Coughlin and JR press conference today

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

Coughlin has been a hell of a coach. He's been great for our team over his entire career, both as an assistant and a head coach. I have lots of respect for him, especially when he was humble enough to limit his strict demeanor back in the Strahan, Plax days of meeting times and whatnot. He seemed to become a players coach of sorts while maintaining his authority. Of course, the SB win solidified that for a lot of the players...Coughlin's ways became justified and guys bought in to it. He adjusted, players adjusted...and there was a mutual coordination and forming of team. I don't know that it gets much better than that.

 

However, I also agree with many of the ex-players and talking heads that say that coach's messages get stale. I also believe that when a team opens 0-6, despite there being some good opponents in that stretch, and furthermore when that same team struggles in games they shouldn't...coaches have to accept the responsibility of the position. In organizations, shit flows downhill, but responsibility flows uphill. And because of this, I agree wholeheartedly that there needs to be changes in the coaching ranks.

 

Now, you have to question how much change. You have a QB who should be in the prime of his career who's been ingrained in the same system his whole career. You don't want to change 180 degrees from where he's at currently. At the same time, the stale, predictable offense needs innovation, adjustability, creativity, and freshness.

 

I think keeping Coughlin is the right move and eliminating Gilbride is a perfect means of keeping a little consistency while creating enough change. There have been hints to Coughlin's retirement (on his own terms or otherwise). I think ownership has to have a strong indication as to when Coughlin wants to hang it up. Interviewing for a top OC could be aided heavily if we could offer a shot at a head coach position in a few years...so long as we know when Coughlin is thinking about retiring.

 

I don't pretend to know the system of all the assistants league-wide, but I for one, don't want a reincarnation of Gilbride. His offense was far too predictable at times and to succeed, it needed perfect implementation by the players. So when it wasn't predictable, it was too chancy...for lack of a better word. It could hit the home run all day when it worked, but I want an offense that is steady and highly competitive as opposed to inconsistently fully dominant. If Sullivan from TB is our new OC, I guess I'm fine with that...but he better display some creativity early. No, I'm not talking about a run-option with Eli because that'd just be bad, but something that shows us that guys get open as a result of the play, not just a result of their own ability, would be what I was looking for.

Spot on gmenroc...