HawkShack.com

Mike McDonald defensive coordinator of the Ravens:

https://fanrecap.com/article-944920/?e_ ... 5b9a2c6e50

Definitely a possibility. At this point, I think it's either McDonald or Ben Johnson of the Lions.

A few days ago, I thought that there was a 0% chance because I was sure the Ravens were going to the SB and it would be too late. Now? Both he and Johnson are done, so I see the Hawks' choices just got better.

I wanted a Lions-Ravens SB, but both losing was the best thing for the Hawks' head coach search.

This is pretty awesome if we choose correctly. As in, one of them to start the conversation and anything Quinn etc to end it.

Ben Johnson would be my choice, however, if Johnson wants to be in Washington DC to be close to family, I am not in favor of a defensive guy. Someone in here (sorry, can't remember who) made a convincing argument: Hiring a defensive coach would require a strong OC, which means that he might be soon gone as a head coach somewhere else. Defensive coordinators don't move as often. If we draft a new young gun, you do not want to have him adjust to a new OC every year, or even once.

Are we to assume that the choice comes down to Johnson or McDonald, or are others in the running and an hire has not been made because John wants to see everybody first.

Pete was one of the few defensive coaches that can develop a QB. A lot of defensive coaches can't develop a QB, a lot of coaches period really, but defensive coaches more often than offensive coaches. We need a guy we know can develop a QB, so even if he is fired in a few years we have a developed QB for the next coach.

Aseahawkfan wrote:Pete was one of the few defensive coaches that can develop a QB. A lot of defensive coaches can't develop a QB, a lot of coaches period really, but defensive coaches more often than offensive coaches. We need a guy we know can develop a QB, so even if he is fired in a few years we have a developed QB for the next coach.

I'm not sure if you can credit Pete with developing Russell when he goes off script so often. He was a loose cannon, which is one of the reasons why he and Pete had a falling out and has led to his problems in Denver and his apparent split with Sean Payton. He was successful here early in his career due mainly to the LOB, his ability to run the read/option, and having Beast to hand off to. That's not a slight on Russell, only that he was never 'developed', more like a raw talent who never took that next step.

But I agree with you and ObS, that we need a strong offensive minded coach, and I'm hoping that it's Ben Johnson. But I'm afraid that there's too many factors playing against us. Not only is he an east coast guy who would be within a 5 hour drive of home, but barring a trade up, which Schneider hardly ever does, we don't have a very high draft pick in which to select a top quarterback while the Commanders have the #2 overall, and with the arguably top QB in the draft, Drake Maye, being from Johnson's alma mater North Carolina, there's just too many stars that are lining up for him not to take the Commanders job if they offer it to him.

But the Commanders may not want Johnson. McDonald is from right around the corner of Chesapeake Bay in Baltimore, so they may have their sights set on him, and they've interviewed Dan Quinn three times.

So the plot thickens. We should find out this week.

RiverDog wrote:I'm not sure if you can credit Pete with developing Russell when he goes off script so often. He was a loose cannon, which is one of the reasons why he and Pete had a falling out and has led to his problems in Denver and his apparent split with Sean Payton. He was successful here early in his career due mainly to the LOB, his ability to run the read/option, and having Beast to hand off to. That's not a slight on Russell, only that he was never 'developed', more like a raw talent who never took that next step.

But I agree with you and ObS, that we need a strong offensive minded coach, and I'm hoping that it's Ben Johnson. But I'm afraid that there's too many factors playing against us. Not only is he an east coast guy who would be within a 5 hour drive of home, but barring a trade up, which Schneider hardly ever does, we don't have a very high draft pick in which to select a top quarterback while the Commanders have the #2 overall, and with the arguably top QB in the draft, Drake Maye, being from Johnson's alma mater North Carolina, there's just too many stars that are lining up for him not to take the Commanders job if they offer it to him.

But the Commanders may not want Johnson. McDonald is from right around the corner of Chesapeake Bay in Baltimore, so they may have their sights set on him, and they've interviewed Dan Quinn three times.

So the plot thickens. We should find out this week.

Pete built the offense to cater to Russell's strengths. It was even talked about when Russell was first drafted. Pete started a thing called scramble drills and encouraged Russell to go off script and use his scrambling abilities. Pete also developed Carson Palmer at USC. Pete clearly knows the importance and value of developing a QB and building an offense around your QBs strengths. He also turned around Geno Smith, who had done nothing until Pete put him position to succeed. Pete clearly has a track record and clear history of developing QBs and putting them in position to succeed. So does Jim Harbaugh. Which is why I wanted him here. That is a very important aspect of being a head coach.

I want that trait in our next head coach because it is vital to a head coach's success. A great many head coach's fail because they cannot put a QB in a position to succeed in an offense. They might be great at coaching defense or developing an offensive game plan, but if they can't develop a QB and put them in a position to succeed, all their planning may as well have been for nothing. If the next head coach is going to succeed, they must be able to develop a newly drafted QB because Geno Smith is not the long-term answer at QB.

RiverDog wrote:I'm not sure if you can credit Pete with developing Russell when he goes off script so often. He was a loose cannon, which is one of the reasons why he and Pete had a falling out and has led to his problems in Denver and his apparent split with Sean Payton. He was successful here early in his career due mainly to the LOB, his ability to run the read/option, and having Beast to hand off to. That's not a slight on Russell, only that he was never 'developed', more like a raw talent who never took that next step.

But I agree with you and ObS, that we need a strong offensive minded coach, and I'm hoping that it's Ben Johnson. But I'm afraid that there's too many factors playing against us. Not only is he an east coast guy who would be within a 5 hour drive of home, but barring a trade up, which Schneider hardly ever does, we don't have a very high draft pick in which to select a top quarterback while the Commanders have the #2 overall, and with the arguably top QB in the draft, Drake Maye, being from Johnson's alma mater North Carolina, there's just too many stars that are lining up for him not to take the Commanders job if they offer it to him.

But the Commanders may not want Johnson. McDonald is from right around the corner of Chesapeake Bay in Baltimore, so they may have their sights set on him, and they've interviewed Dan Quinn three times.

So the plot thickens. We should find out this week.

Aseahawkfan wrote:Pete built the offense to cater to Russell's strengths. It was even talked about when Russell was first drafted. Pete started a thing called scramble drills and encouraged Russell to go off script and use his scrambling abilities. Pete also developed Carson Palmer at USC. Pete clearly knows the importance and value of developing a QB and building an offense around your QBs strengths. He also turned around Geno Smith, who had done nothing until Pete put him position to succeed. Pete clearly has a track record and clear history of developing QBs and putting them in position to succeed. So does Jim Harbaugh. Which is why I wanted him here. That is a very important aspect of being a head coach.

I want that trait in our next head coach because it is vital to a head coach's success. A great many head coach's fail because they cannot put a QB in a position to succeed in an offense. They might be great at coaching defense or developing an offensive game plan, but if they can't develop a QB and put them in a position to succeed, all their planning may as well have been for nothing. If the next head coach is going to succeed, they must be able to develop a newly drafted QB because Geno Smith is not the long-term answer at QB.

I don't think that Pete built the offense around Russell so much as Russell happened to fit what Pete wanted to do, which was a low risk, run first offense that didn't put the defense in a bad position. Pete wanted a point guard to run his offense, and Russell was exactly that.

Carson Palmer had been at USC for 3 years before Pete arrived. Any development had to have taken place before Pete got there. A better example would be Matt Leinart, who was with Pete for his entire tenure then fizzled in the NFL. Pete is no QB whisperer.