Browns "reboot" coaching search

[DJTJ]

Sheft and Mort.

 

[NorthCoastBias]

I know we're trying to move past Chip Kelly but I just thought this portion of Peter King's MMQB column was interesting:

Chip Kelly stays

There's no call to be angry at the Oregon coach for still being the Oregon coach today, as Adam Schefter and the Oregonian reported he would be. Here's what we know now: A year ago, Kelly tentatively accepted the Tampa Bay coaching job, but turned it down on second thought when he couldn't be assured that offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich would succeed him at Oregon. So this season, he was told Helfrich would take over when he left, which was important to Kelly, and he told his agent, David Dunn, he wanted to pursue NFL jobs again. He spoke with Cleveland, Buffalo and Philadelphia in the 40 hours after the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona. On Saturday morning, I was told by someone with knowledge of Cleveland's plans, "They think they've got him."

They thought wrong. And you know what? That's good. The last thing you want to do when hiring a coach is get a guy who has one foot in but you never really know if he's married to the job. Nick Saban in Miami, for instance. Or, worse, Bobby Petrino in Atlanta.

Until told otherwise, I'll believe this was about Kelly's trepidation about the difficulty of building a consistent winner in Cleveland (which is on the verge of hiring its seventh coach in 13 years), or rebuilding one in Philadelphia. We'll see. But good for Kelly in not taking the $6 million a year (or more) in Cleveland or Buffalo if his heart wasn't in it. That's an honest decision to make now.

And as for those who believe Kelly has blown his last shot to coach in the NFL, that's ridiculous. Sure, he's going to have to convince an owner and GM, someday, he finally wants the gig and is all-in. But he's 49, he's the most intelligent offensive innovator in the college game, and smart people like Tony Dungy (who has a son in the Oregon program) swear by him. "The level of detail in their program is incredible,'' Dungy said over the weekend, "and his teams will out-pace, out-hustle and out-think you." When Kelly's ready, the NFL will be. And if he never is, God bless him.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nf...terback-nfl-playoffs-wild-card/#ixzz2HJ2CrRdm

 

[Lee]

I approve of Trestman only if he brings Stephen Garica with him from Montreal. :chuckles:

Why Garcia? Are you out of weed?

 

[The Oi]

Bernie Kosar sound at all familiar?

He does...but he wasn't really all that great. He had an above average year before Trestman arrived and then two average ones while Trestman was with the team. Unless we're counting college, which I really didn't ask for. I asked for sustained success at the NFL level. If we're counting college, then Bernie had two great years with him. But...I didn't. I'd rather see success at the NFL level than at the college level...

Got Jake Plummer close to 4000 yards and to the playoffs

Trestman was with the team from 98-00...during which years Plummer was putrid. You might be counting several years later in 2004, during which Plummer was still with the Broncos and Trestman was with the Dolphins. Did Trestman's coaching apply five years later? Did the light go on for Plummer using lessons taught to him by Trestman when he was on a different team during his rookie season? Plummer had a very good year in 2004. But Plummer never really had anything other than slightly above average performances even after Trestman was gone. Never sustained any level of top tier success.

Jay Cutler is pretty good.

Cutler is above average...but not by a lot. He's generally about middle of the pack. Trestman never really coached Cutler either, just trained with him pre-draft. Maybe the training made an impression, because Cutler has been an at-times good, but not great QB.

Rich Gannon was excellent under him. Won the MVP under him, actually.

I gave you Gannon. The thing about Gannon's years just prior to Trestman's arrival were pretty much identical to what he put up after Trestman arrived. But an MVP and Super Bowl appearance are certainly a nice notch on an OC/QB coaches belt.

Scott Mitchell had that huge season under him.

He did...and then went on to a couple mediocre seasons after he left. So either Trestman's lessons didn't stick or Trestman rejuvenated his career for one year. Again, I asked for sustained success, and we didn't see it from Mitchell. Then again...Trestman was only with him for a year. Maybe it's unfair for me to ask for sustained success? Perhaps I should be asking for good years under the guy.

And of course, Bernie.

I covered Bernie already, as I have in the past. It's tough to deal with reality with Bernie, because he was a brilliant QB IQ wise and loved the city of Cleveland.

 

[Lee]

For those against Trestman, its an interesting hire. He does have a decently impressive resume. I do wonder why he kept having to change jobs though. Nowhere over 3 year stints in the NFL

NFL

Trestman moved to the National Football League and coached the running backs with the Minnesota Vikings in 1985 and 1986. He became quarterbacks coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987 then held the same position with the Cleveland Browns in 1988. In Cleveland he again coached Kosar and the team finished 10–6 and made the playoffs. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 1989. That year Kosar passed for 3,533 yards and 18 TDs, wide receiver Webster Slaughter had a franchise record 1,236 receiving yards, and the Browns made it to the AFC Championship game.

In 1990, Trestman returned to Minnesota as quarterbacks coach for the Vikings. He spent two years there and then left coaching for three years.

He returned to the NFL in 1995 as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator with San Francisco, where he served in that capacity through 1996. The first year he was there the 49ers led the NFL with 457 points scored, 644 pass attempts and 4,779 passing yards.

Trestman joined the Detroit Lions as quarterbacks coach in 1997. That year Lion's quarterback Scott Mitchell passed for 3,484 yards, second most in team history.

In 1998 he was with the Arizona Cardinals as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. That year quarterback Jake Plummer threw for 3,737 yards, and the Cardinals made the playoffs for the first time since 1982 and won their first post season game in 51 years.

He next went to the Oakland Raiders in 2001 as the quarterbacks coach. In 2002 he was promoted to offensive coordinator and the Raiders led the NFL in total offense with 389.8 yards per game and passing yards with 279.7 per game. Under Trestman's guidance, Raiders QB Rich Gannon won the 2002 NFL MVP award as the Raiders reached Super Bowl XXXVII, losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Trestman spent the 2004 season with the Miami Dolphins before returning to the college ranks.


CFL

On December 18, 2007, Trestman was named head coach for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. The Alouettes narrowly lost 22–14 to the Calgary Stampeders in the 2008 Grey Cup championship game. At the conclusion of the season, he was nominated for the CFL's Annis Stukus Award as the league's top coach, with Calgary's John Hufnagel winning. On March 5, 2010, Trestman won the Coach of the year award.

In 2009, Trestman led the Alouettes to win the 2009 Grey Cup, winning with a thrilling field goal with no time left on the clock. After the season, it was announced that he was signed through the 2012 season as the head coach. Trestman also lead the Alouettes to a Grey Cup win in 2010. Under Trestman's guidance, Alouettes QB Anthony Calvillo won back-to-back MVP awards in 2009 and 2010.

 

[DaNewCavs]

Coaches who have succeeded in both the NFL and CFL is not very long and distinguished.

Bud Grant
Marv Levy

That's it.

 

[Noonan]

Peter King:

One last question for Chip Kelly ...

The Browns, as of this morning, have $47 million in cap room in 2013. That's an astounding amount of space to help build a competitive team quickly, both through the draft and in free agency. Sure you don't want to reconsider?

 

[MRMsix6]

If you care what non-Browns fans think of the hire, then you're already looking at it in the wrong way.

I'll be laughing right along with non-Browns fans. I can appreciate the comedic value here without affecting my opinion of the guy as a legit NFL coach.

 

[Lee]

Coaches who have succeeded in both the NFL and CFL is not very long and distinguished.

Bud Grant
Marv Levy

That's it.

Its not very long, but it is distinguished. Both were excellent coaches and Levy was an offensive inovator for his time. I would take 4 super bowl appearances in a row at this point.

 

[The Oi]

Right. Him being a CFL coach definitely doesn't preclude him from success. I do agree with that 100%. It's entirely possible the guy could come in and be a successful NFL coach. They do seem to come from all walks of life these days, so if a guy has experienced some level of success at any level, there's a chance they can come in and turn around a team using the same philosophies they used before.

But it is funny. And if they hire him, it's gonna be another in a long line of jokes associated with the Cleveland Browns.

I mean, come on...the Browns would be going from:

Romeo Crennel- Grimace. Just an absolutely brutal coach that EVERYBODY was laughing at during his entire career with the Browns. The guy hand-picked Maurice Carthon as an assistant coach for God's sake. Weren't there rumors that Carthon was setting up incorrect blocking schemes during plays?

Mangini- The guy that ratted out Bill Belichick after spending his career doing a horrible impression of him. The Sanchez trade was hilarious at the time...but oddly enough, the right move.

Pat Shurmur- Mike Holmgren's friend's Nephew. possibly the worst coach the Browns have had since returning. Crennel might have an argument though.

Marc Trestman- CFL coach.

I mean...you've gotta be able to laugh at that series of hires.

 

[Nw220]

Peter King:

Its Chip Kellys loss, this team is one of the youngest in the league and we have a ton of cap space...All we need is a franchise QB and we can arguably take the AFCN...

Thats why i believe it's so important to get the right people in here for the job, we as fans deserve to captalize on the situation we are in as a franchise...

 

[The Oi]

ALL they need is a franchise QB. The thing they've had almost 30 shots at since 1999. :chuckles:

But seriously...the Browns may have some pieces in place though in Richardson, Gordon, Little and the offensive line. Hell, maybe Weeden turns it around if he gets another shot. It's not like there's zero talent to work with like there used to be.

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

I still maintain that no matter who the coach is, Alex Smith should be the one guy they go after hard this offseason.

That being said, I'm not really getting blown away with any of these coaches. I think that coordinators kind of piss me off, so I'd shy away from all of them. Honestly, as long as it isn't Arians, I'll be cool.

 

[Giambiwannabe7]

I still maintain that no matter who the coach is, Alex Smith should be the one guy they go after hard this offseason.

That being said, I'm not really getting blown away with any of these coaches. I think that coordinators kind of piss me off, so I'd shy away from all of them. Honestly, as long as it isn't Arians, I'll be cool.

Why the Arians hate?

 

[The Oi]

Smith was running that offense like a well-oiled machine more often than not when I watched the Niners. He had one terrible game against the Giants and a couple mediocre games mixed in.

If Weeden isn't the guy and Geno Smith isn't either, Alex Smith could buy the Browns at least a few years before drafting a new QB.