From The FanPosts: The Staff: Where Have You Gone, Josh McD?: Part 1

Midway through writing what would have easily been the longest post in MHR history (be grateful - though this one may beat it) something shocking happened.  Josh McDaniels was fired.  Now excuse me if portions of this post seem as if they were written by a McDaniels apologist - that is not my intention.  Spending the last week or so piecing together McDaniels's coaching history with the Jeff Davidsons and Pepper Johnsons and Pete Mangurains of the world ...ugh...I almost felt like Pat Bowlen did a few weeks ago.  Just a piece or two away from mappng a path to winning.  The fruition to the promise that was Josh McDaniels almost complete...

We'll never know and there is no use in dwelling on it.  In less than two years of losing and, perhaps more importantly, bringing negative attention to the franchise McDaniels is gone.  I, for one, do not regret the exoduses of Cutler and Marshall.  I like the "team" aspect McDaniels tried to bring.  What I - and I'm sure Bowlen - didn't like was the bad press coupled with the free fall.  Bowlen tried to bottle some of the magic that has made New England a NFL power, it failed, and now it appears with names like Kubiak and Calhoun circling that Bowlen and Ellis are desperate to restore what the Broncos were a few years ago.  That's fine.  That's Bowlen's right.  And, hey, maybe a coach like Calhoun or Kubiak could work (especially if they leave the defense to somebody like Wade Phillips) but I'd hope - at some point in the next 6-8 weeks - that Bowlen remembers why he brought McDaniels in in the first place.  This was - and still is - a flawed organization.  We weren't garnering bad press (until Shanahan's final 4 games) because we were a vanilla franchise.  Two quick championships helmed by a Hall of Fame quarterback and should-be-Hall of Famer at running back carried us for a decade, but we only won one play-off game since then.  Nobody writes about perennially mediocre teams.  We haven't been a tough enough team to string together winning seasons and I don't necessarily think reaching back into the past is the answer.  If my roof is leaking and I go out and replace a few shingles and come back inside and it's still leaking - I don't go out to the garbage and replace the shingles with the ones I just took off.  Maybe the entire roof - the entire house - is broken.  I'm not trying to be overly critical - it's just that while McDaniels may not have been the answer (I tend to think that he could have), I'm not so sure going back to the Shanahan days is.

If you look at the NFL over the past 10 years there are only a handful of teams that are - pardon my French - consistently worth a damn.  You have the Patriots and Steelers whom have won half of the previous decade's Super Bowls and you have teams like the Eagles, Ravens, and Colts who, while not succeeding in the way New England and Pittsburgh has - have a consistent formula in putting a competitive team on the field year in and year out.  With few exceptions - those are best run franchise on - and this word is important - a consistent basis.  Four of those teams are tough, physical, cold-weather teams - the other has Peyton Manning.  All five have built infrastructures preaching a consistent message throughout their franchise.  They know what players that fit that message (in both the draft and in free agency), what coaches fit that message, and what personnel staff fit that message.  That may sound easy - but again, by a quick look through these are the only five teams I can think of that have done it consistently for the past decade.  Bowlen wasn't wrong for trying to dip into one of those franchises - he was wrong in thinking one young Head Coach from one of those teams was going to suffice.

No matter who we bring in as a Head Coach and who that coach's staff contains - we won't compete with the before-mentioned five teams year in and year out with our current infrastructure in place.  The mistake we made (and other teams such as the Browns, Jets, and Notre Dame) have made is hoping that Belichick's brilliance has rubbed off on his coaches.  In someways it has.  Weis, Crennel, Mangini, and McDaniels are all among the brightest minds in football in terms of X's and O's and there is time yet for Mangini and McDaniels.  But there's only one Belichick and his knowledge and understanding of putting the right people around him both in player and coaching personnel is what makes him great.  Belichick, brilliantly, moves young minds around.  Many of the people currently in New England's front office are men who have coached under Belichick an an assistant or position coach.  These people know - first hand - the players they're looking for.  I'm not saying it's the best way or that we should necessarily look at somebody from the Patriots organizaiton to run our team again - what I am saying is, at this point Scott Pioli & Thomas Dimitroff > Josh McDaniels & Eric Mangini. 

No matter what we do with the coach and the roster, we need to hire a General Manager first.  Josh McDaniels did the most to hurt the Broncos over the past 2 seasons, but Brian Xanders did the least to help them.   We have, around Pat Bowlen, two guys who are great with the financial aspect of running a football team.  Joe Ellis and Brian Xanders don't have much place running the personnel of a football team.  People will be clamoring for Elway to ascend to GM or some other personnel position.  This would be a mistake of epic proportions.  Elway has no experience evaluating talent for a professional football team.  He's a great player who obviously understands the game to a high level - however his experiences in football since retiring have also been on the business side of things - co-owning the Colorado Crush.  I think his strength would be bridging the GM and pro personnel/college scouting departments with Bowlen and Ellis.  I think it'd be worth it to the team to create such a position for him - perhaps even involving him in the GM selection process.

In the meantime - there is an immediate need to bring in somebody who is qualified to make the big decisions - such as new coaching/player direction - and start building a personnel staff that can compete with the elite teams in this league off the field so that our players and coaches can compete with them off of it.  Bowlen's last two Head Coaching hires have been two bright young coaches.  Perhaps, this go-around, he should start by hiring a bright young General Manager - which is the direction in which many of the competitive teams in the NFL today have gone.  If we don't have such a person in Dove Valley (all signs point to us not) we need to go out and get one.  Here are a few that makes sense to me.

via www.baltimoreravens.com

1) Name: Eric DeCosta   Age: 39   Current Team: Baltimore Ravens   Current Position: Director of Player Personnel

DeCosta is perhaps the hottest young GM candidate on the market having been seriously considered by the Seattle Seahawks last off-season before they surprised many by hiring John Schneider previously of the Green Bay Packers.  He's most certainly going to be a team's GM in the next year or two and I see no reason why he shouldn't get that opportunity in Denver.

After interning with the Washington Redskins in 1995, DeCosta joined the Ravens for their inaugural season in 1996 as an entry-level assistant.  In 1998 he was promoted to Area Scout for the Midwest and held the position for 5 years until he was promoted to Director of College Scouting in 2003.  In 2009 he ascended to Director of Player Personnel. 

I think there are two main reasons to hire DeCosta.  One, is the fact that he's now the fast-rising right-hand personnel man for Ozzie Newsome - regarded as one of the finest GM's in the NFL - and if you can steal some magic from what Newsome is  doing you go for it.  The other is, look at the Baltimore Ravens.  Who are their best players - the guys you think of when you think about the Ravens?  Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata, Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, Michael Oher....the list goes on and on.  This team is second to none in the NFL in building through the draft and as a scout and then Director of College Scouting for 6 years - DeCosta is somebody who has had his hand in the selection of the majority of those players - and many others who have served as solid starters for their team.  The Broncos have three picks in the first two rounds of the upcoming draft and everyday it seems as though those picks will be increasingly valuable regarding both the state of this team and the draft position we will end up with.  There may not be a more qualified personnel man available to make those picks than DeCosta.  Additionally, coming from a talent rich personnel staff - DeCosta may also want/be able to bring a young assistant or two to take larger roles in our front office which as been either ineffective, underutilized, but probably a bit of both. 

via www.projo.com

2) Name: Jason Licht   Age: 39   Current Team: New England Patriots   Current Position: Director of Pro Personnel

You could throw Director of Player Personnel, Nick Caserio (though he's a long-time friend of McDaniels),Director of College Scouting, Jon Robinson (who replaced Dimitroff after he left for Atlanta), or Senior Football Advisor Floyd Reese (who was also one of the finalists for the Seahawks job last off-season) onto this short list too, but my guess is that Bowlen and Ellis will look at his current employer and flee.  That would not be prudent move.

Indeed, Licht is currently in his second stint with the Patriots, but he's worked for a variety of franchises over the past 15 years.  Starting as a scout and then offensive assistant in Miami in 1995, he served as a scout in Carolina in 1998 before being hired as college scout in New England in 1999.  In 2001 he rose to National Scout and then Assistant Director of Player Personnel in 2002 - the same position he held with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2003-2005.  In 2006 he was promoted by the Ealges to Vice President of Player Personnel before being let go after the 2007 season.  Licht made the most of the change by serving as a personnel executive for the Arizona Cardinals in 2008 before returning to New England in his current position.

I (like some of you) saw that pre-2008 release from the Eagles as a red flag - but it hasn't done much to affect his position in the eyes of NFL teams.  He was indeed on the Seahwaks short-list last year (I should get this out of the way - all 3 of my picks were on the Seahawks shortlist last season - that isn't to say I have some weird affinity for the organizaiton, it's just that they conducted the broadest GM search last year which is a decent indicator of who holds standing around the league) and was snatched up quickly enough by Arizona before returning to New England.  What I see - and what I like most about Licht - is that he is the only candidate I can see that boasts experience of three different Conference Championship staffs with New England (2001), Philadelphia (2004), and Arizona (2008).  Often times, while watching things like Monday Night Football, we hear people like Gruden (no thanks) and Jaworski talking about how some coach or some player is "just a winner".  Difficult to quantify - but that person has just been a part of winning their entire career.  That's what Licht is.  Somebody who has been around winning at three different organizations and would, theorettically, be able to pull from his experiences on all three organizations to create a similar situation in Denver.  He, like DeCosta, could also pull an assistant or two from the Patriots (or Eagles or Cardinals for that matter) to bring with him and could additionally reunite with current Director of College Scouting, whose time as a scout in New England and Philadelphia overlaps Licht's) and perhaps get him to actualize his potential.

via assets.sbnation.com

3) Name: Ron Hughes   Age: 67  Current Team: Pittsburgh Steelers  Current Position: College Scouting Coordinator

As one might expect, the Steelers, like the Patriots, have a few people in their personnel department that could build a top-level football team from the ground up.  Also like the Patriots, the Steelers don't have an acting GM so it's a bit tricky deciphering how the power is aligned.  Obviously, in New England, you have Belichick running the show.  In Pittsburgh it's Director of Football Operations, Kevin Colbert.  Could be be pried away with a few extra dollars and the title of GM?  I wouldn't count on it.

Then there's the 33 year old hot-shot executive Omar Khan who is the team's Business and Football Administration Coordinator - but we have talent (or, at the very least, live bodies) in administration - I'd prefer a personnel man.  And there's also 38 year old Doug Whaley - currently the Assistant General Manager for the Buffalo Bills- who was the Steelers' Pro Scouting Coordinator between 1999-2009, in charge of analyzing opponent's game film and evaluating free agent talent.

Both of those young execs would be solid choices - and I'd be happy if the Broncos chose one of them - but rounding out my Top 3 will be Ron Hughes - a top consideration if Bowlen/Ellis decide to go for a more experienced personnel manager at GM.

After playing football in college, Hughes actually spent the first fourteen years of his life teaching high school biology and coaching football before taking a scouting position with the Detroit Lions in 1982.  He quickly ascended the scouting latter in Detroit, first to Director of Pro Personnel in 1984, then Director of Player Personnel in 1990, and finally to Vice President of Player Personnel in 1996.  At the time, the Lions did not employ a General Manager and so Hughes was actually the highest level personnel man in the organization.  Not to make direct comparisons - because one man does not make an organization - but in Hughes's 18 years with the Detroit Lions the Lions made the playoffs 8 times - including twice (1997,1999) in Hughes's 5 years as Vice President of Player Personnel.  Not spectacular - but very solid for a team known for their futility.  After the 2000 season the Detroit Lions fired Hughes in favor of a television commentator without a day's worth of front office experience.  Thus began the "Matt Millen Era".  True story.

The Lions' loss wound up being the Steelers' gain.  His former player at North Catholic High School, Kevin Colbert, just so happened to have risen to the position of Director of Football Operations the year prior and hired Hughes as a draft consultant in 2001 and then as College Scouting Coordinator in 2003.  Currently in his 10th season with the team, Hughes, like DeCosta, has played a key role in drafting the majority of the Steelers' standout players - guys like Troy Polamalu, Casey Hampton, LaMarr Woodley, Ben Roethlisberger, Rashard Mendenhall, Heath Miller, Mike Wallace, Lawrence Timmons, Ike Taylor, and the list goes on and on.  The one negative I see in Hughes, in comparison to someone like DeCosta or Licht, is that he isn't a long-term answer.  He isn't somebody who can be in the building for the next 15-20 years.  But he could be for five and with his experience he could establish a young personnel team under him that could sustain the team after he eventually retires.  While I'd prefer my first two choices, obviously, I'd still be very excited if Hughes was our man.

TWO EARLY HEAD COACHING CANDIDATES BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES OF MY BRAIN

The Left Side:

via static.businessinsider.com

Name: Russ Grimm  Age: 51  Current Team: Arizona Cardinals  Current Position: Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line

He isn't a "vogue" candidate and may very well be somebody our current administration won't even interview.  But if we were to hire Hughes (who worked on the same team with him from 2001-2006) or Licht (who worked on the same team as him in 2008) he may get his shot - and we'd be smart to hire him.

For a franchise like ours - with the owner saying that we need to restore our image - what more could you ask for than a 4-time First-team All-Pro who has 4 Super Bowl rings on his fingers and was just elected to the NFL Hall of Fame as a player this past summer? 

That's what you get with Grimm and the funny thing is that, if were to hire him as an Offensive Coordinator I'd be pissed.  Hire him as a Head Coach and I'd love it.  The man eats, sleeps, and drinks football.  He knows it.  As I mentioned before - it sounds easy - quantifying which players can play, which coaches can coach.  It isn't.  Not many people get it right often enough to succeed consistently.  As I used to describe Licht, Grimm is a winner.  Grimm may not impress in interviews, he may not be flashy, but the man is known for his toughness and the level of excellence he's been a part of for nearly 30 years.

Drafted by the Washington Redskins out of the University of Pittsburgh in 1981, Grimm quickly became an All-Pro guard and one of the members of the famed "Hogs" offensive line.  The Redskins won the Super Bowl in his rookie season, again in 1988 (a trouncing of our Denver Broncos), and yet again in 1992.  He retired after the 1991-1992 season and immediately joined Joe Gibbs's (the only Head Coach he ever played for) staff as Tight Ends Coach.  Gibbs retired after the season but Grimm maintained his job under Rich Petibon in 1993 and then when Norv Turner came in in 1994.  Turner promoted him to Offensive Line Coach in 1997 - where he remained until Turner was fired after the 2000 season - at which point he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers to the same capacity.

Following the 2003 season, Grimm was interviewed by the Chicago Bears for their Head Coaching vacancy.  He eventually lost out to Lovie Smith, but was promoted to Assistant Head Coach under Bill Cowher.  When Cowher retired after the 2006 season, Grimm was neck and neck with Mike Tomlin in consideration for the position.  Several conspiracy theorists (God love them) actually believe that Grimm was offered the position before it being taken back and given to Tomlin for reasons predomintely surrounding the Rooney Rule.  Grimm then followed Steelers' Offensive Coordiantor, Ken Whisenhunt.

The Cardinals were 16-32 in the 3 years prior to Whisenhunt/Grimm's arrival and had only went the playoffs twice (1982, 1998(behind Jake the Snake)) since 1975.  After an off-season filled with low-profile free agent signings such as Mike Gandy, Terrelle Smith, and Roderick Hood, they finished 8-8 in their first year.  In 2008, the Cardinals won their first division title since 1975.  With an improbable run against the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Philadelphia Eagles - the Cardinals participated in their first Super Bowl - coming within a late drive of winning it all.  In 2009, the Cardinals won their second consecutive division title before the losses of Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin, Karlos Dansby, and Antrel Rolle played a part in what has been a disappointing 2010 campaign.

Grimm may have been passed over by more exciting, up and coming candidates in recent years - but a man of his football acumen is bound to get an opportunity.  It has been reported that he is already the leading choice for the projected head coaching vacancy in the Carolina Panthers organization.  I think, for a team like ours, that has lacked toughness and discipline for many years - competing for this former Hog would be a step in the right direction

POTENTIAL COORDINATORS

Note: In the Part 2 of "The Staff: Where We Are, Where We're Going" one thing I wanted to explore was assistant coaches.  I believe that the biggest mistake the Broncos made with Josh McDaniels was not installing a quality personnel man to look over his shoulder.  The second biggest mistake was not surrounding him with assistants that he was familiar with.  Of the 10 head coaching hires over the past two years - McDaniels was the only Head Coach without a Offensive Coordinator, Defensive Coordinator, or Assistant Head Coach he had not worked with previously.  Here are some names that have coached with Grimm in the past and who have the qualifications to follow Grimm to Denver as a coordinator.

OFFENSE:

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1) Name: Mike Miller   Age: 40   Current Team: Arizona Cardinals   Current Position: Passing Game Coordinator

A fellow former Steelers' assistant - Miller, interestingly enough, started his NFL career as a public relations intern with the team in 1994 before spending time as a graduate assistant/Running Backs Coach for Robert Morris University from 1997-1998 while he was working toward his Master's Degree.  He has yet to formally use the degree though, being hired by the Steelers as an offensive assistant shortly after his time at Robert Morris and assisting the team to that capacity from 1999-2003.

After the 2003 season, Miller followed Offensive Coordinator Mike Mularkey to Buffalo, serving under Offensive Coordinator Tom Clements as the team's Tight Ends Coach during Mularkey's two-year tenure with the team.  As a relatively inexperienced assistant, Miller had a more difficult time than Mularkey and Clements finding a NFL coaching position after leaving Buffalo.  He the spring of 2006 as the Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers Coach for the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe and the autumn returning to Robert Morris as Defensive Line Coach.  In 2007, Ken Whisenhunt (who was the Steelers' Tight Ends Coach during Miller's time with the team) hired his as Wide Receivers Coach for the Arizona Cardinals - inheriting talents like Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin and establishing others such as Steve Breaston and Early Doucet.  In 2008, splitting time as Kurt Warner's primary target, both Fitzgerald and Boldin earned Pro Bowl nods and the Cardinals became only the fifth team in NFL history to boast three 1,000 yard receivers (Fitzgerald, Boldin, and Breaston). 

After Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley left the team after the 2008 season, Whisenhut decided not to formerly hire an Offensive Coordinator - instead dividing the position between Miller (Passing Game Coordinator) and Grimm (Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach/Running Game Coordinator).  The team returned to the play-offs in 2009 behind another sterling season by Warner and Fitzgerald.  This season, the offense has struggled with the losses of Warner and Boldin and one of the shakiest quarterback situations in the league.  However, pairing his mind with Grimm's, our offense has the potential to continue its current path (Haley was previously a Cowboys' assistant under Parcells who brought his brand of the Erhardt-Perkins Offense with him to Arizona and now Kansas City).  Between spending two years under Haley and coordinating his owner receiver-dependent attack over the past two seasons - Miller's offense would be a change in Denver, but a more manageable one.

via cache1.asset-cache.net

2) Name: Tom Clements   Age: 57   Current Team: Green Bay Packers   Current Position: Quarterbacks Coach

Elvis Grbac, Kordell Stewart, and Tommy Maddox - what do they all have in common?  To a Bronco fan, they may seem like two of the quarterbacks the Broncos roughed up on the way to Super Bowl XXXII and the guy who was supposed to challenge Elway.  In actually they are unheralded quarterbacks who, respectively, participated in the 2000, 2001, and 2002 Pro Bowls -their loan trips to the game - under the coaching of Clements.

A three-year starter at quarterback for Notre Dame from 1972-1974 (including a National Championship in 1973), Clements was a 7-time All-Star during his 12 years in the CFL (he spent 1980 with the Kansas City Chiefs).  During that time he was voted Rookie of the Year in his first season with the Ottawa Rough Riders, led the Rough Riders to a Grey Cup Championship in 1976, led the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to a Grey Cup Championship in 1983, and was named CFL MVP in his final year in the league in 1987.  He's been selected as one of the Top 50 players in CFL History and is in the CFL Hall of Fame.

In 1992, Clements returned to Notre Dame and served as Quarterbacks Coach under Head Coach Lou Holtz from 1992-1994.  In 1995 he was Holtz's Assistant Head Coach/Wide Receivers Coach.  He began hopping around various NFL coaching staffs after that - serving as Quarterbacks Coach for the New Orleans Saints under Mike Ditka from 1997-1999 and Kansas City (2000) before settling in Pittsburgh in 2001 - the same year Grimm came to Pittsburgh.  In Clements's three seasons in Pittsburgh, Clements helped balance the Steelers' offense - allowing them to depend less on the running game with quality play from Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox.  When Offensive Coordinator Mike Mularkey left the Steelers to become Head Coach for the Buffalo Bills, he brought Clements with him as his Offensive Coordinator.  The 2004 season was the only season last decade that the Bills finished with a Top 10 scoring offense and a winning record - coming one game shy of a playoff birth.  The following season, quarterback Drew Bledsoe left for Dallas and Mularkey/Clements had to try to make do J.P. Losman and Kelly Holcomb.  The team finished 5-11 and Mularkey resigned with the hiring of a new GM.

In 2006, new Packers Head Coach, Mike McCarthy hired Clements as his Quarterbacks Coach - inheriting a second year player in Aaron Rodgers and a Brett Favre who was coming off the worst statistical season of his career (70.9 rating).  In his first season with Favre, Clements helped him make slight improvements (72.7).  In his second, he helped Favre to his best season since the Packer's 1996-1997 Super Bowl team (95.7) and the team came within a game of a Super Bow birth.  When Favre left the team in 2008, Clements had Rodgers ready to go.  Rodgers has thrown for 4,000 yards in each of his first two seasons as a starter and is well on his way to make in three in a row.  A long-time quarterback-guru, Clements deserves a fairer shake as an Offensive Coordinator and with what he's meant to the Steeler and Packer organizations, I'd be happy for him to accompany Grimm to Denver.

via www.fantasycollegeblitz.com

Wild card) Name: Mark Whipple   Age: 53   Current Team: None   Formere Position: Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach - University of Miami

I'll admit that this first "Wild Card Coordinator Candidate" is a throw away.  I, with all due respect to Whipple, would not want to have a man just fired as a college Offensive Coordinator hold the same position on our team.  Whipple comes into the discussion here for me under what we'll lovingly call the "Tebow Factor". 

I'll admit that I was wrong about Tebow - at least half wrong.  I didn't think there was any chance a team would spend a pick on him before the latter half of the second round.  Sure enough, a team took him in the latter half of the first - and not just any team - our team.  Now it remains to be seen if he was worth that pick, but it's going to be our next coach's job to find out.  No, I don't think Tebow will be a factor in Bowlen's coaching search, but he'll be the elephant in the room during the interviews, first press conference, and off-season practices.  As Matt Bowen astutely suggested, Tebow won't be forced on the next Head Coach - but it would be in their best interst to hire a bright, young, Quarterbacks Coach to give Tebow the opportunity to become the starter and not waste the pick he was selected with.  Whipple isn't young, but some of his prior experience could prove valuable for the Broncos as a Quarterbacks Coach -with Tebow in particular in mind.

A former quarterback himself at Brown Univeresity, Whipple has spent the majority of his career as a collegiate coach - starting as an assistant at St. Lawrence (1980), Offensive Coordinator at Union College (1981-1982), and Wide Receivers Coach at Brown (1983).  He took a year off from college football to take a job as quality control coach for the Arizona Wranglers in the USFL in 1984.  Afterwards he took an Offensive Coordinator job at New Hampshire before getting his first head coaching job at New Haven in 1988 - compiling a 48-17 record in 6 seasons before returning as Head Coach of his alma mater in 1994.  In 1998 Whipple moved from Brown to UMass and in his first season on the job, the Minutemen won a National Title and Whipple was voted Coach of the Year.  Whipple compiled a 49-26 record in 6 seasons at UMass - earning Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in 2003 - his final year with the team.

In 2004, Whipple replaced Clements as the Steelers' Quarterbacks Coach - Ben Roethlisberger's first with the team.  Prior to his rookie season, Roethlisberger was seen as a raw prospect who had seldom faced top-level competition in college.  He was to sit behind Tommy Maddox for the season, but that plan fell throug when Maddox went down during the 3rd game of the season - thrusting Roethlisberger into the spot light.  Whipple managed Roethlisberger - having him focus on protecting possession and utilizing his athleticism (Roethlisberger averaged 4 rushes per game as a rookie - not an astounding amount - but by far the most in his career).  In his first two seasons under Whipple, Roethlisberger played in 26 games, starting in 25- and completed 65.0% of his passes with a 34/20 TD/INT ratio, the two highest yards per attempt averages of his career (8.9, 8.9), and a cumulative 98.3 QB Rating.  More importantly, the Steelers were 22-3 in those games and an additional 5-1 in the playoffs, including a 21-10 victory of the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.  Roethlisberger (and the Steelers as a whole) fell from grace in 2006 and Whipple was replaced with Ken Anderson under new Head Coach Mike Tomlin.

Whipple spent 2007 away from football before spending time under Andy Reid as an assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2008.  In 2009, Whipple was hired as Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach at the University of Miami.  The 2009 Hurricane Offense was its best statistically since 2002 - the last year of Ken Dorsey/Willis McGahee/Andre Johnson.  Tutoring a tall, wirey Jacory Harris - he led sophomore to the second most completions in Hurricane history and a 2.1 yard improvement in yards per attempt by installing a downfield attack.  While, again, I'd hope for Grimm to bring Clements or Miller as the team's Offensive Coordinator - Whipple has the experience working with young quarterbacks that may be key to seeing what we have in Tebow - and Orton and Quinn for that matter.

DEFENSE:

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1) Name: Ray Horton   Age: 50   Current Team: Pittsburgh Steelers   Current Position: Defensive Backs Coach

If Russ Grimm were to come to Denver, one would assume he'd at least inquire about bringing Dick LeBeau's style of defense with him.  The problem is that, like their front office, the Steelers run their defensive staff a little differently - making it unclear which, if any, of LeBeau's assistants would stay.  Defensive Line Coach, John Mitchell, is currently the team's Assistant Head Coach and Linebackers Coach, Keith Butler, is believed to be to be heir apparent once LeBeau retires.

That leaves us, on the current Steelers staff, with Horton - who probably has the most experience of any of LeBeau's assistants running this defense. That's because, after receiving All Pac 10 honors as a cornerback of the University of Washington in 1982, the Cincinnati Bengals drafted him in the 2nd round of the 1983 draft - LeBeau's last as the team's Defensive Backs Coach - the following year he would be promoted to Defensive Coordinator.  Horton spent the first six years of his career playing for LeBeau as he tinkered with the defense we know so well today.  In 1989, Horton signed with the Dallas Cowboys and played with the team until he retired in 1992 - picking up a Super Bowl XXVII Championship Ring along the way.

In 1994, he began his coaching career as Assistant Defensive Backs Coach for the Washington Redskins (during Grimm's tenure with the team) under Defensive Coordinator Ron Lynn (who will cameo with us later) a position he held until LeBeau, back with the Bengals after 5 years as an assistant in Pittsburgh, hired Horton to be the team's Defensive Backs Coach.  Horton left in 2002 to become Defensive Backs Coach for the Detroit Lions only to reunite with LeBeau for a third time in 2004 - LeBeau's first year back with the Steelers.  Horton's been with the team ever since - first as Assistant Defensive Backs Coach behind Darren Perry, and then promoted to Defensive Backs Coach during Mike Tomlin's first year with the team.  As perhaps the most obtainable of the Steelers' defensive assistants, I think Horton's experience with Grimm (1994-1996 with the Redskins 2004-2006 with the Steelers) and familiarity with one of the most successful defensive systems in league history makes him a top candidate for Defensive Coordinator should Grimm be hired as Head Coach.

via cache1.asset-cache.net

2) Name: Darren Perry   Age: 41   Current Team: Green Bay Packers   Current Position: Secondary Coach - Safeties

Our second potential swoop of a Packers' assistant is Perry - who in a lot of ways is a younger Horton - with their careers overlapping at several stops.

Perry played the majority of his career with the Steelers - being drafted by them in the 8th Round out of Penn State.  Perry was the team's starting free safety during the majority of his 7 seasons there under Defensive Coordinators Dom Capers and Dick LeBeau- including a start in Super Bowl XXX.  He spent 1999 with the San Diego Chargers and 2000 with the New Orleans Saints (where current Packers' Head Coach, Mike McCarthy was Offensive Coordinator) before retiring due to nagging neck injury he suffered during his season with the Chargers.

When Horton left the Bengals prior to the 2002 season, Head Coach Dick LeBeau decided to divide the defensive back coaching between cornerbacks and safeties - Perry was hired to coach the safeties - giving him his first NFL coaching job.

After LeBeau was fired in 2002 - Perry moved on to Pittsburgh and was the team's Assistant Defensive Backs Coach in 2003 and Defensive Backs Coach from 2004-2006.  Perry, whose specialty is - obviously - the safety position - is credited with the development of Troy Polamalu.  Though he helped the team during their Super Bowl XL title run, Perry was replaced by Horton as Defensive Backs Coach after Mike Tomlin was hired as Head Coach.

From 2007-2008, Perry was Defensive Backs Coach for the Oakland Raiders under Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan.  After Ryan left for Cleveland and his Capers took over as Defensive Coordinator of the Packers - Perry moved on to Green Bay where he is today.  Though relatively young and not quite as experienced as other candidates - like Horton - the respect Perry has garnered from two of better defensive minds in today's game - LeBeau and Capers - and his track record with the safety position - a position we are currently very young at - makes him an interesting choice.

via www.seahawks.com

Wild card) Name: Tim Lewis   Age: 48   Current Team: Atlanta Falcons   Current Position: Defensive Backs Coach

There's a few additional candidates Grimm could consider here.  When former Steelers assistants, Mike Mularkey and Ken Whisenhunt, took over the Bills and Cardinals respectively - they kept the teams Defensive Coordinator in place - that may not be the best idea in this particular scenario.  Then there's trying to a current Cardinals assistant such as Defensive Coordinator Billy Davis or Defensive Line Coach Ron Aiken.  Again - not a great idea considering the Cardinals have one of the NFL's worst defenses (nobody told Neckbeard this).  Finally there's Clancy Pendergast, the current University of California Defensive Coordinator who was the Defensive Coordinator for the Cardinals from 2004-2008 and followed Todd Haley to the Chiefs last year.  No thank you.  There's also Mike Nolan - the Redskins Defensive Coordinator while Grimm was in Washington...do you think he'd come back?

Instead, I'll throw Tim Lewis into the mix - completing my Defensive Backs Coach-heavy candidate list.  From the outset - Lewis is far and away the most qualified candidate.  A 1st round pick out of the University of Pittsburgh in 1983, Lewis played cornerback for the Green Bay Packers for four years before a severe neck injury cut his career short.  He immediately jumped to the collegiate coaching ranks as a Graduate Assistant at Texas A&M (1987-1988), Defensive Backs Coach with SMU (1989-1992), and then finally as a Defensive Backs Coach for his alm-mater (1993-1994). In 1995, he moved across town to the Steelers and served as Defensive Backs Coach for new Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau and then Jim Haslett- a position he held until after the 1999 season when LeBeau left for Cincinnati - at which point Lewis was promoted to Defensive Coordinator.  In Lewis's four years as the Steelers' Defensive Coordinator (2000-2003) the Steelers defense never ranked lower than 9th in the NFL and finished 1st in 2001.  However, as the defense began to decline (7th in 2002, 9th in 2003) Cowher replaced Lewis with LeBeau.  Lewis took another Defensive Coordinator position with Tom Coughlin and the New York Giants.

Lewis's time in New York was uneven and - for the most part - unsuccessful.  Inheriting a defense that finished 18th against the run and 25th against the pass the year prior - Lewis improved the pass defense to 8th in the league in 2004 - only to watch the rush defense fall to 25th.  In his last two years with the team - the rush defense improved (12the, 14th) as the pass defense declined (24th, 28th).  Inconsistent performance and a difficulty running the 4-3 led to Lewis's termination after the 2006 season.

Since then Lewis has bounced around as a Defensive Backs Coach for the Carolina Panthers (2007-2008), Seattle Seahawks (2009) and now the Atlanta Falcons.  Lewis is obviously very experienced but his poor showing with the Giants and the rumor that he's difficult to work with (a claim somewhat backed by his bouncing around for the past 4 years and a few quotes from James Harrison - though he isn't exactly a bucket of mental health) make me question it.  A big gamble - but one that could yield big awards should he return to his Steelers form.

The Right Side:

via www2.pictures.zimbio.com

Name: Jim Harbaugh   Age: 46   Current Team: Stanford Cardinal   Current Position: Head Coach

Last Monday, while sititng in front of my TV - news breaking out on ESPN that Josh McDaniels was fired - I like many of you - was sick to my stomach.  If there's one thing I liked about the McDaniels-era was the departure it was from the days of the soft Shanahan teams.  Right or wrong in execution - McDaniels was determined to make our team tough, smart, and - most importantly - team oriented.  I'm sorry - I just didn't (don't) see a ghost from the past like Kubiak bring that.  Looking at the fast rise of the Stanford program - the tough, smart, physicall nature of their team - Harbaugh was the guy who first jumped to mind as a replacement.  "It has to be him."  I thought.  It was in my gut.

I've since backed off that stance, obviously with Russ Grimm and a few others I'll write about in the coming weeks.  Still, I think if you're looking for a coach to bring a sense of urgency on the field and honor off of it - Harbaugh has to top your early list of candidates.

A blue-chip recruit out of Palo Alto High, Harbaugh was a three year starter at the University of Michigan under legendary coach Bo Schembechler - Harbaugh was 21-3-1 as the Wolverines' starting quarterback including a Fiesta Bowl win over Nebraska after his junior season - helping Michigan end the season at #2 - their highest ranking in the Schembechler-Era.  During his senior season, Harbaugh led the Wolverines to a Co-Big 10 Championship (their second consecutive year with at least a share of the title) and an appearance in the Rose Bowl.  Despite a loss to Arizona State, Harbaugh won Big 10 Player of the Year Honors and finished 3rd in the Heisman voting.

Drafted 26th overall by the Bears in the 1987 draft, Harbaugh spent 15 seasons as a scrappy, rangy quarterback mostly for the Bears and Colts.  Finally becoming the Bears' starter in 1990, Harbaugh led the Bears to consecutive play-off births in 1990 and 1991before the team tailed off in 1992 and 1993.

After the 1993 season, Harbaugh went to the Colts under Head Coach Ted Marchibroda and enjoyed some of his finest season as a pro.  In 1995, Harbaugh started 12 of the Colts 16 games, led the NFL in Yards/Attempt and QB Rating, and led the underdog Colts to within a game of the Super Bowl - defeating the top-seated Kansas City Chiefs in the process.  Harbaugh would lead the Colts to the play-offs again the following year.  After a disappointing 1997 campaign, the Colts hired Jim Mora as Head Coach and Harbaugh was cut in favor of Peyton Manning.  Harbaugh was a fan favorite in his 4 seasons with the Colts - being put in the Colts Ring of Honor in 2005.  His tendency of coming up with late game heroics - particularly during the Colts 1995-1996 play-off run led to his nickname being "Captain Comeback" - not exactly "Comeback Kid" but close enough.

Harbaugh would start for two more years in the NFL.  In 1998, reuniting with Marchibroda in Baltimore and then, after Billick replaced Marchibroda in 1999 - starting for San Diego ahead of the struggling Ryan Leaf.  Harbaugh shared time with Leaf with the Chargers in 2000 before signing with Detroit in 2001.  The Lions cut him prior to the start of the season and he ended his career as a back-up for the Panthers.

Harbaugh got his first NFL coaching job the following year in Oakland as an assistant under new Head Coach Bill Callahan - but it was an opportunity he had been working toward for 8 years.  Since joining the Colts in 1994, Harbaugh spent portions of his springs as an offensive consultant and scout for his father, Jack, at Western Kentucky University.  In 2002, when the Hilltoppers won the Division I-AA National Championship - 17 of the teams' players were recruited by Harbaugh.

In 2002, Harbaugh's first season with the Raiders, they won the AFC Championship.  The following season, Callahan promoted Harbaugh to Quarterbacks Coach.  After Rich Gannon went down midseason - the team was forced to turn to Rick Mirer and Marques Tuiasosopo.  They finished 4-12 and Callahan was fired at the end of the season.

Harbaugh, however, received his first head coaching job in the mix - at the University of San Diego.  Harbaugh was 29-6 as Head Coach for the Toreros, including consecutive 11-1 finishes in 2005 and 2006 - earning his team back to back Pioneer League and Division 1-AA Mid Major Championships.  He also served as a mentor and coach for current Buccaneer Josh Johnson - who has successful made the jump from sub-division college football to the NFL.

In 2007, Harbaugh took over a 1-11 team at Stanford and instituted the mindset that "We bow down to no program at Stanford University."  Despite a 4-8 record in his first season, he stayed true to his M.O - playing predominantly Walt Harris's players, Harbaugh led his team to victories over #2 USC and rival Cal.  His team improved by a game in 2008 to 5-7 and then to 8-5 in 2009 behind new quarterback Andrew Luck and Heisman finalist Toby Gerhardt with wins over #24 Washington, #7 Oregon, and #11 USC.  The team finished #19 in the AP Poll and #21 in the Coaches'.

With his offense rising in his image, defense had been Stanford's Achilles Heel during his first 3 seasons with the program.  Harbaugh made a change at Defensive Coordinator this season and it helped Stanford blow past the competition - losing only to Pac 10 Chamipion Oregon.  Stanford is currently ranked #5 in both polls and are headed to their first BCS bowl in 10 seasons.  Harbaugh in his 4 short years back home in Palo Alto has created not only one of the most talented teams in the country, but one of the most physical and disciplined as well.  Here is how Stanford finished the regular season in the Pac 10 rankings:

. 2nd in Scoring Offense and Total Offense

. 1st in Scoring Defense and 2nd in Total Defense

. 1st in Turnover Margin

.1st in 3rd Down Conversions

. Fewest Sacks Allowed and Penalties Against

. 2nd in Red Zone Offense - including most touchdowns

.3rd in Red Zone Defense

There are stigma's against college head coaches coming into the NFL.  Most of these stem from

1. Certain systems that work in the college game do not work in the NFL.

2. It is difficult for a college coach to assemble a NFL coaching staff.

These issues do not apply with Harbaugh.

1. Stanford has run a pro-style offense during Harbaugh's tenure - dependent on a down-hill power running game.  In his 4 seasons at Stanford Harbaugh's teams have run the ball 57.1% of the time (Yes, I counted sacks as passing plays) with 2007 being the only season the team passed more than it ran.  Even with blue-chip quarterback Andrew Luck at the helm, Stanford ran the ball 62.4% of the time in 2009 and 58.0% of the time this season.  No spread-sets,  nothing fancy - just big guys up front, big guys carrying it, and a passing game that, raking in a whopping 8.7 yards per attempt, stretches the defense.

Defensively, the Cardinal is one of the few college teams to run a true 3-4 (both of Stanford's 2009 defensive ends played outside linebacker this season).  While the 3-4 was their base defense this season - Stanford also mixed in a 4-3 front against certain opponents and even a 4-2-5 against spread-offenses - showing NFL preparation and adaptability.

2. No disrespect intended, but several of Stanford's coaches have more NFL experience than Broncos coaches.  Since taking over in 2007, Harbaugh has poached coaches from the NFL ranks - specifically from the Oakland Raiders teams of the Gruden/Callahan eras and the Baltimore Ravens - both during his brother, John's, time there as well as Brian Billick's.  Five of Stanford's nine coordinators/position coaches were in the NFL immediately prior to joining Harbaugh's staff.

Will he come to Denver?  It's a very tough call.  It would be difficult for his stock to climb any higher after this season - especially if Andrew Luck leaves for the NFL as expected.  His alma-mater, Michigan will most certainly be calling.  It is a well-known fact that Harbaugh's goal is to come to the NFL - having interviewed for the Jets' job in 2009.  Aside from the Broncos, the 49ers will likely be calling - affording him the opportunity to stay home.  The Panthers will also have a vacancy and, though it is believed that they will favor a NFL coach, pairing Harbaugh and Luck would certainly be tempting.

But if we do get a chance at Harbaugh - I think it'd be a huge addition to our team.  Part of the reason why Bowlen is looking at coaches like Kubiak and Calhoun is a return to familiarity - an unwillingness to adopt another team's way.  Harbaugh has no way.  He isn't from a particular team's school of though.  He preaches disciplined, hard-nosed football (something we were inconsistent with under McDaniels and didn't practice under Shanahan).  I look at Harbaugh and see the possibility of returning to Broncos' old in a new way.  As you can see from both these choices - I think going back is pounding the football.  In Shanahan's first 12 seasons in Denver, the Broncos ran the ball 47.8% of the time and over 50% four times (1998, 2003, 2005, 2006).  In Shanahan's last two seasons that number dipped to 40.9% and 39.8% and McDaniels inconsistency running the football is well documented but a problem that wasn't entirely making.  It started with an overvaluation of Jay Ctuler and proceeded with McDaniels attempt to replace the running game with a complex screen game.  That is unacceptable and I don't think Kubiak (42.8% in 5 seasons in Houston) is necessarily the answer.  I look at our team and see two impact players on the offensive line in Ryan Clady and Chris Kuper  and two other young players finding their groove in Zane Beadles and J.D Walton.  If Ryan Harris stays healthy, we're a pretty good, young line.  Knowshon Moreno is showing flashes of being a first round draft pick.  If he continues to improve and we hold on to LenDale White ( a year left on his contract) and Lance Ball we have some talent at halfback.  I know I'm using Harbaugh as a tool for a larger point - but I think getting back to being physical and running the ball is the way good, cold weather teams win games.  The Steelers do it.  The Ravens do it.  The Eagles do it.  Even the Patriots, with Tom Brady, are a respectable 14th in the NFL in rushing  and routinely finish in the top half of the league.  Anyway, on to the coordinators.

OFFENSE:

via cdn.newsday.com

1) Name: Bill Callahan  Age: 54  Current Team: New York Jets  Current Position: Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach

If you're, theoretically, going to become a more punishing, running football team -especially with a relatively inexperience line lacking depth - it doesn't hurt to have a Offensive Coordinator whose specialty is the offensive line.

After being a three-year starter at quarterback for Illinois Benedictine from 1975-1977 (Honorable Mention All-American 1976-1977), Callahan was an offensive assistant at the University of Illinois from 1980-1986 under Head Coach Mike White.  White, who was an assistant under Bill Walsh before coming to Illinois, first taught Callahan the West Coast Offense.

Callahan left Illinois in 1987 to take over as Offensive Line Coach for Northern Arizona from 1987-1988 and did well enough to get a job as Offensive Coordinator for Southern Illinois in 1989.  Callahan returned to the Big 10 in 1990 to be the Offensive Line Coach for the University of Wisconsin.  In his five seasons at Wisconsin, a Badger offensive linemen earned First Team All-Big 10 honors a whopping nine times.

In 1995, a young-upstart Packer's Wide Receiver Coach followed Ray Rhodes to Philadelphia to become his Offensive Coordinator.  He, of course, was John Gruden - and it was on Gruden's Offensive Staff that Callahan garnered his first NFL coaching experience.  In his 3 seasons as Offensive Line coach, the Eagles finished fourth, second, and fifth in the NFL in rushing.

In 1998, after Gruden became Head Coach of the Oakland Raiders, Callahan followed him and served as his Offensive Coordinator.  In Callahan's six seasons in Oakland (1998-2001 as OC, 2002-2003 as HC) Callahan's offenses showed tremendous adaptability.  Bookmarked by subpar 1998 and 2003 campaigns(the Gannon-less years), the Raiders enjoyed a four year stretch were they were in the top 10 in the NFL in total offense (5th in '99, 6th in '00, 7th in '01, 1st in '02).  During that time, behing the thunder/lightning running duo of Tyrone Wheatley and Napoleon Kaufman (and a Rich Gannon that was far more mobile than most remember) the Raiders finished 3rd in the NFL in rushing in 1999 and 1st in 2000.  After the 2000 season, Kaufman abruptly retired and was replaced by Charlie Garner - a back known for his receiving skills than his rushing ability.  The team also picked up Hall of Famer Jerry Rice to pair with Tim Brown and Garner.  Converting to a quick-strike passing game, the Raiders then finished 4th in the NFL in passing in 2001 and 1st in 2002.  After a 2003 season derailed by a Super Bowl hangover and injury to Gannon, Callahan was fired after his second season as Head Coach.

Soon after, Callahan was hired as Head Coach of the University of Nebraska - and to say his four year tenure there was uneven would be an understatement.  Taking over a roster recruited to run the option, Callahan tried to institute the West Coash offense.  After strugglingly mightily (5-6) in 2004, the Cornhuskers improved to 8-4 in the following season and, with an Alamo Bowl victory over #20 Michigan, finished #24 in both polls.  The following season, Nebraska won their first Big 12 North for the first time since 1999 and quarterback Zac Taylor took home Big 12 Offensive MVP honors.  The team's defense would eventually be Callahan's Achilles Heel and he was fired after a 5-7 2007 season.

Since taking over as Offensive Line Coach in New York, the Jets' young, talented line has dramatically improved.  Ranked by Football Outsiders as the 23rd best rush line and 30th in pass protecting in 2007 - the year before Callahan came in and 21st and 31st in 2008, his first year with the team - the line has picked up to 9th and 20th in 2009 and 5th and 11th thus far in 2010.  Nurturing  young talents such as D''Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold, Callan's players have garned a combined 5 Pro Bowl appearances in his two full seasons on the job.  All together, Callahan's ability to teach a young offensive line, adapt with offensive style, and experience with Harbaugh in Oakland makes him, in my opinion, a top candidate should Harbaugh be hired.

via cdn2-b.examiner.com

2) Name: David Shaw   Age: 37   Current Team: Stanford University   Current Position: Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs

In actuality, one would assume that Shaw, who has worked with Harbaugh for the past five seasons would be Harbaugh's theoretical favorite and not Callahan - but more on that later.

A Nothern California guy, Shaw grew up in Union City and was a wide receiver for the Cardinal from 1991-1994 while also making brief appearances on the school's basketball and track teams.  Shaw learned the West Coast Offense as a player from arguably the best source possible.  After playing in 1991 under Dennis Green, who previously served as Bill Walsh's Wide Receivers Coach in San Francisco, Walsh himself came back to Stanford and coached the team during Shaw's final three seasons. 

The son of a coach, (Willie Shaw was a football coach for 33 years including 6 at Stanford and 15 with various NFL teams) Shaw took a job as Outside Linebackers Coach at Western Washington in 1995 before moving to Tight Ends Coach in 1996.  Shaw, like Callahan, became a Gruden protege - getting his first NFL job as a quality control assistant in Philadelphia in 1997 and he, like Callahan, followed Gruden to Oakland in 1998 - continuing as a quality control assistant from 1998-2000 before taking over as Quarterbacks Coach in 2001 - Gruden's last with the team.

In 2002, Shaw joined the Baltimore Ravens staff - reuniting with former coach and long-time Dennis Green assistant Brian Billick (Billick was Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends Coach during Shaw's first season with Stanford).  In all honesty, Shaw's time in Baltimore (Quarterbacks Coach/WideReceivers Coach 2002-2004, Wide Receivers Coach 2005) was mostly unsuccessful.  With a revolving door consisting of Kyle Boller, Anthony Wright, Chris Redman, Tony Banks, and others at quarterback - the Ravens leaned heavily on the two-headed rushing attack of Jamal Lewis and Chester Taylor.  Small victories primarily came in 2005 - where Shaw was soley a Wide Receivers Coach - when, despite a 19th ranked passing attack, Derrick Mason set a franchise record in receptions and Mark Clayton set a franchise rookie record for receptions. 

In 2006, Harbaugh brought Shaw to the University of San Diego as the team's Wide Receivers Coach and Passing Coordinator.  During the championship season, San Diego led Division I-AA in total offense, passing offense, and scoring offense.  Quarterback Josh Johnson was one of 4 offensive Toreros players to receive Division I-AA All-American honors.  Johnson alone led Division I-AA in passer rating, touchdown passes, points accounted for, and total offense.  After Harbaugh accepted the Stanford job that off-season, he chose Shaw - not his U.S.D Offensive Coordinator Tim Drevno - to serve as his Offensive Coordinator in Palo Alto.  Drevno was retained as Tight Ends Coach.

Shaw served as the Cardinal Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach from 2007-2009 and then, after Running Backs Coach Willie Taggart left for a head coaching job and Harbaugh took in former Chicago Bears Quarterbacks Coach, Pep Hamilton, to coach the team's wide receivers, moved to Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Coach in 2010.  The successes Shaw has had at Stanford speak for themselves and were detailed above.  All together, while still very young, Shaw's experience playing and coaching under some of the best West Coast Offense minds one can find and his familiarity/success with Harbaugh make him the most obvious choice to serve as his Offensive Coordinator.

So why isn't he ranked #1?  He's a Stanford alum and while he may very well want to return to the NFL - there's a possibility that Stanford, trying to maintain some stability, could have him replace Harbaugh.  Pure speculation - but I think it's very possible and Shaw would have a very, very difficult choice to make.

via cfl.uploads.mrx.ca

Wild card) Name: Marc Trestman   Age: 54   Current Team: Montreal Alouettes   Current Position: Head Coach

As before-mentioned, Harbaugh has a few former NFL assistants on his staff.  Along with Shaw and Hamilton, there's Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Tackles/Tight Ends Coach Greg Roman (who was a Broyles Award finalist for top assistant in the nation).  Roman began his career in various assistant capacities with the Carolina Panthers from 1995-2001.  In 2002, former Panther's Head Coach Dom Capers brought him to Houston.  From 2002-2003 he was the Texans' Tight Ends Coach before moving to Quarterbacks Coach from 2004-2005.  Quarterback David Carr posted his best statistical season in 2004 and third best in 2005 (though that's sort of like comparing which Broncos loss was best this season).  He moved to Assistant Offensive Line Coach for the Baltimore Ravens from 2006-2007 before coaching Stanford's offensive tackles and tight ends over the past two seasons.  Could I see a situation where he, perhaps, coaches the Broncos' tight ends or offensive line - maybe with Hamilton coaching the receivers and Shaw at Offensive Coordinator?  Sure.

But the fact of the matter is, none of the four names I've mentioned thus far really bring experience in coaching the quarterback position.  Callahan, though a quarterback in college, has never coached the position specifically and while Shaw, Hamilton, and Roman have all logged time as NFL Quarterback Coaches - none come in with great resume in that regard (Shaw is better with receivers and offensive scheme as a whole, Roman with tight ends and linemen, and Hamilton has only been with Harbaugh for one season - though, in fairness, Boller, Carr, and Grossman - fighting the urge to in clude Cutler - aren't exactly the easiest guys to make a name for coaching.)  That's where Trestman comes in.

Trestman is a name that may sound familiar with some of you out there.  A quarterback himself at the University of Minnesota and then Minnesota State University in the late 1970's, Trestman went to the University of Miami after graduation - not necessarily to coach - but to go to law school.  From 1981-1982, Trestman was a volunteer assistant at Miami while still in school.  He became licensed in the state of Florida in 1983, but never got to practicing because that same year he was promoted to Quarterbacks Coach.  In Trestman's two years as Quarterbacks Coach for Miami, Miami won the 1983 National Championship and lost in the Fiesta Bowl the following season.  Trestman specifically helped quarterback Bernie Kosar, who was Orange Bowl MVP in 1983 and an All-American/Heisman finalist in 1984.

From 1985-1986, Trestman returned home as Running Backs Coach under Vikings Head Coach Jerry Burns.  In 1987, he was Quarterbacks Coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before reuniting with Kosar in Cleveland as Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach from 1988-1989.  Though Trestman was the youngest Offensive Coordinator in the league at the time, the Browns went to the playoffs in both seasons.  Trestman returned to Minnesota and Burns again serving as Vikings Quarterbacks Coach from 1990-1991 after which Burns left.

Trestman then took three years off from football - working as a bond portfolio manager.  When he returned to football in 1995, he became Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach for the San Francisco 49ers.  In his two years in San Francisco, the 49ers finished 1st then 2nd in passing offense.  In 1997, he helped the Lions reach the playoffs as their Quarterbacks Coach.  From 1998-2000 he was the Arizona Cardinals' Offensive Coordinator - leading the Cardinals to their first playoff victory in 51 years in 1998.  In 2001, he took a Senior Assistant position with John Gruden in Oakland and took over as Offensive Coordinator during Callahan and Harbaugh's two seasons with the team. 

Aftewards, he became Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks Coach under Dave Wannstedt in 2004 and then, served the same role under Chuck Amato at North Carolina State from 2005-2006.  After a two year lay off, he took over as Montreal's Head Coach - his first head coaching job - and has since led the Alouettes to three consecutive Grey Cup appearances and two consecutive titles.

"Marc leaves no strone unturned.  It's amazing how he can comprhend all this stuff.  He has to understand everything."  That's what Jerry Rice - who played for Trestman in San Francisco and Oakland had to say about him.  But more than his bounty of experience and two years with Harbaugh - what interests me most about Trestman is what he did last winter.

Last winter Trestman was one of four coaches to work with Tim Tebow during the months leading up to the draft.  There's a familiarity and mutual belief between them.  Obviously, if Harbaugh, or any coach, were to come to Denver I doubt they'd be forced to play Tebow - but there is serious benefit in not letting that investment go to waste.  In Trestman as Offensive Coordinator or Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks - you have a guy who believes in Tebow and was part of the mini-metamorphisis he underwent prior to the draft - which is valuable considering a lot of people's concern is that few coaches can/want to work with Tebow as a quarterback project.

The main concern here is time.  As you can see, Trestman bounces around a lot.  He gets restless.  He also just removed himself from the University of Miami coaching search and reportedly enjoys an arrangement with Montreal that allows him to spend much of the offseason in North Carolina with his family.  Would he even want to go to Denver?  Would he stay for more than 2 years?  Maybe and probably not.  But I think hiring Trestman as Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks Coach (or Offensive Coordinator if Callahan or Shaw won't) for two years is an interesting possibility - and perhaps Hamilton or Roman could learn and replace him (assuming they come with Harbaugh) after his tenure.  Worth looking into.

DEFENSE:

via cdn.bleacherreport.net

1) Name: Vic Fangio   Age: 52   Current Team:  Stanford Cardinal  Current Position: Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers

If and when Harbaugh takes a NFL coaching job this off-season, Stanford Defensive Coordinatio Vic Fangio (who has more experience than most NFL Defensive Coordinators) - not Shaw or Hamilton or Roman - will be the overwhelming favorite to join him.

Fangio actually started his coaching career in the high school ranks, serving as Linebackers Coach in 1979 and Defensive Coordinator from 1980-1981 and Dunmore High School in Pennsylvania.  He moved to Milford Academy in Connecticut for the 1982 season before taking a graduate assistant job at the University of North Carolina in 1983.  

From 1984-1985 he was a defensive assistant for the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars of the now defunct USFL.  In 1986, he, and Stars Defensive Backs Coach Dom Capers, followed Head Coach Jim Mora to the New Orleans Saints - Capers as Defensive Backs Coach - Fangio as Outside Linebackers Coach.  Capers left the team in 1991 to be Defensive Coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Fangio stayed in New Orleans for 9 seasons, all under Head Coach Mora and Defensive Coordinator Steve Sidwell - running the famed Dome Patrol defense.  During Fangio's time as Outside Linebackers Coach (1986-1993) and Linebackers Coach (1994), the Saints' 3-4 defense led the NFL in rush defense once (1989), pass defense twice (1992,1993) and scoring defense twice (1991,1992).  In 1995, when the expansion Carolina Panthers chose to make Capers their first Head Coach - Capers brought Fangio with him to Carolina as Defensive Coordinator.

The Panthers finished 7th in total defense and 6th in scoring defense.  In 1996, the Panthers finished 10th in total defense and 2nd in scoring defense - leading the Panthers to the NFC Championship Game in just their second season.  The team slid after those first two seasons and Fangio was fired along with Capers.

In 1999, he reunited with Mora - this time as Defensive Coordinator for Mora's Colts.  In his first season, Fangio improved a defense that was 29th in both total and scoring defense the year prior (during the 30 team NFL) to 15th in total defense and 17th in scoring.  More importantly, the Colts went from 3-13 to 13-3 and won the AFC East.  The defense kept pace in 2000 with the Colts returning the playoffs but slid in 2001.  After that season, Mora was replaced by Tony Dungy and Fangio left to reunite with Capers - who was again chosen to head an expansion team - this time the Texans.

The Texans were, in no polite terms, a disaster during Capers and Fangio's run.  The defense actually showed up fairly well for an expansion team in their inaugural year coming in at 16th in total defense.  That, unfortunately, would be as good as the team would get.  The defense would never finish higher than 16th in yardage or 15th and scoring during Capers's tenure and combined with an offense that only once elevated out of the bottom 3 and poor drafting (4 quarterbacks drafted in 4 years) Capers was replaced by Kubiak in 2006.

After leaving Houston, Fangio was hired by Brian Billick as Special Assistant to the Head Coach - Defense in 2006.  Fangio maintained that job after John Harbaugh replaced Billick in 2008.  In 2009, Fangio was moved to LineBackers Coach to replace the departed Mike Pettine.  That year, in typical Raven fashion, the team finished 3rd in scoring defense, 3rd in total defense, and 5th against the run.

In one year at Stanford, he helped turn the Cardinal defense around dramtically.  Installing his favored 3-4 while mixing in other fronts, Stanford boasted the Pac 10's #1 scoring defense and #11 ranked nationally.  The team also did an excellent job of creating turnovers (29 - 12th in the nation) while not giving up big plays (23 plays of 30+yards ranks 11th nationally).  Most importantly, Stanford's 11 wins was a school record.

Fangio is tough to predict.  He's had tremendous success as a position coach in New Orleans and Baltimore and flashes of brilliance as a coordinator in Carolina, Indianapolis, and Palo Alto.  His time in Houston and the the ends of his tenures in Carolina and Indianapolis create some pause.  Was there a lack of talent (in the case of the two expansion teams - it certainly was a factor) or was it poor coaching?  Either way, after a big year at Stanford - he'd likely see a fourth coordinator opportunity come his way if Harbaugh were to leave Stanford.

via www.exposay.com

2) Name: Mike Waufle   Age: 56   Current Team: Oakland Raiders   Current Position: Defensive Line Coach

One of the reasons people have thrown Ron Rivera's name around for the Broncos' vacancy is - while helping us - it weakens a division rival.  Much is the same case, in my opinion, with Waufle - who may be one of the most successful defensive assistants nobody talk about.

A former marine, Waufle was a defensive lineman on Bakersfield Junior College's 1976 JUCO title team before transferring to Utah State where he played from 1977-1978, Waufle received his first coaching job at Alford College in his native western New York in 1979.  Waufle then returned to Utah State in 1980 and coached at his alma mater for 5 years teaching defensive backs (1980), the offensive line (1981-1982) and the defensive line (1983-1984).

In 1985, Waufle left Logan to become Defensive Line/Special Teams Coach at Fresno State.  Afterwards, he jumped around the Pac 10 as a Defensive Line Coach with UCLA (1989), Oregon State (1990-1991), and finally Cal-Berkeley (1992-1997).  At Cal, Waufle was also the Golden Bears' Recruiting Coordinator - recruiting and coaching two defensive linemen who were first round picks in the 1996 NFL Draft (Duane Clemons and Regan Upshaw).  As is the case with many of the coaches, we've spoke of - Waufle joined the NFL in 1998 on Head Coach John Gruden's inaugural staff.

Based off of Football Outsider's Defensive Line rankings, Waufle inherited a Raiders line that finished 16th against the run in 1997 and 29th in rushing the passer.  In Waufle's first season in Oakland those rankings jumped to 3rd against the run and 9th against the pass.  In Waufle's first five seasons in Oakland, the lines' run-defense rating never dropped below 16th with 3 top 10 finishes (3rd in 1998, 8th in 2000, 5th in 2002) and never lower than 14th against the pass including 3 top 10 finishes (9th in 1998, 7th in 1999, 8th in 2002).  That 2002 line, Waufle's second that finished in the Top 10 against both the run and the pass - helped Oakland reach the Super Bowl.  Though, as was the case with Oakland's defense, a rough 2003 campaign led to the firing of Callahan and his staff - including Waufle.

Which may have been the best thing for Waufle.  Soon after being let go by the Raiders, Waufle joined the New York Giants coaching staff.  After finishing 28th against the run in Waufle's first season, the line's performance against the run jumped to 9th in 2005 and would never again drop out of the Top 5 in his final four seasons in New York (5th in 2006, 3rd in 2007, 3rd in 2008, 4th in 2009).  Not quite as good against the pass, Waufle's Giants line was 10th, 22nd, and 19th in his first three seasons in New York. 

2007 was Waufle's career season.  While the Giants' playoff run and Super Bowl victory earned Steve Spagnuolo a lot of attention (and and NFL coaching job) - it was Waufle's defensive line that caused opponents the most havoc.  Developing young talents such as Jason Tuck and Barry Cofield to play along with stars Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, the Giants line improved to 1st in pass rushing to go along with 3rd in run stuffing in route to a NFL Championship.

In 2008, the Giants were an even better team - finishing the season 12-4 - despite to loss of Umenyiora for the entire season.  The Giants still finished 7th against the pass and 3rd against the run and were a favorite to repeat as champions before losing to division rival Philadelphia Eagles in the playoffs.  Despite another solid 2009 season, Waufle was fired once Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell was hired.

This season, Waufle has returend to Oakland - reuniting with Tom Cable whom he worked with in Berkeley.  Inheriting a front that finished 16th in each the run and the pass last year, Waufle's line is currently 10th against hte run and 1st against the pass and - outside defensive tackle Richard Seymour - he's doing it with a far less talented front than he had in New York with perennial underachiever Tommy Kelly at the other tackle spot and youngsters Lamarr Houston and Michael Shaughnessy at the ends.  Waufle, admittedly, has a few problems.  One, he's never been a defensive coordinator before - making one wonder if he's nothing more than a very skilled position coach.  Two, he favors a bulkier 4-3 front rather than a 3-4 - so who knows if he'd even want to keep the 3-4 in Denver.  But his tremendous success over the past decade speaks for itself and I wonder if a football mind far greater than ours would see some potential here for a coordinator position.

via broncotalk.net

Wild card) Name: Don Martindale   Age: 47   Current Team: Denver Broncos   Current Position: Defensive Coordinator

 This may be a little too wild for some of you but hear me out for a moment (or several thousand if you're still readinng).

1. I'm theoretically taking Ron Lynn, one of the most experienced coaches on Harbaugh's staff, out of the equation.  Lynn was a NFL Defensive Coordinator for 11 consecutive seasons with the Chargers (1986-1991), Bengals (1992-1993), and Redskins (1994-1996).  Since then, he's spent his career as a Defensive Backs Coach for the Patriots, Raiders, and 49ers before coming to Stanford as Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator in 2008.  He moved to Director of Player Developement this season and, being in his mid-60's, I wonder if he'd leave Northern California.

2. While Harbaugh does have access to more NFL assistant coaching candidates than the average college coach - most of those defensive assistants, like Waufle and Lynn, have spent their careers coaching the 4-3.  While I made the exception with Waufle do to his success in Oakland and New York - I really do want to see us keep the 3-4 and I think Harbaugh, who went out at got Fangio to bring the 3-4 to Stanford, would want to too.

One possibility would be to poach another assistant from his brother John in Baltimore.  That isn't as easy as it sounds.  Rex Ryan took top assistants Mike Pettine and Mark Carrier with him to New York and Greg Mattison is now the Ravens' Defensive Coordinator - and is unlikely he could be pryed away.  The cupboard is far barer than it was a year ot two ago.  Linebackers Coach Dean Pees would be ideal, but he resigned from a Defensive Coordinators job just last year.  One name I'd look out for, is Defensive Backs Coach Chuck Pagano who is a long time Butch Davis assistant who has been with Baltimore since 2008.  Outside that, it'll be tought to maintain the 3-4.

3. No new Head Coach walks onto a team and is able to completely reshape the staff all at once.  Ther's always some carry over - not so much at coordinator positions, but it is possible.  Martindale and Nunnelly make sense here.  Nunnely's time in San Diego dates back to Harbaugh's time playing there.  Nunnely, like Waufle, raises questions regarding if he's a legitimate coordinator candidate or a coach who fairs better with a specific position.

Martindale spent the 2001 and 2002 seasons coaching under Harbaugh's father at Western Kentucky - 2001 with Harbaugh himself.  There, again, is a familiarity.

I'd consider it very unlikely either will be the Broncos' Defensive Coordinator next season under Harbaugh - having been large parts of arguably the worst defense in the league.  But they remain player-favorites and they may do Harbaugh some good in keeping some sort of continuity in the building.  A few weeks ago, especially after the Kansas City game, few of us were willing to rush either out - believing that the Broncos defensive woes has more to do with a lack of talent and injuries than poor coaching.  While it's only getting uglier, I'm not so quick to change that stance.  Maybe you keep them both on as position coaches, appease some of your returning players, and hope for an infusion of talent.

Thanks for reading!  Next up: Mike Mularkey.