ST. LOUIS — Personalities vary between successful
NFL coaches, but Dick Vermeil has seen certain traits connect them all. Soon,
St. Louis Rams management must decide the style it values when seeking a
replacement for Steve Spagnuolo.
Vermeil, the former Rams coach who led the franchise to a Super Bowl title in
the 1999 season, has observed a variety of leadership qualities in his time
within the NFL. Some coaches are experts in the game's technical aspects.
Others are strong communicators.
But to Vermeil, coaches who last carry wisdom gained through experience. In
adversity, they focus and persevere. And with time, they adapt to the pressure
role.
"I think you have to have a degree of quality leadership abilities within
your profile," said Vermeil, who coached St. Louis from 1997 to 1999.
"It's important to be an expert technical-wise. It's important to be an
expert in communication. It's important to be an expert in connecting with
people. It's important to be an expert in motivating people. It's important to
have a degree of toughness and perseverance. It's important to be easily read
in your passion.
"I think all coaches have a certain percentage of each one of those kinds
of qualities. Some are stronger in other areas. And because they're so strong
in one area, it makes up for not being quite as strong in the other area."
Rams management will choose which areas it considers a top priority as the
franchise moves on after firing Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney on
Monday. Since Vermeil left after the Super Bowl championship campaign, the Rams
have had five coaches — counting interims — who have produced just three
winning seasons (none since a 12-4 year under Mike Martz in 2003). Any change
in culture will begin with a match between the new coach's qualities and the
organization's vision.
Recent Rams hires have had no previous head-coaching experience. Scott Linehan,
who was 11-25 before being fired four games into the 2008 season, served as an
offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins prior to
joining the Rams in January 2006. Spagnuolo, who finished 10-38, served as the
New York Giants defensive coordinator before joining the Rams in January 2009.
Those examples, however, are not proof that a candidate without previous
head-coaching experience cannot produce sustained winning. The last three
coaches who earned Super Bowl victories — the Green Bay Packers' Mike
McCarthy, the New Orleans Saints' Sean Payton and the Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike
Tomlin — were coordinators in previous stops.
The Rams have enjoyed success following the pattern before. Martz worked under
Vermeil as the Rams offensive coordinator during the 1999 season — a year in
which they produced league-high totals in points (526) and total offense (6,412
yards). Martz took over as head coach before the 2000 season, and the Rams went
on to earn 10 or more victories in three of the next four years — a stretch
that included an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVI.
"I don't think there's a set formula for winning in the NFL," said
Kevin Demoff, the Rams chief operating officer and executive vice president of
football operations. "I think you can look at the last three coaches who
won Super Bowls and never been head coaches before. So, certainly there's a
track record for that working and obviously there's coaches who have won a
great deal who have experience.
"I think if you limit yourself to a formula or a
criteria you could be missing the best candidate for the St. Louis Rams."
But the Rams' results after hiring Linehan and Spagnuolo might cause them to
seek someone with more experience. Demoff said the Rams will search for a
candidate who can build a consistent winner — not necessarily favoring a
background from either side of the ball. He said Vermeil and former Rams
running back Marshall Faulk, who was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in August, were contacted to serve as consultants throughout the process.
One possible replacement for Spagnuolo could be Jeff Fisher, the former Houston
Oilers and Tennessee Titans coach. He is reportedly ready to resurface on the
sidelines after sitting out this past season.
Fisher could be viewed as an option because he has a Rams’ connection: Fisher's
agent, Marvin Demoff, is Kevin's father. On Monday, Kevin said Marvin was in
St. Louis on Sunday visiting family during the Rams' season-closing loss to the
San Francisco 49ers.
"He and I spoke (Monday) about the process for talking to Jeff, and what
Jeff is looking for and what Jeff is interested in," Kevin Demoff said.
"I think that will move quickly. Obviously, I think like everybody else
who's going through a search, he's someone who's a potentially attractive
candidate.
"But I think the one thing to caution is everybody
assumes that because my father represents Jeff Fisher that we're a natural fit.
His job is to represent Jeff Fisher. Our job is to find the right head coach
for the Rams. If those two intersect, that would be fantastic. If they don't
intersect, we'll each do the right job for our respective clients and for our
respective organizations, and we'll move forward."
Rams players, though, prepared to move forward with a wait-and-see approach.
St. Louis' 2-14 campaign represented the latest struggle for a franchise which has
not appeared in the playoffs since 2004. In fact, since 2007, the Rams have
finished with three wins or fewer four times.
Following Sunday’s game, Rams offensive tackle Adam Goldberg dressed at his
locker aware that change could come. Despite the uncertainty, the eight-year
veteran chose to remain focused on issues he can control.
"No matter what happens on your team, on other teams, with your contract,
with coaches' changes, with ownership changes, with new players coming in the
draft — all those things … come the first or second week of September next
year if you're one of the best players in the world at your position, you're
going to have a job," Goldberg told FOXSportsMidwest.com.
"One thing you have to do in this league to keep yourself sane is worry
about the things that are in your control. As a player, all you can control is
what you do when you cross the white lines. That's what I focus on. I don't
worry about any of the other stuff."
Soon, though, Goldberg and others within the Rams locker room will answer to
new leadership.
