Seahawks Surprisingly Fire Mora After One Season, Look To Hire USC's Carroll

[chefcraig]

Wow, I didn't expect this. Looks like Bill Cowher has yet another option. :confused13:

From ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4808557)

Mora fired; Carroll targeted, sources say

Seattle Seahawks coach Jim Mora has been fired, the first coach in team history to be let go after one season.

Mora attended a meeting Friday morning with management, at which time he was told Seattle did not win enough games to save his job, a source said. The Seahawks lost their final four games to finish 5-11.

"We've made a tough decision today," Seahawks CEO Tod Leiweke said in a statement. "It became apparent after conducting an extensive internal audit that a new direction was needed to provide an opportunity for the organization to be successful. Today's decision, while difficult, is part of the process in building a franchise with a new vision in 2010."

League sources tell ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen that the Seahawks are targeting longtime USC coach Pete Carroll as Mora's replacement. Carroll did not return messages, but a league source said Carroll is interested in the job and is trying to persuade Trojans offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates to join him in Seattle, as opposed to Bates pursuing the same position with the Chicago Bears.

Said another source close to Carroll: "You're about to see a big headline that shakes up the major college football word," in reference to the Seahawks' development. The Seahawks did not confirm Carroll as a leading candidate but also did not deny it.

The Seahawks are now charged with hiring a coach as well as a general manager; Tim Ruskell, who picked Mora to be Holmgren's replacement, resigned during the season. Seattle spoke to Holmgren about the opening but both sides couldn't come to an agreement before the end of the regular season.

The Seahawks plan to begin interviewing general manager candidates next week.

"This team, more importantly this community, means so much to me that it hurts not being able to see this through," Mora said in a team-issued statement. "I am disappointed I did not get the chance to complete my contract. This is a tough business that sometimes demands immediate gratification."

Mora joined the Seahawks in February 2008 on a five-year contract that called for him to transition to head coach once Mike Holmgren retired. Mora was an assistant for the 2008 season, then succeeded Holmgren.

Mora is believed to have about $12 million remaining on the final three years of his contract.

Once Mora was fired, the Seahawks called the Minnesota Vikings to seek permission to interview defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, the source told Clayton. According to Mortensen, Frazier declined.

[FORD]

Not surprised Mora got the ax. He obviously knew it was coming, by the language he used after the last game "whether or not I'm here next year", etc.

To go with a college coach though..... didn't they learn from the Dennis Erickson fiasco?

Hell, if they want to go that route, go local, and drag Don James out of retirement. Better yet, the Dawgs need to get him back, since they haven't been worth a shit since he left. :(

[damngoodtimes]

isn't Don James like 107 years old by now?

[indeedido]

He used to coach in the NFL, and for the Jets. He was the defensive coordinator before becoming their head coach after Coslett was outted in the '90s. He was a good coach for them, even better at USC. He would be a good fit for them.

[chefcraig]

To go with a college coach though..... didn't they learn from the Dennis Erickson fiasco?

I've always held that Erickson was a fraud as a pro coach. His championships in Miami were done with Jimmy Johnson's players, so once he got to the NFL, he stiffed. This continued when he went to the 49ers, where he managed to win something like 8 or 9 games over two seasons.

[sadaist]

What about Marty? Yeah, I know. He can't win in the playoffs. But if he can turn the Seahawks into a 15-1 team...I'm pretty sure the fans would take it.

Anyways, I read rumblings of Marty to the Bills. If the Seahawks were still in the AFC West, I'd love them to get Marty just to spite the Chargers twice a year for the way they treated him.

[chefcraig]

I think Marty would be great for either the Seahawks or the Bills. My gut tells me that Cowher will sit this year out, waiting for the Panthers job that Fox is hanging onto as a lame duck. That would clear the way for Shottenheimer to take the Buffalo job.

The sticking point in all of this is Pete Carroll. Word has it he has contacted Jeremy Bates about joining him in Seattle. And he has been all over ESPN this week, raising his viability. This is sort of uncommon behavior for the guy.

[MAX]

Are you serious about Pete returning to the NFL and especially Seattle? He sucked with both the Jets and Pats. That dude's a great college coach but far too rah-rah for The NFL. If he gets the gig, chalk up another Seachicken chokin season.

I dunno WTF is up with Mora? He gets axes in ATL after leading them to the NFC Championship and now this? Me thinks he has a major attitude problem, no? Remember all that shit talking he did earlier this year about his kicker? That was lame...

He should loosen up like his old man...

"PLAYOFFS?!?!?!?!?" LMAO!!!

http://msp73.photobucket.com/albums/i201/aykis16/playoffs.jpg

[chefcraig]

Are you serious about Pete returning to the NFL and especially Seattle? He sucked with both the Jets and Pats. That dude's a great college coach but far too rah-rah for The NFL. If he gets the gig, chalk up another Seachicken chokin season.

Yep, the whole "college coach to the pros" deal rarely works out all that well, which is surprising. You'd think the coach would have some empathy with younger players, but the problem is getting the veterans on the squad to buy into the thinking.

[indeedido]

that is the best soundbite ever

[MAX]

Yep, the whole "college coach to the pros" deal rarely works out all that well, which is surprising. You'd think the coach would have some empathy with younger players, but the problem is getting the veterans on the squad to buy into the thinking.

You ever watch those Top 10 list shows on NFL Network? It's ironic cos I saw one recently about this exact topic and Pete was high up on the list.

[MAX]

that is the best soundbite ever


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[redblkwht]

The Seattle Seahawks have been exploring hiring USC's Pete Carroll as head coach for at least two weeks on some level, said an NFL source with knowledge of the situation on Friday.

According to the Los Angeles Times on Friday, a Seahawks contingent that included CEO Tod Leiweke interviewed Carroll in Los Angeles earlier this week to gauge his interest in replacing Jim Mora. Their pursuit of him intensified after two of their top four general manager candidates on Monday pulled out of the running without being interviewed -- Baltimore's director of player personnel Eric DeCosta and Eagles general manager Tom Heckert Jr.

At that point, Leiweke and Seattle owner Paul Allen stepped up their recruitment of Carroll, the two-time former NFL head coach who has led the Southern Cal program since 2000, indicating that Seattle is willing to hire someone who would be vested with almost complete autonomy in regards to football decision-making power.

Carroll's interest in the Seattle job is very high, said the NFL source, and if he returns to the NFL, it could have intriguing ramifications around the college football coaching job market. For one, Carroll is thought to be interested in adding former USC and UCLA assistant DeWayne Walker to his potential Seattle staff as defensive coordinator. Walker, who just finished his first season as New Mexico State's head coach, is a former New York Giants assistant who served on Carroll's staff in his early years at USC, and later was Karl Dorrell's successful defensive coordinator at UCLA.

But the possibility also exists that Walker would be a strong candidate to replace Carroll at USC. Trojans athletic director Mike Garrett is known to think very highly of Walker, and his candidacy would be given a boost by the fact he's a very strong recruiter and would represent the first African-American head coach in USC's history.

Walker was also instrumental in bringing Norm Chow to Carroll's attention at USC, where he served as Carroll's offensive coordinator on many of the Trojans' most successful teams last decade. After a three-year stint as the Titans offensive coordinator in the NFL, Chow returned to the college ranks two years ago, as UCLA's offensive coordinator. Though there was some tension between Carroll and Chow toward the end of their time together, Chow is also seen as a potential coordinator hire in Seattle for Carroll, or for Walker, should he replace Carroll at USC.

In opting for Carroll, the Seahawks would be going against their expressed desire to not have another all-powerful head coach who also runs their football operations.

"That's kind of polar opposite of what they've said they wanted,'' one league source said. "They didn't want another [Mike] Holmgren, or a football czar. They wanted someone to partner with Leiweke and not come in there and make wholesale changes. But I guess they were willing to re-draw their model once GM candidates started pulling out on them without even taking interviews.''

The origin of Seattle's interest in Carroll may date to almost three weeks ago, in the aftermath of Holmgren turning down Seattle's offer of a senior leadership position.

Just before the Seahawks offered Holmgren the chance to lead their football operations, Mora expressed his support for a Holmgren front office position in a letter to Allen and Leiweke. Rather than provide Mora with more job security in the event of Holmgren rejoining the organization he left after the 2008 season, a league source said Mora speaking out on Holmgren's behalf served to anger some within Allen's inner circle, and made Mora less likely to return as Seattle's head coach in 2010. Seattle fired Mora on Friday, after just one season on the job.

DeCosta, 38, was seen as the likely leading candidate for the Seattle general manager position, but he this week informed the Seahawks that he did not wish to interview for the job. The fact that he pulled his name out of the running in Seattle leads many to believe that the Ravens view him as the heir apparent to longtime general manager Ozzie Newsome. It stands to reason that Baltimore may have even gotten proactive in terms of keeping DeCosta, perhaps with the promise to secure him contractually as Newsome's eventual successor.

Heckert Jr., 42, likely declined to interview in Seattle because NFL sources say he is the overwhelming favorite to be hired as Cleveland's new general manager by new Browns president Mike Holmgren. Heckert has worked with head coach Andy Reid of the Eagles the past nine years, serving as Philadelphia's general manger for the past four. Reid and Holmgren are close, with Reid having served on Holmgren's coaching staff throughout his tenure in Green Bay. Heckert Jr. comes highly recommended to Holmgren by Reid.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
courtesy of cnnsi.com

[redblkwht]

Its all about the benjamins here for pete..USC faisco seems to be
getting more intense, good riming on the leave, but seattle?
major rebuild there.....hopefully he will turn it around.

[redblkwht]

sorry didnt see 2 threads..thanks chef boy r craig..lol
j/k chico:tongue0011:

[redblkwht]

Bump..my thread needs to go away..sorry chef

[redblkwht]

Confirmed, espn front page news..BUH-BYE USC.:biggrin:

[Terry]

The Seahawks, to me, feel like one of those teams who will never be able to seal the deal; even when they get close, or when they start off 7 and 3 out of their first 10 games, whenever they do make it to the playoffs it's like they're running on fumes...and they blow it.

Dug that team for years, but after they blew their Superbowl shot, I had to cut them loose; why invest time and fandom in a team that almost seems bent on blowing it every year?

[POJO_Risin]

This, to me, is a huge mistake for the Seahawks. Seriously, you don't hire Holmgren as your President so that you can give Carroll the job? Seriously? Carroll was a marginal, at best, NFL coach, and now you are going to give him control?

This was an out for Carroll. USC is getting rocked with allegations of sanctions, and Weis came out and outted him for boning a co-ed...he was losing control of the team...and now he has a pro-gig?

Mistake...

[chefcraig]

This, to me, is a huge mistake for the Seahawks. Seriously, you don't hire Holmgren as your President so that you can give Carroll the job? Seriously? Carroll was a marginal, at best, NFL coach, and now you are going to give him control?

This was an out for Carroll. USC is getting rocked with allegations of sanctions, and Weis came out and outted him for boning a co-ed...he was losing control of the team...and now he has a pro-gig?

Mistake...

I agree that this is an out for Carroll, who had always maintained he'd be staying in the college ranks. With the possibility of sanctions brewing at USC (and there a heap of them), he more than likely decided to git while the gittin' was good.

I just don't see how college coaches expect to make the leap to the pros. Off hand I can only name Jimmy Johnson, and that ignores the fact that he was already using a pro-type structure when he was at UM before going to the Cowboys.

[POJO_Risin]

Carroll doesn't necessarily fit the college coach, although his primary success was there. We was a longtime pro guy prior...

just not a good one.

We'll see.

The Seahawks need a lot of work, and he can't recruit based on location now...

It could be a trainwreck...

[redblkwht]

This, to me, is a huge mistake for the Seahawks. Seriously, you don't hire Holmgren as your President so that you can give Carroll the job? Seriously? Carroll was a marginal, at best, NFL coach, and now you are going to give him control?

This was an out for Carroll. USC is getting rocked with allegations of sanctions, and Weis came out and outted him for boning a co-ed...he was losing control of the team...and now he has a pro-gig?

Mistake...
I totally agree & your post nailed it on my thoughts..it was the allegations bro!

[redblkwht]

Carroll doesn't necessarily fit the college coach, although his primary success was there. We was a longtime pro guy prior...

just not a good one.

We'll see.

The Seahawks need a lot of work, and he can't recruit based on location now...

It could be a trainwreck...but, 2 high picks in the 1st round, i predict
they trade up & get a QB with that 1st pick.

[Little Texan]

but, 2 high picks in the 1st round, i predict
they trade up & get a QB with that 1st pick.

Think he'll try to trade picks with Arizona for Leinart and New Orleans for Bush? :biggrin:

[High Life Man]

Look for some bad shit to happen to USC. He's jumping ship before it sinks.

[Little Texan]

Look for some bad shit to happen to USC. He's jumping ship before it sinks.

To be as good as they were as long as they were with all of those blue chip recruits year in and year out, you know there were some heavy duty NCAA violations going on there. All I can say is GOOD, cause I can't stand USC! My Horns ended their title run, and what a sweet game that was back in '06!

[Romeo Delight]

I think Paul Allen just wanted someone who could host a press conference and not look like it was his first time in front of a camera

[High Life Man]

Kiffin leave Tennessee for USC.

WTF?! Who saw that one coming?

[chefcraig]

Kiffin leave Tennessee for USC.

WTF?! Who saw that one coming?

No kidding! I was reading the paper this morning, and the headlines were in bold print at the top of the sports page. Unreal, but it makes perfect sense. Carroll's best years were arguably with Kiffin, besides the guy is no stranger to scandal. I wonder how Tennessee feels about this, with signing day coming up on Feb. 3. Think some of those kids that have orally committed might be changing their minds?

[High Life Man]

Someone told me he's getting the band back together: taking his pop, Norm Chow, the guy who was the top recruiter for USC back in the day.

[Mr Walker]

Pat Kirwan's name keeps coming up to serve as Carroll's GM in Seattle.

That would suck... I'd have to find someone else to listen to driving home from work.