National Post (National Edition)
Redskins could use some Urban renewal
Former Buckeyes coach might be answer
Urban Meyer may want nothing to do with working for Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder. And who could blame him?
But given Snyder’s past infatuation with noted offensive-guru football coaches, it’d make a ton of sense were he to take a serious run at Meyer — the wildly successful college coach who’s as ‘retired’ from coaching now as Brett Favre was at quarterbacking in early 2008.
Early on Monday morning, Snyder fired his head coach of the past six seasons, Jay Gruden. According to The Washington Post the dismal deed was done at 5 a.m., when Snyder and team president Bruce Allen delivered the wholly expected news to Gruden. Look, when you’re summoned to meet the bosses for a 5 a.m. meeting, it’s just not going to end well.
Only Nick Saban could challenge Meyer as the best U.S. college football coach this century. Both have produced two juggernaut programs in the 2000s — Saban at LSU and now Alabama, Meyer at Florida and Ohio State.
Meyer stepped down from OSU in January after seven seasons with the Buckeyes, which included one national championship, three Big Ten championships and an 83-9 (.902) overall record. This, after Meyer won two national titles and went 65-15 (.813) at Florida from 2005-10.
He cited health reasons for leaving both jobs. Specifically at Ohio State, intense headaches caused by a benign, non-life-threatening cyst on the membrane that covers his brain.
Meyer now holds some honorary job in the OSU athletic department and once a week is visible as a commentator on FOX’s college football telecasts. Comfy life. Which the workaholic probably detests.
Every college football fan believes Meyer is biding his time until instantly reinvigorating the next slumbering giant of a program on his carefully constructed career path. Most money is on Southern Cal.
Occasionally, however, you hear the supposition Meyer harbours the need to tackle the pro ranks, too, before he gets too old. He’s 55.
If true, then presumably it could come down to two things for Meyer, should he be offered the Redskins job.
One, even if he were granted full, autonomous football power by Snyder, whether he believes he could work for and succeed under the ever meddling, mercurial owner. And two, how quickly Meyer believes he could start succeeding there with whichever productive quarterback.
Meyer proved twice at Ohio State — with Cardale Jones in 2014, and with Haskins last year — that his spread college offence that typically features a dual-threat QB can indeed be readily amended to showcase a passer whose talents demand mostly pocket passing, and little as a read-option runner, so that he can still succeed no less spectacularly.
Jones took over for injured dual-threat J.T. Barrett in 2014, started the final three games and won a national championship. Haskins succeeded Barrett last season and broke the Big Ten’s single-season passing records for most touchdowns (50) and yards (4,831).
Given how many young NFL quarterbacks nowadays are thriving in offensive systems that mirror those in which they thrived as collegians, then what better chance would Haskins have to succeed with the Redskins than in Meyer’s very own (pro-adjusted) system?
If Snyder is so sold on Haskins’ potential in the NFL, as has been reported, and which in my opinion is not unfounded, then it’d make zero sense if Snyder did NOT reach out ASAP to Meyer.
For now, Redskins offensive line coach Bill Callahan takes over as interim head coach.
Case Keenum started at quarterback in Washington’s first four losses. He got yanked early in a Week 4 loss to the New York Giants, and Haskins earned his first meaningful time as a pro — and was terrible, throwing three interceptions.
Colt McCoy started Sunday’s loss to the Patriots, with Keenum out with a foot injury and Haskins back on the sideline in a baseball cap.
It’s no secret Snyder and Allen are super high on Haskins’ potential. Reports now say that duo and Gruden did not see eye-to-eye on even drafting Haskins in the first place, let alone how soon the 22-year-old ought to take over as starter.
So, will Snyder and Allen now insist the rookie start right away? No, Allen said.
“It will be up to coach Callahan who plays at any position, the same way it was up to coach Gruden who plays,” Allen told a mid-day news conference. “We’re thrilled to have Dwayne here. We think his future is very bright. Whatever gives coach Callahan the formula for success I’m sure he’s going to do.”
And for his part, Callahan told a Monday afternoon news conference he’ll decide between McCoy and Keenum as Redskins starter for this Sunday against similarly winless Miami.
COMFY LIFE. WHICH THE WORKAHOLIC PROBABLY DETESTS.