Titans DC Jerry Gray to interview for Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Head Coaching Job per Rick Stroud
by Sander on Jan 3, 2012 3:01 PM EST
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PrintThe Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud is reporting that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will interview Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray for the head coaching position. This interview would satisfy the Rooney Rule, which requires any NFL team to interview at least one minority coach for an open head coaching position.
Jerry Gray is a former defensive back who played in the NFL from 1985 to 1993 after being a first-round pick for the Los Angeles Rams out of the University of Texas. Gray made the Pro Bowl four times and finished his playing career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1993. He then moved on to coaching, serving as the defensive backs coach for the Titans, as the defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills under Gregg Williams and now as the defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans. The Seahawks' website has an interesting profile on the veteran coach, written in 2010.
As a defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills, his defenses were up and down. He presided over two elite defenses in 2003 and 2004, but the other three years were mediocre at best. In his one year as the Titans defensive coordinator his defense improved from one of the worst in the league to a solid if unspectacular unit despite losing LB Stephen Tulloch and DE Jason Babin in free agency.
Previous Experience
Secondary coach, Southern Methodist University, 1995-1996
Defensive Quality Control coach, Tennessee Oilers, 1997-1998
Defensive Backs coach, Tennessee Titans, 1999-2000
Defensive Coordinator, Buffalo Bills, 2001-2005
Secondary Coach, Washington Redskins, 2006-2009
Defensive Backs coach, Seattle Seahawks, 2010
Defensive Coordinator, Tennessee Titans, 2011
What do you think, Bucs Nation?
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i dont think so.
Not enough experience.
East Coast Fan
by Bucfan on Jan 3, 2012 1:52 PM EST via mobile reply actions 1 recs
Pfft! Just what I expected from the Glazer's
Can we please get a guy with some HC experience. This guy just made it back to DC after many years as a position coach
GO NOLES!!! SCALP EM!
Tressel isn't worth the hassle
He’s not even a good college coach. If he’s the coach, it’ll be worse than Pete Carroll in New England
Yes, doesn't mean he isn't a serious candidate though
MIke Tomlin got the job after a Rooney Rule interview
Just because he's getting an interview doesn't mean he's not qualified
Tony Dungy, Mike Tomlin, Lovie Smith have all had winning seasons. SEVERAL championships between them. If he’s getting and interview and he’s black. It’s not just the Rooney rule. And if going to the Superbowl, which he’s been a part of a team that has gone to a superbowl isn’t enough experience then I think you’ve been blinded by your own ignorance.
Are they possibly trying to score points with Fisher by cozying up with one of his former coordinators?
I agree that this seems like an interview scheduled with the Rooney Rule in mind.
With the 5th pick of the 2012 NFL draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select....
Is going to bring Ruud back?
Rahdumb the clown and the not ready for prime time players are the worst team in Buc history, the 1976 squad gets a pass cause they were an expansion team, there is no excuse for this garbage!
by bucfanlostiniowa on Jan 3, 2012 2:20 PM EST reply actions
Bucs reached out to Mike Sherman
"I'm a little dysfunctional
You're the problem, Please don't awakin me
And I'm that way cause back in the day
Most have forsaken me"
Tressel is very organized.
It would great to have him come in, and bring in 2 stud coordinators.
by BUCSwillDOMINATE on Jan 3, 2012 2:34 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
He would be a snappy dresser if the league rules allows it.
But I still would like to hope there are better options out there.
Sweater Vest!
"I'm a little dysfunctional
You're the problem, Please don't awakin me
And I'm that way cause back in the day
Most have forsaken me"
by 4QB on Jan 3, 2012 2:41 PM EST up reply actions
PUKE!
Rahdumb the clown and the not ready for prime time players are the worst team in Buc history, the 1976 squad gets a pass cause they were an expansion team, there is no excuse for this garbage!
by bucfanlostiniowa on Jan 3, 2012 2:55 PM EST up reply actions
No gay guys coaching this team. (tressel)
East Coast Fan
by Bucfan on Jan 3, 2012 4:08 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
another D coach!
When will the Glazers learn they need to score to win? Get an offensive guy not named Gruden. Tampa has had the leagues worst and most boring offense for over 30 years now and counting. Not one HOF type player. Only one top tier running back in all that time. No quarterbacks, receivers ha!. Forget the defensive guys, that doesnt work anymore
Defense will always be relevant.
Or do you need to see more top offenses get dismantled by top defenses?
While I agree that defense is still relevant
when was the last time a defense dismantled a top offense?
Pats, Saints, and Packers have 3 of the worst 5 defenses in the league, but are clearly 3 of the best 5 teams. That speaks volumes.
by J_B on Jan 3, 2012 2:40 PM EST up reply actions
Haha
"I'm a little dysfunctional
You're the problem, Please don't awakin me
And I'm that way cause back in the day
Most have forsaken me"
by 4QB on Jan 3, 2012 2:49 PM EST up reply actions
And this refutes the fact that Offense trumps Defense how?
McCarthy, Payton. 2 of the best offensive minds in the league. Even though Bellicheck was a Def specialist, you’d be foolish to assume he isn’t proficient at running an offense at this point either.
by J_B on Jan 3, 2012 2:52 PM EST up reply actions
Do you think Freeman belongs in the conversation with those 3? Me either
They are the exception. We need at least an average defense. At least.
In the NFL today
you can win with a really poor defense. You cannot win with a really poor offense.
by J_B on Jan 3, 2012 3:10 PM EST up reply actions
Mostly they ran the ball
I don’t think you can win consistently in the NFL by running the ball as much as they did. But they have to – Sanchez can’t carry them.
The 49ers are winning with a very similar formula
Top notch defense … conservative offense that runs the ball a lot and just asks the QB to not turn the ball over. We’ll see how they do in the playoffs this year.
by J_B on Jan 3, 2012 3:26 PM EST up reply actions
49ers sre a good example of the type of team i want
Great defends that pounds you with an more than adequate offends.
East Coast Fan
by Bucfan on Jan 3, 2012 4:11 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Really?
It’s gotten those teams pretty far. It’s also gotten Manning, Brees, Rodgers, and Brady championship rings. Granted, those QBs are great, but you can argue that goes hand in hand with a great offense. How much further would you like it to get them?
7 of the last 8 super bowl champions have had great offenses. 5 of those teams had defenses that were average, at best.
by J_B on Jan 3, 2012 3:05 PM EST up reply actions
I'm pretty sure when they won their rings, their defense was at least respectable
If not good
I put the screw IN THE TUNA!
Exactly, one can't exist without the other
You just need to be elite on 1 side and good on the other.
I put the screw IN THE TUNA!
I don't think it necessary needs to be good.
You can win a ring with a great offense and a defense that simply creates turnovers. That’s how the packers, saints, and colts have won their rings. The Packers and Patriots are absolutely awful on defense, let’s see how they do this year.
by J_B on Jan 3, 2012 3:15 PM EST up reply actions
They also have otherwordly offenses which we don't have
"I'm a little dysfunctional
You're the problem, Please don't awakin me
And I'm that way cause back in the day
Most have forsaken me"
by 4QB on Jan 3, 2012 2:49 PM EST up reply actions
Doesn't change the fact that our goal should be to have an otherworldy offense
and you typically don’t accomplish that by hiring a defensive minded coach.
by J_B on Jan 3, 2012 2:53 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah this hire will draw back the fans.
I hope the Glazers know what they are doing, recent history has made us lose faith in them. Obviously they admitted they made a mistake taking a chance on a guy like Rah with hardly any qualifications to be a HC so how do we know they learn from their mistakes. Time will tell actions speak louder than words, the press conference from Joel Glazer sounds convincing but we still gotta see.
From what they said they wouldn't make a splash hiring just to excite the fans
Which is a good thing in my opinion.
There's a difference between making a splash hire because it's good for winning, and one just to make a splash
They didn’t say they wouldn’t hire a big name. Just that the fan reaction to the hiring wouldn’t factor in.
We are not in position to give up 4 high draft picks to get a coach this time.
The SB was nice but we still gave up too much and it came back to bite us in the long run. There isn’t really any big splashesout there besides maybe Cowher and he won’t come here because it will mean Domanik will have to step down since Cowher would want full control.
You're not even allowed to give up draft picks/trade for coaches anyway
The NFL nixed that after the Gruden deal.
Thank the NFL for doing something right
"I'm a little dysfunctional
You're the problem, Please don't awakin me
And I'm that way cause back in the day
Most have forsaken me"
by 4QB on Jan 3, 2012 2:50 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Missing first round picks for much of Gruden's tenure led to an eventual talent-depleted team
That and missing on a lot of draft picks over the next couple of years, at least.
Winning the SB ok otherwise it was a bust tenure 03-08
I guess you celebrated mediocrity football winning weak division titiles in 05,07 just to lose at home in the 1st rd. That collapse we had was really bad in 08 that would get most coaches fired and he has also lost the team if you remember a few players speaking out when he got fired.
Gruden was OC and he left the D to Kiffin as we all know. We never won another game after he announced he was going to Tenn. D packed it in.
Hard to blame that on Gruden
GO NOLES!!! SCALP EM!
Give me 1st round losses and NFC South titles anyday over 4-12 with10 str8 losses
We have returned to the Yucs/Succaneers
GO NOLES!!! SCALP EM!
Mike Martz is available
Might not be the top choice, but I think he got an unfair amount of flak for this year.
The bears offense was performing very well before their QB and RB both wound up on IR.
Hell no, there is a reason why he just been getting OC offers.
I wouldn’t even want him as an OC, qbs put up numbers but they also take beatings so that is what we will see from Freeman. Let’s not forget the famous getting outcoached in the SB vs the Pats when they Rams were a 2 td favorite.
Well he wouldn't be a head coach
so we wouldn’t really have to worry about him being out-coached. He’s head and shoulders better than Olson. Idk if the O-Line problem falls on Martz or is more of just a personnel issue. Can you even name some of the bears linemen? I’m not saying Martz is a great candidate, but I think we could do a lot worse.
by J_B on Jan 3, 2012 3:29 PM EST up reply actions
Chargers announced they're keeping Norv Turner and A.J. Smith
Martz has had a lot of success, but he’s also gotten a lot of QBs killed.
Jerry Gray? Really?
Not just no… but hell no! Why don’t we just hire Rah back at a reduced price.
Gag!
by Cracker Ball on Jan 3, 2012 3:49 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Gray has light years more experience than Morris
I don’t think it is enough, but they aren’t comparable. Gray has turned around defenses on multiple occasions both as a DC and a position coach. I have no problem with him in the mix, but I am also pretty confident he is not going to be even close to the top candidate.
I am sure he does, but it's not the kind of coach I had imagined...
Have really been hoping for an established, successful candidate with some previous HC experience at the NFL level. At nimimum a long-time OC or DC.
Don’t get me wrong, I was a big Jerry Gray fan back when he played for the LA Rams, but I was hoping for a bigger name that could drum up some fan excitement as well. Not a sexy pick by any means.
I don't disagree with any of that
I’d love this guy as a DC though with a vet HC. And he was a Fisher guy. Maybe two plus two will equal four…
Me neither
Norv is always under-performing given their talent and Smith lets way too much talent walk out the door for free, and then goes on an ego-trip keeping his best players out for ten weeks.
regarding Gray, I don't think we could hire him as DC as he's serving that job already...
and the only way the Bucs could hire him would be a higher job, which would be Head Coach, right?
Time to shamelessly plug my book and short story!
Rooney rule candidate
I think this is just a ploy to satisfy the Rooney Rule
Defense or Offense
The Bucs defense was among the best in the league when they won the Super Bowl, while their offense was ranked 21st. A mediocre QB a so so running game and really an average offensive line. Offense is great for ESPN, but defense will get you the hardware
You need both defense and offense to win the Super Bowl
And one of the two (at a minimum) has to be very, very good. There’s no magic formula that says defense is more important than offense, there, and I’d argue that the opposite is true.
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