Expand on something, if you don't mind:
by jt (2020-05-21 15:37:46)

In reply to: Is Luke Fickell on the short list in a few years?  posted by mocopdx

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You say that you "like the idea of a defensive minded head coach" and I am just wondering why. That seems to be the exact opposite of most NFL and NCAA football teams these days. Sure, there are very successful coaches at those levels with a defensive background, but teams seem to live and die with their offensive play callers. Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary are modern guys who jump to mind for me--both have defensive backgrounds and both faltered when their offensive coordinators left/were not retained (Norv Turner and Mike Martz).

Looking at last years NCAA Top 15 teams by head coach focus:
by jimmypop  (2020-05-22 08:51:09)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

LSU - Defenes but didn't win big until he got the right QB and OC (and then he got the hell out of the way) and seems to be more of a recruiter/motivator than just a Defensive HC

OSU, Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia, Oregon, Baylor, Wisconsin, Florida, Penn State - Offense

Utah- Defense
Auburn- Offense
Alabama - Defense
Michigan & ND Offense

The next 10 only have 2 defensive minded HC's.

Georgia? Kirby Smart.
by mocopdx  (2020-05-22 10:02:33)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

I think jt is right though and I would change my mind on my original stance re: offensive vs defensive head coach.
For some reason I was thinking of McElwain when I was typing
by jimmypop  (2020-05-23 17:35:29)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

For smart
Baylor too
by StetsonDan  (2020-05-22 10:14:11)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Matt Rhule spent more time as an assistant coaching defense than coaching offense.

His offense at Temple was much like you'd expect a defensive coordinator to value (running the ball and valuing time of possession), but he changed that at Baylor when he realized almost all of Texas high school football runs some version of spread.

Rhule’s last few years were coaching
by jimmypop  (2020-05-23 17:34:09)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Offense so I dumped him that group.

uh, he's not at Baylor any longer *
by jt  (2020-05-22 13:57:15)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Well the new guy at Baylor is even more defense-heavy *
by mocopdx  (2020-05-22 14:31:17)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

and let's see how that goes *
by jt  (2020-05-22 18:04:39)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Mike Zimmer is one counter-example.
by PWK2  (2020-05-21 17:43:24)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Yes, I know it takes more than one, but he was the first to come to mind.

that's the first that comes to mind? Typical Vikings fan
by jt  (2020-05-21 23:49:03)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Not the best coach in the NFL right now, the guy who has won multiple Super Bowls in New England?

Zimmer?

Funny.

Yes, Zimmer is a good coach. So is Belicheck, obviously. I'm not saying it's impossible, I'm saying that offense is the name of the game and you really have to ensure that your head coach has a feel for that side of the ball and really also an ability to develop a qb. That's the difference maker in the NFL; having a franchise qb vs. having to hope for lightening in a bottle.
I think it’s harder to find a good defensive coach.
by mocopdx  (2020-05-21 15:54:19)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

The game is certainly heading in the direction of being offense-friendly(it’s already there, but doesn’t seem to be shifting back). The caveat in my original post is crucial, and without it I wouldn’t want a defensive head coach. I would rather hire the rare defensive mastermind who can go hire an excellent OC and give them carte blanche than the other way around. Maybe I’m wrong on that. What do you think?
that offensive mastermind would be hired away immediately
by jt  (2020-05-21 16:55:06)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

and you would just end up being in a perpetual state of changing coordinators.

I am firmly in support of having a head coach that can take over offensive playcalling as needed. I would prefer to try and hire an offensive minded head coach who can hire a series of good DC's (who you will not lose as often, most likely).

I find that to be especially true in the NFL, but I suppose in college it can be more flexible. At the end of the day, I think that what Bill Walsh said back in the day is still basically true--one offense, the coaches can scheme up yards and points, but you need the horses on defense in order to have a championship level defense.

Basically, I would hire an offensive minded coach and then recruit the hell out of the defensive side of the ball.
We should let other teams know that we have an
by SWPaDem  (2020-05-21 18:05:12)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

offensive mastermind. We could and we wouldn't be lying.