OT: San Diego OC Ken [Whisenhunt] Leading Candidate for Lions Head Coach
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10246337/ken-whisenhunt-san-diego-cha….
Also being considered is J. Gruden.
And, OK, his name is really Ken Whisenhunt.
MOD EDIT: Now, now....be nice to potential head coaches for the Lions. - LSA
January 5th, 2014 at 1:34 PM ^
Short of Dungy shocking the world, I'd really like this hire as long as he brings in a 4-3 DC (he's been known to run the 3-4, but he's also more of an offensive coach). Just look at what he did with Phillip Rivers in a single year.
January 5th, 2014 at 1:45 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 2:23 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 3:13 PM ^
Yeah I've heard that discussed and I think it would be the ideal situaiton for the Lions. The only potential problem I've heard is that Whisenhunt has an OL coach at SD that he's really close with and would likely bring along. I'd really love to see the Lions' OL coach (Washburn) kept by the new HC though, the line was unbelievable this year.
January 6th, 2014 at 10:40 AM ^
He has taken what was a below average line which could not pass protect or run and made them a formidable unit despite a host of injuries. He is one reason why the Chargers are in the playoffs. We in SD know his contribution and fear we may lose him if Wisenhut takes the Lions job.
Should the Lions get both of them, you will see immediate improvement.
January 5th, 2014 at 3:20 PM ^
Horton runs a 3-4. I do not want to see Detroit move to a 3-4, though I think they could do it. Ziggy could be the rush outside linebacker. Fairley and Suh could still work in it. I am not sure how the other linemen would work in it though.
January 5th, 2014 at 3:27 PM ^
Horton seems to be really flexible with his schemes though.
But yeah I'm more worried about our LBs than our DL when it comes to switching to a 3-4. Suh would be a monster of a 3-4 DE and Fairley would be great at nose. We're already weak on OLBs as it is though.
January 5th, 2014 at 4:19 PM ^
I'd rather see us stick with the 4-3 but we could make the switch to a 3-4. Ansah would stand up and we would need another pass rusher on the other side of him.
January 5th, 2014 at 5:42 PM ^
Yeah I pointed out, it could work. I just don't want the Lions to do it. But if they are going to, then they need to decide before the draft and free agency. That way they can find a pass rusher opposite Ziggy Ansah.
January 5th, 2014 at 1:35 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 3:41 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 1:40 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 2:08 PM ^
These are professional athletes, not a JV high school team.
Running windsprints isn't going to prevent penalties.
January 5th, 2014 at 3:18 PM ^
Benching makes them less valuable...cutting them takes away their money.
In the end, you just can't have a coach who is undisciplined himself. A coach who allows his defense to count "1, 2, 3... GOON SQUAD!!!" before every game. A coach who doesn't secretly like his players out of control.
January 5th, 2014 at 3:26 PM ^
of any NFL contract makes discipline nearly impossible. Cutting a good player only hurts because a draft pick is wasted and the team gets nothing in return.
We all agree that Suh is a great player but needs to be checked every so often. There is no mechanism to do that. Sitting him only hurts the team, cutting him is not going to happen.
I say WIND SPRINTS for the entire team if Suh swears again.
January 5th, 2014 at 6:43 PM ^
there are salary cap implications that make it impossible to cut certain players.
January 5th, 2014 at 1:41 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 1:46 PM ^
Whisenhunt resurrected his career as he has done with Phillip Rivers.
Also, the Cardinals. The franchise that hadn't been to a title since 1948 and took them to a Super Bowl. That's pretty damn impressive if you ask me.
January 5th, 2014 at 2:42 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 3:03 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 3:23 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 3:32 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 5:14 PM ^
But what were the penalties for? That's what I want to know. Is he a repeat of Schwartz in terms of letting the players get away with murder or are they more run of the mill penalties?
January 5th, 2014 at 3:24 PM ^
On the contrary, pretty much everyone says he is a disciplinarian.
January 5th, 2014 at 1:47 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 2:28 PM ^
unfortuneately i can't watch the lions every week, but stafford seems to be regressing to me. an apparent lax attitude on the field with constant half-ass throws; sidearm BS when it isn't needed, etc. reminds me of scott mitchell who devolved into a chuck-and-duck QB by the end of his tenure.
i wonder if there is a chance they retain the D coaches. seems to me the D has been pretty solid despite the injuries to the DBs. a little draft/FA help in the back 7 this offseason could make them into one of the top D units in the league, imo.
January 5th, 2014 at 8:53 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 3:15 PM ^
Considering the amount of cash they have tied up in Stafford/Calvin they need an offensive guy that can maximize those two guys.
January 5th, 2014 at 1:47 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 1:50 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 2:30 PM ^
I hope Whisenhunt (assuming he is offered and takes the job) has a plan for 2018 and beyond.
If the past 40+ years have taught us anything, it's that the Fords will find a way to @#$% this up directly (dictating draft choices, etc.) or indirectly (micromanaging a semi-competent GM).
January 5th, 2014 at 3:17 PM ^
They let fb people do the fb things.
January 5th, 2014 at 1:49 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 2:02 PM ^
saying that but I think I would too
January 5th, 2014 at 2:37 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 3:09 PM ^
You sure they got a franchise QB?
January 5th, 2014 at 3:47 PM ^
Good one!
January 5th, 2014 at 4:25 PM ^
The Lions pay their coaches well(Schwartz made $ 6mill), the teams spends more(See: CJ and Stafford contracts), and the Lions have a QB who has done much more than RGIII. RGIII hasn't thrown for 5,000 yds and 40 tds in a season. Stafford has.
January 5th, 2014 at 4:32 PM ^
The Lions spend at the cap pretty much every year. For fuks sake they were paying Schwartz 6 million a year, and spent 12 millions to fire him. Where does this nonsense that the Fords are cheap come from? The Fords stay out of your way and the team has more talen then the skins on both sides of the ball. Everyone has been saying the Lions are the top job available this year.
January 5th, 2014 at 2:47 PM ^
Well, of course you would. One pretty good season, and hello, contract extension!
January 5th, 2014 at 2:06 PM ^
For me.
Not the best year of coaching candidates, but I like Whisenhunt and I think he could do well in Detroit.
January 5th, 2014 at 2:07 PM ^
I'm happy with this. Whisenhut developed Ben Roethlisberger and resurrected Kurt Warner and Phillip Rivers.
January 5th, 2014 at 2:15 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 7:36 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 2:17 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 2:19 PM ^
January 5th, 2014 at 5:07 PM ^
Mmmmm... cut and dry available candidate.
