49ers OC Watch Day 29: And then there were four...make that three

by Fooch on Jan 27, 2009 8:00 AM PST in News Comment 14 comments

All the usual suspects (Maiocco, Barrows, etc...) reported last night that Rob Chudzinski was hired by Norv Turner to be the assistant head coach/TE coach. Barrows's column gives a nice little summation of each of the ~~four~~ three remaining candidates: ~~Dan Reeves~~, Jeff Jagodzinski, Hue Jackson and Clyde Christensen. I actually had pre-scheduled this post before cuse7284 posted this link. Dan Reeves apparently is likely going to take a consulting job with the Cowboys.

I've reached a point where it's almost exhausting how slow this process is going. I'm not confused by the process and obviously I still hope we get the right guy (or A right guy) for the job. At the same time it's become a bit comical. I don't know if I mean that in a bad or good way. I don't even know if this qualifies as methodical anymore. I do think there has to be something going on behind the scenes in terms of research on these guys.

However, given that the team has interviewed only seven people (and yes, given the time it's lasted I consider that a relatively small number), I really wonder what could possibly be happening. Does anybody have any thoughts on that? Again, this is not an issue of me being concerned or not concerned. It's more just a tremendous amount of curiosity on my part.

Clyde Christensen remains on the list, but I think it's more because the media has never been told he's off the list. The man interviewed January 9, so I'd have to say his odds of getting the job have to be the longest. Does anybody actually think he'll end up with the job?

Jeff Jagodzinski seems like the guy who wanted this job more than anybody else before finally interviewing January 20. The big concern is that he would leave for a better job as soon as he could. Given the fact that he's already on the radar for head coaching jobs has to make that sooner rather than later. Given that, I wonder if his odds are much better than Christensen?

Hue Jackson was a guy people thought Singletary might be interested in before the Ravens were finally eliminated from the playoffs. He finally interviewed January 23 and with Reeves, remains the most recent interviewee. He's relatively young and has some solid experience as an OC. If the rumors are true about Singletary's previous interest are true, the odds seem to be pretty high that he's got a shot. He did only interview four days ago so it hasn't been Clyde Christensen-long.

I had whipped together a paragraph about Dan Reeves but that is clearly no longer necessary. So much for that. It would have been nice for him to wait until after 8am, but what are you gonna do, right?

These posts probably end up a little repetitive after a while, but given the status of the search, I figure it's worth updating every so often (clearly so given how people in the race are dropping like flies). I had considered throwing up a poll, but really what's the use? (imagine if I'd scheduled a poll with Dan Reeves in it...yeesh). While I've thrown out some general odds for each individual, it's really a shot in the dark based on some probably weak conjectures. Maybe we'll luck out and get an answer today.....Or....maybe not.

I'll keep updating things, but I have no idea what might happen next. This has gone from interesting, to long and boring to absolutely surreal. I wonder if it's even remotely possible to predict what might happen next? Maybe Hue Jackson is the guy he really wanted all along (or at least post-Linehan), in which case this is all part of Coach Singletary's diabolical scheme. In the meantime, I've got two suggestions for the next possible interviewees:

1. Jim Fassel - He wants to get back into head coaching but if you're willing to roll the dice that he'll stick around, he does have recent OC experience. The negative is that the Ravens offense, and particular a guy like Kyle Boller never took off with Fassel.

2. Anybody who has had some success at Madden. I was going to suggest myself, but my offensive success has usually come in the the NCAA football series for Playstation. I'm a big believer in the ground game, but obviously the disparity in talent was ridiculous. My recruiting got to the point where I was rolling out 5-star players as backups. I've always been solid in Madden, but not quite like in NCAA Football.

Feel free to give us reasons why YOU would be a good offensive coordinator for the 49ers. They're running out of legit candidates, so it's time to start thinking outside of the box. If you can dominate Madden with a relatively realistic 49ers offense, you just might be the person for the job. As you can see, the search has caused me to go delirious.

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It's driving me crazy too, this waiting.

However, we have to remember that “conventional wisdom” was complaining all over the sports pages about the Niners “rushing” to hire Singletary. I realize with the recent history of losing Turner that fans are pretty concerned, but it wasn’t like Hostler was the only choice even that late in the game. The problem was that Hostler ABSOLUTE THE WRONG CHOICE.

Reeves? I was sort of hoping that he’d come in either as a temporary OC, to mentor Rathman into the job, or as an advisor, not unlike the job he apparently is going to have with Dallas. Remember, Bill Walsh always had a few seniors around to help in the front office.

Linehan was appealing in part because he wasn’t going to be a one and done guy, but that’s the nature of most coordinators around the NFL. They take a job with the intention of bouncing up to a higher level the next year when other coaches get canned.

Young guys may not like the idea of coming here with a line coach and a running backs coach (who may be the OC of the future) already in place. The fellow from Boston College is my pick. He’s had a lot of success and while he’ll want to move along maybe his stock has dropped enough that he’ll last around here for a couple of years. Heck, right now I’m ready for someone to be in place by training camp.

by Bob On The Coast on Jan 27, 2009 8:18 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Not my Idea

But I find it interesting this is a quote from a user on Maiocco’s blog.
"
mretrade | January 27, 2009 7:20 AM | Reply
MATT! I 100% feel that I have figured out who the next offensive coordinator is and why its taking so long. Its a name that no one has even really considered.

Maurice Carthon.. Take a look at his resume. Its amazing and fits exactly what Singletary wants?

Former experience calling plays and being offensive coordinator? CHECK

OC with the Browns for 2 years
OC with the Cowboys under Parcells for 2 years
OC with Detriot for 2 years.

Physical run opposing offense? CHECk
Currently the Cardinals RB coach.
Droughns finished sixth in the AFC in 2005 with 1,232 yards rushing and became the first Browns back since 1985 to top the 1,000-yard rushing plateau.
Carthon joined the Browns in 2005 and led an offensive unit that finished the season ranked 8th in the NFL with 1,601 yards from scrimmage (1,232 rushing and 369 receiving).
In his two seasons with the Lions, Carthon was instrumental in helping increase the Lions’ running game average in 2001 (4.0 yard avg.) and 2002 (4.1 yard avg.). In addition, running back James Stewart posted a career-best 4.8 avg. in 2001 and then came back in 2002 to record his second career 1,000-yard rushing season with 1,021 yards on 231 carries (4.4 yard avg.).

READ UP MATT AND GET BACK TO US. I think I just hit nail on head. Why else would Singletary be dragging his feet if it wasn’t to wait for Carthon? Grimm is too close to be hired a HC as is.

http://www.azcardinals.com/team/staff_detail.php?PRKey=166 "

Anyone else have thoughts on this?

by tanos135 on Jan 27, 2009 8:18 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

OC Resume

1) I’m somewhat decent at madden, but more importantly I have managed a 4-time, back to back to back to back championship league in Blitz: The League 2 (The San Francisco Throat-Slashers). I feel that this is more important than Madden skill, because you actually have to set workout schedules, chose the right equipment for your players, and decide whether it is ok to give a player steroids and risk the piss man, or work them out even though ti takes twice as long for them to get healthy… It’s a big picture thing.

2) I can throw a Vortex 60 yards. I can do something to help Shaun Hill’s arm.

3) I look really good pissed off. I’ll make it a show; screaming, throwing headsets/clipboards, punching kickers. If not the lead story on Sportscenter for the crazy good offense, we’ll be on first for my sideline rants. And you know what they say, no press is bad press.

4) I own belts. Trowsers will stay attached to me. I will also push for “Overall Thursdays” to make sure that there is no dropping of any trow in my locker room.

5) NinersNation will get exclusive interview rights with myself and my staff.

6) Michael Robinson will NEVER get the ball on a X and goal play inside the 5 yard line.

7) I just bought “Coaching for Dummies”, so I should be able to compete in the NFC West.

Blind devotion.

by ProfessorBigelow on Jan 27, 2009 8:29 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Is there any truth to the rumor that Jagzjkankl;djgahniujhtiuaenuhgio will also be brining along his QB coach if hired?

Under the impression than the QB Coach (sorry, I don’t have his name) will take over as OC if/when Jagz;jklgnpioaeurgor is hired to be a head coach somewhere?

by mikev on Jan 27, 2009 10:27 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

most likely explanation is...

…that singletary has had a guy in mind all along that is on either the ARI (carthon?) or PIT (anderson?) coaching staff (and identified him to jed in that impressive end-of-season meeting), and he’s been interviewing other candidates just to see if any candidate could wow him more than the one he has on reserve. linehan did, so he offered him the job. now that linehan’s turned it down, you notice that the pace of interviews has slowed down considerably, almost to the point that the reeves interview looks like a total sideshow for “appearance of due diligence.”

by Florida Danny on Jan 27, 2009 10:47 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

That doesn't explain...

“Like Yesterday…”

Well, we're waiting....

by drummer on Jan 27, 2009 11:08 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

if i remember right...

“like yesterday” was in response to a question to the effect of, “when do you want to have your new OC in place?” just because he WANTED to have his OC in place “like yesterday,” doesn’t mean he didn’t have already have someone in mind on the ARI or PIT staff. especially regarding ARI, he probably didn’t think they’d still be in the playoffs 4 weeks after he said that.

it’s like being asked about a job you’ve applied for that you really want but have yet to interview for. you can want it, “like yesterday,” but not get it until the interview process is over a short (or long) time later.

by Florida Danny on Jan 27, 2009 11:55 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Even so..

There is no guarantee those presumed candidates will take the job in SF when there still are openings on other teams. Bringing in Reeves for a ‘sideshow’ appearance didn’t show ‘due diligence’ as much as it showed desperation, and even then, if Reeves goes to DAL, it looks even worse for Sing and ScotM. To gamble on another candidate that might just turn you down after going to the Super Bowl won’t make it ‘due diligence’. The only candidate that makes sense would be out of PITT, because AZ had no running game this season, and wouldn’t even be in the SB without Warner. So really, there is only one other candidate out there considering your premise, and if he doesn’t bite, then Sing looks like he has more egg on his face to wipe off.

Well, we're waiting....

by drummer on Jan 27, 2009 12:18 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

i agree...

…if i’m wrong (that def wouldn’t be a shocker), then singletary is going to have a lot of egg on his face.

i think, though, that to continue my analogy…while you’re waiting to interview for the job you really want, you can go interview for others to see if any are even better or to have as backup if you don’t get the one you want. singletary really wants coach X, but can’t have him until after the super bowl, so he interviews coaches A,B,C,D,E,F, and G as backup and fishing expeditions. don’t see anything earth-shattering or incompetent about that.

also, i think you’re overstating the negative PR effect of the reeves and linehan situations. i don’t think reeves going to DAL is going to reflect negatively on singletary or mccloughan. i mean, who gives a crap about dan reeves besides chris mortensen and jerry jones? and linehan, well he sure came out of this looking like a total scumbag propping up the whole “family reasons” BS.

by Florida Danny on Jan 27, 2009 12:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

PIT and AZ...

Ranked 23rd and 32nd overall respectively in rushing according to NFL.com this season. Considering Sing’s wishes on offense, I don’t know if those stats would reflect anything upon that, but if you did use that as a barometer, BAL was 4th overall in rushing. So, if you picked an OC out of those 3 teams alone, who would you go with?

As far as Linehan/Reeves: There has been some talk around the League about the state of the FO, and for them to choose otherwise may reflect more on the FO (I mean, this FO doesn’t give much confidence at all to me, especially with all of the inexperience there, and the multiple VP’s that look like more like Business Executives than Football Executives) than on Sing. But, even if we don’t count anybody else’s feelings on this OC stalemate, the ones who really count, the fans themselves see it, and thus, this article. The person who is the point man in all this? Sing himself, and a person with more experience at the job could maybe survive the FO, but I would guess not.

I’ve read somewhere that Manusky just had dinner with Jerry Jones and Wade Phillips. Not that he would go anywhere (unless they gave him a position that could get him out of contract) but without Manusky, this team is toast. That’s what people fail to consider at times.

Well, we're waiting....

by drummer on Jan 27, 2009 1:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

To add..

Maybe a few of these current candidates are holding out for something better too.

Well, we're waiting....

by drummer on Jan 27, 2009 1:22 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

To add even further...

Maybe the 49ers are just waiting to see what Al Davis does with Tom Cable too.

Well, we're waiting....

by drummer on Jan 27, 2009 1:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I do dominate madden with a realistic niners (I paused a game to write this)

I won the super bowl on all-madden with our real starting lineup (played no games with players on IR) and even started morgan. If being the OC for the niners is like madden then the key is isolating VD in the flat or on a deep slant (with a little pick) with an LB or slower SS. However, who ever does the ratings for Madden still thinks VD knows how to catch (but his blocking is under rated).

HIRE ME!!!

by foosball4949 on Jan 27, 2009 12:42 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

How about the governor of Illinois?

He has an Eastern European name with lots of letters. He’ll be out of his current job soon and if we get Vick then Michael can tell him about the federal accommodations available.

by Bob On The Coast on Jan 27, 2009 1:08 PM PST reply actions 0 recs