Here is where I look at timelines and try to compare it to people’s words. Ben is who he is. You can see the guy handles himself well and is intelligent. But he clearly fell out of favor in NFL circles for whatever reason, and people who are saying they “knew all along” are not matching their actions to their words.
Here is the timeline on Zach Taylor. I have spoken about Ben hitting the lowest of lows when he had to take a low level position for a shitty organization for a head coach nobody wanted to work for. Zac Taylor got the Bengals job at the same time. Ben was looking for a job and Zac was in the middle of assembling a staff. Ben was not “promoted out of his reach.” He simply didn’t hire him.
To be clear I am just picking nits at these guys. I find it funny when people try to rewrite history when a guy like Ben emerges. Suddenly “oh I knew that from the day we first met!” Did you really? At the end of the day we are talking about a guy that is still 37 years old. He’s not even a man yet. Everybody knows that happens at 40.
Okay. 4:30. Feign outside zone, run power. This is so Paul Chryst kind of stuff. Honestly, I’m less certain of the pass game part of it (though I still think it works). But the run game … my goodness is it a perfect fit.
Brunell is a past NFL QB. I think he can handle the X’s and O’s, and I’m sure he knows the offense.
Between Dan and Jared, he’d have everything he needs and the team has minimum disruption. J.T. has been learning Brunell’s job. Nobody misses a beat. Nobody is new to the offense.
Very little learning curve. Stability.
Is Scottie Montgomery the leader in the clubhouse for offensive coordinator next year? — @ronjivkroy
A: There’s understandably a lot of interest in potential replacements for both coordinators, especially Ben Johnson, who seems like a lock to take a head job. I admittedly haven’t invested the time I would like exploring the possibilities, simply because the playoff run is consuming all my working hours, but I can speak to the internal options, having been around them all year.
And yes, of that group, I think Montgomery is far and away the most likely to replace Johnson if he leaves. The assistant head coach has a lot working in his favor, from his experience to his coaching style to his demeanor. He is demanding, not demeaning, authoritative, but not a dictator. And I believe his commitment to run-pass balance marries well with coach Dan Campbell’s view of offensive football.
I’ve asked Montgomery what he’s gained working with Johnson this season and he praised the current OC’s collaborative process, a willingness to craft a game plan by using thoughts and ideas from all the available resources on the staff. That’s a valuable lesson.
Would the train stay on its tracks going from Johnson to Montgomery? I couldn’t say. Johnson is clearly a special coaching mind. But I’ve never left a conversation with Montgomery where I wasn’t more impressed by the individual than prior to the meeting. He’s got a tough to describe it-factor when it comes to working with people, which carries a lot of value. The Xs and Os are a bit more cloudy, just because he hasn’t done it at this level.
Okay, good. I thought that was a weird fit for sure!
One thing I am curious about, and we won’t really know until Ben leaves, is how much of this offense is actually Dan Campbell? I realize that Ben Johnson’s main job is designing this offense, but surely Campbell had major input right? All those days in New Orleans and under Parcells surely taught him some things.
The whole original OC Anthony Lynn and his fiasco does give me pause, but Dan was pretty quick to cut the cord there.
1000%…. Let’s not pretend that we do, or don’t know if Tanner or Scottie has a just as good or “better” scheme in mind than Ben…. Nobody saw Ben coming. Goff, Ra, Rags, Decker, Glas, Monty could damn near coach themselves. That is a whole bunch of mature, hard working, diligent guys who take their craft quite seriously. Continuity on offense is important imo.
On D? We often lack discipline, the DC was very clear on his NEEDS this offseason imo. He likely told DC and Brad, he could “make it work at CB and DT, despite this entire board knowing that wasn’t accurate.
I don’t mind the Fox promotion (if he wants it) at all, and I’d let Shep know if we right the ship on D, he’s next man up in a year or 2?
Just to follow up on this point, Justin Rogers seems to think Tanner Engstrand could be going with Ben Johnson as his OC. And maybe Sheppard with Glenn (I would honestly be a little surprised if Glenn was hired as a HC quite yet).
And he thinks Scottie Montgomery is probably the favorite for MCDC’s new OC.
With Scottie here as a possible internal option losing Tanner isn’t “as” painful.
K Sheppard I do not want to lose and hope they can figure out a way to keep him. The guy has been impressive in the times I’ve watched/listened to him.
This is an aspect of losing 2 coordinators I hadn’t considered before now, honestly. There should be a limit to how many coaches can be poached.
We lost two last season. BJ and AG could wipe us out.
That’s no way to say, “thank you”.
Yeah, staffs generally get picked apart. When the SF guys get hired they take guys with them. Ryans took Slowik (which is a little easier since Shanny is the de facto OC in SF), McDonald took Welker.
And that’s without even mentioning all the players they take too. Mostert, Wilson, Sherfield and others went to Miami. Houston took Jimmie Ward plus some depth guys, Kerry Hyder, Marcell Harris, Jason Verrett. We’ll lose quite a few players too.
Dan’s ability to hire good coaches is not a big issue for me. Sure he’ll miss some (and has) but he’s got a big network, understands people and has a pretty decent track record of sticking the landing with staff hires.
One thing that hasn’t been mentioned yet, there are currently 14 teams looking for new OCs, and if any of Ben/Slowik/Canales/Callahan get hired, there will be even more. Up to half the league could be looking for new OCs.
A: There’s understandably a lot of interest in potential replacements for both coordinators, especially Ben Johnson, who seems like a lock to take a head job. I admittedly haven’t invested the time I would like exploring the possibilities, simply because the playoff run is consuming all my working hours, but I can speak to the internal options, having been around them all year.