Rob Chudzinski is, as of Thursday morning, the Offensive Coordinator for the Carolina Panthers. Panthers fans are hoping it stays that way through the off-season and into the 2012 campaign.
Thing about Chud is that he is a desirable coach to lead a team, as he has been an assistant in the NFL for 7 seasons, and the work he put in with the Panthers and their rookie QB Cam Newton is being viewed as magical. It might be, when the lack of off-season workouts and mini-camps gets entered into the discussion.
While Panthers fans are wringing their hands at the possibility of Chud leaving, keep this in mind. The Panthers would be hard pressed to pay to keep Chud away from a Head Coaching post. The money isn't there, and if that is the guy's dream, he'll chase it. Chud was interviewing in St. Louis on Thursday, and here's a bit of interesting info.
He's not the only candidate there. And by that I mean, there is someone else interviewing there TODAY. Chud was to interview in the morning, and Denver Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen in the afternoon.
Could mean the Rams are doing their due diligence in leaving no stone unturned. Could mean Chud is a front-runner for the job. Until someone talks, we won't know for sure. My questions: Why the Rams? Why is the Broncos DC interviewing the week of an NFL playoff game that his team will be playing in? And what is going on with Jeff Fisher?
First, why the Rams. The Rams would be attractive to Chud for a couple reasons. Sam Bradford, the #2 pick in the April draft, and lots of cap room. The Rams would be unattractive with that 2-14 record they posted in 2011. Chud reclaimed a stagnant offense in Carolina after a 2-14 campaign, so would he want to go through that again?
As for Allen interviewing on the Thursday of a AFC playoff matchup with New England, I am stunned. How John Fox signed off on this is beyond me. Maybe he had no choice because it would be a promotion for Allen if he gets it, but during a playoff week? Might have been a foregone conclusion, but give me the Pats big this week. Like 24 points big over Denver. Call it "distracted defense."
Jeff Fisher is throwing the whole thing out of balance because he's stringing along bot the Rams and Miami Dolphins, the two teams he's reportedly interested in. There are some stories out there saying he is heading to the Dolphins, others say he is truly torn between the two, and more still that had him in St. Louis all but locked up. Fans are the impatient ones when it comes to Fisher, as they just want to know how the other dominoes will fall. Fisher is the key to making them move when it comes to Chudzinski and others. In reality, there is no real rush.
For me, I would think Chud stays with Carolina. Even if Fisher goes to the Dolphins, the Rams job isn't all that its cracked up to be. Yes there are positives as identified above, but is that the place he wants to go? I admit, I don't know Chud as well as I would like to get a read on his personality, but if he is the kind of guy that likes to finish what he starts, Carolina is the place to be at least for one more season. Better Head Coaching posts will open next season, and a trip to the playoffs with Carolina would look good on his resume, especially since his body of work in Carolina is somewhat incomplete. If he was that good on a short time frame, what can this offense get done in normal circumstances?
Mike Solarte
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment