Blocked!
January 28th, 2012
As first suggested by eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune, new Bucs coach Greg Schiano was eyeing some of his former Rutgers assistants to join his staff in Tampa Bay.
Initially, as Kaufman typed yesterday, Schiano was targeting Arizona Cardinals wide receivers coach John McNulty, who was his offensive coordinator at Piscataway.
That will not happen claimed NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora on his Twitter feed; the Cardinals have blocked the Bucs from talking to him.
@JasonLaCanfora: Tampa Coach Greg Schiano wanted to hire former OC John McNulty as Bucs OC. But the Cards blocked (McNulty is their WR coach) … McNulty was Schiano’s right-hand man at Rutgers. Rules very prohibitive for position coaches. Tough to build staff this late in the game.
This is one of the issues with naming a coach so late in the game. Still, Joe believes this is a chickens(p)it rule, to deny a coach a chance at a promotion. Jumping from wide receivers coach to offensive coordinator is a big jump, both in pay and responsibility.
McNulty being blocked by the Cardinals (don’tcha’ just love Bill Bidwill?) tells Joe it probably means Schiano is going to lean heavily on college coaches to build his staff.
January 28th, 2012 at 11:54 pm
Agreed joe!! You know mcnulty must be pissed. Maybe schiano can give bidwill an offer he cant refuse.
January 28th, 2012 at 11:58 pm
…calling Frank Cignetti…
January 29th, 2012 at 12:03 am
I sure wouldn’t give them any draft picks, but this may not be the last we’ve heard of McNulty. Blocking an employee from a big promotion like this will not help him focus on his present job.
January 29th, 2012 at 12:08 am
Hue Jackson.. OC
January 29th, 2012 at 12:08 am
I’m honestlty more interested in what our defense will look like and who’s going to be in charge of that.
Any Offensive Coordinator not named Greg Olson can figure out ways to get recievers open and give the ball to a 250 pound RB and let the play action take care of the rest. I want to know who’s going to turn this defense into something more than a laughing stock. Until that defense can get off the field on 3rd down nothing else will matter.
January 29th, 2012 at 12:13 am
Sherman and Childress are now gone for OC.
So what now?! This is what happens when you’re the last team to hire your head coach. Hope they didn’t put Schiano in a bad situation.
There’s Hue Jackson. Can anybody think of any other candidates?
January 29th, 2012 at 12:21 am
It would be really cool if he could get Kirby Smart to come in as the DC =)
January 29th, 2012 at 12:24 am
I like Hue Jackson (ALOT). I read up on him while we were all in the MARTY craze. The man just gets talent to produce.
I know Todd Hailey is still floating around out there.
January 29th, 2012 at 12:26 am
How much of this holds water coming from La Cantgetnewsrightforya? I mean he said several times we were locked in with Sherman. He has been wrong ALOT about coaches… just sayin.
January 29th, 2012 at 12:33 am
Remember when Joe Barry, then our LB coach, wanted to join his father in law Rob Marinelli, then Detroit’s new HC, as their DC and we said no?
It does suck but the buccaneers are as guilty as anyone else for doing it.
The rule needs to be addressed, it’s simply not right IMO.
January 29th, 2012 at 12:39 am
Good luck hiring position coaches in the future Arizona. I sure as hell wouldn’t want to work for someone that is going to block a huge promotion like that.
January 29th, 2012 at 12:43 am
Hue Jackson. I read Haley is hard to get along with.
January 29th, 2012 at 12:46 am
I’m shocked.
January 29th, 2012 at 1:14 am
@ JLM and everybody calling for Hue & Todd Haley
I’ve really thought about both of them and while I think they’d be great here, I don’t think we’re going to go after them for two reasons:
1) Schiano doesn’t have a connection with them. Schiano said that he wouldn’t worry about where his coaches came from, just that they are “good teachers”. Also, after the Jim Bates/Jags debacle I would imagine that the Glazers and Dom would want coaches that Schiano is at least familiar with so there will be no differences in philosophy or unknown red flags i.e. Jags’ pamphlet-sized playbook.
2) Haley or Jackson will be gone in 2-3 years tops if they have any level of success here. Hue Jackson has had like 5 different jobs in the last few years. Todd Haley is an abrasive (and possibly paranoid schizo http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/18/league-wont-investigate-haleys-buggingphone-tampering-claims-yet/) guy who will be looking for another head gig as soon as his star rises again.
Maybe, just maybe, I an unknown, lower profile guy will be better for Freeman’s long term success.
Just a thought.
January 29th, 2012 at 1:30 am
@sensiblebuc
First of all I admire your analysis. Pretty insightful. More importantly, I really like your unbridled confidence in yourself being best for Freeman’s long-term success. I am sold.
January 29th, 2012 at 1:45 am
“Maybe, just maybe, an unknown, lower profile guy will be better for Freeman’s long term success.”
*fixed*
LMAO! I hoped people would overlook that typo :/
January 29th, 2012 at 2:21 am
Butch Davis as DC and Hue Jackson as OC or maybe look for other college coach coming out of big east – someone schiano knows even if they haven’t coached together
January 29th, 2012 at 4:32 am
Schiano does not have a direct connection with Hue Jackson. But Craig Ver Steeg who was with Schiano at Rutgers for quite a while, Is currently on the Ravens staff and worked with Jackson in baltimore for two years. Maybe Schiano could hire them both.
January 29th, 2012 at 7:33 am
I don’t believe in the “Too late to get good coordinators”.
This guy wasn’t NOT AVAILABLE because of a time issue. IT wouldn’t have mattered when he was requested, Cards didn’t want to let him go.
Coaches have their own guys, and the available ones that get snapped up are just doing so because of their relationships with the new coaches who got hired. Each Coach has his own ‘guys’ so it doesn’t matter when the coach gets hired, as long as two competing coaches don’t have the same overlapping relationships.
January 29th, 2012 at 7:42 am
Patrick, think about it. Why would Schiano hire Sherman and Childress if he doesn’t have a working relationship with them? just because everyone says whey will be very good?
Coaches hire guys they have had relationships with. It doesn’t matter when a coach gets hired, they are going to go after “Their ” guys, and unless their guys happen to overlap with a different coach’s guys, it won’t matter when a coach gets hired.
Imagine you get hired to run a widget factory. would you hire some guy everyone says is great manager, or would you hire your friend of 15 years you worked with for 5 years who is equally experienced?
January 29th, 2012 at 7:52 am
Wow…Jason La Canfora stole this story from an Arizona reporter and did not give credit. Quality reporting at its best!
…tells Joe it probably means Schiano is going to lean heavily on college coaches to build his staff.
It could point in that direction. I’m thinking Schiano and Dominick have a list of coaches, both from the NFL and College, and McNulty was just the first one on that list.
And I don’t have an issue with Arizona for turning us down. The way I see it our second choice for Head Coach turned out great…so there’s every chance the same could happen at the other positions.
January 29th, 2012 at 7:57 am
BigMacAttack Says:
January 29th, 2012 at 12:03 am
I sure wouldn’t give them any draft picks, but this may not be the last we’ve heard of McNulty.
I believe after Al Davis raped the Bucs of draft picks for Gruden the NFL passed a rule stating teams could not trade draft picks for coaches any longer.
At least that’s what I THINK they did. Maybe Joe can confirm this? But I do think they can trade cash.
Brad Says:
January 29th, 2012 at 12:08 am
Hue Jackson.. OC
Is there a connection between Schiano and Jackson of some sort? It would improve the chances of this happening.
January 29th, 2012 at 8:04 am
I just checked. Wiki doesn’t mention a connection of Schiano to Jackson. Doesn’t mean it can’t happen, but makes it slightly less likely.
I’m not altogether certain I would want it to happen. Hue Jackson’s numbers are not THAT great. Slightly above average…but not great.
January 29th, 2012 at 8:12 am
I would take Hue Jackson…..I think the way things ended in Oakland my have tarnished his HC chances for a few seasons…..besides, if we did well, any coordinator we hired would get looked at by other teams…..that’s the price of success…..I say take Jackson, let’s get this ship righted, and not worry about Jackson looking for future opportunities
January 29th, 2012 at 8:16 am
Found this on candidates. Removed the ones that can’t happen now:
Frank Cignetti, Jr.
Why he would be a good candidate: Another candidate you probably don’t know, he has been the offensive coordinator for Rutgers since McNulty left. Which is basically why I think he’s a candidate for the Bucs’ job. That’s all there is to it. Head coaches always try to take some of their staff with them, after all.
Why he would not be a good candidate: He was the Rutgers offensive coordinator. He has some experience as an NFL quarterbacks coach, but he wasn’t massively successful there, and Rutgers hasn’t exactly had a massively successful offense in recent years.
Hue Jackson
Why he’s a good candidate: Hue Jackson was recently fired as the Oakland Raiders’ head coach, but he made his name as an offensive coach in the NFL and in college. As the offensive coordinator of USC from 1997 to 2000 he was very successful, and when he jumped to the NFL he was consistently successful as well.
He has coached for multiple teams as a quarterbacks coach, wide receivers coach, running backs coach and offensive coordinator. He coached Chad Ochocinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh in their prime, helped develop Joe Flacco in his first two seasons and finally gave the Oakland Raiders a capable offense again.
Why he’s not a good candidate: He’s an ambitious job-hopper, always looking to make the move up. He hasn’t stayed at one position for more than three years, ever. Constant turnover is an offense’s worst enemy, and while Hue Jackson might be a good short-term solution, he wouldn’t be in Tampa for very long, always looking to make that move up.
Todd Haley
Why he’s a good candidate: He’s been very successful in Arizona, and has been moderately successful creating a good offense with mediocre personnel in Kansas City. He’s also a very good receivers coach, and he should be able to get Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn to play up to their considerable potential. And, as with the previous coaches, he has head coaching experience.
Why he’s not a good candidate: How much of his success in Arizona was him, and how much of it was Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald?
There are also a lot of stories about how he’s hard to get along with, and how he made Kansas City a difficult place to work. Who knows how much there is to those stories, but it could be a concern.
Also, Arizona refused to let us talk the McNulty. There’s almost no chance they’ll let us talk to anyone else. – Pete
January 29th, 2012 at 8:17 am
btw, I meant to post the link to the above and forgot to. It was from SBNation.com
January 29th, 2012 at 8:18 am
@Pete Dutcher
Just last season….with QB issues and Darren McFadden injured for the majority of the season….OAK was 7th in rushing, 11th in passing, and the 9th ranked offense last season….with Heyward-Bey and Denarius Moore(?) as their leading WRs…..you telling me we couldn’t use that…..
January 29th, 2012 at 8:32 am
NOTE: Todd Haley: is he even with Arizona???
January 29th, 2012 at 8:36 am
@Jason SC
I said his numbers were above average. I would not be upset is we got him…I just am not so sure it will happen. Schiano is going to want familiarity with his coordinators. Assistants? Fine, whoever…but his coordinators will need to at least be someone he’s had some sort of relationship with.
Which could mean Cignetti…maybe?
I’m just trying to think it thru.
January 29th, 2012 at 8:37 am
Just to toss a name into the fire:
Jim Caldwell
Is he snatched up yet?
January 29th, 2012 at 9:13 am
Don’t see Cignetti as OC if they want Butch Davis as DC. Cignetti was fired by Butch Davis when he took over as head coach at North Carolina. Could be some hard feelings there, creating a chemistry problem to have them both on the same staff.
January 29th, 2012 at 9:42 am
Joe ; if mcnulty is made assist. HC. And OC then it wouldn’t, be a lateral move and therefore couldn’t be blocked ? If they really wanted him. Is this correct ?
January 29th, 2012 at 9:43 am
keep butch davis far away.
hasnt done anything in nfl since 1994 and sucked in cleveland
January 29th, 2012 at 9:54 am
Airzona is damning themselves for any interest from quality coaches in the future. Nobody will want to coach at a place where they block you from promotions.
January 29th, 2012 at 9:59 am
HC is the most important hire to get right. Assistants can be replaced when better ones come along. Hiring a mediocre coach early then having top picks on good assistants would be a waste of good assistants. So I’m glad they did a thorough search.
January 29th, 2012 at 10:26 am
This is why the exhaustive HC search needed to be sped up. How and the hell did they expect to find any assistants at the professional level after waiting until 99% of the coaching vacancies were filled. Time for another exhaustive assistant coach search.
January 29th, 2012 at 10:33 am
Marc Trestman would be a good choice if he wants back in the NFL.
January 29th, 2012 at 11:07 am
Here’s a name Jim Tressel, he just got snubbed by Indy, and it’s looking for NFL experienced, and he is a great teacher
January 29th, 2012 at 11:08 am
i agree with cc, trestman would be a great hire with his solid offensive resume , would be a bonus to josh freeman.
January 29th, 2012 at 11:09 am
Damn Android spell checker…
and is looking for NFL experience.
January 29th, 2012 at 1:53 pm
Raphael Says:
January 29th, 2012 at 9:42 am
Joe ; if mcnulty is made assist. HC. And OC then it wouldn’t, be a lateral move and therefore couldn’t be blocked ? If they really wanted him. Is this correct ?
_______________________________
I can answer that…it won’t matter. The only position a team cannot block is Head Coach…lateral moves do not matter (unless its a HC going to another HC position).
January 29th, 2012 at 4:16 pm
Hard to blame Arizona for this. Why should they put themselves in the same position we are in…looking for a WR coach this late in the game?? If this were 3 weeks ago I think the response may have been different but who knows? Still, I can’t blame teams for staying pat now.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:06 pm
Az Cards come on man, give up McNulty so he can try to lure Larry Fitzgerald to the Bucs. How nice of an acquisition would that be!!
January 29th, 2012 at 5:38 pm
I’m putting my bets down on Mario Cristobal as OC and Jim Tomsula as DC.
Cristobal is currently HC at FIU but he’s an offense guy who has connections to Schiano from both Miami and Rutgers. He took a winless FIU team and improved on the win totals each and every year for five straight seasons, never regressing once, and has put them into bowl games the past two seasons (their first ever bowl games). He coached TE’s and OL under Schiano. Also, his “idol” is Joe Paterno…same as Schiano. He’s an upwardly mobile kind of coach who’s looking for a stepping stone into the NFL head coaching ranks eventually. This would be a perfect situation for him, as he’s gone about as far as he can go at FIU similar to Schiano having no further he could’ve gone at Rutgers. His salary is only $450,000 at FIU and would easily double, and possibly even more, by becoming OC for the Bucs. He’s known as a good teacher and excellent recruiter (which doesn’t hurt in dealing with free agents). Looks like a no-brainer to me.
Tomsula coached the defensive line of the 49ers the past five years and they finished first in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game this past season. They are known for having one of the most physical and well-coached d-lines in the league. He also coached in NFL Europe from 1998 to 2006 as DL coach, DC and HC. He was also the 49ers interim HC for one game after Singletary was fired, which they won 38-7. It was reported a couple weeks ago that the Bucs had interest in him as a coordinator, and he has stated in recent weeks that he didn’t expect the 49ers to renew his contract after the 2011 season (probably because he is a holdover from the Singletary era and is not one of Harbaugh’s “guys”).
January 29th, 2012 at 7:36 pm
I like the thoughts regarding Mario Cristobal as OC and Jim Tomsula as DC. Sounds like a plan.
January 29th, 2012 at 8:15 pm
Hey the Bucs made everyone block their pursuit of coaches. They blocked Marinelli for years, and Joe Barry too! Turnabout is fair play