No reason to panic- Timeline for a new Head Coach!

[AZCardsWin]

Like all of you I have my own theory on how the Cardinals coaching situation will play out. Let me know what you think:

1. Before a HC gets hired the Cardinals hire a GM. Wouldn't you want your new GM to have a say in the next HC? You would think so.

2. Once the GM is in place the Cardinals will wait to see if DC Ray Horton gets an offer from the teams he interviewed for. Before hiring a head coach knowing the status of DC Horton is key. My guess is the Cardinals internally believe Horton will not get a HC job this year and once that appears inevitable- they know they have their DC is place and can hire an head coach.

3. With the GM and DC in place the Cardinals hire a head coach that fits perfect to their offensive needs. My guess is (in this order) McCoy, Gruden and Haley.

Go Cardinals!
-Tim
@SheriffK9NJ

 

[Duckjake]

Whisenhunt was hired on the 14th of January 2007 so we're not lagging behind.

For anyone worried about letting a top candidate get out of town after the first interview:

Whisenhunt, 44, met for a second time with Arizona officials on Friday, as the Cardinals continued their follow-up round of interviews aimed at finding a new coach. The Cardinals interviewed eight candidates in the initial round, then brought back Houston Texans assistant head coach Mike Sherman and Whisenhunt for second interviews.

 

[DoTheDew]

Not sure how good an idea bringing back Horton as DC is. Just means we almost certainly lose him outright next year.

Also, everyone insists you have to hire the GM before the HC to make sure they get along. Why then do we assume that the HC is automatically going to want to keep Horton? Maybe the guy we hire wants a 4-3 DC or has his own guy he wants to bring in.

 

[JeffGollin]

Like all of you I have my own theory on how the Cardinals coaching situation will play out. Let me know what you think:

1. Before a HC gets hired the Cardinals hire a GM. Wouldn't you want your new GM to have a say in the next HC? You would think so.

2. Once the GM is in place the Cardinals will wait to see if DC Ray Horton gets an offer from the teams he interviewed for. Before hiring a head coach knowing the status of DC Horton is key. My guess is the Cardinals internally believe Horton will not get a HC job this year and once that appears inevitable- they know they have their DC is place and can hire an head coach.

3. With the GM and DC in place the Cardinals hire a head coach that fits perfect to their offensive needs. My guess is (in this order) McCoy, Gruden and Haley.

Go Cardinals!
-Tim
@SheriffK9NJ

Makes sense on paper, but there are a few tricky things to consider:

1. The "If you wait long enough to do stuff, you may wake up one morning to find out that you're dead" principle.

2. There's still scouting to be done and a draft to oversee. It's hard to build a board, engineer trades etc. if you don't know who your HC, his system or his philosophies will be.

3. It's taken this team 60 freakin' years to develop a defense to be feared. It's become an important part of the team's personality. Finding the right guy to oversee it has been a long, hard slog, but we finally have Horton and you can see the tangible results.

Why risk dismantling it by giving its architect a reason to walk. (Ray may not have another HC opportunity to leave for, but - if he felt he was getting played - he could easily pick up his marbles and become some other team's DC).

4. If we go the "offensive route" and risk letting our defense fall-off even just a little, we'd then be forced to operate with a "decent" defense while we rebuild a god-awful offense. But if we go the opposite ("defensive") route and trade on our key strength (i.e. "protect the crown jewels"), we can focus 95% of our remaining resources and energy toward improving the offense.

5. While ideally, you hire the GM who then hires the HC, I get the feeling Michael wants to play the CEO part of being a GM (i.e. strategic direction and hiring) so that he can allow the new GM to concentrate on upgrading player-personnel. Michael's already said that filling one position earlier than the other isn't an issue - he'll fill either post when he finds the right guy for each job.

For these reasons, I'd rather lean toward Horton as HC, while finding a young, creative wunderkind to head the offense plus a few experienced assistants - who know how to effectively work with offensive linemen, running backs etc. - to support him.

 

[daves]

(Ray may not have another HC opportunity to leave for, but - if he felt he was getting played - he could easily pick up his marbles and become some other team's DC).

Horton is still under contract to the Cardinals as DC, so i don't think he has the option of making a lateral move to the same position on another team, unless Bidwill chooses to let him go.

I like the idea of Horton as HC as long as his choice for OC inspires confidence that he can turn things around. Turner would do so. Kirby, not so much.

I like the idea of one of the creative offensive candidates (McCoy, Gruden, Shanahan, etc.) as HC with Horton as DC. And if Horton doesn't want to stay under those circumstances, or the new HC prefers his own credible guy in mind, i think i'd be OK with that too.

...dave

 

[52brandon]

Not sure how good an idea bringing back Horton as DC is. Just means we almost certainly lose him outright next year.

Also, everyone insists you have to hire the GM before the HC to make sure they get along. Why then do we assume that the HC is automatically going to want to keep Horton? Maybe the guy we hire wants a 4-3 DC or has his own guy he wants to bring in.

completely agreed. The players love the guy. They will play for him. I do agree we get a GM first and ultimately let him choose. But I think Horton will make a great HC on the field and in the locker room. I am somewhat worried about his Coordinator choices though

 

[GuernseyCard]

completely agreed. The players love the guy. They will play for him. I do agree we get a GM first and ultimately let him choose. But I think Horton will make a great HC on the field and in the locker room. I am somewhat worried about his Coordinator choices though

It seems evident that the choice of both GM and HC falls to Michael Bidwill as President, which is the approach taken in the KC search.

Keim is a finalist for the Jacksonville and from what I've read that decision could come quickly and Keim will likely finish second.

At that point, I would imagine Mike B will be in a position to name his GM.

Note: Keim has been in the H-C interview with Mike B.

Will Keim recommend Horton, McCoy, etc... etc... is the multimillion dollar question.

 

[52brandon]

It seems evident that the choice of both GM and HC falls to Michael Bidwill as President, which is the approach taken in the KC search.

Keim is a finalist for the Jacksonville and from what I've read that decision could come quickly and Keim will likely finish second.

At that point, I would imagine Mike B will be in a position to name his GM.

Note: Keim has been in the H-C interview with Mike B.

Will Keim recommend Horton, McCoy, etc... etc... is the multimillion dollar question.

the glaring difference though is that KC chose the same guy for both jobs. I don't believe, given the candidates the Cards are interviewing, that they will be making that same decision

 

[GuernseyCard]

the glaring difference though is that KC chose the same guy for both jobs. I don't believe, given the candidates the Cards are interviewing, that they will be making that same decision

No they won't, but, the dynamic remains the same. Mike B will choose the GM and conduct the H-C interviews and, no doubt, consider the recommendation of his GM on who should be the field general.

 

[52brandon]

No they won't, but, the dynamic remains the same. Mike B will choose the GM and conduct the H-C interviews and, no doubt, consider the recommendation of his GM on who should be the field general.

it looks like you're correct. I'd do it the other way though. Bidwill recommends to the GM who he likes, and the GM makes the decision. That IS his job after all.

 

[GuernseyCard]

it looks like you're correct. I'd do it the other way though. Bidwill recommends to the GM who he likes, and the GM makes the decision. That IS his job after all.

Sorry to disagree, but, the GM's job is to analyse and recommend to the President, not the other way. Keep hierarchies in mind at all times, they haven't changed over the millineum.

 

[52brandon]

Sorry to disagree, but, the GM's job is to analyse and recommend to the President, not the other way. Keep hierarchies in mind at all times, they haven't changed over the millineum.

sure. Plenty has changed. And the owner picks the GM to pick the coach, to pick his staff, to pick their squads. The higher positions can override the lower ones if they REALLY want to, but they hired the guy below them to do that job, they should trust their judgement. If not, you might as well just pull a Jerry Jones

 

[GuernseyCard]

sure. Plenty has changed. And the owner picks the GM to pick the coach, to pick his staff, to pick their squads. The higher positions can override the lower ones if they REALLY want to, but they hired the guy below them to do that job, they should trust their judgement. If not, you might as well just pull a Jerry Jones

Mike Bidwill is part of the ownership family, but, has the role of President.

There's the rub, there's the difference and he isn't the only one of similar relation and background who is exercising more authority in sport these days.

The fact remains, whatever your prefrence, that is the org chart.

This isn't about the nuts and bolts, but, about the critical personnel decisions: GM and head coach.