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The Baltimore Ravens are conducting their first head coaching search in nearly a decade.

Here’s a list of the guys that they have their sights on.

The first group has already interviewed with the team.

• Jim Caldwell - He’s the assistant head coach for the Indianapolis Colts. He’s highly endorsed by Tony Dungy as a potential head coach. That’s a great reference to have on your resume. Jim Caldwell interviewed with the Baltimore Ravens on January 4, 2008.
• Jason Garrett - He’s the hot young assistant coach right now. There’s even talks about Wade Phillips being fired just so the Dallas Cowboys can retain him. Jason Garrett interviewed with the Baltimore Ravens on January 5, 2008.
• Tony Sparano - He’s the other Dallas Cowboys assistant coach that’s been linked to every opening in the NFL. He interviewed with the Baltimore Ravens on January 5, 2008, but the general consensus is that he’ll end up with Bill Parcells in Miami.
• Brian Schottenheimer - New York Jets offensive coordinator interviewed with the Baltimore Ravens on January 7, 2008. He’s got a great offensive mind. The team would probably prefer hiring his father more.
• Rex Ryan - He was the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens up until a few weeks ago. His familiarity with the team does give him an advantage. He interviewed for the head coaching job on January 8, 2008. A lot of people seem to think that he’ll end up being a defensive coordinator for at least another season.
• John Harbaugh - The defensive backs coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. The guy learned from Ray Rhodes and Jim Johnson, two of the best defensive minds in the last 25 years. He interviewed with the Baltimore Ravens on January 8, 2008, and is considered a dark horse candidate.

Here’s a list of coaches that the Baltimore Ravens are interested in but have not interviewed yet.

• Jim Schwartz - The current defensive coordinator was the runner up for the San Francisco 49ers vacant head coaching spot in 2005 (Mike Nolan got the job).
• Marty Schottenheimer - The former head coach for the San Diego Chargers would love to get back into the league. Of course, he knows how much credentials he already has, so he has opted out of being involved in the first round of the interviewing process.
• Bill Cowher - He keeps telling people that he does not want to return to coaching just yet, but no one listens. That’s how much everyone wants him.
• Sylvester Croom - The head coach for Mississippi State is a dark horse candidate for the job. The guess here is that he’ll stick around the college ranks for a few years.
• Mike Singletary - There’s rumors that the Baltimore Ravens are heavily interested in the legendary linebacker for the Chicago Bulls. However, they have yet to reach out to the San Francisco 49ers (Mike Singletary is the assistant head coach) to request an interview. Mike Singletary was the linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens when Mike Nolan was the defensive coordinator.

My friend is a big San Francisco 49ers fan, one of those die hards that sticks with them during the championship seasons and the rebuilding ones like now. I, myself, hate the 49ers because I’m a Cowboys fan and when I heard the team was looking for an offensive coordinator I had to check the list of names.

First I saw Chan Gailey and thought about the old Dallas coaching days where he inherited a good team but could not win a playoff game. Then I saw his stint as offensive coach at Miami which was not productive and his return to the college ranks with Georgia Tech where he was recently dismissed after making it to the ACC championship game. He is not really an exciting, big offense minded guy so I was like yeah, a perfect fit for those 49ers.

Next I saw recently released Ravens coach Brian Billick who did great with a conservative, grinding offensive mindset. Billick could not repeat his offensive genius that he had in Minnesota and has been relying on a dominating defense and an offense that just limits mistakes to win games. I thought to myself here is another great fit for the 49ers.

Cam Cameron was also on the list of possible candidates for the 49ers offensive coordinator. He did a great job in San Diego with the weapons he had but could not repeat with the mediocre Dolphins and eventually released in the Bill Parcells move. He has the potential to be Offensive Assistant of the Year again but most like will take the Offensive Coordinator position for the St.Louis Rams.

The last name I saw on the list really scared me as he has great credentials already. Mike Martz did manage the Greatest Show on Turf and has the ability to bring out an offense. I think his failure in Detroit was more on the offensive line and Jon Kitna who I think sucks. Martz could be a problem if Shaun Hill continues his great play and takes over the starting QB position which would open up the field for Frank Gore whose receiving yards have been increasing. However I am not scared yet because the 49ers do not have any outstanding wide receiver.

Sorry 49er fans, it will be a few more years till you guys challenge for the NFC title. However I do like Shaun Hill with his mobility and throwing ability over Alex Smith. I like Manny Lawson, that tackling monster Patrick Willis, and good corner Nate Clements who make the defense much better.

Mike Singletary is regarded as one of the best middle linebackers who was not only known for his hard hitting but for his study of the game and opposing offenses. With many coaching positions open and maybe others in the future, his name has been mentioned as a possible candidate but the question remains, is Mike Singetary ready for the coaching job? Well lets look at some facts to see.

First he is a respected player and coach who would not need much to get the attention of his players. Singletary served as assistant coach to the Baltimore Ravens and assistant head coach/ linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers which gives him great credibility as everyone knows what the Ravens’ defense can do and the fact that linebacker Patrick Willis is a phenomenal beast. I’m sure Singletary coached Willis a little and his talent just took over. This gives Singletary 4 years of coaching experience but none as a coordinator which is usually the next step towards a head coaching position.

Can Singletary run both offense and defense? The answer is definitely yes. Look at Bill Cowher and Buddy Ryan, who mentored Singletary,  and it is easy to see that the discipline and heart that Singletary brings to the game can definitely work. However the lack of coaching experience is what really hurts and most likely Singletary will need a few more years as a defensive coordinator to land a head coaching position although I would love to see him as one now.

Ex-Hawaii football coach June Jones has agreed to a five year deal worth about 2 million per year to coach the Southern Methodist University Mustangs of Conference USA. It wasn’t news that Jones was going to leave and on such a high note as a BCS appearance. There is no denying Jones did a great job at Hawaii after taking over a team that went 0-12 and turning that around to several winning seasons and a BCS appearance. June Jones brought that crazy pass game that seems to work in college football against teams with less speed and athletic talent and Hawaii excelled at it with lots of big yard passers and record breakers along the way.

What he brings to SMU is the same passing attack but the team already has that with sophomore quarterback Justin Willis already throwing for over 2,900 yards and 25 touchdowns. The June Jones’ passing attack will still work here as he already has a pass happy offense and is in Conference USA where the whole league is really offense minded with the exception of maybe Southern Miss. The only question is, can Jones’ offense outscore other high scoring teams in the league like Tulsa, Houston, East Carolina, Central Florida, and Memphis. Jones should definitely improve on the teams record but that is not hard as the team went 0-8 in conference play and 1-11 overall.

The hard part will be tweaking the offense to be more productive and getting a decent defense that can stop big plays and third down conversions and that will all depend on recruiting. Jones did a great job of getting some decent players from Hawaii and the closest states to him. With Texas being a football goldmine for coaches, Jones should be able to recruit some talented players. SMU definitely hired the right coach but should limit it’s expectations as Conference USA is not a two team league like the WAC where only Hawaii and Boise State are very competitive. A BCS bowl berth is most likely not in the cards but seasons of winning records and Bowl appearances could definitely be seen.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips won 13 games this year. In most cases, that’s enough to provide you with some job security.

However, the rules are a bit different when your boss is Jerry Jones.

Wade’s A Winner

In his first year as head coach, Wade Phillips was able to improve the Dallas Cowboys’ record from 9-7 to 13-3. That’s even more impressive when you consider that the roster hasn’t been changed that much.

Wade Phillips also won over the team. After four years under Bill Parcells and his aggressive coaching methods, the players welcomed Wade Phillips and his laid back approach wit open arms. Wade Phillips didn’t have his players constantly on the edge. He basically eased their minds and allowed them to discipline themselves.

The winning ways also enabled Wade Phillips to win over the Dallas Cowboys fanbase. A lot of the fans complained when Jerry Jones decided to hire Wade Phillips as opposed to Norv Turner. Granted, a lot of those fans now swear that they never said that and that they approved of Wade Phillips’ hiring from the start.

Temporary

There was a widespread belief that Wade Phillips was chosen over Norv Turner so that it would make it easier for Jerry Jones to fire his head coach after a year or so.

Since Norv Turner had a previous relationship with the Dallas Cowboys fans, it would have been more of a public relations disaster for Jerry Jones to fire him after a year or so. Wade Phillips didn’t have a relationship with the fans (prior to his current success), so it might have been easier to part ways with him. When Jason Garrett was hired, the Dallas Cowboys basically stamped “Head Coach in Training” on his forehead. In fact, it was one of those rare situations where an assistant coach was hired by the owner before he hired a head coach. Jason Garrett was considered for the head coaching job, but Jerry Jones wanted him to have a year or two of training before taking over.

Everyone knew he was going to succeed Wade Phillips as the head coach. They just didn’t thin it would be happening this soon.

Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems

Money and success go hand in hand in that the more you have of them, the more problems are likely to spring up.

Now that the Dallas Cowboys had a great season, every team in the league wants a piece of them. Not just on the football field either, but also in the transaction section.

As with prior success, you can expect to see several Dallas Cowboys free agents get overpaid by other teams. Front office personnel are likely to get jobs elsewhere (Jeff Ireland has already jumped to the Miami Dolphins). Assistant coaches get interviewed for promotions with other teams (Tony Sparano is expected to become the Miami Dolphins’ next head coach).

Well, all eyes are on Jason Garrett right now.

His name has already been linked to the head coaching spots in Atlanta, Miami, and Baltimore. When other jobs become available, his name will probably be linked to those as well.

Promotion

The only way for Jerry Jones to keep Jason Garrett on his staff is to promote him to the head coaching spot.

Jason Garrett is allowed to leave the Dallas Cowboys for a position that is considered a promotion over his current position. With him being an offensive coordinator right now, a promotion would mean that he becomes a head coach.

Wade Phillips is a known commodity. Jerry Jones can’t take too much credit for his success. Jason Garrett, on the other hand, is an up and coming coach. Jerry Jones would love to be able to say that he found the next great coach.

Closing Thoughts

With everything in mind, it wouldn’t surprise us the least bit if Wade Phillips is looking for a new job next year.

After an absolutely horrible season, the Miami Dolphins have decided to shake things up by firing head coach Cam Cameron.

One and Done

When you go 1-15 for a season, the chances of you keeping your job is pretty slim.

When the owner of the franchise hires a big name like Bill Parcells to come in and run the team, then your slim chances get cut in half.

Cam Cameron is a fine coach, but there’s absolutely no way that he was going to win against the odds placed against him.

It wasn’t like the Miami Dolphins were a championship contender when Cam Cameron took over. They weren’t even a threat to go 8-8.

Plus, injuries took quite a toll on the team. The season saw the loss of quarterback Trent Green, running back Ronnie Brown, and linebacker Zach Thomas to injuries. When the season started, Cam Cameron showed signs of being the offensive genius that he was with the San Diego Chargers. There was definitely evidence that the team was showing signs of improvements on offense. Then, the losing began, and it sapped the team of every ounce of motivation that they had. Along with Cam Cameron, every single one of his assistant but two were released. Assistant special teams coach Steve Hoffman and linebackers coach George Edwards were retained. The other assistants still have a shot at being rehired, but that depends entirely on whoever the next head coach is.

Replacement

When Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland hire their next head coach, the Miami Dolphins will be welcoming their 5th head coach in 5 seasons.

Right now, the front runner is Dallas Cowboys assistant head coach Tony Sparano. He has an interview with the Atlanta Falcons on Friday, but chances are, he’ll end up with Bill Parcells in Miami.

Maurice Carthon is another candidate to take over the Miami Dolphins. He was an assistant coach under Bill Parcells in Dallas.

A dark horse candidate to keep an eye on is Todd Bowles, the secondary coach for the Dallas Cowboys. Bill Parcells was very high on him when the two worked together in Dallas. He becomes the team’s top candidate for defensive coordinator if Tony Sparano is hired.

Closing Thoughts

Can’t say that this move wasn’t an expected move. Cam Cameron himself knew the moment Bill Parcells was hired to run the team.

The 2007 NFL season ended on Sunday. Brian Billick’s head coaching tenure with the Baltimore Ravens ended less than 24 hours later.

Change Was Needed

The team finished 5-11. Suffice it to say, management had much higher expectations. In 2006, the Baltimore Ravens won 13 games and made the playoffs (they lost in the first round).

Team owner Steve Bisciotti stated that he made the decision to fire Brian Billick a few hours before the team played its final game of the season. The Baltimore Ravens have lost the same amount of games as they have won since Steve Bisciotti took over full ownership.

Steve Bisciotti initially wanted to give Brian Billick another year to fix the team, but after discussing things with his consultants, he changed his mind. The guess here is that his consultants convinced him that a change was the best thing for the team. They’re not doubting Brian Billick’s coaching ability. They just don’t think he’s the right coach for this team at this moment.

Brian Billick’s stubborn nature helped him get to the top of the NFL, but it also brought him right back down. When the Baltimore Ravens needed change, he wasn’t capable of providing it because of his stubborn nature. When Brian Billick came over from the Minnesota Vikings, he was labeled as an offensive genius. However, he wasn’t able to produce an offense with the Baltimore Ravens that came close to being great. They weren’t even good. In fact, the defense grumbled for all 9 years about the lack of production from the other side of the ball. The Baltimore Ravens also dismissed Brian Billick’s assistant coaches as well.

New Job

Brian Billick still has 3 years and $15 million on his contract. If he becomes contractually eligible, then he moves towards the top of the list of available coaches for next season.

The Atlanta Falcons are still looking for a head coach who can command respect. Brian Billick is one of those coaches that can do that. Plus, the Atlanta Falcons can also offer a bit of control over personnel, which would be pretty tempting for the coach.

Replacement

Even though he was dismissed from his post as defensive coordinator, Rex Ryan will be considered for the head coaching spot.

There are also reports that Steve Bisciotti had talks with former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher had a discussion in regards to the job back in November.

University of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz is another candidate as well.

Closing Thoughts

It was a nice run for Brian Billick in Baltimore. He has a championship ring out of his 9 year tenure, so that makes his stint there a success.

In a move that comes as a surprise to no one, Bill Parcells has fired the Miami Dolphins General Manager.

Randy Mueller Fired

Bill Parcells officially took over on Thursday as the new Executive Vice President of Football Operations for the Miami Dolphins.

His first decision was to fire the man who was in charge of a franchise that only won 1 game this season.

Randy Mueller has only been in charge of personnel for a year despite being the general manager for the past 3 years. When Nick Saban was coaching the Miami Dolphins, he had control over personnel. With Randy Mueller at the helm, the team acquired free agent linebacker Joey Porter and drafted Ted Ginn Jr and John Beck in the draft. You can’t really place all of the blame on Randy Mueller’s shoulders. However, he wasn’t particularly impressive this season. Plus, when a franchise brings in a new boss, more than likely, he’s going to surround himself with his own people.

The Replacement

The Miami Dolphins have requested and received permission from the Dallas Cowboys to interview Jeff Ireland for the general manager position. He is expected to interview for the job on January 1, 2008.

Right now, Jeff Ireland is the Vice President of College and Pro Scouting for the Dallas Cowboys. Bill Parcells used his powers to push Jerry Jones to promote him to that position. That move appeared to have paid off since the Dallas Cowboys were able to draft DeMarcus Ware, Marion Barber, Marcus Spears, Kevin Burnett, Chris Canty, and Jay Ratliff in 2005.

Jeff Ireland was immediately linked to the Miami Dolphins the moment they hired Bill Parcells.

Cleaning House

Randy Mueller wasn’t the only one fired on Monday. Bill Parcells also fired Assistant Director of Player Personnel Mike Baugh and College Scouting Coordinator Rick Thompson.

Those two guys will of course be replaced by people who have worked with Bill Parcells or people who have worked with the new General Manager.

Head Coach in Jeopardy

Cam Cameron could be next in line.

The head coach went 1-15, which is never a good thing. It’s worse when you achieve that record right before the franchise decides to make changes in management.

Bill Parcells and Cam Cameron are expected to sit down and discuss things later on this week. Unless Cam Cameron can pull off the interview of the century, he’ll probably be fired.

The Miami Dolphins are expected to contact the Dallas Cowboys about interviewing Jason Garrett and Tony Sparano, both of whom are assistant coaches with plenty of interest from around the league.

Closing Thoughts

Firing Randy Mueller is just the start.

Rick Neuheisel, former coach for the Washington Huskies has been named head coach of his alma mater UCLA in a 5 year deal worth about 1.25 million annually. Neuheisel was a quarterback for UCLA in 1984. He has been spending the last couple of years in the NFL and is currently the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens.

For those who don’t know,  Neuheisel was a very good coach in Washington with a 33-16 record, 4 bowl trips, and a Rose Bowl title. What ended his career there and what upset many fans was his participation in a betting pool on the NCAA basketball tournament. He sued for wrongful termination and left Washington and coaching with a messy ending.

UCLA has a good coach in Neuheisel as shown by the numbers in his tenure at Washington and could bring the team to some prominence. So he played in an NCAA basketball tournament pool, that is not a big deal and many people do it everywhere. It is not like he bet on college football or basketball, it was just a pool. Rules are rules but to tarnish the guys name is not fitting. Neuheisel should make nice comeback to the coaching in the PAC 10.

After a controversial season, Joe Paterno, one of the greatest coaches in college football, has done it again by beating Texas A&M in the Alamo Bowl 24-17, which makes it his 23rd career bowl win and 372 career victory. I do not know how this man does it. He is 81 and still has he energy and stamina to coach this young kids and run along the sideline through the plays as well. He is truly a legendary coach like Bear Bryant and Bobby Bowden.

Paterno has coached 500 games and has won over 320 games which gives him a winning percentage over 75%. That is a great record and it is going to be a sad day in Happy Valley if he decides to retire. Football is one of those sports where great coaches are never forgotten and JoePa will always be mentioned whenever there is talk about college football coaches or Penn State. Congratulations coach and keep on rolling.