Be in JR and Hurney's shoes for a minute....

[Cyberjag]

Seifert was given a five year, 15 million dollar contract in 1999. I couldn't find exact figures for 1999, but currently the average NFL head coach's salary is 3.25 million. Fox is making something like $6 million for this season because Hurney and Richardson wouldn't renegotiate and extend his contract.

Why does everyone assume that Richardson won't spend money on a coach? If you get a great coach and good players, you'll be more successful than if you have a few great players and an average coach. It's the best place to spend big bucks, and the big cat knows it.

[mountainpantherfan]

I think JR will have an influence but ultimently the decission will be Hurny's. So I don't see Hurny going with Cowher. But Hurny would still want to make a choice that JR would be happy with. Marty Schottenheimer is probably high on JR wish list IMO but again I think Hurny would try to stay away from these types of coaches who would come in wanting a lot of power and say in operations. That along with Hurny's recent comments showing an intrest in improving the offense I see him going with Brian Schottenheimer. I could even see Marty Schottenheimer coming to the organization as an advisor in some role.

Brian Schottenheimer would then probably use his and his father's vast connections in the NFL to bring in his coaching staff. Here's what I think the coaching staff might look like.

Head Coach: Brian Schottenheimer

Assistent Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator: Al Saunders

Defensive Coordinator: Joe Barry (current LB coach at USC, former DC with Lions and LB coach with TB Bucs)

Special Teams Coordinator: Ben Kotwica (current Assistant ST coach NYJ)

[rayzor]

Jim Harbaugh.

Good coaching lines and pedigree. Significant experience as both a player and a coach. Able to bring the most out of his players and build successful programs out of very little. Very aggressive and relentless coaching style that transfers to his players. Experience working with such young players would be very beneficial in working with a team this young. Very energetic. Good offensive mind and is able to surround himself with the right assistant coaches. Harbaugh is the main playcaller on offense but calls it a "5 man job" referring to the other coaches on offense.

Bringing with him as OC, Jim Zorn. This would mainly be to help with the growth of Jimmy Clausen filling a role similar to McCoy in Denver. Zorn had great success as a QB in his own right and has done well working with other QBs as a QB coach. His job will be in helping get the offense ready for the games and coordinating efforts, not as the chief play caller or architect of the offense. Harbaugh will be the main signal caller and the coaches, along with Clausen, will be responsible for designing the offense and gameplanning.

On defense, every effort would be made to keep Meeks and the rest of his staff.

[rayzor]

ain't about us, we've been perfectly non discriminatory in our hiring practices!

was a joke Rayzor...easy killa

joke or not, crap like that usually ends up turning perfectly good threads into racial pissing matches. seriously needs to be done somewhere else.

[frash.exe]

J

He won't choose an old guy, or someone who's been a head coach already. So if you were worried about Henning, you can relax now.

He won't choose Davidson either. Whoever gets the nod will know how to work with their QB, not against him.

So with all that said, my top predictions are:

Mike McCoy - Denver. Was the QB coach in Carolina and very well liked (Gannt would say he's the front-runner). His team is leading the league in passing, with Kyle Orton throwing the ball. That says it all right there.

Cam Cameron - Ravens. Loves the smashmouth game, manages his players well, and has gone from managing a rookie to winning with talent.

Jason Garrett - Cowboys. Probably the most like Sean Payton out there. This will only happen if Phillips is miraculously re-signed. Word is that he's the heir apparent in Dallas.

Tom Moore - Colts. Moore knows how to work with a franchise QB and he adapts well to personnel issues. He would work well with Clausen under center.

Mike Mularkey - Falcons. Is there a more average offensive line in the league? Mularkey gets a lot out of it, and has kept the offense moving when different elements are playing poorly.

Kyle Shanahan - Redskins. Looks to be every bit the offensive mind his father is. He brought the Texans offense to the top of the league when he was there.

Mike McCoy - Denver. Was the QB coach in Carolina and very well liked (Gannt would say he's the front-runner). His team is leading the league in passing, with Kyle Orton throwing the ball. That says it all right there.

Mike McCoy - Denver.

Mike McCoy

[Guest DrewBreesIsGod]

joke or not, crap like that usually ends up turning perfectly good threads into racial pissing matches. seriously needs to be done somewhere else.

dude lighten up, why so tightly wound?

[rayzor]

x2

[panthers55]

Seifert was given a five year, 15 million dollar contract in 1999. I couldn't find exact figures for 1999, but currently the average NFL head coach's salary is 3.25 million. Fox is making something like $6 million for this season because Hurney and Richardson wouldn't renegotiate and extend his contract.

Why does everyone assume that Richardson won't spend money on a coach? If you get a great coach and good players, you'll be more successful than if you have a few great players and an average coach. It's the best place to spend big bucks, and the big cat knows it.

Probably because somewhere I read by Gantt or Sorenson (someone locally who professed knowledge of the system) that Richardson wasn't going to retain him because they didn't want to pay him what he was asking money wise for an extension. And no I don't have time to search for a link or argue back and forth. But from what I have read, consistent winning was an issue but money also factored into it as well. He could easily get a coordinator like McDermott for 2 or 3 million a year just like they started out with Fox.

[Cyberjag]

Probably because somewhere I read by Gantt or Sorenson (someone locally who professed knowledge of the system) that Richardson wasn't going to retain him because they didn't want to pay him what he was asking money wise for an extension. And no I don't have time to search for a link or argue back and forth. But from what I have read, consistent winning was an issue but money also factored into it as well. He could easily get a coordinator like McDermott for 2 or 3 million a year just like they started out with Fox.

I read that too, but they've also said that Richardson wasn't going to re-sign him because he has never won two years in a row. And now it's that Richardson might re-sign him, but Fox won't sign anyway. They just don't know, but they have to fill inches.

The money thing generally flies in the face of franchise history, particularly where coaching speculation is concerned. I can see not wanting to pay a single guy $20 million for a season, but if the right coach is available, I really believe Jerry will pay what it takes to get him.

With that said, the odds are we go coordinator, which means we won't be paying a ton anyway. When it happens, watch the local press use that as "evidence" of tight pockets...

[Cyberjag]

Just to add a point...

If Fox declared that he was willing to coach next year for $1 million, do you think the Panthers would go for it? Especially if we don't have a winning record?

[HPPantherzfan]

Seifert was given a five year, 15 million dollar contract in 1999. I couldn't find exact figures for 1999, but currently the average NFL head coach's salary is 3.25 million. Fox is making something like $6 million for this season because Hurney and Richardson wouldn't renegotiate and extend his contract.

Why does everyone assume that Richardson won't spend money on a coach? If you get a great coach and good players, you'll be more successful than if you have a few great players and an average coach. It's the best place to spend big bucks, and the big cat knows it.

^^ This

I have wondered where everyone got this from. I understand it was reported we didn't want to pay Fox but I think a lot of people have taken it out of context.

Richardson does not want to pay Fox that kind of money because FOX CAN'T WIN in consecutive seasons...its not that he won't pay someone, he always has!

[MadHatter]

Probably because somewhere I read by Gantt or Sorenson (someone locally who professed knowledge of the system) that Richardson wasn't going to retain him because they didn't want to pay him what he was asking money wise for an extension. And no I don't have time to search for a link or argue back and forth. But from what I have read, consistent winning was an issue but money also factored into it as well. He could easily get a coordinator like McDermott for 2 or 3 million a year just like they started out with Fox.

You are correct that money is a major factor in this issue. Fox wants to be paid like a top 5 coach in the NFL. Problem is that his inconsistency does not sit well with JR.

And, I agree with JR.

Why would you possibly pay a HC that can't win back-to-back seasons elite HC money?

[Jrock3016]

I want someone new. Not Gruden..Not Cowher..Not anyone predictable. Someone who when they come in im waiting for the beginning of the season to know what our new philosophy is. Gruden and Cowher wasn't Shanahan in my opinion. They was alright coaches. Look around the league, college coaches rarely succeed in the NFL and past coaches rarely go to a new team and build them up again. Unless your Bill Parcels or Mike Holmgren.

[rayzor]

aside from this year, where exactly do people get the notion that richardson is a cheapskate?

that hasn't exactly been his or hurney's way of doing things. they may not spend money exactly the way fans would prefer, but they do spend it.

they also believe in creating a reason for improving using incentives (which i wish most contracts were written at this level).

considering their desire to get someone looking to establish himself rather than someone who already has and has likely peaked, their coach will probably be the same type of hire. get someone young and hungry and give them incentive to eat. it will be a nice contract for a first time NFL HC , but one thing i am sure of is if there is success, particularly early success, they will be compensated well. consistent success will reward him a contract greater than fox ever got.

you have to go after someone who wants to build a team and appreciates the idea of an incentive laden contract. you throw a lot money at a big name with a lot of it guaranteed and you are going to take away a lot of incentive for them to improve annually.

an already "established" head coach isn't going to go for a deal like that, but that is exactly what is needed here.