A former standout linebacker for the Broncos, Dennison joined the Broncos’ coaching staff in 1995 after spending the previous three years coaching at the high school level for Suffield Academy in Suffield, Conn. He served for two years in Denver as an offensive assistant (1995-96), providing quality control work and assistance of all types to the offensive coaching staff before being promoted to special teams coach on Feb. 12, 1997.

Going forward, Dennison will get a look for Head Coach of the Broncos, as rightly he should.  He shows great acumen at directing the offense, and in working with the fundamentals that shape an oline, but there is no history of detailed delegation that Bowlen will be looking for in his head coaching candidate.  With a defense that Achilles would have preferred his heel over, Dennison would have his work in an unfamiliar area cut out for him, even if it only amounted to choosing his defensive coordinator, a task we have no idea if he could handle.

One benefit of Dennison for Head Coach is that you can virtually guarantee that the offensive staff will remain mostly to completely intact, a great sign for an offense that is a few healthy RBs away from historic numbers.  But retaining him in any way, shape or form, as OC or Oline coach would also signal a high retention rate among the current staff, as in many ways their particular fields are all complementary to what Dennison coaches on the Oline.

For more discussion about Dennison, check out SWG's pro/con fanpost!

COACHING EXPERIENCE

14th NFL Season, 14th with Broncos

TEAM                                   Position                              Years

Broncos....OffensiveCoordinatorOffensiveLine....2007-2008

                         .........Offfensive Coordinator.....................2006

                         .......Offensive Line..........................2001-2005

                          ......Special Teams.........................1997-2000

                       ....Offensive Assistant........................1995-1996

Suffield Academy (Conn.)....Assistant Coach.......1992-1994

One really doesn't need to look any further than Broncobear's  great post on Turner, which can be found here.  But I will provide a quick recap here.

After playing all-conference defensive back at Indiana State, Turner got his coaching start at tiny Haworth High School in Kokomo, Ind., where he was an assistant coach with the football and basketball teams from 1972-74.   Turner coached the running backs at Fresno State University (1983-88) and at his alma mater, Indiana State University. He accepted a position coaching Indiana State’s running backs and quarterbacks in 1975 and also worked as the team’s strength and conditioning coordinator that season. Turner was Indiana State’s defensive backs coach as well as its strength and conditioning coordinator from 1976-77 before working as the team’s running backs coach and special teams coordinator from 1978-81. In his final year at Indiana State in 1982, he coached defensive backs and served as special teams coordinator.

Turner was the running backs coach at Ohio State University from 1989-90, a period when the Buckeyes went to two bowl games and had one of the best running games in the Big Ten Conference.  In his final collegiate coaching stop before moving to the NFL, Turner served as assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and running backs coach at Purdue University from 1991-94.

Turner coached his 14th year of Broncos football, having arrived in Denver in 1996, one year after Shanahan's arrival.  All told, Turner is no stranger to coaching, with 36 combined years of experience.

There can be little doubt that Turner is a coach worth keeping.  2008 showed his masterful ability  to coach up running backs, something that he has spent the majority of his career doing.

One thing to consider is that all of his pro experience has come coaching RBs in a one cut and go scheme predicated on zone blocking.  While there are a few other NFL teams who successfully run zone block, including the Gibbiak led Texans, Turner would no doubt wish to continue working in Colorado where his wife and three daughters have made a home, and where he has a young stable of running backs that includes some amazing young talent.

But if the coaching change indicates signs of moving away from zoneblock, Turner may have to weight the options of staying comfortable or risk moving to a team (such as the one Shanny will be coaching) where his particular set of skills will have a maximum yield.  Of course, we can't rule out the idea that he could adapt and overcome, to absorb any offensive philosophy for RBs, which, admittedly, isn't a position that is phenomenally different from scheme to scheme and player to player.

If Turner has what it takes to adapt his coaching strengths to accomodate whichever head coach or offensive coordinator who he might work for, than there can be little doubt that Turne is one of our "Most Wanted".

COACHING EXPERIENCE

14th NFL Season, 14th with Broncos.

TEAM                                 Position                             Years

Denver Broncos........................................RunningBacks......................1996-2008

Purdue University.........................Running Backs...................1991-1994

Ohio State University.....................Running Backs..................1989-1990

Fresno State University................Running Backs...................1983-1988

Indiana State University...............DBs/Special Teams......................1982

                                         .............RBs/Special Teams.............1978-1981

                .......DBs/RBs/QBs/Strength and Conditioning......1976-1977

                                             ....Strength and Conditioning..................1975

Haworth High School (Ind.)..............Assistant Coach............1972-1974

Bates began his coaching career with Tampa Bay as an offensive quality control coach from 2002-03.

Tampa Bay’s offense in 2003 was arguably the most productive in franchise history as Bates assisted a unit that set single-season records in total offense (340.8 ypg.) and passing offense (237.8 ypg.). In addition, the club ranked among the league’s top 10 in both categories in the same year for just the second time in Buccaneers annals.

In his first season in the NFL’s coaching ranks, Bates worked with a Buccaneers offense in 2002 that was pivotal in the franchise winning its first-ever World Championship with a victory over the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII. Tampa Bay’s offense was particularly dominant in the postseason, averaging 35.3 points and 334.0 yards per game in three playoff contests that year.

Bates worked with Gruden and John Shoop (TB QB coach) preparing Griese to play each game during 2004, and Griese ended up leading the league in completion percentage (69.3) as well as setting franchise records in that category as well as passer rating (97.5) and yards per pass (7.83).

Bates went on to the Jets as Quarterback coach in 2005 and, in a positional injury spree that seems to follow Bates, oversaw a QB position that went through 5 different passers due to injury.

When Bates joined the Broncos in 06, it was to work with Rick Dennison in preparing the oline for each game, but was quickly promoted to coaching the WRs and QBs (he played QB in college, starting at U. of Tenn., before attending Rice to play two sports, baseball and football.)  Marshall and Cutler flourished under his tutelage, and 2008 saw his latest promotion, to QBs coach and offensive playcaller, working closely with franchise QB Jay Cutler, during a year where the young QB set or came close to setting nearly every significant passer record for the franchise.

Despite a frustrating predeliction for what can best be described as a "spread" offense, there is no doubt that Jeremy Bates is one of the brightest rising stars among coaching circles.  He has seen increasing delegation and responsibilities every year he has been employed, while gaining valuable experience in a number of harsh conditions, including an offense riddled with injuries at QB in New York, and an offense riddled by injuries at RB here in Denver.  If those situations don't teach the value of balance, nothing will.

Moving forward, the sky is the limit in Denver, and the Head Coaching search may very well reflect that.  the next obvious move for the young coach, who tends to move faster than most teams can keep up with him, is to Offensive Coordinator, and all the delegation responsibilities that carries.  But at this time that would mean supplanting Rick Dennison, a coach who spent his entire NFL tenure working for Mike Shanahan.  If Dennison is lured away to continue his long run of offensive excellence with Shanny, Bates becomes the obvious OC choice, but is such a leap to extreme, even for a coach as accustomed to leaping as Bates?

Retaining Bates would be a major benefit to maintaining a buffer of comfort between Jay Cutler and the new head coach, which may be of utmost importance if the overall offensive scheme sees a tweak, or even a full blown overhaul.  Bates can be expected to be "Most Wanted" for not only the current era of change, but into the future of the Broncos as well.

COACHING EXPERIENCE

7th NFL Season, 3rd with Broncos

TEAM                       Position               Years

Broncos....QBs/OffensivePlayCalling...........2008

               .....Wide Receivers/Quarterbacks...2007

                 .....Offensive Assistant.....................2006

New York Jets.............Quarterbacks...............2005

Tampa Bay Buccaneers.........AssistantQuarterbacks.......2004

           .......Offensive Quality Control......2002-2003

One of the most popular players in team history, Watson was a wide receiver for the Broncos from 1979-87, finishing his sterling career with 353 receptions for 6,112 yards (17.3 avg.) with 36 touchdowns. He ranks fifth on the Broncos’ career list for receiving yards, seventh in receptions and eighth in touchdown receptions. A member of Denver’s Super Bowl XXI team in 1986 and Super Bowl XXII team in ‘87, Watson also was recognized as an outstanding special teams player during his pro career.

Watson came back to the team in a coaching capacity when he worked with the club in training camp as a coaching intern in 2000. He continued working with the team at all home games during that season in preparation for the full-time role as defensive assistant that he accepted in 2001.

In his first year as wide receivers coach in 2003, Watson helped the offense once again flourish and helped his corps of receivers make a smooth transition to a new starting quarterback, Jake Plummer. Smith, for the third consecutive season, led the team in receptions (74) while leading the club in receiving yards (845) for the seventh consecutive year.  Lelie (1,084 yds.) in 2004 joined with Smith to give Denver just its sixth pair of 1,000-yard receivers in the same season. He blossomed into one of the NFL’s top deep threats under Watson, leading the league in yards per reception average (20.1) for the best mark by a Bronco in 17 years. Additionally, all seven of his touchdown catches went for 30 or more yards, marking the NFL’s highest total for the year.

While it is hard to imagine Watson working anywhere but for the Broncos, he is certainly one of the player/coaches that Mike was referring to when he referred to his coaching "family."  With as close as Watson was to Mike, it would not be surprising if he prioritized working with Shanahan over working for Bowlen and the Broncos, and in order for his career to progress, he may find it necessary to leave Denver anyways.  There is no doubt that he knows the WR position and lent his experience and knowledge to fine-tuning a future Hall of Famer in Rod Smith, and in getting the best out of Lelie and Walker, the jury is out on his duties at higher levels of coaching.  Without a Shanny to assist, Watson may be one of the coaches let go in a coaching overhaul.

COACHING EXPERIENCE

8th NFL Season, 8th with Broncos

TEAM                   Position                 Years

Broncos...AssociateHeadCoach.....2007-2008

                     ...Wide Receivers..........2003-2006

                ...Defensive Assistant.......2001-2002

Fisch, who served as an assistant coach and defensive coordinator at P.K. Yonge High School in Gainesville, Fla., from 1997-98 as an undergraduate, began his professional coaching career in 1998 with the Arena Football League’s New Jersey Red Dogs. He coached the team’s wide receivers and handled quality control duties for both offense and defense while working under Head Coach John Hufnagel, who was a Broncos quarterback from 1973-75.

A graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in criminology, Fisch worked with his alma mater’s football program for two seasons as a graduate assistant from 1999-2000 while obtaining a master’s degree in sports management. He assisted Head Coach Steve Spurrier and the rest of the Gators’ coaching staff during those two seasons, helping the team advance to the Citrus (1999) and Sugar Bowls (2000) in addition to winning the Southeastern Conference championship in 2000.

Fisch spent his first three seasons (2001-03) in the NFL with Houston after Head Coach Dom Capers made him the Texans’ third hire in 2001. He worked on both sides of the ball that year, handling administrative duties to help the Texans prepare for their inaugural season.  During the Texans’ opening season in 2002, Fisch was a defensive quality control coach and assisted with the instruction of the club’s linebackers. Jay Foreman and Jamie Sharper excelled at the position with both players registering 137 tackles to tie for sixth in the NFL.  Following an aortic aneurysm, Fisch handled off-the-field duties for the Texans in 2003 with his responsibilities including opponent tape breakdown and game analysis.

In Fisch we see the reoccuring threads that show up whenever you analyze an NFL coaching staff, from his association with a one-time Denver QB, to his alma mater and coaching experience at Florida, where Shanahan still had connections from his own coaching stint there.

Fisch's trail to and through the NFL definitely leaves something to be desired, with him moving into his positions more through the pressure of a vaccuum, or vacancy at the position, then through his own merits forcing a spot open, like many of the other O-staff.  From entering the NFL on an expansion team staff, to joining the Broncos only after Watson and Bates had forced their way up the chain of command in the two years previous.  He has the vintage of "the best available" about him, and his future here is less than guaranteed.

In his corner, however, has been the tremendous WR play of Royal, Marshall and others in 2008.  Royal's rookie year set franchise records much like Mason's rookie year did in Baltimore under Fisch's watchful eye.

COACHING EXPERIENCE

8th NFL Season, 1st with Broncos

TEAM          Position       Years

DenverBroncos........................WideReceivers......2008

BaltimoreRavens...........AssistantQuarterbacks...2007

                                  ....Assistant QB/WRs...2005-2006

                                  ...Offensive Assistant..............2004

HoustonTexans...DefensiveQualityControl...2001-2003

U. of Florida.........Graduate Assistant............1999-2000

NewJerseyRedDogs(AFL)...WRs/QualityControl...1998

P.K Yonge HS(Fla.)........Ast.Coach/D.C......1997-1998

McPherson, 39, was hired by the Broncos on April 7, 1998, following a four-year coaching stint at his high school alma mater, Bellarmine College Prep, in San Jose, Calif. In addition to coordinating the defense and coaching the inside linebackers, his duties included teaching English, algebra and physical fitness at the school.  At Bellarmine, the football team compiled a record of 35-11, won three consecutive league titles and made one section championship appearance as well as two semifinal appearances. He also gained valuable coaching experience volunteering with the San Francisco 49ers in 1996, serving in a defensive quality control capacity for the club.

During his first year working with Denver’s offense in 1999, McPherson was involved in the production of a unit that featured a 3,000-yard passer (Brian Griese), two 1,000-yard receivers (Ed McCaffrey and Smith) and a 1,000-yard rusher (Olandis Gary). He earned a Super Bowl ring a year earlier with Denver as its defensive assistant, coaching a unit that was third in the NFL against the run (80.4 ypg.).

In 2002 as Denver’s offensive assistant, McPherson coached on an offense that ranked third in the NFL (380.6 ypg.) and featured the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in running back Clinton Portis (1,508 yds.). He worked as an assistant with a Denver offense in 2001 that set club records for total yards (6,554), passing yards (4,243) and first downs (383).

McPherson’s promotion to quarterbacks coach in 2003 coincided with Denver’s signing of Jake Plummer, who became one of the NFL’s elite players at his position during four seasons with the Broncos. Plummer’s 39-15 regular-season record (.722) from 2003-06 with McPherson as his position coach marked the fourth-best winning percentage among all NFL signal callers. The quarterback also compiled a +24 touchdown-to-interception ratio (71-47) under McPherson, a significant improvement
from the -24 ratio (90-114) he had in his first six seasons with the Cardinals.

McPherson has certainly come through the hard way, and his landing on Shanahan's staff was no doubt due to his volunteer work with the Niners.  Though Shanny was a year removed, contacts he still had in San Francisco would have pointed out the ambitious young man, and a littel research would have turned up what an all around good guy McPherson was.

The drawback to this is that McPherson is very much a part of Shanahan's NFL coaching circle, having worked only for him in his 11 paid pro years.  This could mean that a change of scenery to Mike's new destination could be likely, leaving one of our most pivotal units high and dry, the TEs.  With the position at the prime of a Golden Age, with Graham and Scheff both playing at high levels, it is important that solid coaching and development of the replacements be underway at this time.

While a new head coach may not have a profound impact on the work of Graham and Scheff now, it may be felt later down the line when their replacements are starting to play.  Watch carefully for flux in this department.

COACHING EXPERIENCE

12th NFL Season, 11th with Broncos

TEAM Position Years

Denver Broncos.............TightEnds..............2007-2008

                                 .......Quarterbacks..........2003-2006

                            .....Offensive Assistant......1999-2002

                                ....Defensive Assistant.............1998

BellarminePrep(Calif.).....DC/InsideLBs....1994-1997

SanFrancisco49ers...DefensiveQualityControl....1996

Baker began his NFL career in 1994 with the Jacksonville Jaguars as their manager of football operations, helping the club prepare for its 1995 expansion season. He worked as the Jaguars’ assistant special teams coach for the next four seasons (1995-98), a time period when Jacksonville fielded one of the league’s most consistent special teams. From 1995-98, the Jaguars ranked second in the NFL in net punting average (37.9 yds.), third in gross punting average (44.4 yds.), seventh in punt return average
(11.0 yds.) and eighth in opponent punt return average (8.2 yds.).

With Baker on its coaching staff, Jacksonville advanced to the AFC Championship in just its second season in 1996. The Jaguars posted 11 wins in each of the next two seasons with two of Baker’s pupils, kicker Mike Hollis and punter Bryan Barker, earning Pro Bowl honors in 1997.

At the University of Wisconsin in 1999, Baker was the Badgers’ outside linebackers/special teams coach for a team that captured the Big Ten Conference title and earned a victory in the Rose Bowl.  Wisconsin led the Big Ten in kickoff and punt coverage, kickoff return average and field goal percentage with Baker instructing its special teams.

In five years with the Saints from 2000-04, Baker coached in several different capacities as New Orleans ranked fifth in the NFL in takeaways (163) during his time with the club. He was New Orleans’ secondary coach from 2003-04, secondary assistant in 2002 and assistant defensive backfield/assistant special teams coach from 2000-01.

During the 2001 season as New Orleans’ defensive backfield/assistant special teams coach, Baker instructed Sammy Knight as he posted the third-highest interception total (6) among NFL safeties to earn a Pro Bowl selection.

Baker joined the Rams from Green Bay, where he spent the 2005 season as its secondary/safeties coach. He taught a secondary that helped the Packers rank first in the NFL against the pass, allowing 167.5 yards per game to mark the club’s lowest such total in 27 seasons.

With Baker handling defensive quality control and working with the linebackers in 2006, the Rams ranked seventh in the NFL in takeaways (32) and forced a league-high nine turnovers inside the red zone. Baker instructed Will Witherspoon, who posted a career and team-high 136 tackles to lead a linebacking unit that helped St. Louis rank eighth in the league against the pass (189.7 ypg.).

Baker was brought to Denver in 2007 by his former boss Jim Bates specifically to address the LB flux on the Broncos, in particular the move of fourth year player DJ Williams to MLB after he had played WLB and SLB previously.  In the aftermath of Bates' firing, Baker was retained, switching jobs former Bronco LB Jim Ryan, as an assistant on offense.

Without much detail to go on, I would assume that Baker would have zero interest in sticking with Shanahan after enduring what amounted to a demotion by him from his lifelong defensive coaching.  And it could be hoped that whomever moves in as a new coach will prefer to either find a place for Baker ont he defensive sideline, or possibly include him in the offensive staff housecleaning.  there is no doubt that DJ's transition to MLB was aided by Baker, and there is little indication of significant influence by Baker on offense, so he definitely appears at first glance to be out of place.

COACHING EXPERIENCE

13th NFL Season, 2nd with Broncos

TEAM Position Years

Denver Broncos..............OffensiveAssistant..........2008

                                                ....Linebackers.............2007

StLouisRams...Def.QualityControl/Linebackers....2006

Green Bay Packers.........Defensive Backs..............2005

New Orleans Saints.........Secondary.............2003-2004

                                      .....Secondary Assistant.......2002

                           ....Sec. Assist./ST Assist.......2000-2001

U. of Wisconsin...........Special Teams/LBs.............1999

Jacksonville Jaguars.........Assist. STs..........1995-1998

Samford Univ............................WRs/RBs..................1993

East Stroudsburg U.....DBs/Graduate Assistant...1991