changes

[skinz4]

IMO- spurrier will be ok but he needs some better ppl around him....i say we replace edwards, helton, stock, and maybe some other assistants as well as hire ruskell as the GM......then we need to resign champ and find some help for pass rush

[Spence]

Do we hold Spurrier at all responsible for hiring or retaining all those guys?

[SkinsKY]

Spurrier needs to tighten his belt, take an honest look at his coaches and make some tough decisions about people who are his friends. He cannot stand behind them the whole time if they are not getting the job done.

[GolfFreak]

At first I was all for keeping Edwards, and even more so after Champ made it know that coaching continuity would play into his decision to resign. Also, LaVar has made it clear that he likes Edwards. However, I think I’m going to pull a 180 on this one. I don’t think the players should make these decisions … if Champ doesn’t like it then franchise his arse. And how many times have I heard LaVar’s stats under Edwards compared to his stats under Lewis (didn’t he have 11 sacks last year). Bring in a proven d-corrd and teach these guys how to play.

[dj_stouty]

Originally posted by skinz4
IMO- spurrier will be ok but he needs some better ppl around him....i say we replace edwards, helton, stock, and maybe some other assistants as well as hire ruskell as the GM......then we need to resign champ and find some help for pass rush

Welcome aboard, skin4! We hope you stick around for a while!

[jporterweb]

Keep Steve and Edwards. Those are the two main coaches on the team. Keep them and lets get some continuity.

[PennSkinsFan]

Welcome skins4. Look forward to your posts!

Well I am on the other side of this argument and believe we need a new head coach as well.

I actually side with Daly from the Washington Times where he discusses continuity and say that it is the most overrated thing int he NFL. His point, and I agree, CONTINUITY IS ONLY IMPORTANT IF THERE IS SOMETHING WORTH CONTINUING. Last season we were 7-9, this season thus far we are 4-8, and have lost 7 of the last 8. Can't really think of anything worth continuing.

[GhostRider68]

Continuity is way overrated. Unless you want to continue on the fast track to hell. The Bengals used to be the laughing stock of the NFL...looks like we're well on the way to taking their place.

[Brokenstriker]

OK ... I found my new soap box and I'm gonna start standing on it ...

Nothing personal about Spurrier (although the dumb country boy with no answers routine is wearing awfully thin on me) ... but I see this in a roles and responsibilities perspective ... and Spurrier has two key roles, head coach and offensive coordinator. As a head coach I see a number of serious issues that seem to be trends:
1. Mentally Sloppy
The Redskins are mentally sloppy. They have beaten themselves in most of the games they have lost. From off-sides to personal fouls the players continually give the opposition an advantage. I seem to recall that a Hallmark of the Joe Gibbs teams was the relative absense of mental errors (illegal procedure, off-sides, personal fouls). I beleive that this is an indication of the Head Coach. What's important is what's important to the boss ... and for Spurrier's team it's not important to be mentally sharp in practice. I'm sure that it's "important" to Spurrier and even the players, but it doesn't matter or they would stop (or sit?!). I blame this completely on the Head Coach. And because of this I am seriously concerned about Spurrier as the Head Coach. I don't think he acts like one, let alone fails at it. I suspect he wants to be and is as much as possible ... the Quarterback ... the rest of it is all a distraction.
2. Performance = Minutes on the Field
Even at the pro level you need to define what it takes to be on the team and especially on the field. I don't get the impression the Redskins understand, or for that matter have to worry about performing everytime they are on the field. Spurrier doesn't really bench people. Yes he takes them off the field ... but he doesn't give their position away ... because for Spurrier its not about the players ... its about the system ... and because of that a player can't own the position ... or lose it either. Delivering on the field doesn't keep you in the game, and screwing up on the field doesn't keep you out of the game. Has this guy ever sent a message to a player with some genuine heat? Bottom line is Champ has a number of bad days ... so? Gardner drops 50% of the passes ... so? sure Gardner doesn't play every down ... but hey he wouldn't even if he caught everything thrown in his general direction. The players have no idea what it takes to ensure playing time ... because nothing does.

Offensive Coordinator
1. Adapt and Over Come
Haven't seen it. Its got to be his predefined perfect system ... or nothing else. And because we haven't seen it opposition teams know exactly what to do now that weaknesses have been exposed. Which leads me to #2.
2. Isolate and Overwhelm
Time honored attack strategy. Identify the weakness of the opponent and bring the attack to that point. But Spurrier says (and I beleive) that he doesn't game-plan against the opposition. He just works the system. So if the other team has a jouneyman CB Spurrier won't pick on him. If the other team has a proven inability to stop a paticular play ... he doesn't build on that.
3. History Identifies Winners and Losers
Spurrier's history in the NFL is brief, but it is starting to be written. There is enough and a trend has surfaced. His approach isn't working, and he has no intentions of adapting. People may say he doesn't have a dominating HB, well his system doesn't use on. He doesn't have TE that are a receiving threat, his system doesn't need them. He has essentially what he wanted for his system now ... and its not working.
4. The Sting
Typical Gibbs ... he always seemed to set the defense up. Run a decent if modest play about 4 times or so ... to sucker them into the big play that works off of it. Yes ... Spurrier has done this ... but unless I missed something subtle (and if it was subtle it wasn't much of a sting) it only happened once ... the Gardner pass to Candidate off of the WR Screen. Nice. Gibbs would have done this at least once a game ... and usually as a half-time adjustment. Key words ....... "adjustment."

Bottom-Line ....

We need a Head Coach. We don't have one. And Spurrier won't work for another coach. We need an effective Offensive Coordinator, and Spurrier isn't cutting the mustard. Sure his system rocked for about 4 weeks ... but the NFL adapted ... and he won't.

I think its time to hire a proven Head Coach ... and personally I think it needs to be a package deal with a new offensive coordinator ... NOT the same person as the Head Coach.

[PennSkinsFan]

Ahem, I agree. Nothing more to state, but, I agree.

[NamVet4]

Welcome Skinz4!
Glad you joined us... and you sure picked a hot topic to start off with!!
Hope you'll stick around and enjoy the place.
:welcome:

[skins74]

If we bring in a new D coordinator, he needs to be one that could take over the HC position in the future. I am not sure who is out there with that type of resume, but otherwise I don't see much of a point. Because SS is most likely only going to be around for 1 more year and we would have to fire everyone in bring in more new coaches.

[truant]

I'm not willing to throw away this project before year 3.

The team is playing better. They are playing it close against everyone. Key players are injured.

I'm not happy at all with how the year has gone, but i think we are a better team than we were earlier this year and a good measure better than the team last year.

We've tried it the other way for years. Blaming the coach and retooling the roster. How can you know what continuity would do unless you have it?

Next year we would have most of the same starters on both sides of the ball. Next year would be the first year of continuity. A couple of key free agents and draftees will likely work their way into the lineup, but the majority of the team is in place. 30-40% of our team was new this year.

Bring in another coach and he'll want his own players and his own system. It'll set us further back.

I don't think we are as bad as 4-8 looks. We almost won our last two games with Tim Hasselbeck, who has been on the team for a month. A more experienced and healthy Ramsey would have made a difference in our record.

[Brokenstriker]

Truant - I would love to agree with you. I thought about the wisdom in saying we need a new head master. I considered that its probably not great to have a new head coach ... again. But I couldn't think of anything I rationally expect that will change the reasonable expectations next year. The man doesn't instill professionalism on the field and because of his reliance on the system over everything else to include the players there isn't much I can see that can be done to motivate the players to change. I do honestly think a serious improvement on the defensive line would make a difference but I don't honestly know where the Redskins will get the 2 or 3 impact players needed to make that change in a single season. On offense what I see is a top line QB who isn't quick enough to over-come the proven attack against Spurrier's offense ... blitz. Look at the last game newbie QB who's taking too much heat for the game in my opinion put the ball in the recievers hands to keep the drive alive in the final moments ... but the guy didnt hold on to it ... passing is an all or nothing option ... running has a lower risk of producing nothing per attempt. Spurrier's design is to pass the ball ... and its just too much of a gamble. The man isn't going to change. I think he has said as much. But I'm open to thinking about it ... tell me what you think will change between now and next September that will improve the Redskin's record enough to extend the season into the playoffs (or to insulate me from the ration of BS I get from all the local un-Redskins fans)? I'll listen ... but please be realistic and specific ..... ( I want to be optimistic ... )