St. Louis Rams set interviews with McDaniels, Ryan

[Nick]

St. Louis Rams set interviews with McDaniels, Ryan
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
01/07/2009

New England’s Josh McDaniels is scheduled to interview with the Rams on Friday, and Baltimore’s Rex Ryan will interview with the team on Sunday, league sources told the Post-Dispatch on Wednesday.

The Rams also would like to interview Minnesota’s Leslie Frazier, Dallas’ Ray Sherman, and Miami’s Todd Bowles next week, but have yet to set up specific interview dates with those candidates.

Contrary to some reports, the team does not plan to interview Tampa Bay’s Raheem Morris.

McDaniels, 32, is offensive coordinator-quarterbacks coach of the Patriots.

Ryan, 46, is defensive coordinator-assistant head coach of the Ravens. Baltimore is playing a divisional game Saturday against Tennessee, and Ryan has made it clear that he didn’t want to interview for any jobs until after that game.

Jim Fassel, former head coach of the New York Giants, is scheduled to interview with the Rams on Thursday in St. Louis.

Meanwhile, Rams linebackers coach Mike Cox is scheduled to interview next week for a similar position at the University of Washington.

[Watchdog]

Didn't realize McDaniels was THAT young. What if we get Kurt Warner back too? Little Mc D would be calling him...sir?

[maineram]

I'd rather have Martz back as our HC than bring in a Billecheat staff member.

I'm also looking for a wee bit more experience than a 32 year old, as our new HC.

Give me a freakin break !!!!

Maineram -

[Mooselini]

I hope we land Ryan. I really do. The guy has built a defense that the league fears. I really hope that influences our defense.

[39thebeast]

I hope we land Ryan. I really do. The guy has built a defense that the league fears. I really hope that influences our defense.

He hasn't built anything if you look at it. All his players are mostly Marvin Lewis guys with a couple Mike Nolan guys thrown in there. The only dominant guy he can take claim to is Haloti Ngata. I'm not in love with a Baltimore defensive coordinator becoming head coach the previous 2 haven't panned out and Ryan is playing with their players. The reaspn I think Baltimore DC don't suceed Is they can't replicate players like Rey Lewis and Ed Reed.

[RamsPorVida]

I love McDaniels system; he's the only one that truly runs an air-raid offense in the NFL. Which virtually eliminates anyone trying to play C3 against them (the Chargers tried to play a straight C3 against the pats 2 years ago and gotten eaten up alive).

This should free up some room for a big back (Jackson) to gash a smaller front.

Moreover, the throws a QB is forced to make in the system are a lot easier than any other being ran (lots of bubbles, hitches, quick slants) and the reads are basic, so Bulger won't get picked all the time.

Also, as much as I love Holt, I would get rid of him in any other system (his value in return would be too sweet). But here, he represents the multi-faceted threat that forces safeties to play off and over the top; opening up those underneath routes for guys like Avery to catch and run with.

Lastly, this system really takes the pressure off of the OLs, in that they only have to block for about 1.5 seconds, and then get downfield.

[unorthodox1999]

im hoping for Ryan, but im not getting my hopes up. Anything, even haslett, is better than Soiled Linen

[Fat Pang]

He hasn't built anything if you look at it. All his players are mostly Marvin Lewis guys with a couple Mike Nolan guys thrown in there. The only dominant guy he can take claim to is Haloti Ngata. I'm not in love with a Baltimore defensive coordinator becoming head coach the previous 2 haven't panned out and Ryan is playing with their players. The reaspn I think Baltimore DC don't suceed Is they can't replicate players like Rey Lewis and Ed Reed.

Agreed, this is the whole weakness in the 'hot' co-ordinator philosophy of coach selection. There's often (although not always) not enough notice taken of the talent available at their current place of work as opposed to where they'll be going.

[tomahawk247]

He hasn't built anything if you look at it. All his players are mostly Marvin Lewis guys with a couple Mike Nolan guys thrown in there. The only dominant guy he can take claim to is Haloti Ngata. I'm not in love with a Baltimore defensive coordinator becoming head coach the previous 2 haven't panned out and Ryan is playing with their players. The reaspn I think Baltimore DC don't suceed Is they can't replicate players like Rey Lewis and Ed Reed.

Ryan has been DC since 2005 and since then only Ngata and Dawan Landry have become startes on that defense. But what you are failing to consider is two things.

1) Since 2005 the Ravens have been spending most of their draft picks on improving their lackluster offense so that the awesome defense doesnt have to do everything by themselves

2) The only time the Ravens desperately needed to draft a particular player on defense was when Kelley Gregg got old and they needed to draft someone. They picked Ngata who has been awesome for them. Every other defensive player has been a luxury pick of sorts except maybe Landry who has played well at safety

you cant criticise Ryan for not developing players into starters when he doesnt need to. what are you expecting him to do? draft players to start ahead of Ray Lewis, Terrel Suggs and Ed Reed? why bother?

[Bar-bq]

you cant criticise Ryan for not developing players into starters when he doesnt need to. what are you expecting him to do? draft players to start ahead of Ray Lewis, Terrel Suggs and Ed Reed? why bother?

Right, but thats exactly the point. To tell the truth I hadn't seen it this way until reading the above and to an extent I don't wholeheartedly subscribe to the theorem. He's succeeded in coaching the players themselves were fantastic. And the same has been said of Frazier.

So, put it this way;

Is the Ravens D still as dominant if you remove Rex Ryan?

It remains to be seen what either of these coaches can do with talent that is substandard. I'm starting to think this is part of the reason Ryan interviewed for two head coaching positions last season for which he was not hired.

[tomahawk247]

Right, but thats exactly the point. To tell the truth I hadn't seen it this way until reading the above and to an extent I don't wholeheartedly subscribe to the theorem. He's succeeded in coaching the players themselves were fantastic. And the same has been said of Frazier.

So, put it this way;

Is the Ravens D still as dominant if you remove Rex Ryan?

It remains to be seen what either of these coaches can do with talent that is substandard. I'm starting to think this is part of the reason Ryan interviewed for two head coaching positions last season for which he was not hired.

the Ravens D is still dominant if you remove Ryan, yes
but does that make Ryan a bad DC or poor HC candidate? not at all

we havent seen Ryan work in an environment where he didnt have abundence of talent on the defense, but that doesnt mean he cant work in said environment

[TekeRam]

More point tomahawk, and also don't forget, Marvin Lewis and Mike Nolan haven't been calling the plays this whole time either. Having talent is one thing, but using it properly is a whole 'nother thing.

Yes, you can say that Ed Reed and Ray Lewis are coaches on the field, and they are, as well as hall of famers, and rightly so, a lot of their grooming didn't come from Ryan. On the other hand, finding and then grooming this Jim Leonhard guy, who is the current SS, replacing Dawan Landry while he's on IR, I believe, is all Rex Ryan. You can also say that as Rex Ryan has grown as a coordinator, Reed and Lewis would be constantly talking and making Ryan a better coordinator as well.

[RAMarkable]

I love McDaniels system; he's the only one that truly runs an air-raid offense in the NFL. Which virtually eliminates anyone trying to play C3 against them (the Chargers tried to play a straight C3 against the pats 2 years ago and gotten eaten up alive).

This should free up some room for a big back (Jackson) to gash a smaller front.

Moreover, the throws a QB is forced to make in the system are a lot easier than any other being ran (lots of bubbles, hitches, quick slants) and the reads are basic, so Bulger won't get picked all the time.

Also, as much as I love Holt, I would get rid of him in any other system (his value in return would be too sweet). But here, he represents the multi-faceted threat that forces safeties to play off and over the top; opening up those underneath routes for guys like Avery to catch and run with.

Lastly, this system really takes the pressure off of the OLs, in that they only have to block for about 1.5 seconds, and then get downfield.

Bienvenido RamsPorVida. I like the premise of your post but I'm not sure what you mean when you use the term "C3". Are you referring to Cover-3? And, if so, how does the Pats system prevent teams from using it?

WHAT SAY YE?

[HUbison]

I hope we land Ryan. I really do. The guy has built a defense that the league fears. I really hope that influences our defense.

As did Marvin Lewis and Mike Nolan.

I'm not pooh-poohing the idea of Ryan. He might be the man. However, I think a very legitimate question that HAS TO BE asked of him is, "Why will you succeed where Lewis and Nolan have not?"

[RamsPorVida]

Ramarkable.... yeah I am talking about cover 3.

If you look to when teams tried to run a true cover 3 against McDaniels they get eaten up a live. He would have a twins spread look with two wideouts to either side, and the outside receiver goes vertical, that allowed the slot to run a flat route (arrow, bubble, etc.) with an LB to try to cover him. This LB is usually inside leverage for run support so he is already a step behind.

I bring up their victory over the Chargers 2 years ago because they really utilized this attack alot.

Obviously no system is perfect: it is predicated on accurate well timed throws, opens up a QB to get drilled by well designed stunts (ala SB XLII) amongst others. But I do think that this offense is currently ahead of the curve; and it could be good to strike while the iron is hot.