Why sign Wade Phillips to the Redskins coaching staff when you can sign a younger man like him?
Hog Heaven has such low confidence in the Redskins’ front office, that we greet every decision with high skepticism. In the Snyder era, skepticism is a healthy defensive posture. Only the strong can be a Redskins fan.
We blistered the team last week when news hit that Joe Barry was the leading defensive coordinator candidate. Most fans could not get past the Detroit Lions’ 0-16 season when Barry was defensive coordinator. Matt Millen had more to do with that, such was the dearth of talent given Barry to work with.
Same as here. pfft
Hog Heaven did not like it because it smacked of a rush to assemble Bruce Allen’s Tampa Bay mafia. No team has a greater need to break out of its comfort zone than the Washington Redskins.
Comfort is why Jay Gruden is here. Surely, Allen and Daniel Snyder did not know the drastic changes offensive changes in store with Gruden.
We liked that they broadened the scope of the search. The Redskins talked to seven candidates. Washington lost out on Vic Fangio reportedly over staffing differences. Fangio wanted to bring in Ed Donatell to be DB coach. The front office wanted Raheem Morris in that role.
Why is Morris still here? Comfort zone.
Allen and Snyder do not comprehend the depth of fan anger that Morris is still on the staff.
If I'm Fangio, the defensive talent already here and head coach would be very persuasive in my choice of Bears or Redskins.
— Anthony Brown, The RedsCommander (@RedsCommanders) January 20, 2015
Fangio had clout and he had alternatives. Barry had to accept terms (Morris) from the only team considering him as defensive coordinator.
Winning the job
Zac Boyer’s story in The Washington Times says that Barry sold Gruden on his plan to make the defense better. Gruden is enthused by what he heard.
Mark Bullock describes with great detail in a Washington Paper story how Barry’s defensive scheme differs from Jim Haslett’s and how much it resembles Wade Phillips’ concepts.
Phillips was the No. 1 fan choice to be defensive coordinator. Barry, 44, is closer in age to Gruden, 47, than is Phillips, 67.
See what I mean? Comfort zone.
What Gruden can learn from Joe Barry
Based solely on how the season unfolded, Gruden never broke out of his comfort zone to match his offensive concepts to the talent on the roster. Everybody suffered. Everybody’s production was down.
Perhaps Gruden had to go through a bad year in his rookie head coach season to reach that “what would I do different” moment.
Barry went through it in Detroit. What Barry said about the experience, what he learned from it, must have resonated with Gruden.
Welcome to the staff, Joe Barry. Fans are not sure you are the right guy, because we are not sure Gruden is the right guy. But we are fans. The Redskins can only be successful if the coaches are successful.
Now get out there and help each other win.
#Redskins aren't accustom to this happening. Usually a guy comes in, never gets a chance to leave. Interesting….
— Bill Rohland (@BillRohland) January 20, 2015
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