Linehan's next stop: Senior Bowl

[Bruce=GOAT]

Linehan's next stop: Senior Bowl
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
01/20/2007



Just days after being named head coach of the Rams, Scott Linehan headed to last year's Senior Bowl knowing full well he'd see very little of the college talent on display. He was knee-deep in hiring his coaching staff, so he knew the scene in Mobile, Ala., would resemble a chaotic job fair.

"I didn't go to any practices because I knew I was going to just get swarmed by people who were looking for jobs," Linehan recalled.

Linehan had hired only about five staff members at the time. Some of those hires rounded up coaching candidates, ushering them to Linehan's hotel room for interviews.

"We interviewed 'O-line' coaches most of the time we were there," Linehan said. "It was a blur. I mean, I never left the room. I ordered room service. There were 50 guys sitting down in the lobby of the hotel waiting for me to walk through the lobby."


That won't be the case this season. At the moment, Linehan has only one vacancy, with defensive quality control coach Joe Baker heading to the Denver Broncos. So he'll actually be able to watch the Senior Bowl practices, meet with players, the whole deal. Which puts him light years ahead of where he was last year at this time.

"No question," Linehan said. "To me, it's hard to even imagine the difference. I understand the difference now. But it'll almost be comical to be down there and actually looking at (players)."

Linehan and his staff depart Sunday for Mobile. They will be joined there by the Rams' scouting department. President of football operations Jay Zygmunt is expected to spend a few days there as well.

"The Senior Bowl's the best evaluation we've got other than the (NFL scouting) combine," Linehan said. "The (campus) workouts are fine, but they rank No. 3 in my book. ... At the Senior Bowl, you get to watch them (practice) football. And doing what we do. It's a pretty good measuring stick."

Linehan and his staff will return to St. Louis on Thursday; they won't watch the actual Senior Bowl game. But the practices can be very revealing. A few years ago, quarterback Philip Rivers improved his stock with a strong showing in the Senior Bowl workouts.

"He was the star when it came to quarterbacks," Linehan said. "And that usually sticks out in your mind pretty good."

In Mobile, Linehan and the coaches will meet with the scouting department Monday and Tuesday morning to review the North and South Senior Bowl rosters. They plan to interview players Monday and Tuesday night, a common practice at next month's combine in Indianapolis, but a rarity at the Senior Bowl. But Linehan, always organized, wants to get a head start.

"You only get, really, 60 official interviews now at the combine," he said. "This way you can get another 30 to 40."

[RamsFan4ever]

When is the Senior Bowl on?

[Keenum]

It's Saturday (27th) on NFL Network... and I want to say it's at 2:30 (CT).

[coy bacon]

Linehan's next stop: Senior Bowl
"You only get, really, 60 official interviews now at the combine," he said. "This way you can get another 30 to 40."

The little things can make a big difference.

We saw Linehan's preparation and attention to details prior to last season's start. Now we see it again. I like seeing this man do something creative to be more thorough and prepared.