Sunday’s Coaching Rumors

Posted: December 30th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 97 Comments »

There were multiple reports (Reuben Frank was the first) that said Andy Reid was told on Friday that he’d be let go.  Les  Bowen says the Eagles vehemently deny this and say Reid will meet with Lurie on Monday.  In the end, it really doesn’t matter.  Reid is done.  Fin.

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Dan Pompei reported that Jon Gruden could be in play as the Eagles coach.  ”People close to Gruden” think he could land here.  Who would leak such comments?  Could be his wife.  Or kids.  Or maybe his agent.  I don’t know how legit this is versus being a ploy to get Gruden’s name back out in the market.

I personally don’t want Gruden to be the coach.  He’s great, but only as a short term guy.  You can’t count on him for 5 years.  He wears on people.  Also, he prefers veteran players.  You’ll have a roster loaded with 34-year old guys if he’s got his way.  Now maybe things have changed since he’s been away, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

I wouldn’t be upset if the Eagles did go for Gruden.  I don’t dislike the guy.  As I said, he’s a great short term coach.  I just don’t like the thought of building up an older roster since the Eagles have some young talent in place.

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SalPal was on 97.5  this morning and reported that Jeff Lurie met with Bill Cowher this past week.  Was Lurie trying to hire him?  Was Lurie picking his brain?  Was Lurie asking about Bruce Arians, the Colts interim coach?  Cowher hired Arians to be his WR coach back in 2004 and they spent 3 seasons together.  Arians then got the OC job when Ken Whisenhunt left for the Cardinals.

Cowher has been out of the NFL for 6 years now.  I would not be a fan of going after him.  Cowher was terrific in Pittsburgh, but there is no guarantee that his success would follow him elsewhere.  He’s been a studio analyst for CBS and I wonder if guys lose some of their magic when they’re away from the game that long and working in a cushy environment like that.

Gruden talks to pro and college coaches on a regular basis.  He studies tape relentlessly in his office down in Florida.  Football remains a passion for Gruden and he still grinds away.  I think Cowher is much more casual about things, which is understandable.  After being a coach for 14 years, he deserved some down time.  I would just question if he’s really ready to jump back into the NFL with both feet and do what it takes to put a team back on top.

* * * * *

Albert Breer of NFL.com mentioned that University of Washington coach Steve Sarkisian could be a fallback option if the Eagles can’t get Chip Kelly.  Sarkisian is an up and coming coach, but that would be a bold move.  UW has had some success, but hasn’t been great with him.  Sarkisian does have limited NFL experience as a QB coach.

The most interesting part of all this…Sarkisian was a star QB at BYU in the 90′s.  It would be odd to fire a BYU guy and replace him with a different BYU guy.

* * * * *

Jimmy Bama and I did a podcast on coaching stuff.  We talked about the whole league, as well as the Eagles.

* * * * *

The Skins-Boys game is underway.  I hate Dallas, but it is still hard to cheer for Shanny and the Skins.  Gonna be a rough night.

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  • bridgecoach

    Schedule interviews with Fewell and Ray Horton asap – find out what they have to offer. Then go all out for Chip Kelly. If he turns us down, request interviews with McCoy and Romans during their first round byes. Schedule interview with Winston Moss when GB is done.

    • http://www.facebook.com/jamie.parker.1044 Jamie Parker

      The Romans built a great empire. All the McCoys did was fight with the Hatfields.

      I like McCoy more than Roman, as long as it’s Mike McCoy and not Matt McCoy.

      • bridgecoach

        Anyone else like the idea of Kirby Smart as DC?

  • http://twitter.com/deshawnbentley BG

    I’m not cheering for the ‘Skins…Just against the Cowboys.

  • the_cooper

    Long time reader and a huge fan, Tommy, first time commenting. Chip is the coach i want. Huge risk but it’s what we need. seems like a of guy who won’t accept failure and has the special potential. If he fails, well we can say we went out swinging and not playing it safe with say a Dirk Koetter. Couple random thoughts. What would you think of Jermichael Finley as a free agent option? He reminds me of Vernon Davis in his younger years. They both had the talent but just need a fire lit under them. A big bodied WR/TE is such an underrated need in my opinion. With an offensive minded coach that seems bound to happen, what do you think of Winston Moss from the Packers as a defensive coordinator option? I’m not sure if they would let him go though. How does Mychal Kendircks compare to the other linebackers drafted this year, by the way? We were already to call him a star but how has he compared to Bobby Wagner, Zach Brown, and Lavonte David all picked after him.

    • TommyLawlor

      Finley is incredibly talented, but is too inconsistent. GB is clearly frustrated with him. If we add a coach who needs an athletic TE, going for him would make sense.

      Winston Moss is an interesting guy. I’d be open to him as a DC, but would prefer a veteran DC who has an established system that he knows how to teach.

      Kendricks was up and down. David and Wagner were better. Not sure about Brown. He had some highlights, but physicality was his big concern and I didn’t watch enough Titans games to know how he did with shedding blocks and making tackles.

      • the_cooper

        Thanks! Another thought about the offensive line. All the mocks have us taking Joeckel, but with peters returning is a tackle the biggest need. Joeckel would start on the right side and the 4th pick seems early for that. And switching from left to right isn’t an easy switch, ask Watkins. If we were to go OL wouldn’t it make more sense to drop back to around 15 and take Chance Warmack and plug him right in at guard? Can only improve Herremans play at RT with stability next to him, as well.

        • TommyLawlor

          Trading back and taking a OG is possible. Reason you take Joeckel early is to be the LT of the future. Would start out at RT for a couple of years and then make the switch. Plus, what if Peters can’t stay healthy?

          • bdbd20

            I remember one of the great coaches (or GM’s) a while ago saying that you take a stud LT if you have the chance, even if you don’t need it. They are extremely hard to get.

          • A_T_G

            After suffering through this season and ending up with the highest pick since, what, ’99, I am going to be epically disappointed if we come away with a guard.

          • xeynon

            Agreed. I don’t care how good Warmack is, this team needs upgrades at premium, top-of-the-draft positions and has a pick with which to obtain one. Besides, picking Joeckel would be a de facto upgrade at guard since it would likely involve moving Herremans back inside where he was a borderline Pro Bowl player in the past.

          • P_P_K

            If we had sucked this bad last year we could have gotten a top-notch qb. Eagles luck.

          • the_cooper

            True, true. Just with so many needs stockpiling picks seems like a solid idea.

          • http://twitter.com/RIPworms RIP Worms

            Even if we get a guy who’s a little “more mature” but who still has lots of “tread left on his tires”? I’m thinking a Mexican policeman who thought “football” was played with a round ball until he came to America to go to college. You know the type…

          • austinfan

            Peters will eventually slow down, but he’ll make a better RG than Leonard Davis.

  • bdbd20

    I don’t really care who wins as long as there’s no shortage of Skittles next weekend.

    • TommyLawlor

      Nice. Me too.

  • SteveH

    Look at it this way Tommy, we can’t lose, one of two teams that we hate is going home for the season.

    Poor Jimmy Bama though, one of his two favorite teams is done for the season tonight.

    • TommyLawlor

      Exactly.

  • SleepingDuck

    I’m not gonna lie. I’m gonna miss Andy. Andy has been the coach since I was 5. It’s gonna be weird not seeing every Sunday on the sideline even though I wanted him fired.

    My Coaching Wishlist:
    1A. Chip Kelly
    1B. Greg Roman
    2. Mike McCoy
    3. Mike Zimmer

    • D3Keith

      I wouldn’t hate any of those hires, although I think Roman would be lower than McCoy or Zimmer for me.

  • A_T_G

    The only thing odd about bringing in another BYU guy is that we got rid of Andy first. Those Mormans usually come in multiples.

    • TommyLawlor

      Sarkisian is Catholic. Went to BYU strictly for football. And the clean Utah air.

    • http://twitter.com/deshawnbentley BG

      which Armenian person do you know is Mormom :notsureif:

  • BobSmith77

    Good thing – Jones looks dejected and Romo fails yet again in a key spot.

    Bad thing – Snyder (one of the game’s biggest scumbags) looking so happy.

    • TommyLawlor

      Yep. Hated to see Snyder with those arms raised in celebration.

      • DarthBanner

        True, but smug Jerry Jones is one of the 3 prime evils.

      • D3Keith

        Eh, the Redskins, because they’ve suffered so long, it’s okay for me to see them have a bone thrown their way just this once. So long as they don’t win it all before the Eagles do.

  • SteveH

    That last Alfred Morris TD knocked me from 3rd to 8th in a paid fantasy football tourney. Just one more reason to hate the Cowboys.

  • austinfan

    Jon Gruden is the same age as Chip Kelly.

    Gruden made a mediocre group of players in Philly into a solid offense, turned Oakland from a 4-12 team the year before he arrived into a 12-4 team that went to the SB the year after he left, and won a SB in Tampa Bay.

    Since then he’s had four years to watch film and games, think about his mistakes and grow up.

    I don’t think there’s a better candidate out there. He’s still young, has learned a lot, the fact that after he was fired he actually considered being Kelly’s OC for a year to pick his brains is tribute to his willingness to consider new ideas, and he’s a great fit for Philly – he knows the fans and loves the intensity.

    The one thing I’d make as a condition to hire him is that he has to work with Howie and Howie has the veto, so he can’t just load up with veterans to get in his comfort zone (bringing in patches is fine, building around veterans is not), but I suspect Gruden already knows what his downfall was in TB. This is a very smart guy who knows Lurie isn’t hiring him for a quick fix.

    • TommyLawlor

      There is a logical argument for Gruden, but getting him to back off the aging vets (especially skill players) would be a must for me.

    • xeynon

      Gruden also has a horrible track record with young players. Not just quarterbacks, either – he failed to develop a single impact player in either Oakland or Tampa Bay and both teams crashed and burned after the veterans who were already there when he arrived left or retired. He has his strengths as a candidate but also some major weaknesses and we shouldn’t overlook that.

      • austinfan

        In Oakland, Al Davis ran the show, so I don’t think you can learn much there.

        Gruden inherited an old team on offense, Dungy left a solid, deep defense but didn’t draft well on offense. Warrick Dunn left in FA (Bucs would suffer from FA attrition), Jacquez Green never panned out, Karl Williams was the #3 WR, Jerry Wunsch flopped at RT. So a lot of the veterans were brought in to replace flops or over the hill guys like McDaniel at LG or Moore at TE.

        B Johnson – 34
        Alstott – 29
        K Johnson – 30
        (added McCardell 32, Dilger 31, Jurevicius) D Moore TE – 33
        (added Oben 30 – Jenkins 29) – Christy 33 – Cosey Coleman (2nd rd 2000) – Kenyatta Walker (1st rd 2001)

        Sapp was 30, Quarles 31, Lynch 31,

        TB drafts:

        2002 – 1st pick was #86, Jermaine Phillips DB in the 5th rd was the only contributor
        2003 – 1st pick was #64, DeWayne White, Sean Mahan G, 5th rd had a decent career, only one pick was cut
        2004 – #15 Michael Clayton, WR, flopped, traded 2nd rd pick, 3rd rd Marquis Cooper LB, flop, 4th rd Will Allen DB, had a decent career
        2005 – #5 Cadillac Williams, good pick until he blew out his knee, #36 Barrett Rudd LB, #71 Alex Smith TE, 11 more picks but barely a role player
        2006 – #23 Davin Joseph G, #59 Jeremy Trueblood RT, #90 Maurice Stovall WR, 6th rd Bruce Gradkowski QB
        2007 – #4 Gaines Adams DE, #35 Aaron Sears G, #64 Sabby Piscitelli S, #68 Quincy Black WLB, #106 Tanard Jackson S, 6th rd Adam Hayward LB/ST
        2008 – #20 Aqib Talib CB, #58 Dexter Jackson WR, #83 Jeremy Zuttah G/C, 5th rd Josh Johnson QB, 6th rd Geno Hayes LB

        Really not a bad draft records from 2005 onward, build most of the TB OL, biggest misses were at WR (go figure?) and on defense.

        • xeynon

          I think you prove my point. Joseph and Trueblood are solid linemen but they’re not Larry Allen and Jonathan Ogden. Sears and Cadillac Williams showed promise before being derailed by injuries. Other than that the record is pretty grim. Clayton, Adams, Piscitelli, Talib, Jackson, Ruud, etc. range from disappointments to outright busts.

          Gruden also did a notoriously bad job with Chris Simms. Not that Simms had a great deal of potential in any case, but he actually regressed during his time in Tampa. I want somebody with a proven track record with young QBs to coach Foles/YTBD QB-of-the-future.

          • Julescat

            do you think Simms drug problems and life threatening injury had something to do with his regression?

          • D3Keith

            I’m with xeynon on this.

            Not that a newly enlightened Jon Gruden that AustinFan would be the worst hire.

        • Julescat

          great analysis

        • TommyLawlor

          Good research, A-fan.

          • austinfan

            Here’s some stuff on Oakland, Jon may have had a bigger impact than I give him credit for:

            he inherited Jeff George, Kaufman at RB, Brown and John Jett, and Dudley at TE, he brought in Gannon and Tyrone Wheatley, drafted Jon Ritchie, Mo Collins at LT then RG, Jon Stinchcomb at LT, as well as bringing in Eric Allen and Wilie T for the defense – he had already turned the team around and went 12-4 before bringing in Charlie Garner after Reid let him walk, and the GOAT, turned Barry Sims, UDFA due to bad knee injury into his starting LT, Adam True, 3rd rd pick at C, Frank Middleton was picked up from Tampa for RG).

            So even in Oakland, Jon played more young players than given credit for, especially on the OL. He’s got a good eye for adding FAs in the prime of their career as well, the “old veteran” thing I think is due to Rice for the 2001 season and his desperate situation in Tampa Bay in 2002, I had forgot about the 2 1st rd picks they gave up to obtain Gruden, and that put him in a tough hole as the team aged.

  • D-von

    Don’t know how reliable this is but Howard Eskin is supposedly reporting the short list for Lurie. The List is:

    Bill O’Brien
    Dirk Koetter
    Bruce Arians
    Greg Roman
    Chip Kelly
    Josh McDaniels (real long shot)

    Dirk Koetter is supposedly interviewing this week. Also Greg Roman and Josh McDaniels can interview with the permission of their teams since they have byes. And of course college coaches can interview any time. But I would take this info with a grain of salt

    • D-von

      Also, to get Bill O’Brien the eagles would have to pay 9 mil to buyout his contract. And I doubt he leaves after on year. Would hate to see Josh McDaniels here so I’m crossing him out with the hope that he doesn’t

      • phillychuck

        I thought the O’Brien buyout was 19 million.

    • SleepingDuck

      I honestly can’t trust anything that Eskin reports, but if the list is real, I would hate of MCDaniels to come here. He utterly destroyed the Broncos.

    • http://www.facebook.com/xbcsmith Brett Smith

      Please no McDaniels.
      Why is Bill O’Brien such a hot name?
      Bruce Arians is old… does he want to be a HC?
      Dirk Koetter is part of the 13-3 first round playoff loss ATL Falcons… why does he seem like a good candidate?

    • D3Keith

      That can’t be his list, wouldn’t pass the Rooney Rule test.

      Horton, Moss or Fewell would have to be on the list, or at least until Lovie Smith and Romeo Crennel came free.

      • D-von

        They could interview more than these five guys. And besides for all we know Eskin could just be BSing

        • D3Keith

          Yeah I guess I wasn’t being clear. All those guys could be on the list, but that can’t be the entire list, which is all I meant.

          Eskin has been known to have good ties to Reid, and I’m sure as much as a blowhard as he is, he’s been in town for years and he probably has other sources. But I would question anything he floats at this point just like the rest of you guys.

  • D-von

    Eskin is also reporting that Reid has talked to Nagy, Staley, Pederson, Castillo and Childress to go with him

    • TommyLawlor

      Thanks for the info.

    • T_S_O_P

      So it looks like now Reid drops Marty. I said he would but it doesn’t make it easier.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Steven-DiLeo/100000156792866 Steven DiLeo

      Go with him where?

  • SteveH

    My limited and somewhat ignorant short list of coaches I want:

    Chip Kelly
    Mike Zimmer

    Anyone besides those 2 and I won’t be able to get terribly excited.

    (edit: mostly ignorant, who am I kidding)

    • Ark87

      I’m liking Greg Roman more and more. Successful running game that isn’t built on the read-option. Lots of other good stuff going for him.

      • Mac

        Agreed. I like this short list… of the three I would be most inclined to be on the fence about Zimmer, mostly because I would like an offense minded head coach.

    • Julescat

      for some reason I read your post as “list of short coaches I want”

  • T_S_O_P

    When was the last time a RB (with significant carries and catches) had a better rushing average than receiving average? AP had an amazing season as did their kicker.

  • http://twitter.com/n3th3rman Christopher Miller

    Just curious about the coach hiring process…do these guys typically already have a staff in mind or do they not even get to that phase until after hired? Do they typically come to the interview with even a rough sketch of how they would use the guys already on the team? I wish these interviews were televised. Must see tv….and they already televise every other aspect of football operations.

  • P_P_K

    I hope Gruden coaches somewhere so I won’t have to mute MNF games anymore.

    • http://www.facebook.com/xbcsmith Brett Smith

      As long as it is not in Phili I agree.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Steven-DiLeo/100000156792866 Steven DiLeo

      That’s the same way I felt about Mark Jackson, the coach of the Warriors. His commentary during the 2010 and 2009 playoffs were unbearable. I didn’t understand how someone so bad could get so much national time exposure

  • RC5000

    O’Brien seems logical as Lurie’s top candidate for a number of reasons including the New England ties but could be a longshot for logistical reasons.
    McCoy is young with a good track record of adaptability.
    Arians and Horton also are good candidates. Tossed on Koetter, Roman, Jay Gruden but I do think there are a number of interesting candidates.
    Jon Gruden, Cowher fit the big profile theory but does Cowher have the passion and does Gruden really want to come here?

  • Allen3000

    I just heard Lovie Smith has been fired. Any interest??

    • holeplug

      no

    • TommyLawlor

      Yes. Big fan of some of what he does.

      • Ark87

        as a HC or coordinator?

        • GermanEagle

          I would take him as our HC in a heartbeat!

        • austinfan

          DC.

          • Ark87

            I’m definitely preferring him at DC. I’d love to have him at DC infact. Dude had never had a functioning offense, doesn’t seem to be able to pick the right OC. I have an aversion to old faces in new places when it comes to HC.

    • http://www.facebook.com/xbcsmith Brett Smith

      No. While he is great at DEF he never hires the right OC. I am not on board for a retread. I don’t want Chicago 2.0 and I don’t think he is an upgrade from Andy.

      • Cliff

        Since you brought it up, we should probably get it out of the way now – NOBODY the Eagles hire will be a clear or definitive “upgrade” over Reid. Just not happening. Anybody they hire will have half-a-dozen question marks. That’s just the nature of what we’re about to go through. Change can be good… but it can and will hurt too.

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  • ACViking

    Re: Bill O’Brien – Penn State Buyout

    Doesn’t matter what his contract says. (It never does until a lawsuit’s filed.)

    What matters is what important, behavior-changing representations were made (“material representations” in legal lingo) by Penn State officials to O’Brien to “induce” him to sign on the dotted line.

    If, as some reports are saying (and who do you think’s putting them out there), Penn State misled O’Brien about any NCAA investigatory activity, then O’Brien’s got an easy out.
    Also, the buyout may — irrespective of what O’Brien was told — only be limited to college coaching.

    • aceandson

      Thanks for that first line. People tend to think contracts are like laws, but they’re more like directions from Google maps.

  • GermanEagle

    i want Lovie Smith!

    • Mac

      For DC? Yes… I don’t want to get into OC limbo like the Bears.

      • D3Keith

        Agree.

  • D-von

    After listening to Lurie’s press conference, I think the Eagles are gonna push hard for Chip Kelly. The coach Lurie described he wanted was almost a perfect description of Chip Kelly. The rumor that the Eagles will give full personnel control to Roseman, which would stop Kelly from coming here, was shot down by Lurie when he said the HC would answer to him. The words he used (innovative, strategically, leader, teacher, non-scheme specific) all similar words that Tommy used to describe Kelly in his write-up.

    • D3Keith

      I’m all in. Kelly sounds like an innovator, leader and football lifer, not just a gimmick coach.

      If we get someone else, like McCoy or Zimmer, just because we haven’t read a ton about him to have hype to buy into doesn’t mean he can’t coach.

      This should be interesting. Hopefully it’s thorough but fast. I’m eager.

  • Ark87

    Speculation time people. Avant mentioned players being about personal stats first and team second. Possible candidates?

    1) This can only be referring to Maclin. He’s the only dude that had decent enough stats to pretend he isn’t part of the problem. Also his questionable effort in plays not designed to get him the ball has to be as obvious to his teammates as it is to us.

    2) anybody else fit the profile? I’d throw DJax up there, but he’s on IR.

    • http://www.insidetheiggles.com/ CalSFro

      Was thinking about this too. It’s tough to say, obviously. DRC? Jamar Chaney?

      And I’d say DJax and Maclin are both candidates. Desean went on IR and basically left the team. Not exactly the move of a great teammate.

      • Ark87

        True, didn’t look at it from that angle, a whole slew of special teamers thought they were too good for that unit (which Avant plays on as well). So even back-ups are suspect.

      • D-von

        I don’t see how Jamar Chaney is not all about team. The guy was moved from middle to strong side back to middle and then on the bench, then weak side and then back to strong side. Dude is willing to play in position for the team

        • http://www.insidetheiggles.com/ CalSFro

          The only thing we can say for certain from the outside looking in is that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to play…in the NFL. Whether or not he feels a sense of allegiance to the team…who knows?

          He obviously has a high opinion of himself and his abilities, which he should, but he also took demotions hard in the past.

          That’s why I said his name as a question. I don’t really know. We’re all just guessing.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Steven-DiLeo/100000156792866 Steven DiLeo

    Head Coach- Mike McCoy
    Defensive Coordinator- Lovie Smith

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Steven-DiLeo/100000156792866 Steven DiLeo

    Just curious- Would you consider trading Nick Foles or a 2nd round pick for Tony Romo?

    • D-von

      Why?

    • Ark87

      Spent way too many years getting pure joy from watching Tony inevitably crash and burn every year in spectacular fashion. Trade that out for utter suffering when he’s on my team? Heck no

    • D3Keith

      Romo and Cutler I think are very underrated because people love to make fun of them and/or hate them. I would take either of those guys or Rivers as opposed to our current options.

      Some players that everyone loves to hate, like Sanchez, I’d pass on.

      If Romo went somewhere he was appreciated and was surrounded by a more well-rounded team, I bet he’d thrive and probably not choke. Then again, Philly probably isn’t that place.

  • http://twitter.com/PhiIs_Goodman Phils Goodman

    “Also, Gruden prefers veteran players.”

    Is that really true? He seems obsessed with prospects and college systems.

    • ACViking

      TV contract stuff

      • http://twitter.com/PhiIs_Goodman Phils Goodman

        Not what I’m talking about.

  • Ark87

    Nfl.com:
    “Andy Reid, Chip Kelly head list of NFL coaching candidates”OH GOD! I’ve figured it out eagles nation! Jeffry Lurie has carried out his promise of firing Andy Reid. Therefore his next hire will be….Andy Reid. DAMMIT! Eagles nation constitution.
    Article 1) Jeffry Lurie shall fire Andy Reid in a classy yet concise manner.
    Ammendment 1) Jeffry Lurie shall not rehire Andy Reid

    • A_T_G

      What if he hires Reid with Chip as OC?

      • D3Keith

        Better than hiring Chip, who makes Reid the OC.

  • BC1968

    Vick the shithead. Talking shit about his teammates? He’s never played with anyone like that? How about himself? He quit on the Falcons, I was at the new years game in 06-07 year. He quit on that team so who is he to talk? K drink and be merry.

  • Baloophi

    Happy New Year, east coast!

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