Big Blue Huddle

If you were replacing Daboll, who's the first 3 people you'd call for the job?

Ditka
Mini-Ditka
Ditka again

Quote from: Jclayton92 on September 19, 2024, 03:41:24 PMIf you were replacing Daboll, who's the first 3 people you'd call for the job?

I am sure the Giants would call Bill B as a courtesy in spite of age so I'll count him as 1.

I would call Kalen DeBoer from Alabama.  In 9 seasons as HC, his record is something like 114-12.  He simply knows how to win and he's done it at multiple stops. Bama thought enough of him.  He's young at 49.

I'd call Pete Carroll.  He builds good, smart teams.  He's also won everywhere.  He may be 72 but he's high energy.

I'm not sure which three I'd call, but I know who I don't want. I don't want guys in their mid 70s who have a max lifeline of 2-3 years with the team, and I don't want guys with no NFL experience.

Staley maybe was the worst coach in the league for several years. Harbaugh is like a bolt (no pun intended) for Charger blue. They look totally organized now and competitive.

What is this obsession with septuagenarian? Look around the league. Outside of Reid the majority of coaches are under 60 years old.

Quote from: TDToomer on September 20, 2024, 08:50:28 AMWhat is this obsession with septuagenarian? Look around the league. Outside of Reid the majority of coaches are under 60 years old.

If there's an experienced 50 year old former HC with a record of repetitive success, I'm all for grabbing him however I believe many coordinators fail because they dont have the skills to a) organize every aspect to a team build, b) hire proven position coaches, and c) develop a team identity immediately.  We've now gone through what four head coaches since Coughlin, three of which were "hot" coordinators (plus horrible Shurmur a failed HC).  I'd rather a 70 year old for 3-4 years whobhas these skills than go another round of failed experiments.

Give me Saban, Carroll or BB over any of these guys who dont know $hit about getting this stuff above right.  Jim Harbaugh was that rare HC out there witth those skills and the Chargers smartly pounced.  Not sure who else is there that is sub 60 and proven.

Quote from: Philosophers on September 20, 2024, 10:23:49 AMIf there's an experienced 50 year old former HC with a record of repetitive success, I'm all for grabbing him however I believe many coordinators fail because they dont have the skills to a) organize every aspect to a team build, b) hire proven position coaches, and c) develop a team identity immediately.  We've now gone through what four head coaches since Coughlin, three of which were "hot" coordinators (plus horrible Shurmur a failed HC).  I'd rather a 70 year old for 3-4 years whobhas these skills than go another round of failed experiments.

Give me Saban, Carroll or BB over any of these guys who dont know $hit about getting this stuff above right.  Jim Harbaugh was that rare HC out there witth those skills and the Chargers smartly pounced.  Not sure who else is there that is sub 60 and proven.

How do we define success?  I think that varies from person to person. 

Quote from: uconnjack8 on September 20, 2024, 10:35:23 AMHow do we define success?  I think that varies from person to person. 

Kalen DeBoer was a HC in North Dakota who was highly successful playing nationally.  At University of Washington, he put that program at a new level of success.  Alabama pounced on him when Saban retired.  I've read that what he has developed further in Jalen Milroe at QB and their offense so quickly has been amazing.  Some coaches have IT.  A record of like 114-12.  Very hard to do.

Quote from: Philosophers on September 20, 2024, 11:14:17 AMKalen DeBoer was a HC in North Dakota who was highly successful playing nationally.  At University of Washington, he put that program at a new level of success.  Alabama pounced on him when Saban retired.  I've read that what he has developed further in Jalen Milroe at QB and their offense so quickly has been amazing.  Some coaches have IT.  A record of like 114-12.  Very hard to do.

I guess, my question is more about what some around here would consider success as an NFL head coach.  I think there are some obvious ones, but there are a lot more that some would say is successful and others would say they were not successful. I bet even a guy like Sean Payton would have those that say he was only successful because of Brees...Or that Mike Tomlin isn't successful because he won early with the previous guys players.... some people would have said that prior to his tenure in KC Andy Reid was not a successful HC even though he went to a Super Bowl and 4 consecutive NFC championships....

Every few years we have this debate (sadly) about which do you prefer - a former HC, a coordinator, a retread....and there is always a group that wants nothing to do with one or more of those groups.  I remember people questioning when NE hired BB.  "He needed Parcells to deal with the personalities"  Of course his not so great record in Cleveland was the best HC tenure they had for some time.

It makes me laugh tbh.  I think the issue is that fans want to have an opinion and we base that opinion on what we know.  So for instance - "turned that program around", "He has had success at every stop", etc...

In my humble opinion, a great HC can come from any of those places, college, coordinator or retread.  Its not where they have been, its if they are the right guy to lead men.  And honestly, without having worked with or around any of these guys, none of us actually knows if a guy has those qualities.  They all must have some amount of those qualities or they wouldn't get to the levels they have had success at.     

Quote from: uconnjack8 on September 20, 2024, 01:24:43 PMI guess, my question is more about what some around here would consider success as an NFL head coach.  I think there are some obvious ones, but there are a lot more that some would say is successful and others would say they were not successful. I bet even a guy like Sean Payton would have those that say he was only successful because of Brees...Or that Mike Tomlin isn't successful because he won early with the previous guys players.... some people would have said that prior to his tenure in KC Andy Reid was not a successful HC even though he went to a Super Bowl and 4 consecutive NFC championships....

Every few years we have this debate (sadly) about which do you prefer - a former HC, a coordinator, a retread....and there is always a group that wants nothing to do with one or more of those groups.  I remember people questioning when NE hired BB.  "He needed Parcells to deal with the personalities"  Of course his not so great record in Cleveland was the best HC tenure they had for some time.

It makes me laugh tbh.  I think the issue is that fans want to have an opinion and we base that opinion on what we know.  So for instance - "turned that program around", "He has had success at every stop", etc...

In my humble opinion, a great HC can come from any of those places, college, coordinator or retread.  Its not where they have been, its if they are the right guy to lead men.  And honestly, without having worked with or around any of these guys, none of us actually knows if a guy has those qualities.  They all must have some amount of those qualities or they wouldn't get to the levels they have had success at.     

Great post.  Winning is about so many things coming together for a team.  It certainly is not any one position or player or coach.  Certainly some people or positions may be more important but they are not the sole reason for success.  What I value is a HC who can create the identity and structure of the team in a way that leads to success.  One head coach may hire a friend for a positon coach because he likes his relationship with a coach yet another head coach may hire someone he has never worked with but who has proven results.  In some instances one may be better and in other instances another may be better.  A HC seems to figure that out and make the right call.

Look at the Chargers.  They had no one at WR going into the 2024 Draft so one of the three top WRs was the obvious target to help Justin Herbert.  Harbaugh believed that a great OL who can improve the rushing attack would help Herbert more than a great WR.  He took Joe Alt.