Brian Billick to interview for head coaching job

[Red]

But that is what you are going to get with these coaches who have prior head coaching experience. Only Cowher went out on top but even then his final season they went 8-8 and didn't make the playoffs and there was a 3 year stretch from 98-00 without playoffs and the Pitt fans calling for his head. Billick, Shanahan, Gruden, they are all available for a reason.

 

Thats a great point.

 

Ultimately, they are available for a reason.

 

Shanahan was running Denver into the Red with his turnstile roster. Gruden was fired for losing his team with his fiery tirades and inability to settle on a QB. Cowhers act may have grown stale in Pittsburgh.

 

Now that we have a GM that gets it, I'm content to sit back and no longer need that big name coach.

[Chalkie Gerzowski]

The offense would have to improve in any event. Billick was helped a lot by having that Baltimore franchise draft one fantastic player after another on defense. Remember a player like Peter Boulware. Having lived in Maryland, the defense always got the attention, deservedly. They have been a formidable unit just about every year since football returned to Baltimore. The funny thing was the turnstile quarterbacking, a new one every year it seemed. AND lack of really top notch WRs. Anyone remember the early 1st round selection of Travis Taylor?

[mabden]

Id say good enough! he won a super bowl with an average QB. he made his reputation as an offensive asst. with the Vikes, yet as a head coach with the ravens he had a defense-oriented team. That shows the ability to coach to the talent, not force the talent to fit a pre-convieved scheme.

 

I am not a big Billick fan. The talent he had in Baltimore was assembled by Ossie Newsome. I am not sure I would agree with you that he coached to the talent or that the talent was that good that they did not need much coaching?

[judman]

Didn't Billick make a bad time out call? It was in Baltimore during a Patriots game in their almost perfect season (ha).

 

As I recall, it was a fourth down, Cheatriots fell short... BUT, BUT, BUT Billick had called timeout before the play. Replay fourth down, convert, etc. etc. etc.

 

I will admit not a good enough reason to never coach again, but since we are vetting him here, I thought I would add that memory.

[DCbillsfan]

Report: Billick to interview with Bills

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on January 2, 2010 4:54 PM ET

Fans that don't like listening to Brian Billick announce games could get some relief next year.

 

Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports reports that Billick is expected to interview next week for the Buffalo Bills' head coaching job. Billick didn't exactly deny the claim when asked:

 

"I have not had any contact with the Bills so far," Billick said. (But maybe his agent has.)

 

Buffalo is expected to enter phase two of their head coaching search next week after the first group of big name coaches turned them down.

 

Judging purely on record, Billick has a resume that merits more coaching buzz than he's received since getting fired by the Ravens. In nine years with Baltimore, Billick went 80-64, with four playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title.

 

His failure to develop a quarterback on the Ravens could be a big negative to a Bills team desperate for help at the position.

 

Florio passed along the news that the Bills are also expected to speak with Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/...iew-with-bills/

I think Billick would be a good hire as HC. An overall winning record, a Super Bowl, and 4 playoff appearances in 9 years. Yes he was arrogant while in Baltimore and yes Ozzie Newsome made a lot of great picks on Defense. But Billick has more experience as a head coach than anybody else out there. I'm not counting Cowher, Shottenheimer and Shanahan since they don't appear interested in the Bills. Maybe he learned from his mistakes in Baltimore and would be an even better head coach in the next go around. Certainly beats the likes of Jauron, Mularkey, and Williams. Everyone misses on talent and his biggest miss was convincing the Ravens to draft Kyle Boller. Think of all the misses the Bills have had.

[dorquemada]

Sources from deep within OBD have the bills hiring bill cowher on tuesday, per john dellapelle buffalo bills analyst

 

 

Unless you're in your mom's basement wearing pajamas, this is pure speculation. If you meet the aformentioned criteria, then thank you for the great news!

[SDS]

Unless you're in your mom's basement wearing pajamas...

 

I think we are all in agreement that would be a move in the right direction for this guy...

[Mr. WEO]

Thats a great point.

 

Ultimately, they are available for a reason.

 

Shanahan was running Denver into the Red with his turnstile roster. Gruden was fired for losing his team with his fiery tirades and inability to settle on a QB. Cowhers act may have grown stale in Pittsburgh.

 

Now that we have a GM that gets it, I'm content to sit back and no longer need that big name coach.

Gruden is unavailable by choice. He's locked into a contract in a job he currently prefers. He would have been the first one hired, if he so chose.

[nucci]

Gruden is unavailable by choice. He's locked into a contract in a job he currently prefers. He would have been the first one hired, if he so chose.

Very few coaches turned broadcasters are locked in to their contracts. I'm sure Cowher or Gruden can get out when they choose to.

[BillsVet]

I think it was that noted philosopher Bum Phillips who once said, “There are two types of coaches, them that have just been fired and them that are going to be fired.”

 

How many coaches actually retire as HC's? Not many, because the bad to average ones eventually just aren't hired anymore. Whomever the Bills hire will be either an assistant or someone who's been fired.

[bills44]

not a big Billick fan. More hype than substance, IMO

[bigbillsfan12]

He did get a bevy of assistants hired for HC jobs - maybe he has an eye for defensive coaching talent, at least?

 

That's what makes me think that with Nix saying that a good coach is able to bring in good assistants and run the team like a CEO, that he might have a leg up for our HC job.

 

 

Billick has brought in some great assistants over the years:

 

as per wiki-

 

• Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars (2003–present)
  
• Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals (2003–present)
  
• Mike Nolan, San Francisco 49ers (2005–2008)
  
• Rex Ryan, New York Jets (2009–present)
  
• Mike Singletary, San Francisco 49ers (2008–present)
  
• Mike Smith, Atlanta Falcons (2008–present)
  

[BuffaloBaumer]

I recall watching multiple games coached by Billick in his final year (I believe one was against us) and thinking this guy makes worse gameday decisions than the idiots we have here. I would rather take a stab at an up and coming offensive minded guy who is known to be a great QB teacher than Billick.

[SDS]

That's what makes me think that with Nix saying that a good coach is able to bring in good assistants and run the team like a CEO, that he might have a leg up for our HC job.

 

 

Billick has brought in some great assistants over the years:

 

as per wiki-

 

• Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars (2003–present)
  
• Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals (2003–present)
  
• Mike Nolan, San Francisco 49ers (2005–2008)
  
• Rex Ryan, New York Jets (2009–present)
  
• Mike Singletary, San Francisco 49ers (2008–present)
  
• Mike Smith, Atlanta Falcons (2008–present)
  

 

do you notice a theme there in those guys? Do you know what Brian's specialty is? Do you know the area of the football team that bares his imprint the most? Do you know what part of the Ravens team has sucked ass for years and years and years?

[BillnutinHouston]

I think Billick would be a good hire as HC. An overall winning record, a Super Bowl, and 4 playoff appearances in 9 years. Yes he was arrogant while in Baltimore and yes Ozzie Newsome made a lot of great picks on Defense. But Billick has more experience as a head coach than anybody else out there. I'm not counting Cowher, Shottenheimer and Shanahan since they don't appear interested in the Bills. Maybe he learned from his mistakes in Baltimore and would be an even better head coach in the next go around. Certainly beats the likes of Jauron, Mularkey, and Williams. Everyone misses on talent and his biggest miss was convincing the Ravens to draft Kyle Boller. Think of all the misses the Bills have had.

 

I think I agree with this. At least he is experienced, has been through playoff runs, Super Bowl prep & victory, etc. That's not chicken feed.

[Lofton80]

One of my favorite Billick moments giving Rodney Harrison some love.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVbDQF8m1-4

[John from Riverside]

I think I agree with this. At least he is experienced, has been through playoff runs, Super Bowl prep & victory, etc. That's not chicken feed.

 

 

For us it would be huge

[ACerr22]

I have been reading through these posts and scratching my head a bit......

 

- With the exception of Bill Cowher who was smart enough to retire while he was on top every single on of these coaches will either be a. An unproven coordinator or b. A coach that was fired for some reason or another

 

......ever single one of them

 

 

- In this thread we are talking about Billick.......who has a winning record as a HC.....has been to a Super Bowl......and has the intensity and fire that most of us like in a coach. It amazes me that we are so quick to tear down a coach who has the credentials we have not had since Marv Levy.

 

- Are peopel forgetting what we are moving on from? To people realize that we haven't even SEEN the playoffs in ten years......do people realize that Billick has been there....done that.....and knows how to pick coordinators?

 

I am not saying that Billick is my number one choice........but I will tell you this......if they name him head coach I will be extremely pleased......EXTREMELY pleased.

 

Now you would have a real football guy as GM....AND.....a HC who at the very least knows how to pick his assistant coaches.

 

 

ALL of this is a step up in what we have seen in YEARS with this team.

 

AGREED, 110%! Billick would bring in the right OC and if the organization drafts a proper FRANCHISE QB, I think we'll improve greatly next season.

[vincec]

Question: and is Billick really known as a teacher?

 

Anyone know if that is part of his reputation?

 

He strikes me as to arrogant to be patient enough to teach. He seems like the kind of incompetent instructor who briefs you on nuclear fusion once and expects you to know it cold after that single meeting.

My question as well. Seems like a strange hire after what Nix said at the press conference.

 

Did he really develop anybody on the offensive side of the ball? Just wondering.

[BillsVet]

I know someone mentioned it before, but Billick has a book that came out a few months back, More Than A Game. Clearly, he didn't author each and every word, but it's interesting to read the observations of a HC who's been out of the league for two seasons now.

 

Billick does talk about failing to find a QB (which BTW is an organizational failure, not simply a HC's doing) and the fact that Baltimore allocated significant resources, particularly cap dollars, to their defense.

 

Yeah, the guy's arrogant and he has his faults. But there's not a lot inspiring out there with experience besides the name Cowher. It seems like the more anyone delves into deciding on a HC, the more people find wrong with each candidate.