Washington Redskins Miss out on Opportunity in Defensive Coordinator Search: The search to replace Jim Haslett as Washington Redskins defensive coordinator started out with a seemingly no-brainer decision. But it soon evolved into an elaborate maze of indecision, featuring seven candidates, where each road led to the same thing: This team missed an opportunity. To be clear, when referring to this team, consider the phrase to mean the decision-making tree that counts team president Bruce Allen, his chosen head coach Jay Gruden and new general manager Scot McCloughan as its branches. Its this trio that ultimately signed off on ex-San Diego Chargers linebackers coach Joe Barry. In the process, the trio missed the chance to show things really are changing for the better within the corridors of power at Redskins Park. Thats what fans are naturally so desperate to believe after just five playoff appearances since last winning the Super Bowl at the end of the 1991 season. Each year fans, pundits and what seems like the entire NFL community casts an eye toward Washington to see if the Redskins are finally ready to act like a professional franchise. In a world where perception is sadly all too often reality, name value carries weight. Barrys name certainly does not. How could it after he spent two seasons coordinating the Detroit Lions defense to last-place finishes in 2007 and 2008s 0-16 campaign? How could it when Barry is just one of many, many coaches with ties to Allens time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? That Allen continues to stockpile assistants from a not-so-rich period in Bucs history will never create good will from the current fanbase he is trying to win over. Allen had the chance to really shake things up, to show that another 4-12 season would never be acceptable, not on his watch. But instead, he stuck with what he knows, and what he knows just doesnt seem anywhere near good enough. Allen knows Raheem Morris. Hes not alone. The majority of Redskins have probably uttered Morris name with disdain every time the secondary hes overseen since 2012 has broken down. The pass defense Morris has helped coach and scheme has ranked 30th, 18th and 24th, respectively, during his three years in D.C. Yet, here he remains. Youre never going to catch a warm breeze off this particular wind of change. Allens failure was maintaining a status quo that already has many fans dreading the start of the new season, usually a time for optimism for all 32 teams. Cast an eye over some of the initial fan reaction to Barrys hiring collated by Dan Steinberg of The Washington Post. Grim reading indeed. Grudens failing may not run as deep as Allens considering the latter essentially weaves this particular spider web. But the young head coach who did little to impress in his first year still dropped a major clanger here. Gruden had the chance to prove hell do whatever it takes to win. Thats winning, as in Ws in the column and playoff appearances. Its not winning only if victories are achieved Grudens way. Many Redskins fans probably had a gut full of Grudens way during 2014. It was his way to confine a read-option quarterback to the pocket and then make a hash of it. It was his way to ditch said so-called franchise quarterback because he couldnt get along with him. It was Grudens way to saddle two backup passers and a line that struggles to protect with a scheme too heavily skewed toward airing it out. Finally, it was Gruden who was given the rubber stamp to endorse his new defensive coordinator, per CSN Washington reporter Tarik El-Bashir. Essentially, theres nothing wrong with letting the head coach appoint his coordinators. In fact, thats how it should be. After all, the coach is the one who will be working most closely with them. But Gruden didnt exactly take the ball and run with it when he chose Barry over marquee options Wade Phillips and Vic Fangio. Obviously, Gruden wanted his man. He also likely didnt want a name on the coaching staff who would be a potential threat to his job. As a former head coach with the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans, albeit on an interim basis, the specter of Phillips would certainly have lurked over Grudens shoulder. But still, hiring him in that context wouldve shown Gruden is prepared to put his own agenda and preferences on the back burner if it means his team can win now. It also wouldve represented a tacit and welcome admission from a coach hardly short in the ego department that he doesnt know everything. Hiring Phillips or Fangio wouldve said Gruden needs help and is taking it for the good of the team. Hed be leaning on some invaluable experience on the side of the ball hes least familiar with. Jason Reid of The Washington Post detailed what an asset this couldve been to a young sideline general: Following Gruden’s rough rookie season as a head coach, he needed someone proven to lead Washington’s defense. Wade Phillips was available. ... Granted, Phillips only has one playoff victory. But based on Gruden’s shaky performance — among other things, he came under fire for his game management and publicly criticizing Robert Griffin III — he could use a steady old-timer to show him a thing or two. Instead, Gruden is surrounded by young and unproven, or just flat out unsuccessful, assistants. Hes obviously comfortable sticking with those he knows. Gruden indicated as much when describing Barry, per Zac Boyer of The Washington Times: He’s walking into a situation here where we’re going to have some adversity, and I know he can handle it. He’s a tough guy, committed guy, a loyal guy, and I think he’s good fit for us. That phrase a loyal guy strikes at the heart of what this whole offseason is starting to look like. Namely, Allen and Gruden severing all ties with the Mike Shanahan era. That view becomes a little clearer when the dismissal of outside linebackers coach Brian Baker, followed by defensive line coach Jacob Burney, are added to the picture. Make no mistake, Gruden is getting things his way in year two. This will be Grudens team down to the schemes, and especially the assistants around him. Now thats not necessarily outright cronyism. Its not even uncommon in the NFL for a head coach to routinely work with people he knows. Bill Parcells did it for years. Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel and Bill Belichick routinely followed him from job to job. But Parcells was also flexible enough to give young minds a try. He gave opportunities to Tony Sparano, Sean Payton and Todd Bowles. More important, Parcells was always willing to cede control or adopt different ideas if it meant winning. Thats what he did when he kept Mike Zimmer in charge of the Dallas Cowboys defense in 2003. Zimmer was deeply entrenched in the college-style 4-3 first brought to Dallas by Jimmy Johnson. The scheme was light-years removed from Parcells preferred traditional, two-gap 3-4 alignment. But he kept Zimmer around because he recognized him as an accomplished play-caller. The Cowboys led the NFL in defense in 2003 en route to a 10-6 finish and a trip to the playoffs. Giving a coordinator that much power can be a blessing for a head coach trying to steer the whole ship. Its what Reid referred to. Its what a coach like Andy Reid has done throughout his career. He gave control of his defense to the late, great Jim Johnson with the Philadelphia Eagles. When he took over the Kansas City Chiefs, Reid did the same with Bob Sutton. When the Redskins ruled the NFL, Joe Gibbs rarely wandered over to the defensive bench. That territory belonged to assistant head coach Richie Petitbon. Gibbs didnt mind making the concession if it would work for his team. If it would mean winning, even if the coach had to share the spotlight. Thats what Gruden couldve proved to fans ahead of his second season. But he let the chance go begging. So did McCloughan. He entered the process when it was already underway. So the underwhelming choice for new coordinator doesnt rate as a failure, but it is an early blot on his copy book. Its easy to ask where was McCloughan in this process? How much of a voice did he have? Granted, any front office wants its head coach to be comfortable with his assistants. But Gruden wasnt McCloughans choice, so would it really have hurt for him to weigh in with a few suggestions? Of course, McCloughan is also another Allen guy. Hes just one with a rare encouraging resume. But its easy to think if you pull back the curtain youll see Allen holding the strings with the appropriate maniacal grin. Barry may not rate as a failure running Washingtons defense. Certainly, it would be churlish to hold those two years in Detroit against him forever. Equally, it would also be unfair to condemn him before hes called a game for the Redskins. But this hire was always going to be about establishing the validity of a bright new future for a franchise thats won seven games in two seasons. Leaving established names either sitting at home or free to go to new cities has hardly done that. Sadly, all hiring Barry has done is raise yet more worrying questions about the three men most responsible for turning this team around. All statistics via NFL. Read more NFL news on BleacherReport #Football #NFL #NFCEast #WashingtonRedskins
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 13:53:20 +0000
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