Interview with Mike McDaniel Requested

[Dthrill_08]

Here’s an article about him and his journey. Enjoy.

How 49ers' Mike McDaniel's NFL journey started as child with Broncos

MIAMI, Fla. — Mike McDaniel lost his Denver Broncos hat as a 10-year-old attending training camp in his hometown of Greeley, Colorado. He cried. That incident more than a quarter-century ago began his path toward his current role of 49ers run-game coordinator and one of the most-trusted members...

www.nbcsports.com

Thanks for sharing. Noticed this on the article "Neither McDaniel nor LaFleur calls plays with the 49ers, " Makes me wonder that he might be another Philbin. I am leaning towards no to the McDaniel hire.

 

[hammersmithlad]

really like him, just worried about the staff he can build. but for some reason i hope he gets it. i think he can to great things, but again what staff can he put together?

anyone know how the interview went & did he nail it?

 

[andyahs]

anyone know how the interview went & did he nail it?

We will not know that unless he is hired.

 

[Xbrett82us]

Rumor has it he NAILED the interview. Moonwalked up to the camera in a tuxedo and gym shorts, mustered two pushups, and then spent the rest of the interview reminiscing on his college frat days (last year) until Grier and Ross concluded he was the right man for the job.

 

[andyahs]

That's one of the big issues. I was looking back at Dan Quinn's staff and he originally had Kyle Shanahan and Matt LaFleur on his staff. Well after two years of success they were both gone. Any young offensive guy that shows promise is going to be hired. You can't block a coordinator from interviewing for a HC.

I feel if we miss on him he will go on like Shanahan and McVay and be successful elswhere.

 

[rafael]

I see McDanials as a risky pick.

I do believe that the players will follow a person whom they believe will make them better and lead them to success. How he looks is not my concern. I see that as a stupid way to evaluate a candidate.
He is also clearly a bright football mind. He may end up the smartest of the bunch among Shanahan, McVay, etc. It's obvious from his interviews that he is great at understanding what players are good at and what they struggle with and creating plays that utilize them to their best advantage. That was actually one of Shula's strengths as well as Flores', at least on defense. Anybody claiming all he does is get coffee or other such nonsense is full of it.

I particularly like how McDaniel designed plays for Kittle, Juszczyk as well as RBs and run game. Per reports, Shanahan wanted to revamp his run game and tasked McDaniel with that redesign. That run game in SF that seems to work with most any RB seems to be largely a product of McDaniel. He seems to understand how to maximize his OL's and RB abilities. I would like to see a guy like Mostert follow him to Miami and for McDaniel to guide what vet OL he want to bring in. I actually see McDaniel as the HC candidate most likely to come in and finally improve our OL. That may be my #1 reason for listing him among my favorite candidates.

I also know that McDaniel was designing the plays for the passing game. Shanahan's system was always QB friendly, but IMO it's become even more so with McDaniel's designs. I see some similarities in Garappolo's game and Tua's. Neither relies on rocket arms or uber athleticism. I could see McDaniel using similar plays for Tua with the addition of RPO plays to take advantage of Tua's quicker feet and release.

But I do see a risk or at least a learning curve when it comes to play calling. There's a rhythm and a pattern to play calling that not every body gets. My guess is that McDaniel will get it as his football understanding is deep. He's clearly one of those obsessive types who has been thinking about football for decades. (That obsessive personality is also what probably lead to his alcohol problems earlier).

I also worry that it may take time (or might not happen at all) for the defense to buy in. That's where we have the most talent and the side that needs to continue to produce at a high level for us. I would like to see a DC with a good reputation there. It could be as simple as retaining Boyer.

I also worry that McDaniel would lose that connection with the players he clearly had while working as an OC. We saw that with Gase although I don't see the comparison as apt since Gase only seemed to have that connection with Manning. McDaniels' connections seemed to be with the whole offense.

The biggest question, and actually it's the same question for all of the candidates, is what staff do they bring with them? McDaniel with a good staff would allay most of my concerns. Likewise Quinn or any of the other experienced HCs with a weak staff would not excite me at all. McDaniel has not been a HC but he's been around the game for almost a dozen years now. Flores had been around for a long time too, but all with one team. Both had time to make many contacts, but McDaniel may have had more opportunities since he's worked on some level with about 5 teams. But it all comes down to the connections. Flores didn't seem to make many connections. And the ones he did hire too often left for the same position quickly. It seemed obvious that other coaches didn't want to work with Flores.

Without knowing the staffs they would bring in, my top 3 among the known interviewees are Daboll, McDaniel and then Quinn. (Pederson would also be on the list, but we probably won't hear about it until afterwards). With Daboll and McDaniel I want an experienced DC. I'd probably also like an assistant HC that has experience doing all the non-coaching things a HC has to do. With Quinn, I'd like to see a good offensive mind as the offense is what needs the most work. I like Daboll's connection with Tua and the fact that Daboll already calls the plays and I like McDaniel's ability with the OL and run game as well as his work with a similar QB style. That's what makes them my top two choices. I would be excited about either guy assuming they can bring a good staff with them.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

I am warming to McDaniel, specifically because I think that SF run game is the best in the league. The 49ers dictate games with the run, and their scheme is both innovative and hard to stop.

Just add that to Miami and watch how good Tua suddenly is and what a rested defense can bring.

I do have some reservations. First time HC, a bit of an Adam Gase vibe etc.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

I like McDaniel's quote saying something to the affect that you are what you emphasize.

Everyone on that 49ers offense blocks, the receivers included. They move so well as offensive linemen, creating running lanes etc. They are the best running team in the league for a reason.

I also don't know if McDaniel is the answer, but I know what Miami is missing and it happens to be a running game.

If that's all McDaniel brings to the table, but he's able to get quality assistants, that might be exactly what the Dolphins need.

 

[fansinceGWilson]

GAROPPOLO: “Mike is awesome, man. He really is. He's kind of that, I don't want to say the mastermind behind everything, but he's kind of that guy in the background that doesn't say a whole ton to a lot of people, but his mind is always moving. The ideas that he comes up with are so fresh and new that it's a cool guy to have on the staff. Just the way that he can implement things. And he simplifies it down to, I mean he's a lot smarter than most of us. So he dumbs it down for us and kind of gets us all on the same page. And it's just a good combination with him and all the rest of the coaches.”

Q: Now that we've afforded the opportunity to talk to offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel this year, obviously he's serious quite a bit, but he might lead the NFL in sarcastic humor and dry wit. Is he much the same with you guys or just behind the scenes? Is kind of what we're seeing what you get?

SHANAHAN: “Yeah, I think so. I haven't watched his press conferences, I don't study them, but I have an idea of how they are, that's Mike. He's an acquired taste and you guys are getting it. So Mike's a good dude, he's really good at what he does and he's himself. He's one of the smartest coaches I've been around and he’s been huge to our team and huge for me throughout my entire career.”

Q: I'm not looking for a percentage, but obviously your run game has evolved quite a bit over the years. How much of that is Mike McDaniel?

SHANAHAN: “Mike does a ton of it. We all do it in here, but we all have our separate areas that we work on. Then we try to bring it together and patch it all together to make an offense as a whole. And then we distribute it to all our position coaches, so Mike gets as much credit as anyone in this building. [Offensive line coach] Chris Foerster gets a lot of credit, our O-Line, all the assistants, all the guys who draw it, the position coaches, but Mike's in charge of that. And Mike's been unbelievable, not just here, he did the same thing for me in Atlanta, Cleveland and was a big part in Washington too.”

Why Mike McDaniel is a Hot Head Coach Candidate

If other teams had the McDaneil and his run game, they might be contenders, too.

www.si.com

Here is what FH knows. If Mia hires McDaniel, who is the hot hand and seen by all as a top candidate, and he fails, it will be Ross/Grier's fault because "they should have known better.'

 

[dagger151]

Zac Taylor is set up because he has Joe Burrow at QB. He went 2-14 his first year with the Bengals that allowed them to get the first pick and draft him. Nobody thought he was some offensive genius back then. That's what a franchise QB can do for a head coach. Most teams don't have that franchise QB though.

and Miami doesnt have one either!

 

[EasyRider]

I want to like the guy, but I see Gase all over again. Remember, when Gase was a HC candidate it was all sunshine and rainbows, he was an offensive genius, mastermind, etc. The warts only started appearing after his first season as HC.

Has McDaniel ever coached defense? I haven’t read the rest of the comments in the thread yet. I think we need a well rounded HC… McDaniel might be the guy, I don’t know, but he doesn’t have much experience, and im not sure we’re in the position the “lose” a couple of years where he’s still the beginning of a learning curve.

His name isn’t Gase
He is a different person
He also has a different resume
I don’t see the comparison you are attempting to create

 

[Mcganiel]

Dude is legit

I want him. just worried about his staff, but i read he has a big network

Sign the freekn guy!

 

[1972forever]

McDaniel has coached this offense on multiple teams though... Flores was in NE the whole time and he was a scout for much of his tenure there... bad comp imo.

Okay, I’ll buy that. Yet Gase had been an offensive coach on many NFL teams and was rated the top OC on the head coaching list when the Dolphins hired him.

I am not saying McDaniel won’t be a success as an NFL HC but since the Dolphins haven’t had success with first time head coaches, I just prefer that they hire an experienced HC who has had success in the past. That’s why I would rather see them hire Pederson, Harbaugh, or Caldwell.

No matter who they hire, I just hope they finally get it right this time.

 

[Ryan1973]

and Miami doesnt have one either!

Ya and that's my point! The only reason Zac Taylor looks like a good head coach right now is because he has a franchise QB. If Zac Taylor was the head coach of the Dolphins he wouldn't be coaching in the playoffs right now.

 

[jeffc12]

Are we looking for a coach who is a "Hot Head"?

Didn't we just get rid of one like that - LOL

Curious why you say he's a hot head - I haven't seen that? I hope it's not just because he swore a couple of times in that video? If it's something else I'm interested because that's news to me. Actually - I think I get it now - you are joking about the title of the thread - nevermind - I guess I wasn't that quick:)