Fassel meets with Redskins over coaching vacancies

[Paintrain]

Originally Posted by DynamiteRave

True but you know we're losing more than just a head coach. We're potentially losing an offensive and defensive coordinators. I mean we'd practically be starting all over again. New offensive and defensive schemes, after we FINALLY starting learning Al Saunders bible. I really wouldn't hold my hopes too high going into next season.

But like you said, surprises do happen.

So did each of those teams (with the exception of LeBeau in Pittsburgh), they each brought in new coordinators on both sides of the ball. I just don't think that a playoff team with a new staff means automatic disaster.

[Paintrain]

Originally Posted by Dlyne8r

With maybe the exception of Pittsburgh, Dallas and SD already had a good team in place before their successors took over. If Fossil comes in, he inherits a good team, but not a dominant team like Dallas and SD were at the end of last season. Plus, Fossil is mediocre at best as a H.C. God help us all if this happens.

So what's so different about us? We were dominant at the end of the season, right? We were a playoff team, right?

I'm not trumpeting the Jim Fassel horn, but if he's the guy it's not all of the sudden we're back to the drawing board and rebuilding from scratch.

[AlvinWalton'sNeckBrace]

Originally Posted by Paintrain

So what's so different about us? We were dominant at the end of the season, right? We were a playoff team, right?

I'm not trumpeting the Jim Fassel horn, but if he's the guy it's not all of the sudden we're back to the drawing board and rebuilding from scratch.

coaching-wise it is...you can't deny that...people ARE going to leave, plus this situation is unique. Williams has the support of everyone besides Danny and Vinny...it will be tough to swallow for the players if he's not the man

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by AlvinWalton'sNeckBrace

coaching-wise it is...you can't deny that...people ARE going to leave, plus this situation is unique. Williams has the support of everyone besides Danny and Vinny...it will be tough to swallow for the players if he's not the man

Agreed, and just to piggy-back, the players here are DYING for some stability. Jason Campbell has been in Al Saunders' system for two years, it's the first time he's been in a system for more than one year since he got to college. Now we might switch it up on him again?

The players have been begging to keep things the same. As soon as you get something going, 9-7 behind a late-season surge of great play, you tear it all down. It's demoralizing. The players get no sense of accomplishment, they spend the primes of their careers building something that ends up getting scrapped and rebuilt again.

We've got solid players, but players go hand-in-hand with scheme. If our owner doesn't hire GW, he's an ass.

[GMScud]

Like I said in the other post, the Danny Circus is back in full effect. The second Gibbs left, it's right back to instability. I'm really bummed out. Fassel was largely unsuccessful in Baltimore, and he's been fired from his last two coaching jobs. The only way I could stomach this is if Fassel is OC, Schwartz is DC, and Williams is head coach.

I mean WTF Danny? I can't believe this is going on after the job Gregg has done, after the tacit promise in his contract to succeed Gibbs, and after all the players expressed their desire for him to take over.

Are we going to revert back to being a league laughing stock? Why can't we just hire a GM? I feel like punching a wall.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Dlyne8r

With maybe the exception of Pittsburgh, Dallas and SD already had a good team in place before their successors took over. If Fossil comes in, he inherits a good team, but not a dominant team like Dallas and SD were at the end of last season. Plus, Fossil is mediocre at best as a H.C. God help us all if this happens.

Well if I'm correct both lost their first playoff game last year like we did this year but then you say they were more dominat teams. Well if this is all true and Gibbs and GW have been here four years then maybe it is time to look else where for our new coach. Parcells took over a bad Dallas team and turned over a very good (dominate by your terms) with the same amount of time Gibbs and GW had.

[charlielyons]

im ok with fassel, just depends on how much he wants to change....could be great for JC (simpilar playbook, but he likes vertical passing) .

[AlvinWalton'sNeckBrace]

Originally Posted by charlielyons

im ok with fassel, just depends on how much he wants to change....could be great for JC (simpilar playbook, but he likes vertical passing) .

its not all his call though...a lot of guys won't want to stay

[QBall]

Just because the Post reports he's the leading candidate does not make it true. He's even if not below Greg at this point. Jim Fassel??? Can we get used to that? He was a good coach for the gmen but I'm not sure about him here right now. Snyder must really have serious doubts about Greg????

[Defensewins]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Like I said in the other post, the Danny Circus is back in full effect. The second Gibbs left, it's right back to instability. I'm really bummed out. Fassel was largely unsuccessful in Baltimore, and he's been fired from his last two coaching jobs. The only way I could stomach this is if Fassel is OC, Schwartz is DC, and Williams is head coach.

I mean WTF Danny? I can't believe this is going on after the job Gregg has done, after the tacit promise in his contract to succeed Gibbs, and after all the players expressed their desire for him to take over.

Are we going to revert back to being a league laughing stock? Why can't we just hire a GM? I feel like punching a wall.

Great post.
Why isn't the press all over the Danny for being such a knuckle head? Come on! The local press is scared to push the real issues and ask the tough questions because they are afraid of getting black balled by the Skins.

Jim Fassell? Are you kidding me? This confirms to me that the Danny does not understand the team and football in general.
Snyder must not want Greg Williams because Williams must want a another Gm and to get rid of Cerrato, which we now know is not possible.
Why does Snyder want to partner with a guy (Cerrato) that has had such a checkered past? Does anyone know the answer?

[Bill B]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Like I said in the other post, the Danny Circus is back in full effect. The second Gibbs left, it's right back to instability. I'm really bummed out. Fassel was largely unsuccessful in Baltimore, and he's been fired from his last two coaching jobs. The only way I could stomach this is if Fassel is OC, Schwartz is DC, and Williams is head coach.

I mean WTF Danny? I can't believe this is going on after the job Gregg has done, after the tacit promise in his contract to succeed Gibbs, and after all the players expressed their desire for him to take over.

Are we going to revert back to being a league laughing stock? Why can't we just hire a GM? I feel like punching a wall.

GMScud - I know what you are feeling. As long as Vinny is here Dan will never bring in a GM unfortunately. We are stuck with Vinny until Synder either sells the team or passes away -that means the current FO structure for the next 30 plus years. The only way things would change is if we had a run of years of being really bad like the Dolphins and fans started revolting completely - eventaully leading to cancellation of the waiting list and season tickets no longer being sold out. I don't see this scenario playing out either as the fan base in Washington is one of the best in the league, even if/when our on field product is sub-par.

I too think the logical choice is Gregg Willliams. Continuity would be nice and the players have made their choice well known as well. Just like compiling a team via the draft and building from within, promoting a great coordinator seems to me the way to go.

[QBall]

Originally Posted by Defensewins

Great post.
Why isn't the press all over the Danny for being such a knuckle head? Come on! The local press is scared to push the real issues and ask the tough questions because they are afraid of getting black balled by the Skins.

Jim Fassell? Are you kidding me? This confirms to me that the Danny does not understand the team and football in general.

He's set in his ways and if he passes on Williams................

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Yeah but maybe we should consider just how happy Gibbs was with Saunders' offense.

Even before Gibbs stepped down there were rumors that Saunders could have been on the hotseat this offseason.

I can't possibly understand the logic behind that one. We ranked 15th in the NFL in offense this year, and that DESPITE the INSANE number of injuries we endured. Moss and Randle-El were off and on the field, Jon Jansen missed the whole season, and so did Randy Thomas. We're built to run, and our two best drive-blocking linemen were out for the season.

And yet people are going to come down on Al Saunders? WTF.

I mean sheesh, we kept saying on this very board all season long, "just imagine what we'd do without the injuries."

All this hub-bub about Gibbs retiring and now the coaching search has made people forget; we were a playoff team despite sustaining a RIDICULOUS rash of injury. The #8 defense in the league despite killer injuries to Carlos Rogers, Rocky McIntosh, the death of our best player Sean Taylor, and countless other nagging injuries. And the #15 offense in the league despite missing the entire right side of our line.

The last thing we wanted as the season ended was to see ANYTHING change. We wanted Gibbs back, we wanted Saunders and Collins and Grilliams back. Because we honestly thought, in this wide open NFC, we could get to the SB next year.

Now Gibbs resigns, and how quickly we forget. WE'RE CLOSE. The last thing we should do is mess with it.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Getting rid of Saunders means you pretty much render Todd Collins useless. He'd be a horrible QB in any system not reliant on timing, because his arm is a friggin noodle. The only reason he's successful is because he throws to spots before the WR breaks. If he's in an offense where he's got to throw during the break, or even after it, passes will get knocked down by DBs.

And if you render Collins useless, then we have no plan for backup QB. Brunell's contract is voiding, he'll be gone. If you don't have Saunders, you have no use for Collins. So then what? You have a young QB adjusting to a new OC, and a brand new backup coming in who's got to learn it as well. You have no master of the offense anywhere on your roster.

It just reeks. Stick with Saunders. Changing the OC is the worst thing we can do.

I'm kind of with you on this. With JC and Collins in Al's offense we are very solid there. If Fassell is hired then Collins will go and they will bring on someone who is familar with his style of offense, which I believe is some kind of a West Coast version. I don't think he runs the pure version of it, like Seattle and Philly. He could bring in someone like the guy who plays in Oak and played in Det. before that. Can't think of his name. Or he could bring in Kerry Collins.

But what bothers me most is what's going to happen on the defensive side of the ball. 3/4 years our defense has been very good under GW. From what I can tell those guys really play hard for Greg and they like his tough coaching style. Total bullshit if they hire Fassell over GW. Snyder and Cerrato should just hide their faces cause the backlash from the fans and media is probably going to be tough.

[Bill B]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Agreed, and just to piggy-back, the players here are DYING for some stability. Jason Campbell has been in Al Saunders' system for two years, it's the first time he's been in a system for more than one year since he got to college. Now we might switch it up on him again?

The players have been begging to keep things the same. As soon as you get something going, 9-7 behind a late-season surge of great play, you tear it all down. It's demoralizing. The players get no sense of accomplishment, they spend the primes of their careers building something that ends up getting scrapped and rebuilt again.

We've got solid players, but players go hand-in-hand with scheme. If our owner doesn't hire GW, he's an ass.

Schneed, nice post - I think what people have to consider with Dan Synder is that his decisions are first and foremost made due to monetary considerations above all else. Bringing in a new coaching regime is all about marketing to Synder - retaining Gregg Williams or promoting from within would probably result in better on field results, but this is boring and does not create the "buzz" that a new big name coach can. Just like signing big name free agents, constant turnover is part of Dan Synder's marketing scheme.