Broncos New Coach

[cq]

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/jan/11/report-broncos-hire-mcdaniels/

Broncos to hire Pats' McDaniels

Rocky Mountain News

Originally published 07:42 p.m., January 11, 2009
Updated 08:56 p.m., January 11, 2009


With a quarterback they want to nurture and a franchise-shaping decision to be made the Broncos agreed to terms with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels Sunday to be their next head coach.
No documents have been signed and final details were still being hammered out Sunday night, but the two sides had come to an agreement on a multi-year deal thought to be either four or five years to be the team's 10th head coach.
McDaniels was one of seven NFL assistant coaches who had been interviewed since Mike Shanahan had been fired Dec. 30 and the only one of the seven who had two interviews with the team.
Broncos chief operating officer Joe Ellis traveled to Providence, R.I. – where team officials had interviewed McDaniels a week ago – Thursday night for the second of the two interviews, almost immediately following the team's interview with Dolphins assistant head coach/secondary Todd Bowles in the Broncos' Dove Valley complex earlier that day.
Ellis and McDaniels met for several hours and covered a wide variety of topics.
It was McDaniels' wide-ranging resume and the Patriots' championship pedigree – the Super Bowl wins and four appearances in the title game overall since the start of the 2001 season – that pointed the Broncos his way.
The 32-year-old McDaniels started his NFL career in the Patriots' personnel department in 2001 while also having coached on both the team's offensive and defensive staffs.
He was the offensive coordinator for the Patriots' record setting offense in 2007 – a single-season scoring mark to go with Tom Brady's record 50 touchdown passes – and this past season guided Matt Cassel, who had not started a game since high school, to a 3,000-yard passing season.
McDaniels has also been defensive assistant as well for Bill Belichick having coached the secondary in 2003, another of the Patriots' Super Bowl teams. In that '03 season McDaniels received raves from around the league for his work with the Patriots' injury-riddled secondary with then starters Ty Law and Tyrone Poole having been injured that season.
In the '07 season McDaniels broke the mold on the offense putting Brady into a spread look – out of a shotgun snap the majority of the time – as the Patriots rolled up record totals in an 18-0 regular season. It was a look the Broncos looked at plenty in the offseason before using it themselves during this past season when Jay Cutler set the team's single-season passing mark and earned his first Pro Bowl trip.
The Broncos made the rounds around the league this week doing plenty of homework on McDaniels, receiving almost universally positive reports.
The only concern some team officials had initially was the fact McDaniels comes from a highly-successful, yet sometimes difficult – some in the league have termed it "joyless'' – system in New England.
And two former Belichick assistants were fired this season – Mangini, by the Jets and Romeo Crennel, by the Browns – while another in Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis publicly took plenty of heat with published reports of poor people skills and difficult interactions with potential recruits.
However, McDaniels alleviated those concerns in his interviews with teams officials, showing an enthusiastic approved and presentations that showed preparation and his plan for the Broncos.
The Broncos have missed the playoffs in three consecutive seasons and have won one playoff game since the team's championship to close out the 1998 season.
Also, he's expected to bring Dom Capers, a former head coach and currently the Patriots secondary coach, with him to be the team's defensive coordinator.
McDANIELS BIO
Born: Barberon, Ohio
Age: 32
High school: Attended Canton McKinley High School in Canton, Ohio where he played quarterback and kicker.
College: Attended John Carroll University from 1995-98 and player quarterback and wide receiver for the Blue Streaks.
Coaching capsule
YearTeamPosition 1999Michigan StateGraduate Assistant 2001PatriotsPersonnel Assistant/Coaching Assistant 2002-03PatriotsCoaching Assistant 2004-05PatriotsQuarterbacks coach 2006-08PatriotsOffensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks coach Etc.: Won three Super Bowls with the Patriots. . . . Has been coaching for nine years. . . . Oversaw the Patriots record-breaking 2007 offense. . . . Worked with Nick Saban while a Graduate Assistant at Michigan State.



Welcome to Denver Josh. Here's hoping you do better than the other Patriots assistants who have left cheating Bill.

 

[Eelectrica]

Interesting, but I thought the Broncos problems were defense more than offense.
Well I guess he can always bring in a good defensive co-ordinator.

But yeah, Belichicks co-ordinators haven't done so great. Also a guy so young, relatively speaking.

 

[cq]

I agree about the problems with the D.

http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/01/12/mike...or-denver-too/

Mike Nolan bound for Denver, too
By Adam Schefter

Now that the Broncos have agreed to hire Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as head coach, he has begun to piece together his staff.

McDaniels’ most significant hire will be his defensive coordinator. And Denver’s new defensive coordinator is expected to be former 49ers head coach Mike Nolan, a Broncos source confirmed Sunday night.

Nolan interviewed for the Packers’ job last week, but he will take the Broncos’ job, returning him to the city where he once coached under Dan Reeves and Wade Phillips.

 

[coach]

The Broncos like to have head coaches with an offensive background. Three of there last four head coaches, covering a period of 27 years have been offensive minded.

The exception was Wade Phillips who coached them for two seasons.

 

[coach]

This is what the Denver Post had to say about his signing

Broncos hire McDaniels as coach

Denver goes young with Patriots' offensive coordinator
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
Posted: 01/11/2009 08:05:16 PM MST
Updated: 01/12/2009 01:07:27 AM MST



"It's not about how old you are; it's about experience. ... Josh has been around football coaching all his life." - Kenny Peterson, Broncos defensive end who played high school football with new Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, above (Stephan Savoia, The AP)




Pat Bowlen must dread the process of hiring a head coach.

He kept Mike Shanahan around for 14 years, even though the last 10 had just one playoff win. For his next head coach, Bowlen hired someone half his own age, perhaps an indication that if all goes well, the Broncos' owner may have made the last big hire of his life.

Bowlen, 64, has chosen Josh McDaniels, a 32-year-old understudy of New England's Bill Belichick, to become the Broncos' new head coach.

Broncos chief operating officer Joe Ellis confirmed Sunday night the team had reached an agreement with McDaniels.
The Broncos are expected to hold a news conference today or Tuesday to announce the hiring of McDaniels, who was the coordinator of the prolific New England Patriots offense the past three years.


Bowlen picked McDaniels even though there's not a responsible bartender in Colorado who wouldn't first greet the Broncos coach by asking to see his ID.

McDaniels is three years younger than Broncos center Casey Wiegmann and five years younger than injured center Tom Nalen, who is expected to retire anyway.

"It's not about how old you are; it's about experience," said Kenny Peterson, the Broncos defensive end who was a freshman backup tight end at McKinley High School in Canton, Ohio, when McDaniels was the starting quarterback. "His dad was a great football coach. His grandfather was a great football coach. Josh has been around football coaching all his life.

"I was hoping Josh would get it because I want good things to happen to great people. And Josh is a great person. Obviously, Mr. B sees something in Josh that will lead this team to a world championship."
As the interview process played out, it appeared McDaniels was the favorite almost from the time Shanahan was fired nearly two weeks ago.

The Broncos' five-man search committee of Bowlen, Ellis and front-office executives Jim Goodman, Brian Xanders and Jeff Goodman interviewed six other candidates. Only McDaniels got a second interview, which he received Thursday night during a six-hour meeting with Ellis, who in recent years has become Bowlen's most trusted confidant.


Because Bowlen is obligated to pay Shanahan about $20 million over the next three years, money was a consideration while seeking a replacement.

First-year coaches with no previous head coaching experience typically receive a salary around $2 million. McDaniels is expected to receive a four- or five-year contract.
The Broncos' search committee also gave serious consideration to defensive coordinators Leslie Frazier of the Minnesota Vikings and Steve Spagnuolo of the New York Giants and Dallas offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. But Bowlen saw the most potential in McDaniels.

Bowlen's instincts aside, McDaniels was a surprising choice for several reasons. First, his youthful appearance. Not only is he 32, but at 5 feet 10 inches tall and 160 pounds, the clean-shaven McDaniels appears much younger.



"If he were going to get the job, I would say without exception the players would be surprised when he walks through the door," former Patriots tight end Kyle Brady said in a Denver Post interview last week. "Their first thought will be, 'Who is this kid?' Because even for a 32-year-old, he looks 25.
"But what wins you over is his knowledge, his expertise, his thoroughness, his preparation. These are all preached and practiced by the Patriots organization as a whole. But beyond all that, his ability to relate
McDaniels is expected to receive a four- or five-year contract. (AP file photo)


to players is exceptional."

Another reason to question the decision to hire McDaniels is it seemed the Broncos already had the same kind of coach in Jeremy Bates. Like McDaniels, Bates is 32. Like McDaniels, Bates called the offensive plays during the 2008 season.

Unlike McDaniels, Bates was publicly endorsed by Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler after Shanahan was fired. Bates and McDaniels have become acquainted in recent years during the NFL scouting combines in Indianapolis. Bates is one of six Broncos coaches held over from Shanahan's staff who will interview with McDaniels, but the new coach will have the final say on whom to retain.
"I know Jeremy," McDaniels said at last year's Super Bowl media day. "We have never really
New England head coach Bill Belichick, right, and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, center, talk with quarterback Matt Cassel during a timeout in the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 9. The Patriots defeated the Bills 20-10. (Elsa, Getty Images)


talked scheme or anything like that, but we have a cordial relationship. I think he's very bright."

Another reason McDaniels was a surprise: He comes from a Belichick-led Patriots team that has excelled with a 3-4 defense. The Broncos have built their personnel around a 4-3 system, but after the team's disastrous performances the past two seasons, this would be the time to make the conversion to the 3-4. Longtime defensive coordinator Dom Capers, who is currently with the Patriots, and former Broncos defensive coordinator Mike Nolan will receive strong consideration to become the Broncos' new defensive boss.

McDaniels' father, Thom, is an Ohio high school coaching legend. An undersized quarterback, McDaniels later converted to receiver at John Carroll University in Cleveland. McDan iels got his first coaching job on Nick Saban's staff at Michigan State in 1999, got out of coaching in 2000 but returned at an entry level on Belichick's staff in 2001.
By 2006, McDaniels became the Pats' offensive coordinator, and in 2007 his team set NFL records by scoring 75 touchdowns and 589 points. Although New England lost star quarterback Tom Brady in the first quarter of the first game this season, McDaniels helped guide career-long backup Matt Cassel to 11 wins.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_11430967

The Post ran a poll asking Broncos fans what they thought of the signing. Most votes, just under half were questioning it.

 

[Big Tim]

McDaniels is a great choice IMO.