Bills Coaching Candidate Report: Leslie Frazier
by MattRichWarren on Dec 5, 2009 9:15 AM EST
in Buffalo Bills News
Email
PrintEditor's Note, by Brian Galliford: This is the first in a series of reports on potential 2010 head coaching candidates for the Buffalo Bills. Yes, I realize that we should be looking at GM candidates first; rest assured we'll be doing that as the season draws to a close. For now, MRW gets things started off for us this morning by taking a look at Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. End Note
One of the hottest coordinator names being thrown around as potential head coaches has been Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. It seems that ever since he took over for Mike Tomlin, his name has been popping up any time a coaching vacancy is to be filled.
Playing Career
Frazier's playing career as a defensive back for the Chicago Bears was shortened by a knee injury, but he made the most of it. In 1985, Frazier injured his knee returning a kick in the Super Bowl. During that season, he led the team with six interceptions and was a member of the dance line in the Super Bowl Shuffle.
Coaching Career
After he couldn't come back from his knee injury, Frazier became the first head coach in Trinity College (now Trinity International University) history. He held the position for nine seasons and built the NAIA program from the ground up, winning a pair of Northern Illinois Intercollegiate Conference titles in the process. He then moved on to the University of Illinois in 1997 as the Illini's defensive backs coach.
Following two season at Illinois, he joined Andy Reid's first staff in Philadelphia under defensive coordinator Jim Johnson. In 2003, he accepted the job of defensive coordinator on Marvin Lewis' first staff in Cincinnati. He left in 2005 to join Indianapolis as Special Assistant to the Head Coach (Tony Dungy) and defensive backs coach, where he won a Super Bowl ring. According to BigBlueShoe, SB Nation's head Colts blogger at Stampede Blue, "Frazier takes after Dungy in temperament and philosophy."
Two days after the Colts' victory over the Bears, Frazier accepted his current job with the Vikings, replacing Mike Tomlin.
Pros
As defensive coordinator, Frazier has experience working with the Tampa 2 (Indianapolis) and the Cover 2 (Philadelphia and Minnesota). That's a positive in that Buffalo's entire defense wouldn't need to be revamped. Yes, some of the positions need to be upgraded, but it would be much less disruptive than switching to a 3-4 alignment. In 2008, the Vikings became the first team since the NFL/AFL merger to lead the league in rushing yards allowed for three consecutive seasons. That could be a major improvement for the Bills, who have ranked in the bottom ten each season since 2005. Frazier also likes to blitz a lot to create pressure up the middle, which can be attributed to his time in Philadelphia under Jim Johnson.
Cons
The Bills' biggest problems haven't been on defense, they've been on offense. If I'm hiring a coach, I want one who has developed a quarterback or hires an offensive coordinator who has done that. Frazier hasn't worked with anybody that would leave their current job to come work in Buffalo to develop Trent Edwards, Brian Brohm, or a rookie quarterback.
What Others Are Saying
Don Banks recently placed Frazier's name among the likes of Mike Shanahan and Bill Cowher in his list of potential new head coaches for 2010. In the past two years, he has interviewed in Miami, St. Louis, Denver, and Detroit, and his defense continues to play well, increasing the likelihood he is hired away in the near future.
Gonzo, from the Vikings SBN blog the Daily Norseman, had this to say when the Broncos were searching for their next coach.
Frazier, by all accounts, is a great motivator and rarely fails to have his team prepared for an opponent. As much as I would hate to see my team lose him, I think he's very deserving of a shot as a head coach in the NFL.
I asked BigBlueShoe what he had to say about Frazier:
[I see him fitting in] on two fronts: One, Frazier is a very talented coach who comes from the Tony Dungy school of thought. He treats players like men, not children. He will hold players accountable but he does so in a respectful manner. Players appreciate this and rave about him wherever he goes. Two, Frazier is schooled in Tampa-2. This means Buffalo does not have to overhaul the talent on the defense.
34 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I’m a huge fan of Leslie Frazier as a head coaching candidate. For those of you worried about the Tampa 2 thing, just remember that he starts Pat Williams on that defense and that Minny has huge LBs in the 240+ pound range. He’s had a lot of success and has a great reputation. I think he’s got all it takes, from leadership right on down to Xs and Os to be a great head coach.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
I like Frazier
Minny has a great defense. Has Frazier had a big part in putting the pieces together? While he is an unproven HC, ultimately this is the type of candidate that will accept the job. He is less of a risk than everyone’s favorite college candidate, Jim Harbaugh.
This team has more gaping holes than Paris Hilton.
Not really. He replaced Tomlin who built it. With that being said they have maintained being very good while he’s been there and he’s labeled as a great teacher.
"Play like hell and win." - Perry Fewell
Your daily source for Buffalo Bills information.
by MattRichWarren on Dec 5, 2009 1:01 PM EST up reply actions
agreed, but Jauron had a similiar label
My point was……Can Frazier evaluate talent, or is he the beneficiary of someone who can. As a HC he will have a much bigger say in who we draft.
This team has more gaping holes than Paris Hilton.
Can Frazier evaluate talent, or is he the beneficiary of someone who can
That’s the million dollar (or 8-9 mil over three years) question. Hopefully the Bills know the answer. And hopefully if they do get Frazier, they get a really good GM so that we don’t really have to find out.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
Nick Saban and Urban Meyer Share a Friendship With Bill Belichick ""
I stole this from the NYT sports page.It kind of makes it hard to find a famous?? coach to come here as they will be warned off by their friends. I must admit that I know nothing about Frazier. But it is a matter of first geting a head on this corpse , then add the body. I dr Frankenstein eligible?I do not know if it is good or bad but the Bills/ KC game will be aired here in MO . Other than mnf this will be the first game that I may actually see the Bills win , or not. KC has little running game so we have a chance.
This guy would be the only defensive minded coach that I would consider for the HC job.
Our D could reach new standards under him, and that would deffinatly be a welcome change.
BUT he (or the Bills new FO) will have to look for a QB specialist to become our OC, develop a QB and take control of the play calling on offense. If Frazier were HC, I would want him to have as little to do with the O as possible.
by CanadianBillsFan on Dec 5, 2009 11:04 AM EST reply actions
PRAISE for a neighbor.
Down the block from me is a true fan, every year he buts a BIG Bills sign on the side of his house. It makes me proud of the Buffalo fans , how they love their team even in the Ozarks
The pros and cons are too short term oriented for me. I don’t really care if a new coach is versed in the defense that’s currently being played, or if he’s not an offensive mind. You should be looking for the best coach, not the coach that currently addresses your team’s weaknesses, or is the most opposite of the former coach.
If I’m looking for a coach I’m looking for someone who:
- Can lead, motivate, and communicate
- Is energetic and youthful (though not necessarily young, although I think you’re better off with younger than older)
- Can adapt to different circumstances (that is someone who doesn’t force systems on players but builds systems around the players strengths)
- Can attract quality coaches to develop players and create strong game plans
- Is receptive to acquiring knowledge from a variety of source
- Can make quality, sound decisions on game day
One of the harder things to do is to know what kind of a decision maker a coach will be on game day. Williams, Mularkey and Jauron were all poor in this area. You obviously know more when the head coach has held the position before (and you can see what they did…. although I bet they didn’t pour over the tapes of Jauron in Chicago), but you’re in the dark in a lot of ways when you hire a coordinator to take over.
Fraizer is an unknown to me in most of these areas. It sounds like he’d lead well, but can he surround himself with quality coaches, and will he excel on game day? Is he old-school set in his ways, or is he receptive to information that might go against the grain of conventional thinking?
I think Frazier is someone any team should consider, but he’d have to answer a lot of questions on things we probably will never know looking in from the outside.
can he surround himself with quality coaches,
I don’t know how you assess that when the guy hasn’t been head coach on a large scale.
Is he old-school set in his ways, or is he receptive to information that might go against the grain of conventional thinking?
The fact that he’s taken Tampa 2 and combined it with Jim Johnson’s blitz schemes lead me to say yes.
"Play like hell and win." - Perry Fewell
Your daily source for Buffalo Bills information.
by MattRichWarren on Dec 5, 2009 12:19 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t know how you assess that when the guy hasn’t been head coach on a large scale.
We have little idea of this, but it’s something that can come up in the interview. Greg Williams was famous for his details of list of coaches he’d hire if he were a head coach.
And that’s probably why teams prefer coaches with experience; they have a better idea of what to expect.
The fact that he’s taken Tampa 2 and combined it with Jim Johnson’s blitz schemes lead me to say yes.
That’s more along the lines of adaptability to me, which is good.
I’m thinking more along the lines of someone that (hypothetically) insists that ‘you have to excel at running and stopping the run to win’. Well, what if someone shows you a study that the best teams are those that pass / defend the pass exceptionally well and are just average with the run. First, is this coach even up on that kind of knowledge and second can he apply that knowledge to build a better team? Or is he going to insist on those old cliches, which may or may not be right? For the most part this isn’t something we’ll see in the public.
I like this option
but only is we can get a O coordinater that is something special, because as you mentioned our problems lie mostly in the offense.
"Hold ya chin up...nuh nuh nuh...gone" -Marshawn Lynch-
If he could lure someone like Charlie Wes to be his OC...
sign me up! We have to ensure that whoever is chosen can develop a QB and establish an offensive identity for once. It’s amazing to me how Mularkey can do so well as an OC in Atlanta after having such ineptitude on that side in Buffalo. Obviously he has more to work with at QB, but he had a say in the Losman pick, so I don’t cut him any slack in this area.
Not a bad option
I do not want any semblance of the Tampon 2 that we run. If Frazier brings an aggressive version with the emphasis on bigger, run stuffing DT’s and LB’s, then that is fine. I just don’t want any coach sticking with the undersized garbage we see now.
Can he evaluate talent? Does he need to?
He does need to hire competent offensive coaches, so that will obviously be a question for any new coach.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
You can't be serious
Can he evaluate talent? Does he need to?
Call me crazy, but I think it is important for the HC to be a good judge of talent.
This team has more gaping holes than Paris Hilton.
I’d say there are three major parts of evaluation.
First is evaluating your own players in a practice setting and determining their strengths/weaknesses so you know what to teach and practice and how to scheme.
Second is watching the opponent on film so you know what they do scheme wise and how to prepare your team.
Third is evaluating college and other pro players and determing how good they would be on your team.
Obviously the first two are a huge must for any coach and I’ll give a guy like Frazier the benefit of the doubt. Whether or not a head coach needs to be good at the third one is a little debatable and it’s also the one that we have no clue whether or not Frazier would flop or excel at.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
I agree Frazier excells at 1 and 2
Maybe I am concerned about 3 because we don’t know how the Bills will handle the GM situation, and because Jauron seemed to have a big say in who the Bills drafted. Either way, it would be nice of our HC hand an eye for the draft and the vision to pick players that would be a good fit in his scheme. Poz is a perfect example. Would he be a better player for us if we used him on the outside?
This team has more gaping holes than Paris Hilton.
It’s funny you say that because I was kind of thinking on the complete opposite side of the optimism spectrum and assumed that if the Bills hired Frazier it was because they had a strong GM in place. Probably not the best assumption I’ve ever made.
And after thinking about it, I agree that a head coach does need those evaluation skills of college players. Even if they’re not the guy calling the shots or don’t have any authority at all, the coach and GM will always be working together. So while the coach may not be calling the shots on draft day, the process of putting a draft board together is one of give and take. And when you’ve got two smart people working together, opinions tend to rub off on each of them and typically, they’ll start to think alike.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
by kaisertown on Dec 5, 2009 4:57 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Obviously
I was too vague.
I was intending my comment to be more about potential draftees and free agents. Can he properly evaluate those guys, or would he even have to? Having a GM in place making the majority of the personnel decisions is what we need.
Or what kaiser said in his third point in his response….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
Not my first choice
I’d really prefer our new coach to be someone with a good mind for the offense. It’s been way too long since we’ve had that.
If our next coach doesn’t have HC experience, I’d prefer that guy to be Russ Grimm.
Schmucks don't make it to the Pro Bowl... except Jason Peters!
by Run Thurmal Run! on Dec 5, 2009 3:39 PM EST reply actions
If our next coach doesn’t have HC experience, I’d prefer that guy to be Russ Grimm.
I understand that Uncle Ralph has said he would spend vast sums to find a good HC, but you see that so far is just talk. Is he going to do what he must to build a winner or is it just talk to keep us busy and of his case. Ralph has never? given a blank check for anyone, except maybe Kelly and Smith. he is known as a tight wad, so when no name player will come here knowing the bills will not spend big to win, he can say sorry guys I did my best , so I have hired Cable from Oakland.When it comes to the bills I am very paranoid.
He let Bruce Smith go due to salary cap constraints.
Ralph has never? given a blank check for anyone, except maybe Kelly and Smith.
In the early 90s we had one of the highest payrolls in the league. He’s not a tightwad all the time.
"Play like hell and win." - Perry Fewell
Your daily source for Buffalo Bills information.
by MattRichWarren on Dec 5, 2009 8:16 PM EST up reply actions
Ugh, do we really need ANOTHER DB coach as the HC?
Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.
Why does that matter?
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Dec 5, 2009 8:14 PM EST up reply actions
Of the current head coaches, Jeff Fisher, Mike Tomlin, Raheem Morris, Jim Mora and John Harbough all played DB or spent the majority of their pre-DC/HC coaching career as DB coaches. Steve Spagnoulo spent a few years in Philly coaching DBs and has some college experience with DBs too. Not a bad list considering how many HCs get there through being QBs guys then OCs.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
I’ve been conditioned to expect 4 out of every 7 picks to be spent on Cornerbacks with a DB coach at the helm?
Bills fan? In Colorado? It's more likely than you think.
by UZ on Dec 6, 2009 5:11 AM EST up reply actions
The reason why I would like him
Is because of how D-line plays in Minny, I get to watch a lot of those games and their D-line is amazing. Their corners are physical and easily contain stretch plays. And though their LB are big and physical they are relatively unknown simply due to the fact of how the line plays. I would love for the Bills D to be built like this
I was born in Buffalo, and NO, it's not a suburb of New York City
Exactly what I like, too. He coaches the same Tampa 2 defense but it’s incredibly aggressive and physical. I’m not saying he’s my favorite choice.
"Play like hell and win." - Perry Fewell
Your daily source for Buffalo Bills information.
by MattRichWarren on Dec 5, 2009 8:17 PM EST up reply actions
Take it from someone who sees his defense play often
At times, Frazier is a piss-poor play caller on D. There are too many good options to even consider Frazier.
But he wouldn’t be calling the defensive plays in Buffalo. He’d hire a DC.
"Play like hell and win." - Perry Fewell
Your daily source for Buffalo Bills information.
by MattRichWarren on Dec 7, 2009 8:53 AM EST up reply actions
He would be a great hire
he is a great coach and it was sad to see him leave Indy. It was because of him that the Colts secodary has been excellent and he was even able to make players out of Nobodies like Nick Harper and Jason David. He comes from a good background of winning in Indy and Minnesota so he could turn around the attitude of the franchise.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
