Post by MizzouTiger on Jan 19, 2008 15:08:23 GMT -5
www.kcchiefs.com/news/2008/01/17/gretz_the_page_is_turned_with_chan/
GRETZ: The Page is Turned With Chan
Jan 17, 2008, 8:43:04 AM by Bob Gretz - FAQ
The Chiefs new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey brings with him to Arrowhead Stadium 34 seasons in the coaching profession, 16 seasons of experience in professional football and 13 seasons of head coaching time on just about every level of the game.
What he doesn’t bring with him as he joins Herm Edwards staff is a system pedigree. He’s not a west coast offense guy. He’s not from the Coryell-Martz-Vermeil offensive family tree.
In the coming 2008 season, Gailey will prepare, call plays and run the Chiefs offense.
And that’s why he’s the man Edwards wanted from the early days of his search for a replacement for Mike Solari.
“I wanted a guy who wasn’t coming in with some preconceived notion about what we should be offensively,” Edwards said. “I wanted a guy who would come in here, look at the talent on hand, talk with the other coaches and develop an offense that highlights what the Chiefs can do.”
In essence, Edwards did not want a system guy who was going to come in and complicated the rebuilding process going on with the Chiefs roster. Then you get into the whole battle of square pegs into round holes. That’s the type of inconsistency that elongates the rebuilding process.
So rather than bring in an offense and find players to fit the scheme, Edwards wanted the scheme to fit the players. To do that, he had to find a solid, veteran coach, and a guy without an ego that would be hard to fit through the doors of the under-construction Arrowhead Stadium.
Gailey is that guy. He’s got the background in the game, having coached on just about every level except high school. On his resume are stints as offensive coordinator for the Broncos (1989-90), the Steelers (1996-97) and Miami (2000-01.) He spent two seasons as head coach of the Cowboys (1998-99) where he went 18-16, made the playoffs twice and got fired by Jerry Jones so he could promote Dave Campo to head coach.
For the last six seasons, Gailey has been the head coach at Georgia Tech, where he never had a losing season and took the Yellow Jackets to six consecutive bowl games. But the state of college football being what it is today, that wasn’t considered good enough by the Tech administration and alums and he got the ax.
What can we expect to see from the Chiefs offense under Gailey? I would venture to predict, even before talent has been added to the offensive line, that the Chiefs will not be the 32nd and last rated running game in the league. The one thing this offense will be built on his running the ball, especially with a pair of backs like Larry Johnson and Kolby Smith. There is the desire to run the ball, and then there’s a commitment to running the ball. The Chiefs from the first day of their off-season program will be committed.
After that, it’s a canvas that will be filled in over the coming months as Gailey assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the players on the roster. Edwards wants an offense that will control the clock, score points and not turn the ball over. Those are the kind of attacks that Gailey has directed over the years.
In the last week when Gailey’s appointment seemed guaranteed, I called or e-mailed five people in the NFL whose opinions over the last 30 years I’ve grown to trust. I asked them if the Gailey hire was a good move. Here are their replies:
“Good move by Herm. Solid guy who will stabilize that side of the ball.”
“With more talent, he’ll prove to be a very good addition.”
“Top-notch guy and coach. Herm needs to stay out of his way.”
“If they don’t get him more talent, it won’t matter. It may be too big a hill to climb.”
“Solid decision. Veteran guy. No learning curve.”
Then there were the comments of former Steelers head coach and former Chiefs defensive coordinator Bill Cowher, who had Gailey as an assistant coach for four years and his offensive coordinator for two seasons:
“Of all the coordinators that I’ve had work for me, Chan Gailey was if not the best, one of the best and as resourceful an offensive mind that I’ve been around,” Cowher said. “Moreover his teaching skills are second to none.”
Herm Edwards got his man with Chan Gailey. Now, it’s up to Gailey to create a Chiefs offense.
GRETZ: The Page is Turned With Chan
Jan 17, 2008, 8:43:04 AM by Bob Gretz - FAQ
The Chiefs new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey brings with him to Arrowhead Stadium 34 seasons in the coaching profession, 16 seasons of experience in professional football and 13 seasons of head coaching time on just about every level of the game.
What he doesn’t bring with him as he joins Herm Edwards staff is a system pedigree. He’s not a west coast offense guy. He’s not from the Coryell-Martz-Vermeil offensive family tree.
In the coming 2008 season, Gailey will prepare, call plays and run the Chiefs offense.
And that’s why he’s the man Edwards wanted from the early days of his search for a replacement for Mike Solari.
“I wanted a guy who wasn’t coming in with some preconceived notion about what we should be offensively,” Edwards said. “I wanted a guy who would come in here, look at the talent on hand, talk with the other coaches and develop an offense that highlights what the Chiefs can do.”
In essence, Edwards did not want a system guy who was going to come in and complicated the rebuilding process going on with the Chiefs roster. Then you get into the whole battle of square pegs into round holes. That’s the type of inconsistency that elongates the rebuilding process.
So rather than bring in an offense and find players to fit the scheme, Edwards wanted the scheme to fit the players. To do that, he had to find a solid, veteran coach, and a guy without an ego that would be hard to fit through the doors of the under-construction Arrowhead Stadium.
Gailey is that guy. He’s got the background in the game, having coached on just about every level except high school. On his resume are stints as offensive coordinator for the Broncos (1989-90), the Steelers (1996-97) and Miami (2000-01.) He spent two seasons as head coach of the Cowboys (1998-99) where he went 18-16, made the playoffs twice and got fired by Jerry Jones so he could promote Dave Campo to head coach.
For the last six seasons, Gailey has been the head coach at Georgia Tech, where he never had a losing season and took the Yellow Jackets to six consecutive bowl games. But the state of college football being what it is today, that wasn’t considered good enough by the Tech administration and alums and he got the ax.
What can we expect to see from the Chiefs offense under Gailey? I would venture to predict, even before talent has been added to the offensive line, that the Chiefs will not be the 32nd and last rated running game in the league. The one thing this offense will be built on his running the ball, especially with a pair of backs like Larry Johnson and Kolby Smith. There is the desire to run the ball, and then there’s a commitment to running the ball. The Chiefs from the first day of their off-season program will be committed.
After that, it’s a canvas that will be filled in over the coming months as Gailey assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the players on the roster. Edwards wants an offense that will control the clock, score points and not turn the ball over. Those are the kind of attacks that Gailey has directed over the years.
In the last week when Gailey’s appointment seemed guaranteed, I called or e-mailed five people in the NFL whose opinions over the last 30 years I’ve grown to trust. I asked them if the Gailey hire was a good move. Here are their replies:
“Good move by Herm. Solid guy who will stabilize that side of the ball.”
“With more talent, he’ll prove to be a very good addition.”
“Top-notch guy and coach. Herm needs to stay out of his way.”
“If they don’t get him more talent, it won’t matter. It may be too big a hill to climb.”
“Solid decision. Veteran guy. No learning curve.”
Then there were the comments of former Steelers head coach and former Chiefs defensive coordinator Bill Cowher, who had Gailey as an assistant coach for four years and his offensive coordinator for two seasons:
“Of all the coordinators that I’ve had work for me, Chan Gailey was if not the best, one of the best and as resourceful an offensive mind that I’ve been around,” Cowher said. “Moreover his teaching skills are second to none.”
Herm Edwards got his man with Chan Gailey. Now, it’s up to Gailey to create a Chiefs offense.