It’s far too early to think about head coaching candidates for next season… unless you happen to be a fan of the Colts. To prep our friends from Indy and others out there, I’m going to break down the best coaching candidates into four categories.
- Former Head Coaches
- Experienced Coordinators
- College Coaches
- Dark Horses
Today let’s focus on:
Experienced coordinators
Seattle DC Kris Richard is a coordinator to watch.
The most traditional route for a NFL head coach is to serve as an offensive or defensive coordinator first. These following names have all worked in the role for at least a full season or two and are looking for their first opportunity in the big boy chair. Note: I won’t mention some high-profile coordinators like Todd Haley and Josh McDaniels, who qualified under “former head coaches” instead.
(1) Teryl Austin, DC, Detroit
Most coordinators parlay the dominant performance of their unit into a head coach job. It speaks to Teryl Austin’s acumen that he’s become a high-profile candidate despite the performance of his defense.
And that’s not a criticism on Austin: he simply hasn’t had much talent to work with in Detroit ever since Ndamukong Suh left and injuries set in. This season, armed with speedy rookie LB Jarrad Davis, the Lions have the chance to have an above-average defense for the first time in a while. If they do, Austin may finally earn his opportunity.
The reason that people are so high on Austin is that he has an “X-factor” about him. He’s a very charismatic leader who may actually be a better head coach than coordinator. Watching an interview with him, you can immediately see him as a leader of men.
best fit : Scheme “fit” doesn’t matter as much with Teryl Austin, because he has experience as a DB coach in Baltimore’s 3-4 defense and now runs a 4-3 in Detroit. However, you’d prefer a defensive-minded coach like Austin to take over a team with a QB in place. Indianapolis would be an obvious fit, and possibly Cincinnati as well.
(2) Matt Patricia, DC, New England
No, Matt Patricia wasn’t actually a “rocket scientist” (studying a subject does not give you a career), but he’s certainly smarter than his schlubby and everyman appearance would suggest.
Patricia has been taking more and more active of a role as the DC for the Patriots lately, and (up until Week 1) the team benefited from that. There’s always going to be a question mark about how a Pats assistant will fare outside of the friendly shadow of Bill Belichick — former DC’s Eric Mangini and Romeo Crennel struggled — but Patricia should merit an opportunity if the Pats field another top 10 defense this year.
best fit : As with Teryl Austin, you’d naturally want to pair a defensive coach with an established QB. However, Patricia may be more well-rounded than that; he actually worked as an assistant on the offensive side of the ball for a few years as well. A possible sleeper team for him could be Arizona if Bruce Arians retires. The Cards have the pieces for a potentially dominant defense.
(3) Kris Richard, DC, Seattle
The Legion of Boom has become the new version of Ray Lewis‘ Baltimore defenses — a natural springboard for head coaches.
The success of those coaches is mixed right now: Gus Bradley struggled in Jacksonville, but Dan Quinn led Atlanta to the Super Bowl. Richard may the next to join their ranks. He may only be 37, but he’s entering his third year at the helm and armed with perhaps his most talented defense to date. If the Seahawks are a top 3 unit, as expected, he’s going to earn plenty of interviews.
best fit : Kris Richard is a little more scheme-dependent than Teryl Austin and Matt Patricia (whose history blends the 3-4/4-3). For him, you’d want a defense that has the pieces in place for a Seattle-style scheme. Jacksonville certainly does, but I doubt they go back to the Seattle well again. With them crossed off, I’d consider Cincinnati the strongest fit among possible openings.
(4) Jim Bob Cooter, OC, Detroit
Jim Bob Cooter became a household name (and a fun one at that) after he got a lion’s share of the credit for remaking Detroit’s passing game into a quick-hitting, more efficient model. If Matt Stafford can continue that success throughout this season as well, it may be time for Cooter to get a promotion.
However, there are some hesitations here. While Cooter will have two and a half years of coordinating experience by the time the season ends, he’ll still only be 33 years old. He also has some red flags on his resume — two old arrests, one for a DUI and one for allegedly breaking into a woman’s house and climbing into bed with her. Those are both old (2009 being the latest), but Cooter will need to go above and beyond to convince a buttoned-up owner that he’s matured enough to be handed the keys to a franchise.
best fit : If Jim Bob Cooter is hired as a head coach, it’ll most likely be from a team looking to develop a young QB. Given that, the Jets and Jags come to mind as possible options.
(5) Darrell Bevell, OC, Seattle
I can hear the “boos” and “hisses” now, because Darrell Bevell isn’t a popular name, even among Seahawks fans. However, the man does have a solid resume with developing quarterbacks, which is the most sought-after skill in the NFL.
Before the season, I thought Russell Wilson could overcome a bad offensive line and put up MVP-level numbers. After Week 1, I’m not so sure. However, if Wilson can bounce back and rack up 4000+ yards, then Bevell will earn some credit for that and some extra consideration.
best fit : Again, the Jets strike me as the most obvious fit for all QB-friendly coaches like this. Bevell has a reputation for being an affable fellow, which may help a young rookie QB get comfortable and get acclimated to the NFL.
Other names of note
HAROLD GOODWIN (OC, ARI): A likable offensive line coach, Goodwin has worked his way up and serves as a protege for Bruce Arians in Arizona. He’s a very realistic candidate to replace him if Arians retires.
VIC FANGIO (DC, CHI): One of the most respected coordinators in the game, Vic Fangio may have missed his window. He’s 59 years old in a league that tends to favor younger and more “exciting” options. The same may be said for the Ravens’ Dean Pees.
