Candidates

[Guest]

Here's your daily look at the latest news, rumors, updates and reports as the Cleveland Browns try to find their next head coach.

 

• Syracuse's Doug Marrone has lined up an interview with the Browns, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Marrone will also reportedly interview with the Bills.

 

Marrone has taken the Orange to two bowl games in four seasons. He was previously offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints.

 

Brent Axe, writing on syracuse.com, on Marrone:

 

"I think Bills and Browns fans would come to like Marrone eventually with his 'straight shooter' mentality and love for the game, but it would be tough to get that chance in those two markets."

• Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton will also interview with the Browns, CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reports. Horton, having survived the firing of head coach Ken Whisenhunt, is also a candidate with the Cardinals as well as the Bills.

 

From a story on ArizonaSports.com:

 

"Horton has certainly succeeded during his two years with the Cardinals. In 2012, Arizona's defense under Horton ranked No. 2 in third down defense (allowed just 32.9 percent of all attempted conversions), No. 4 in takeaways (34) and No. 5 in pass defense (allowed 200.8 yards per game)."

• However, Andy Reid now appears to be the frontrunner now in Arizona, according to KTVK-TV's Tim Ring. WKNR's Kenny Roda reports Reid will be joined by former Browns GM Tom Heckert, however The PD's Mary Kay Cabot says Heckert will likely land somewhere else.

 

• Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter will also be interviewed by the Browns as previously reported by FOX Sports' Alex Marvez. Koetter now has interviews scheduled with the Chiefs and Eagles as well, NFL.com reports.

• Oregon's Chip Kelly is believed to be the Browns' top choice, however, he remains focused on getting the Ducks ready for the Fiesta Bowl. From a story on oregonlive.com:

 

"Asked about the openings Monday in Arizona, where he is preparing the Ducks for Thursday's Fiesta Bowl against Kansas State, Kelly said the NFL news posed no distraction for him. Pressed further on whether it was his dream to coach in the NFL, Kelly said no, his dream was simply to do the best job he can each day."

• Jon Gruden could be interested in coaching again in 2013. The former Bucs and Raiders coach turned 'Monday Night Football' analyst will interview for open NFL jobs, CBS Sports reports. He's resisted overtures in the past, saying he was content at ESPN. Gruden, of course, is a native of Sandusky. Before the draft last April, he said he loved Brandon Weeden.

 

• New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels says he's not interviewing for head coaching jobs, despite earlier rumors he would be a top target of the Browns and paired with personnel man Mike Lombardi. McDaniels, however, in a conference call with reporters in Boston said,

 

“I’m happy here. My family is happy here. We’re excited about what’s ahead of us here in the playoffs, and to talk about any other opportunities at this point is, to me, irrelevant, because I’m totally focused on this season and what this season holds."

• If the Browns are really interested in Bill O'Brien, there's the small matter of a $9.2 million buyout in his contract at Penn State. David Jones of the Patriot-News doesn't necessarily think O'Brien will bolt after just one season in Happy Valley, but writes his flirting with the NFL may be a negotiating ploy.

 

"I think it's about freedom. O'Brien wants to have his options open, to be able to go to the NFL in the future should he so desire. If he and his agent can get the buyout clause removed, then he can pursue his NFL dream after next season or some subsequent one."

Philadelphia, Arizona and San Diego are interested in O'Brien, according to CBS's Jason La Canfora.

 

• If Alabama was really worried about Nick Saban leaving for the NFL (and presumably the Browns), you'd think it would be higher than No. 6 on AL.com's list of Top 10 Tide stories of 2012. Still, the Akron Beacon Journal's Marla Ridenour seems to think Jimmy Haslam was describing Saban when asked about his ideal qualities in a coach.

 

• Former Browns offensive coordinator Bruce Arians is a candidate in San Diego, NFL.com reports.

 

• Former Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt will interview with the Bills, NFL.com reports. Ex-Bears coach Lovie Smith is also interested in the Bills' job.

 

• The Bills have also asked to interview Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, the Denver Post reports. The Bears and Cardinals have already set up interviews with McCoy.

 

• Former Browns president Mike Holmgren is willing to listen if anybody wants to interview him, ESPN's Ed Werder reports.

 

• Read Mary Kay Cabot's look at the top Browns' coaching candidates here.

 

• Stay tuned for more updates throughout the day.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2013/01/cleveland_browns_coaching_sear_1.html

[ballpeen]

Screw the F**ks unis. What I want to know is if Kelly's uptempo offense will work in the Pros.

 

I like Kelly's comments at the end of the clip.

 

 

[thenew23]

still waiting on that link.

http://www.footballscoop.com/news/7637-how-chip-kelly-influenced-the-patriots-no-huddle

 

Here is one of many. Google it!!

[DieHardBrownsFan]

Jim Donovan, the voice of the Browns here in Cleveland says that it will be Nick Saban.

[tampadawgs]

Not really a big n of Chip Kelly, granted his offense is fun to watch, I not do not know I think it is a bad hire if we do......

 

Remember this thou 99% of the time you here someone close to being that teams coach most of the time it never happens

 

 

FYI- Friend told me that his buddy whose buddy sells houses just sold a house to Andy Reid....LOL

[BrownB499]

still waiting on that link.

 

 

Mik here is the link...point and click

 

http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2012/10/oregon_coach_chip_kelly_says_h.html

 

And here is the quote attributed to that article

 

"I was interested to hear how (Kelly) did it," Belichick told the Boston Globe. "I would say he expanded it to a different level and it was very interesting to understand what he was doing. Certainly I've learned a lot from talking to Chip about his experiences with it and how he does it and his procedure and all that."

[miktoxic]

Mik here is the link...point and click

 

http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2012/10/oregon_coach_chip_kelly_says_h.html

 

And here is the quote attributed to that article

 

"I was interested to hear how (Kelly) did it," Belichick told the Boston Globe. "I would say he expanded it to a different level and it was very interesting to understand what he was doing. Certainly I've learned a lot from talking to Chip about his experiences with it and how he does it and his procedure and all that."

to have a super bowl winning coach consult on how to run a hurry offense is befuddling to me. maybe they are friends and some reporter latched onto the story.

 

to me it's a non-story. i could care less about chip kelly or oregon. they've recruited a certain type of player for his system. you really think with the NFL draft and the number of picks we have each year that we could build a team comparable to that which has the fastest (as a group) of players on one team?

 

you're delusional to think that. btw who did they lose to stanford? are they hurry-up? or is their defense better?

 

now if he toned it down and worked with the personnel we have already then he's basically throwing 'his' game out the window. how happy will he be then?

 

i'll take a defensive minded HC that has a proven record who knows how to hand the reign over to an OC. now if we were tal;king chip kelly as an OC i'd be all for it.

[BrownsKidd]

Jim Donovan, the voice of the Browns here in Cleveland says that it will be Nick Saban.

 

92.3 reported this morning that Saban has said no to all NFL teams trying to get him.

[The Gipper]

yeah 2 years at oregon. have they won the national championship? have they gone unbeaten? if you want a kelly whose team schemem is more comparable to the NFL now then look at brian kelly. turned 3 programs around.

 

go suck chip kelly's dick you homo uniform lovers. that's all you are.

 

If I recall, the Oregon Ducks got hammered every time they ran into a decent defense: LSU squashed them in a bowl game...Ohio State did too. As did Stanford this year.

 

Maybe we should go after Les Miles/Jim Tressel/or David Shaw

[The Gipper]

I like Kelly's comments at the end of the clip.

 

 

 

If it were Chip Kelly he would have to burn every visor that he has and never be allowed to wear one as coach of the Browns.

Wearing a visor tells me that you are a weekend golf hacker, not a football coach.

[The Gipper]

92.3 reported this morning that Saban has said no to all NFL teams trying to get him.

 

 

He has said the exact same thing every time he has made a move to another team. Don't believe it.

If he says that he means it today, right now. Come Tuesday after his team has played its last game...things could be different.

[BrownsKidd]

If I recall, the Oregon Ducks got hammered every time they ran into a decent defense: LSU squashed them in a bowl game...Ohio State did too. As did Stanford this year.

 

Maybe we should go after Les Miles/Jim Tressel/or David Shaw

 

Tressel... way to conservative IMO. Especially after what we just came out of.

[jrb12711]

For what it's worth, the Twitter and speculation world are saying Banner is in Arizona to interview Ray Horton. However, the interview with Horton was a convenient reason to not only interview a coach to satisfy the Rooney rule, but also to interview Chip who happens to be in Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl.

 

This is what I'll say about Chip and I could be wrong but it's just my opinion. The guy has an obvious mind for offense and is obsessed with speed. I think it's very naive to assume the guy will walk into a NFL team and implement a pure college spread. I would welcome with open arms an up tempo offensive scheme similar to the ones run in New England, Denver, Atlanta to name a few. I think it goes without saying it clearly works in the NFL. Another thing about the guy is I know he'd actually use our play-makers as they should be used. Imagine Benjamin consistently stretching defenses and Richardson getting more than 1 outside run a game.

[The Gipper]

Tressel... way to conservative IMO. Especially after what we just came out of.

 

Yea, I am not advocating for Tressel. I am only saying that he was fully capable of roping in Kelly's so called high powered offense.

Do you not think their are DCs in the NFL that can also not do that?

[The Gipper]

For what it's worth, the Twitter and speculation world are saying Banner is in Arizona to interview Ray Horton. However, the interview with Horton was a convenient reason to not only interview a coach to satisfy the Rooney rule, but also to interview Chip who happens to be in Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl.

 

This is what I'll say about Chip and I could be wrong but it's just my opinion. The guy has an obvious mind for offense and is obsessed with speed. I think it's very naive to assume the guy will walk into a NFL team and implement a pure college spread. I would welcome with open arms an up tempo offensive scheme similar to the ones run in New England, Denver, Atlanta to name a few. I think it goes without saying it clearly works in the NFL. Another thing about the guy is I know he'd actually use our play-makers as they should be used. Imagine Benjamin consistently stretching defenses and Richardson getting more than 1 outside run a game.

 

 

By the way, despite certain comments reported to the contrary on the radio and the like, I think Brandon Weeden could certainly be capable of running that type of offense. Similar to what he ran at OK St.

BW3 wouldn't be running the options that Kelly runs a lot, but most of the rest of the offense I think he could handle.

[Browns149]

He has said the exact same thing every time he has made a move to another team. Don't believe it.

If he says that he means it today, right now. Come Tuesday after his team has played its last game...things could be different.

Didn't Saban tell the media, "I am the coach of the Dolphins, and I have no interest in the Bama job"

[The Gipper]

Didn't Saban tell the media, "I am the coach of the Dolphins, and I have no interest in the Bama job"

 

Check, and mate.

[thenew23]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/02/chip-kelly-on-his-offense-in-the-nfl-dont-know-havent-been-there/

 

Seems to understand that he needs to adjust to who is on his team... Still risky. Will need a good GM/personnel guy and maybe keep Jauron around to coach D if we do end up hiring this guy

[BrownsKidd]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/02/chip-kelly-on-his-offense-in-the-nfl-dont-know-havent-been-there/

 

Seems to understand that he needs to adjust to who is on his team... Still risky. Will need a good GM/personnel guy and maybe keep Jauron around to coach D if we do end up hiring this guy

 

At least he understands that much.

[Browns616]

NBC is reporting Chip Kelly to interview Friday for Browns head coach

 

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/02/report-chip-kelly-browns-to-meet-friday/related/

[Browns149]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/02/chip-kelly-on-his-offense-in-the-nfl-dont-know-havent-been-there/

 

Seems to understand that he needs to adjust to who is on his team... Still risky. Will need a good GM/personnel guy and maybe keep Jauron around to coach D if we do end up hiring this guy

If he understands adjusting to the team, that is a fresh aproach compared to what we just had the past 4 years of Mangini and Shurmers crap

[Guest]

If I were a betting man, I'd go all in on Chip Kelly.

 

Banner is flying there just blow through the Rooney Rule guy and nab Kelly before anyone else talks to him.

 

Reminds me of when the Ravens outsmarted us for Brian Billick. We "insisted" that he fly to Cleveland after the Vikings playoff loss that year ... Ravens just sent a plane out and got him.

 

Banner wants Kelly and is going to get him.

 

Which means we need a really good defensive coordinator and a really good GM, because Kelly knows nothing about either.

 

Zombo

--Only a Saban coup will topple Kelly to Cleveland, IMO

[choco]

My only worry about kelly is the amount of control hes gonna have....ala policy all over again. But the genius of kellys system is that its not predicated on a specific type of personnel, rather its dictated by defenses alignment. Its about gap production when runnjng the ball, and attacking open areas thru the air. Many things go into it, but its more than having a running QB. All the while using tempo to dictate substitutions and matchups.

 

Nothing about his system says it cant work in the NFL....its more about how banners gonna fuck up the personnel side. It seems to be that kelly wants some control, which means a director of pro personnel rather than a GM....in the traditional sense. Banner already has said he prefers this type of setup. However, being that banner will have control over the checkbook, he has final say. So a guy like lombardi makes sense, cause any GM witb talent is not going to come running here to be a coffee fetcher. It automatically eliminates any candidates that are with other clubs that would require a "promotion", since controlling the scouting dept isnt a promotion for many qualified candidates.

 

Many pitfalls await if this is the direction....could work though if kelly is as good as advertised.

[Mark O]

Just heard it reported on NFL network that Kelley will not be demanding full control. He also is meeting with the Bills and Eagles this weekend as well as the Browns.

 

Elsewhere, Andy Reid is meeting with the Cardinals and Chiefs and just heard it reported that he would bring our old friend Pat Shurmur with him as OC.

[mdmusch]

Weeden ran an offense where he would read a short pass option first and then hand off if it was not there.... Chip runs similar things with Oregon. Each play pretty much has a read and then a fall back, often into an extremely high percentage route/handoff.

[jrb12711]

Just an update from some things I've read, including the Mort report. Ray Horton was interviewed by the browns and according to him it went "great". Also, browns interviewed former Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt in Arizona yesterday. I can't say I know much about the guy outside of he was on the browns & Steelers staff along with taking the Cards to the super bowl.

 

It's still obvious to me they are just buying their time to go all in for Chip Kelly, but I do like the approach of interviewing a slew of candidates.

[Hate]

I'm not sure I want Whisenhunt, he was around great coaches when they went to the SB and he likely won't have either of those when he starts over with another team. No Ray Horton, no Todd Haley (who was great in Zona).

[ballpeen]

Just a question here....I keep reading stuff from the tweeters of the board....or would that be twits? ...Anyway....I keep reading about Banner but don't hear about Haslam. Is Joe doing this solo at this point?

 

Not that that is a real problem for me at this point..possibly a vetting process at this point.

 

Anyone know?

[jrb12711]

Just a question here....I keep reading stuff from the tweeters of the board....or would that be twits? ...Anyway....I keep reading about Banner but don't hear about Haslam. Is Joe doing this solo at this point?

 

Not that that is a real problem for me at this point..possibly a vetting process at this point.

 

Anyone know?

 

Everything I've read is saying both Haslam and Banner are in AZ to interview candidates. I haven't read anything specifically saying Haslam is in the interview but based on what little I know of the guy it seems highly unlikely he's not.

[The Gipper]

Just an update from some things I've read, including the Mort report. Ray Horton was interviewed by the browns and according to him it went "great". Also, browns interviewed former Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt in Arizona yesterday. I can't say I know much about the guy outside of he was on the browns & Steelers staff along with taking the Cards to the super bowl.

 

It's still obvious to me they are just buying their time to go all in for Chip Kelly, but I do like the approach of interviewing a slew of candidates.

 

 

Like I said before, I believe it was the Steelers who interviewed Mike Tomlin, believing that the only reason to do so was to fulfill the requirements of the Rooney Rule....but then they came away so impressed that they gave him the job.

 

Could that happen here?