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December 20, 2016 at 3:09 pm #61371
znModeratorMarketing will drive Rams head coaching search
HOWARD BALZER
https://www.all22.com/los-angeles-rams/marketing-rams-coaching-search
When Los Angeles Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff faced the media this past Monday following the firing of head coach Jeff Fisher, he tried to convince the world the decision to move on from Fisher was all about football and on-field performance.
Although it can’t be denied the team’s performance over the previous three weeks while being outscored 117-45 by New Orleans, New England and Atlanta was dreadful, the decision to move on from Fisher was certainly about a lot more than wins and losses.
Demoff and owner Stan Kroenke found themselves embroiled in a toxic situation that began with Fisher’s refusal to put quarterback Jared Goff on the field until the second half of the season. He then engaged in a war of words with Hall-of-Fame running back Eric Dickerson, who took offense to being denied sideline passes for him and his friends because the former Ram criticized the team and Fisher on his local radio show.
With pricey PSLs for the new stadium scheduled to be marketed beginning in early 2017, it became apparent they might be a tad hard to sell with Fisher as the team’s coach.
Wanting to get Fisher away from the team as quickly as possible, he was jettisoned two days before the Rams would travel to Seattle for Thursday night’s game against the Seahawks, which they lost 24-3 with special teams coordinator John Fassel as the interim head coach.
It’s also likely Demoff and Kroenke didn’t want to take the chance of the team finishing the season strong under Fisher because they have usually played well during his tenure against NFC West teams, and the Rams will be home against San Francisco and Arizona to conclude an embarrassing first season in Los Angeles.
Which brings the Rams to the task ahead. Demoff confidently said, “We will find the right leader for this football team moving forward.”
Rams fans have to wonder if they are capable of getting it right. The club made a splash before the draft, trading too many draft picks to get in position to select Goff with the first overall choice.
Now, with those PSLs to sell, their search for a head coach and new face of the franchise will undoubtedly lead to an effort at convincing a “name” coach to take over the development of Goff.
That’s what has prompted the rumor mill to churn out names like Jim Harbaugh, Pete Carroll and Jon Gruden.
It’s difficult to imagine Harbaugh leaving his alma mater to once again enter the fishbowl world of the NFL, but Kroenke’s millions can be enticing. To be sure, to get the man he wants, Kroenke will virtually hand his guy a blank check.
Carroll is under contract to the Seahawks, so that possibility is pie-in-the sky.
From an image standpoint, Gruden makes sense. He has a good Q rating from Monday Night Football, and he is perceived as a “quarterback whisperer.” Plus, Demoff was in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers front office from 2005-2008, the final four seasons of Gruden’s seven-year tenure as the Bucs head coach. Would it surprise anyone if there has already been contact between Demoff and Gruden to gauge his interest?
However, a closer look at his record reveals that he wasn’t much better than Fisher, save for the Super Bowl title won in his first season after being hired to replace Tony Dungy. So, Demoff should tread lightly.
The Bucs were 15-4 in 2002 including the postseason, but 45-53 in the next six seasons. That 60-57 overall record is 51.3 percent. His regular-season record of 57-55 is 50.9 percent. Fisher concludes his Rams tenure with a 31-45-1 record (40.9 percent). Overall, he is 178-171-1 (51.0 percent) and 173-165-1 in the regular season (51.2 percent).
Gruden did have two other playoff seasons with records of 11-5 and 9-7, but failed to win in the postseason either year. There was one non-playoff season with a 9-7 record and marks of 7-9, 5-11 and 4-12 in the other three.
Consistency? Not so much, considering this seven-year arc: 12-4, 7-9, 5-11, 11-5, 4-12, 9-7, 9-7.
Quarterback whisperer and/or developer? Not so fast.
In 112 regular-season games in Tampa, Gruden’s teams started nine different quarterbacks with Brad Johnson, the Super Bowl winner, leading the way with 33. That was followed by Jeff Garcia, 24; Brian Griese, 21; Chris Simms, 15; Bruce Gradkowski, 11; Luke McCown, 3; Rob Johnson and Tim Rattay, 2; and Shaun King, 1.
Three quarterbacks were selected in the draft: Simms in the third round in 2003, Gradkowski in the sixth round in 2006 and Josh Johnson in the fifth round in 2008, Gruden’s final season.
Needless to say, none will ever be sitting to have their busts crafted for a spot in Canton.
For those wondering, Fisher watched seven quarterbacks start in his five seasons with the Rams: Sam Bradford, 23; Case Keenum, 14; Nick Foles, 11; Kellen Clemens, 9; Austin Davis and Shaun Hill, 8; and Goff, 5.
Still, Gruden, if he would be willing to leave the broadcast booth for the sideline, would fit Kroenke’s bill. Once that PSL money is in the bank, whatever happens afterward probably doesn’t matter much to him.
The intriguing question is what the Rams will do if Gruden or any other experienced head coach can’t be had.
On one level, the Rams have to be impressed with what first-time head coaches with an offensive pedigree have accomplished this season: Adam Gase in Miami (8-5), Ben McAdoo with the Giants (9-4), Dirk Koetter in Tampa Bay (8-5) and to a lesser degree Doug Pederson in Philadelphia (5-8) with rookie quarterback Carson Wentz and a decimated offensive line.
While Demoff claimed it’s not imperative to hire a coach with an offensive background, it’s infinitely easier to find a quality defensive coordinator than one on offense.
Most important, if the offensive-minded head coach finds success, he’s not leaving to go anywhere. However, stability can be uprooted when an offensive coordinator departs to become a head coach for another team.
Does anyone believe the Buccaneers would be where they are now had Koetter been hired as a head coach by another team after the 2015 season? That would have resulted in quarterback Jameis Winston likely being forced to adjust to a new system. With Koetter on the interview list for several teams, the Bucs quickly fired Lovie Smith and hired Koetter.
However, would the Rams be able to “sell” an inexperienced coach along with their PSLs?
That could be difficult. However, there is one “name” that makes sense: Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.
Not only has he had success as a play-caller, but he has that marquee last name as the son of Mike Shanahan.
Is there a guarantee he would be successful as a head coach? There never is, just as there’s no guarantee with a “retread” head coach.
Kyle Shanahan makes all the sense in the world for what the Rams are looking for because for them it’s all about what the team will look like when the move to their new stadium occurs in 2019.
Most everywhere, perception is reality, but it’s even more true in Hollywood.
Kroenke and Demoff now know that more than ever before.
December 20, 2016 at 3:31 pm #61376znModeratorDecember 20, 2016 at 3:37 pm #61378
wvParticipantWell, i dont have any great knowledge of Gruden, but my gut has
always informed me he’s kindof a poser. A phoney. I’ve never taken him seriously as a great football mind.But what do i know.
w
vDecember 20, 2016 at 4:16 pm #61384
joemadParticipantWell, i dont have any great knowledge of Gruden, but my gut has
always informed me he’s kindof a poser. A phoney. I’ve never taken him seriously as a great football mind.Gruden was 40-28 in Oakland after taking over a 4-12 very dysfunctional team
Journeyman Gannon became MVP
Bad luck in the playoffs with the Tuck Rule.
Bad luck again when Siraggussa planted Gannon’s shoulder in the turf in the AFC Chmapionship vs Ravens
In 15 years after he left Oakland the Raiders have Only had 2 winning seasons… The 2 winning seasons were in 2002 when he got fired and handed the keys to Calahan and the 2nd winning season is this year under Jack Del Rio.
That 2002 Oakland Raider team was beaten in the Super Bowl by Brad Johnson and Jon Gruden
Interview the poser….
If anyone is a poser it’s Jeff Fisher, Spags and Linehan.
I’m sick of posers…
December 20, 2016 at 5:58 pm #61386znModeratorSources: Jon Gruden a focal point in L.A. Rams’ coaching search
Charles Robinson
The Los Angeles Rams are moving toward a meeting with ESPN analyst Jon Gruden about the team’s head coaching vacancy, multiple sources with knowledge of the Rams’ coaching search have told Yahoo Sports. The sources indicated Gruden has become a focal point on the Rams’ list of candidates, but that other candidates could also come into play – notably Stanford Cardinal head coach David Shaw and New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton.
It’s not known whether Shaw or Payton have any level of interest in the Rams job, but multiple sources said Gruden would be inclined to listen if the Rams were willing to grant him full personnel authority. One source said such a concession would be a “must” for Gruden to even consider taking a meeting with franchise leadership in the coming days. The Rams will consider granting personnel authority to at least some of the candidates in their search and that Gruden is among that group, a source told Yahoo Sports.
Gruden, Shaw and Payton are three names that continue to fit the theme of the early list of Rams candidates who would make a big splash in the market. The team also had initial interest in Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and University of Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh but both quickly brushed off any consideration for the opening. If Shaw is interested, the Rams could quickly set a meeting with his representatives. Seeking Payton would be more complicated, as he signed a five-year contract extension with the Saints last offseason and the Rams would first need to reach some level of agreement on potential draft-pick compensation with New Orleans.
A meeting with Gruden would be far less burdensome, particularly considering there is already some high-level familiarity with the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders coach. Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff previously spent four years with the Buccaneers from 2005-09, overlapping with the final four years of Gruden’s tenure as head coach of the Buccaneers. During that time, Demoff was a senior assistant to then-general manager Bruce Allen. Essentially, he had a front-row seat to see how Gruden ran his coaching staff and interacted with the personnel department. It’s that experience which is believed to be elevating Gruden on the list – along with Gruden’s high profile.
Those who have spent time with Gruden say he has continued to believe he could again coach at a championship level in the NFL, particularly with rule changes that have given more leeway to offenses in recent years. But they’ve also said he has viewed his options for a return very selectively and largely predicated on a team’s quarterback situation. In that respect, Gruden’s belief in Jared Goff would be key.
It’s notable that he gushed about Goff in one of his “QB Camp” features on ESPN and also in some other interviews. While such public praise is taken with a grain of salt in many corners of the NFL, one source close to Gruden said he has also privately expressed that he believes Goff is a franchise quarterback.
“He does believe in him – that’s not just for TV,” one source familiar with Gruden said. “He thinks [Goff] has the stuff to be a franchise quarterback. I don’t know if Jon would have traded the farm to get him, but he sees him as a guy that was worthy of building a team around him. He sees leadership and star power there.”
Interestingly, those are two traits the Rams might value most in Gruden, too. Not just that he has been to a pair of Super Bowls and won a ring, but also because he has the type of high profile that will resonate with the Rams’ fan base. For financial reasons, that is expected to play a factor in the next head coaching hire.
While other names have been raised in the Rams’ search, sources have told Yahoo Sports there is a business component that will also factor – specifically, the plan of Rams owner Stan Kroenke to sell hundreds of millions of dollars in personal seat licenses for the new Inglewood stadium. The Rams are expected to begin that effort in force in early 2017 – not exactly an ideal launching point with the Los Angeles fan base already seeming to have grown frustrated with the team.
December 22, 2016 at 1:14 am #61476znModeratorRams’ coaching search likely to focus on up-and-coming assistants such as Kyle Shanahan, Josh McDaniels
VINCENT BONSIGNORE
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/shanahan-739155-rams-coaching.html
It was bound to happen, of course. The Rams have a head coach opening and a need to make a big splash considering the sizable stage provided by the second-biggest market in the country.
With season tickets to sell and PSLs to pitch and a new fan base to entice and plenty of eyeballs standing on the sidelines just waiting for a reason to be turned, it made sense to assume the Rams would reach for the stars to grab everyone’s attention with a big-splash hire.
And so the narrative and rumors immediately began churning upon the Rams cutting ties with Jeff Fisher.
Jim Harbaugh was simply a phone call and a sizable chunk of Stan Kroenke’s billions away from leaving Michigan for Los Angeles.
Pete Carroll was a primary focus. Jon Gruden was interested. Sean Payton was on the short list.
Never mind all the above “candidates” already have great coaching jobs or, in Gruden’s case, a cushy, high-paying TV gig he’d have to have his head examined to want to leave for the grind and rigors and headaches of coaching in the NFL.
Big names equal plenty of clicks, don’t forget. And if pushing your client’s name out there means getting a raise or a couple of years tacked on to the current contract, hey, all the better.
So let the rumors begin.
Or, as a high-ranking NFL official who’s been down this road before sighed this week, “Next week it will be Urban Meyer and Nick Saban.”
In other words, nonsense.
Look, history has shown coaching searches sometimes take wild turns on a dime. So it behooves everyone to hold off eliminating anyone just yet.
But there is a world of difference between possible and probable, so best not to get caught up in the big stars residing in far away galaxies.
Back here on earth, some compelling evidence is emerging to suggest the Rams have begun focusing on current NFL assistants standing one rung away from a coveted head coaching job. With the two most prominent targets Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
Which makes sense, considering the soft push they’ve applied to the gas pedal since showing Fisher the door lines up with the rules they must adhere to in talking to assistant coaches.
The Rams aren’t allowed to contact current assistants until after the season ends, and with most of the hot candidates coaching playoffs teams the wait is even longer in some cases.
If a potential target is coaching a team that earns a bye through the first round, the Rams can talk to him during the off week. After the wild-card round, they can talk to assistants from winning teams but only with the permission from their current teams.
After the conference championship round, they can interview for a second time a candidate from a Super Bowl participant they interviewed earlier.
Which brings us back to Shanahan and McDaniels.
With the Patriots having already earned a first-round bye, the Rams can talk to McDaniels as early as Jan. 2, or a day after the Patriots finish the regular season against the Miami Dolphins.
As for Shanahan, there is still an outside chance the Falcons finish with the second-best record in the NFC and a first-round bye. If so, the Rams can talk to him at the end of the regular season. If not, they have to wait one week.
Of all the names being bandied about, these two make the most sense.
Shanahan, though, might check off a few more boxes.
While McDaniels is associated exclusively with the Bill Belichick coaching tree, Shanahan was groomed under his celebrated father, Mike, and Super Bowl-winning coaches Jon Gruden and Gary Kubiak.
And while most of McDaniels’ success has been tied into working with Belichick and future Hall of Famer Tom Brady – not that there is anything wrong with that – Shanahan’s body of work is much more well-rounded.
He has turned Matt Ryan and the Falcons into an offensive juggernaut this year, with the Falcons leading the NFL in scoring and trailing only the New Orleans Saints in yards per game.
In previous years, Shanahan helped get 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns out of Washington rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III and 1,613 yards out of rookie running back Alfred Morris in 2012.
In the process he proved his flexibility by constructing an offense that fit the skill set of RG3 rather than the other way around.
And as the offensive coordinator with the Houston Texans from 2008-09 he helped construct an offense that produced the third-most yards in the NFL in 2008 and a top-5 yardage offense and 10th-best scoring offense in 2009. His quarterback, Matt Schaub, threw for 4,770 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2009, Andre Johnson eclipsed 1,500 receiving yards in back-to-back seasons and Steve Slaton ran for 1,282 yards in 2008.
If you want to pin RG3’s demise on Shanahan rather than injuries, do so at your own risk. But keep in mind Shanahan has all but dispelled that narrative by pushing Ryan and the Falcons as high as they’ve ever been this year.
Keep in mind as well: RG3 and Schaub both had their best years with Shanahan as their coordinator, and Ryan is on pace to have his best season.
If you’re the Rams, that’s an attractive resume considering the need for an established track record of offensive success. With so much riding on the development and success of rookie quarterback Jared Goff, Shanahan makes a lot of sense.
That doesn’t mean he gets the job.
But if you’re wise, the focus should be in his direction rather than the Grudens or Harbaughs of the galaxy.
December 22, 2016 at 10:38 am #61506
JackPMillerParticipantNo one knows where the Rams are looking at. Heck, we may get a phone call from Kronke. Former posters like GRITS, Nittany, RFIP or even me, could be our Head Coach. Ya never know.
December 22, 2016 at 10:47 am #61509
nittany ramModeratorNo one knows where the Rams are looking at. Heck, we may get a phone call from Kronke. Former posters like GRITS, Nittany, RFIP or even me, could be our Head Coach. Ya never know.
Former poster? Are you trying to get rid of me, Jack?
Besides, I’d still post here even if I was coach.
BTW, if I’m head coach I’m hiring Barry Switzer to be my OC and we’re running the wishbone.
December 22, 2016 at 10:52 am #61510znModeratorFormer posters like GRITS, Nittany, RFIP or even me, could be our Head Coach. Ya never know.
Yeah I do know.
No posters won’t be coaches.
December 22, 2016 at 11:29 am #61518JackPMillerParticipantFormer posters like GRITS, Nittany, RFIP or even me, could be our Head Coach. Ya never know.
Yeah I do know.
No posters won’t be coaches.
Are you sure, Zooey and wv I hear are rumored to be candidates. Just saying.
December 22, 2016 at 11:31 am #61519znModeratorAre you sure, Zooey and wv I hear are rumored to be candidates. Just saying.
After getting fired the way they were, Z and WV will never coach again.
You can count on that.
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