Head Coaching Trends

[KingOfNewYork]

So my Jets are potentially in the market for a new Head Coach and I see a lot of my fellow compatriots calling for a “Young Offensive Mind”

It’s got me thinking about some recent trends in head coaching. 

I remember the mid 2000s to early 2010’s of Raven’s Defensive Coordinators and Patriots assistants.

Then the Seahawks staff began getting poached not just in the coaching staff either but executives. 

Now it’s this “Young Offensive Mind” not just an offensive mind hell not even a good football coach just a “Young Offensive Mind”

Its short sighted IMO because everyone is looking for the next McVay but there’s a realm beyond just being an offensive mind that’s important to being a Head Coach. 

Staff Building being the one thing many fans overlook. The relationships you build around the league and identifying the right coaches is most important. Some coaches are simply great assistants and the Head guys who identify them are usually the most successful ones. 

As the season has come to its close you even see defenses starting to stand out more. I think simply disregarding potential defensive background coaches is not the brightest idea. 

Of the 5 best coaches in the league IMO 4 come from defensive backgrounds in some capacity.

- Belichick

- Tomlin

- Carroll

- Harbaugh(Special Teams)

- Payton

Then it leads me to the whole young thing. Again trying to find the next McVay can bring you the next Lane Kiffin or Josh McDaniels. Disregarding a defensive minded coach can cause you to miss the next Tomlin or Belichick. Not wanting a retread or failed coach can make you miss out on the next Pete Carroll. And in terms of special teams coaches well who wouldn’t want Harbaugh if he was available.

Names like Mike Shanahan(who could have a Pete Carroll like resurgance) Dave Toub(who could be the next Harbaugh) Vic Fangio(who’s the best defensive Mind next to Belichick in the league IMO) and Mike McCarthy(who I think can have an Andry Reid kind of second act under the right circumstances) have been kicked around amongst some Jets fans and all get bombarded with the same thing “Jets need a young offensive mind” and again I’m all for the next McVay and I’d even settle for a Adam Gase, Kyle Shanahan or Bill O’Brien but I’m not adversed to the next Belichick, Tomlin, Harbaugh or Carroll. Better than ending up with Matt LaFluer or John DeFillippo because they’re young offensive minds.  

[vikingsrule]

The next McVay is available, his name is John DiFilippo. Remember when he was being touted midseason, I don't think one can obsess over the success of McVay and just pigeon hole any young offensive coach as the next McVay.

Although, the Vikes current OC has been with the team for a decade and is in his late 30s, has coached everywhere on the offensive side of the ball. I could see him getting a gig HC elsewhere sooner than later.

[Danand]

I am a pretty huge "fan" of the Harbaugh-solution, where the head coach is the glue in the organisation, the one who decides the culture and lead everyone and is somewhat "disconnected" from playcalling on game day. If you got that type established, a team is much more flexible being able to switch coodinators. 

Now, Harbaughs issue has then been his belief in consistency and culture (supported by Bisciotti), which is a downside to this type of head coach.

[dtait93]

I agree with @Danand and that is the route the Titans went with the Vrabel hire after initially interviewing LaFleur for the position. LaFleur doesn’t strike me as someone who can command a room and lead a team, which is why I’m happy we ultimately chose Vrabel over him. I think whoever hires him as their HC is going to end up extremely disappointed, and not just because of the lack of leadership qualities, but because he’s not that good (atleast yet) at play calling. He’s really only shown he’s good at scheming so far.

Young Offensive Mind =\= Successful NFL Head Coach (see McDaniels). 

[bzane]

1 hour ago, KingOfTheDot said:

Disregarding a defensive minded coach can cause you to miss the next Tomlin or Belichick. Not wanting a retread or failed coach can make you miss out on the next Pete Carroll.

That's right!!!

I say, give the Jets a fat old defensive-minded retread coach, one who will blatantly suck up to the players, producing brief early success, before the whole thing collapses from lack of discipline. 

If you can make it TWO- twins, even!- so much the better!

[Spartacus]

Its too early to pin McVay as the next McVay. Sustained success defines a coach. How many QBs/Coaches/GMs do we pin as the next big thing that then regress after 5 years due to not having those nice high draft picks and poaching from other teams. 

[MWil23]

IMO, so many of these teams needing a HC/getting a HC have young and highly drafted QBs, so they want that offensive mind to develop these guys in a QB driven league.

[MKnight82]

Teams are just looking for innovative ideas, and young people can sometimes bring a different perspective so that’s why you see the push for young coaches right now.  Honestly the league had gotten pretty stale on new ideas for awhile so it’s good they are trying something different.

[TXsteeler]

Wonder if anyone will reach out to Tony Romo this off-season. As far as play calling duties go there's no way he isn't better than some of the 32 guys doing it right now.

[Malik]

11 minutes ago, MKnight82 said:

Teams are just looking for innovative ideas, and young people can sometimes bring a different perspective so that’s why you see the push for young coaches right now.  Honestly the league had gotten pretty stale on new ideas for awhile so it’s good they are trying something different.

With all the decades of retreads it would be nice to have some new people getting jobs.

[Trentwannabe]

After the Rex debacle in Buffalo many fans, myself included, were praying for an offensive minded coach. A lot of us liked Anthony Lynn and assumed he would get the job. Other names brought up and interviewed were Harold Goodwin and I believe Frank Reich.

Lynn was said to be the favorite for many reasons but then McDermott came in and apparently blew away the owners with his vision for the team and the way he intended to run the organization. McDermott hired Fraiser to run his defense and that has been working out quite well. The Bills offense is still a major question mark but McDermott at least acknowledged the disaster that was the hiring of Dennison last season. Daboll seems to be a solid hire. Hard to fully judge with how many different QB's he's had to use and how bad the Bills OL and WR are.

Point is: Teams should hire the best leader/manager type regardless of which side of the ball they specialize in.

[3rivers]

McVay abandons the run to easily and has cost them in the past and recent. I am not sold on these offensive minded, pass happy coaches. It might pile up stats in the regular season and vs bad teams, but in january it doesn't travel well and it doesn't always hold up. The trend could be that, but it makes for opportunities for the few good D minded coaches that could be available.

The eagles defeated BB and Brady with the help of the D.  Lets see who ends up in the SB and wins this year. I am leaning towards the bears, but the saints are difficult to defeat at home.  AFC , if somehow the ravens got in and made it, that would really be an insult to the pass happy nfl and all the rule makers. Bears vs Raven in SB would really show that D can still win .  

3 hours ago, Trentwannabe said:

Lynn was said to be the favorite for many reasons but then McDermott came in and apparently blew away the owners with his vision for the team and the way he intended to run the organization. McDermott hired Fraiser to run his defense and that has been working out quite well. The Bills offense is still a major question mark but McDermott at least acknowledged the disaster that was the hiring of Dennison last season. Daboll seems to be a solid hire. Hard to fully judge with how many different QB's he's had to use and how bad the Bills OL and WR are.

If the Bills can get an OL that somewhat resembles a NFL calibre OL, and a some help on offence, the could make a run for the playoffs.  Right now Allen is running and always at risk of IR with the OL there.  It's not easy for D to carry a team in this league now either. 

[sdrawkcab321]

It’s important for a young qb to have an offensive minded HC but once you get into your late 20s and 30s there’s not much else to learn or improve and they basically run the offense on so a defensive coordinator is fine. So the jets should go after an offensive mind. Don’t mess it up and go defense. 

[ninjapirate]

Andy Reid's OC is the hot new trend after a whole lot of success there (superbowl title, bears won division) so Bieneimy might be the hottest coaching candidate. 

[ninjapirate]

7 hours ago, 3rivers said:

McVay abandons the run to easily and has cost them in the past and recent. I am not sold on these offensive minded, pass happy coaches. It might pile up stats in the regular season and vs bad teams, but in january it doesn't travel well and it doesn't always hold up. The trend could be that, but it makes for opportunities for the few good D minded coaches that could be available.

The eagles defeated BB and Brady with the help of the D.  Lets see who ends up in the SB and wins this year. I am leaning towards the bears, but the saints are difficult to defeat at home.  AFC , if somehow the ravens got in and made it, that would really be an insult to the pass happy nfl and all the rule makers. Bears vs Raven in SB would really show that D can still win .  

If the Bills can get an OL that somewhat resembles a NFL calibre OL, and a some help on offence, the could make a run for the playoffs.  Right now Allen is running and always at risk of IR with the OL there.  It's not easy for D to carry a team in this league now either. 

eagles defense gave up the most yards in nfl history in a game a team won. Defense wasnt involved there bud.