Rob Chudzinski via KSDK.
There still isn't any official decision on Jeff Fisher's part as to which team he'll coach in 2012. Word is that he will be making his pick later today – or maybe tomorrow, who knows with this guy.
In the meantime, the Rams have been doing there due diligence, lining up interviews with the Carolina Panthers' OC Rob Chudzinski and Denver Broncos' DC Dennis Allen.
Interesting. Carolina's offense did improve under Chud, ranking 7th in total offense this season after coming in last a year ago. In terms of the passing game, he helped the team get to 13th in total passing yards compared to the dead last in 2010.
The passing game is where the Rams anemic offense needs the most help. The team was 30th this season when it came to passing yards. And you probably already guessed it, we were dead last in terms of passing TD's with a measly nine coming through the air. The Panther's were tied for 13th in passing touchdowns.
With what he's done with Carolina and Cam Newton, is Chudzinski a good fit here?
0 recs | 94 comments
Now this is what I'm talking about!
Woowoo! All aboard the Chudwagon.
Joe Mazzi - January 12, 2012
Or should I say, ChuuChuud!?
Joe Mazzi - January 12, 2012
lol
Douglas M - January 12, 2012
Think Peter King said the same thing about Spags.
crashoveride01 - January 12, 2012
conspiracy theory
Fisher was waiting on either team to hire someone else after raising the bidding as high as possible. he then has to make no choice, and team remaining has to pay an inflated offer.
edlew1 - January 12, 2012
Chud is awesome IMO
But he did have Cam, if he doesn’t completely blow them away in the interview process, don’t say “well look what he did” cause he had Cam and Steve Smith.
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
Shockey
and Williams and Stewart and Olsen. I am not as impressed with him. I still like the toughness a guy like Kromer could bring. OL coaches seem to be able to get some toughness out of teams ala Cable and Tice. The thing I do like about Chud is a least he is on the offensive side of the ball.
RWRAMS28 - January 12, 2012
BRING ON THE CHUD!!!!!!!!!!!
Great with TE’s, great with QB’s, Great working to the offenses skills and abilities. I want him more then Fisher, hes been my #1 choice for months.
Tampa_Ram - January 12, 2012
How
is he great with TE? He had Gates for 2 years who was great before he got there. When Gates only played 10 games in 2010 the next closest TE was McMichael with 20 catches and that’s with VJAX not playing.
RWRAMS28 - January 12, 2012
He had Gates for 4 years, two different two year stints.
He got Kellen Winslow to the Pro Bowl in 2008. He made Bubba Franks, Jeremy Shockey and Kellen Winslow All-Americans at Miami “U”. Shockey and Greg Olsen combined for over 1,000 yards this year in his offense.
Joe Mazzi - January 12, 2012
He's right. Chud is a great TE coach. He also is know for his coaching staff management.
As much as I would like to see him as the next Rams HC, I don’t think Carolina will let him go anywhere. I also think he wants to be there next year to see Newton through his 2nd year.
What could get him to leave is if he sees Rivera wanting all the 2012 draft picks to go to D, instead of O. The Panthers need some serious OL help on the edges
Douglas M - January 12, 2012
Teams can't block a OC or DC from being a HC somewhere else!
Ramfan4life - January 12, 2012
They'll give him a big pay raise. If Carolina succeeeds next year, Chud's stock will soar
Douglas M - January 12, 2012
Lateral move.
Getting rid of one coordinator for another unproven coordinator?
I’m disappointed that all the delusions of grandeur that every coach would love to come to St. Louis cause we have Bradford didn’t come true. Or at least hasn’t come true yet.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
To my knowledge
The Rams have interviewed a grand total of two candidates thus far.
Joe Mazzi - January 12, 2012
They are set to interview Dennis Allen today...
The St. Louis Rams will interview Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen on Thursday for their head coaching position, a team official told ESPN’s George Smith.
jpcisco - January 12, 2012
The Broncos defense is obviously better than the Cardinals
but I’d rather have Horton than Allen, if given the choice.
Joe Mazzi - January 12, 2012
agree, Horton would be my personal choice if Fisher goes to the Dolphins.
jpcisco - January 12, 2012
Like I said, another coordinator.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
Where are Gruden and Cowher?
Cause those were the other big fish rumors.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
Has any other coach been hired yet? NO
Are we still in the running for the best guy out there? Yes. Sam’s impact is huge
Brick Top - January 12, 2012
We shall see.
I hope we get Fisher. I don’t think he’s the best thing since sliced bread, but he’s got a ton of experience which WILL be of benefit to a young team.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
Save for Fish
or Schottenheimer, who else is there?
blindmouse - January 12, 2012
Brian Billick is being interviewed for the Falcons OC postition....
he was the Ravens coach for awhile. Wouldnt mind bringing him to Stl, he won a super bowl as the HC with the Ravens.
jpcisco - January 12, 2012
I'm with you in that I'm shocked at the HC candidates who are NOT being interviewed?
It’s why I wrote the Haley piece yesterday. We need to be looking now, not just waiting for Fisher. He’s holding up choosing a GM too, and many of the GM candidates we may have wanted are being snapped up by other teams.
Douglas M - January 12, 2012
Thats why I think I might rather just hire Horton soon and move forward
What good is Fisher if our GM, coordinators, and position coaches are all ginna suck
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
Really?
LOL at your (continued) lack of patience.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
Agree with Pekka on the lateral move point - unless we happen to snag Fisher tho, then taking an unproven coordinator might be the only option, which this team does not need right now, in my opinion...
I don’t get to watch college football over here in the UK – are there any outstanding coaches ready to take the step up, a la Harbaugh?
JoolzMF - January 12, 2012
No
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
I've been asking that same question. Some have mentioned the University of Iowa head coach as a possible candidate?
Douglas M - January 12, 2012
For every Harbaugh.....
……there are 10 Petrinos, Sabans, etc.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
unproven?
Chud was the OC for Univ MIa record setting natl championship year. OC for Derek Anderson’s one pro bowl season in CLE. Success in SD with Gates, followed by Cam having arguably the best rookie QB season. I’d say he is proven, and a PERFECT fit…assuming Fish goes upstream to Mia
Dylan420 - January 12, 2012
Proven as an OC
Not a head coach. That was my only point.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 13, 2012
I want a pasing offense
Bring on chud, open the passing game and watch # 39 go. Oh, I forgot we need some WR’s. Bradford to Blackmon, td. This is by far more interesting then this last season. We haven’t lost in 2012.
Mudsharktoo - January 12, 2012
+1
RG31 - January 12, 2012 via mobile
we've lost to the 49ers in 2012 actually
sergey606 - January 12, 2012
Guys, this is how it works
You have to more often than not find a young up and coming coach. It’s not lateral, we knew what Spags was, we don’t know what Chud or Horton will be, but can’t be much worse. It’s a risk you have to take. I still will take Horton cause it you have a good coach, it doesn’t matter what they coordinated, the team will be good (Belichick was an DC, yet look at the Pats)
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
Belichick wasn't that successful in his first HC position with the Browns - if we were gonna go down that route, we might as well have kept a hold of Spags
JoolzMF - January 12, 2012
How's Shanahan doing in Washington?
No coach is a guarantee, they can all fail. I’d pick fisher first, but the opinion that we shoulda just kept Spags if we have to hire a Coordinator is just stupid
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
If you see my original post above regarding Pekka's "lateral move" point, getting an unproven HC (like Spagnuolo, or Linehan) is hurting this franchise. You know what the definition of insanity is, right?
If we don’t get Fisher, we may not have any other choice. But to bring up Horton’s name in practically every single thread, and yet give no fundamental reason for your choice, smacks of desperation.
I understand we have to move on – and quickly. But Fisher has us over a barrel, as he also does with the Dolphins.
JoolzMF - January 12, 2012
I like Horton cause "blowing people away" in the interviews implies more of the intangibles than I ever saw in Spags
As well, these guys who just put up big numbers and then get a HC job (McD, Spags) almost never work out. The fact that they are serious about Horton when he isn’t a “big hot name Coordinator” implies they are genuinely impressed with his intangible abilities.
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
That's called a bullshit artist.
And intangibles are intangible….more evidence he’s a bullshit artist.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
It's also called "why Tomlin got hired"
Don’t just throw it out douche. Btw, I’d say the intangibles are pretty tangible in Tebow
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
LMAO.
Which is why nobody but McD was gonna draft him?
Maybe we should hire McD? LMAO.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
Or maybe we should have kept McD to hire the new coach since he can assess intangibles that nobody else can?
LOL!
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
Zactly.
Although note, I’m not going down the Spags route anymore. Just saying that we gave up a guy who (most, not all) people didn’t like for an absolute crapshoot. That’s not good strategy by a successful franchise IMO. On the other hand, we could still get Fisher.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
Here's how I see it:
Spags = not a HC
Fisher = good head coach
Chud/Horton= any where from not a HC to a great HC. Id rather pick a new coach than have kept Spags
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
Based on NOTHING.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
Spags- we go nowhere
Chud/Horton- we continue to go nowhere or we could be great. It’s called taking a risk
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
Chud and Horton offer a chance of greatness
Spags offers being awful
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
But you were crowing for a coach with experince, what happened to that guy?
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
And my perspective isn't about Spags anymore.
He’s gone and that’s that. But I don’t like the idea of bringing in the newest flavor of the month. That’s what we did with Spags and (according to you) it was a disaster.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
I was crowing for "anyone who isn't Spags"
Fisher is the top choice, and if he doesn’t happen you go get the Coordinator who most impresses you
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
Which is not what you and the others wanted a week ago.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
Yeah, you go fr your top candidate, and move down from there
Djd you want us to hire the guy at the bottom of the list before talking to Fisher?
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
And the move down has been large.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
Fuck off
You still are just pissed that you were wrong about Spags
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
I wasn't wrong about Spags.
You just weren’t careful enough about what you wished for. LMAO.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
Go away
You don’t want to discuss, you want to condescend and argue
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
And you want people to agree with you all the time.
Not much difference between us.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
I'm not saying we should have kept Spags. But to throw a guy's name out there just to see if he'll sink or swim is just not logical.
JoolzMF - January 12, 2012
+1
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
That's how any and every successful NFL HC has ever started his career.
Joe Mazzi - January 12, 2012
Thank you
If people just always recycled coaches we’d be hiring Lombardi’s skeleton
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
I just don't like the crapshoot aproach
All I’m saying. Haters wanted to dump Spags for a legitimate, experienced coach. These new names don’t fit that criteria.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
I wanted to dump Spags cause he sucked
And I’m happy with Horton or Chud because IMO, a chance they will be good is better than “maybe some day in the very far off future Spags will lead us to 8-8”
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
Unfortunately, as it stands right now
Fisher is the only name who falls under that category. Cowher and Gruden are no goes. Martyball and Martz are both uninterested and receiving no interest. Mangini, no thanks. Crennel is staying with KC. Billick appears to be headed back to coordinating. There are just not a lot of experienced candidates out there.
Joe Mazzi - January 12, 2012
Totally agree. My argument is that we've gone down the "unproven HC" route ever since the GSOT days. The only guy we've had since Vermeil that had any experience was Haslett, and he was no better than the rest...
BUT, let’s turn things around our way, take control of the situation, and give Fisher OUR deadline. If he comes here by that time, great. If not, we move along, and look at EVERY possibility.
JoolzMF - January 12, 2012
Agree
Im not saying hire Horton the second Fish says no, I’m saying he’s my top candidate with Chud
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
Huh?
Why wouldn’t you hire your top candidate after Fisher the minute Fisher says no? You make no sense…..
Remember, he offers us a shot at “greatness.”
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
I understand that RAM, and I also understand that we might not have any other choice if Fisher says no to us. But I'm saying we should look at every conceivable possibility before making a decision, not just go on one guy who happened to interview well.
JoolzMF - January 12, 2012
Horton, Kromer, Chud, Allen
Give me one. My top two or Horton and Chud
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
Btw, why was Tomlin named the Steeler coach?
Cause he blew them away? Ok. Not saying Horton is that good, but I’m saying it’s a viable reason to like him as a candidate
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
Wasn't he one of their coordinators?
And wasn’t he successful under Cowher? And weren’t the Steelers pretty good before Tomlin took over? They hired their own guy and they KNEw what they were getting.
Apples and oranges.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
Yes, the Steelers were very good when Tomlin took over.
Tomlin was never a Steeler prior, though. He was defensive coordinator for the Vikings one year before the Steelers called.
Joe Mazzi - January 12, 2012
He was with the Vikes (which shows your stupid)
And they only talked to him so they could satisfy the Rooney Rule so they could get Russ Grimm (again, your an idiot). He won the job solely cause of his interview
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
"your" should have an "e" at the end of it.
Both times. And I believe Rooney said after they hired him that they wanted to promote diversity in the NFL, so it wasn’t solely because of his interview (unless they didn’t know he was black ahead of time). And he didn’t inherit shit, he inherited a Super Bowl caliber team. Big difference, but I wouldn’t expect you to see that.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
this is who ive wanted!!!
J.E.T.music - January 12, 2012 via mobile
Who is conducting the interviews?
Tackle Box - January 12, 2012
Derinda... lol
Douglas M - January 12, 2012
PFPP - I think some
of the owners are surprised that the Gruden’s and Cowher’s off the world didn’t want to come back to coaching. When Kroenke proclaims that he is after HC experience I don’t think he was referring to Fisher, Fisher and more Fisher. I guess Stan never liked the notion of Marty S., Del Rio or Billick! I too am rather surprised that we are going down the path of unproven coordinators if Fisher leaves us at the alter. That said, if we lose out to Fisher and I can’t have Chris Petersen I guess I will lob my support to Chud!
RamTeaPartier - January 12, 2012
Chris Petersen
1) won’t come here
2) why would he want to?
3) no college coach, that’s even worse than hiring a coordinator
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
I'm so sick of arguing with idiots
Here’s the end point: about a week after a coach is hired, everyone is going to back them until they prove they can’t coach. End of story
King Sam Rules! - January 12, 2012 via mobile
I agree whole heartedly with everything you just said.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
Hope your not talking to me KSR!
Chris Petersen is coveted by nearly every college program in the country these days. Moreover, he has outcoached many of the most distinguished college coaches in big games. I think he is making 1.5 million at BSU. He can blow that income out the door going to pro’s if he wanted to. Pete Carrol did pretty well for himself leaving SC and getting a good gig in Seattle. Not sure why you think hiring a coordinator who has never had the pressure of managing an entire game trumps a guy who does a helluva job managing games for a top BCS program.
RamTeaPartier - January 12, 2012
Petersen isn't going anywhere is he?
Cause he’s had offers from big time programs and hasn’t budged. But I’d love to take a chance on a guy like that over some of these other names getting thrown around.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 12, 2012
Carrol has yet to prove he can win as a coach at the NFL level.
LARams1968 - January 12, 2012
Chudzinski Along With Butch Davis As A DC
Would be a good way to go.
ValdezY - January 12, 2012
I saw Jim Thomas tweet that as a possibility
I never even thought of that. Would be interesting, that’s for sure.
Joe Mazzi - January 12, 2012
I Like The Idea!
ValdezY - January 12, 2012
Butch Davis is from Tahlequah!?!?!?!?!??!?!
He went to Bixby High School!!!!?!?!?!??! I go there now!?!?!?!?!!!
RAMSALLTHEWAY - January 12, 2012 via mobile
If we go Coordinator
as HC I am down with Chud. Some of these other names being bandied aroudn scare me….
RamTeaPartier - January 12, 2012
Chud would definitely be my second choice behind Fisher.
Not only did he groom Cam into the electric QB he is, he also got a great season out of Derek freaking Anderson when he was with the Browns.
If we whiff on Fisher and are going with a coordinator, I would be happy with Chud.
Sam Godford - January 12, 2012
Wouldn't mind giving Hue Jackson a call
diehardram87 - January 12, 2012
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