Ex-St. Louis Rams coach Linehan finds a home in Detroit
INDIANAPOLIS _ When Detroit’s new head coach, Jim Schwartz, hired Scott Linehan as his offensive coordinator, it wasn’t a case of the old-boy network at work.
“I’d known of him, but hadn’t known him personally,” Schwartz said Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine.
In fact, Schwartz said: “I didn’t know him well at all.”
But Schwartz, who joined the Lions after a stint as Tennessee defensive coordinator, worked against Linehan last training camp when the Rams came to Nashville to practice against the Titans. And he remembered playing against the Vikings when Linehan was offensive coordinator in Minnesota.
Schwartz said he respected, “not only his schemes, but the toughness that they played with. The way he used his weapons.”
Word of mouth didn’t hurt, either. Despite Linehan’s struggles as a head coach in St. Louis, where he was 11-25 before being fired four games into the 2008 season, former Miami coach Nick Saban apparently gave Linehan a strong recommendation. Linehan was offensive coordinator for Saban in Miami in 2005 before getting the Rams’ job.
“Quite honestly, a little bit had to with the fact that he worked for a guy I respect a lot in Nick Saban down in Miami,” Schwartz said. “Scott went from Minnesota down to Miami and had a situation where he was going into a rebuilding team. Did a really good job. Nick Saban spoke really highly of him, sort of put him on our list to interview, and he really blew us away in the interview.”
Schwartz said it was a must that Linehan’s philosophy, as well as that of defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham, meshed with his.
“The one thing I kept in mind is that we were hiring philosophies,” Schwartz said. “We weren’t hiring schemes. We didn’t hire somebody to bring the run-and-shoot offense. Or to bring the 46 or some (defensive) scheme to us. I think it was important for Scott Linehan and Gunther Cunningham to share the same philosophies as the head coach.”
Schwartz wants to be multi-dimensional, with the flexibility to change the approach when needed.
“It’s going to be what it takes to win that week,” Schwartz said.
Even with the disastrous stint as head coach in St. Louis, Linehan was in fairly high demand as an offensive coordinator throughout the league this offseason. He turned down a job offer in San Francisco, and Tampa Bay strongly considered hiring him as well.
Good for him. Why didn’t we see any exciting “schemes and toughness” in STL? Great Interview - Can’t Coach. It’s been tough losing all these games at home….hanging in there with the PSL though. I am excited with the direction of this franchise.
who cares about this loser?
i can’t wait til the Rams play the Lions
The skill sets for NFL coordinator and NFL head coaches are different; I wish Linehan all the best and hope that Spagnuolo can be a successful first-time head coach here.
Linehan should market a video on how to interview. He’s doing something right to fool these people.
I think Linehan is a very good offensive coordinator. He was just over his head as a head coach, especially because he also called offensive plays here in St. Louis….offensive head coaches usually aren’t as good when they call their plays.
linehan was a good coordinator. not a good head coach. happens quite a bit in the nfl…romeo crennel, charlie weiss, pete carroll, buddy ryan, wade phillips, the list goes on. hopefully, that list doesn’t go on to include spagnuolo! i’m excited w/ the rams new direction….GO RAMS!
Well this means the lions will continue to suck!
How many points will the “tough” Lions offense put up against a revamped Spag-led Rams D this year? 7? 13? Good luck, Linehan!
Good for you Scotty, glad you & your family are Happy !
Good Coach but just Fair as HC.
Sorry it didn’t work for you here in St. Louis.
Schwartz admired “the toughness that (Linehan’s team) played with” when the Titans went against the Rams last summer??? What was he drinking when he said that? The Titans players, notably Kyle Vandenbosch, were mocking the Rams LACK of toughness after they completely dominated them in the first preseason game. And, as for blowing Schwartz away in the interview, well, Georgia fell for the same BS during Scotty’s interview with her.
Soon Schwartz will learn what an awful mistake he has made.