Losing Linehan

How real is this possibility?

I'm of the firm belief that virtually all of this teams offensive success is due largely in part to both the incredible play by our offensive line, Ezekiel Elliott, and the maturity/dedication of Dak Prescot as well as the incredible coaching efforts and creativity of Scott Linehan. He's been a highly regarded offensive mind for a number of years in this league, and he's doing things that have never been a staple in the Garrett offense we've grown accustomed to seeing. OmegaSupreme is much smarter than me and does a much better job at illustrating this belief.

During the broadcast, Joe Buck and Troy Aikman gave much due credit to Linehan for his job with the Cowboys offense and its young playmakers. He's clearly one of the premier coordinators in the league.

Question is, whats the likelihood of him leaving in the offseason?

Looking at the NFL standings, there doesn't seem to be a lot of teams that'll be in the market for a new coach this offseason. The Jets, Cleveland, and Chicago all recently just hired new coaches.

Jacksonville, San Diego, San Francisco also have newish coaches but both have been rumored to possibly not survive this year.

So I'm not sure how many openings there might be. There was talk of the Packers possibly firing Mike McCarthy. Not sure if there'd be any surprise firings around the league.

But if you're a team needing a new coach, and you have or need a young QB like DeShaun Watson from Clemson or the raw kid from Notre Dame, would you not consider Scott Linehan as the perfect candidate as head coach?

I can honestly say that if we lost him in the offseason, Dak and the offense would regress immeasurably and we'd once again be lucky to win 8-9 games next year.

Lets finish this season first Nancy before we cry about potential losses

I definitely would consider Linehan if I was going to take a spread QB. Now Dak ran a lot of pro specific reads at Mississippi State; but even still, Linehan has introduced a lot of concepts that will really be beneficial to a straight up spread QB. He's gotten away from it lately with Dak's emergence and ability to run a pro-based offense, but he's shown that the zone-read concept sprinkled in can be very beneficial for a young QB not nuanced in the pro game.

If Linehan goes, this season will be a one-hit wonder just like 2007 with Sparano.

His career record as HC with the Rams was 11-25. Not saying somebody wont take a chance on Linehan but some coaches ceiling as coordinator. Wade Phillips comes to mind. The midget at NE also comes to mind. Lane Kiffin etc.

theoneandonly said:

His career record as HC with the Rams was 11-25. Not saying somebody wont take a chance on Linehan but some coaches ceiling as coordinator. Wade Phillips comes to mind. The midget at NE also comes to mind. Lane Kiffin etc.

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It wasn't just the record, I don't recall the details but the players all revolted on him there.

UVAwahoos said:

If Linehan goes, this season will be a one-hit wonder just like 2007 with Sparano.

Keep reading...

If its a one hit wonder that ends with a Super Bowl ring, its worth it.

theoneandonly said:

His career record as HC with the Rams was 11-25. Not saying somebody wont take a chance on Linehan but some coaches ceiling as coordinator. Wade Phillips comes to mind. The midget at NE also comes to mind. Lane Kiffin etc.

Keep reading...

That'll come into play, for sure. I don't remember the situation with the Rams - who they had or what. But I know he's oversaw some great offenses and he's arguably the best coordinator in football this year. Just saying he'll be in whatever head coaching talks that come up.

Of course, IIRC he also mentioned in 2014 that he was content in his role in Dallas and didn't have immediate want to be a head coach.

I remember worrying about this shit toward the middle and end of 2014.

WGAFS?

From Wikipedia:

Linehan inherited a team in transition. Most of the Rams' stars from earlier in the decade had gone elsewhere, and those who were still there had noticeably lost a step. Nonetheless, Linehan's tenure started out on a promising note, as the Rams went 4–2 in their first six games. However, a four-game losing streak in October and November effectively ended any chance of making the playoffs. Despite this slump, the NFC West was so weak that year that while they finished 8–8, missing the division title by a single game. However, the Rams regressed to 3–13 in his second season. Years of questionable draft and free-agent acquisitions caught up with the team, and the season degenerated into a fiasco due to a rash of injuries to the offensive line. The season was also marked by disputes with star players such as Steven Jackson, Torry Holt, and, most notoriously, quarterback Marc Bulger. Holt and Jackson openly feuded with Linehan on the sidelines during games. The easygoing Linehan didn't discipline them, leading to criticism that he wasn't willing to assert his authority.
The bottom fell out in 2008. After an 0–3 start in which the Rams were outscored 116–29, a significant departure from the days of "The Greatest Show on Turf," Linehan benched Bulger in favor of Trent Green for their game against the Buffalo Bills. It did not work; the Rams lost 35–14 after allowing 25 unanswered points in the second half. Linehan was fired hours later, tallying an 11–25 record in his 36 games as head coach.

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Well that isn't an encouraging write up. Hopefully for the teams sake we have nothing to worry about. Garrett better hope so as well.

Will the Jets wind up moving on from coach Todd Bowles? Brian Costello of the New York Post thinks it’s fair to start thinking about who Gang Green’s next coach could be. When/if that happens, Costello writes that the Jets should hire an offensive coach who has developed quarterbacks and has experience. Since Al Groh, all of the Jets’ hires have been first time hires. It’s also worth noting that every coach since Rich Kotite has been a defensive guy: Bill Parcells, Groh, Herm Edwards, Eric Mangini, Rex Ryan, and Bowles.

It definitely could happen. With Marinelli I'd say no way. But Linehan isn't that old, he will have a lot of buzz like all coordinators for successful teams do, and I think he comes off great in interviews. He seems like a very smart guy with a calm demeanor and some sense of humor, and none of the cliched phoniness of our orange figurehead.

My understanding is, since it's not a lateral move from OC to HC, that the Cowboys would have a chance to match any offers. Jerry ain't letting Linehan walk.

You mean the opposite, right? You can block lateral moves, but you can't block a promotion to HC.

ThoughtExperiment said:

You mean the opposite, right? You can block lateral moves, but you can't block a promotion to HC.

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Isn't the rule nowadays for assistants that you have to promote them in order to take them from a team?

I don't you even have to do that anymore, because people were making up phony titles in the name of a "promotion." So now it's HC only that you *have* to let a guy go. Remember when Jerry wouldn't let Callahan go even as a promotion from OL coach to OC and even when he wanted out?

dbair1967 said:

It wasn't just the record, I don't recall the details but the players all revolted on him there.

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I recall this as well. He had a shouting match with Steven Jackson on the sidelines during a game if I recall correctly. I seriously doubt anyone will try to hire him away as a head coach

theoneandonly said:

His career record as HC with the Rams was 11-25. Not saying somebody wont take a chance on Linehan but some coaches ceiling as coordinator. Wade Phillips comes to mind. The midget at NE also comes to mind. Lane Kiffin etc.

Keep reading...

See that's my thinking. Teams have already seen his act. He's Norv. Does great with young QB's and is an offensive wiz but doesn't have "it" to be a head coach. I'm not saying it's impossible that anyone would offer him a head coaching job I just think it's unlikely.

I would expect any team looking for a HC this off season to go hard after Harbaugh. Josh McDaniels might get another shot too. Those are two offensive minded coaches that work well with QB's.

Worst case scenario Linehan leaves, who could replace him? Would Frank Pollack be a good option?