Who's next for the Steelers?

Ferentz would be insane to leave. Pete Carroll and Ferentz have probably the cushiest and best jobs...in college, which is saying a lot for guys who coached in the NFL. Ferentz is a Pennsylvania guy through and through, but there are some particulars that could keep him in Iowa City:

-that fat extension outgoing (now Stanford) AD Bowlsby signed him over the summer
-his kid, James, wrestles on the Iowa City High team (the kid is a bemouth). Kid could win a state title
-Iowa fans and the media have been through this circus before about him being consider for other gigs. If not Penn State, when JoePa goes, it's Pittsburgh or Cleveland.
-Iowa finished 6-7 and he doesn't want to bolt without wiping that abherration out of everyone's mind.
-Kirk is more popular than Alford and Tom Vilsack. That's says a lot about Hawkeye fanboy-ism here.

Hell yeah, I would love to see what happens, that is if Rooney places that phone call to AD Gary Barta and asks for permission to talk to Kirk. If Kirk leaves, who in the fuck can Iowa get? Would Jim Leavitt want to leave a good thing at South Florida?

 

Thank you Warren Holloway. Rob Houghtlin and you will never have to buy a beer in Iowa ever again for the rest of your lives.

 

Not a single reason you gave is any reason for Ferentz to stay in Iowa.
They have decent HS wrestling in Western Pa., too.
Not saying I support selecting him. Just that if the Rooneys decide he's the guy, he'd make twice as much money, he'd be going home, and he'd keep his job as long as he wins on a reasonably consistent basis. The Rooneys haven't fired a head coach in more than 40 years.

 

Glen Mason is available.

As far as Leavitt, I doubt it. He's had plenty of chances to bolt before, and seems to be one of those guys like Beamer -- a guy who carves out a pretty successful niche at a school which was barely on the map before he arrived.
He could make somewhat more money at Iowa, but it isn't like he's making peanuts at USF.

My guess is that Iowa, if they had to replace Ferentz, might want to go with a guy like Pelini, Charlie Strong or Jimbo Fisher -- one of the high-profile coordinators who have been bandied about in all the coaching searches, guys about 40-ish who conceivably could set up for a 15-20-year run if everything clicks.

 

The third-hand info on the Ferentz rumor isn't a source in the Rooneys' back pocket, but I consider it reliable. Now whether it's Moddy Pipeline reliable (a high standard, I say) remains to be seen. Crow is ready to be popped in the microwave just in case.

 

Some lesser knowns that could make the Rooney list and that alone should be high praise

- Brian Schottenheimer, NYJ offensive co
- Mike Tomlin, MIN defensive co
- Mike Heimerdinger, DEN asst head coach
- Jim Caldwell, IND asst head coach
- Bill Musgrave, ATL QB coach
- Sal Sunseri, CAR Def line coach
- Rex Ryan, BAL Def Co

 

Michael Silver brought up Ferentz as a candidate in his story today ...

"Another possibility is that the Steelers could go after Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, a Pittsburgh native with previous NFL coaching experience (he was on Bill Belichick's staff with the Cleveland Browns in the early '90s). Ferentz has rebuffed NFL overtures in the past but could be tempted by the chance to return to his hometown, where he attended Upper St. Clair High in the early '70s."

 

He's a candidate. Is he the top candidate? That's the question.

 

Half that list has me cringing as a Steelers fan, though I wouldn't argue with Rex Ryan as the choice.

Can't say I was ever impressed with Sunseri, back to his days on Paul Hackett's staff at Pitt. I'd heard good things about Musgrave, but I'm not even sure he's doing the job where he is. Mike Vick's still pretty damn erratic and Musgrave has to bear some responsibility for that.

 

Seems to be more and more apparent that Mike Vick only listens to one coach -- Mike Vick.

 

Atlanta would be wise to fax a memo to all league GMs notifying them of the availability of Michael Vick. The man just doesn't have the ability to be an accurate passer, he's not a leader - evidence by his constant criticism of his wide receivers, and has Kordell Stewart disease - "don't make me play another position just because I'm black and athletic".

Arthur Blank needs to give the next head coach the power to make the decision, Vick or Matt Schaub. There's no way Ken Whisenhunt takes the job in Atlanta without the power to bench Vick.

 

I think they already did that, sort of. I saw a report about them not being "married" to Vick, so maybe they really are finally considering going in another direction.