Post 1/19

[Hauss]

Redskins Talk With Mendes, K. Schottenheimer <br /> <br />By Mark Maske and Leonard Shapiro<br />Washington Post Staff Writers<br />Saturday, January 19, 2002; Page D3 <br /><br />The Washington Redskins interviewed Joe Mendes yesterday as their prospective vice president of football operations, and new coach Steve Spurrier spoke to Kurt Schottenheimer about possibly remaining the team's defensive coordinator.<br /><br />Mendes's interview with owner Daniel Snyder went well, sources said, but the Redskins also plan to interview longtime NFL front office executive Ken Herock. They also might interview Buffalo Bills director of football operations Tom Modrak, according to sources.<br /><br />Spurrier said he could make a decision about his defensive coordinator by early next week.<br /><br />Mendes could become the chief administrator in the Redskins' front office now that the club is unlikely to hire a general manager. Deliberations between the Redskins and Bobby Beathard about the GM job broke down in the final stages of contract negotiations last weekend, and the team's new plan appears to be to divide the general manager position into two jobs – vice president of football operations and vice president of player personnel.<br /><br />"As far as my impression, it's over," Beathard said yesterday of his discussions with the Redskins. "I'm sorry something couldn't be worked out. I'm happy they were able to get Steve."<br /><br />Mendes spent eight of his 22 years in the NFL with the Redskins, stepping away just before the 2000 season after negotiating the contracts of linebacker LaVar Arrington and left tackle Chris Samuels. He worked briefly for attorney Lon Babby, who negotiates contracts for athletes. Mendes most recently has been working with NFL agent Eric Metz and his partner, Ethan Lock.<br /><br />He has an extensive background in scouting but he probably would not be the Redskins' chief talent evaluator. That responsibility would fall to the vice president of player personnel. For that job, the Redskins could attempt to rehire Vinny Cerrato, their former personnel director who was fired by former coach Marty Schottenheimer last year.<br /><br />The Redskins attempted to hire Tampa Bay Buccaneers director of player personnel Tim Ruskell on Thursday for their VP of player personnel job. But the move was vetoed by the Buccaneers, according to sources. Ruskell, with permission from the Buccaneers, interviewed for the Redskins' GM job on Thursday. But under NFL rules, Tampa Bay was not obligated to permit the Redskins to hire Ruskell for the No. 2 job in Washington's front office since it was not a promotion. Spurrier said the Redskins still might hire Ruskell if he leaves Tampa.<br /><br />Beathard, in a telephone interview yesterday, endorsed Ruskell, saying: "Tim Ruskell is a rising star in the league. People would be surprised how good this young guy is. Tim is not a 'yes' guy. He knows what he's doing. He'd be a real asset to them."<br /><br />Kurt Schottenheimer was fired by the Redskins on Monday, one day after Snyder fired the defensive coordinator's older brother, Marty, as the team's head coach and replaced him with Spurrier. But Kurt Schottenheimer said he would consider working for Spurrier, and the Redskins reconsidered. The Redskins had the NFL's 10th-ranked defense this past season, and Arrington blossomed into a Pro Bowl player in his second season in a defensive scheme that emphasized his playmaking skills. With Spurrier set to run the offense, the Redskins' defensive coordinator will have plenty of autonomy next season.<br /><br />"We're just talking," Spurrier said. "We may talk again. I may talk to some other people. He may talk to some other people. It's still flexible. . . . He was interested in talking to me and he was right down the road here."<br /><br />The Redskins' other candidates could include Woody Widenhofer, a former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator who most recently was a head coach at Vanderbilt, and Indianapolis Colts defensive backs coach George Catavolos. Former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Gunther Cunningham said this week he'd like to talk to Spurrier about the job, and former Chargers head coach Mike Riley is interviewing for both offensive and defensive coordinator positions around the league.<br /><br />"I would love to see Kurt come back here," said Redskins linebacker Shawn Barber, a potential free agent this offseason. "So would every member of our defense, with the way we ended up in the second half of the season. It was definitely a positive note. We thought of ourselves as one of the best five defenses in the league.<br /><br />"Being familiar with the defense, the schemes and the terminology, definitely would be a plus, especially for the younger guys."<br /><br />© 2002 The Washington Post Company

[riggo66]

Keep the continuity on D. It seems the players on D want him back. Why go through learning another D scheme when what we had worked not to mention LA thrived in it. Keep Schotty on D and lets bring the momentum into next year!

[NavyDave]

The continuity thing sounds good but can he adjust his schemes?<br /><br />Because it was so easy to pick up our blitzes and playing Champ 6 to 8 yds off the receiver was stupid

[Art]

I think Spurrier, while staying out of the defensive coordinator's job, would request an aggressive defense. Unlike Norv who was aggressive on offense but feared being so on the defense so he directed it not to happen, Spurrier is the type of coach who wants aggression everywhere. The advantage to keeping Kurt is that it won't take him six more weeks to figure out he can let Champ and Smoot play man coverage.<br /><br />That alone will make us a tough defense. It's going to be exciting to see what happens though if we actually put Lavar in a couple of blitz packages that work. I feel very badly for that QB <img border="0" title="" alt="[smile]" src="smile.gif" /> .

[PCS]

I must agree Art. I watched that ESPN Classic game last night, and despite all the passing, huge runs by Taylor,and a redzone run by Taylor for a TD, one thing really caught my eye. Last possession of the game for FSU,pinned deep in their own territory and down by 3 or something(long day sorry),the first play Forida blitzes a D.B. No sitting back in a prevent. An aggressive defensive play. If this was influenced by DBL. S, which I think it was, the I too look foreward to some hurting opposing QB's.<br /> I'm beginning to warm to the idea of Kurt staying. Players know him, he knows the players. He has a season under his belt, and he and the players,it seems, think they can only get better. This is a good thing. A little DBL. S. enthusiasm and aggressiveness is good for everybody.

[OrangeSkin]

Kurt did a decent job, but in the back of my mind I still want a big name D coordinator. There were some faults in Kurt's scheme.<br /><br />Could this "split power" thing be good? I'd rather just have a straight GM in here...

[Skins57]

Why would we even attempt to look at a coach from Indy for the defense? Also Vinny should just stay in the espn studios. Is this splitting the GM in 2 a beneifit to Synder and his ability to get a yes man?<br />I would love to see Kurt get another season here, now if someone could only figure out how to get LaVar after the QB<br />Hail Skins

[bulldog]

let's give Kurt a break. the reality is that the Redskins were limited on defense because of the status of their front four. you play with 2 ends that are both way over 30 and weigh less than 270 pounds and then mix in an out of position Kenard Lang at tackle, you begin to see how much was done with less this season in Washington.<br /><br />the Redskins got good performances from their corners this season, from Wilkinson, and from Arrington. They also got surprisingly effective play from unsung players such as Aaron Pierce and Robert Jones who filled in when Barber and Mitchell went out of the lineup.<br /><br />but the team clearly has to make an investment in rebuilding their front four.<br /><br />that priority will be the same regardless of who comes in as the new defensive coordinator.