Coaching search 2022 - Confirmed Interviews and Speculation

[Texas Vike]

The Michigan media? I agree. There were reports from Ann Arbor indicating that they thought Harbaugh was giving indications that he was moving on.
But the media that covers the Vikings kept insisting that KOC had done very well in his interview and that Harbaugh was coming in for a real interview, with no conclusions pre-drawn.

Please understand, I'm retired, and it's winter so I can't play golf.

I pretty much sit around all day and look for nuggets. It becomes hard to distinguish one media source from another. But I do know that several in the national media tweeted this week that the job was Harbaugh's if he wanted it. That, of course, was wrong.

Here's the silver lining. If the Vikings do indeed hire O'Connell, the McVay coaching tree (sounds weird to say that about a guy who's 36 and in his fifth year as a coach) is already far more successful than the Belichick coaching tree. Chances are pretty good the Vikings are getting somebody who doesn't think like the typical NFL head coach. And honestly, I see that as a good thing.

I get it. I have spent all too much time consuming media on this matter recently too. Here's what I heard: Doogie (on your personal favorite, Skor North) insisted through it all that KOC was the lead horse. He said this on Tuesday, when the Harbaugh to MN hype was at its climax. Wolfson is a local reporter who I believe has some access to important voices on the team. Cronin (again, a local reporter who tends to be solid with her info and access) also insisted that the team was very impressed with KOC's interview and that Harbaugh was not a 'slam dunk' and that it would be an actual interview, not just a formality.

It seems like on Harbaugh's end (and folks close to him) there was an assumption that it was a done deal. But that's exactly the kind of arrogance that likely was not well received by the Vikings FO.

[J. Kapp 11]

KOC strikes me in a lot of ways as the next Mike Tice. Personable. Funny. Probably entertaining to some degree. Probably not ready to be a head coach. I guess as long as he doesn't start talking about a "Dalvin Ratio" or something silly like that I'll give him a chance.

Or ... maybe instead of the next Mike Tice, he's the next Sean McVay. Or Zac Taylor (a year ago, most people would've said Mike Tice was a step up). Or Matt LaFleur. Or even Brandon Staley, who could be successful if he'd quit out-thinking himself.

It's not like KOC is just a nice, handsome guy who speaks well. The reports I read say the entire search team, including KAM, were extremely impressed with his vision for the organization. I don't know about you, but that means a lot to me. What was Mike Zimmer's vision? Do what the f*ck I tell you, and you'll win ... don't, and I'll cut you? Brad Childress? My offense kicks a$$ if the players will just run it right? Most coaches are all about themselves and their schemes and how brilliant they are.

There's a saying in leadership. Healthy leaders produce good followers, but GREAT leaders produce other leaders. Isn't it possible that's the key to success for the McVay tree — and what attracts teams to them? I will say, building leaders is exactly what Jim Harbaugh is known for, and I would've been thrilled with him as HC. But the Vikings went a different direction. Clearly something didn't click, and it did with KOC. I don't know why it has to be any more than that.

[VikingsVictorious]

His record as a HC is all the information needed. To look into it any further than that is for fools.

Why? Coaches don't win games by themselves. Just like QB's don't lose games by themselves. If we're going to remain consistent, one would think the record of a coach, or a player for that matter, shouldn't be the end all be all.

By your standards Harbaugh could have come in yesterday with any attitude he wanted, regardless if it aligned with our teams mission, and got the job no matter what. And if we believe what is being reported, that is what happened. JH came in assuming the job was his, and the Vikings didn't feel the same way. Maybe he interviewed terribly? Maybe they weren't in the same ballpark as far as the direction of the team? Who knows?

Yeah I knew somebody would go there. I was simplifying it. Players love him. He wins everywhere he goes. He didn't get along with a very bad GM in SF. BFD. Smart ownership wouldn't have cared about anything from an interview. The interview should be his coaching track record.

[J. Kapp 11]

Please understand, I'm retired, and it's winter so I can't play golf.

I pretty much sit around all day and look for nuggets. It becomes hard to distinguish one media source from another. But I do know that several in the national media tweeted this week that the job was Harbaugh's if he wanted it. That, of course, was wrong.

Here's the silver lining. If the Vikings do indeed hire O'Connell, the McVay coaching tree (sounds weird to say that about a guy who's 36 and in his fifth year as a coach) is already far more successful than the Belichick coaching tree. Chances are pretty good the Vikings are getting somebody who doesn't think like the typical NFL head coach. And honestly, I see that as a good thing.

I get it. I have spent all too much time consuming media on this matter recently too. Here's what I heard: Doogie (on your personal favorite, Skor North) insisted through it all that KOC was the lead horse. He said this on Tuesday, when the Harbaugh to MN hype was at its climax. Wolfson is a local reporter who I believe has some access to important voices on the team. Cronin (again, a local reporter who tends to be solid with her info and access) also insisted that the team was very impressed with KOC's interview and that Harbaugh was not a 'slam dunk' and that it would be an actual interview, not just a formality.

It seems like on Harbaugh's end (and folks close to him) there was an assumption that it was a done deal. But that's exactly the kind of arrogance that likely was not well received by the Vikings FO.

Thanks for all that.

It's human nature to respond poorly to arrogance. I remember when I was a newspaper editor, and I was interviewing people for a reporter job. One promising candidate showed up late, then acted as though he'd be doing me a favor if I hired him, touting all his awards and stuff. He was the most qualified, but I still sent him on his way within 10 minutes. Sometimes the most qualified isn't the best fit.

So yeah, if Harbaugh went into the interview treating it like the job was his, that was not going to sit well with many on the search team. Many reports say that Harbaugh prepared for the interview as though the job was his. If that was the case, I can't blame the team for not receiving him well.

[J. Kapp 11]

Why? Coaches don't win games by themselves. Just like QB's don't lose games by themselves. If we're going to remain consistent, one would think the record of a coach, or a player for that matter, shouldn't be the end all be all.

By your standards Harbaugh could have come in yesterday with any attitude he wanted, regardless if it aligned with our teams mission, and got the job no matter what. And if we believe what is being reported, that is what happened. JH came in assuming the job was his, and the Vikings didn't feel the same way. Maybe he interviewed terribly? Maybe they weren't in the same ballpark as far as the direction of the team? Who knows?

Yeah I knew somebody would go there. I was simplifying it. Players love him. He wins everywhere he goes. He didn't get along with a very bad GM in SF. BFD. Smart ownership wouldn't have cared about anything from an interview. The interview should be his coaching track record.

You don't hire people, do you?

No, the interview isn't about his track record. It's not about the past. It's about what he can do for the organization going forward. Your track record helps qualify you, but it's far from the only consideration.

[40for60]

KOC strikes me in a lot of ways as the next Mike Tice. Personable. Funny. Probably entertaining to some degree. Probably not ready to be a head coach. I guess as long as he doesn't start talking about a "Dalvin Ratio" or something silly like that I'll give him a chance.

Or ... maybe instead of the next Mike Tice, he's the next Sean McVay. Or Zac Taylor (a year ago, most people would've said Mike Tice was a step up). Or Matt LaFleur. Or even Brandon Staley, who could be successful if he'd quit out-thinking himself.

It's not like KOC is just a nice, handsome guy who speaks well. The reports I read say the entire search team, including KAM, were extremely impressed with his vision for the organization. I don't know about you, but that means a lot to me. What was Mike Zimmer's vision? Do what the f*ck I tell you, and you'll win ... don't, and I'll cut you? Brad Childress? My offense kicks a$$ if the players will just run it right? Most coaches are all about themselves and their schemes and how brilliant they are.

There's a saying in leadership. Healthy leaders produce good followers, but GREAT leaders produce other leaders. Isn't it possible that's the key to success for the McVay tree — and what attracts teams to them? I will say, building leaders is exactly what Jim Harbaugh is known for, and I would've been thrilled with him as HC. But the Vikings went a different direction. Clearly something didn't click, and it did with KOC. I don't know why it has to be any more than that.

I also like what Joe Theismann said about KOC:

“I think it’s a bit of a trend,” Theismann said of the offensive head coaches McVay has produced. “But (O’Connell) understands what he wants to do with an offense. He’s an excellent choice to be a head coach. He’s ready to be a head coach. I love to pick Kevin’s brain. I’ve always found Kevin to be very creative. He will look at the personnel he has and he will adjust his offense accordingly.”

[vikeinmontana]

Why? Coaches don't win games by themselves. Just like QB's don't lose games by themselves. If we're going to remain consistent, one would think the record of a coach, or a player for that matter, shouldn't be the end all be all.

By your standards Harbaugh could have come in yesterday with any attitude he wanted, regardless if it aligned with our teams mission, and got the job no matter what. And if we believe what is being reported, that is what happened. JH came in assuming the job was his, and the Vikings didn't feel the same way. Maybe he interviewed terribly? Maybe they weren't in the same ballpark as far as the direction of the team? Who knows?

Yeah I knew somebody would go there. I was simplifying it. Players love him. He wins everywhere he goes. He didn't get along with a very bad GM in SF. BFD. Smart ownership wouldn't have cared about anything from an interview. The interview should be his coaching track record.

Understand, I'm not trying to be a dick here. But I "went there" because it's relevant in my opinion. Anytime the QB topic comes up and people point to the fact that Cousins never beats winning teams, you're the first to say QB's don't win games, TEAMS do.

So you can understand my surprise when in regards to the coaching hire, you of all people would suggest all that matters is his coaching record. After all, he didn't win those games alone, the TEAM did.

And I disagree. I have no idea how the interview went. But if our front office came away thinking he was a bad fit, regardless of his prior record, I for one am glad they went the other direction. And by all early accounts, including the excellent article posted, that is exactly what happened. There are a million unknowns to us fans to simply proclaim the Vikings screwed this up and Harbaugh should have been given the job just because he was Harbaugh.

[CharVike]

I get it. I have spent all too much time consuming media on this matter recently too. Here's what I heard: Doogie (on your personal favorite, Skor North) insisted through it all that KOC was the lead horse. He said this on Tuesday, when the Harbaugh to MN hype was at its climax. Wolfson is a local reporter who I believe has some access to important voices on the team. Cronin (again, a local reporter who tends to be solid with her info and access) also insisted that the team was very impressed with KOC's interview and that Harbaugh was not a 'slam dunk' and that it would be an actual interview, not just a formality.

It seems like on Harbaugh's end (and folks close to him) there was an assumption that it was a done deal. But that's exactly the kind of arrogance that likely was not well received by the Vikings FO.

Thanks for all that.

It's human nature to respond poorly to arrogance. I remember when I was a newspaper editor, and I was interviewing people for a reporter job. One promising candidate showed up late, then acted as though he'd be doing me a favor if I hired him, touting all his awards and stuff. He was the most qualified, but I still sent him on his way within 10 minutes. Sometimes the most qualified isn't the best fit.

So yeah, if Harbaugh went into the interview treating it like the job was his, that was not going to sit well with many on the search team. Many reports say that Harbaugh prepared for the interview as though the job was his. If that was the case, I can't blame the team for not receiving him well.

So if Harbaugh went into thinking he had no chance that would sit well? Showing zero confidence would sit well. A HC of an NFL team is like being hired to head up a large organization. There are only 32 of these positions. You need to have the entire tool chest of skills. This isn't a position where there are 100 of thousands of people doing it. You also need to understand who is interviewing you very quickly. Having great interviewing skills are great to have and many people have been fooled. Maybe Harbough went in saying "you have a new sheriff in town" and that didn't sit well. It could be that Harbaugh was using this to get more money from Mich. Money drives everything. This new guy could be great. The most important hire was the GM. If he sucks we are done for many years.

[VikingsVictorious]

Yeah I knew somebody would go there. I was simplifying it. Players love him. He wins everywhere he goes. He didn't get along with a very bad GM in SF. BFD. Smart ownership wouldn't have cared about anything from an interview. The interview should be his coaching track record.

Understand, I'm not trying to be a dick here. But I "went there" because it's relevant in my opinion. Anytime the QB topic comes up and people point to the fact that Cousins never beats winning teams, you're the first to say QB's don't win games, TEAMS do.

So you can understand my surprise when in regards to the coaching hire, you of all people would suggest all that matters is his coaching record. After all, he didn't win those games alone, the TEAM did.

And I disagree. I have no idea how the interview went. But if our front office came away thinking he was a bad fit, regardless of his prior record, I for one am glad they went the other direction. And by all early accounts, including the excellent article posted, that is exactly what happened. There are a million unknowns to us fans to simply proclaim the Vikings screwed this up and Harbaugh should have been given the job just because he was Harbaugh.

Harbaugh should have been given the job because the players love him and he wins everywhere he goes.

[VikingsVictorious]

Yeah I knew somebody would go there. I was simplifying it. Players love him. He wins everywhere he goes. He didn't get along with a very bad GM in SF. BFD. Smart ownership wouldn't have cared about anything from an interview. The interview should be his coaching track record.

You don't hire people, do you?

No, the interview isn't about his track record. It's not about the past. It's about what he can do for the organization going forward. Your track record helps qualify you, but it's far from the only consideration.

I wouldn't care if he came to the interview in a Riddler outfit. His track record answers all the questions I need to know. All an interview would accomplish is confusing the issue.

[VikingsVictorious]

I get it. I have spent all too much time consuming media on this matter recently too. Here's what I heard: Doogie (on your personal favorite, Skor North) insisted through it all that KOC was the lead horse. He said this on Tuesday, when the Harbaugh to MN hype was at its climax. Wolfson is a local reporter who I believe has some access to important voices on the team. Cronin (again, a local reporter who tends to be solid with her info and access) also insisted that the team was very impressed with KOC's interview and that Harbaugh was not a 'slam dunk' and that it would be an actual interview, not just a formality.

It seems like on Harbaugh's end (and folks close to him) there was an assumption that it was a done deal. But that's exactly the kind of arrogance that likely was not well received by the Vikings FO.

Thanks for all that.

It's human nature to respond poorly to arrogance. I remember when I was a newspaper editor, and I was interviewing people for a reporter job. One promising candidate showed up late, then acted as though he'd be doing me a favor if I hired him, touting all his awards and stuff. He was the most qualified, but I still sent him on his way within 10 minutes. Sometimes the most qualified isn't the best fit.

So yeah, if Harbaugh went into the interview treating it like the job was his, that was not going to sit well with many on the search team. Many reports say that Harbaugh prepared for the interview as though the job was his. If that was the case, I can't blame the team for not receiving him well.

You probably made the wrong decision just because he annoyed you. Remember a baseball Manager Billy Martin. He won several world series with the NY Yankees. He was fired and rehired by George Steinbrenner I think 5 times. Sometimes annoying people make great leaders.

[vikeinmontana]

Understand, I'm not trying to be a dick here. But I "went there" because it's relevant in my opinion. Anytime the QB topic comes up and people point to the fact that Cousins never beats winning teams, you're the first to say QB's don't win games, TEAMS do.

So you can understand my surprise when in regards to the coaching hire, you of all people would suggest all that matters is his coaching record. After all, he didn't win those games alone, the TEAM did.

And I disagree. I have no idea how the interview went. But if our front office came away thinking he was a bad fit, regardless of his prior record, I for one am glad they went the other direction. And by all early accounts, including the excellent article posted, that is exactly what happened. There are a million unknowns to us fans to simply proclaim the Vikings screwed this up and Harbaugh should have been given the job just because he was Harbaugh.

Harbaugh should have been given the job because the players love him and he wins everywhere he goes.

I'm just surprised this is your take after all the Cousins talk is all.

I guess my next question is why hasn't any other team hired him? Why is he not in the NFL for that matter? If it is such a no-brainer, and nothing else matters aside from his record, what are all of these other teams doing? Apparently every team in the NFL is being run by idiots because there is no reason whatsoever that Jim Harbaugh shouldn't be coaching.

What are all of these teams doing so wrong?

[J. Kapp 11]

Thanks for all that.

It's human nature to respond poorly to arrogance. I remember when I was a newspaper editor, and I was interviewing people for a reporter job. One promising candidate showed up late, then acted as though he'd be doing me a favor if I hired him, touting all his awards and stuff. He was the most qualified, but I still sent him on his way within 10 minutes. Sometimes the most qualified isn't the best fit.

So yeah, if Harbaugh went into the interview treating it like the job was his, that was not going to sit well with many on the search team. Many reports say that Harbaugh prepared for the interview as though the job was his. If that was the case, I can't blame the team for not receiving him well.

You probably made the wrong decision just because he annoyed you. Remember a baseball Manager Billy Martin. He won several world series with the NY Yankees. He was fired and rehired by George Steinbrenner I think 5 times. Sometimes annoying people make great leaders.

Whatever. You’re just going to rip anything I say at this point.

And guess what? It was the right decision. My call, not yours.

[J. Kapp 11]

Harbaugh should have been given the job because the players love him and he wins everywhere he goes.

I'm just surprised this is your take after all the Cousins talk is all.

I guess my next question is why hasn't any other team hired him? Why is he not in the NFL for that matter? If it is such a no-brainer, and nothing else matters aside from his record, what are all of these other teams doing? Apparently every team in the NFL is being run by idiots because there is no reason whatsoever that Jim Harbaugh shouldn't be coaching.

What are all of these teams doing so wrong?

Half the NFL won’t even interview Harbaugh. But hey, what do any of us know. VikingsVictorious has all the answers.

[VikingsVictorious]

Harbaugh should have been given the job because the players love him and he wins everywhere he goes.

I'm just surprised this is your take after all the Cousins talk is all.

I guess my next question is why hasn't any other team hired him? Why is he not in the NFL for that matter? If it is such a no-brainer, and nothing else matters aside from his record, what are all of these other teams doing? Apparently every team in the NFL is being run by idiots because there is no reason whatsoever that Jim Harbaugh shouldn't be coaching.

What are all of these teams doing so wrong?

Other than both of them being very good at their jobs, Harbaugh and Cousins have nothing to do with each other. Harbaugh I hear spoke with the Bears and they wouldn't give him what he wanted so he chose not to go to them. There may be very few NFL jobs that Harbaugh is interested in. If he doesn't want to go there they aren't idiots for something they can't control. It seems that Harbaugh was interested in the Vikings job so the Wilfs are the only ones I can call idiots with confidence.