Not so fast..DeCrackhead and Bruce!
Sherman fires DBs coach Schottenheimer
By BOB McGINN
[email protected]
Posted: Jan. 20, 2005
Green Bay - Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman made one change Thursday on his defensive coaching staff but it didnt involve coordinator Bob Slowik.
Instead, secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer was fired by Sherman, a source close to the situation said.
Schottenheimer was hired by Sherman last January after Slowik was promoted from secondary coach. He was part of a dysfunctional defense that set club records for most touchdown passes allowed (33, with four more in the playoffs) and fewest interceptions (eight).
The club made no announcement of the dismissal and the 55-year-old Schottenheimer didnt return a telephone message seeking comment.
Sherman has been meeting with his defensive coaches most of the week but, so far at least, Schottenheimer is the only one who has lost his job.
Schottenheimer and Sherman had coached together at Tulane University in 1983. They were friends, talking periodically by telephone over the years.
Fifteen of Schottenheimers first 17 years as a National Football League assistant were spent under his older brother, Marty. He coached special teams for his first eight seasons, defensive backs for the next four and then served as a defensive coordinator for five in Kansas City, Washington and Detroit.
Under Schottenheimers teaching and Slowiks coordinating, the defense blew numerous coverages and allowed 65 passes of 20 yards or more, 19 more than the four-year average with Ed Donatell as coordinator.
There were countless missed assignments and a steady stream of penalties as the secondary never came to grips with new officiating emphasis regarding illegal contact and holding.
Schottenheimer tried a laid-back approach with his players that fell on deaf ears.
That group needed someone in your face, someone to kind of get after them a little bit, a source close to the team said. He wasnt a good communicator.
The opponents passer rating of 101.5 in 17 games was the worst in the NFL and established another team record.
Under Schottenheimer, Darren Sharper had his poorest season since 1999. Schottenheimer consistently defended the other safety, Mark Roman, even though he probably was the worst starter on one of the worst defenses in club annals.
Starting cornerbacks Al Harris and Ahmad Carroll combined to allow 22 plays of 20 yards or more in 17 games even though Carroll didnt start until Week 6. That was the most by a pair of cornerbacks in Green Bay since Doug Evans and Craig Newsome allowed 28 1 /2 in 1995.
Carroll and Harris were whistled for 26 penalties on defense, with 19 being accepted.
The Packers allowed 228.9 passing yards per game to rank No. 25, their worst finish since the merger in 1970.
Schottenheimer was hired over Lionel Washington, a decision that enraged cornerback Mike McKenzie. Washington then agreed to stay as assistant secondary coach.
As Sherman mulls what to do about Slowik, undoubtedly he is mindful of his reputation around the league.
I heard that rumor how can you do that after one year? a personnel director for an AFC team said Thursday. Usually you nickel and dime it a little and, with Kurt, thats maybe what theyre trying to do.
Two years is commonplace. But one year? I dont know if you could find it. Thats unbelievable.
Slowik, regarded by colleagues as a close friend of Shermans, had been assistant head coach and secondary coach before Sherman tabbed him to replace Donatell.
Whats he going to do, keep firing his defensive coordinators? an NFC personnel director said last week. Ive learned this over the years. When head coaches keep firing their assistant coaches, the source of the problem is someplace else. Generally, when you start firing assistant coaches, itll always be the head coach in the end.
A third scout said: Its like youre feeding everybody else to the alligators first and hope you get eaten last.
On Jan. 16, 2004, Sherman fired Donatell and tight ends coach Jeff Jagodzinski. They were the first coaches fired in Green Bay since Forrest Gregg jettisoned offensive backfield / special teams coach John Hilton.
Mikes got to be careful, an NFL assistant coach said. The next one will cost him. Pretty soon they start to say, Cant you pick em?
The NFC personnel man didnt hesitate at all when asked whom he would hire if his team needed a defensive coordinator.
Jim Bates, the scout said. Hes a very sound, good coach that would improve their (the Packers) defense 100%. He motivates players and they play hard for him.
Bates had been the Dolphins defensive coordinator for five years when he was named interim head coach in early November to replace Dave Wannstedt. His defenses in Miami never finished worse than 10th. He was interviewed for the head coaching job in Cleveland.
Vince Tobin, who is completing his first year as Shermans special assistant, has 10 years of experience as an NFL defensive coordinator, most recently for Detroit in 2001. However, two friends said Tobin, 61, was comfortable in his role and probably wouldnt be interested in the Packers coordinator job.
Two members of coach Dennis Ericksons staff in San Francisco, defensive coordinator Willy Robinson and secondary coach Ron Lynn, are available. Robinson coached the secondary in Seattle from 1995-98 and in Pittsburgh from 2000-03.
Meanwhile, the dismantling of the financially troubled Minnesota Vikings continued Thursday when coach Mike Tice gave wide receivers coach Charlie Baggett permission to interview for a similar job with Miami. Thus, Baggett is expected to join Scott Linehan, the Vikings former offensive coordinator who accepted the same post in Miami Wednesday.
Ray Sherman, the Packers wide receivers coach, also interviewed for the same job in Miami. With Baggett expected to be named, Ray Sherman still might have a chance elsewhere on Nick Sabans staff.
(The point being is that I remember Sherman equivocating and not wanting to fire his buddy Slowik...don't you remember...it took a painfully long time for Sherman to move on this? And..I haven't found them yet, but I remember seeing quotes by Sherman saying you can't judge somebody in this position in just a year..etc..referring to Slowick. )
(Then..I think Sherman realized (perhaps at Harlan's prodding?) that he couldn't hold on to Slowick..but still wanted to offer him the DB coaching position...Now who would try to hold on to a coach as an assistant when you are about to hire a new DC?)
Bates was a no-brainer. He was everybody's choice as DC in the NFL for those who needed one...!
