The Here We Go Yet Again "New and Improved" Browns Coaching Search Thread

Looks like we're (hopefully) leaning towards Stephanski then. Have the Browns interviewed him yet?

 

Or McDaniels....

McDaniels interview was set up for Friday and I believe Stephanski's might have been also... Of course, McDaniels can now be moved up, while we will have to wait on Stephanski.

 

I have to admit, I am envious of how quickly Jerry Jones moved on McCarthy. He should have never left Cleveland....

We are now looking down the barrel of another unknown coach, as it pertains to Head Coach ability.

 

I'm not a big McCarthy fan, so I was sort of happy to see Dallas move him off the board. At some point, every coach that ever coached had to have somebody give him a shot.

Last year Sean McVay was all the rage. He had no previous HC experience. It's nice to have that in a coaching candidate, but it's not the end all. I think there are several really good coordinators out there that deserve an opportunity to move up the ladder.

FTR: Josh McDaniels does have a little NFL head coach experience. It wasn't all that great, but it's there, and if I had to guess, I'd say Josh is the favorite to land the Browns job. Stephanski is a close #2....Not sure about Brian Daboll, but I think he's a long shot.

 

Update: The job is McDaniels' for the taking, unless he poops the bed in his interview. Browns interview with Saleh went "very well", according to league source Jeremy Fowler. Still think if McDaniels flops, Jimmy would seek out Urban ahead of Saleh, but stranger things have happened.

Brian Daboll (interviewed today) is the safety school of head coaches. AKA Mike Pettine 2.0.

 

I could argue for Urban all day long -- and you hit a lot of the good points, @TopDawg.

The one thing that sets him apart from all the other candidates is being the "football CEO" that Jimmy is alluding to. He's got Top 3 connections and if you're looking at college-level successful coaches to pick, he'd be 1 or 1A (with Saban the other choice). With Jimmy wanting a stronger head coaching candidate -- to the extent of even having input on the GM and front office -- it would make sense to hire a delegator with connections and terrific track record of getting and developing assistants.

Health concerns, of course, play a big part in Urban's outcome. However, he appears to have setup Ohio State for future success and the same could be acheived here where he would groom a successor under him. All speculation, of course, and since we've only had one coach three or more full seasons since 1999 (Romeo Crennel), hand-wringing over a short-term stay by Urban isn't a valid excuse to not hire the best candidate for the job.

 

1. From what it sounds like (taking Jimmy at his word from a press conference, so tread carefully)... the new head coach would be responsible for hiring their staff. The HC will report directly to Haslam, not to the yet-to-be-named general manager. So part of the discussion right now in interviews is about football staff. It's been reported if Saleh gets the job (for examples), he'd bring along either the run-game or pass-game coordinator from San Francisco as his OC.

2. Depends on the head coaching choice. McCarthy (no longer an option) had his enclave that he reviewed games with this season and was actively interviewing coordinators in the event of his hiring.

There's a small chance the Browns' interview process for guys like Daboll, Roman, and even McDaniels could lead to an OC title in Cleveland with "Assistant Head Coach" thrown in for good measure. Typically, even though they're candidates in name only, the Browns hiring team is picking their brains for other names, or concepts to take back to try in Cleveland.

3. Sounds like the new HC would. That HC would have input on the new GM, but wouldn't be a final say... again, per Jimmy. However, seems like connections to new GMs have already been made (Stefanski/Berry; McDaniels/Caserio/Zeigler), so that remains to be seen.

4. I haven't heard any GM candidates to be interviewed yet. It likely depends solely on the HC hire. So it's less like Hue/Sashi and more like Mangini/Kokinis.

 

Live look at 76 Lou Groza Blvd......

 

That's not very good either way, but Kokinis was barely here long enough for a cup of coffee.

 

I've supported the Browns since I started watching football. I root for them second to my Bears. If they hired Urban Meyer, I would root actively for them to lose at every possible turn. The guy is an absolute snake. Nevermind everything else, he's retired twice to avoid trouble, and both times went back to work immediately afterwards, despite using his family and his health as excuses. If he decides to coach in the NFL, I will actively root against whichever team he coaches. I really hope it isn't the Browns. The guy is a scumbag.

 

Perhaps there is more to the Urban Meyer rumor than I thought.....
https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/01/02/urban-meyer-rumors-cleveland-browns-head-coach-job-vacancy

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...g-interest-in-urban-meyer-as-next-head-coach/

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...-interest-from-browns-for-head-coach-position

 

He was a de facto GM for a do-it-all head coach, unfortunately. Marrying a familiar GM to an HC can work, assuming that the right power and reporting structure is in place and they operate separately but with inputs from one another. I cannot say with any certainty that Jimmy Haslam knows how to structure a front office and coaching staff to accommodate a marriage like that.

 

I know, and what really sucked was how awful Mangini was at building a roster....I liked a lot of things about Eric Mangini, but personnel decisions was not his strong suit.

 

The biggest question mark isn't health or the Browns' interest, it will be how Urban views the Cleveland job. Here's a guy who, if the rumors about a "coaching itch" being back, could have his pick of almost any college-level program. Texas? USC? Notre Dame? He could likely name his price.

On the flip side, you've got a dysfunctional team with the worst ownership in professional sports who haven't committed to a head coach for more than three seasons in over 20 years and who's current ownership will be on its seventh head coach in nine seasons. On top of that, Haslam and Urban are rumored to have a very close friendship, so you're also risking that taking a job under these circumstances.

Lastly, the sword that cuts both ways, is potential failure here. If he does take the job and flames out (for the record, I think he'd be great and he's easily the best candidate left available), is it "well, everything Cleveland touches dies" or "well, maybe Urban's lost it and can't hack it at the NFL level"? Who knows how that would go, but certainly a consideration -- I would think -- in the mind of a potential HC.

 

He is but he knows football as well as anyone.

I'd be honestly interested in seeing him in the NFL....just to see if he can translate to the NFL since he's never even tried.

Meyer is more of a dictator....that style could boom or bust at the NFL level.

If I'm the Browns though before I call Meyer....I'd reach out and phone Bill Cowher just to see where his interest level is. Cowher's style of coaching paired with a legit OC, which he could easily recruit, could be exactly what the team needs to get on track in a hurry.

 

Urban's track record speaks for itself. There is NO question in my mind that if he wants an NFL job, he'll get one.

You astutely pointed out all the reasons why the Browns job might not appeal to him, but there is one major reason why it might and it could be the trump card. Urban Meyer grew up a Cleveland Browns fan. I think that means a lot.

 

Two major reasons...

 

Yeah. That was my original reason! I thought Urban and Baker could make a helluva HC/QB duo.

 

Okay, inside scoop time...lol! I'm not usually one to go here, but here's what I got. lol!

My good friends' younger brother works as a chef at Morton's Steakhouse in Columbus. He was too busy to verify with his own eyes one recent evening, but word from his staff was that that Jimmy, Dee, Urban and Shelly were all dining together.

I'm jus sayin what I heard....

 

We don't have a Morton's in Columbus...