Next hot coaching candidate? 13 names to watch (Daboll Mentioned)

[MJS]

Robert Saleh, 2 Pats assistants among young coaches to watch

By Tom Pelissero

NFL.com reporter

 

Who is this year's Sean McVay -- the young, up-and-coming coach who may get an NFL head job sooner than later?

 

This is the third year I've asked the question, and six names from the previous lists have been hired, including Matt LaFleur, Brian Flores and Zac Taylor in the most recent cycle. As I note every year, McVay -- a 30-year-old with three years of experience as a coordinator when the Rams hired him in January 2017 -- is a rare guy, and pretty much nobody has comparable experience at such a young age. Winless starts amidst intentional (Dolphins) and not-so-intentional (Bengals) rebuilds have some plugged-in people predicting a shift away from the wunderkind hiring trend. But McVay is coming off a Super Bowl appearance, and LaFleur's age certainly isn't stopping him from early success in Green Bay, so you can bet some NFL teams will once again look past the length of resume (or lack thereof) if they feel they have a shot to land the next superstar head coach.

 

The criteria here remains the same as past years: the age cutoff is in the early 40s, and the person can't have been a full-time NFL head coach before. Here's a short list of names to remember, based on dozens of recent conversations with NFL executives, coaches, players and others close to the search process:

New faces for this year's list

49ers DC Robert Saleh

 

Colts OC Nick Sirianni

 

Vikings OC Kevin Stefanski

 

Baylor coach Matt Rhule and Iowa State coach Matt Campbell

 

Bills OC Brian Daboll: If the Bills stay hot, it wouldn't be a surprise to see interest in Daboll, 44, who has a big fan in young QB Josh Allen. He's a likeable guy with offensive chops and an impressive pedigree that includes five Super Bowl wins over two stints as a Patriots assistant and a national title on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama.

 

Patriots ST/WR coach Joe Judge and ILB coach Jerod Mayo

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001069028/article/robert-saleh-2-pats-assistants-among-young-coaches-to-watch

 

...

 

Interesting to see Daboll mentioned, once again, as a head coaching candidate. It would be strange considering the Bills have not had that good of an offense this year and is winning mainly on defensive dominance and occasional Josh Allen heroics. I think if Daboll really will be considered for head coaching jobs, he'd have to kick this offense into a much higher gear going forward.

[Saxum]

Any consideration is probably for the schemes and belief offense is doing better than some expected not that expectations were high.

[IgotBILLStopay]

Wonder why Frazier does not get mentioned. He has blended together a collection of early and late draft picks and free agent acquisitions including other team discards and the given the defense a complete makeover. And they have performed swimmingly. Is it that execs think McD deserves more credit than Frazier? Or is it that he is not "young" anymore and hence not so "cool" anymore?

[atlbillsfan1975]

I like Daboll but think he could be replaced. If Daboll leaves would love to see McDermott dial up Joseph Brady to come OC. Guy has been around Sean Payton in NO and now has turned LSU into a offensive power house behind Joe Burrow. Brady will be a hot candidate for OC after this season. 

Brady and McDermott are both William and Mary grads, albeit almost 20 years apart.

[DallasBillsFan1]

I hope Daboll stays for consistency sake.

[Mr. WEO]

43 minutes ago, MJS said:

 

 

 

Bills OC Brian Daboll: an impressive pedigree that includes five Super Bowl wins over two stints as a Patriots assistant and a national title on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama.

 

 

 

Zelig-like....

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

Daboll still has not shown himself as anything more than a mediocrity at best as an OC

[WhoTom]

44 minutes ago, IgotBILLStopay said:

Wonder why Frazier does not get mentioned. He has blended together a collection of early and late draft picks and free agent acquisitions including other team discards and the given the defense a complete makeover. And they have performed swimmingly. Is it that execs think McD deserves more credit than Frazier? Or is it that he is not "young" anymore and hence not so "cool" anymore?

 

In this context, I think "young" implies never having been an NFL head coach.

 

As for our defense, I don't know whether McD or Frazier has more to do with it, but generally a defensive-minded HC puts his imprint on the D, to say the least. Last year, McD helped Frazier with the play calling after (or during?) the first game, and it improved after that. For all we know, he's still taking a roll in defensive play calling - if not the actual plays themselves, then at least the general defensive philosophy.

 

Regarding the draft and FA acquisitions, the HC's input carries more weight with the GM than the DC's does.

[Bangarang]

I question whether he’d be a good HC but if our offense is productive and Allen improves he will definitely be a candidate

Edited October 24, 2019 by Bangarang

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

55 minutes ago, IgotBILLStopay said:

Wonder why Frazier does not get mentioned. He has blended together a collection of early and late draft picks and free agent acquisitions including other team discards and the given the defense a complete makeover. And they have performed swimmingly. Is it that execs think McD deserves more credit than Frazier? Or is it that he is not "young" anymore and hence not so "cool" anymore?

 

 

...he did not fare well in his first HC stint.......solid DC though.....yes the Colts interviewed him for HC opening, but I hope it was not for the customary "Rooney Rule" satisfaction....which sucks IMO.......demeaning for a man to be a token...........

[GunnerBill]

40 minutes ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

 

 

...he did not fare well in his first HC stint.......solid DC though.....yes the Colts interviewed him for HC opening, but I hope it was not for the customary "Rooney Rule" satisfaction....which sucks IMO.......demeaning for a man to be a token...........

 

It was not. The NFL at the time confirmed that because they had satisfied the Rooney Rule in the process before settling on McDaniels they did not need to satisfy it again in the process once he backed out. The Colts were looking for a stable, mature, process driven guy to come in and calm the place after the McDaniels debacle. I suspect Dungy recommended Frazier to them. They are pals and he fits that brief. He is supposed to have done a very impressive interview too but they ultimately felt reviving Andrew Luck was best done by an offensive guy and so went for Reich - which has worked out well to this point. 

 

I think Frazier is likely seen as too old though - he is 60. And he is a hard sell to a fanbase. Based on age and his record with the Vikings (though he did make the playoffs with Christian Ponder). 

 

Daboll will be in the mix if the Bills end up with 10 or 11 wins and Josh has steady improvement. I am not sure I see a leader there personally. I say frequently that teams overvalue coordinators who have great schemes and undervalue leadership in HC searches. The reason I was all in on Sean McDermott was because every time I had seen him talk I had been impressed with his demeanour and saw real leadership potential in him.  

 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

17 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

It was not. The NFL at the time confirmed that because they had satisfied the Rooney Rule in the process before settling on McDaniels they did not need to satisfy it again in the process once he backed out. The Colts were looking for a stable, mature, process driven guy to come in and calm the place after the McDaniels debacle. I suspect Dungy recommended Frazier to them. They are pals and he fits that brief. He is supposed to have done a very impressive interview too but they ultimately felt reviving Andrew Luck was best done by an offensive guy and so went for Reich - which has worked out well to this point. 

 

I think Frazier is likely seen as too old though - he is 60. And he is a hard sell to a fanbase. Based on age and his record with the Vikings (though he did make the playoffs with Christian Ponder). 

 

Daboll will be in the mix if the Bills end up with 10 or 11 wins and Josh has steady improvement. I am not sure I see a leader there personally. I say frequently that teams overvalue coordinators who have great schemes and undervalue leadership in HC searches. The reason I was all in on Sean McDermott was because every time I had seen him talk I had been impressed with his demeanour and saw real leadership potential in him.  

 

 

...he may be comfortable doing what he is doing as a DC......maybe Schwartz like....dunno.......

[MJS]

2 hours ago, IgotBILLStopay said:

Wonder why Frazier does not get mentioned. He has blended together a collection of early and late draft picks and free agent acquisitions including other team discards and the given the defense a complete makeover. And they have performed swimmingly. Is it that execs think McD deserves more credit than Frazier? Or is it that he is not "young" anymore and hence not so "cool" anymore?

Most attribute the defensive success to McDermott. Frazier is running McDermott's scheme. McDermott has also stepped in and taken play calling duties in at least one game when things weren't going well (with great success).

 

And Frazier has already had chances as a head coach.

[Phil The Thrill]

2 hours ago, IgotBILLStopay said:

Wonder why Frazier does not get mentioned. He has blended together a collection of early and late draft picks and free agent acquisitions including other team discards and the given the defense a complete makeover. And they have performed swimmingly. Is it that execs think McD deserves more credit than Frazier? Or is it that he is not "young" anymore and hence not so "cool" anymore?

Yeah I agree.  You would think that Frazier should be a candidate.  He has guided the Bills to pretty good defenses (for the most part) with younger or limited talent.  

 

Plus he didn’t completely bomb in Minnesota.  The team went 18-18.
 

I do think that he suffers from the stigma of being “old” and being a retread.  People assume he has a traditional philosophy which doesn’t sell.  Also, I think working under McDermott is hurting him because every assumes the defense is all McD’s.  
 

He deserves a second chance

[Rico]

After Mike Pettine got hired by the Browns, I would say anything is possible.

[Nick the Greek]

2 hours ago, DallasBillsFan1 said:

I hope Daboll stays for consistency sake.

I truly believe that Josh's improvement this season is due largely to him. 

[Wayne Arnold]

2 hours ago, DallasBillsFan1 said:

I hope Daboll stays for consistency sake.

 

Me too. 

 

Daboll doesn't come across to me as head coach material. Just my opinion. I like him as an OC but I don't think he's the type of guy who would thrive as the head manager.

[Nick the Greek]

49 minutes ago, Rico said:

After Mike Pettine got hired by the Browns, I would say anything is possible.

I liked Pettine when he was our DC. 

 

But the Browns can kill any coaching career, thats for sure. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

59 minutes ago, Phil The Thrill said:

Yeah I agree.  You would think that Frazier should be a candidate.  He has guided the Bills to pretty good defenses (for the most part) with younger or limited talent.  

 

Plus he didn’t completely bomb in Minnesota.  The team went 18-18.
 

I do think that he suffers from the stigma of being “old” and being a retread.  People assume he has a traditional philosophy which doesn’t sell.  Also, I think working under McDermott is hurting him because every assumes the defense is all McD’s.  
 

He deserves a second chance

 

I agree with this actually.  I think sometimes the people hiring are all about the “Next Big Thing” and guys who are quietly doing their job with excellence just get overlooked.  If I were shopping for a HC, I’d consider Frazier >> Daboll based on the way the two sides of the ball have performed.  

 

Actually that “quietly doing his job” thing may be the problem for Frazier.  Perhaps his calm demeanor is a bit too calm for some times when a HC must chew some butt

[Mr. WEO]

This year, his second, his offense is averaging 1 passing TD, 1 rushing TD and 1 FG per game.  It's a bento box offense.  What other team is looking for that?