Who Is This Guy???

A facinating development is going on in the NFL.  With job openings all over the place....teams aren't going after those big names to fill them.  It's those guys who work for the big named coaches that are getting the jobs.

There are SEVEN jobs filled....and only ONE of those jobs was by a guy with prior head coaching experience.  That was Herm Edwards, who left the Jets head coaching job to take over the Chiefs. 

Which is amazing, since in recent years we've seen Bill Parcells, Joe Gibbs, Tom Coughlin, Denny Green, etc get big time jobs.  Of course, looking at the playoffs....you see guys like John Fox, Marvin Lewis, Jack Del Rio, Jim Mora and Lovie Smith guiding their teams to their franchise biggest heights in years. 

The NFL is a trend league...and that seems to be the trend.  Most of these guys are young, energetic, cheap....and white.   All look like members of a Fantasy League, not the NFL.  They look like guys from a sales department of some company that get together for some Fantasy Football action, maybe head over the Applebee's for happy hour and discuss their lawns. 

So, here are the newest members of the NFL's head coaching fraternity.

SCOTT LINEHAN, RAMS.  Linehan [42] has been the Dolphins offensive coordinator last year...his first after being the Vikings offensive coordinator for three years.  He is more of a running-the-ball type of offensive mind....so good news for Steven Jackson fantasy keepers. 

ERIC MANGINI, JETS.  Mangini [35] becomes the youngest head coach in the NFL.  He's a disciple of Bill Billichick...being his defensive coordinator last year.  From Coztanza's Jets Commentary:  "He is not as polished or as good as either Romeo Crennel or Charlie Weis were. However, he has spent his entire career learning from Bill Belichick and was regarded highly enough to receive offers from three teams to become a defensive coordinator after last season. He is a rising star of the coaching ranks who will only become more knowledgable as he gains experience, and he would bring the Patriots' mentality to the team."

MIKE MCCARTHY, PACKERS.  McCarthy [42] has been the Niners offensive coordinator....been around the NFL block in his short career....but used to be Brett Favre's coach in Green Bay in 1999.  He has maintained a friendship of sorts with Favre and may be convincing enough to keep Favre around one more year.  If not, his biggest job will be to quickly develop Aaron Rodgers. 

BRAD CHILDRESS, VIKINGS.  Sure, he looks like a Social Studies teacher of the guy who helps you at the Home Depot.  But Childress [49] has been the Eagles offensive coordinator since 2002...and a QB coach for three seasons before that....developing Donovan McNabb.  He's been one of the more sought after coaches for the last couple of years. 

SEAN PEYTON, SAINTS.  This may have been the hardest sell...as the Saints have had so much to deal with in the past year and still have some major hurdles to jump.  He's been a QB coach in Dallas and New York...and that may show the draft cards of the Saints, who will be looking at Matt Leinart or Vince Young with the early draft pick. 

GARY KUBIAK, TEXANS.  Okay, this isn't official...but it pretty much looks like a go.  The Texans must wait for the Broncos season to end, which may be after the Super Bowl.  Kubiak has been involved with the Broncos for many years, as a coach and a player and has been a buzzworthy candidate for a head coaching job for a couple years now. 

ROD MARINELLI, LIONS.  Okay, he isn't a pup....but he does come from a nice pedigree.  He's been the Buccaneers defensive line coach....one of the best D-lines consistantly in the league.  Maybe Matt Millen will actually draft someone on that side of the ball this year. 

Former Packers coach Mike Sherman and former Lions and Bears coach Dick Jauron are believed to be in the running for the Bills job....so that may actually buck the trend.

Of course, you may have noticed that these are all white guys....which won't look too good on the ol' diversity charts.  But, only Mangini is replacing a man of color.....Herm Edwards.