Next Generation Head Coaches (Today's Great Assistants?)

[VAUConnFan]

I have posted before about a few assistant coaches who did very well when they got the opportunity to become head coach.

Start with Vince Lombardi, Assistant at West Point, then NY Giants. Only HC job was at a parochial high school in NJ, until the Green Bay Packers hired him. We know how that worked out.

Pittsburgh Steelers have had three head coaches in 48 years (Noll, Ccowher, Tomlin). None had any HC experience and all three won Super Bowls (7 in all).

Then there was that Auriemma guy, once an assistant at Virginia.

From what I have read, each was subjected to a lengthy and rigorous interview that convinced the teams or school that they were better than the competition. So give some credit to those who did the vetting.

(P.S. No vetting at Tennessee,)

I am not taking the bait Kibitzer.

 

[Kibitzer]

I am not taking the bait Kibitzer.

I'll put another morsel on the hook because it's instructive.

When Cowher left the Steelers, he left two very effective assistants behind: Russ Grimm and Ken Wisenhunt. Both were immensely popular with players, press, and Steeler Nation. All discussion focused on which of them would get the HC job. It was unthinkable that any outsider would even be considered. The Rooneys established an evaluation group that cast a wide net, and they were thorough and objective.

The announcement that Mike Tomlin had been hired was greeted with a combination of shock, dismay, and indignation -- soon followed up with some very nasty remarks by a fringe of the fan base. The meanest comments accused the Rooneys of succumbing to the "Rooney Rule" which required all NFL owners to give Blacks a fair shot at open coaching positions. (This small but noisy element of Tomlin-haters hasn't yet shut up.)

My point is to suggest that head coaching jobs are best filled by due diligence, not by a whim of an AD or team owner -- or by the departing coach.

 

[DaddyChoc]

who says Shea isn't being groomed by Geno, maybe he allows her to sit in the big chair and handle some situation... as a Leader/Supervisor/Coach its very important to teach those under you all the details of the job, I do! Never know when something comes up... and not only one person should know how to turn on the lights.

10 years ago Geno wasn't thinking of retiring so Jamell and Tonya almost had no choice but to look elsewhere but today Geno may be hanging them up soon (who knows) so he's grooming Shea/Marissa.

and is Shea interested, if so... hopefully she's asking a lot of questions and is involved in many of Geno's meeting.

Having Jen come over to replace Geno would be a slap in the face to Shea, as would have been the case if Ollie didn't get the job when Calhoun stepped down

 

[VAUConnFan]

IMO, whoever replaces the legend should be given a nice long term contract and enough room to fail to allow time to wade through the previous administration, the high expectations, the almost certain initial disappointment, and to firmly establish their own program. It would be a mistake to try to make the UConn program a continuation/carbon copy of the Auriemma/Daly juggernaut. It should happen on the order of the Landry/Johnson transition or, as the formidable Kibitzer instructs, the Noll/Cowher/Tomlin transition. The men's program kept it in the family and it has worked in the first few years. North Carolina has done the same through three post Dean Smith hires. How many other programs stay within the family? Who is to say which is the better way to go?

DaddyChoc, I do not necessarily agree that hiring Coach Rizzotti would be a slap in the face to Coach Ralph. Side by side, Rizzotti, by virtue of her HC and international experience, is far more qualified. But the better qualifications are not likely to be what the eventual decision would hinge on. In the end, it will come down to whom Coach Auriemma and Coach Daly agree upon; As it should be. They have more than earned the right to choose their successor.

 

[stwainfan]

Tyler Summitt is in his second year as HC. He is also young. I think he is going to have a great career. I wonder if Catchings will get into coaching.
I think she could be a outstanding coach.