‘Iconic franchise’ sold head coach
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Pat Shurmur already had a deep respect for the Giants organization before he met with John Mara and newly hired general manager Dave Gettleman to discuss the possibility of becoming their new head coach.
It was when he left the interview — and before it became apparent the Giants were ready to hire him as soon as he’s finished with his duties with the Vikings — that Shurmur realized the depth of that respect.
“I thought it was a really good conversation and I felt we connected on a lot of levels,’’ the Vikings offensive coordinator said after his team’s Thursday practice in advance of Sunday’s NFC title game in Philadelphia. “I walked away saying — and I knew this going into it — that’s an iconic franchise. I just have great respect for what they’ve accomplished.
“They’ve won through the years … the players, the Lombardi Trophies … it’s iconic in a lot of ways. I know when I was with the Eagles and we got on the bus and rode up the parkway, I was looking forward to competing against them. That’s a little piece of me.’’
Though the Giants will be a bigger piece of him once he’s officially hired, Shurmur couldn’t speak specifically about the job he’s about to undertake or the players he’ll coach because nothing is official.
But he did, in generalities, address two issues that are hot-button topics with the Giants after their 3-13 season — culture and quarterbacks.
“We all throw that word around quite a but, and every new coach talks about changing the culture,’’ Shurmur said. “Typically, when a new coach goes in, he sets down the guidelines and the things that are important to him and he works with the players to make sure it’s important to them.’’
Clearly, changing the culture in what became a divided and sometimes undisciplined Giants locker room will be tops on Shurmur’s list of things to do.
So, too, will be what he does at quarterback — keep Eli Manning, draft a new one with the No. 2-overall pick and play him immediately, or keep both with Manning remaining the starter until the understudy is ready.
“I was fortunate to coach different types of quarterbacks, and when you coach them it has to be firm but it has to be calm, because there’s a lot going through their mind and you can’t coach them like you do other positions,’’ said Shurmur, who has done wonders with third-stringer Case Keenum leading the Vikings to within a game of the Super Bowl. “You’ve got to get on them and you’ve got to ride them to do the right thing.’’
Shurmur sounded like a coach who drew a lot from his two-year experience as the Browns head coach from 2011-12, during which he went 9-23.
His first season was marred by the NFL lockout, which severely curbed his ability to start working with his players in the offseason. Then, in 2012, there was a change of ownership, which led to the new owner wanting to bring his own people in.
“All things Cleveland, I wish I knew then what I know now,’’ Shurmur said. “Any time you do something for the first time you certainly learn from it. Then, you fast-forward five more years and there’s certainly things I’ve learned having been in Philly and here in Minnesota — things that were really impressed upon me the right way to do things.’’
Though the human nature element of anticipating his next big career move — the biggest of his life — must tug at his mind in idle moments, Shurmur insisted he’s completely locked in on beating the Eagles and getting to the Super Bowl.
“I really do stay right in the moment,’’ he said. “I’ve learned that’s the best and the only way you can function in our business. You’ve just got to worry about today, and we’ll worry about the rest when it happens.’’