Head Coach - Lions announce Jeff Tedford as 2015 HC

[WestCoastJoe]

Thanks for that, Blitz. Very classy stuff with Tedford and the Bucs. Sheds some light on his health.

Hard to say what this might mean in regard to the opening with the Lions.

Glad to hear his health is good. Head Coach in the CFL is not exactly Rest and Recreation. And then there is that budget issue.

We will see ...

[Blitz]

Thanks for that, Blitz. Very classy stuff with Tedford and the Bucs. Sheds some light on his health.

Hard to say what this might mean in regard to the opening with the Lions.

Glad to hear his health is good. Head Coach in the CFL is not exactly Rest and Recreation. And then there is that budget issue.

We will see ...

Don't think the key decision would be about the money....WCJ.

Read this:

BERKELEY, Calif. -- California reached a settlement with former football coach Jeff Tedford on Monday that will pay him up to $5.55 million for the final three seasons of his contract.

Under terms of his contract, Tedford had been guaranteed $2.3 million a year for the final three seasons of his contract.

With the settlement announced by the school Monday, Tedford will get $1.8 million in 2013, $1.8 million in 2014 and $1.95 million in 2015, saving Cal at least $1.35 million over the three years.

The deal allows Tedford to keep a larger share of any salary he receives in the next three seasons as a college head coach or NFL head coach or assistant. The university and Tedford will split evenly any amount he earns in excess of $1.5 million in any year in those roles before Dec. 31, 2015.

"During his tenure at Cal, Jeff Tedford deeply cared for his student-athletes, their performance on the field and in the classroom, as well as their families, this department and the entire university," athletic director Sandy Barbour said in a statement. "We appreciate all that Jeff contributed to Cal's reputation for excellence during his 11 years at the university and wish him well in all his future endeavors."

Tedford is the winningest coach in Cal history with an 82-57 record. He was fired in November after going 3-9 last season.

Tedford also played a big role in Cal's $321 million renovation of Memorial Stadium and adjacent $150 million on-campus High Performance Center that gave the school the facilities to compete with the rest of the Pac-12.

"I am proud of all the accomplishments we achieved together at Cal, both on and off the field, and the manner in which we raised the program's national profile and expectations," he said in a statement. "I am honored to have played a role in the renovations to California Memorial Stadium, and in improving the facilities, with the goal of enhancing the experience for the entire Golden Bear community.

"I look forward to maintaining my strong personal bond with my former players and staff, while pursuing the next chapter in my professional career."

[Blitz]

and this is interesting too


Bucs OC Jeff Tedford back to what he loves -- coaching offense
February 24, 2014 9:55 pm ET












Jeff Tedford has a lot to learn about the pro game, but he's eager to run an offense again. Jeff Tedford has a lot to learn about the pro game, but he's eager to run an offense again. (USATSI)


More Draft: NFL Mock Drafts | Big Board | NFL combine news and updates

INDIANAPOLIS -- Football unemployment causes nostalgia.

Just ask Jeff Tedford, who was craving football so much during the fall that he reviewed practice scripts from his first year as Cal's head coach in 2002.

That's if he wasn't breaking down three games a day from his man cave inside his Reno, Nev., home.

Tedford appreciated some time off. But, yeah, the man was bored.

"Don't take more than a year off," said Tedford, who was fired from Cal in December 2012 after 11 seasons.

Then Tedford got a call from new Bucs coach Lovie Smith in December, the kind of call that will reshape Tedford's -- and possibly Smith's -- career.

Tedford as the Tampa Bay Bucs' offensive coordinator is one of the more intriguing offseason hires in college or pros because of the implications for both men involved.

Tedford eschews the comfort of the college game, where he did serious quarterback developing at Fresno State and Oregon and Cal but whose offenses fizzled late in his Cal tenure. His last pro job? Well, if you count the CFL, he was a pro coach with the Calgary Stampeders in 1991.

Smith looks to the college game to bolster an offensive game that never took flight when he coached the Bears.

When a coach is fired after a 3-9 season, soul searching is the first step to recovery. Tedford evaluated what went wrong, got over the fact he had hoped for more time to turn Cal around, then immersed himself in game video every weekend. He made a few spring practice tours in the SEC and on the West Coast.

One truth never left him: He knows NFL quarterbacks, which happens to be an invaluable commodity for 32 pro teams.

Tedford coached seven of them in a 20-year span starting as an offensive coordinator at Fresno State in the early '90s. Aaron Rodgers was his prized pupil at Cal, but he coached Trent Dilfer at Fresno State and went 2 for 3 with starters as first-round picks while Oregon's OC (Akili Smith and Joey Harrington).

Tedford's Bears experienced marginal quarterback success after Rodgers left, but from 1998-2005, not many were doing more with quarterbacks.

The sound of scheming and teaching quarterbacks in the pros couldn't have sounded sweeter to Tedford after a firing. His sophisticated, quarterback-driven scheme, which reportedly overwhelmed Bears quarterbacks late in Tedford's tenure, should acquit well in the complex NFL game.

"This came in the purrfect time in my life and career," Tedford told CBSSports.com from a restaurant table, across from Mizzou linebacker Michael Sam, during the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. "I'm really motivated to come into the NFL."

Smith called in December. Smith didn't have a job yet but was preparing for interviews after "Black Monday -- or whatever they call it," Tedford said (yes, he's still new to this NFL thing).

Smith needed strong offensive coordinator plans for the interview circuit, so he requested a chance to talk football with Tedford and the two connected.

Smith eventually offered Tedford the chance to coordinate an offense. This was appealing -- as in, a handful of responsibilities instead of 80.

"As a head coach, everything comes through your door -- I enjoyed that," Tedford said. "But I can focus on offense now. It's a purrfect fit for me right now. I'm eager to see what I can do at this level. I go into it confidently."

Not that Tedford is exempt from a pro learning curve. Once Tedford and Smith agreed to pair, Tedford spent the next month learning the nuances of NFL clock rules and management.

One thing stuck out after watching dozens of NFL games in the fall: So many come down to the last minute.

"I'm not going to come in and act like I know everything about the NFL because I don't," Tedford said. "I can feed off [Bucs coaches] with what their experiences have been. I'm really fortunate to be with a guy like [Smith], with very high values and strong philosophies about things."

Like most coaches on their way out, Tedford wanted to make it work at Cal. Save a heartbreaking 16-13 loss to Washington in late 2010, he says, and Cal goes bowling in 10 of his 11 years.

Cal faced APR issues under his watch but Tedford said the Bears had established a recovery plan that was working well before he was fired.

By the time Tedford tried to establish a no-huddle offense, he felt he didn't have enough veterans to handle quick adjustments from play to play.

"It was probably time to go," Tedford said. "The expectation does grow so high, because of the success you had."

If Tedford has his way, the expectations will mushroom with Tampa Bay, too, because his offense is thriving -- with Mike Glennon or possibly a draft pick.

Tedford said he will coach whichever quarterbacks are at training camp. In other words, he's not speculating about a potential Bucs cornerstone quarterback he can try to groom from the first round to the Pro Bowl.

A decade ago, Tedford plucked Rodgers out of Butte Community College and found success. Now the NFL found him from an unexpected place.

His Reno living room.

"I'm grateful for it," he said. "This is the kind of job that suits what I love to do."

[WestCoastJoe]

Thanks for that, Blitz. Very classy stuff with Tedford and the Bucs. Sheds some light on his health.

Hard to say what this might mean in regard to the opening with the Lions.

Glad to hear his health is good. Head Coach in the CFL is not exactly Rest and Recreation. And then there is that budget issue.

We will see ...

Don't think the key decision would be about the money....WCJ.

Great information, Blitz.

Under terms of his contract, Tedford had been guaranteed $2.3 million a year for the final three seasons of his contract.

With the settlement announced by the school Monday, Tedford will get $1.8 million in 2013, $1.8 million in 2014 and $1.95 million in 2015, saving Cal at least $1.35 million over the three years.

The deal allows Tedford to keep a larger share of any salary he receives in the next three seasons as a college head coach or NFL head coach or assistant. The university and Tedford will split evenly any amount he earns in excess of $1.5 million in any year in those roles before Dec. 31, 2015.

Money is not necessarily an issue for Tedford. I expect he wants to work. So why not the CFL? Why not the Lions?

Keeping my hopes under control. ... If Plan A is out, move on.

This Tedford sounds like such a classy individual.

It would be an amazing coup for Buono, for the Lions, and for the CFL, Blitz. We will see ...

[Blitz]

WCJ,- I like everything I've researched about him..

A total of 40 Tedford-coached players have been selected in the NFL Draft, including eight in the first round. Among those who have played for him in Berkeley are such NFL standouts as quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receiver/returner DeSean Jackson and tailback Marshawn Lynch.

[Blitz]

Some research on Tedford's philosophy. He's a no huggle guy, likes getting his offensive lineman into space (he prefers athletic offensive lineman), he runs a lot of screens, and he is very big on getting speed into space.

His Thoughts Going Into Tampa Bay

More than just a move to zone blocking, which isn't particular to any single NFL team, Tedford's offense is about getting players in space, and that means getting blockers in space, too.

"The philosophy is we want to make sure we can run the football," Tedford said in his introductory press conference. "We want to be physical up front and run the football. We want to be diverse. We want to get speed in space, multiple personnel, formations."
Every offensive coach in the NFL wants to be physical and run the football, so that's not the key factor that differentiates Tedford from other coaches. The focus on diversity, on multiple personnel and formations and on getting speed in space: that's different.
Doing those things requires athletic, versatile offensive linemen. Players who can function both in the box, and on the move. Players who don't get lost when asked to take out a defender on a screen pass.

AS HC OF CALIFORNIA

From here, Tedford opened up to talk at much greater depth than he usually does at these events. It was a rare opportunity to see Tedford talk off his media hat and put on his philosopher hat. He described his ideal offense as "diverse and efficient." Modifying the playbook is a challenge for Tedford, as he is the primary play caller this season. For every play he adds into the book, he has to take something out. His goal is to keep it around 100 plays.

Though it may sound like a large number, this accounts for all downs and distances: everything from 1st and 10 to 3rd and inches to 4th and 3. It also includes location-specific plays such as red zone plays. In addition to situations playing a role in determining which parts of the playbook will be used, the availability of personnel also plays a big role. Tedford can only use plays for which he has enough healthy players (i.e. multiple-TE plays may not be called as often due to lack of healthy bodies). Ultimately, Tedford wants to create a system that allows for diversity in multiple situations.

ON WORKING SMART

• Tedford acknowledges that after 9 years with the program, he still continually learns how to improve his operations. One of these lessons recently learned is that there is a difference between working hard and working smart. He has learned that working harder is not necessarily better.
• He has learned to work smarter by giving players more time off to recover to ensure that they are fresh and healthy when it's needed. As an example: he's now giving players Monday off instead of Sunday. The reason? They can put Saturday's game to bed on Sunday and give players time to focus exclusively on academics on Monday.
• Being smart also transfers over to playcalling. Tedford is firm in his belief that you have to be educated and smart when taking risks on the field (where risks are high-risk, high-reward plays). If the defense is playing lights out, for example, he'd be much more likely to take risks and be aggressive with the offense.

[MexicoLionFan]

Here is a huge key to Tedford, HE IS A TEACHER of the game...Benevides could't teach a game that he didn't fully understand...I said this back in 2010, the Lions needed coach who could teach this game to our bevy of YOUNG, TALENTED players...Stubler had the knowledge, but he doesn't like to teach...Travis Moore was known to be a good teacher but he left in a hurry...Kelly Bates is a good teacher as well. Washington, IMO, can't be a good teacher because I honestly believe that he doesn't know enough about the game...Johnny Holland does, and is considered to be a good teacher! Over the years players have said they respected Dan Dorazio's intelligence about coaching, but couldn't fully understand what he wanted out of them!

Tedford comes from an environment where TEACHING WAS HIS JOB, he would select a staff that reflects this understanding...you teach players to get better as a team, especially at QB, for which he has an amazing track record...not bad for RBs too...

The keys to Tedford's comments at Tampa Bay were that he understood that EVERY NFL team wanted to run the football, but he understood that to be successful, his offence needed to be varied, with multiple formations and aggressive...this philosophy will translate to the Defensive side of the ball as well...

Good communicators who know teaching the game is key, that want their players to be aggressive and adaptable, can you ask for more???

Let's hope money isn't an issue Blitz, because I doubt Wally will want to throw out for than $250,000 a year...

Tedford coached each of the following first round NFL draft picks at the quarterback position:

Fresno State
Trent Dilfer 6th overall 1994, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
David Carr 1st overall 2002, Houston Texans
Oregon
Akili Smith 3rd overall 1999, Cincinnati Bengals
Joey Harrington 3rd overall 2002, Detroit Lions
California
Kyle Boller 19th overall 2003, Baltimore Ravens
Aaron Rodgers 24th overall 2005, Green Bay Packers
Tedford also coached Billy Volek, a backup quarterback for the San Diego Chargers, and A.J. Feeley, a backup quarterback for the St. Louis Rams.

Tedford's running backs[edit]

Though known primarily for his quarterbacks, Tedford, along with running backs coach Ron Gould, produced eight 1000-yard rushers during his tenure at Cal.[24][25]

2002: Joe Igber (1,130 yards)
2003: Adimchinobi Echemandu (1,195 yards)
2004: J. J. Arrington (2,018 yards)
2005: Marshawn Lynch (1,246 yards)
2006: Marshawn Lynch (1,356 yards)
2007: Justin Forsett (1,546 yards)
2008: Jahvid Best (1,580 yards)
2010: Shane Vereen (1,167 yards)
2011: Isi Sofele (1,322 yards)

[Rammer]

Sounds like a fit for what ails the Lions, and the CFL experience is an asset although quite a long time ago. Things have changed since, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

[Blitz]

Its more than a rumour.

Meetings with Telford are being set up for this weekend.

[TheLionKing]

Anybody know whether Tedford is religious ?

[WestCoastJoe]

Its more than a rumour.

Meetings with Telford are being set up for this weekend.

Awesome. If Wally can make this happen, he will have gone a great, great distance in righting the ship.

IMO ...

[Hambone]

He definitely checks all the boxes for me.

1) Past CFL playing experience
2) Past CFL coaching experience
3) Offensive mind
4) Track record for working with and developing QBs at least in the formative college years.
5) Not a recycled member of the "CFL old boys club" retreads who have bounced around the CFL for the past 10 to 20 years.
6) At age 53 he is "mature" in coaching years. He already has 25 years of coaching under his belt yet is 8 to 12 years younger than the likes of Buono, Hufnagel, Cortez, Stubler, Taaffe, Clements etc.

[Hambone]

Mike Riley had an opportunity to return to the CFL but turned it down. Very unlikely he's interested.

Boy, I'll say it's unlikely. Nebraska is an iconic college football power, and Riley will make $2.7M in his first year there, along with another $950K in possible bonuses. Here's something on it:

http://www.omaha.com/huskers/husker-coa ... db28b.html

That contract is insane

From what I recall of his Oregon State contract it's not like this one blows the old one out of the water. He could recoup well over $2 million annually in Corvallis and had bonuses for Bowl games, season ticket numbers etc. He automatically earned an additional year to his deal every time the Beavers made a Bowl appearance.

[South Pender]

Its more than a rumour.

Meetings with Tedford are being set up for this weekend.

I'm amazed. Wally will earn serious GM props if he pulls this off.

Not wanting to count our chickens before they're hatched, but Tedford as HC would help immensely with the offense and would, perhaps, lessen the urgency of finding a stellar OC (although we should try for that too). But given Tedford's background, and if we get him, there may well be some urgency to bring in an experienced and successful DC. Echoing Rammer's thoughts here about how the CFL defenses have evolved over the 23 years since Tedford's time in the CFL.

[Lions4ever]

Its more than a rumour.

Meetings with Tedford are being set up for this weekend.

I'm amazed. Wally will earn serious GM props if he pulls this off.

I would be too. If this were to happen, it would be major shot across the bow of the league and of the City of Vancouver & Province of British Columbia that this organization is serious about competing as close to the big time as is possible within the structure of the CFL. This would be big.