ChiefsPlanet - Chiefs Crennel won’t be shaking things up in his audition for the Chiefs’ head coaching job

Crennel won’t be shaking things up in his audition for the Chiefs’ head coaching job
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star

Romeo Crennel had a taste of his old life Tuesday, slipping back into the prestigious but occasionally uncomfortable role of an NFL head coach.

A day after being appointed the Chiefs’ interim head coach — stepping into the position after Todd Haley was fired Monday — Crennel began his day in his familiar meeting with defensive coaches. He had to leave that session early to stop in at another meeting, then another, followed by an 11 a.m. conference call with Kansas City reporters.

This is what life will be like for Crennel for at least three more weeks and possibly beyond.

“The biggest change is the time requirement and the other things that you have to spread yourself into,” Crennel said.

How he handles the hectic pace will be one of his first major tests in what will be a brief audition to have the “interim” label removed and begin the 2012 season as the Chiefs’ permanent leader. It won’t be easy for Crennel, 64, who is the league’s second-eldest head coach behind the New York Giants’ 65-year-old Tom Coughlin. Crennel underwent a hip-replacement procedure in 2009 after being fired as Cleveland’s head coach and then joined the Chiefs as defensive coordinator a year later.

Still, he said Tuesday that he hopes to be considered for the permanent job, demanding as it would be.

“I would like to be a head coach again and show that I can get it done,” said Crennel, who was 24-40 in four seasons with the Browns. “I know how to get it done, and I think the experience from the first time will make me better the next time around.”

He said that, if he weren’t interested in being the Chiefs’ head coach, he wouldn’t have accepted the offer from general manager Scott Pioli and chairman Clark Hunt to lead the Chiefs.

Crennel isn’t making things easy on himself, saying Tuesday that he’ll continue coordinating the Chiefs’ defense, including making all defensive play calls. Offensive coordinator Bill Muir and all other assistants will remain in their roles, Crennel said, in an effort to minimize the late-season changes that players must absorb. Crennel added that he’ll possess veto power on offensive play calls, if he thinks the Chiefs should run something different from what Muir and quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn, who assists Muir in designing offensive game plans, have opted for.

“I think the best way for us to have a chance to be the most successful at the moment is not to create too many distractions,” Crennel said. “Me being named the head coach, that’s a distraction. I don’t want to have a distraction on offense, distraction on defense and a distraction on the whole team. …

“I know that, going forward, if I had a job going forward, then I might do something different. But right now, in this short season, I’m going to continue to call the defense.”

Players expressed surprise in the hours after Haley was fired following a 37-10 loss at the New York Jets. It was the Chiefs’ eighth loss this season and, a week after a victory at Chicago, punctuated the team’s inconsistent nature.

Crennel said he’ll have to get a handle on that, as well as somehow help to invigorate a stagnant offense that has scored two touchdowns in the last four games. That might involve a shake-up at quarterback. Tyler Palko has been erratic and inaccurate in his four starts, three of which were Chiefs losses, and Crennel didn’t rule out playing Ricky Stanzi, a rookie, or taking a look at recently acquired veteran Kyle Orton, if he’s healthy.

Orton suffered a finger injury in his only play against the Bears. He was inactive against the Jets.

Crennel said he’ll observe all three passers before making a decision on who gives the Chiefs the best chance to move the ball. Even after he decides, he might keep it to himself to avoid giving the undefeated Green Bay Packers any insight on the Chiefs’ plans.

“Green Bay right now, they don’t know much about me or what my choice might be offensively,” he said. “So I’m not going to try to give them an advantage at the moment.”

For now, Crennel said, he’ll lean on veteran assistant coaches, such as linebackers coach Gary Gibbs and secondary coach Emmitt Thomas, both of whom have also been head coaches. Thomas was Atlanta’s interim coach in 2007 after Bobby Petrino stepped down after 13 games.

Crennel admitted there will be no shortage of responsibilities in these final three weeks. But he said it was worth it to accept the Chiefs’ taxing — but potentially rewarding — assignment, for several reasons.

“I felt I should do it for the organization, as well as for myself,” he said.

Performing well in an interim capacity after the firing of head coach Todd Haley could lead to bigger things for Romeo Crennel. A few interim head coaches through the years, and how their stints turned out:

•Marty Schottenheimer, Browns: Succeeded Sam Rutligliano in ’84, and rest is history. Won at franchise-record .634 clip in KC.

•Marv Levy, Bills: Buffalo was 2-7 when he took over in 1986 but went on to win four straight AFC crowns under Levy.

•Jeff Fisher, Oilers/Titans: Elevated when Jack Pardee was canned in ’94. Boasts 146-120 mark, Super Bowl appearance.

•Leslie Frazier, Vikings: Succeeded Brad Childress for final six games of 2010, going 3-3. Vikings are 2-11 this season.

•Jason Garrett, Cowboys: Led Dallas to 5-3 mark in last half of 2010 after Wade Phillips was fired. Team is 7-6 in 2011.

•Mike Singletary, 49ers: Followed Mike Nolan, going 5-4 in 2008. But 13-18 showing in 2009-10 led to his ouster.