Nov 14, 2012

Browns Head Coaching Search: Part I

As we head into Week 11 of the 2012 NFL season, it's about time we begin our biennial search for a new Browns head coach. I heard an interesting question raised on 850 today: what if the Shurmurator rips off 7 straight wins to end the year? I have two points to make regarding this question. 1) Never going to happen. Absolutely not. Might as well not even raise the question. and 2) I'd still fire his ass.

I've seen posts on Dawgs By Nature talking about names of potential candidates for the Browns after Shurmurs inevitable release. I've seen them on Bleacher Report, on Yahoo, on NFL.com, etc. The big names like Chip Kelly and Bruce Arians are always there, and I think they are absolutely worth mention. Then there are the names that have no business being mentioned such as Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, and Butch Davis. All that being said, I'm going to sit down every few days (this is being optimistic) and write up a bio about a head coaching candidate I think the Browns either should consider or will consider after they do everyone who proudly wears Brown and Orange a favor and fire Pat Shurmur.

The one name that always comes back in my head, though, is Gus Bradley. For those of you who are like 95% of NFL fans and don't give a damn about west coast football, Bradley is the defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks. Since Bradley got to Seattle with Jim Mora Jr., the defense has steadily improved. As of right now, the 'Hawks rank #4 in scoring defense, #4 in pass defense, #4 total yards defensively, and #12 in rush defense. They have arguably the best secondary in the NFL. Their pass rush is ranked 2nd in the league and I'd be willing to bet most casual fans can't name one defensive lineman on the squad. I attribute this to Bradley. If you get to watch Seattle this year, watch how hard their defense plays. Really. In Cleveland it seems like we're so used to watching a team line up and run a set play. Watching Seattle play defensively you see a group of 11 guys running around wreaking havoc on the football field.

When Mora took the Seattle job after the departure of now-Cleveland-legend Mike Holmgren, this is the call he got from a long-time friend of his father.

'Hey, J.L., J.L., I got to talk to you about this guy...J.L., listen to me. I have got a guy here in Tampa that is one of, if not, the finest football coaches I have ever worked with. He's an A-plus. He's a once-in-a-lifetime coach. You need to talk to him. J.L., this guy is special. You have to bring him in. You have to talk to him.'

That guy, of course, is my man-crush Gus Bradley. The long-time friend of the elder Jim Mora that 'J.L.' (Jim Lawrence Mora aka Jim Mora Jr.) spoke to was former Buc's defensive coordinator and grandfather of the Tampa-2 defense, Monte Kiffin. When one of the greatest defensive minds of our generation is calling a young coach a "once-in-a-lifetime-coach," people ought heed notice. 

A defense inspired
So don't just take it from me that Bradley is the real-deal. Take it from Monte Kiffin. Take it from your own eyes if you get a chance to see Seattle play this season. And you probably will, because if Seattle makes the playoffs, as I'm willing to bet they do, it's gonna be almost primarily the work of Gus Bradley that got them there. 

One final note. I'll mention Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, and Pat Shurmur. Passion doesn't always make a great coach, just ask Rex Ryan. But after seeing those stoics pacing the sidelines since 1999, how much more would you rather have a guy with passion

As always, comment away. 



1 comment:

  1. This is the first place I've seen coach Bradley's name mentioned in connection with the Browns. I've heard nothing but fantastic things, and totally agree. He should at least be on the "bring him in for a look-see" list. Good stuff, Buck.

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