Packers hiring LaFleur.

[pbmax]

What Adams is saying sounds to me a lot like what Rodgers was saying should have been happening in the Buffalo game:

I don't mind increased targets for Adams, but that should come in the design of the offense so you can both set him up AND then take advantage of the defenses reaction to him. So I like constructing him open better than simply trying to find him a one on one matchup, which at times was the best Rodgers could do for him.

[pbmax]

Official announcements about things you already knew:


The Green Bay Packers have retained defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery and running backs coach Ben Sirmans and promoted Jason Simmons to defensive backs coach and Ryan Downard to assistant defensive backs coach. Head Coach Matt LaFleur made the announcement Thursday.

https://www.packers.com/news/packers-announce-coaching-staff-changes

[Joemailman]

https://packerswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/31/packers-hiring-shawn-mennenga-to-be-special-teams-coordinator/


One of the last major positions on Matt LaFleur’s first coaching staff with the Green Bay Packers has been filled.

LaFleur went back to college to find his sought-after answer at special teams coordinator.

According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN, the Packers are hiring Vanderbilt special teams coordinator Shawn Mennenga to replace Ron Zook, the team’s special teams coordinator from 2015-18.



Rob Demovsky
✔
The Packers have hired Vanderbilt's Shawn Mennenga as special teams coach, a source said. It's a big hire for new Packers coach Matt LaFleur because the Packers ranked last in the NFL in special teams, according to Rick Gosselin's annual rankings. More on the hire to come on ESPN

Mennenga, an Iowa native, was the assistant special teams coordinator for the Cleveland Browns from 2011-17. He spent last season coordinating the special teams at Vanderbilt.

His time in Cleveland brought Mennenga in contact with current Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine and San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, a long-time friend and mentor of LaFleur.

With the Browns, Mennenga worked directly under Chris Tabor, the current special teams coordinator of the Chicago Bears. Tabor was an assistant under Dave Toub, who is widely considered one of the best special teams coordinators in the NFL. That coaching connection was likely a draw for LaFleur as he attempted to find a coach capable of rebuilding what ranked as the NFL’s worst special teams group last season.

Under Zook’s coordination, the Packers finished 32nd in Rick Gosselin’s special teams rankings in 2018.

It’s unclear who will assist Mennenga on special teams. Maurice Drayton, who worked under Zook last season, interviewed for the coordinator job.

Not official, but looks like a done deal. I'm gonna cut him some slack and not start the Official Fire Shawn Mennenga Thread. He looks a little like Pettine, so he could be good.

https://nbcprofootballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2019/01/gettyimages-488044582-e1548824944577.jpg?w=396&h=222&crop=1

[Patler]

As for Rizzi, if the Packers met his number while he was still available, yet he pulled himself out from consideration, I doubt he would have been all that satisfied long term anyway. I suspect it really came down to him making a strategic decision to hold out for a different step career-wise. Not a knock against Rizzi, but I prefer the Packers to have 3-4 years of stability with their new staff. A young, inexperienced, first time head coach doesn't need the distractions and uncertainties that come with overly ambitious staff members.

Just maybe the delay was because the Packers were uncertain of the "fit" for reasons something like that. Again, that is not a knock against Rizzi, just recognition that maybe GB is not the best situation for either of them right now.

[Bretsky]

I am with Bretsky on this one. Kinda steamed about this one. Maybe there were good reasons to hesitate; maybe the new HC wanted to avoid the trap of hiring your first interview. I understand that. Maybe the guy is unquestionably the most qualified but he's also a Grade A schmuck.

But the entire concept of ST inside the Packer org needs a look. They sometimes piece together good and great defenses. But they do not piece together good and great ST.

Someone like Rizzi could help that evaluation. They also need to rethink this in personnel.

It's no guarantee he was the right guy, but I want to see the explanation for it. Not that I actually expect one.

That said Mennenga seems qualified and I like that kind of hire here rather than an Assistant ST coach promotion.




We seemed to have the opportunity to hire the Home Run but instead didn't take a swing and after a few days we decided to. If him and Matty hit it off it's really inexcusable to let an overqualified guy go at a spot we've sucked forever. VERY disappointing, and indications are it came down to up being tight asses.

THe Packer Beat writers were all over this and in an ugly manner.

They went as far as indicating we were interviewing retreads for the job, and I think when they created that article it was when GB was set to interview the guy they hired.

[pbmax]

I think its fair that they address what they were looking for and whether they were disappointed in not getting him after the contract offer. I doubt they will answer the question, but it should be asked.

[pbmax]

Nice story mostly about M4's family: https://www.packersnews.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2019/01/31/making-matt-lafleur-perfect-pedigree-packers/2714245002/

[Joemailman]

Nice story mostly about M4's family: https://www.packersnews.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2019/01/31/making-matt-lafleur-perfect-pedigree-packers/2714245002/

These stories are what make me optimistic about LaFleur. He's not some lightweight who got this job because of Sean McVay's coattails. He comes from a family that lives and breathes football. He is no shrinking violet who will be dominated by Aaron Rodgers. I think he has a vision for the kind of team he wants and will implement it.

[call_me_ishmael]

But let's be honest, if we wasn't first Kyle Shanahan's QB coach and then McVay's OC he wouldn't have gotten the job. He's riding their coat tails. But, he is the right hand man of very successful people for a reason, so he's probably a pretty smart guy. My concerns are the assistants. It seems like a second rate staff, but I do accept that could just be due to age.

[gbgary]

col. kurtz

[pbmax]

But let's be honest, if we wasn't first Kyle Shanahan's QB coach and then McVay's OC he wouldn't have gotten the job. He's riding their coat tails. But, he is the right hand man of very successful people for a reason, so he's probably a pretty smart guy. My concerns are the assistants. It seems like a second rate staff, but I do accept that could just be due to age.

Belichick--Parcells

Walsh--Paul Brown

Shanny Jr.--Shanny Sr.

Payton--Parcells

Holmgren--Walsh

Reid--Holmgren

[Patler]

This might be a first for a Packer head coach:


...(LaFleur's future wife)... worked at a tanning salon in Mount Pleasant, a place named Sunsations. Matt was a customer.

I doubt McCarthy, Sherman or Holmgren have spent much time in tanning salons.

[pbmax]

This might be a first for a Packer head coach:



I doubt McCarthy, Sherman or Holmgren have spent much time in tanning salons.

The job I understand. Being a customer I do not. Serious lack of judgement. -1 points.

[Joemailman]

https://packerswire.usatoday.com/2019/02/04/all-pro-joe-staley-advocates-for-new-packers-ol-adam-stenavich/


The best player to play for new Green Bay Packers offensive line coach Adam Stenavich believes David Bakhtiari and the Packers got a good one.

Joe Staley, the San Francisco 49ers three-time All-Pro left tackle, put Bakhtiari at ease at about his new position coach, praising the 35-year-old Wisconsin native when Bakhtiari reached out to him recently.

“Joe Staley gave him a lot of high praise,” Bakhtiari told Jason Wilde of ESPN Milwaukee. “Honestly, he told me he was sad and kind mad that he was getting the phone call from me letting him know that his coach isn’t going to be there, because he liked him a lot. And right off the bat, that made me feel good about where we’re going and that further gives that I can trust that Matt knows what he’s doing.”


Stenavich, who grew up in Marshfield and played college football at Michigan, is taking over for James Campen, the highly-respected former NFL offensive lineman who was in Green Bay from 2004 to 2018.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

The job I understand. Being a customer I do not. Serious lack of judgement. -1 points.

Dude’s a metrosexual, I believe. I mean, since when do Italian men need tanning. They’re born brownish. Check out Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Mooch.

Holmgen = The Walrus

Rhodes = Country Music Ray (They shoulda given ole Ray more than a year, but he still failed to bring hip-hip to Green Bay nonetheless).

Sherman = The Pear-Shaped Loser (which I do not endorse)

McCarthy = Stubby

LaFleur = The Metrosexual (or Matrosexual, for the the sake of word play)

[pbmax]

Where are you getting Italian from?

[Anti-Polar Bear]

Where are you getting Italian from?

So he's French? LaFleur has gotta be "the flower" in French or Italian, right?

[Carolina_Packer]

https://i.postimg.cc/Nf3xcrGS/LaFleur.jpg

[pbmax]

Well, he does not appear to be Swedish, Norwegian or German.

EDIT: the family name does not appear to be ...

[Carolina_Packer]

The French are crazy about their cheese, so he'll fit right in.

[pbmax]

Ryan Wood @ByRyanWood
#Packers head coach Matt LaFleur continues filling out his staff. He’s named Luke Butkus assistant offensive line coach and Rayna Stewart special teams quality control coach.

Yes, Luke Butkus is Dick Butkus' nephew.


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dy0J_DNX4AE1tca.jpg

[gbgary]

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/littlehouse/images/9/9e/100311-merlin-olsen-vsml-9a.standard.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140617170110

[MadtownPacker]

Now that looks like a OLine coach! Will his family disown him?

[Rastak]

Now that looks like a OLine coach! Will his family disown him?

Get his uncle as LB coach.....motherfucker could play.

[Fritz]

Use the Force, Luke.

Maybe he can even turn Jason Spriggs into a Jedi.

[pbmax]

Speaking of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic:

Michael Cohen @Michael_Cohen13
#Packers have shuffled their strength and conditioning staff:

- Chris Gizzi has been promoted from assistant to coordinator
- Former coordinator Mark Lovat has been demoted but will be retained as an assistant
- Assistants Thadeus Jackson and Grant Thorne have been retained

[Joemailman]

Speaking of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic:

Michael Cohen @Michael_Cohen13
#Packers have shuffled their strength and conditioning staff:

- Chris Gizzi has been promoted from assistant to coordinator
- Former coordinator Mark Lovat has been demoted but will be retained as an assistant
- Assistants Thadeus Jackson and Grant Thorne have been retained

Don't tell Red.

[pbmax]

You'll never guess what traits the new special teams coach wants out of his units!

Michael Cohen @Michael_Cohen13
#Packers HC Matt LaFleur is speaking to the media now. He's introducing the coaching staff. Says he was looking for good communicators, people who love the game of football and high-character individuals.

LaFleur on keeping DC Mike Pettine: "I've gone against his defenses before. I think they present a lot of challenges for offenses. And the fact that he's been a head coach and he's sat in this seat, it really affords you an opportunity to bounce ideas off of him." #Packers

LaFleur on OC Nathaniel Hackett: "He's a guy that I've gotten to know over the years throughout the combine. ... There was a comfort factor. I know what he's all about as a man. And again, it comes back to being a high-character individual." #Packers

LaFleur on QBs coach: "It didn't have to be a guy that necessarily worked with Aaron (Rodgers). Certainly, we're going to find the best QB coach out there." LaFleur says he reached out to Rodgers and several others who worked with Luke Getsy and got strong reviews. #Packers

Aaron Rodgers will have a trio of coaches working with him: Matt LaFleur, Nathaniel Hackett and Luke Getsy. They believe they can hit Rodgers "from all angles" in meetings. LaFleur says he anticipates being part of every single QB session. #Packers

LaFleur said he didn't really consider bringing in someone who had been a head coach before on the offensive side of the ball. Said the process didn't shake out that way when they built the staff. This will be something to watch. #Packers

LaFleur asked about the youth on his staff. Said he focused on finding guys with a connection to his system so the teaching process would run more smoothly. He believes the young coaches will bring a lot of energy to meetings. #Packers

LaFleur asked about the strength and conditioning changes. He says Mark Lovat suggested making Chris Gizzi the head strength coach. Sounds like Lovat volunteered to take a smaller role in order to stay with the #Packers.

#Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett is at the podium now. On his role in GB: "I think the whole thing is about supporting Matt. He's a first-time head coach. He's going to call the plays. What can I do to make his job more efficient?"

Kelly Price @thekellyprice
Hackett’s energy is definitely palpable, as advertised. He’s talking about being a part of the #Packers and is genuinely in awe of the opportunity. Says he can’t wait to get back upstairs and work more on football.

@Cohen again
Hackett says a large part of his job as OC will be teaching the other assistants. There's a lot of youth on this staff, and the coaches themselves have a big learning curve ahead of them. #Packers

#Packers DC Mike Pettine: "Knowing Matt as I know him, I hired his brother in Cleveland, when he was hired, that was an easy decision for me (to want to stay). .... There's a lot of common ground, a shared philosophy."

Pettine says he wants the defense to take a big jump for year two. He says this season can be about the "graduate-level details" of the job. #Packers

Pettine says he was thrilled to see Patrick Graham have an opportunity to become a defensive coordinator with the #Dolphins. It's likely the #Packers would have retained Graham had he not been given the chance to earn a promotion in Miami.

Pettine says he and Joe Whitt did not have a difference of opinion about how things should be taught. Described the decision to let Joe leave as a tough one and believes Joe will be a coordinator in this league. #Packers

#Packers ST coordinator Shawn Mennenga says he wants to be aggressive on special teams. Play fast, play physically and be smart. "Use it to our advantage and make a difference in the game."

Mennenga says LaFleur emphasized the importance of special teams from their initial conversation and has continued to do so since then. The ability to hire a third coach on special teams (coordinator + two assistants) could make a significant difference. #Packers

[pbmax]

Tom Silverstein @TomSilverstein
Mennenga said his system emanates from the John Harbaugh coaching tree. His mentor, Chris Tabor was an assistant to Toub in Chicago and Toub was an assistant to Harbaugh.

OK. THIS IS GOOD

Tom Silverstein @TomSilverstein
Pettine said he was thrilled that Patrick Graham got a defensive coordinator's job. Said other changes were part of fitting what the new coach wants. Nice to have some continuity.

Tom Silverstein @TomSilverstein
Pettine said he had a ton of respect for Joe Whitt. Said he will be a coordinator in this league. There were no issues there. Did not say why Whitt was fired or whether it was his decision.

Tom Silverstein @TomSilverstein
Pettine clarified that it was LaFleur's decision to part ways with Whitt.

Tom Silverstein @TomSilverstein
OC Nathaniel Hackett said he knew Mike McCarthy from U of Pitt days and was steeped in West Coast offense. Said he's not sure WC exists much anymore but has seen it evolve into what it is now.

[Joemailman]

I really like all the coordinators. Hackett looks like a guy who will bring a lot of energy. Don't forget in 2017 he almost ended up in a Super Bowl with Blake Bortles at QB. My main concern is the thin resumes with the OL and TE coaches. Not worried about age. Youngest HC in the NFL last year was in the Super Bowl. But those 2 guys will be making a big jump.

[Fritz]

It would help Stenavich if he can develop a limp and start chewing tobacco and cursing a lot. Maybe squint some, too.

[pbmax]

https://www.packersnews.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2019/02/22/packers-morning-buzz-how-green-bay-could-trade-down-extra-picks/2930324002/

Notes about Pettine being accommodated even while under contract. LaFleur was familiar to him (worked with LeatherTanneryJr and M4's brother). He got one of his guys hired (Smith, the OLB coach) and saw two M3 holdovers leave (Whitt was let go by M4 and Moss was fired for weirdness last season).

I dislike everything about this hiring process. 10 interviews, no one stands out, except the last interview who struck them as fantastic. No second interviews. Oddly enough, the last interview is a guy quite likely to know and be willing to accept a DC handed to him.

Keep a D coach as a condition of hiring who upped the pass game defense and did some good work on line stunts, but otherwise produced some lackluster results. Pettine is competent but I am not sure he is more competent than Capers. But he is not going to construct a good or even average defense out of leftovers like some can.

Mixed bag in hiring assistants. Stepanovich (unsure of spelling) and the TE coach are pretty raw as is one of the new DB coaches. ST coach is a retread.

Murphy at the top of three silos.

Other than hiring Jerry Jones to run the team, the process has the stink of committee all over it. Somehow the Steelers made this structure work year after year. But its not comforting that the Steelers are falling apart and are quite willing to be led by a QB on his radio show calling out teammates.

Everyone is worried about Rodgers, I am worried the org is in a state of slow but steady collapse to well intentioned ineptitude.

[red]

so do any of our new coaches have any coaching experience,or do they all come from backgrounds like "special assistant to the quality control assistant" under some 14 year old YMCA coach

[Joemailman]

so do any of our new coaches have any coaching experience,or do they all come from backgrounds like "special assistant to the quality control assistant" under some 14 year old YMCA coach

https://www.packers.com/team/coaches-roster/

OL and TE coaches seem to have the thinnest resumes among the position coaches. In general the defensive staff seems to have more experience than the offensive staff.

[Patler]

https://www.packers.com/team/coaches-roster/

OL and TE coaches seem to have the thinnest resumes among the position coaches. In general the defensive staff seems to have more experience than the offensive staff.

Those two do stand out as guys who could be in over their heads.

For his position as assistant OL, Butkus has good experience. Getsy is a fast ascending coach, with a lot of varied experience. Sirmans is an old hand. Whitted isn't far behind that group, and also has nearly a decade playing in the NFL. Those four seem to fit their slots quite well.

[pbmax]

There is a top line similarity between Jeff Jagodzinski and Stepanovich. New guy Step had two years as assistant one coach watching the outside zone scheme be run in San Francisco.

Jags had one year watching it with Alex Gibbs in Atlanta.

Pete Dougherty says it all begins with outside zone in both the LeatherTanneryJr and McVay offense at PackerNews: https://t.co/aTfI4PZUXo

[MadScientist]

#Packers ST coordinator Shawn Mennenga says he wants to be aggressive on special teams. Play fast, play physically and be smart. "Use it to our advantage and make a difference in the game."

Mennenga says LaFleur emphasized the importance of special teams from their initial conversation and has continued to do so since then. The ability to hire a third coach on special teams (coordinator + two assistants) could make a significant difference. #Packers

I'm sure Zook never wanted the ST to be timid, slow, soft and stupid, they just came out that way. Let's see if this guy is a good enough coach to get what he says he wants from the players.

[Patler]

There is a top line similarity between Jeff Jagodzinski and Stepanovich. New guy Step had two years as assistant one coach watching the outside zone scheme be run in San Francisco.

Jags had one year watching it with Alex Gibbs in Atlanta.

Pete Dougherty says it all begins with outside zone in both the LeatherTanneryJr and McVay offense at PackerNews: https://t.co/aTfI4PZUXo

If you are referring to when Jagodzinki came back as OC with MM, he had had two years with Gibbs in Atlanta, one as TE coach and one as OL. He also had 21 years coaching experience, including 7 in the NFL, 4 in GB in his first stint. Stenavich has only 7 total years coaching experience, and just 2 in the NFL.

Hopefully, Stenavich is an OL coaching prodigy, because he doesn't have a lot of experience to rely on. Butkus has more overall coaching experience, more NFL experience and more OL coaching experience than Stenavich has.

[Fritz]

https://www.packersnews.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2019/02/22/packers-morning-buzz-how-green-bay-could-trade-down-extra-picks/2930324002/

Notes about Pettine being accommodated even while under contract. LaFleur was familiar to him (worked with LeatherTanneryJr and M4's brother). He got one of his guys hired (Smith, the OLB coach) and saw two M3 holdovers leave (Whitt was let go by M4 and Moss was fired for weirdness last season).

I dislike everything about this hiring process. 10 interviews, no one stands out, except the last interview who struck them as fantastic. No second interviews. Oddly enough, the last interview is a guy quite likely to know and be willing to accept a DC handed to him.

Keep a D coach as a condition of hiring who upped the pass game defense and did some good work on line stunts, but otherwise produced some lackluster results. Pettine is competent but I am not sure he is more competent than Capers. But he is not going to construct a good or even average defense out of leftovers like some can.

Mixed bag in hiring assistants. Stepanovich (unsure of spelling) and the TE coach are pretty raw as is one of the new DB coaches. ST coach is a retread.

Murphy at the top of three silos.

Other than hiring Jerry Jones to run the team, the process has the stink of committee all over it. Somehow the Steelers made this structure work year after year. But its not comforting that the Steelers are falling apart and are quite willing to be led by a QB on his radio show calling out teammates.

Everyone is worried about Rodgers, I am worried the org is in a state of slow but steady collapse to well intentioned ineptitude.


While my more pessimistic side agrees with you here, I am hoping, at least - and I think it's tenable - that the reason the above boldfaced type occurred as you write is due to the extra in-season time afforded them by firing MM during the season. In this scenario, they used that time to talk to people, get a feel for who was a real talent, who would be a fit for Rodgers, and they kept coming back to that name. But for the sake of due diligence and all that, they went through this process, deliberately setting up the order of interviews so that they could satisfy the Rooney Rule (is that even in place formally?) and make it look like a "real" search, all the while knowing who their man was going to be. Thus, no second interview.

Or it's a clusterfuck.

[Patler]

I'm sure Zook never wanted the ST to be timid, slow, soft and stupid, they just came out that way. Let's see if this guy is a good enough coach to get what he says he wants from the players.

Are you sure? :)

The encouraging part for me is that I thought they actually were aggressive, physical and fast, but played very, very stupidly; and that is the one characteristic that might be most correctable by coaching and experience. It's off season, so I am hopeful!

[Joemailman]

While my more pessimistic side agrees with you here, I am hoping, at least - and I think it's tenable - that the reason the above boldfaced type occurred as you write is due to the extra in-season time afforded them by firing MM during the season. In this scenario, they used that time to talk to people, get a feel for who was a real talent, who would be a fit for Rodgers, and they kept coming back to that name. But for the sake of due diligence and all that, they went through this process, deliberately setting up the order of interviews so that they could satisfy the Rooney Rule (is that even in place formally?) and make it look like a "real" search, all the while knowing who their man was going to be. Thus, no second interview.

Or it's a clusterfuck.

The Packers were the only team to interview LaFleur. If they picked up on the fact that LaFleur wasn't a candidate elsewhere, they may have decided they could wait and interview LaFleur last. They would want to interview the guys that several teams might be interested in, so they don't end up being a day late setting up an interview with a guy they're interested in.

[MadScientist]

Are you sure? :)

The encouraging part for me is that I thought they actually were aggressive, physical and fast, but played very, very stupidly; and that is the one characteristic that might be most correctable by coaching and experience. It's off season, so I am hopeful!

Unless they get players from the Jude Waddy / Torrence Marshal dumb as stump mold (apologies to stumps).

Actually I didn't think the return game was all that fast or physical, and only aggressive when being stupid. But yes, good coaching should get the players in the right places doing the right things, so they shouldn't look stupid most of the time.

[pbmax]

If you are referring to when Jagodzinki came back as OC with MM, he had had two years with Gibbs in Atlanta, one as TE coach and one as OL. He also had 21 years coaching experience, including 7 in the NFL, 4 in GB in his first stint. Stenavich has only 7 total years coaching experience, and just 2 in the NFL.

Hopefully, Stenavich is an OL coaching prodigy, because he doesn't have a lot of experience to rely on. Butkus has more overall coaching experience, more NFL experience and more OL coaching experience than Stenavich has.

I meant the one year as assistant line coach.

It later became clear he was not qualified to be a true OC. His next OC job saw him fired for having too simplistic a passing offense.

[pbmax]

While my more pessimistic side agrees with you here, I am hoping, at least - and I think it's tenable - that the reason the above boldfaced type occurred as you write is due to the extra in-season time afforded them by firing MM during the season. In this scenario, they used that time to talk to people, get a feel for who was a real talent, who would be a fit for Rodgers, and they kept coming back to that name. But for the sake of due diligence and all that, they went through this process, deliberately setting up the order of interviews so that they could satisfy the Rooney Rule (is that even in place formally?) and make it look like a "real" search, all the while knowing who their man was going to be. Thus, no second interview.

Or it's a clusterfuck.

I am all over the map about this process. But bottom line, I am not so much worried about selecting La Fleur. The Packers probably did as much if not a little more than most franchises do when deciding about a HC. I am sure they called all their contacts and it does sound like Gute had a list of people that impressed him (or at least offenses that impressed him - 2016 Falcons). This is better than most teams do if it was truly a researched process. Most owners hire the guy they like the most.

But there are warning signs that they did not do all they could do.

I would like a more competitive interview group. Not being excited about 9 guys means you were probably interviewing the wrong nine. Or that you were hoping no one tripped you up on the way to the tenth interview. I find it funny that Murphy thinks that La Fleur being the only one who inspired them is a good sign. Its a bad sign that you should have expanded the search and judged the people who provided the initial list of names with a bit of skepticism.

My biggest worry is sheer speculation: that Murphy is doing a Sherman as GM drafting deal. He decides what McCarthy lacks and what was driving Rodgers poor performance was a lack of creativity and flexibility. So he finds a guy that does those two things according to some message board and checks most of the other HC boxes.

However, that search normally doesn't yield a true head coach unless you are certain of some other things. You would hope the interview would clear that up. But it might make LaFluer the Javon Walker or Na'il Diggs of head coaches. Hopefully he is not BJ Sander. Its the kind of process that gives you yo-yo coaches. First guy is players guy. Second guy is tough as nails guy. Third guy is scheme guy. Then back to players guy.

:roll:

That is worrisome. But its not unrecoverable. Coaches are not hatched on an island like Jurassic Park dinosaurs. They are developed over time. Which brings me to worrisome point #2

The guy should have been more ready with assistant coaches. Stupidly, he names himself play caller at his opening PC. You have to Holmgren and Wolf that stuff. Stall, blather, tell a funny story about your dog. or play the new coach who hasn't decided the best role for his non existent staff yet. Do anything other than put your top two OC candidates off limits. This is an unforced error. He should have known it, or the Packers should have prepped him. If his brother or the other guy call plays in one preseason game, how are the 49ers going collect a draft pick penalty for not giving the OC the play calling job?

You start out by not getting your top choices at ST (I am assuming this since they told him they could give him his number eventually), OC and possibly OL. I think there was a hotter rumor at OL than AS. This does not present the profile of an out of the box ready coach.

You can develop him but they already let him blow an easy decision.

[Patler]

I meant the one year as assistant line coach.

It later became clear he was not qualified to be a true OC. His next OC job saw him fired for having too simplistic a passing offense.

It probably was a good thing for MM that Jagodzinski was overly ambitious, and left after just one year as OC.

[pbmax]

It probably was a good thing for MM that Jagodzinski was overly ambitious, and left after just one year as OC.

I have always wondered if he knew the ZBS as well as he claimed to.

[Joemailman]

I would like a more competitive interview group. Not being excited about 9 guys means you were probably interviewing the wrong nine. Or that you were hoping no one tripped you up on the way to the tenth interview. I find it funny that Murphy thinks that La Fleur being the only one who inspired them is a good sign. Its a bad sign that you should have expanded the search and judged the people who provided the initial list of names with a bit of skepticism.

He didn't say that none of the 9 was impressive. He said they were all excellent coaches but that no one stood out above the rest. Until they interviewed LaFleur.


The guy should have been more ready with assistant coaches. Stupidly, he names himself play caller at his opening PC. You have to Holmgren and Wolf that stuff. Stall, blather, tell a funny story about your dog. or play the new coach who hasn't decided the best role for his non existent staff yet. Do anything other than put your top two OC candidates off limits. This is an unforced error. He should have known it, or the Packers should have prepped him. If his brother or the other guy call plays in one preseason game, how are the 49ers going collect a draft pick penalty for not giving the OC the play calling job?

LaFleur left the L.A. Rams for Tennessee so he could call plays. Since he did that, I think it was probably freaking obvious that when he got a HC job, he would be the one calling the plays. Was he supposed to deceive OC candidates into thinking they would be allowed to call the plays? And then tell them otherwise after they took the job? Besides, how do you know who his 2 top OC candidates were?

[pbmax]

He didn't say that none of the 9 was impressive. He said they were all excellent coaches but that no one stood out above the rest. Until they interviewed LaFleur.



LaFleur left the L.A. Rams for Tennessee so he could call plays. Since he did that, I think it was probably freaking obvious that when he got a HC job, he would be the one calling the plays. Was he supposed to deceive OC candidates into thinking they would be allowed to call the plays? And then tell them otherwise after they took the job? Besides, how do you know who his 2 top OC candidates were?

I think your phrase is saying the same thing. No one had stood out until La Fleur. Now maybe he is just telling a story to make M4 look like the clear cut winner. But if there is truth to it, I see it as a negative. Excellent coaches who did not get the job apparently did not impress or stand out. He is probably trying to say any of the 9 would make great HC, but clearly that wasn't the case. Murphy (or Gute) gave one example of how he stood out: he had a list of assistant coaches he would pursue (Pettine was on the list).

He left to call plays to brighten up his resume to look one step closer to being HC ready. When asked you say now that I am the head coach, I will look at my staff when its assembled and make the best decision to use our talents maximally. If I need to call plays, I will if it gives us our best shot. If I need to manage the game I will speak up when needed to key decisions are needed. so you can at least interview the #1 and #2 interview candidates on your list for OC.

[3irty1]

I dislike everything about this hiring process. 10 interviews, no one stands out, except the last interview who struck them as fantastic. No second interviews. Oddly enough, the last interview is a guy quite likely to know and be willing to accept a DC handed to him.

Keep a D coach as a condition of hiring who upped the pass game defense and did some good work on line stunts, but otherwise produced some lackluster results. Pettine is competent but I am not sure he is more competent than Capers. But he is not going to construct a good or even average defense out of leftovers like some can.

Mixed bag in hiring assistants. Stepanovich (unsure of spelling) and the TE coach are pretty raw as is one of the new DB coaches. ST coach is a retread.

Murphy at the top of three silos.

Other than hiring Jerry Jones to run the team, the process has the stink of committee all over it. Somehow the Steelers made this structure work year after year. But its not comforting that the Steelers are falling apart and are quite willing to be led by a QB on his radio show calling out teammates.

Everyone is worried about Rodgers, I am worried the org is in a state of slow but steady collapse to well intentioned ineptitude.

This is exactly how I feel about it. Rodgers is Rodgers. He'll figure it out or he won't but this idea that a crack team of snake charmers is needed to bring him back to form isn't convincing.

I'm alarmed by Murphy. All of his hires seem more like his own personal assistants than people who are supposed to lead, make decisions, and run the football team. All the generals were replaced with lieutenants. It's hard not to get the feeling the Packers will be exactly as competent as Murphy is now.

[Joemailman]

This is exactly how I feel about it. Rodgers is Rodgers. He'll figure it out or he won't but this idea that a crack team of snake charmers is needed to bring him back to form isn't convincing.



Who on the Packers has ever said that that was needed? None that I know of. That may be the way the media is characterizing it, but so what?

[gbgary]

I'm alarmed by Murphy. All of his hires ...
you mean both? who has he hired besides Gute and LMF? it's only been one year for Gute. LMF remains to be seen. let's see how it goes. Murphy said he's not going to get involved in any personnel or coaching decisions. it's their job going forward.

[pbmax]

you mean both? who has he hired besides Gute and LMF? it's only been one year for Gute. LMF remains to be seen. let's see how it goes. Murphy said he's not going to get involved in any personnel or coaching decisions. it's their job going forward.

I actually trust him not to do that. I don't think he is monomaniacal.

But it just seems that this process was designed to introduce mediocrity as the product. Other than La Fleur blowing them out of the water* with an interview and the Shanahan connection, not much to celebrate.

You could make any smart, decent and conscientious coach a good head coach. But the Packers have never engaged with that process that I am aware of. The last to make any move in that direction was McCarthy and Capers branching out to learn about the spread and before that, it was Sherman hiring a clock coach.

I'm not making that up, am I? Didn't Sherm hire a vet to help with game management?


* And the one example given about how he excelled was his list of possible assistant coaches. Something that has been part of this process since Holmgren's old agent had his coaches put together a binder of a plan including a list of possible assistants.

[pbmax]

you mean both? who has he hired besides Gute and LMF? it's only been one year for Gute. LMF remains to be seen. let's see how it goes. Murphy said he's not going to get involved in any personnel or coaching decisions. it's their job going forward.

Did Murphy get into trouble with one of his business hires? Wasn't there a story about him bringing in new people who pissed off the one heir apparent that he inherited?

Could be nothing and new leadership does that all the time. But there was something.

[3irty1]

you mean both? who has he hired besides Gute and LMF? it's only been one year for Gute. LMF remains to be seen. let's see how it goes. Murphy said he's not going to get involved in any personnel or coaching decisions. it's their job going forward.

I'm counting Russ Ball too.