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Excellent article on HC candidates for Bills.

PIZ

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in The Stadium Wall Archives

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PIZ

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Takes forever to load, but it's worth it. Good read:

 

Real Football 365

 

Maurice Carthon, Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator. Carthon has been an assistant since 1994 and has worked under Bill Parcells, and now Romeo Crennel. The thing I like the most about him is that he's held coordinator positions with three different NFL teams (Lions, Cowboys, and Browns) and comes from the Parcells system that has produced Bill Belichick, Charlie Weis, and Crennel. Belichick has won 3 Super Bowls and counting with the New England Patriots, Weis is turning Notre Dame around, and Crennel has already improved the Browns in his rookie campaign. Carthon, a former running back for the New York Giants, could greatly improve the Bills' offense, specifically Willis McGahee.

 

Jim Fassel, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator. Fassel was the head coach of the Giants from 1997-2003 and led them to a 58-53-1 record, as well as a Super Bowl appearance. He's struggled mightily in Baltimore over the last two seasons as an offensive assistant but it's hard to expect much with their limited talent. Fassel was passed on by the Bills prior to the 2004 season and that was certainly a shame. It's likely that the team would have been better over the last two seasons had Fassel been hired.

 

Al Saunders, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator. Saunders has been a coach in the NFL for 27 years and was the head coach of the San Diego Chargers for two years during the mid '80s. Saunders' record was 14-17 but he has certainly learned a lot since those seasons in San Diego. He was an assistant with Dick Vermeil's Rams during their Super Bowl victory in the 1999-2000 season and then left for the Chiefs with Vermeil. He guided the top offense in the league from 2002-2004 and has once again led the Chiefs' offense to elite status in 2005. The ability to stress the running game and tight end game has been the trademark of the Chiefs' offense. That is thanks mainly to Saunders. The Bills don't utilize their running game or tight ends enough and Saunders could certainly fix that if he comes to the Bills' organization.

 

Russ Grimm, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach. Grimm was one of the best linemen in football during the 1980s for the Washington Redskins as he and the rest of the "Hogs" offensive line bulldozed their way to 3 Super Bowl championships. Grimm has been an assistant since 1997 and has whipped the Redskins' and Steelers' lines into shape during that time period. He'd be a great fit in Buffalo to establish toughness and repair the Bills' porous line. Grimm nearly got the head coaching job in Chicago prior to the 2004 season but lost out to Lovie Smith.

 

Sean Payton, Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator. Payton has helped with Drew Bledsoe's revival this season and the Cowboys' offense in general. Last season, under the tutelage of Payton, the ancient Vinny Testaverde threw for over 3,500 yards. Payton, the former Giants coordinator under Jim Fassel, helped guide their offense to a Super Bowl berth in the 2000 season. Working under Fassel and now Parcells has given Payton qualities such as leadership, accountability, and the experience that it takes to be a head coach in this league. He was nearly hired by the Oakland Raiders two years ago and probably should have been, considering how Norv Turner's tenure has turned out. He'd be a great fit in Buffalo to help develop young quarterback J.P. Losman and establish a solid ground attack.

 

Gil Haskell, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator. Haskell has been an NFL assistant since 1982 and has earned his stripes over that time period. He has done a tremendous job in Seattle as far as making Shaun Alexander the focal point of the team's offense. Willis McGahee should be the center of the Bills' offense but has been underutilized by his poor offensive coaching staff. Haskell has worked under offensive mastermind Mike Holmgren since the mid '90s and may be on his way to his second Super Bowl title as an assistant.

 

Monte Kiffin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator. Kiffin, the longest tenured defensive coordinator in the NFL (10 years), has been in the league a total of 23 years. He coached the Bucs' defense to a Super Bowl title in the 2002-2003 season and has consistently had his unit among the best in the league. Kiffin has expressed no interest in a head coaching job but if the Bills give him enough money he just might change his mind. Kiffin would certainly help the Bills' struggling defense and might even bring his son Lane--the current offensive coordinator for the USC Trojans-- to Buffalo with him.

 

Mike Trgovac, Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator. An NFL assistant since 1995, Trgovac has earned great respect for the great accomplishments of his defenses. The former defensive line coach has produced numerous Pro Bowl players and helped turn young players into established ones. Trgovac was named defensive coordinator of the Panthers before the 2003 season and his swarming squad helped them reach the Super Bowl. Despite injuries, the defense has been great the last two years and Trgovac could be instrumental in the possibility of the Panthers reaching their second Super Bowl. The Bills' defense currently ranks 28th and he could easily repair that with his mentality and the respect that he's gained from every player that he's coached. The fact that he's coached under John Fox--one of the game's best-- is a major incentive and could benefit Trgovac in the future. Donahoe already passed on Fox prior to the 2001 season. Should Donahoe (or whoever the Bills' GM is next year) pass on a Fox protégé? I think not.

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PIZ Veteran

PIZ

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If those are the candidates I see visions of GW and MM again.

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Those were the top coordinators that will be available. Before that, he mentioned Brian Billick, Mike Sherman, and Herm Edwards.

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obie_wan Veteran

obie_wan

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Other than Fassel, the common thread is that there is ZERO experience as the head guy at some major program.

 

It's great to be a good teacher, but those skills don;t always translate to the head coaching level.

 

Better off with a guy with NFl experience but who has run a successful program at the major college level, like Nick Saban did.

 

If they change, it should be Kirk Ferentz- if Jeff Fischer doesn;t leave.

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KOKBILLS All Pro

KOKBILLS

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Takes forever to load, but it's worth it.  Good read:

 

Real Football 365

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Well it's a list...That is for certain...

 

There are lists a mile long with Coaches who have qualifications out the wazoo...What the Bills need, more than anything though is a Leader of Men...Any Coach hired is going to be qualified by accomplishments, but an NFL HC has to be a Leader 1st and foremost...If these guys are all wishy-washy dead fish like MM, they will also fail...I'm not saying they are, I'm just saying that basing candidates by lists of accomplishments, especially Assistant Coaches is of little help...Because a guy like Mularkey, or GW for that matter, would look good on a list like that...And we now know neither is NFL HC calibre...This is why whoever picks the next HC HAS to be a heck of a lot better than TD was at recognizing a personality that todays NFL player will respond to...

 

I'd rather not go the assistant route (I know Fassel was on the list also) just due to the 3 strikes and your out factor...But admittedly that might be just me... :huh:

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respk Rookie

respk

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Of that group I'd probably take Saunders for the following reasons:

1. past head coaching experience. His record wasn't very good with SD. With the experience he has gained as an assistant in the years since, the second time around just might increase the chances of success.

2. He has a super bowl ring. He's been there done that and has the ring to prove it.

3. The chiefs offense has been good for sometime. He knows how to use a running back (Holmes and Johnson).

4. He's old which means he has experience. Enough of the flash in the pan coordinators.

5. He's an offensive guy. If the team is going to win soon it will need to be on the backs of the offense. Losman, McGahee, Evans, Parrish, Moulds (or his replacement) The defense has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they can't do it and it needs a major overhaul.

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DCgirl Practice Squad

DCgirl

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I definitely don't want Carthon. He didn't even call the plays when he was with Dallas - he was not Crennel's first choice in Cleveland and the play calling has been terrible in Cleveland this year (i.e. pass on 3rd and 1 and dumb trick plays).

 

And I thought Al Saunders and Monte Kiffin have been recruited before and both wanted to stay at their current positions. (I think Saunders has his eye on the HC position once Vermeil retires).

 

I agree with KOKBILLS - I'd love Herm Edwards.

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Adam All Pro

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That's a terrific and very realistic article.  I'd rather have one of those guys then Jim Haslett who has done horribly in N'Awlins.  Levy or Jimmy Johnson would be great but they just aren't realistic choices

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Marv Levy had a rough time before he came here- Name a coach other than Haslett that has won a playoff game with the Saints- its a roughed up franchise, and has been for a long time

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