Andy Dufresne
Footballguy
Decent article with 49er perspective.
Here's the list copied/pasted from the article. (I edited out the obvious "no way's")
Here's the list copied/pasted from the article. (I edited out the obvious "no way's")
This list is mostly a general list, as you can tell from the top of it, but I tried to adapt it to the 49ers’ possible post-Nolan/McCloughan needs and hopes.
* Pete Carroll/Bill Cowher Upper Division/
-Pete Carroll: Probably was the Yorks’ dream choice last time around, but Carroll was demanding too much money and power even at the start of the conversation.
So the Yorks gave Nolan the power but not much money, and he hired McCloughan, which was a nice decision. Could Pete get antsy at USC? I’ve always thought so, have been wrong for years, but this Reggie Bush investigation might be the lightning rod for Pete to get back to the NFL.
Still, Carroll’s no sure thing, and the Yorks would have to pay huge money (at least $5M a year for five years, plus $$ for a new GM, probably PC buddy Pat Kirwan) without any guarantees for success.
Conclusion: Again, the Carroll lure is there–he’s got flair, he knows how to identify and handle talent, and he’s a big-game coach–but it’s not likely to happen at those prices.
-Bill Cowher: Proven winner, pretty good game manager, unproven personnel skills. He’d run the whole show; it’d cost a ton. If the Yorks believe they have the talent and need a Great Coach, this is their guy–if they can stomach $6M a year and meet Pittsburgh’s likely compensation request.
Conclusion: The Yorks aren’t likely to pay the Vince Lombardi Trophy Premium (hey, if Pittsburgh wouldn’t rattle up the money for the guy who won it for them, why would the Yorks pay the guy who won it for somebody else?), plus they might not be too interested in paying multiple draft-pick compensation for a non-offensive guy.
-Bill Parcells: Always a possibility, but no.
* Notable College Coach Division/
-Bob Stoops: The Yorks know Stoops from his days in Youngstown, and he’s a squeaky clean proven winner who has admitted that at times he wonders about the world outside Norman, Okla.
Conclusion: He’s not Nick Saban, who flailed in Miami after a long college career, but Stoops could fit that model–would cost a ton, no NFL personnel history, might struggle with pro players and pro game plans, then run back when he lands the next great college offer.
** NEW NAME: Urban Meyer: Proven, new-style winner at Florida. Coached Alex Smith to full bloom at Utah. Would demand a ton of money, but if he’s interested, some NFL team will pay him. What about the Yorks? (Plus, NFC West is easier than SEC.)
* NFL Established Coach/Change of Scenery Division/
-Jon Gruden: Probably on his last legs with the Bucs. Fits perfectly into the we’ve-got-talent-need-a-damn-coach model. Mostly because Gruden did this before, winning a Super Bowl his first year in Tampa, coaching Tony Dungy’s players, then ruining the roster with Gruden’s dumb personnel ideas.
Conclusion: Good offensive and philosophical fit, but might cost too much and has the same agent as Nolan, so that’d be a tough negotiation. Another candidate who’d look a lot better if Nolan hangs on for one more season.
-Mike Holmgren: The Big Show is winding down in Seattle, and might look forward to a return home to the Bay Area. In fact, Holmgren was intrigued 4+ years ago, but was locked in contracturally.
Already makes too much, however, has personnel issues, and his ego might not fit in well with the Yorks’ ideas. Also has same agent as Nolan.
-Mike Shanahan: A great 49ers offensive coordinator, might be finally heading into his final year or two in Denver. But would cost too much and might have lost his touch about five years ago–hmm, just about the same time Terrell Davis retired.
-Marty Schottenheimer: Solid coach, never wins in the playoffs, remarkably conservative game management–sort of a rich man’s Nolan–so probably not worth the $5M price tag. But he will work again, no question.
-Jack Del Rio: Conservative, image-conscious, defensive-minded–Almost a Nolan clone, except Del Rio has had a few playoff runs. Another one who’d cost more than he’s worth, whether he leaves Jax on his own after this season or is pushed.
-Andy Reid: Created a New England-like template in Philly, then something broke a few years ago, and Reid hasn’t been able to put it back together. Offensive minded, tough, but has family issues and probably could use a year off. Also has Nolan’s agent.
* NFL Established Coach Now an Assistant Division/
-Mike Martz: Has Detroit’s offense up and around, so he’ll get interest this offseason, and he’s the exact opposite football personality as Nolan, which could be enticing for the Yorks. But Martz is too much Martz and the Yorks won’t like the blow-up potential. Martz also has Nolan’s agent.
-Jim Haslett: Current def-coor of the Rams, a little goofy; still, he’s respected. No chance the 49ers would want him.
* Rising NFL Assistant Division/
-Josh McDaniels: Can’t get any hotter for New England’s young (31), smart off-coor. He declined an interview request by the Raiders last year, so he’s very savvy. Tom Brady swears by him, I hear. Belichick won’t let his assistants talk to the media, so who knows about his personality.
No idea about personnel skills or defensive thoughts. He’s worth a look–as every GM with a vacancy will prove this offseason. McDaniels will cost a lot whenever he decides to make the move.
-Jason Garrett: First-year off-coor in Dallas, with worlds of potential. He’ll be a head coach within a few years, just not the right timing for the 49ers.
-Jim Schwartz: Tennessee def-coor was a finalist right behind Nolan last time around, and his statistics-based research still probably lingers in the Yorks’ memory banks. But they did def-coor last time, won’t do it back-to-back hires. Nolan is just as good or better than any candidate with that profile.
-Leslie Frazier: Vikings def-coor getting nice reviews replacing Mike Tomlin. Again: def-coor profile isn’t going to help him with 49ers.
-Brian Schottenheimer: Jets off-coor, a hot name, son of Marty, manages to get offense out of not much talent in NY. He’ll be hired by a team with a strong GM, which might rule out the 49ers, who like to hire the coach then have him hire the other execs.
-Russ Grimm: Asst HC in Arizona, offensive background, but probably not glamorous enough for 49ers.
-Rex Ryan: Balt def-coor. Somebody should hire him, won’t be the 49ers.
-Steve Fairchild: Buffalo off-coor, I think he’s pretty good, with limited talent on the roster. (See: Trent Edwards as a rookie QB. Hey, I thought it was supposed to take ALL QBs FOUR YEARS to be any good!) Unless he has a super agent, Yorks probably don’t even know who he is.
-Jim Mora Jr.: Seattle DBs coach, former 49ers def-coor. No way, but he will be a head coach again.
-Ron Rivera: SD LBs coach. Put him up there with the Ryan twins as talented future coaches that the 49ers won’t consider.
-Rob Chudzinski: Don’t know much about him, but the Clev off-coor has things cooking with Derek Anderson. Again: A back-up QB winning games! That’s impossible.
-Mike Singletary: 49ers asst-HC, no chance here, will be a head coach very soon, though 6-10 this season would cool off the immediate rush.
-Rob Ryan: Raiders def-coor, already mentioned.
-Tim Lewis: Carolina DBs coach was in the mix last time around. Not so much now. Still think he’ll get a shot at some point.
-Mike Heimerdinger: Denv asst-HC was another 49ers finalist in December 2004, when he was Tennessee’s off-coor. His rise has stalled a bit, especially since B. Schottenheimer has done so much more in NY than Heimerdinger did in 2005.
* Re-Tread Division/
-Denny Green: Always a candidate, 49ers/Bill Walsh ties… but no. N-O.
-Jim Fassel: Available, much more palatable as a Nolan power off-coor in 2008 than as head coach.
-Dennis Erickson: Hot first season at Arizona State! Offensive-minded! Big-game coach! Yes, he’d be perfect! Oh, the only person I could think of who’s more perfect would be…
-Steve Mariucci: Rested. Ready. Offensive-minded. Local ties. “Joe Millionaire” isn’t on the air any more.
If he is still the coach next year...
