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Let's take a look at the 32 OC's from around the league and see how they match up against their colleagues....
1. Scott Linehan, Detroit Lions: The Detroit Lions have nowhere to go but up and Scott Linehan's mind will pave the way for the offense. Most recently, Linehan was the Head Coach for the St. Louis Rams, however Linehan's offensive prowess in Minnesota and Miami is where he left his mark. He loves to pound the running game down opponents' throats, but he is also no stranger to a fierce aerial attack. Those Culpepper-to-Moss as well as Bulger-to-Holt highlights were his genius at work.
2. Ken Whisenhunt, Arizona Cardinals: With the departure of Todd Haley this off-season, the Cardinals offensive play calling duties will be Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt's responsibility again. Prior to Haley's appointment as Offensive Coordinator, Whisenhunt called the plays for Arizona's high-octane attack. This year the duo of Russ Grimm (running game coordinator) and Mike Miller (passing game coordinator) will help shoulder the load in the desert. The Cardinals' offense was ranked third in points-per-game as well as total points.
3. Kyle Shanahan, Houston Texans: The young gun amongst this group, Kyle Shanahan is a name to keep an eye on in the coming years. The 29-year old with the pedigree family name is the youngest coordinator in the league, but his mind is well ahead of his age. Since taking over the play calling duties in 2008, Shanahan's Texans ranked third in overall offense and had the fourth ranked passing attack. With Andre Johnson and Steve Slaton in the fold, Shanahan can unleash his aggressive play calling without worry.
4. Mike Mularkey, Atlanta Falcons: Mike Mularkey has enjoyed great success in this league as an Offensive Coordinator. While with the Steelers back in the early 2000's, his punishing ground attack crippled opposing defenses. In his first season with the Falcons in 2008, Mularkey's squad racked up the second most rushing yards per game behind the wrecking ball that is Michael Turner. Matt Ryan looks to be a franchise quarterback and Roddy White is emerging as a star in this league. It won't be long before Mularkey is roaming the sidelines as a Head Coach again.
5. Pete Carmichael, Jr., New Orleans Saints: Pete Carmichael, Jr. inherits an explosive offense that former Offensive Coordinator Doug Marrone molded into one of the leagues' elite units. Carmichael has been in charge of the passing game since 2006 and knows how to utilize Drew Brees to the fullest. The Saints put up the most passing yards per game (28.9 ppg) and lit up the scoreboard more than any other team (463 total points). New Orleans will not skip a beat with Marrone's departure as Carmichael is partly responsible for their offensive success over the past few seasons.
6. Kevin Gilbride, New York Giants: The New York Giants' offense was a well-balanced machine in 2008 and Kevin Gilbride was the man responsible. Over the past two seasons, Gilbride has kept the Giants among the top 10 in overall offense, much like he did while serving the same position for the Houston Oilers in the 1990's. Though he has deviated from the more wide open “run-and-shoot” offense that he used to run, Gilbride still gets results with a deep running game and an effective passing attack.
7. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots: This is a tough spot to put Head Coach Bill Belichick in because he is one of the more brilliant minds in the game. Belichick has not named an OC for this season, meaning he will probably call the plays and groom one of his protégés for the position in 2010. Regardless, his ability to adjust on the fly and implement a top-flight game plan is Belicheck's calling card. With Tom Brady and Randy Moss on board, the Patriots' offense should remain an elite unit.
8. Cam Cameron, Baltimore Ravens: Cam Cameron is another example of a man that is a better coordinator than head coach. Cameron took a rookie quarterback, a powerful stable of running backs, and turned it into a solid offense. Statistically, Baltimore was a middle-of-the-road offense, but that is why the game is played on the field instead of paper. Cameron's offenses have always been among the highest scoring and he has been the driving force behind players like Drew Brees, Phillip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson and Joe Flacco. His players are disciplined, hard working, and always exciting to watch.
9. Joe Philbin, Green Bay Packers: Joe Philbin might fly under the radar, but his offenses surely do not. In the two years that he has been calling the shots for the offense, the Packers have been ranked in the top ten. In 2008, Aaron Rodgers lived up to expectations as he threw for over 4,000 yards. Philbin's offense is a well-oiled machine as running back Ryan Grant was successful on the ground as much as Greg Jennings and Donald Driver were on the receiving end.
10. Marty Mornhinweg, Philadelphia Eagles: It seems like just yesterday that Marty Mornhinweg was the goat in Detroit, but the Eagles' Offensive Coordinator has enjoyed success over the past six seasons in Philadelphia. Mornhinweg's style is very creative and is an off-shoot of the West Coast Offense. Though he has not been given the receiving weapons that most teams have, Mornhinweg has relied on quarterback Donovan McNabb's veteran wisdom, in addition to heavy (perhaps too heavy?) doses of running back Brian Westbrook.
11. Jeff Davidson, Carolina Panthers: Jeff Davidson is another coordinator that does not often get his due respect. After only one season in Cleveland as their OC, Davidson was hired by Carolina to keep their run-first offense intact. Davidson released DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart on the league last year and it paid huge dividends. The Panthers' running game was ranked in the top-3 and smash mouth football was back in Charlotte. Davidson also incorporated more trickery and used the “wildcat” formation in his offense. If he can somehow get the tight end or a receiver to complement Steve Smith, the Panther offense will be hard to stop in 2009.
12. Dan Henning, Miami Dolphins: Speaking of the wildcat formation, Dan Henning could be the man most directly linked to its popularity. Often thought of as a conservative play caller, Henning's Miami offense always had defenses on their heels wondering what was coming next. Besides the wildcat, Henning puts emphasis on the running game and asks his quarterback to play smart, responsible football. It will be interesting to see what kind of effect he has on the mentoring of rookie quarterback Pat White.
13. Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys: In his two years as Offensive Coordinator in Dallas, Jason Garrett has kept the 'Boys ahead of the curve. In his first season in Big D, Garrett's offense was on fire as they had the second best overall offense. He found ways to get former wide receiver Terrell Owens the ball while keeping other offensive players involved. It will be intriguing to see how the offense flows now that T.O. is gone, but Garrett will make sure that this offense stays near the top of the league again.
14. Clarence Shelman, San Diego Chargers: Some might consider it a little early to put San Diego's Clarence Shelman on the list, but he has done a solid job the past two seasons. He fielded the eleventh-best offense and has helped Philip Rivers develop into a solid franchise quarterback. Shelman's offense was the second highest scoring and he has found players not named L.T. to get involved.
15. Brian Shottenheimer, New York Jets: Brett Favre was the big story last year in New York, but a lot of credit should go to Brian Shottenheimer as well. He was able to bring in a quarterback with little practice time in the system and had him firing on all cylinders shortly after the season started. Shottenheimer has brought an exciting offensive approach to the Jets, especially when compared to the offense that was in place prior to his hiring. Shottenheimer will have a little pressure on him in the passing game as the Jets' number one receiving option, Laveraneus Coles, is now a Bengal.
16. Mike Heimerdinger, Tennessee Titans: Mike Heimerdinger enjoyed early success as the Offensive Coordinator in Tennessee from 2000-2004 and returned to that post for the Titans prior to last season. His offense likes to spread the field, utilize the running back out of the backfield, and incorporates trickery. Tennessee's offense was mediocre in 2008, but there were flashes of brilliance that indicate it's on the right track. Heimerdinger is great with players and many hope he can get Vince Young back in the loop and help push this young nucleus of players along.
17. Darrell Bevell, Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings' offense was ranked in the middle of the pack for 2008 and Darrell Bevell hopes to improve upon that in 2009. Adrian Peterson is still the focal point of the offense, but Bevell will have to utilize his strong quarterback history to help figure out the Vikes’ future at that position. He needs to decide whether or not the ship has sailed on Tavares Jackson, incorporate newcomer Sage Rosenfels, and develop John David Booty. No small tasks.
18. Bruce Arians, Pittsburgh Steelers: When you think of the Pittsburgh Steelers, defense is the usually the first thought, rather than their offense. Bruce Arians' style of offense uses the run to set up the pass. In addition, his offense throws a lot of “quick hits” to the wide receiver at the line and utilizes solid downfield blocking to spring the receiver. The overall offense slid a little last year, but they did lose some solid offensive linemen from 2008 and had an injury-riddled backfield.
19. Sherman Smith, Washington Redskins: Sherman Smith knows running backs like the back of his hand. Best known for turning Eddie George loose on the NFL, Smith has continued his focus with Clinton Portis. The Redskins' offense was dreadful before Smith came to town and he has them working hard while placing a much more responsible team on the field.
20. Greg Knapp, Seattle Seahawks: The Seattle Seahawks' offense was anemic in 2008 and newly appointed OC Greg Knapp has his work cut out for him. Knapp's take on the West Coast Offense will be put in place with hopes of showing the same successes he has enjoyed in Atlanta and San Francisco prior to Seattle. He is great at molding offenses around the players that he is given and getting the most out of their respective strengths.
21. Jeff Jagodzinski, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jagodzinski has enjoyed an interesting off-season thus far, but the style of coaching that he brings to Tampa should equate to results sooner rather than later. He is an amazing at communicating what he wants to the players and runs a disciplined ship. Early looks into the offense show that he prefers a power running game while remaining flexible enough to air the ball out. No matter what happens, Jags' offense will be humming and it will be exciting to watch.
22. Ron Turner, Chicago Bears: Ron Turner has been patrolling the Bears' sidelines for quite some time, but if he doesn't make some improvements in 2009, he could be looking for a job in 2010. Turner has always enjoyed pounding the ball and allowing the passing game to thrive off of the run. However, until this season, he has not had the quarterback to accomplish this. Jay Cutler's arrival in Chicago is a gift for the Offensive Coordinator, so Turner needs to seize the opportunity to improve a Bears' offense that ranked near the bottom of the league in 2008.
23. Chan Gailey, Kansas City Chiefs: Offensive Coordinator Chan Gailey will have to figure out quickly what his personnel is capable of producing on the field. A mess of young players fused with veteran players, Gailey's job will be to get the Chiefs' offense organized and moving forward. He is a run-first kind of coach and the acquisition of Matt Cassel will allow Gailey's creative spread passing game to flourish. Gailey has been around the league for a long time and his players have always succeeded, as well as fallen in line, during his tenure.
24. Turk Schonert, Buffalo Bills: In his first season in Buffalo, Turk Schonert guided the Bills' offense to a less-than-desirable ranking. However, that ranking on paper is not indicative of Schonert's abilities as a play caller. He runs a balanced offense that is not afraid to gamble and is methodical in its game-planning. The arrival of the sideshow that is Terrell Owens will improve a passing game that was inferior to its rushing attack.
25. Dirk Koetter, Jacksonville Jaguars: Dirk Koetter is capable of implementing an explosive offense...the only problem is that the personnel that he has been given does not suffice. Koetter has allowed Maurice Jones-Drew to dominate the NFL for the past few seasons and hopefully Torry Holt's arrival will open up the passing game. In his first year in Jacksonville, Koetter improved the offense to the seventh-best in the league, but it dropped to 20th in 2008.
26. Clyde Christensen, Indianapolis Colts: Christensen deserves a fair amount of credit for making the Colts' offense of the past decade as dangerous as it has been. Former Colt Marvin Harrison and current Colt Reggie Wayne were and are among the top receivers in the league and Christensen was the Receivers Coach during this time. The Colts' offense is a machine and keeps the scoreboard operator busy every weekend with its wide-open style. Christensen will not have Harrison on the sidelines this year, but his mentoring of Anthony Gonzales should help Peyton Manning and the offense keep rolling.
27. Bob Bratkowski, Cincinnati Bengals: Though his teams enjoyed great success the past few seasons ranking near the top of the league, Bob Bratkowski's offense needs some tinkering. Granted, the Bengals lost Carson Palmer as well as several key offensive players in 2008, but a coach that has been there for eight seasons should have a better offense. Cincinnati ranked dead last offensively and Bratkowski's offense should have been able to plug in different players and not performed as poorly as they did.
28. Mike McCoy, Denver Broncos: Mike McCoy has been brought in to fix the Denver offense and he has some issues to figure out before opening week. Having never been a coordinator before, McCoy will be given some cushion since the coaching staff has been overhauled and Jay Cutler is no longer quarterbacking the second-ranked offense. McCoy has always put his quarterback in a position to be confident with the offensive scheme, so the Broncos should be confident with this hire. It will take a few years to decide on the merits of Mike McCoy as an Offensive Coordinator.
29. Brian Daboll, Cleveland Browns: The Browns' offense will never be confused with any of the high-octane offenses around the league. Rookie OC Brian Daboll will be given the keys to the offense and his first order of business will be the implementation of his style of offense. Daboll likes the quick hits and the intermediate passing game as opposed to spreading it out and letting the pigskin fly downfield. A solid running game will support the quarterback and allow Daboll's variation of the West Coast Offense to thrive.
30. Jimmy Raye, San Francisco 49ers: “Conservative”would be the best way to describe Jimmy Raye's offensive approach. It resembles the “bend-but-don't-break” defensive scheme that some teams favor. Raye is a firm believer in pounding a team into submission with his running game, so Frank Gore should have a big grin on his face. The 49ers’offense has been underachieving for years and Raye is looking to bring some change to the Bay.
31. Pat Shurmer, St. Louis Rams: Pat Shurmer will be in charge of rebuilding a Rams' offense that used to be one of the most feared in the NFL. Gone are the days of “The Greatest Show on Turf” which have been supplanted by “Smashmouth” football. At least that's what Shurmer wants to have on display in 2009. Along with the West Coast Offensive scheme, running back Steven Jackson will be the Brian Westbrook-type of back that opens up the offensive game for St. Louis.
32. Ted Tollner, Oakland Raiders: Though it is unclear whether or not the Oakland Raiders have a true “Offensive Coordinator”, Ted Tollner is the closest thing. He will be in charge of the Raiders' passing game and comes with a heap of experience, though the jury is out on the success of said experience. The quarterbacks in San Francisco and Detroit showed improvements and disappointments during his tenure prior to Oakland. JaMarcus Russell is in a “sink-or-swim” year and the Raiders are thinking that Tolner can bring the best out of Russell.
Click here for the NFL Draft Bible's Defensive Coordinator Rankings
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