Two Bills Drive

‘Although Gibbs did not specify the problems, new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams — recently fired as head coach of the Buffalo Bills — is expected to try obtaining at least two former assistants: defensive coordinator Jerry Gray, possibly to coach the secondary, and defensive line coach Tim Krumrie. Gibbs noted that assistant coaches whose bosses had been fired were not free to seek other jobs if they were still under contract to their teams.’

‘The Redskins’ hiring of Williams as defensive coordinator might have been their biggest coup. Despite a failed three-year stint as head coach in Buffalo, Williams was in high demand this week for his defensive prowess…”I have some real good friends who coached with him,” Gibbs said. “It’s one of those things where you kind of know his reputation. And when he became available, I think almost everybody was talking to him.”‘

‘Dick LeBeau is returning to the Steelers, at least for an interview.’

‘”(Donahoe) has a tough decision, I think,” Mularkey said, “because there are a lot of coaches who are qualified to do it.”‘

‘Coughlin also is interested in hiring Dick Jauron, his former defensive coordinator in Jacksonville, but the Giants won’t make a move until the Bills head coaching situation is finalized. Jauron is a candidate in Buffalo.’

‘The Bills have interviewed seven people, and there have been reports Fassel had a mediocre interview with them. Among the other top candidates are Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and former Bears coach Dick Jauron, whom Coughlin hopes to interview to be his defensive coordinator.’

‘Fassel is still a candidate in Buffalo but is said to be trailing former Bears coach Dick Jauron, a favorite of Bills ownership.’

‘”The University of Texas is secondary right now because I am in the NFL and in the process,” said Gray, who interviewed with Buffalo for its vacant head coaching position Monday. “The opportunity to become a head coach in the NFL at 41 is something special.”‘

‘The Dolphins said Tom Modrak, Buffalo’s assistant general manager, hasn’t decided if he’s interested in the job.’

‘Moorman has even started a Web site, brianmoormanfoundation.org, where a downloadable pledge form is available.’

‘When Reese announced his resignation Tuesday after six seasons at Texas, it set in motion a chain of events that could return Gray to Texas, where he was an All-America safety in 1983 and 1984. Gray said Wednesday he is very interested in becoming the Longhorns’ new defensive coordinator, but he understandably remains hopeful that he will land the vacant head coaching position with the Buffalo Bills after a solid three-hour interview with General Manager Tom Donahoe. After all, Gregg Williams, who was fired by the Bills as head coach after going 17-31 in three seasons, was making $900,000 a year. No college pays that much for a defensive coordinator. Not yet anyway.’

Levy is a Chicago guy. He has analyzed the Bears, written about them. He knows Bear weather, and in similar stuff, he took the Buffalo Bills to four consecutive Super Bowls. And he wants the job. So why don’t the Bears seem to be interested in him? He’s 78.’

‘Gray, an All-American at Texas in 1983-84, said he has no interest in rejoining Williams, who was hired Wednesday as the Washington Redskins’ defensive coordinator, as a position coach. Gray indicated that he’s interested only in NFL jobs as a defensive coordinator or head coach.’

‘Presuming Fassel is not invited back for another interview, the Bills probably are looking at Dick Jauron, Charlie Weis or Mularkey as the top candidates among those already interviewed.’

‘The next step, Donahoe said, is sharing all the information on the candidates he has collected with team owner Ralph Wilson and assistant general manager Tom Modrak for their input and advice. That step begins Thursday morning. After all the data has been crunched and the questions answered, only then will Donahoe present a contract offer to somebody, he said.’