Other RIP - Don Coryell

[Exe Gesis]

Longtime NFL coach Don Coryell passed away Thursday at age 85.
His passing comes almost exactly two years after the death of Bill Walsh. One of the most innovative offensive minds of all time, Coryell gave birth to a "coaching tree" rivaled only by Walsh, Bill Parcells, and Mike Holmgren in league history. Though his all-time record as head coach of the mid-70s Cardinals and late-70s to mid-80s Chargers wasn't staggeringly impressive (72-60), the aggressive, vertical-based, "Air" Coryell offense was years before its time. Coryell had direct influence on such modern-era coaches as Mike Martz, Joe Gibbs, Norv Turner, Dan Henning, and Al Saunders.

Innovative Coach Don Coryell Dies Aged 85



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[Woodson]

Re: Don Coryell - RIP

From 1978 to 1986, the coach's Air Coryell offense set records and led the NFL in passing almost every season. Coryell guided the Chargers to the AFC Championship Game after the 1980 and '81 seasons, but he never reached the Super Bowl.

NFL.com article/clip with glowing tributes. John Madden made mention of Don Coryell in his 2006 HOF induction speech.

I'm actually amazed Don Coryell is NOT in the HOF yet!! wtf??

excerpt from wikipedia:

Coryell's direct development of future coaches included Super Bowl head coaches John Madden and Joe Gibbs, Super Bowl offensive coordinators Ernie Zampese and Al Saunders, as well as Jim Hanifan and Rod Dowhower. Adding to the Coryell coaching tree, Super Bowl offensive coordinator Norv Turner tutored under Zampese, and another Super Bowl offensive coordinator Mike Martz studied under both Zampese and later Turner. Dan Henning coached under Gibbs.
Dan Fouts says, "He influenced offensive and defensive football because if you are going to have three or four receivers out there, you better have an answer for it on the other side of the ball. If it wasn't for Don, I wouldn't be in the Hall of Fame" ...."Whoever heard of the nickel or dime pass defense before “Air Coryell” forced opponents to come up with strategies to combat Coryell’s aerial assault?" wrote Fouts to Hall of Fame voters in support of Coryell's induction.
In John Madden's Hall of Fame induction speech, Madden mentioned his time at San Diego State "with a great coach that someday will be in here, Don Coryell. He had a real influence on my coaching. Joe Gibbs was on that staff, too"

Gibbs also lobbied for Coryell's induction into the Hall of Fame, stating "(Coryell) was extremely creative and fostered things that are still in today's game because he was so creative. I think he's affected a lot of coaches, and I'd like to see him get in."

"Don is the father of the modern passing game. People talk about the 'West Coast' offense, but Don started the 'West Coast' decades ago and kept updating it. You look around the NFL now, and so many teams are running a version of the Coryell offense. Coaches have added their own touches, but it's still Coryell's offense. He has disciples all over the league. He changed the game," adds Martz. "I'm not sure why that hasn't been acknowledged by the Hall of Fame."

Winslow points out that Coryell had an indirect hand in the 49ers', Washington Redskins' and St. Louis Rams' Super Bowl teams. "They call it the West Coast offense because San Francisco won Super Bowls with it, but it was a variation of what we did in San Diego. Joe Gibbs' itty-bitty receivers on the outside and two tight ends in the middle, (that's) a variation of Coryell's offense in San Diego. It's just a personnel change, but it's the same thing. When the Rams won their Super Bowl, it was the same offense, same terminology. For Don Coryell to not be in the Hall of Fame is a lack of knowledge of the voters. That's the nicest way that I can put that. A lack of understanding of the legacy of the game. "

The fact that many players have made the Hall without making the Super Bowl is ample evidence as to why it should not matter.

In 2010, Coryell for the first time was among the 15 finalists considered by the Hall of Fame selection committee on the Saturday before the Super Bowl. He was not selected. After Coryell's passing later that year, Chargers President Dean Spanos said "He revolutionized the game of football, not only in San Diego, but throughout the entire NFL. Don Coryell was a legend not only with the Chargers but throughout San Diego. Though unfortunately he did not live long enough to see it, hopefully one day his bust will find its proper place in Pro Football’s Hall of Fame."

and here's another storyline worthy of a mention

The Chargers played host to the Raiders in the 1980 AFC Championship Game. Many consider this the Chargers' best team under Coryell. San Diego, however, fell into a big hole early, but came storming back. The Chargers scored late in the game to make it 34-27. The Chargers kicked off but before the Raiders took the field, linebacker Ted Hendricks approached offensive tackle Art Shell on the sidelines and said, "You guys better run out the clock, because we can't stop them."

source: NFL .com

I'll be making sure Danielz_23 reads this article.. AE10's ND conference could well have nailed it's first honoury nominee.

 

[swannies]

Re: Don Coryell - RIP

Just reading on the Redskins page Coryell's mentorship of Gibbs and influence on others. RIP.