Looking at Crennel's circle of coordinators

[Mr. Laz]

Looking at Crennel's circle of coordinators
By Josh Looney
Posted 27 minutes ago


Romeo Crennel has been associated with a number of experienced play-callers over the past decade

New Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel publicly backed his defensive staff last week, revealing his plans to retain Kansas City’s defensive assistants. As far as the offensive staff goes, Crennel has only said that the evaluation process is ongoing.

Crennel has been given complete authority to set his own staff for his first season as head coach in 2012, but has yet to make any staff changes official.

With several coaching contracts set to expire, some degree of turnover is anticipated on the offensive side of the football. Front and center, Crennel’s search for an offensive coordinator currently dominates the spotlight.

Crennel has kept his candidate list under wraps thus far, but has said he’ll conduct a search that spans both internally and externally. He’s expected to conduct interviews this week in Orlando, Florida at the East-West Shrine Bowl and could extend that search into Senior Bowl Week beginning January 23rd in Mobile, Alabama.

In some cases, the Chiefs are waiting on permission to interview candidates under contract with other teams.

Though Crennel has yet to identify any specific candidates for the position, he has a recent working history with a number of experienced NFL play-callers.

If familiarity and past play-calling experience is something Crennel is searching for, the following names have been associated with Crennel as recently as the 2000 season.

Chiefs Quarterbacks Coach Jim Zorn

Years with Crennel: 1 (KC, 2011)

Years of Play-Calling Experience: 2 (WAS, 2008-09)

Chiefs Assistant Head Coach/RBs Maurice Carthon

Years with Crennel: 16 (KC, 2010-2011; CLE, 2005-06; NYJ, 1997-99; NE, 1994-96; NYG, 1985-91)

Years of Play-Calling Experience: 6 (CLE, 2005-06; DAL, 2003-04, DET, 2001-02)

Vikings Offensive Line Coach Jeff Davidson

Years with Crennel: 6 (CLE, 2005-06; NE, 2001-04)

Years of Play-Calling Experience: 5 (CLE, 2006; CAR, 2007-10)

Panthers Offensive Coordinator Rob Chudzinski

Years with Crennel: 2 (CLE, 2007-08)

Years of Play-Calling Experience: 3 (CLE, 2007-08; CAR, 2011)

Dolphins Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll

Years with Crennel: 4 (NE, 2001-04)

Years of Play-Calling Experience: 3 (CLE, 2009-10; MIA, 2011)

Titans Offensive Coordinator Chris Palmer

Years with Crennel: 5 (CLE, 2000; NE, 1993-96)

Years of Play-Calling Experience: 7 (TEN, 2011; HOU, 2002-05; JAC, 1997-98)

Let’s start with the in-house connections.

Most recently, Crennel has worked alongside Chiefs assistants Jim Zorn and Maurice Carthon. Each brings a different area of expertise to the staff.

Zorn is an expert in the passing game, having played the quarterback position at an All-Pro level for the Seattle Seahawks. He’s seen his starting quarterbacks post career seasons at every stop prior to joining the Chiefs staff last year and was heavily involved with offensive game-planning in 2011.

Though Zorn has never held the offensive coordinator title for an NFL team, he’s been intimately involved in scheming the pass game throughout his professional coaching tenure.

Most recently, Zorn held play-calling responsibilities while serving as head coach of the Washington Redskins (2008-09). Ironically, he gave up those responsibilities midway through the 2009 season following a loss to the Chiefs.

Zorn also brings an interesting dynamic to the table. He comes from a different offensive background than the Chiefs operated the past three seasons, but also knows the offensive personnel well enough to mix new philosophies into Kansas City’s current offensive system.

Carthon is the rushing expert and played for Crennel as a member of the New York Giants during the 1980s.

Interestingly, Carthon was Crennel’s first offensive coordinator in Cleveland (2005-06). The Browns offense struggled under Carthon’s guidance, but Cleveland’s rushing attack was its strong point.

Carthon was relieved of his duties as Browns offensive coordinator 22 games into Crennel’s head coaching tenure, but Crennel wanted to keep Carthon on board. Browns management overruled and pushed Crennel to make an in-season change.

When Carthon resigned as Cleveland’s OC six games into the 2006 season, Crennel promoted assistant head coach/offensive line coach Jeff Davidson to offensive coordinator. Davidson originally followed Crennel from New England to Cleveland.

After finishing out the 2006 season as Cleveland’s play-caller, Davidson accepted the offensive coordinator position under John Fox in Carolina. The Panthers built their offense behind a strong running attack, which fit Davidson’s past as an offensive line and tight ends coach.

Davidson joined the Vikings last season as offensive line coach under Leslie Frazier.

After Davidson departed Cleveland for Carolina, Crennel hired Rob Chudzinski away from San Diego to become the Browns new offensive coordinator. Cleveland saw immediate success under Chudzinski, posting a top-10 offense and a 10-win season in 2007.

The 10-win campaign remains the only season Cleveland has posted double-digit victories since bringing NFL football back to the city in 1999.

After Crennel was relieved of his duties in Cleveland, Chudzinski served two seasons as assistant head coach in San Diego (2009-10) before joining Ron Rivera as offensive coordinator in Carolina.

The Panthers offense and rookie quarterback Cam Newton thrived under Chudzinski last season, leading to interest from other teams looking to fill their head coaching vacancies. Chudzinski interviewed for the head coaching job in Tampa Bay last week and also interviewed for head jobs in Jacksonville and St. Louis this offseason.

Coaching worlds often intertwine and intersect with interesting connections, which is the case with Brian Daboll.

Daboll replaced Chudzinski as Cleveland’s offensive coordinator after Crennel’s staff was let go following the 2008 season. He coordinated two years for the Browns before joining Tony Sparano’s staff as OC last season in Miami.

Currently the offensive coordinator on a staff without a head coach, Daboll’s future in Miami appears in the air. He previously spent four seasons (one as a defensive assistant) with Crennel in New England from 2001-04.

Flipping roles, Crennel was once hired as defensive coordinator in Cleveland (2000) by Titans offensive coordinator Chris Palmer. Crennel served as Cleveland’s coordinator during Palmer’s final season as Browns head coach. Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, Jr. was also part of that staff, serving as Cleveland’s tight ends coach.

Palmer was rumored to be a candidate for the Chiefs offensive coordinator position last season before joining the Titans.

There are a number of other experienced coordinators with recent ties to Crennel who are unlikely to join the Chiefs staff because of taking new jobs.

Crennel recently worked with Charlie Weis (hired as head coach at the University of Kansas), Josh McDaniels (hired as New England’s offensive coordinator), Tony Sparano (hired as the New York Jets offensive coordinator), John Hufnagel (longtime head coach and GM of the Calgary Stampeders), Todd Haley (former Chiefs head coach).

In addition, media has speculated on a number of external names with no previous ties to Crennel. It will be interesting to see how Crennel’s search shakes out over the next week.