Next Please!

[UK Skins Fan]

So, come on then: let's start the inevitable discussion about who people want as the next head coach. I'm not bothering to put up a poll, because I could list 15 people, and there'd be another dozen in the "other" category.

Yes, I know the sensible discussion to have first is the "what do we want a new front office structure to look like", but we're talking about the Redskins, and sensible doesn't come into the equation.

I'll start by giving some names that I absolutely, definitely, do NOT want as head coach:
Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, Gregg Williams, Lovie Smith.

[Kilmer72]

Would you be alright with Gregg Williams as the DC? I would. I doubt he ever comes back.

[Burgundy&Wha?]

I hope we take a serious look at Todd Bowles and Jay Gruden.

[cowboykillerzRGiii]

Lovie Smith needs to work.some magic on our D... I'd prefer him as d coordinator tho

[UK Skins Fan]

Would you be alright with Gregg Williams as the DC? I would. I doubt he ever comes back.

Absolutely, I would. I just don't like him as a head coach candidate after the bounty stuff. And his track record as a head coach wasn't great.

[Burgundy&Wha?]

Lovie will be in Houston or Tampa.

[UK Skins Fan]

I hope we take a serious look at Todd Bowles and Jay Gruden.

I keep coming back to Jay Gruden as a candidate, almost by default because I don't see obvious negatives, as I do with some other offensive coordinator type candidates.

Todd Bowles is another I'd be happy to see as a defensive coordinator candidate, but I just don't see the Redskins ever going with a defensive minded head coach. I think he may well get a chance at the top job somewhere in 2014 though.

[Smithian]

Dream Hire: David Shaw

Top Rung: Bill O'Brien, Art Briles, Kevin Sumlin, Adam Gase

There's a list of OCs that would be fine: Aaron Kromer, Darrell Bevell, Jay Gruden, Greg Roman, and Ken Whisenhunt

If the Skins hire Mike Sherman like Mort said then I'll perform Seppuku. I really like Lovie Smith but he reportedly is hard on his OCs and we don't want the offense with RGIII to be in a state of flux.

Make the hire fast and go after top coordinators. Lots of big time minds currently available. Schwartz, Frazier, Chudzinski, and a big handful of big time assistants are out there. Gibbs had a lot of success stealing Gregg Williams as DC. Hopefully our new coach will strike while the iron is hot just like Gibbs.

My dark horse? Ray Horton. Don't think he even gets an interview, but I think if he was hired and found a good OC he would be the type of hire that would gain a lot of respect around the league and in the locker room.

[riggofan]

I hope we take a serious look at Todd Bowles and Jay Gruden.

I keep coming back to Jay Gruden as a candidate, almost by default because I don't see obvious negatives, as I do with some other offensive coordinator type candidates.

From what I've seen of him, he's got the same type of personality as his brother. Very fiery and passionate. I hate those offensive coordinator hires who are good Xs and Os guys, but clearly lacking in the leading and inspiring departments.

I really like the idea of a young, hungry coach. Get us a guy in his prime instead of paying Bill Cowher to come out of retirement and get the band back together for one last hurrah.

Seems like a lot of jobs opening up today, going to be some competition for these coaches. I'm guessing Lovie Smith is probably not going to be an option.

[EA7649]

Gotta remember. There is a lot more attractive places than Washington. Got Lions and Texans for example. We should get a defensive mind for a head coach and picking up a strong experienced offensive coordinator, who has some leadership skills and can handle the QB position well.

[Smithian]

Gotta remember. There is a lot more attractive places than Washington. Got Lions and Texans for example. We should get a defensive mind for a head coach and picking up a strong experienced offensive coordinator, who has some leadership skills and can handle the QB position well.

Maybe Houston but not Detroit.

Detroit is a bottom rung organization in the NFL. Washington may be bad, but it's bad with a lot of money.

[riggofan]

Dream Hire: David Shaw

Top Rung: Bill O'Brien, Art Briles, Kevin Sumlin, Adam Gase

I'd be interested in David Shaw, especially if he could be paired up with a solid GM. I don't understand all of the love for Adam Gase though. I mean, I understand it, but the guy has Peyton Manning. How much credit does he really deserve for that offense?

There's a list of OCs that would be fine: Aaron Kromer, Darrell Bevell, Jay Gruden, Greg Roman, and Ken Whisenhunt

A lot of these guys are candidates for head coaching jobs this year or already OCs. Great point about making those coordinator hires quickly though and getting ahead on the best guys.

[riggofan]

Gotta remember. There is a lot more attractive places than Washington. Got Lions and Texans for example. We should get a defensive mind for a head coach and picking up a strong experienced offensive coordinator, who has some leadership skills and can handle the QB position well.

Maybe Houston but not Detroit.

Detroit is a bottom rung organization in the NFL. Washington may be bad, but it's bad with a lot of money.

That may be true, but Detroit has Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and a bunch of beasts on defense. That team SHOULD have made the playoffs this year. A coach can take that team over now with a legitimate chance to win immediately.

Or you can get paid $6m/yr to go 7-9 with a lousy Redskins team next year and completely ruin your reputation.

[Smithian]

You all have to be more optimistic.

Detroit is Detroit.
Tampa Bay is way too MRSA-y.
Cleveland is Cleveland.

The Skins job is clearly more attractive than those three. Biggest competition right now is Houston. Minnesota has lots of talent but has two years coming up in a college stadium and ownership issues.

At the end of the day every coach is worried about money, for himself and a staff. The Skins will sign whatever checks need to be signed. Shanahan had no problem coming to the Redskins. Some new coach will look at the contract and happily come aboard. There are only 32 NFL head coaching jobs in the world. Each one is extremely valuable.

[Smithian]

Dream Hire: David Shaw

Top Rung: Bill O'Brien, Art Briles, Kevin Sumlin, Adam Gase

I'd be interested in David Shaw, especially if he could be paired up with a solid GM. I don't understand all of the love for Adam Gase though. I mean, I understand it, but the guy has Peyton Manning. How much credit does he really deserve for that offense?

There's a list of OCs that would be fine: Aaron Kromer, Darrell Bevell, Jay Gruden, Greg Roman, and Ken Whisenhunt

A lot of these guys are candidates for head coaching jobs this year or already OCs. Great point about making those coordinator hires quickly though and getting ahead on the best guys.

For Gase, I agree to an extent, but I really like McCoy in San Diego and I think Gase has a reputation for a reason.

The OCs list is for guys I wouldn't mind as head coach.

I think one of the Shanahan regime's greatest shortfalls was the poor assistant coaching staff. Zorn had a misfit staff. Gibbs was loaded. I think coaches should have final word on staff, but I hope Bruce Allen works with the new coach to hire a strong experienced staff.

[cowboyhater4life]

Lovi Smith? Lets not look a college coaches or we will never see RGIII become a real NFL QB.

[EA7649]

Gotta remember. There is a lot more attractive places than Washington. Got Lions and Texans for example. We should get a defensive mind for a head coach and picking up a strong experienced offensive coordinator, who has some leadership skills and can handle the QB position well.

Maybe Houston but not Detroit.

Detroit is a bottom rung organization in the NFL. Washington may be bad, but it's bad with a lot of money.

That may be true, but Detroit has Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and a bunch of beasts on defense. That team SHOULD have made the playoffs this year. A coach can take that team over now with a legitimate chance to win immediately.

Or you can get paid $6m/yr to go 7-9 with a lousy Redskins team next year and completely ruin your reputation.

Also was watching ESPN. And one of the guys said that whats attractive in Detroit is that they don't have a short leash with coaches don't fire right away. But Detroit has a good roster.

[EA7649]

Lovi Smith? Lets not look a college coaches or we will never see RGIII become a real NFL QB.

So true! Get someone with experience in the NFL as a coordinator

[riggofan]

Lovi Smith? Lets not look a college coaches or we will never see RGIII become a real NFL QB.

So true! Get someone with experience in the NFL as a coordinator

Not mutually exclusive. There are college coaches out there like Bill O'Brien who have NFL OC experience. I think even David Shaw has experience in the NFL.

[cowboyhater4life]

Bill O'Brien is more or less off the board to Houston. Time to move on from O'Brien

[EA7649]

Lovi Smith? Lets not look a college coaches or we will never see RGIII become a real NFL QB.

So true! Get someone with experience in the NFL as a coordinator

Not mutually exclusive. There are college coaches out there like Bill O'Brien who have NFL OC experience. I think even David Shaw has experience in the NFL.

Yeah having some experience in the NFL is good. They dealt with professional players, the schemes and stuff at one point. Unlike the Baylor HC

[UK Skins Fan]

We should get a defensive mind for a head coach and picking up a strong experienced offensive coordinator, who has some leadership skills and can handle the QB position well.

One thing that is critical now for RG3's development is continuity. That is more likely to be achieved from an offensive minded head coach. What happens when your "strong experienced offensive coordinator" gains credit for RG3 having a good year? He'll be hunted for head coaching positions on other teams, and there'll be nothing the Redskins could do to stop it. In comes another coordinator, and everything changes. If the head coach is an offensive mind, then he's not likely to move on after a successful season for RG3, and continuity is more likely to be achieved.

Having said that, I don't think it's a deal breaker, if the best man is a defensive coach. just a concern I have.

[riggofan]

Bill O'Brien is more or less off the board to Houston. Time to move on from O'Brien

Maybe he is, but if the Redskins happen to be interested in him, there's no reason to "move on" until a deal is done. Here's what Florio wrote the other day about it:

But here’s the question to ask. Why would someone leak word of a potential deal between the Texans and O’Brien prematurely?

The goal of the leaker could be to help push a deal to conclusion. The goal of the leaker could be to blow a deal up. The goal of the leaker also could be, quite simply, to curry favor with the persons to whom the information was leaked.

The goal of the leaker also could be to nudge another candidate (e.g., Lovie Smith) to do a deal first.

[UK Skins Fan]

Bill O'Brien is more or less off the board to Houston. Time to move on from O'Brien

I'm not sure that's true. A lot of misdirection goes on at this time - he might be the favourite, but he's not a lock.

[Smithian]

Lovi Smith? Lets not look a college coaches or we will never see RGIII become a real NFL QB.

Nick Foles begs to differ