Pete Carroll joins Raiders as head coach, Jaguars hire Liam Coen

[Chris]

FRIDAY TWO NFL TEAMS PICKED HEAD COACHES AND WENT IN COMPLETELY OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS IN TERMS OF STYLE AND EXPERIENCE.
THE RAIDERS HIRED PETE CARROLL WHO IS A SUPER BOWL WINNER AND FUTURE HALL OF FAMER. THE JAGUARS WENT THE TRENDY “UP AND COMING COORDINATOR” ROUTE, WITH BUCS OC LIAM COEN.

CARROLL WILL BE THE OLDEST COACH IN THE NFL AT 74, WHEN THE SEASON STARTS. HE’S GOT A 170-120 RECORD IN THE NFL, TOOK THE SEAHAWKS TO THE PLAYOFFS IN 11 OF HIS 14 SEASONS, INCLUDING TWO SUPER BOWLS. HE WON IT ALL IN 2014 AND CAME UP ONE INFAMOUS PLAY SHORT IN 2015. THE KEY INGREDIENT FOR CARROLL IS CULTURE. SOMETHING THE RAIDERS DESPERATELY NEED, SAYS MIKE FLORIO OF PRO FOOTBALL TALK.

“PETE CARROLL, I THINK CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCES NECESSARY AS THEY TRY TO RESHAPE THE ORGANIZATION INTO SOMETHING THAT HAS A WINNING CULTURE, INTO SOMETHING THAT’S COMPETITIVE.”

THE LIAM COEN HIRING SAGA TOOK SEVERAL TURNS IN A 48 HOUR PERIOD. HE WITHDREW HIS NAME FROM CONSIDERATION AND SIGNED AN EXTENSION TO CONTINUE AS THE BUCS OC. THE JAGS THEN FIRED THEIR GENERAL MANAGER AND THE NEXT DAY COEN RECONSIDERED AND TOOK THE JOB. HE HAS NEVER BEEN A HEAD COACH BUT HIS PLAY CALLING HAS TRANSFORMED OFFENSES AT EVERY COACHING STOP. THE BUCS WERE TOP FIVE IN SEVERAL CATEGORIES THIS PAST SEASON. CADE OTTEN, A STAR TIGHT END IN TAMPA WILL MISS HIM.

[ “FIRST OF ALL HE WAS REALLY PERSONABLE AND REALLY CARED ABOUT US AS INDIVIDUALS AND JUST THE DETAIL AND PASSION HE BROUGHT EVERY DAY TO OUR OFFENSE WAS SOMETHING REALLY COOL TO BE A PART OF AND YOU SAW IT COME TO LIFE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. SO, IT WAS REALLY FUN TO PLAY FOR HIM“

THOSE TWO HIRES MEAN THE NFL COACHING CAROUSEL IS NEARLY FILLED UP. JUST TWO VACANCIES REMAIN. THE COWBOYS ARE RUMORED TO BE NEAR A DEAL WITH THEIR OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR BRIAN SCHOTTENHEIMER. THE SAINTS HAVE SPOKEN WITH FORMER COWBOYS HEAD COACH MIKE MCCARTHY SO WHILE WE WAIT FOR THOSE POSSIBLE MOVES

COEN AND CARROLL WILL BE INTRODUCED NEXT WEEK AND WE’VE GOT A SUNDAY OF CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES TO FOCUS ON. WILL A SURPRISE CANDIDATE SURFACE FROM ONE OF THE FOUR TEAMS STILL PLAYING? THAT’S CERTAINLY A POSSIBILITY.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M CHRIS FRANCIS