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Breaking down the Bucs' boys Pros and cons for Tampa Bay's head coaching candidatesPosted: Thursday January 31, 2002 9:16 PM
NEW ORLEANS -- While Tampa Bay remains the NFL's only team without a head coach, sources close to the candidates who have been interviewed for the job indicate that the Bucs won't hold that distinction much longer. Bucs general manager Rich McKay appears set to announce his team's new head coach by Monday or Tuesday of next week, a timetable that isn't expected to be altered significantly in either direction. Tampa Bay this week interviewed three candidates: Baltimore defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis on Tuesday in Atlanta; Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey on Wednesday in Tampa; and former San Diego offensive coordinator and Washington head coach Norv Turner on Wednesday night in Tampa. It's possible that McKay has interviewed other candidates, because he steadfastly has refused to talk about his coaching search with the media. McKay also flies under the radar screen in terms of the league's grapevine as well as any NFL executive. But sources say that McKay might even be in position as early as Friday to recommend a candidate to Bucs owner Malcolm Glazer and sons. McKay flew to New Orleans on Thursday, and is scheduled to return home to Tampa on Super Bowl Sunday morning. If indeed Monday or Tuesday is his target date for unveiling a head coach, it would seem logical that McKay is not counting on either Oakland's Jon Gruden or LSU's Nick Saban becoming an active candidate in the Bucs' situation. Unless McKay takes the opportunity in New Orleans to feel out Raiders owner Al Davis, or his senior assistant, Bruce Allen, on what it would cost the Bucs to get Gruden out of the final year of his contract in Oakland. League sources say McKay is not optimistic of Davis playing ball on the issue of Gruden, but this weekend could be all about McKay getting a definitive answer to that question one way or another. On the Saban front, a trip to New Orleans would seem the perfect time to make an overture to the LSU head coach, in nearby Baton Rouge. McKay has to be very discreet about it, however, if he intends to make contact with Saban. With Feb. 6 being national signing day, any appearance of Saban being courted by Tampa Bay would adversely effect the Tigers' recruiting efforts. One other option bears mentioning, even if it is the longest of the long shots. McKay could be waiting until after Super Bowl XXXVI to make his decision in order to interview a Rams or Patriots assistant. The most likely candidate in that setting would be St. Louis defensive coordinator Lovie Smith, who coached Bucs linebackers for five seasons (1996-2000) under former head coach Tony Dungy. Again, that scenario is not thought likely. A couple more timetable considerations to be aware of: Mularkey is scheduled to fly to Hawaii on Friday, where he and the rest of the Steelers coaching staff will coach the AFC squad in next Sunday's Pro Bowl. As for Turner, he has the Dolphins offensive coordinator job waiting for him if he loses out with Tampa Bay. Miami head coach Dave Wannstedt is not thought to have any deadline by which he needs to hear an answer from Turner. Let's assume for the moment that McKay will choose from either Lewis, Mularkey or Turner. Here's a quick analysis of each man's perceived plusses and minuses in regards to the Bucs' job:
Lewis has had those markings for a while now. He molded one of the most successful units in the NFL over the past three years and was a huge part of a Super Bowl-winning team last year. In many ways, he has Dungy-like qualities, in that he's well-respected, has loads of experience in the league and is considered a good teacher. Minuses -- McKay did not want to fire Dungy and fought for his former head coach's job. But while Lewis' echo of Dungy may resonate well with McKay, it probably won't with the Glazers, who fired Dungy and found themselves with a PR disaster when Bill Parcells pulled out of contention. The thinking is, if you hire another young defensive coordinator who has no NFL head coaching experience, why didn't you just keep Dungy? Lewis is arguably Dungy six years ago, so how silly would the Glazers look at that point? Defense also is not the side of the ball that the Bucs need to restructure. If Lewis is the choice, the offensive coordinator hire would again be key, just as it was under Dungy.
Again, Mularkey fits McKay's desire to identify a bright young head coaching prospect before everyone else is aware of him. Mularkey was on the staff of former Bucs head coach Sam Wyche in 1994-95, and he and McKay are familiar and comfortable with one another. Mularkey's touch with the Steelers' offense also proved that he can handle reviving a once-moribund attack. Minuses -- With Mularkey having just one year of coordinator experience at any level, McKay would have to be willing to take more of a leap of faith with him than any other candidate. It's not a long shot to think he's ready to do that, but there's less of a track record to go on here than anywhere else. That's risky for a team that considers itself to still be Super Bowl material.
Turner has nearly seven years of NFL head coaching experience and would give McKay more of a comfort zone in that respect. Given that Tampa Bay's Super Bowl window of opportunity is closing, that has to be a consideration. Minuses -- Turner would be a pick that would create little, if any, buzz in Tampa. McKay isn't ruled by such perceptions, but he is aware of them and will from time to time admit that they play a role in these decisions. Fairly or unfairly, Turner was tagged with the label of not being enough of a disciplinarian in Washington. With Warren Sapp and Keyshawn Johnson loose in the Bucs' locker room, a little bit of discipline is needed. Dungy made four playoff trips in six seasons and was fired. Turner went once in almost seven years in Washington. That's a tough sell. Don Banks covers pro football for CNNSI.com.
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