Marrone or Whaley, Who Stays?

[Bangarang]

 

If the Bills finish 9-7 - which is very possible given the circumstances of Sunday's game - I don't see any chance of Marrone getting fired. He will have coached the team to a winning season for the the first time in a DECADE. More importantly, regardless of whether we like him, he is in fact widely respected across the league and with a lot of backers. I just don't see him getting canned if it comes down to a decision between him and Whaley. The latter is on the hook for Manuel, and my sense is that across the league he's viewed as a bust. I'm not saying that's right, but perception matters.

 

How does one come to the conclusion that Marrone is widely respected around the league?

 

And what kind of GM do we expect to hire when we tell him that he can't even pick his own coach? This whole keep the HC but fire the GM sounds like backwards logic.

[dave mcbride]

Even if Pegula has doubts about both Whaley and Marrone, I think Whaley is more likely to go this year. If Pegula is unsure about Whaley, how can you have him hire a new head coach? If Pegula wants to fire Whaley after one more year, how many GMs will want a job where they are either stuck with a head coach who was just hired or they need to fire a coach who was just hired. That scenario seems way too disruptive to the team. Also, with Whaley, you can objectively point to moves that were questionable (trading up for Watkins, drafting CK, and drafting EJ). It would be harder with Marrone, where the Bills have shown improvement in their overall record after two seasons.

I also think that Marrone has good relationships with many of the potential candidates to replace Whaley. That said, maybe they'll figure out a way to make it work.

[Fan in Chicago]

I'm not saying which path is right, but I have a hunch Marrone stays. My sense is that Marrone is widely respected across the league.

 

I have been a semi-supporter of Marrone, but given a choice, I would rather keep Whaley. His major pros include building a very good defense and finding diamonds in the rough. His failings have been inability to find a QB and OL gaffes. I do not want to go back to the Donahoe or Marv Levy days of fumbling around with the draft only to hurt the franchise long term.

 

Marrone on the other hand may be replaceable. I would much rather have option B which keeps both but cans the OC and OL coach.

[jahbonas]

I have heard the following to happen:

 

Bye bye to Russ Brandon

Whaley & Marrone stay

bye bye to hacket

bye bye to OL coach

possible bye bye 1 defensive asst

 

new structure displayed next week

[Maddog69]

Even if Pegula has doubts about both Whaley and Marrone, I think Whaley is more likely to go this year. If Pegula is unsure about Whaley, how can you have him hire a new head coach? If Pegula wants to fire Whaley after one more year, how many GMs will want a job where they are either stuck with a head coach who was just hired or they need to fire a coach who was just hired. That scenario seems way too disruptive to the team. Also, with Whaley, you can objectively point to moves that were questionable (trading up for Watkins, drafting CK, and drafting EJ). It would be harder with Marrone, where the Bills have shown improvement in their overall record after two seasons.

Just for arguments sake, you say that if you let Whalley pick a new HC this year and fire him next year that no new GM is going to want to be stuck with that coach. Wouldn't that be the situation this year if you fire Whalley but keep Marrone?

[Bangarang]

I have heard the following to happen:

 

Bye bye to Russ Brandon

Whaley & Marrone stay

bye bye to hacket

bye bye to OL coach

possible bye bye 1 defensive asst

 

new structure displayed next week

 

So we fire Hackett but keep the root of the problem in Marrone. How wonderful?

 

Fire the o-line coach when all I saw at training camp was Marrine working exclusively with the o-line.

 

Nice to see there are a few fall guys lined up to appease those that think simply firing Hackett fixes this offense.

[Dr. K]

In my opinion, firing Whaley and keeping Marone would be a very bad move. On a much lower level (since their achievements are much less) it would repeat the firing of Polian and keeping Marv back in the 1990s.

 

Yes, the Bills have won more games than they have in ten years. Whaley has improved the roster a great deal in the last few years. I do not understand what they gain by firing him.

[1billsfan]

If the Bills finish 9-7 - which is very possible given the circumstances of Sunday's game - I don't see any chance of Marrone getting fired. He will have coached the team to a winning season for the the first time in a DECADE. More importantly, regardless of whether we like him, he is in fact widely respected across the league and with a lot of backers. I just don't see him getting canned if it comes down to a decision between him and Whaley. The latter is on the hook for Manuel, and my sense is that across the league he's viewed as a bust. I'm not saying that's right, but perception matters.

 

The only reason he got to that record was with the NFL's best defense which he had nothing to do with. You say he's well respected, well how do you know that? Who are these "a lot of backers"? Other teams blow smoke because they want you to keep your bad head coach. Bill Polian? He isn't "a lot of backers". Polian got many things wrong in his career. He was lucky to have both Kelly and Manning. You could argue that his having only one Superbowl win with both Kelly and Manning was a very bad mark on his record.

 

List the current head coaches that Doug Marrone is better than. Then list the NFL teams who would want Whaley's Bills defense.

 

We will find out very shortly how the Pegula's feel about the matter. My sense is that the feeling will be that Marrone is by far the biggest thing holding this team back. I think he's gone on Monday, a day after the Pats beat the Bills even using their backups for the entire second half.

[BmarvB]

Both should get another year. Move Brandon back to marketing where he belongs and put in a real football guy to replace him. Get another O-line coach & veteran OC

[dave mcbride]

 

 

How does one come to the conclusion that Marrone is widely respected around the league?

 

And what kind of GM do we expect to hire when we tell him that he can't even pick his own coach? This whole keep the HC but fire the GM sounds like backwards logic.

When Marrone was first hired, a number of prominent and influential people sang his praises - Coughlin, Polian, Payton, etc. In other words, he's "one of them," for better or worse. Also, while may not like Hackett, his dad was well respected and well liked across the league, working with Bill Walsh, John Robinson, Mike Holmgren, Marty Schottenheimer, Gruden, and many others over the years. He also worked as OC of the Jets when Marrone was there, and that team got to the playoffs in his first two seasons. Last but not least, Marrone's going to bat for Pettine (who did a good job in bad circumstances) this offseason was noticed, and it reflected well on him.

 

Basically, he has a lot of backers. I'd probably throw Rex Ryan into that mix too.

Edited December 26, 2014 by dave mcbride

[Augie]

Whaley has assembled a talented team (with a few holes). Marrone has done little with it.

[dave mcbride]

 

 

The only reason he got to that record was with the NFL's best defense which he had nothing to do with. You say he's well respected, well how do you know that? Who are these "a lot of backers"? Other teams blow smoke because they want you to keep your bad head coach. Bill Polian? He isn't "a lot of backers". Polian got many things wrong in his career. He was lucky to have both Kelly and Manning. You could argue that his having only one Superbowl win with both Kelly and Manning was a very bad mark on his record.

 

List the current head coaches that Doug Marrone is better than. Then list the NFL teams who would want Whaley's Bills defense.

 

We will find out very shortly how the Pegula's feel about the matter. My sense is that the feeling will be that Marrone is by far the biggest thing holding this team back. I think he's gone on Monday, a day after the Pats beat the Bills even using their backups for the entire second half.

See my post above. As for the defense, people who don't think he had anything to do with it are probably the same sort of people who don't give Parcells credit. In other words, they're wrong. One of the most important jobs of a head coach is hiring staff. If you can't lure good staff, you're failing at your job. He hired Pettine and Schwartz. He did not hire the equivalent of George Edwards.

[1billsfan]

When Marrone was first hired, a number of prominent and influential people sang his praises - Coughlin, Polian, Payton, etc. in other words, he's "one of them," for better or worse. Also, while may not like Hackett, his dad was well respected and well liked across the league, working with Bill Walsh, John Robinson, Mike Holmgren, Marty Schottenheimer, Gruden, and many others over the years. He also worked as OC of the Jets when Marrone was there, and that team got to the playoffs in his first two seasons. Last but not least, Marrone's going to bat for Pettine (who did a good job in bad circumstances) this offseason was noticed, and it reflected well on him.

 

Basically, he has a lot of backers. I'd probably throw Rex Ryan into that mix too.

 

When Marrone was first hired? Hackett's dad?

 

We aren't back in 2013 (there are historically awful offensive stats now) and Hackett's dad isn't coordinating our offense.

 

See my post above. As for the defense, people who don't think he had anything to do with it are probably the same sort of people who don't give Parcells credit. In other words, they're wrong. One of the most important jobs of a head coach is hiring staff. If you can't lure good staff, you're failing at your job. He hired Pettine and Schwartz. He did not hire the equivalent of George Edwards.

 

Please list the current NFL head coaches that Doug Marrone is better than.

[BuffaloPride]

I have heard the following to happen:

 

Bye bye to Russ Brandon

Whaley & Marrone stay

bye bye to hacket

bye bye to OL coach

possible bye bye 1 defensive asst

 

new structure displayed next week

Where exactly have you heard this from?

[dave mcbride]

 

 

When Marrone was first hired? Hackett's dad?

 

We aren't back in 2013 (there are historically awful offensive stats now) and Hackett's dad isn't coordinating our offense.

 

 

 

Please list the current NFL head coaches that Doug Marrone is better than.

Dude, I'm not looking for a fight. I'm just stating some facts. You act as if I'm Marrone's advocate. I'm not. I just think that if one is to go, there are things weighing in his favor. Not saying it's right or smart.

Edited December 26, 2014 by dave mcbride

[peterpan]

That's a ridiculous question. Whaley gave us a top 3 defense in the NFL. What has Marrone given us again?

 

Not trying to dog Whaley, but if we are going to be technical, Buddy Nix was acting GM when we drafted Dareus, Traded for Hughes, signed Mario, drafted Bradham and Kiko, and drafted Gilmore Searcy A williams Robey and D williams.

 

K Willaims and McKelvin were hold overs from before Nix.

 

That leaves drafting Preston Brown and signing Brandon Spikes as starters since Whaley took over. I still believe Whaley had a lot to do with those Nix drafts, which is why I think he should stay, but that means he also had a hand in drafting Manual (huge Bust) Drafting Spiller and trading Lynch (Big Mistake) Drafting Tourelle Troup over Gronk (huge Mistake) losing a 1st round pick to move up for Watkins and then whiffing on Kunjo with a high second rounder stinks.

 

Without a doubt I think he should stick around, because we are 1-2 players away from really competing, but lets not act like Whaley built this team.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

I have heard the following to happen:

 

Bye bye to Russ Brandon

Whaley & Marrone stay

bye bye to hacket

bye bye to OL coach

possible bye bye 1 defensive asst

 

new structure displayed next week

 

Not sure who your source is, but I doubt brandon is gone. Isn't he now in a pure marketing/business position?

[dave mcbride]

 

 

When Marrone was first hired? Hackett's dad?

 

We aren't back in 2013 (there are historically awful offensive stats now) and Hackett's dad isn't coordinating our offense.

You're kinda missing my point here. I'm talking about league support for Marrone, not whether his offense is good or not.

 

Please list the current NFL head coaches that Doug Marrone is better than.

Again, you're missing my point. I am not his advocate.

Edited December 26, 2014 by dave mcbride

[Bangarang]

When Marrone was first hired, a number of prominent and influential people sang his praises - Coughlin, Polian, Payton, etc. In other words, he's "one of them," for better or worse. Also, while may not like Hackett, his dad was well respected and well liked across the league, working with Bill Walsh, John Robinson, Mike Holmgren, Marty Schottenheimer, Gruden, and many others over the years. He also worked as OC of the Jets when Marrone was there, and that team got to the playoffs in his first two seasons. Last but not least, Marrone's going to bat for Pettine (who did a good job in bad circumstances) this offseason was noticed, and it reflected well on him.

 

Basically, he has a lot of backers. I'd probably throw Rex Ryan into that mix too.

 

I mean, what do you expect other coaches to say in the media? Do you think there would be a single coach that would disrespect Marrone to the media or say anything that isn't positive? Is that what we're going by here? Chan Gailey was praised by Bill Cowher for crying out loud.

 

And why do I care about Hackett's dad exactly? What does his resume have to do with his son?

 

I think you're really grasping at straws with your defense of Marrone here. This is a results based business and Marrone has failed for 2 years now.

[bananathumb]

The front office is a tired, losing nag that will never win a race. Out to pasture for Brandon, Whaley and Marrone and all offensive coaches. The D side stays if the new GM wants it. A bright offence-minded coach brought in. Why would the new owner want to keep a tired, losing FO?