Mike Munchak and some of the new coaching staff. Courtesy of Titansonline.com

Mike Munchak Press Conference  (click for link)

Mike Munchak has finally spoken to the media as he held a long, full blown press conference on Thursday afternoon.  There have been a lot of moves in the Titans’ camp this offseason, but little explanation coming from the head coach or the front office.  Munchak decided to explain the entirety of the coaching staff changes in one fell swoop as well as clear the air on some personnel moves on the roster.  Here’s the highlights form the press conference:

• Mike Munchak sure talks fast.  He sounds like I probably would if I got in front a bunch of reporters for the first time and was trying to explain myself.  This isn’t anything new, but it does make you feel like he’s the type of guy that has a million thoughts going through his head at once.  Personally, I kind of like that.  For better or worse, he’s definitely not doing anything blindly.  Unlike a lot of coaches out there, Munchak probably said more in one hour than many do in an entire season.

“Man, this is hard. Maybe if I put this guy over here….” Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Breaking Down The New Tennessee Titans Coaching Moves

Thursday afternoon there was a flurry of information coming out of Baptist Sports Park, as Jim Wyatt broke all of the new coaching hires/promotions for the Tennessee Titans.  In the beginning the information was baffling and disheartening as the reports were solely of internal promotions and guys changing name tags.  My blood pressure regressed a little as a few more names became available.  Let’s recap what happened:

• Nate Kaczor has moved from assistant offensive line coach to special teams coach.
• Chet Parlevecchio has moved from special teams assistant to become the linebackers coach
• Dave Ragone has moved from coaching the wide receivers to being Jake Locker’s new quarterbacks coach
• Shawn Jefferson has been brought in from Detroit to coach the wide receivers
• George Henshaw will coach the tight ends
• Sylvester Croom is the new running backs coach

The previous releases this off-season were Frank Bush (linebackers), John Zernhelt (tight ends), Jim Skipper (running backs) and most notably Alan Lowry (special teams).

Got all that?

The New Guys

Only one of these hires has me excited, and that’s getting Shawn Jefferson from the Lions after Calvin Johnson breaks the single season receiving yards record.  Johnson has been quoted saying how integral a role in his development that Jefferson played over the years, mainly on getting his “head right”.  Sounds phenomenal for our receiving corp.

I know very little about Croom, other than he was part of Jacksonville’s running back’s staff last year.  The Titans were forced to look elsewhere when Sherman Smith decided to stay in Seattle .  Chris Johnson has said he would personally like to have Earnest Byner back.

Then comes George Henshaw.  Henshaw will be in charge of continuing the development of Titans’s project Taylor Thompson, as well as Jared Cook and Craig Stevens.  The problem is that Henshaw hasn’t coached in 5 years!

The Old Guys

Outside of these three, there’s currently no new blood on the staff that promised changes.  This doesn’t count as the changes we were promised as far as I’m concerned.  Were the struggles the Titans faced all year solely due to position coaches?  If so, then they don’t get the credit they deserve on a regular basis.  I can only assume that Munchak couldn’t get the guys he wanted (i.e. Sherman Smith), and was therefore forced to shuffle the deck.  Shawn Jefferson was a good get and they didn’t want to let Ragone go, so they just move him to Dowell Loggains old post.  As for moving the offensive line coach to special teams and moving the assistant special teams coach to linebackers, I am at a complete loss.

Loggains was confirmed as offensive coordinator and it looks as though Gray will continue on as defensive coordinator.  I can understand Loggains getting a shot due to his relationship with Locker.  I can offer no explanation on retaining Gray who had our defense looking pathetic against every team that had a pulse.  I know, I know, it wasn’t all his fault.  The offense sucked and we had key injuries, but the defense was way worse than those excuses make up for.

I have been a staunch supporter and preacher of patience for Mike Munchak this entire off-season, but these moves are trying even my patience.  I’ve constantly debated that it takes time to get a good staff in place, and that Munchak is working with extenuating circumstances.  But I am at a loss for explanation on how weak some of these moves are.  I’m not one to think you have to go get the big name, there’s a reason they are available as well, but the constant promotion form within is becoming nerve racking.

Maybe this was the best he could do.  Maybe no one else wanted to come here.  Maybe Mike wanted these guys in place all along.

 I’m not really buying any of that though.  It looks to me like they are just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic as the ship is about to go down.

 Even this optimist has the coaching staff on a short leash now.

You can follow me on Twitter  @gunnelsj

“I wonder what it’s like in the sunny south?” Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

So we finally hear word of the Tennessee Titans interviewing for coaching positions.

The first interview is set for Munchak to sit down with John Shoop for the quarterbacks coach position.  Shoop has previously spent time on the staff on Oakland, Tampa bay, Chicago and Carolina.  His most recent stint on a football team was the year before last as the offensive coordinator for UNC.

Most importantly, however, is the fact that Shoop has been out of football for a year and has started a blog called The Shoop Scoop for a radio station that covers UNC.  That’s right folks,  the Titans are looking at bloggers for coaching candidates.  Looks like it’s actually time to throw my hat in the ring!

This would lead one to believe that Dowell Loggains is the front runner to retain the offensive coordinator position since Munchak is interviewing for his old position.  Well not so fast.  Mike Tice has been reported to interview for the OC position as well, as reported by Terry McCormick.  Tice is the current Bears offensive coordinator, and was on Munchak’s list previously, but the Bears had denied permission for them to talk.  Now with a coaching change and Lovie Smith being shown the door, Tice may be allowed out of his contract.

Mike Tice is a well known name, but I can’t say that it excites me.  The idea of Locker being mauled like Cutler has been in Chicago doesn’t get my hopes high.  I know our offensive line isn’t better than theirs, and it’s not like the Bears offense is what they are known for.  Tice has bounced around from Jacksonville to Chicago now since his original stint in Minnesota .

The good news is the Titans aren’t completely dragging their feet on interviewing for new coaching positions, and apparently no one is safe.

Now let’s hear some defensive names as well, and please, no more bloggers….

Do these names excite you?  Who should the Titans bring in?

you can follow me on twitter @gunnelsj