Jay Glazer reports Schwartz tapped by Lions...
 

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9...rn-team-around

Sources: Lions pick Schwartz to turn team aroundby Jay Glazer
Jay Glazer is a Senior NFL Writer for FOXSports.com on MSN and also appears every week on FOX NFL Sunday as the network's NFL Insider.

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Updated: January 15, 2009, 3:45 PM EST Comment The Detroit Lions can go nowhere but up in 2009. And now they've found the man to lead their revival.

The Lions will hire Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to be their new head coach, FOXSports.com has learned. Schwartz interviewed for the second time on Monday, two days after the Titans were eliminated from the AFC playoffs by the Baltimore Ravens.

"I don't shy away from a challenge," Schwartz said Monday at a news conference that was scheduled as part of his day at the team's headquarters.

Schwartz just finished his 10th season with the Titans, his eighth as defensive coordinator. He was promoted from linebackers assistant coach to coordinator in January 2001.

Before being hired in Tennessee, he spent three years on the Baltimore Ravens' staff. He also was a college and pro scout for the Cleveland Browns and that experience might be valuable in Detroit.

The Lions have the No. 1 pick in April along with first- and third-round picks from the Dallas Cowboys and need to find players to spark a turnaround.


"It's probably time to find a replacement for Bobby Layne," Schwartz joked, showing he knows at least a little about the history of perhaps the NFL's worst franchise.

Since winning a title in 1957 with Layne at quarterback, the Lions have the same number of playoff victories as Pro Bowl QBs: one.

Schwartz will be counted on to come up with ways to improve a defense that ranked last in the league and gave up 517 points — threatening the NFL record for points allowed (533) in a season set by the 1981 Baltimore Colts.

"There's no better feeling than turning a situation around," he said.

The 42-year-old Schwartz played linebacker at Georgetown, where he earned a degree in economics.

He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Maryland in 1989, later had the same position at Minnesota and went on to become a secondary coach for North Carolina Central and linebackers coach at Colgate.

The Baltimore native became a candidate to be a head coach, though, because of what he's done in Tennessee.

The Titans ranked in the top seven in yards allowed each of the past two seasons and finished second in points allowed per game at 14.6 in 2008. His 2003 defense ranked first in the NFL in rushing defense and led the league in third down defense at 27.7 — the lowest since the 1998 Oakland Raiders.

The avid chess player analyzes football-related statistics, looking for tendencies, then has the ability to relay what he has learned to players.

"You've got to have the right kind of guys who know how to translate it off the computer to the field and play," Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse has said. "He pretty much has what it takes if you ask me."

His career is over.

I think he'll do decent. 2....maybe 3 wins a season.

As highlighted above, I think they are going QB with the first overall. No WR's this year.

Evidently, Pioli wasn't interested.

I'm of the opinion that it doesn't matter who the coach is there, until the Ford family wakes the **** up, they'll never go anywhere.

Hopefully Schwartz gets another chance after Mayhew and the rest of the FO **** this up again...

Good hire for them.

Wow...you guys think we have it bad....

Career suicide.

It's all coming together now.

McDaniels to Denver, Spagnuolo's out of the picture, Schwartz is gone, and Pioli's shining up his axe for Herm's neck.

Bring The Rat.

He is our destiny.

Shanahan had total control and a $7 mill per year contract. I'm just not sure he could handle being second fiddle to Pioli.

It's already been reported that he doesn't want total control.

Only if he has a competent DC to handle the defense.

I'd love to see it. He could groom a young QB, stick it up Denver's ass a couple of times a year, and win some playoff games along the way. If Pioli found the right DC it sounds perfect.

I think it's a possibility considering how high Belichick is on Shanahan.

Wouldn't Shanahan be working for free, given that likely any money he gets from us is going to be deducted on what's owed from Bowlen? If that's the case, why work?