Why isn't this Defensive Coordinator a candidate for head coach?

[kcbubb]

Dick LeBeau, Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive Coordinator

I know he is old (71), but it seems like one of the best defensive coordinators in the history of the game would be mentioned as a possible head coach for a team with one of the worst defenses in the NFL.

Here's a little bit of info on LeBeau:

Charles Richard “Dick” LeBeau (born September 9, 1937 in London, Ohio) is a former football player and is currently the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator. He spent 14 years in the NFL as a player and is in his 36th as a coach. Considered an “innovator” and “defensive football genius”, LeBeau created the ‘zone blitz’ when he was defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals in the late 1980s.

Contents


* 1 Playing career
* 2 Coaching career
* 3 Personal life
* 4 References
* 5 External Links

Playing career

LeBeau attended Ohio State University, playing for famed coach Woody Hayes, and was on the 1957 national championship team, playing at cornerback and halfback. Also in 1957, playing both sides of the ball, he scored two touchdowns as Ohio State came back to beat Michigan 31-14.

He was initially drafted in the fifth round in 1959 by the Cleveland Browns but was cut from their team, and was signed as a rookie free agent by the Detroit Lions. He spent his entire 14 year NFL career with them as a defensive back, teamed during the early part of that run with Dick "Night Train" Lane and Yale Lary, and later with Lem Barney. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 1965 through 1967. He was a leading interceptor, with 62 career interceptions for 762 return yards and 3 touchdowns, and holds the NFL record for consecutive game appearances for a cornerback with 171. He also recovered 9 fumbles, returning them for 53 yards and a touchdown.

Coaching career

“ Dick LeBeau is arguably the best ever to coach defense. … He has done it on such a consistent basis over a long period of time.”

—Ron Jaworski, ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback.

After retirement as a player, LeBeau became an NFL coach. The following teams hired him as an assistant:

* Philadelphia Eagles (1973-1975)
* Green Bay Packers (1976-1979)
* Cincinnati Bengals (1980-1991), (1997-2002) - Won 1981 and 1988 AFC Championships and 3 AFC Central Division Championships (1981, 1988, and 1990)
* Pittsburgh Steelers (1992-1996), (2004-present) - Won 4 AFC Central Division Championships (1992 and 1994-96), 3 AFC North Division Championships (2004, 2007, and 2008), 3 AFC Championships (1995, 2005, and 2008),Super Bowl XL, and Super Bowl XLIII.
* Buffalo Bills (2003)

Also, LeBeau was the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals for three seasons, from 2000 through 2002.
“It was a thought process kind of born out of necessity. It was basically an outcropping of the run-and-shoot [offense] that was becoming pretty prevalent in the league back then. We were in the same division as Houston, and they were tremendous at it with Moon and Co. Then the West Coast offense was spreading throughout the league. Those were all quick-rhythm, get-the-ball-out-of-your-hands-and-cut-up-the-defense types of passing games. We were just looking for ways to get pressure without exposing our defensive backs to have to cover the whole field all of the time.”

—Dick LeBeau, on the origin of the ‘zone blitz’.

As an assistant coach he is credited with inventing the "Fire Zone" or "zone blitz" defense, which employs unpredictable pass rushes and pass coverage from various players.His defenses typically employ 3-4 sets, with any of the 4 linebackers and frequently a defensive back among the pass rushers, while defensive linemen may drop back into short pass coverage zones to compensate for the pass rush coming from other positions. The design is intended to confuse the opposition's quarterback and frustrate its blocking schemes, as the offense may be unsure on each play of which defenders will rush the passer and which will drop into coverage. While often described as a "blitzing" scheme (implying more than the typical number of four pass rushers used by most defenses), the call on any particular "zone blitz" play may involve only three or four pass rushers but from unpredictable positions and angles. Although widely considered a defensive innovator, his stint as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals was unsuccessful.

LeBeau is beloved among his players, many of whom refer to him as "Coach Dad." The Steelers players have given him many gifts, including a Rolex watch.

LeBeau was named "Coordinator of the year" by the Sporting News for the 2008 season.