Post by bsbears on Nov 23, 2017 8:00:39 GMT -6
Possible Staffs Every Bears Head Coach Candidate Could Build
By Erik Lambert - Nov 22, 2017
No matter who the next Chicago Bears head coach is, few things are more important than whether or not he’ll be able to build a strong enough staff. Make no mistake that the choices of offensive and defensive coordinator can prove vital to success. Ask John Fox. He got it right with Adam Gase in 2015 but blundered with his promotion of Dowell Loggains in 2016. Sometimes it’s little decisions like that which can turn a tenure south quick.
So what about the top potential candidates of 2018? What sort of staffs could they put together were the Bears to hire one of them. Here’s an overview of the biggest names and who their choices could end up being. Keep in mind we’re keeping this just to the offensive and defensive coordinator positions.
Jim Harbaugh
OC: Freddie Kitchens
One of the great things about Harbaugh is he always has an eye out for coaching talent from other teams, including regular opponents. He will no doubt have noticed the work done by Freddie Kitchens when his San Francisco 49ers played the Arizona Cardinals twice a year. Since 2007 Kitchens has served as tight ends, quarterbacks and running backs coach for them. The fact he was retained in 2013 when the Cardinals changed head coaches says a lot. Under his guidance Carson Palmer was reborn, having two of the best seasons of his career in 2015 and 2016. Kitchens is ready for the next step.
DC: Vic Fangio
The hiring of Harbaugh has plenty of caveats but the biggest by far would be the likely chance to retain current Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. The two have a long history dating back to 2010 when they worked together at Stanford before going up to San Francisco and having an outstanding run there. Fangio has said he likes offensive coaches who take an interest in defense and few do that more than Harbaugh.
Josh McDaniels
OC: Chad O’Shea
Given the fact McDaniels will likely direct the offense himself, the odds say he’ll bring a young assistant with him from New England. Somebody he trusts. Chad O’Shea has been the Patriots wide receivers coach since 2009. In that time he’s done a phenomenal job developing weapons for Tom Brady including Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, and Chris Hogan. He also got career years out of Wes Welker and Brandon LaFell. Given the Bears’ issues at wide receiver, this hire would make plenty of sense.
DC: Mike Pettine
It’s curious why Pettine hasn’t coached since 2015. Sure his run with the Cleveland Browns as head coach was a disaster, but that’s true of most men these days. As an assistant, particularly a defensive coordinator Pettine is actually quite good. In his five years on the job between the Jets and Bills from 2009 to 2013, his unit never ranked lower than 10th in total defense. McDaniels went against him a number of times so there is plenty of familiarity.
Matt Lafleur
OC: Greg Olson
This will be an easy decision for Lafleur. He’s currently working with Olson in Los Angeles who is the Rams quarterbacks coach. Olson is among the most experienced offensive coordinators in the NFL. He’s actually held that job for five different teams across an 11-year span. During that time he had some success, most notably with the quarterbacks. Marc Bulger went to a Pro Bowl in 2006. Josh Freeman threw 25 TDs in 2010 and 35 TDs from Blake Bortles in 2015. He even had a hand in the early development of Derek Carr with the Raiders.
DC: Raheem Morris
Lafleur and Morris go way back. They both were on the Washington Redskins coaching staff from 2012 to 2013 and reunited from 2015 to 2016 with the Atlanta Falcons. Morris was a former head coach in Tampa Bay and brings a history of success as an assistant dating back years. He’s known for his high energy and ability to communicate with players. Every defense he has coached for excelled with him on the staff.
Matt Patricia
OC: Gary Kubiak
Patricia knows Kubiak well. The two went head-to-head several times in high stakes games when the latter was head coach at Houston, offensive coordinator in Baltimore and head coach again in Denver. Each time Kubiak found a way to test and fluster Patricia. In fact his defense allowed 28 or more points five times when going against Kubiak. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist (which Patricia is) to know that kind of coach is a must-have.
DC: Josh Boyer
Few position groups have been overturned more during the Bill Belichick era in New England than the cornerbacks. Yet it seems like every year they have news faces who are becoming stars. Josh Boyer became defensive backs coach for the team in 2009 and was moved to cornerbacks in 2012. Every year it seemed like he was getting great seasons from improbable names: Brandon Meriweather, Kyle Arrington, Logan Ryan, Malcolm Butler, and Duron Harmon. He’s young and ascending.
Dave Toub
OC: Brad Childress
Bears fans will remember Childress as head coach of the Vikings from 2006 to 2010. During that time he had considerable success. Before that he was offensive coordinator in Philadelphia and after he took up an assistant position in Kansas City. With his help Alex Smith has gone on to the best stretch of his career, Childress helping to alter the scheme to fit what he does best. One thing is clear. Whenever he had a decent quarterback as a coordinator, his offenses ranked 13th or higher in points scored.
DC: John Pagano
Toub should be familiar with the work of Pagano, having seen him up close for five seasons when he was defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers. Despite some talent deficiencies at times, Pagano had success. They finished top 10 in total defense in 2012 and 2014 and fourth in takeaways in 2016. His 3-4 leanings make him an obvious to maintain scheme continuity should Fangio leave.
Frank Reich
OC: John DeFilippo
There is no doubt that Reich may seek to bring DeFilippo with him from Philadelphia. His work as a quarterbacks coach is fairly extensive. He helped Mark Sanchez to an AFC championship as a rookie in 2009. He coached up Derek Carr as a rookie in 2014 and has since done a phenomenal job with Carson Wentz over the past two years. Some rumblings say he may even get head coaching looks next year. Odds are though that will wait until he gets coordinating experience.
DC: Ray Horton
It’s amazing the raw deal that Ray Horton has gotten over the past few years. The guy was asked to work miracles in places like Arizona, Cleveland and Tennessee and never given enough time to see it through. His first runs as a coordinator with Arizona, his unit ranked 18th the first year and 12th the next. The first lone season he had with the Browns in 2013 they ranked ninth. He took the Titans from 29th to 12th his two years in Tennessee after that. The man has never been given a fair shake to fully implement his defense. He and Reich worked together in Arizona, so there’s a connection.
Teryl Austin
OC: James Urban
Urban and Austin have a competitive history together. For three seasons they went head-to-head, Urban’s wide receivers in Cincinnati against Austin’s secondary in Baltimore. It was a battle each and every time. Urban was a favorite among Bengals players to become offensive coordinator this past year but was overlooked in favor of Bill Lazor. Many in the league feel he’s overdue for a shot at the job. Austin knows his work well. This would be an intriguing marriage.
DC: Chuck Pagano
The fate of Pagano remains unclear but there is a growing belief the Indianapolis Colts head coach will be replaced at the end of this season by new GM Chris Ballard. If so Austin, who worked with him in Baltimore could pounce. Pagano is a 3-4 defensive specialist who was outstanding in his lone year as a coordinator in 2011 for the Ravens. His units in Indianapolis have also been solid despite a clear lack of front line talent. He’s a motivator with a great attention to detail.
Possible Staffs Every Bears Head Coach Candidate Could Build (Part 2)
The Chicago Bears head coach candidate list continues here in an effort to dissect the possible staffs each one could build. For those who didn’t get a chance to read part one of the list, feel free to look it over here. This section of the list will include some of the lesser-known names and also some of the younger ones. Such reality can often lead to limited connections, but people might be surprised by some of the names involved.
Jim Bob Cooter
OC: Greg Knapp
Knapp brings a wealth of offensive experience to the table. He’s spent 10 seasons since 2001 as an offensive coordinator for four different franchises. When he had a good quarterback and decent weapons, his units were quite effective. As a quarterbacks coach in Houston he helped Matt Schaub become a Pro Bowler and then took the same job in Denver the same year Peyton Manning had his record-shatter season in 2013. That was where the two first met.
DC: Joe Barry
Most people will sour on the idea of Barry being a defensive coordinator after his first two shots at the job were somewhat underwhelming in Detroit and Washington. Then again if one looked closer they’d see he worked with two units that were light on talent. One thing that stood out was his defenses’ were good at forcing turnovers. As a linebackers coach in Tampa Bay, San Diego and now Los Angeles he’s proving his worth when he has pieces to work with.
Pete Carmichael Jr.
OC: Brian Schottenheimer
The son of the great former head coach Marty Schottenheimer. Brian has carved out a respectable NFL career to this point. With his help Drew Brees emerged as a top quality passer in San Diego where he and Carmichael worked together. Then he took over as offensive coordinator with the New York Jets, eventually helping them to two-straight AFC championships. Their decision to let him go in 2012 proved disastrous, going from 13th in points scored to 28th. He already has nine years of coordinating experience at 44-years old.
DC: Mike Nolan
Nolan was and remains one of the better defensive minds in the NFL and he’s proving it again with the Saints. His arrival on their staff this year has been a huge boon, especially to their often struggling linebacker corps. Nolan has both coordinating and head coaching experience, much of the former successful. He’s produced a top 10 scoring defense eight times in his career and brings experience running a 3-4 system.
Harold Goodwin
OC: Randy Fichtner
This has been one of the better kept secrets in the NFL. Fichtner came to the NFL in 2007 where he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as wide receivers coach. That was around the same time Goodwin was assistant offensive line coach. After three seasons Fichtner moved to become quarterbacks coach, a position he’s held since. During that time Ben Roethlisberger has had the most productive stretch of his NFL career. One might say he’s long overdue for a shot at the coordinator job.
DC: Mike Caldwell
Like Goodwin, Caldwell actually spent some time as a Bear way back in 2002. He was a reserve linebacker for them. By 2008 he transitioned to coaching and has rapidly worked his way up the ladder. As linebackers coach with the Cardinals and Jets he’s had a ton of success developing players into credible defenders. Demario Davis and Darron Lee are both getting Pro Bowl buzz in 2017 thanks to his efforts.
John Morton
OC: Bo Hardegree
Morton is familiar with the work of Hardegree having coached against him a number of times when the Jets meet the Miami Dolphins. As quarterbacks coach Hardegree has done a solid job of getting standout play from the position despite a myriad of injury issues. Chicago should know him too. He was an assistant with the Bears in 2015 and helped them finish the year 11th in rushing. He’s a young and rising talent.
DC: Kevin Greene
Most people remember him as a fiery pass rusher who finished his career with 160 sacks and a Hall of Fame bust. They forget that Kevin Greene is also an accomplished coach. He helped the Green Bay Packers win the Super Bowl in 2010 and helped turn Clay Matthews into a star. In fact Matthews had double digit sacks three times in five seasons under Greene. Since the coach left he’s done it once in four. Greene is an aggressive personality but also an intelligent one who has a grasp of understanding the moment. He and Morton have gotten to know each other in New York with the Jets this year.
Todd Wash
OC: Keenan McCardell
One of the most underrated wide receivers in the past 20 years. McCardell was always overshadowed by somebody else when he played, but few receivers could match his knowledge and preparation for the game. It’s why he lasted such a long time. He got his coaching start with the Redskins where he got excellent production out of older receivers like Santana Moss and Jabar Gaffney. Then he went to Maryland where he developed a young kid by the name of Stefon Diggs into a future draft pick. He has since returned to the NFL this year in Jacksonville, working across from Wash on offense.
DC: Perry Fewell
Fewell had reasonable success as a defensive coordinator in Buffalo and New York, winning the Super Bowl in 2011. His work with defensive backs is especially noteworthy. Chicago should know. Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher emerged as playmakers in 2005 thanks to his efforts. Like McCardell he has become familiar with Wash in Jacksonville. The experience he brings to the table would be immensely valuable for a young head coach.
Pat Shurmur
OC: Darrell Hazell
After a long and successful career coaching in the college ranks, Hazell has jumped to the NFL and been an instant hit. His efforts have helped turn Adam Thielen into a budding star. Before that he was head coach at both Kent State and Purdue. He was also responsible for producing future receivers Santonio Holmes, Brian Hartline and Ted Ginn Jr. during his stint Ohio State. While he wouldn’t call the plays, he’s shown he can be an effective organizer.
DC: Steve Spagnuolo
This is heavily dependent on whether the New York Giants coaching staff is gutted as many expect. If so Shurmur was likely jump all over Spagnuolo. The two worked together extensively in Philadelphia and St. Louis. “Spags” is an accomplished and experienced coordinator who has produced top 10 units multiple times, including a championship in 2007. For those Bears fans who want a more aggressive defense, this is your guy.
By Erik Lambert - Nov 22, 2017
No matter who the next Chicago Bears head coach is, few things are more important than whether or not he’ll be able to build a strong enough staff. Make no mistake that the choices of offensive and defensive coordinator can prove vital to success. Ask John Fox. He got it right with Adam Gase in 2015 but blundered with his promotion of Dowell Loggains in 2016. Sometimes it’s little decisions like that which can turn a tenure south quick.
So what about the top potential candidates of 2018? What sort of staffs could they put together were the Bears to hire one of them. Here’s an overview of the biggest names and who their choices could end up being. Keep in mind we’re keeping this just to the offensive and defensive coordinator positions.
Jim Harbaugh
OC: Freddie Kitchens
One of the great things about Harbaugh is he always has an eye out for coaching talent from other teams, including regular opponents. He will no doubt have noticed the work done by Freddie Kitchens when his San Francisco 49ers played the Arizona Cardinals twice a year. Since 2007 Kitchens has served as tight ends, quarterbacks and running backs coach for them. The fact he was retained in 2013 when the Cardinals changed head coaches says a lot. Under his guidance Carson Palmer was reborn, having two of the best seasons of his career in 2015 and 2016. Kitchens is ready for the next step.
DC: Vic Fangio
The hiring of Harbaugh has plenty of caveats but the biggest by far would be the likely chance to retain current Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. The two have a long history dating back to 2010 when they worked together at Stanford before going up to San Francisco and having an outstanding run there. Fangio has said he likes offensive coaches who take an interest in defense and few do that more than Harbaugh.
Josh McDaniels
OC: Chad O’Shea
Given the fact McDaniels will likely direct the offense himself, the odds say he’ll bring a young assistant with him from New England. Somebody he trusts. Chad O’Shea has been the Patriots wide receivers coach since 2009. In that time he’s done a phenomenal job developing weapons for Tom Brady including Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, and Chris Hogan. He also got career years out of Wes Welker and Brandon LaFell. Given the Bears’ issues at wide receiver, this hire would make plenty of sense.
DC: Mike Pettine
It’s curious why Pettine hasn’t coached since 2015. Sure his run with the Cleveland Browns as head coach was a disaster, but that’s true of most men these days. As an assistant, particularly a defensive coordinator Pettine is actually quite good. In his five years on the job between the Jets and Bills from 2009 to 2013, his unit never ranked lower than 10th in total defense. McDaniels went against him a number of times so there is plenty of familiarity.
Matt Lafleur
OC: Greg Olson
This will be an easy decision for Lafleur. He’s currently working with Olson in Los Angeles who is the Rams quarterbacks coach. Olson is among the most experienced offensive coordinators in the NFL. He’s actually held that job for five different teams across an 11-year span. During that time he had some success, most notably with the quarterbacks. Marc Bulger went to a Pro Bowl in 2006. Josh Freeman threw 25 TDs in 2010 and 35 TDs from Blake Bortles in 2015. He even had a hand in the early development of Derek Carr with the Raiders.
DC: Raheem Morris
Lafleur and Morris go way back. They both were on the Washington Redskins coaching staff from 2012 to 2013 and reunited from 2015 to 2016 with the Atlanta Falcons. Morris was a former head coach in Tampa Bay and brings a history of success as an assistant dating back years. He’s known for his high energy and ability to communicate with players. Every defense he has coached for excelled with him on the staff.
Matt Patricia
OC: Gary Kubiak
Patricia knows Kubiak well. The two went head-to-head several times in high stakes games when the latter was head coach at Houston, offensive coordinator in Baltimore and head coach again in Denver. Each time Kubiak found a way to test and fluster Patricia. In fact his defense allowed 28 or more points five times when going against Kubiak. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist (which Patricia is) to know that kind of coach is a must-have.
DC: Josh Boyer
Few position groups have been overturned more during the Bill Belichick era in New England than the cornerbacks. Yet it seems like every year they have news faces who are becoming stars. Josh Boyer became defensive backs coach for the team in 2009 and was moved to cornerbacks in 2012. Every year it seemed like he was getting great seasons from improbable names: Brandon Meriweather, Kyle Arrington, Logan Ryan, Malcolm Butler, and Duron Harmon. He’s young and ascending.
Dave Toub
OC: Brad Childress
Bears fans will remember Childress as head coach of the Vikings from 2006 to 2010. During that time he had considerable success. Before that he was offensive coordinator in Philadelphia and after he took up an assistant position in Kansas City. With his help Alex Smith has gone on to the best stretch of his career, Childress helping to alter the scheme to fit what he does best. One thing is clear. Whenever he had a decent quarterback as a coordinator, his offenses ranked 13th or higher in points scored.
DC: John Pagano
Toub should be familiar with the work of Pagano, having seen him up close for five seasons when he was defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers. Despite some talent deficiencies at times, Pagano had success. They finished top 10 in total defense in 2012 and 2014 and fourth in takeaways in 2016. His 3-4 leanings make him an obvious to maintain scheme continuity should Fangio leave.
Frank Reich
OC: John DeFilippo
There is no doubt that Reich may seek to bring DeFilippo with him from Philadelphia. His work as a quarterbacks coach is fairly extensive. He helped Mark Sanchez to an AFC championship as a rookie in 2009. He coached up Derek Carr as a rookie in 2014 and has since done a phenomenal job with Carson Wentz over the past two years. Some rumblings say he may even get head coaching looks next year. Odds are though that will wait until he gets coordinating experience.
DC: Ray Horton
It’s amazing the raw deal that Ray Horton has gotten over the past few years. The guy was asked to work miracles in places like Arizona, Cleveland and Tennessee and never given enough time to see it through. His first runs as a coordinator with Arizona, his unit ranked 18th the first year and 12th the next. The first lone season he had with the Browns in 2013 they ranked ninth. He took the Titans from 29th to 12th his two years in Tennessee after that. The man has never been given a fair shake to fully implement his defense. He and Reich worked together in Arizona, so there’s a connection.
Teryl Austin
OC: James Urban
Urban and Austin have a competitive history together. For three seasons they went head-to-head, Urban’s wide receivers in Cincinnati against Austin’s secondary in Baltimore. It was a battle each and every time. Urban was a favorite among Bengals players to become offensive coordinator this past year but was overlooked in favor of Bill Lazor. Many in the league feel he’s overdue for a shot at the job. Austin knows his work well. This would be an intriguing marriage.
DC: Chuck Pagano
The fate of Pagano remains unclear but there is a growing belief the Indianapolis Colts head coach will be replaced at the end of this season by new GM Chris Ballard. If so Austin, who worked with him in Baltimore could pounce. Pagano is a 3-4 defensive specialist who was outstanding in his lone year as a coordinator in 2011 for the Ravens. His units in Indianapolis have also been solid despite a clear lack of front line talent. He’s a motivator with a great attention to detail.
Possible Staffs Every Bears Head Coach Candidate Could Build (Part 2)
The Chicago Bears head coach candidate list continues here in an effort to dissect the possible staffs each one could build. For those who didn’t get a chance to read part one of the list, feel free to look it over here. This section of the list will include some of the lesser-known names and also some of the younger ones. Such reality can often lead to limited connections, but people might be surprised by some of the names involved.
Jim Bob Cooter
OC: Greg Knapp
Knapp brings a wealth of offensive experience to the table. He’s spent 10 seasons since 2001 as an offensive coordinator for four different franchises. When he had a good quarterback and decent weapons, his units were quite effective. As a quarterbacks coach in Houston he helped Matt Schaub become a Pro Bowler and then took the same job in Denver the same year Peyton Manning had his record-shatter season in 2013. That was where the two first met.
DC: Joe Barry
Most people will sour on the idea of Barry being a defensive coordinator after his first two shots at the job were somewhat underwhelming in Detroit and Washington. Then again if one looked closer they’d see he worked with two units that were light on talent. One thing that stood out was his defenses’ were good at forcing turnovers. As a linebackers coach in Tampa Bay, San Diego and now Los Angeles he’s proving his worth when he has pieces to work with.
Pete Carmichael Jr.
OC: Brian Schottenheimer
The son of the great former head coach Marty Schottenheimer. Brian has carved out a respectable NFL career to this point. With his help Drew Brees emerged as a top quality passer in San Diego where he and Carmichael worked together. Then he took over as offensive coordinator with the New York Jets, eventually helping them to two-straight AFC championships. Their decision to let him go in 2012 proved disastrous, going from 13th in points scored to 28th. He already has nine years of coordinating experience at 44-years old.
DC: Mike Nolan
Nolan was and remains one of the better defensive minds in the NFL and he’s proving it again with the Saints. His arrival on their staff this year has been a huge boon, especially to their often struggling linebacker corps. Nolan has both coordinating and head coaching experience, much of the former successful. He’s produced a top 10 scoring defense eight times in his career and brings experience running a 3-4 system.
Harold Goodwin
OC: Randy Fichtner
This has been one of the better kept secrets in the NFL. Fichtner came to the NFL in 2007 where he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as wide receivers coach. That was around the same time Goodwin was assistant offensive line coach. After three seasons Fichtner moved to become quarterbacks coach, a position he’s held since. During that time Ben Roethlisberger has had the most productive stretch of his NFL career. One might say he’s long overdue for a shot at the coordinator job.
DC: Mike Caldwell
Like Goodwin, Caldwell actually spent some time as a Bear way back in 2002. He was a reserve linebacker for them. By 2008 he transitioned to coaching and has rapidly worked his way up the ladder. As linebackers coach with the Cardinals and Jets he’s had a ton of success developing players into credible defenders. Demario Davis and Darron Lee are both getting Pro Bowl buzz in 2017 thanks to his efforts.
John Morton
OC: Bo Hardegree
Morton is familiar with the work of Hardegree having coached against him a number of times when the Jets meet the Miami Dolphins. As quarterbacks coach Hardegree has done a solid job of getting standout play from the position despite a myriad of injury issues. Chicago should know him too. He was an assistant with the Bears in 2015 and helped them finish the year 11th in rushing. He’s a young and rising talent.
DC: Kevin Greene
Most people remember him as a fiery pass rusher who finished his career with 160 sacks and a Hall of Fame bust. They forget that Kevin Greene is also an accomplished coach. He helped the Green Bay Packers win the Super Bowl in 2010 and helped turn Clay Matthews into a star. In fact Matthews had double digit sacks three times in five seasons under Greene. Since the coach left he’s done it once in four. Greene is an aggressive personality but also an intelligent one who has a grasp of understanding the moment. He and Morton have gotten to know each other in New York with the Jets this year.
Todd Wash
OC: Keenan McCardell
One of the most underrated wide receivers in the past 20 years. McCardell was always overshadowed by somebody else when he played, but few receivers could match his knowledge and preparation for the game. It’s why he lasted such a long time. He got his coaching start with the Redskins where he got excellent production out of older receivers like Santana Moss and Jabar Gaffney. Then he went to Maryland where he developed a young kid by the name of Stefon Diggs into a future draft pick. He has since returned to the NFL this year in Jacksonville, working across from Wash on offense.
DC: Perry Fewell
Fewell had reasonable success as a defensive coordinator in Buffalo and New York, winning the Super Bowl in 2011. His work with defensive backs is especially noteworthy. Chicago should know. Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher emerged as playmakers in 2005 thanks to his efforts. Like McCardell he has become familiar with Wash in Jacksonville. The experience he brings to the table would be immensely valuable for a young head coach.
Pat Shurmur
OC: Darrell Hazell
After a long and successful career coaching in the college ranks, Hazell has jumped to the NFL and been an instant hit. His efforts have helped turn Adam Thielen into a budding star. Before that he was head coach at both Kent State and Purdue. He was also responsible for producing future receivers Santonio Holmes, Brian Hartline and Ted Ginn Jr. during his stint Ohio State. While he wouldn’t call the plays, he’s shown he can be an effective organizer.
DC: Steve Spagnuolo
This is heavily dependent on whether the New York Giants coaching staff is gutted as many expect. If so Shurmur was likely jump all over Spagnuolo. The two worked together extensively in Philadelphia and St. Louis. “Spags” is an accomplished and experienced coordinator who has produced top 10 units multiple times, including a championship in 2007. For those Bears fans who want a more aggressive defense, this is your guy.
