If Hue Was The Guy, Then Why's He Not The Guy?

[oldschooler]

If Hue Was The Guy, Then Why's He Not The Guy?

Mo Egger January 15, 2016

 

Hue Jackson is now three days into his tenure in Cleveland, which is usually right about the time that Browns ownership starts thinking about replacing their coach. But assuming that their management will be at least a little more patient than they've been in the past, Hue's task has gone from meshing together a talented offense in Cincinnati to finding talent to mesh in Cleveland.

And on the surface, that's fine.  The plan all along, since he took over as the Bengals' offensive coordinator, seemed to be for Jackson to squeeze as much as possible out of Andy Dalton in the short term raise his profile, then move on.

If Hue Jackson was successful in Cincinnati - and he was - then he wasn't going to be in Cincinnati for long.

And so good for him.

Good for the Browns.

But there's an interesting nugget that's emerged from Hue's move to Ohio's northeast that raises questions.

First, from NFL Media's Michael Silver, who's very close to the Browns' new Head Coach.....

 

https://twitter.com/MikeSilver/status/687341973766709248?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

 

 

 

 

Then, from the uber-plugged in Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com...

It is such a close relationship that they discussed a “coach-in-waiting,” scenario in which Jackson would eventually succeed Lewis as head coach.

Interesting for a couple of reasons, and something that raises questions.  Among them?

*How long is Marvin Lewis planning on coaching?  And/or how long does Mike Brown plan on having Marvin as his head coach? His current contract expires after this coming season, and while the front office has continually tacked on years to his deal - keeping him from lame-duck status - he has publicly hinted at moving on, most notably when he told Paul Daugherty just before training camp last summer that he'd "walk away" if the Bengals won the Super Bowl.

They are, of course, not winning the Super Bowl, so Marvin - much to the dismay of many - isn't walking away. But even as he remains entrenched as head coach, you can't help but wonder if a change is on the horizon?

*Has Marvin Lewis been set up with a job in the organization after he's coaching? Read Mike Silver's tweet.  It says that Marvin "approached Hue with a last-ditch proposal."  This could mean that he was merely acting as the front office's messenger - plausible, given what we know about the relationship between the two coaches - but you also can't help but wonder why a coach who could soon be departing would have the juice to essentially name is replacement if he's not going to work for the team in some capacity when he's finished losing playoff games coaching. 

And most important...

*If the Bengals have already identified Hue Jackson as their next head coach, then why isn't he their head coach now?

You don't offer someone a succession plan - especially someone who just turned 50 and who has been very transparent about wanting to be a head coach again - with the idea being that they take over five years down the road. You make that proposal with a much, much shorter-term view in mind.

You also don't pitch that plan to Hue Jackson if you don't value him immensely.

And if you value him so immensely that you've offered for him to be the head coach sometime very soon, you don't let him go coach a team within your division.

You make him the head coach now.

So if this scenario - one being reported by very credible, locked-in, people who cover this league and this team closely - is an accurate depiction of what happened as Hue weighed Cleveland's offer, then the Bengals may have allowed the man who might have been their head coach for the next decade skip away to an AFC North rival so they could keep Marvin Lewis around for a year?

Seriously?

If they've identified Hue Jackson as their next head coach, and if Marvin, Mike, or both have decided that 2016 will be the final season of the Lewis head coaching regime, then why not accelerate the process for the sake of keeping Hue?  And if Marvin has agreed to stay here when he's done coaching (mind you, I'm using a lot of "ifs" here), why not start the succession process a year early, while maintaining the stability this franchise values and keeping Hue in the fold for the foreseeable future and keeping a valued asset from competing against you twice a year?

These are good questions, even if we'll never really get the answers?

Look, this isn't as simple as "fire Marvin, keep Hue," although many can and will make that case.  But it's one thing if the idea is for Marvin to continue coaching the Bengals for a while, and another if the decision has already been made that he'll step aside - for whatever reason - soon.

If that's the case, and if Hue Jackson is so valued by this organization that they decided - also, for whatever reason - that he's the right man to be the next Head Coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, then they couldn't let him get away, especially to the Cleveland Browns, right?

Well, they just did.

Read more: http://www.espn1530.com/onair/mo-egger-9170/if-hue-was-the-guy-then-14279248/#ixzz3xsg39IYW

[oldschooler]

How Long Will Marvin Lewis Continue to Rebound?

Read more: http://www.espn1530.com/onair/james-rapien-56340/#ixzz3xsh4N9Pu

[New Jersey Bengal]

If Hue Was The Guy, Then Why's He Not The Guy?

Mo Egger January 15, 2016

 

Hue Jackson is now three days into his tenure in Cleveland, which is usually right about the time that Browns ownership starts thinking about replacing their coach. But assuming that their management will be at least a little more patient than they've been in the past, Hue's task has gone from meshing together a talented offense in Cincinnati to finding talent to mesh in Cleveland.

And on the surface, that's fine.  The plan all along, since he took over as the Bengals' offensive coordinator, seemed to be for Jackson to squeeze as much as possible out of Andy Dalton in the short term raise his profile, then move on.

If Hue Jackson was successful in Cincinnati - and he was - then he wasn't going to be in Cincinnati for long.

And so good for him.

Good for the Browns.

But there's an interesting nugget that's emerged from Hue's move to Ohio's northeast that raises questions.

First, from NFL Media's Michael Silver, who's very close to the Browns' new Head Coach.....

 

https://twitter.com/MikeSilver/status/687341973766709248?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

 

 

 

 

Then, from the uber-plugged in Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com...

It is such a close relationship that they discussed a “coach-in-waiting,” scenario in which Jackson would eventually succeed Lewis as head coach.

Interesting for a couple of reasons, and something that raises questions.  Among them?

*How long is Marvin Lewis planning on coaching?  And/or how long does Mike Brown plan on having Marvin as his head coach? His current contract expires after this coming season, and while the front office has continually tacked on years to his deal - keeping him from lame-duck status - he has publicly hinted at moving on, most notably when he told Paul Daugherty just before training camp last summer that he'd "walk away" if the Bengals won the Super Bowl.

They are, of course, not winning the Super Bowl, so Marvin - much to the dismay of many - isn't walking away. But even as he remains entrenched as head coach, you can't help but wonder if a change is on the horizon?

*Has Marvin Lewis been set up with a job in the organization after he's coaching? Read Mike Silver's tweet.  It says that Marvin "approached Hue with a last-ditch proposal."  This could mean that he was merely acting as the front office's messenger - plausible, given what we know about the relationship between the two coaches - but you also can't help but wonder why a coach who could soon be departing would have the juice to essentially name is replacement if he's not going to work for the team in some capacity when he's finished losing playoff games coaching. 

And most important...

*If the Bengals have already identified Hue Jackson as their next head coach, then why isn't he their head coach now?

You don't offer someone a succession plan - especially someone who just turned 50 and who has been very transparent about wanting to be a head coach again - with the idea being that they take over five years down the road. You make that proposal with a much, much shorter-term view in mind.

You also don't pitch that plan to Hue Jackson if you don't value him immensely.

And if you value him so immensely that you've offered for him to be the head coach sometime very soon, you don't let him go coach a team within your division.

You make him the head coach now.

So if this scenario - one being reported by very credible, locked-in, people who cover this league and this team closely - is an accurate depiction of what happened as Hue weighed Cleveland's offer, then the Bengals may have allowed the man who might have been their head coach for the next decade skip away to an AFC North rival so they could keep Marvin Lewis around for a year?

Seriously?

If they've identified Hue Jackson as their next head coach, and if Marvin, Mike, or both have decided that 2016 will be the final season of the Lewis head coaching regime, then why not accelerate the process for the sake of keeping Hue?  And if Marvin has agreed to stay here when he's done coaching (mind you, I'm using a lot of "ifs" here), why not start the succession process a year early, while maintaining the stability this franchise values and keeping Hue in the fold for the foreseeable future and keeping a valued asset from competing against you twice a year?

These are good questions, even if we'll never really get the answers?

Look, this isn't as simple as "fire Marvin, keep Hue," although many can and will make that case.  But it's one thing if the idea is for Marvin to continue coaching the Bengals for a while, and another if the decision has already been made that he'll step aside - for whatever reason - soon.

If that's the case, and if Hue Jackson is so valued by this organization that they decided - also, for whatever reason - that he's the right man to be the next Head Coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, then they couldn't let him get away, especially to the Cleveland Browns, right?

Well, they just did.

Read more: http://www.espn1530.com/onair/mo-egger-9170/if-hue-was-the-guy-then-14279248/#ixzz3xsg39IYW

Good article...I don't understand why they would let Hue go...

[scharm]

My guess is the Bengals want some type of role for Marvin when HE DECIDES he's done coaching.   That role could be as little as helping the coaching search to an on-going front office.  Who knows if Marvin wants it.

Hue's not the guy because Marvin probably hasn't drawn a line in the sand saying when he's going to be done coaching.    That causes a crux in timing and money when Hue is getting opportunity and money for Head Coaching currently.

Besides, it's Cleveland.  Hue probably gets fired in 2017.   

[Jamie_B]

He is currently in his last year of the extension correct?

[scharm]

He is currently in his last year of the extension correct?

Yes.  

[|schotzee|]

I think it's safe to assume he will be extended.

[turningpoint]

I think it's safe to assume he will be extended.

I don't, I really think 2016 is his last year, i think he finally wins that playoff game, but who knows how many. He wants the monkey off his back, then he will call it quits.

[New Jersey Bengal]

I don't, I really think 2016 is his last year, i think he finally wins that playoff game, but who knows how many. He wants the monkey off his back, then he will call it quits.

I actually think we may hire Vance Joseph back if Marvin does in fact call it quits after next season

[|schotzee|]

I don't, I really think 2016 is his last year, i think he finally wins that playoff game, but who knows how many. He wants the monkey off his back, then he will call it quits.

Time will tell I guess. He says he will walk away after a Superbowl win. 

[BengalsOwn]

I don't, I really think 2016 is his last year, i think he finally wins that playoff game, but who knows how many. He wants the monkey off his back, then he will call it quits.

Right. because thats what head coaches do, retire at 58 years old and hang out with their wives and get a desk job.

Does anybody pay attention to the NFL?

[Bleeds Orange]

Besides, it's Cleveland.  Hue probably gets fired in 2017.   

That's what I was thinking.  Maybe the plan is to bring him back to the Bengals when he gets fired up there in two years.

Only two of the eight Browns head coaches since they returned in 1999 have lasted more than two seasons.  15 of those 17 seasons have been losing seasons, with the high-water marks being a season of 9-7 and a season of 10-6.  But hey, they threw away an iconic uniform in favor of Walmart jerseys and their names in big letters down their legs, so at least they have that going for them.

I'm not sure what the Bengals were thinking, but I'm also not sure what Hue was thinking, either.  I think his biggest job will be deciding which three starting quarterbacks he will use in 2016.

[scharm]

Hue's thinking is somewhat understandable.   Money and the bar is low.  

 

[oldschooler]

 

 

[|High School Harry|]

Ray Horton was hired to be the Clowns Defensive Coordinator.

Will Hobslob's headline be

Horton Hears a Hue?

[SmoothD]

Ray Horton was hired to be the Clowns Defensive Coordinator.

Will Hobslob's headline be

Horton Hears a Hue?

Ray Horton was still on the Browns payroll, after being let go in 2013 .

[|High School Harry|]

Ray Horton was still on the Browns payroll, after being let go in 2013 .

Hey, its the Browns.  What can you say?

I have this mental image of the Cleveland Browns running around the field with seltzer bottles, inflated pig bladders and cream pies while a seal plays Yankee Doodle on bicycle horns.  For player intros at the beginning of the games rather than have them run out of a tunnel a tiny car weaves its way to midfield and the entire team piles out.