Big Blue Huddle

If the owners decide this is unwanted press and push Schoen to fire his guy it is not a bad year to cut and run IMO as there are more veteran recent/past HC guys on the market than are likely to get hired.

Two years of eg Pete Carroll to stabilise the organisation, reset the culture and transform perception of the working environment at the stroke of a pen might suddenly seem quite appealing to Messrs Mara and Tisch. Bill would not have quite the same effect 

Fifteen years ago I took an Exec Development course at Columbia focused around Emotional Intelligence in a diverse (global business) and high pressure environment.

The first thing we learnt is that the foundation stone for EI is emotional self-control. Daboll does not appear to have any. It can be developed and there are professional coaches, tools and techniques to help. Schoen should be exploring them all with Daboll.

Unfortunately middle aged shouty white guys generally (there are always exceptions) do not respond well to soft skills coaching in my experience but we have to try.

Truth and Leonard are strangers to each other but there are enough different perspectives out there for us to conclude Daboll has to change and Schoen has to help him change...or eventually fire him.

He will probably go in the top 20 as QB4 but it will be an attributes (arm) and personality pick rather than a tape evaluation as there just are not that many big time throws at pressure moments because Harbaugh rarely put the game in his hands.

I can see Daboll liking the bazooka arm and not worrying much about his issues with placement (Josh Allen when drafted) but he does not have Allen's powerful physique and fullback type attributes in the run game so that has to be factored in.

Based on my early looks at the top players I think Bowers and Odunze fit us better (will block in run game, physical players) than Harrison or Nabers IMO. I'd be happy with either at 6 or a small trade back, pending more tape watching.

Quote from: Ed Vette on January 13, 2024, 11:29:56 AMDid he call the Defensive Plays?

No

If they give it to someone on the staff it will probably be Henderson but I still think they are waiting for Leslie Frazier. After the Wink debacle Daboll will ideally want a known and trusted colleague.

Titans had a decent run D but were prone to giving up big pass plays when their pass rush did not get home. Injures did not help. A mid-range D. The key is determining whether he had them playing above or below their talent and that is one their fans would know better than me.

Quote from: MightyGiants on January 12, 2024, 08:48:36 AMNeal,

I like your thinking.  However, when I think about it, I have never really seen an external force (like a hire) turn around a head coach.  It seems to me the change will need to come from Daboll himself, much like Coughlin.  I think Daboll's changes may prove more challenging than Coughlin's.  In Coughlin's case, he was fundamentally sound and a good man; he just needed to polish off the rough edges.  In Daboll's case, game playing, vindictiveness, and controlling one's temper are more difficult aspects of one's personality to change.

Although, I will say one thing is odd.  I think it's a bit unusual to be popular with his players but not well-liked by his own coaching staff. 

Mighty

Daboll has to want to change but having others around you that you respect and who can influence you helps the process. My sense is Daboll relies more on Schoen, given their relationship, than his coordinators (who were all new to him) for advice and a sounding board. I do not think that is healthy which is why I believe he needs guys he trusts in those roles.

Neil 😉

McDermott and Daboll definitely had issues. I did not like the way Daboll handled the Wink exit and I do worry that the 'pettiness' or as I termed it 'disingenuous' approach will hurt him inside the building, locker room and beyond.

This is why I keep saying it is incumbent on Schoen to support him with advice, training and incumbent on Daboll himself to reflect. I would ideally like him to add one or more calm, experienced and approachable guys to his senior staff to help balance him out and provide appropriate challenge and guidance.

Yep. The only guy they have blocked from interviews is Patrick Graham, presumably because if AP gets the HC job he intends to keep Graham as the DC. They seem to have by and large done the right thing by their coaches in contrast to certain others who have so far just blocked all sideways requests pending appointing a new HC.

Did a very solid job in both NE and Vegas by their local media accounts but I do not watch enough of either to go beyond that. Credited with improving a young Raiders OL. Available because they are without a HC. He will have his work cut out with us but at least he has shown recent performance in specific attributes we need (improving young players, plugging a porous pass blocking unit).

He has made mistakes and I do have concerns about his management style, specifically his tendency to overreact in the moment but he is inexperienced as a HC. I think might have got trapped into trying too hard and 'pressing' year two after an unexpectedly strong year one.

He has positive attributes, with more good than bad decisions under pressure and a very clear message that the team clearly bought into year one. Even in year two the team played hard to the bitter end though his decision making was more patchy. I don't think his issues with Wink necessarily mean he struggled with leadership, communication or EI in the locker room. The team never quit on him.

I do think Schoen has to give him more guidance/support to develop as a leader. I also think he would benefit from an experienced and trusted confidante in his leadership team with a less 'volatile' personality. Might that be Leslie Frazier?

Year three is critical, not just in terms of wins but also in seeing growth and maturity in how he handles his job.

NFL era

It is a fair point on leadership Mighty and you will note I make the point about Daboll needing to develop in this area. However, sooner or later guys like Wink always wear out their welcome. A good leader can channel them effectively for a while but if they do not learn and adapt there always comes a point where effort and reward no longer align, particularly if you find you are wasting time controlling a senior, experienced guy that would be better spent inspiring, developing and mentoring younger future leaders.

My only question is who is the 4th head on the modern football Mount Rushmore alongside LT, Brady and Bill?