Outside the Box- Head Coach Candidates

[MountainMan]

In 2001 the Bills took a bullet in the form of Greg Williams instead of choosing Donahoe buddy John Fox or Marvin Lewis after they both interviewed. Lewis was a year removed from his defense putting up a season of historical dominance including a Super Bowl win and Fox was interviewed just days after his own defense played in the big game. We all know how it played out- we ended up with the guy with virtually no executive skills and the other two DCs went on to compile cumulative records of 57-49 from teams who were doormats when they arrived- Cincy and Carolina had combined regular season records of 3- 29 when their respective coaches arrived.

On the other hand Greg Williams gave us a 17-31 run.

The common factor between the coaching prospects is that they were all Defensive Coordinators who were among the best in the game at the time of their interviews, with Lewis being arguably among the best DCs in history. Our management obviously went after the ideal pool of talent; we simply lost the bet on which one to take. In cold weather cities there is far more evidence supporting the success rate of former DCs as Head Coaches versus OCoordinators in the modern game of football. It seems the things we should have learned from the Williams experience is that we should be focusing on DCs but we must find some gauge of their executive skills- the job as a Head Coach is hardly removed from the job of CEO in a medium sized business.

The traditional business community has developed a vast body of tests to measure the executive skill sets of candidates- from the University level to the military to Blue Chip companies, there are thousands of written, oral and observational tests available to determine the executive skill set of candidates. It’s time the braintrust of OBD pays attention to these tools that can help them avoid the mistake made with Greg Williams, a fine DC but a poor executive. And if the powers that be are willing to embrace those things available to them, we can avoid the retread coaching carousel and look to the names where the head coaching successes of the future are most likely to come from:

Mike Trgovac- DC Carolina
Mike Smith- DC Jacksonville

Both are under 50, have never had a shot at the top spot, and are among the best at their job in the NFL today. One can’t be interviewed yet, but the other is available. Here’s one fan hoping the names like Sherman and Haslett end up being little more than window dressing for the better decision to pick someone with a far greater upside.

[lordofgun]

So why aren't either of them getting any consideration anywhere?

[MountainMan]

In Trgovac's case he's indicated in the Carolina press that he wouldn't take an interview until the Panther's season ends.

Smith was mentoned by at least one team- the Rams- as under consideration earlier this year, but again his team was still in the hunt at that time, something that is a traditional hurdle since most teams are looking to get a jump on naming a coach to have a larger pool of assistants to draw from.

[lordofgun]

Well I'm all for looking into one or both. Certainly no one on the current list of interviewees gets me pumped.

[ParanoidAndroid]

In 2001 the Bills took a bullet in the form of Greg Williams instead of choosing Donahoe buddy John Fox or Marvin Lewis after they both interviewed. Lewis was a year removed from his defense putting up a season of historical dominance including a Super Bowl win and Fox was interviewed just days after his own defense played in the big game. We all know how it played out- we ended up with the guy with virtually no executive skills and the other two DCs went on to compile cumulative records of 57-49 from teams who were doormats when they arrived- Cincy and Carolina had combined regular season records of 3- 29 when their respective coaches arrived.

On the other hand Greg Williams gave us a 17-31 run.

The common factor between the coaching prospects is that they were all Defensive Coordinators who were among the best in the game at the time of their interviews, with Lewis being arguably among the best DCs in history. Our management obviously went after the ideal pool of talent; we simply lost the bet on which one to take. In cold weather cities there is far more evidence supporting the success rate of former DCs as Head Coaches versus OCoordinators in the modern game of football. It seems the things we should have learned from the Williams experience is that we should be focusing on DCs but we must find some gauge of their executive skills- the job as a Head Coach is hardly removed from the job of CEO in a medium sized business.

The traditional business community has developed a vast body of tests to measure the executive skill sets of candidates- from the University level to the military to Blue Chip companies, there are thousands of written, oral and observational tests available to determine the executive skill set of candidates. It’s time the braintrust of OBD pays attention to these tools that can help them avoid the mistake made with Greg Williams, a fine DC but a poor executive. And if the powers that be are willing to embrace those things available to them, we can avoid the retread coaching carousel and look to the names where the head coaching successes of the future are most likely to come from:

Mike Trgovac- DC Carolina
Mike Smith- DC Jacksonville

Both are under 50, have never had a shot at the top spot, and are among the best at their job in the NFL today. One can’t be interviewed yet, but the other is available. Here’s one fan hoping the names like Sherman and Haslett end up being little more than window dressing for the better decision to pick someone with a far greater upside.

This is a well written post. I'm not convinced, though. This suggestion means we play the coach lottery again. Everyone here knows Buffalo is cursed and will never get the good side of the wishbone.

[Bmax]

Mike Singletary.....A Leader.....should be a good coach...............Give him a couple years experience then look out......


http://www.sf49ers.com/team/CoachesBio.asp?CoachID=74

[don137]

Trgovac goes to my church. I haven't seen him there since July...What the heck has he been doing on Sunday's anyways?

[Typ0]

In 2001 the Bills took a bullet in the form of Greg Williams instead of choosing Donahoe buddy John Fox or Marvin Lewis after they both interviewed. Lewis was a year removed from his defense putting up a season of historical dominance including a Super Bowl win and Fox was interviewed just days after his own defense played in the big game. We all know how it played out- we ended up with the guy with virtually no executive skills and the other two DCs went on to compile cumulative records of 57-49 from teams who were doormats when they arrived- Cincy and Carolina had combined regular season records of 3- 29 when their respective coaches arrived.

On the other hand Greg Williams gave us a 17-31 run.

The common factor between the coaching prospects is that they were all Defensive Coordinators who were among the best in the game at the time of their interviews, with Lewis being arguably among the best DCs in history. Our management obviously went after the ideal pool of talent; we simply lost the bet on which one to take. In cold weather cities there is far more evidence supporting the success rate of former DCs as Head Coaches versus OCoordinators in the modern game of football. It seems the things we should have learned from the Williams experience is that we should be focusing on DCs but we must find some gauge of their executive skills- the job as a Head Coach is hardly removed from the job of CEO in a medium sized business.

The traditional business community has developed a vast body of tests to measure the executive skill sets of candidates- from the University level to the military to Blue Chip companies, there are thousands of written, oral and observational tests available to determine the executive skill set of candidates. It’s time the braintrust of OBD pays attention to these tools that can help them avoid the mistake made with Greg Williams, a fine DC but a poor executive. And if the powers that be are willing to embrace those things available to them, we can avoid the retread coaching carousel and look to the names where the head coaching successes of the future are most likely to come from:

Mike Trgovac- DC Carolina
Mike Smith- DC Jacksonville

Both are under 50, have never had a shot at the top spot, and are among the best at their job in the NFL today. One can’t be interviewed yet, but the other is available. Here’s one fan hoping the names like Sherman and Haslett end up being little more than window dressing for the better decision to pick someone with a far greater upside.


The Head coach is not analagous of a CEO the General Manager is. The head coach is more like a lower level manager, a glorified team leader who organizes and implements the direction of the team as handed down by the organization. That's why coaches want that GM position as well...because it means they will have 100% understanding of the direction chosen for the organization which removes some barriers.

As far as GW goes...I do question some of the things he did during games. As far as preparing the team and them playing I think he did quite an excellent job though. I would suggest it's more likely that the direction chosen by the organization by Donahoe was faulty as we've seemed to ferret out over the course of this season.

[Typ0]

Also, it looks like a lot of teams are jumping on board with your philosophy...and I expect many are going to fall on their faces.

[MountainMan]

I'm not convinced

I won't try to convince you, but you might consider this:

Of the head coaching changes since 2001 that have arguably "gone well", you have Gibbs and Parcells in the class of Super Bowl Champs. The only way we can simulate that is to bring in JJohnson and I'm not going to be alone saying I'd prefer to light a fire by slamming my sack in a doorjamb until it sparks.

On the next level is the retread guys, with Gruden in a very unique move and the change at the Giants. There's no "Gruden" to heist and based upon Coughlin's past it might be assumed his team is already on the decline.

Now where the obvious plays were was bringing in John Fox, Jack Del Rio, Lovie Smith and Marvin Lewis over the same span.

We really have no choice at the first level of coaches and there's not a very good record in the retread class; the guys who are the naturals in the "unkown" class aren't being mentioned, except in the case of Rivera. I'd just buck the conventional wisdom on timing and bring in Smith along with Rivera and wait for Carolina to finish out at least to talk. One of those three seems far more likely to become the next rising star on an NFL sideline than the retreads being mentioned by the media and team.

[MountainMan]

The Head coach is not analagous of a CEO the General Manager is. The head coach is more like a lower level manager, a glorified team leader who organizes and implements the direction of the team as handed down by the organization.

Your point's well taken and I'd agree with you completely if we were talking about teams up to the70s and maybe 80s, but most teams today integrate their coach so deeply into the personell side that the resonsibility and influence level IMO is more along the lines of a CEO while most GMs are more like very active Board Chairmen.