Rams' coaching search begins

[RamWraith]

By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Tuesday, Dec. 30 2008
With their 2008 season now over, let the Rams' coaching search begin. And it
starts with ... Winston Moss, assistant head coach-linebackers coach from the
Green Bay Packers.

League sources told the Post-Dispatch on Monday night that the Rams have
inquired about Moss and are expected to interview him by the end of the week.

Moss, 43, just completed his third season with the Packers. Ironically, he was
part of Jim Haslett's staff in New Orleans from 2000-2005. Now, he's competing
with Haslett for the Rams' head-coaching job.

A former NFL linebacker with Tampa Bay, the then-Los Angeles Raiders, and
Seattle, Moss has a reputation as a no-nonsense coach. He projects a tough-guy
image, but isn't a screamer on the sidelines. Observers in Green Bay describe
him as quietly intimidating.

On Monday, he was asked by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel if he's itching to
tackle another challenge at this stage in his coaching career.

"It's not an itch but it's a natural progression," Moss said. "We've talked
before about how my ultimate goal is to end up being a head coach, so whether
that process is through a defensive coordinator position or whether that is
going from a titled assistant coach to a head coach, to me I see it as a
natural progression. ... If that opportunity was to present itself, I feel
comfortable in accepting that challenge, and I would be thoroughly excited
about being able to lead some men."

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and Baltimore Ravens
defensive coordinator-assistant head coach Rex Ryan also could be added to the
Rams' interview list following this weekend's wild-card playoff games. The
Ravens travel to Miami and the Vikings play host to Philadelphia on Sunday. Win
or lose, the Rams can't talk to Frazier or Ryan until after those games.

"I sat in last year with Frazier and Ryan," Rams general manager Billy Devaney
said Monday. "So I have a good feel for those guys. But there's a couple of
guys that popped up this year that I'm not familiar with. I mean, I know who
they are, but I'm in the process of researching them right now, and they may be
in the mix."

Devaney, who is heading the Rams' coach search, was part of the search team
last year in Atlanta that led to the hiring of Mike Smith by the Falcons.

According to league sources, early indications are that two of the hottest
coordinators on the market, New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve
Spagnuolo and New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will be out of
the Rams' price range.

Devaney is expected to outline more of the coach search process at a news
conference today. He hopes to have a new coach in place by Senior Bowl week,
which is the third week in January. Because almost as important as hiring the
head coach is being able to assemble a good coaching staff.

"Once the Senior Bowl is over, your staff really should be in place," Devaney
said.

Devaney, who also was part of a job search with Bobby Beathard in San Diego,
indicated there would be an obvious sense of urgency, but also a flexible
timetable in hiring the coach.

"There are guys that we have on the radar, or that we're thinking about, that
we have to make a decision on how long we're willing to wait," Devaney said.
"If they keep on winning, that hurts.

"For instance, I think that probably cost Spagnuolo a couple of jobs last year.
There were teams that wanted to hire him. The Giants kept winning and winning
and winning. And at some point you say ... we can't wait till after the Super
Bowl. Mostly because of the (coaching) staff — who's he going to hire at that
point?"

The biggest thing Devaney said he's looking for in the next Rams head coach is
leadership.

"The guy's got to be a leader," Devaney said. "Obviously for our team and for
our locker room. But also in this building and in our city. He needs to be a
leader of the whole organization."

Along with that, he wants a visible head coach who can be a voice for the
organization and also get out in the community to sell the team.

"There's been some bad football played around here the past few years," he
said. "We need to sell ourselves. I know winning cures all, and that's the main
focus of what we're trying to do here, is win games. But in the process, we
need to convince people we're serious about this. And that we are going in a
new direction, and we've charted a different course.

"I think the last thing we need is to bring somebody in who says, 'To heck with
that, I'm not worried about what the fans think. That's not my problem.'

"Well, you know, it is. I'm a firm believer we're in this together. We're all
in it. The whole building's in it together. The head coach is in it. Our fans
are part of it. We need to have a coach that's willing to get that message out."

And a candidate who expresses hesitation about being visible or getting that
message out is "going to be hard to consider seriously," Devaney said.

[Curly Horns]

According to league sources, early indications are that two of the hottest
coordinators on the market, New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve
Spagnuolo and New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will be out of
the Rams' price range.

Well, if they have a budget then Haslett would fit the bill more than any unknown.

[TekeRam]

I notice that Schwartz isn't mentioned about being out of the price range... why not set something up quickly with him on his off week? I can completely understand about Spags and the Pat... If we couldn't keep Fletcher, we aren't getting either of them. Or Cower. Hell, even Marty would be out of our price range, probably.

Is there an outlet mall that specializes in coaches?

[Falconator]

what a joke that Spagnuolo and McDaniels are "out of Rams price range".....you have a roster that is what $110 million/year but Rams ownership is unwilling to pay a head coach $3-5 million/season? If that is true, that is just sad.......

Maybe Rams have a good idea that those guys are not interested in the job and the "price range" thing is just political spin.........

I understand not paying Cowher $10mil/season and giving him full control but its hard to believe two career assistants like Spagnuolo and McDaniels would be out of Rams price range. Hope that is not true!

[Nick]

Is there an outlet mall that specializes in coaches?

Coach-R-Us? C-Mart? Coach's Club?

what a joke that Spagnuolo and McDaniels are "out of Rams price range".....you have a roster that is what $110 million/year but Rams ownership is unwilling to pay a head coach $3-5 million/season? If that is true, that is just sad.......

Maybe Rams have a good idea that those guys are not interested in the job and the "price range" thing is just political spin.........

I understand not paying Cowher $10mil/season and giving him full control but its hard to believe two career assistants like Spagnuolo and McDaniels would be out of Rams price range. Hope that is not true!

The Rams are just in a strange situation - I wouldn't list St. Louis among the huge football markets in this league and the team will likely be sold within the next few years because the owner just recently died, so that entire situation is rather unstable.

I agree that it's sad that they've seemingly set a ceiling on what they want to spend, but from a business perspective, perhaps they feel they can't go out and throw a lot of money at a coach because of that ownership climate. What happens if the Rams throw big money at a hot coach, sell the team after '09, and the new owner wants someone else?

You could be right in that it's a PR move to hide the fact that those guys aren't interested in the Rams' job; I don't think we could rule that out. It could also be a statement originating from a belief that they don't think they can keep up with the Jets if it comes down to a bidding war for Spags or McDaniels, providing they can't secure Cowher.

[moloch41]

Doesn't the head coach's salary count against the salary cap or is it just the players?

[TekeRam]

Just the players' Moloch. Everything else is not capped at all. Coaches, assistants, GM's, Presidents, scouts, stadium personnel. They can be paid whatever with no guidelines other than what the rest of the league is paying.

[RealRam]

Would it be safe to say that the coaching search will enventually end by choosing between Haslett and Moss?

May be our two strongest candidates.

[smizzhfx]

Regardless, I'd still like to see us pursue interviews with guys like Spagnuolo, McDaniels, Schwartz and Ryan.

[Falconator]

This is just what my intuition tells me right now......

Steve Spagnuolo - Rams have "no shot" - this guy is too hot and now that Cowher is backing away from coaching this year - Spags is the hottest name. If the Jets want him, they will get him - they will pay the most money and Spagnuolo does not even have to move his family - however, it will be a "pressure-cooker" job. My guess is that does not scare him off........
Prediction: Steve Spagnuolo to the NY Jets

Josh McDaniels - This is a little trickier. By most media accounts, Scott Pioli will take a GM job somewhere with the most likely destination being Cleveland - outside shot he heads to KC. Whereever Scott Pioli goes to be GM - the thought is he would take Josh McDaniels to be his head coach.
Prediction: Josh McDaniels to Cleveland Browns

Rex Ryan - At one point in the coaching search (before Thomas Dimitroff was hired as GM), Rex Ryan was said to be the front-runner for the Atlanta Falcons coaching vacancy. However, Dimitroff circled back around to Mike Smith of Jacksonville. My guess is that Rex Ryan was a "favorite" of Billy Devaney - i have no proof of this - it is just my "gut guess".......Also, I have been reading accounts from PFW and other places that while Jim Schwartz is "brilliant", he also is a little arrogant and cocky. That does not sound like "the face of the franchise" that Billy Devaney laid out that he is looking for - wanted someone a little more "fan friendly" and willing to do Public Relations for the team. Therefore, I would think he's "out".
Prediction: Rex Ryan to the St. Louis Rams

[eldfan]

Well, if they have a budget then Haslett would fit the bill more than any unknown.

It does look strange they have a budget for a coach, hum........the best coach the budget will buy. Keep Haslett if you can't bring in the coach most likely to move the team forward.

[SJacks039]

I think devaney should take a look at shwartz and maybe take a look at his relationship with haynesworth and get that big dt he wants. But He has to believe Shwartz is the guy to bring him in not just for albert.I dont know where shwartz came from or anything but if he has been around jeff fischer for awhile he might bring some of what that titans team and their defense brings.

[fearsome foursome]

How about Mike Shanahan for a coach. He's been successful in Denver.

[SJacks039]

Shanahan's running would be perfect for steven jackson.



Steve Jacskon is a damn beast

[Ram Dragoon]

Oh boy! Lots of speculation, and I personally don't have a feel who might become HC. Linehan was hired because it was hoped he would keep the Rams dynamic offense....now that GSOT is dead and buried, such concerns will not dictate the Rams choice.

However, considering how much the Rams have invested in obtaining a defense over the pass 4 years, I think they ought to look "defensively" for their HC. Leslie Frazier would be a better fit with the Rams current roster.

Still who ever is choosen, the Rams ought to have a "do or die" clause in the new HC's contract. Simply, get to .500 by year 2 of the contract, and by year 3 contend for division championship