Here is your regularly scheduled update on the Browns head coaching
candidates, as of Saturday afternoon.
The process moving forward will be for the Browns to finish interviews with
their final group of candidates Monday when they speak to Terry Robiskie.
Lerner, Collins, and Savage plan to decide at that point whether or not it makes
sense for them to zero in on one candidate or keep talking to others. Savage
said yesterday that it might take "two or three days" to come to that
conclusion. The Browns new GM also acknowleged that Randy Lerner would make the
final decision on who to name head coach but that he believes that he will have
significant input on the decision as the team's Number 1 football guy.
Romeo Crennel: Phil Savage talk a bit about how comfortable he felt
with interviewing Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel during
yesterday's introductory press conference, saying that it "went very well".
Likewise, Crennel's agent, Joe Linta,
told the media in Boston that it was a good meeting. Meanwhile, the
well-regarded assistant talked to the San Franscisco 49ers on Saturday. It was
the first scheduled interview for the 49ers, which likely infers a pretty
high level of interest on their part.
Brad Childress: The Philadelpha Eagles offensive coordinator went back
to the work preparing for this team's playoff round, but will do so without
talking to new GM Phil Savage. We asked Savage during yesterday's press
conference about whether or not he would be able to contact Childress, and were
told that the Eagles only permitted one day of availability for their OC. Savage
won't be able to talk to Childress about the Browns head coaching opportunity
until after the Eagles exit the playoffs.
Russ Grimm: The Browns are interviewing the Steelers assistant head
coach today. Savage acknowledged that he's "never say down and talked football"
with Grimm in the past.
Terry Robiskie: The Browns interim head coach gets his chance to talk
to Lerner, Collins and Savage on Monday. Robiskie has been aggressively making
his case for the position, and reached out to Savage on Thursday when the
official announcement came down. Savage was unable to respond to Robiskie's call
but complimented the team's offensive coordinator for reaching out.
Ed Donatell: Donatell's name wasn't mentioned during yesterday's press
conference, so we asked Savage specifically whether or not he would be able to
speak to Donatell prior to the playoffs, as indicated by several published
reports. He didn't directly say "no", but it doesn't appear that the Browns were
able to schedule an interview with Donatell. Our Falcons affiliate reports that
time has run out on
the Browns ability to request formal permission to speak to Donatell.
Jim Fassel and Mike Nolan: Phil Savage appears to have a desire to
engage Nolan and Fassel during the process. During yesterday's press conference
he reported that he had assured the Ravens consultant and defensive coordinator
not to worry that they will be seeing other names in the media during the
process.
Kirk Ferentz: Savage did nothing to suggest that Ferentz is anything
less than earnest in his desire to remain in Iowa. Noting that he is close to
Ferentz, Savage told reporters that "right now he's
an Iowa Hawkeye, and I don't think that's going to change."
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