Assuming Baldwin moves on, who's on your short wish list and why?
Mine:
1. Mike McDaniel, 49ers Run Game Coordinator
I love the Niners offense and it's a perfect fit for what our team should be doing. McDaniel is a young guy (36) and has been with Shanahan the last 5 seasons. He's already in the Bay Area so a job that doesn't force him to relocate may be attractive. McDaniel is from a Pac-12 state (Colorado) and has spent a total of 5 years coaching in CA. He went to a tough college (Yale) so he should be able to relate with academic high achievers. I don't know much about his personality; his entire coaching career has been in the pros. Solid NFL experience is a big plus in my book but recruiting would be something of a question mark (as would his desire to switch to college).
Getting McDaniel would be a huge coup as he's quite an up-and-comer. Other NFL teams may pull the trigger on him for OC and if so I can't imagine he would have any interest in us, but if no NFL OC gig materializes for him maybe he would like to get a head start on building/running an entire offense without any training wheels. Don't know what he makes right now, but I imagine if he was even interested we'd have to pony up. This is my ideal pick, but it's probably not realistic given how his coaching profile is so high now.
2. Kellen Moore, Cowboys Offensive Coordinator
Obviously Moore's current job is well above our pay grade, but that entire staff might be replaced this offseason and Moore might not land another NFL OC gig just yet (he's 31). Moore came of age in the Pac-12 neighborhood, born in WA and played at Boise.
3. Justin Peelle, Eagles Tight Ends Coach
Peelle has a short coaching resume, with his current job being his only coaching gig to date, but he had a long NFL playing career and has been with the Eagles as TE coach since 2013. Peelle was a stud TE at Oregon and had an outstanding academic record as a student (4x 1st Academic Team All-Pac-10 selection). Peelle played with Wilcox at Oregon so I imagine they would have good chemistry.
4. Bush Hamdan, Washington Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach
I love Chris Petersen's offenses and Hamdan has both coached and played for Petersen. Going from OC at UW to OC at Cal might look like a lateral move but like Zak Hill this would allow Hamdan to show his ability in building/running an offense without a great offensive HC looking over his shoulder. Pac-12 coaching experience at a successful program is a plus in my book.
5. Zak Hill, Boise State Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
Boise's offense would be great for us and this would be a nice promotion for Hill, not only going to a P5 school but also getting out of Harsin's shadow. Hill was at EWU with Baldwin so he must be familiar with a lot of the concepts in our current offense, which figures to help ease the transition. Hill has 10 years experience as OC at EWU, Hawaii and BSU.
6. Jeff Horton, SDSU Offensive Coordinator/RB Coach/Assistant Head Coach
Few college OCs can lay claim to being better qualified to build a power offense. Horton has NFL experience as well as 9 years experience coaching in CA. Horton wouldn't look like a big splash hire, but he's the definition of a solid coach and we'd be hard pressed to do better if Wilcox was willing to run a more conventional power offense.
7. Ken Whisenhunt, Ex-Chargers Offensive Coordinator
Whisenhunt was fired as Chargers OC during this season. That wouldn't recommend him to many, but being fired from an NFL job is not damning in my book. The big leagues are tough, and Whisenhunt has proven his chops over 16 years serving as either HC or OC of an NFL team. Of course it's completely uncertain whether Whisenhunt would be at all interested in our job, but it couldn't hurt to see if he has any interest particularly if no NFL team expresses interest in him for OC.
edited to include Justin Peelle who I forgot in the original list
edited to replace Vigen with Whisenhunt
Mine:
1. Mike McDaniel, 49ers Run Game Coordinator
I love the Niners offense and it's a perfect fit for what our team should be doing. McDaniel is a young guy (36) and has been with Shanahan the last 5 seasons. He's already in the Bay Area so a job that doesn't force him to relocate may be attractive. McDaniel is from a Pac-12 state (Colorado) and has spent a total of 5 years coaching in CA. He went to a tough college (Yale) so he should be able to relate with academic high achievers. I don't know much about his personality; his entire coaching career has been in the pros. Solid NFL experience is a big plus in my book but recruiting would be something of a question mark (as would his desire to switch to college).
Getting McDaniel would be a huge coup as he's quite an up-and-comer. Other NFL teams may pull the trigger on him for OC and if so I can't imagine he would have any interest in us, but if no NFL OC gig materializes for him maybe he would like to get a head start on building/running an entire offense without any training wheels. Don't know what he makes right now, but I imagine if he was even interested we'd have to pony up. This is my ideal pick, but it's probably not realistic given how his coaching profile is so high now.
2. Kellen Moore, Cowboys Offensive Coordinator
Obviously Moore's current job is well above our pay grade, but that entire staff might be replaced this offseason and Moore might not land another NFL OC gig just yet (he's 31). Moore came of age in the Pac-12 neighborhood, born in WA and played at Boise.
3. Justin Peelle, Eagles Tight Ends Coach
Peelle has a short coaching resume, with his current job being his only coaching gig to date, but he had a long NFL playing career and has been with the Eagles as TE coach since 2013. Peelle was a stud TE at Oregon and had an outstanding academic record as a student (4x 1st Academic Team All-Pac-10 selection). Peelle played with Wilcox at Oregon so I imagine they would have good chemistry.
4. Bush Hamdan, Washington Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach
I love Chris Petersen's offenses and Hamdan has both coached and played for Petersen. Going from OC at UW to OC at Cal might look like a lateral move but like Zak Hill this would allow Hamdan to show his ability in building/running an offense without a great offensive HC looking over his shoulder. Pac-12 coaching experience at a successful program is a plus in my book.
5. Zak Hill, Boise State Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
Boise's offense would be great for us and this would be a nice promotion for Hill, not only going to a P5 school but also getting out of Harsin's shadow. Hill was at EWU with Baldwin so he must be familiar with a lot of the concepts in our current offense, which figures to help ease the transition. Hill has 10 years experience as OC at EWU, Hawaii and BSU.
6. Jeff Horton, SDSU Offensive Coordinator/RB Coach/Assistant Head Coach
Few college OCs can lay claim to being better qualified to build a power offense. Horton has NFL experience as well as 9 years experience coaching in CA. Horton wouldn't look like a big splash hire, but he's the definition of a solid coach and we'd be hard pressed to do better if Wilcox was willing to run a more conventional power offense.
7. Ken Whisenhunt, Ex-Chargers Offensive Coordinator
Whisenhunt was fired as Chargers OC during this season. That wouldn't recommend him to many, but being fired from an NFL job is not damning in my book. The big leagues are tough, and Whisenhunt has proven his chops over 16 years serving as either HC or OC of an NFL team. Of course it's completely uncertain whether Whisenhunt would be at all interested in our job, but it couldn't hurt to see if he has any interest particularly if no NFL team expresses interest in him for OC.
edited to include Justin Peelle who I forgot in the original list
edited to replace Vigen with Whisenhunt