau was Assistant HC/Defensive Coordinator under Bruce Coslet (who resigned in 2000). Before his stint in Cincy, LeBeau had been a career assistant (Cincy being his rookie HC assignment). LeBeau's real claim to fame is that he developed the Zone Blitz scheme on defense that became the hallmark of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the mid-nineties.

LeBeau was, indeed, in a bad situation in Cincy under Mike Brown. When he took the HC job in 2000, Cincy had already experienced several years of futility; due mostly to Mike Brown's mserly ways and his unwillingness to hire scouts or an effective GM. Brown is like the "poor man's" Jerry Jones/Dan Snyder.

[TedMock]

Originally posted by helmetguy
Sorry, Ted, but I see some major inaccuracies:

It was Sam Wyche that took Cincy to SBXXII against San Fran. Before becoming HC at Cincy, LeBeau was Assistant HC/Defensive Coordinator under Bruce Coslet (who resigned in 2000). Before his stint in Cincy, LeBeau had been a career assistant (Cincy being his rookie HC assignment). LeBeau's real claim to fame is that he developed the Zone Blitz scheme on defense that became the hallmark of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the mid-nineties.

LeBeau was, indeed, in a bad situation in Cincy under Mike Brown. When he took the HC job in 2000, Cincy had already experienced several years of futility; due mostly to Mike Brown's mserly ways and his unwillingness to hire scouts or an effective GM. Brown is like the "poor man's" Jerry Jones/Dan Snyder.

Sorry about that, I can see how it sounded. Actually Wyche was, and still is, one of my favorite all time coaches. They went to one under Wyche. The first Superbowl was 1982 or 1984 (can't remember) but I think Forrest Gregg was still the head coach. Lebeau came in as a positional coach (in the late 70's) but was given credit for helping bring the defense from bottom of the league to top of the league. Although, I don't know if he brought the zone blitz in right away or if he discovered it later. But, yes, you're absolutely correct in that being his claim to fame. He was also with Pittsburgh for 4 or 5 years when they had a dominant defense in the early and mid-90's. He obviously walked into a terrible situation in Cincy and who know's, maybe it works in B-lo. This, of course, all depends on whether or not he wants to be a head coach again. I think we'd be better off with promoting he and Steckyl than what we currently have. The defensive scheme wouldn't have to change too much and rumor has it that Steckyl loves to run....I have no idea for sure about that though.

[stuckincincy]

Originally posted by helmetguy
Sorry, Ted, but I see some major inaccuracies:

It was Sam Wyche that took Cincy to SBXXII against San Fran. Before becoming HC at Cincy, LeBeau was Assistant HC/Defensive Coordinator under Bruce Coslet (who resigned in 2000). Before his stint in Cincy, LeBeau had been a career assistant (Cincy being his rookie HC assignment). LeBeau's real claim to fame is that he developed the Zone Blitz scheme on defense that became the hallmark of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the mid-nineties.

LeBeau was, indeed, in a bad situation in Cincy under Mike Brown. When he took the HC job in 2000, Cincy had already experienced several years of futility; due mostly to Mike Brown's mserly ways and his unwillingness to hire scouts or an effective GM. Brown is like the "poor man's" Jerry Jones/Dan Snyder.

Yep. Brown's interfence was extensive. Wyche was "let go" after a closed-door mtg. with Brown about the sorry state of affairs. after the mtg, Brown claimed Wyche quit, and refused to honor Sam's contract.

Coslet quit after the the 4th game in '02. During that game, Dillon walked off the field. Coslet was livid with Brown for many reasons, including Brown's insistance that they draft Akili Smith...Ditka in N.O. was offering the mega-deal to move up for Ricky Williams.

After the Carl Pickens (a great clubhose cancer), all future B'gals contracts included a clause against critizing the team. After a particularly bad loss, punter lee johnson made a comment and was canned by Brown...TKO and Dillon's crontracts don't include the muzzling.

Brown's coaching staff other that HC's were largely suck-ups.

LeBeau was cut off at the knees. however, his personality isn't cut out for a permanent HC.

[TedMock]

Originally posted by stuckincincy



LeBeau was cut off at the knees. however, his personality isn't cut out for a permanent HC.

That's what scares me most. I think the guy got shafted in Cincy and is a well respected coach but some guys also aren't meant to be head coaches. I'd hate to find that out the hard way (GW, Wade) again.

[SABURZFAN]

Originally posted by NC-BILLS44
I LeBeau is promoted to HC, what about promoting Les Steckel to OC? Does anyone think that's a possibility?

i wouldn't complain.hell,it can't get any worse.

[SABURZFAN]

Originally posted by Mr. Miyagi
:up: Steckel likes to run the ball, being a RB coach right now. Fits our offense built for smash-mouth football.

we have some chumps for offensive linemen though.