WHO’S NEXT? Browns coaching candidates

With the Browns 4-9 as they get set to play at the Philadelphia Eagles tonight, the firing of coach Romeo Crennel seems like a foregone conclusion. If owner Randy Lerner isn’t able to entice former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher out of the CBS broadcast booth, Lerner will have several options for Crennel’s successor. He could consider a retread, a former coach such as Brian Billick, Marty Schottenheimer, Jim Fassel or Steve Mariucci. After the Butch Davis fiasco, most presume Lerner won’t dip into the college ranks again and try to lure someone like Bob Stoops of Oklahoma or Jim Tressel of Ohio State. If Lerner opts against both of those routes, here are some NFL assistants Lerner and other owners will consider when the postseason purge begins.

JOSH MCDANIELS

Role: New England Patriots offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.

Age: 32

Hometown: Canton

Playing experience: Quarterback/receiver, John Carroll (1995-98).

College experience: Michigan State (1999)

Pro experience: Joined Patriots in 2001

Ohio tie: Northeast Ohio native played for his father, Thom, at Canton McKinley. His dad later coached at Warren Harding and Massillon Jackson.

Personal note: Majored in math at John Carroll

Comment: Worked in personnel and on the defensive side until 2004. His tutelage of quarterback Matt Cassel this year after Tom Brady’s knee injury further elevates his stock.

JIM SCHWARTZ

Role: Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator

Age: 42

Hometown: Baltimore

Playing experience: Linebacker, Georgetown (1984-88)

College coaching experience: Maryland (1989), Minnesota (1990), North Carolina Central (1991), Colgate (1992)

Pro coaching experience: Browns/Ravens (1995-98), joined Titans in 1999

Ohio tie: Before the Browns moved to Baltimore, he spent three years as a college and pro scout in Cleveland under Bill Belichick and also helped as a defensive assistant. Worked his way up from an unpaid intern who drove players and scouts to the airport and bought cigarettes for coaches.

Personal note: Holds a degree in economics from Georgetown and is an avid chess player.

Comment: A stats guy who once butted heads with Belichick when Schwartz told him fumbling does not correlate with winning and had the numbers to prove it. He will be one of the hottest commodities in January and seems like a natural fit to return to the city where he got his professional start.

STEVE SPAGNUOLO

Role: New York Giants defensive coordinator

Age: 48

Hometown: Grafton, Mass

Playing experience: Wide receiver, Springfield College (1979-81)

College coaching experience: Massachusetts (1982-83), Lafayette (1984-86), Connecticut (1987-91), Maine (1993), Rutgers (1994-95), Bowling Green (1996-97).

Pro coaching experience: Barcelona Dragons (1992), Frankfurt Galaxy (1988), Philadelphia Eagles (1999-2006). Joined Giants in 2007.

Ohio tie: Defensive backs coach at Bowling Green for two years under Gary Blackney.

Personal note: His wife, Maria, is a stylist at a hair salon and bakes desserts for the defensive staff meetings.

Comment: Spending eight years in Philadelphia under blitz guru Jim Johnson, Spagnuolo crafted a game plan of constant pressure on the Patriots’ Brady, the key to victory over the previously unbeaten Pats in the Super Bowl. The Giants defense leaped from 25th to seventh in his first season as coordinator, this week it ranks sixth.

JASON GARRETT

Role: Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator/assistant head coach

Age: 42

Hometown: Abington, Pa.

Playing experience: Quarterback, Princeton (1987-88), San Antonio Riders (1991), Ottowa RoughRiders (1991), Dallas Cowboys (1993-99), New York Giants (2000-03), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2004), Miami Dolphins (2004). Spent 12 years in the NFL after entering as an undrafted free agent.

College coaching experience: Princeton (1990)

Pro coaching experience: Miami Dolphins (2005-06). Joined Cowboys in 2007.

Ohio tie: Attended University School in Chagrin Falls, where his brother Jim III coached from 1981-2006 and still teaches. His father Jim spent more than 30 years as an NFL coach and scout, including 1978-84 as a Browns assistant coach.

Personal note: Is one of eight children, four boys and four girls.

Comment: Is the heir apparent to Wade Phillips in Dallas, but stranger things have happened, especially if Cowboys owner Jerry Jones makes a run at Cowher. Might love to come back to the town where he grew up.

REX RYAN

Role: Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator/assistant head coach.

Age: 46

Hometown: Ardmore, Okla.

Playing experience: Defensive end, Southwest Oklahoma State (1983-86)

College coaching experience: Eastern Kentucky (1987-88), New Mexico Highlands (1989), Morehead State (1990-93), Cincinnati (1996-97), Oklahoma (1998)

Pro coaching experience: Arizona Cardinals (1994-95). Joined Ravens in 1999.

Ohio tie: His two-year stint as defensive coordinator at the University of Cincinnati included an 8-4 season in 1997, when the Bearcats made their first bowl appearance in 50 years.

Personal note: His family has coached in six Super Bowls and won five. Father Buddy went to three (1968 Jets, 1976 Vikings, 1985 Bears), Rex went to one (2000 Ravens) and twin brother Rob went to two (2001, 2003 Patriots). The only loss was Buddy’s with the Minnesota Vikings.

Comment: Interviewing for the top job last year in Atlanta, Miami and Baltimore and a finalist with the Ravens, Ryan elected to stay in Baltimore under John Harbaugh. He and Harbaugh served as assistants together at Cincinnati. Seems to be a man whose ego is under control.

RAHEEM MORRIS

Role: Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive backs coach

Age: 32

Hometown: Irvington, N.J.

Playing experience: Safety, Hofstra (1994-97)

College coaching experience: Hofstra (1998, 2000-01), Cornell (1999), Kansas State (2006)

Pro coaching experience: New York Jets (2001), Buccaneers (2002-05). Returned to Bucs in 2007.

Ohio tie: None.

Personal note: Has been praised by Bucs assistant head coach Larry Coyer for his ability to communicate to players always in a positive way.

Comment: Considered the next Mike Tomlin because of his magnetic personality. He worked with Tomlin from 2002-05, the last two seasons as Tomlin’s assistant. Morris, who is not under contract for 2009, could replace Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin if Kiffin joins his son at the University of Tennessee.

KARL DORRELL

Role: Miami Dolphins receivers coach

Age: 44

Hometown: San Diego

Playing experience: Wide receiver, UCLA (1982-86)

College coaching experience: UCLA (1988, 2003-07, the latter as head coach), Central Florida (1989), Northern Arizona (1990-91), Colorado (1992-93, 1995-98), Arizona State (1994), Washington (1999).

Pro coaching experience: Denver Broncos (2000-02). Joined Dolphins in 2008.

Ohio tie: None.

Personal note: His father, John, served as a chief petty officer on an aircraft carrier. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, after retiring from the Navy, John took math classes at Grossmont College. One night when Karl sat down to help him with his homework, the elder Dorrell said, “he became very impatient with me. He knew I hadn’t studied.”

Comment: Might not be ready for a top job yet, but sure to get interviews because of the Rooney Rule (requiring teams to interview minorities) and his experience at UCLA. While there, he found it tough to compete with juggernaut rival USC, but the Dolphins’ Bill Parcells saw something in him to hire him.

OTHERS

Clancy Pendergast, defensive coordinator, Arizona Cardinals; Todd Haley, offensive coordinator, Cardinals; Leslie Frazier, defensive coordinator, Minnesota Vikings; Brian Schottenheimer, offensive coordinator, New York Jets; Ron Rivera, inside linebackers coach, San Diego Chargers; Pat Shurmur, quarterbacks coach, Philadelphia Eagles; Hue Jackson, quarterbacks coach, Baltimore Ravens.

Akron Beacon Journal