Marrone's Rookie Mistakes as First Year Head Coach

[patfitz]

The Bills' braintrust was desperate. They did not want to risk bringing in an experienced HC. So it was no to Lovie Smith or Ken Wisenhut, and forget CFL rising star Marc Tressman , they needed someone who could "sit in" for the time being, and there it is, we have an aspiring, yet unknown, in Doug Marrone. Here is hoping that Doug Marrone will become the "Vince Lomardi" of our Buffalo Bills. Yet, before we can annoint him that distinction, Marrone will need to understand his shortcomings and address them. I would characterize his first year as a mixed bag, some positive, some less so. Among his strenghts, are a willingness to take no excuses for the outcome, despite the poor hand dealt to him. He could have easily have ducked behind the long list of key injuries, especially at the start of the season, and having a rookie QB, that also suffered growing pains and key injuries, along with just plain bad luck, and inexperience, etc, But he has yet to cite those as excuses, as much as they are indeed plausible.

 

 

The other side of the equation is Marrone's shortsighted or perhaps naieve belief that he or any of his understudies could "coach up" the rookie QB and do it without injecting even a modicom of competition, let's face it Kevin Kolb was a smoke screen at best. Add to that his accepting at face value, a very inept offensive line, that Marrone mistakenly believed could be "coached up" to competentcy. and after that didn't work, he eventually conceded and started tinkering with the almost weekly replacements. Yet perhaps most egregious was deferring to an OC' that, while well intentioned, was clearly in over his head. I would add to that he was guilty of failing to provide due diligence, by not extending the courtesty of even considering retaining Joe A. (former O lne coach),and Pete M. (former TE coach) and anybody, short of Ronnie Jones, as the Bills' special teams coach, instead he opted for favors owed or hiring past S.U cronies (even excusing Nathaniel Hackett, although I think the senior Hackett would have been a far better choice as O.C. and son Nate as the QB coach). I have personally been paying close attention to a recent trend that involves hiring experienced coaching assistants (e.g.. over the age of 65) to serve as mentors. I am fascinated by this concept and would hope that the Bills' regime is open to the idea. Hey Marv, how about returning as Bills' special teams mentor?

Edited December 21, 2013 by patfitz

[BuffaloBillsForever]

I think it is wise not to blame injuries. They were in the playoff hunt late in the season with pretty much an 100% healthy team starting and they played their worst football of the season against some of the worst teams in football.

 

I'm not sold on Marrone as many here like with the points you mentioned. He hasn't been very good at managing the game either which I thought was critical to some of the losses early in the season.

 

 

I would argue where the most improvement on this team is thanks to Mike Pettine.

[Gerry]

After 14 games, I am not sold on Marrone either. The 3 games from Atl to Jax were particularly troubling, all winnable games against bad teams and the Bills were lucky to get one. He did not have the team ready to play in TB; no reason why they shouldn't have blown out one of these teams and EJ pass for 250+ yards. Great coaches (like BB) maximize the use of their offensive weapons; to me, this is an area where Marrone has fallen short. Teams' fortunes can change quickly in today's NFL, but right now it is hard to imagine him getting the Bills out of the 5-11 to 7-9 rut.

[Beerball]

The Bills' braintrust was desperate. They did not want to risk bringing in an experienced HC.

Bringing in a coach with NFL experience would be low risk. Still lots of questions about Marrone, but I'm more positive about him than I am Manuel.

[BuffaloBillsForever]

I turned on the radio yesterday and Marrone was talking about how tying your shoes a certain way is critical to winning and changing the culture. I was like oh boy we are in trouble!

 

Bringing in a coach with NFL experience would be low risk. Still lots of questions about Marrone, but I'm more positive about him than I am Manuel.

 

I am of the opinion that Manuels lack of development is in part tied to the coaching. It's a red flag for both.

Edited December 21, 2013 by BuffaloBillsForever

[atlbillsfan1975]

I think it is wise not to blame injuries. They were in the playoff hunt late in the season with pretty much an 100% healthy team starting and they played their worst football of the season against some of the worst teams in football.

 

I'm not sold on Marrone as many here like with the points you mentioned. He hasn't been very good at managing the game either which I thought was critical to some of the losses early in the season.

 

 

I would argue where the most improvement on this team is thanks to Mike Pettine.

100% could not agree more with you.

A lot of people here want to say injuries are the reason this team is 5-9. I think that plays some into it but just as much is poor O coaching.

[Thunderstealer]

The only really big thing Marone faulted on was not being clear to the QB coach enough to drill the qb slide techniques to Manuel.

 

Knowing this year is all about him--his development critical to the three year plan...and to not coach him up enough derailed the plan.

[Beerball]

I am of the opinion that Manuels lack of development is in part tied to the coaching. It's a red flag for both.

Players can play or they can't. Coaching makes a difference, but whether Manuel turns into a solid pro is 80% him. Give the coaches 20%.

[vorpma]

Players can play or they can't. Coaching makes a difference, but whether Manuel turns into a solid pro is 80% him. Give the coaches 20%.

Good post!

[PolishDave]

Personally, I don’t think we got to see what this coaching staff would be capable of if it had a serviceable offense quarterback to put on the field on game days. I really believe that the whole EJ Manuel project has handicapped this coaching staff in ways that camouflage whether there is real talent or lack thereof in the head coach and the offensive coordinator. My instincts tell me that if this team had an average quarterback “like Fitz was” or better, that this team would be where Miami is right now fighting for a playoff spot or maybe even a game better than Miami.

 

Things I like about Marrone

· Personal character

· Natural leadership abilities

· The way he explains key issues with players week to week (very clear in my opinion – no BS)

· Decisions on whether to punt/kick/go for it – I generally agree with him

· How he handles himself in post game interviews for the most part

· Seems pretty decisive about players and whether to cut them or not

 

Things I think he needs to improve on

· Quarterback talent evaluation (my idea of a good QB and his idea are apparently different)

· Game plans for teams week to week – exploiting the other teams weaknesses

· Team preparedness for the game – I don’t feel like the Bills adequately prepare for the type of team they are about to face each week (other Bills’ coaches were better at this)

· Controlling team attitude and getting this team to care about winning/losing more than they do

· Challenge flag decisions (although maybe this is on an upswing now)

· Skills on the offensive coaching side of the ball – I don’t know how personally he is getting involved with the offense (probably not enough – I don’t see him standing next to Hackett discussing things with him during games as much as you would expect given how bad the Bills suck on offense) Maybe Marrone just doesn’t have the offensive coaching skill or if he does, then he isn’t using it enough and should be more personally involved with correcting the problems on offense.

 

Overall I like the guy though. He is the type of guy I feel optimistic about (much more so than EJ). Something about Marrone makes me think he will be a top NFL coach one day. And I hope it is sooner rather than later.

 

If this was a pass/fail class in college, I would give Marrone a pass.

[DFITZ1]

But is that 20% coaching the difference between making it in the NFL or not? Sometimes yes, specially at QB, where multi-tasking and decision making can be as important as arm strength.

[atlbillsfan1975]

Players can play or they can't. Coaching makes a difference, but whether Manuel turns into a solid pro is 80% him. Give the coaches 20%.

So do you think Russell Wilson would be Russell Wilson had the Bills drafted him? heck even if Wilson was drafted this year by Marrone and Hackett?

My point is coaching makes so much more of a difference in today's NFL then ever before. It is not just a 'X and O' or 'you are professionals so you play hard' league.

Our society in general is much less mature then it was 20 years ago. People 'grow up' slower. You need a coach who can relate to HIS team. Not saying that there is only one style of coach that will work, but the coach needs to figure out how to motivate his team. Failure to be a good motivator in today's NFL is just as bad a not being a good schemer.

 

I think your percentages are off. I personally think it is closer to 50/50.

Edited December 21, 2013 by atlbillsfan1975

[thewildrabbit]

After 14 games, I am not sold on Marrone either. The 3 games from Atl to Jax were particularly troubling, all winnable games against bad teams and the Bills were lucky to get one. He did not have the team ready to play in TB; no reason why they shouldn't have blown out one of these teams and EJ pass for 250+ yards. Great coaches (like BB) maximize the use of their offensive weapons; to me, this is an area where Marrone has fallen short. Teams' fortunes can change quickly in today's NFL, but right now it is hard to imagine him getting the Bills out of the 5-11 to 7-9 rut.

The one lone game that convinced me that this coaching staff was in real trouble was when they started QB Jeff Tuel and gave him the option of throwing the ball on 3rd down and one when the run game was carrying the team spectacularly up until that time.

 

The game ended with the Bills 38 rushes 241 yards, which was an amazing outing against the then, #1 defense in the league.

 

Then look at what the Bills D did to that KC offense, PUNT, PUNT, PUNT, FG, PUNT, FG, PUNT, PUNT, FG ...yea that's right. The Bills D held the Chiefs offense to only 9 points all game!

 

So, how did the Bills lose 23-13? Because the Bills OC called a pass with super raw undrafted free agent rookie QB on 3rd down, and one at the goal line instead of running it one last time. Pick six! Then when the Chiefs have a slight lead the Bills OC panics and has the QB sling it all over, and Mr hands of stone fumbled it, which results in a TD.

 

My thoughts are if you know that Jeff Tuel is a huge project at QB, was never a winner in college with a 4-26 record. then you never put that kid in that situation. You make the conservative call for another run, and should the run fail you kick a field goal. The score is then 13-6, the Bills keep running it to play keep away. Then both teams add another FG and the result is a win 13-9.

 

This OC called a brilliant game right up until that boneheaded 3rd down, and goal pass. The point is, when the team got behind in points... he put the run game on the back burner, and started to force the rookie QB to carry the game just like he did so many times with EJ this year. The game ended with Tuel throwing 39 passes.

 

Go back and re watch the games. There was only a few games in which the run game worked great from the start, and when it didn't work so well, then EJ was forced to carry the team. Sometimes EJ played well, and sometimes he didn't play so well. He should have never been put in the situation to carry the games when the Bills have such great talent at RB in Spiller & Jackson. JMHO.

 

 

 

 

Now, some fans have already stated they think the rookie OC did nothing wrong in allowing Tuel the option of passing in that situation. They are entitled to their opinions, and I respect them. No need to rehash that old argument. Just merely pointing out that this rookie OC has had his troubles. There is a world of difference between a 1st round draft pick rookie QB, and an undrafted free agent rookie, and this OC kept calling plays like he had EJ back there.

[Sisyphean Bills]

His bringing Hackett along with him from Syracuse was his biggest mistake. Too much inexperience in the roles from himself down to Manuel.

 

PS: Heck though, everyone is a "rookie" in their current jobs from the CEO to the QB.

[Rockinon]

I only have a couple of small complaints.

1. Throw the red flag only when the chance of a reversal is high percentage. Beginning of the year he was awful at this. Lately he has been better.
   
2. I don't agree with all of the criticism of about poor play calling. I do however think the coaches could do more to get CJ and Fred for that matter in space.
   

That's about it. I think the coaches generally have a good game plan each week though the 1st game against the Jets and the game against Pittsburgh were real stinkers. I think they will get better with experience, however. The second game against the NYJ seems to support that. What a lot of people don't understand here is the offense is designed to have a higher percentage of runs than most teams and that is in an effort to open up the vertical game. That's a good strategy when you have CJ an Fred on your team. It's a bad decision when you have Tom Brady(Which BTW, we don't!). This team can be real good with better support from the OL. This has been the greatest challenge for the coaching staff IMHO. Otherwise, I like Marone and even Hackett. A lot of criticism has floated toward Hackett, but I think his youth and high energy are good for this team. I have no doubt, he will get better. You cannot keep a man with this much enthusiasm down for long.

 

As for Marone, I think he was perfect for this team. I like his no nonsense demeanor and he appears to be a good leader. Being a player in this league, a coach in this league and a winner in this league gives him an advantage that many coaches don't have. Marone is in his 1st yr as a head coach in the NFL and I was sure he would have some struggles to begin with. Even the best coaches have them. How they are able to deal with them is the crucial and deciding factor. I am looking forward to seeing what these coaches come up with next year. I think they have the stuff. They don't have the experience yet, but you have to start somewhere. I wouldn't be too quick to start lopping off heads just yet.

[DFITZ1]

Bill Walsh didn't have Joe Montana play (or play much) his rookie year, until he saw that Joe was ready to run his offense. Almost all HOF QB's struggled for some time as rookies (Namath, Manning (Eli, of course). The coach has to see them thru those rough times. I wonder if Rob Ryan ruined Sanchez more than Sanchez himself. Same might go for Shanahan with RJGIII in Washington. Some hot rookie QB's are one shot wonders up until the league DC's have them figured out.

[Dan]

His bringing Hackett along with him from Syracuse was his biggest mistake. Too much inexperience in the roles from himself down to Manuel.

 

PS: Heck though, everyone is a "rookie" in their current jobs from the CEO to the QB.

It starts and ends right there. Too much inexerience and it shows. Defensively, the team has improved and just needs more time playing together to fix a lot of their bad play. Offensively, the team has regressed tremendously. The game plans are predictable, simplistic, and not taking advantage of our player's strengths.

[starrymessenger]

Even allowing for him being a rookie HC, I would grade his effort this year as a C or maybe even C-.

You sort of get the impression that the OBD politicos that were hiring for the job took a guy who would be easier to control and less threatening to the way they have chosen to manage the team and the business than a highly respected veteran coach like Lovie.

The hype at the time was that we bagged the guy everybody was after etc...but maybe we just took the local boy because it was the easiest and most expedient thing to do.

A new HC normally surrounds himself with guys that he knows, but you wonder whether his OC and ST coaches were chosen because they would be more manageable and less threatening to him.

I also get the impression that maybe his insecurity translates into a hard line "my way or the highway" attitude. Maybe that works in college but with grown men who are making many times what you are earning it doesn't work.

Good NFL coaches cater to their best players to get the buy in they want and to get the most out of them - all without sacrificing the player to coach respect that they need to have and maintain at all times.

Like EJ we will know a lot more about DM a year from now.

I hope they both succeed.

 

[DanInUticaTampa]

His first mistake was the Hackett hiring. Too inexperienced to run an NFL offense.

 

Next was cutting tavaris Jackson and keeping Kolb. I am almost positive that cost us at least one win there.

 

The silly challenges made throughout the season was embarrassing, but those have calmed down at least.

 

I like him more than I hate him right now. But I need to see a lot of improvement next season, especially on offense

 

[bobobonators]

1. Starting Tuel while Flynn was on bench.