Walk-Around vs Coordinator Type Head Coach

xwalker

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"Walk Around" Head Coach vs Offensive or Defensive Guru as Head Coach

Walk Around HC (non-coordinator HC)
There are some possible advantages to having a Head Coach that is the manager with both the Offensive and Defensive Coordinators being somewhat independent of the Head Coach.
1. HC focused on big picture.
2. Can maintain consistent team structure/process when Coordinators are fired.

Note: Belichick is still the football guru even if other coaches hold OC and DC titles.

Head Coach as Offensive or Defensive Coordinator
The big disadvantage is that the most in-demand Offensive or Defensive Gurus get hired as Head Coaches. A Sean McVay type Offensive Guru had to be hired as the Head Coach, not as an Offensive Coordinator.

Even if an Offensive Guru was available as an Offensive Coordinator, those types would not want to work for a Head Coach that was previously the team's Offensive Coordinator. It would be better for the Offensive Guru to work for a Defensive minded Head Coach.

Similar to the limitations of hiring top Gurus as Coordinators instead of as Head Coaches, keeping top Coordinators is also more limited when Neither Coordinator can be promoted to Head Coach.

Obviously long term, only 1 of 2 Coordinators can be promoted to Head Coach, but keeping 1 of 2 is better than keeping zero.


Cowboys Specifically

The Scenario where the Cowboys exit the playoffs without reaching the Super Bowl presents difficult questions in regards to Head Coach.

Hiring a new Head Coach works better when a team tanks by mid-season and management knows they'll hire a new HC. GMs with a team in the playoffs or playoff contention to the end of the season generally won't contact potential replacements until their season is completely finished.

What if Garrett Not Retained

Kellen Moore: Not likely hired as HC by Cowboys in 2020 regardless of success in 2019.

Kris Richard: He is not even the DC in 2019. Would they hire him as HC?

Outside Hire: Unless the Cowboys tank by about game 12, they'll get a late start hiring a new HC.


What if Garrett gets New Contract
The contract would likely expire after 2022 (3 year deal).

Both Moore/Richard can likely be retaining in 2020 (Richard as DC).

Both Moore/Richard could be hired by other teams as HCs before 2022.
 

Tangle_Foot

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Is there such a thing as a clapping Guru:)
But seriously the staff doesn't affect the cap so as long as you're proficient I don't really care one way or the other. Getting result is all anyone cares about.
 

Aerolithe_Lion

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The biggest downside to a ‘walkaround’ Head coach is he’s much more dependent on his coordinators.

I don’t really care how good of an OC Mike Groh is, because Doug Pederson is our real OC.
 

Idgit

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The biggest downside to a ‘walkaround’ Head coach is he’s much more dependent on his coordinators.

I don’t really care how good of an OC Mike Groh is, because Doug Pederson is our real OC.

Why is that a downside? It’s a function of how good your coordinators are.

The NFL game is all about the players, first and foremost. After that, the coaches work primarily as a staff, anyway. Playcalls are coordinated by multiple offensive coaches on headsets, and multiple coaches are analyzing plays and communicating about them in real time. The the players have to translate that communication on the field. All with the other team making the same sorts of adjustments in real time on the other side. The idea that it’s a HC making adjustments and doing it during breaks in the game or at halftime like you see in the movies is silly.
 

GimmeTheBall!

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"Walk Around" Head Coach vs Offensive or Defensive Guru as Head Coach

Walk Around HC (non-coordinator HC)
There are some possible advantages to having a Head Coach that is the manager with both the Offensive and Defensive Coordinators being somewhat independent of the Head Coach.
1. HC focused on big picture.
2. Can maintain consistent team structure/process when Coordinators are fired.

Note: Belichick is still the football guru even if other coaches hold OC and DC titles.

Head Coach as Offensive or Defensive Coordinator
The big disadvantage is that the most in-demand Offensive or Defensive Gurus get hired as Head Coaches. A Sean McVay type Offensive Guru had to be hired as the Head Coach, not as an Offensive Coordinator.

Even if an Offensive Guru was available as an Offensive Coordinator, those types would not want to work for a Head Coach that was previously the team's Offensive Coordinator. It would be better for the Offensive Guru to work for a Defensive minded Head Coach.

Similar to the limitations of hiring top Gurus as Coordinators instead of as Head Coaches, keeping top Coordinators is also more limited when Neither Coordinator can be promoted to Head Coach.

Obviously long term, only 1 of 2 Coordinators can be promoted to Head Coach, but keeping 1 of 2 is better than keeping zero.


Cowboys Specifically

The Scenario where the Cowboys exit the playoffs without reaching the Super Bowl presents difficult questions in regards to Head Coach.

Hiring a new Head Coach works better when a team tanks by mid-season and management knows they'll hire a new HC. GMs with a team in the playoffs or playoff contention to the end of the season generally won't contact potential replacements until their season is completely finished.

What if Garrett Not Retained

Kellen Moore: Not likely hired as HC by Cowboys in 2020 regardless of success in 2019.

Kris Richard: He is not even the DC in 2019. Would they hire him as HC?

Outside Hire: Unless the Cowboys tank by about game 12, they'll get a late start hiring a new HC.


What if Garrett gets New Contract
The contract would likely expire after 2022 (3 year deal).

Both Moore/Richard can likely be retaining in 2020 (Richard as DC).

Both Moore/Richard could be hired by other teams as HCs before 2022.

Professor, will we be graded on the curve?
Could we take athletic stretching and conditioning instead of this?
 

CCBoy

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Why is that a downside? It’s a function of how good your coordinators are.

The NFL game is all about the players, first and foremost. After that, the coaches work primarily as a staff, anyway. Playcalls are coordinated by multiple offensive coaches on headsets, and multiple coaches are analyzing plays and communicating about them in real time. The the players have to translate that communication on the field. All with the other team making the same sorts of adjustments in real time on the other side. The idea that it’s a HC making adjustments and doing it during breaks in the game or at halftime like you see in the movies is silly.

Before any injuries set in...this Dallas team should be a strong player's group.
 

Hadenough

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The problem with firing Garrett is they would want to hire a new head coach that is willing to work with all the same assistant coaches. Any good head coach is going to want to choose his staff of coaches. That takes Jerry out of his comfort zone and I dont see that happening.
 

DuncanIso

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The problem with firing Garrett is they would want to hire a new head coach that is willing to work with all the same assistant coaches. Any good head coach is going to want to choose his staff of coaches. That takes Jerry out of his comfort zone and I dont see that happening.

Garrett delegates everything through the 3 coordinators.

He doesn't call any plays (except timeouts and the extra points) and has no control of the defense. (Which is why Marinelli got away with wrecking the Rams game.)

At least he wears the comm gear during the games. But you rarely see him talking into it.

I don't know why people want him gone. He is doing what he has been told to do.

Nothing would change if he left.
 

xwalker

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The biggest downside to a ‘walkaround’ Head coach is he’s much more dependent on his coordinators.

I don’t really care how good of an OC Mike Groh is, because Doug Pederson is our real OC.
Why is that a downside? It’s a function of how good your coordinators are.

The NFL game is all about the players, first and foremost. After that, the coaches work primarily as a staff, anyway. Playcalls are coordinated by multiple offensive coaches on headsets, and multiple coaches are analyzing plays and communicating about them in real time. The the players have to translate that communication on the field. All with the other team making the same sorts of adjustments in real time on the other side. The idea that it’s a HC making adjustments and doing it during breaks in the game or at halftime like you see in the movies is silly.

I don't see that (dependence on coordinators) by itself as a significant downside.

A team can have the stability of the same Head Coach but have options to change up schemes by changing Coordinators.
 

Techsass

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The problem with firing Garrett is they would want to hire a new head coach that is willing to work with all the same assistant coaches. Any good head coach is going to want to choose his staff of coaches. That takes Jerry out of his comfort zone and I dont see that happening.
Wade knew his position was only temporary, so his hiring shouldn't count. Did Garret have a stable of coaches that would follow him?
 

JayFord

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If you fire Garrett which I think should have been done over a decade ago you need someone that can motivate just as good as he can

Say what you will about Jason Garrett that man is a master motivator and I’ve never seen a team quit on him ever
 

CouchCoach

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If I was hiring my HC, he would be a combo HC/OC because I want him tight with my QB but I would have the best DC money could buy so the OC could focus 100% of his attention on that during the games. I would still have an OC to handle the day to day.

What works well is what Reid had with Jim Johnson and what Gruden had with Kiffin and what McVay has with Phillips. Get a DC that can be trusted as the HC of the D. The tricky part of that is finding one that will stay around long enough and not get the HC bug because most of them fail and will be back to DC or OC.
 

Techsass

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So, with this young team improving together, it's not likely that JG's gonna lose his job.
Even if they don't gel, it's unlikely JG loses his job. But just for the dreamers (Ranching?) people do actually win the lottery.
 

DuncanIso

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If you fire Garrett which I think should have been done over a decade ago you need someone that can motivate just as good as he can

Say what you will about Jason Garrett that man is a master motivator and I’ve never seen a team quit on him ever


To be fair, JasonG's coaching record isn't that bad.

77-59 Good
2-3 Playoffs Bad
 

buybuydandavis

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Wade knew his position was only temporary, so his hiring shouldn't count. Did Garret have a stable of coaches that would follow him?

With HC in Waiting Garrett already hired, *everyone* knew that Wade's position was temporary. He was hamstrung from day one.
 

DuncanIso

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With HC in Waiting Garrett already hired, *everyone* knew that Wade's position was temporary. He was hamstrung from day one.

Wade had problems.

That 2010 meltdown was all him.

I went to training camp that Summer and all everyone could talk about was going to the Super Bowl.

He was a good DC though.
 
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