The announcement that Turk Schonert was fired as Bills offensive coordinator came literally the instant I sat down in my car on Friday. With a weekend trip to Pittsburgh booked, I knew I wouldn't get a chance to "react" until Tuesday morning, which works out well because I've had even more time to get my thoughts straight.
Regardless of how I feel about Dick Jauron, Trent Edwards or Alex Van Pelt, I'm happy that Schonert is no longer a member of the Bills offense. After a non-descript playing career as a back-up signal caller, Schonert has struggled to make an impact with any of the offenses he's coached.
While 2008 in Buffalo was his only year as an offensive coordinator, Schonert has been the quarterbacks coach for 13 seasons with five clubs. In 1992, Schonert headed to Tampa Bay where he "guided" Vinny Testaverde to 14 touchdowns and 16 interceptions and a ticket out of Tampa. The Bucs were 5-11, but Turk stayed, with a young quarterback under his tutelage. Miami's Craig Erickson skippered Tampa to a 11-18 record over two years, but did show improvement before being booted in favor of Trent Dilfer. Dilfer tossed four touchdowns to go with 18 interceptions under Schonert, who was removed from his post and headed North.
Schonert's greatest success came in Buffalo from 1998-2000, where he couldn't choose between two quarterbacks with successful numbers. The Bills were 29-19 during that time, with Doug Flutie (47 TD, 30 INT) and Rob Johnson (22 TD, 10 INT) co-existing peacefully. He left after an 8-8 campaign in Orchard Park.
Schonert had another inexperienced starter in Carolina in 2001. Chris Weinke went 1-14 as a starter, with 11 TD and 19 INT. Turk's tenure in Carolina ended there. He took a year off in 2002 before returning to the league in 2003 with the Giants, where he coached Kerry Collins to one of his worst years as a professional. Collins and Schonert were out of jobs. After another year off, Schonert spent a season with the Saints, ensuring the end of Aaron Brooks' time in New Orleans. Three wins and 13 losses tend to correspond with 13 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Schonert, Brooks, gone.
Sensing a pattern here? Schonert has failed with rookies, veterans, Pro Bowlers and Super Bowlers.
Now, I don't believe that means his firing is a fix for the Bills by any stretch of the imagination, but it certainly won't hurt the team. The one enduring statistic from each of his failures is an awful lot of interceptions, and is there a chance that happens when you think you have the "Greatest Show on Turf," but really have something better suited for a video game. Could a "Pop Warner" offense be better? Thing is, lots of interceptions also happen to show up if your quarterback is substandard. How nice.
I will admit I was struck by my reading material on a road trip to Pittsburgh this week. With the exception of Raiders boss Tom Cable (4-8), Dick Jauron has the worst career winning percentage of any active head coach in the National Football League. Only Marvin Lewis, Eric Mangini, Gary Kubiak, Norv Turner and Jauron are under .500 as a bench boss. Jauron has won just .429 of his regular season games, while Turner is the only failure close to him (.439). It's not quite that easy, as Turner is now succeeding with a good quarterback, something all the above names save Lewis have had to dance around until recently.
Then, there's Edwards and Van Pelt. His struggles have been well-documented, and you'd be naive to think his Stanford woes were all due to the pitiful nature of the Cardinal. Bills fans may be justified to be nervous about the hiring of Van Pelt, especially when you consider that Schonert's hiring came under such similar circumstances. When Steve Fairchild was dismissed as the cause of Buffalo offensive woes, Schonert was promoted as quarterbacks coach (For the record, while I didn't love Fairchild, it should be noted that he did not murder the Colorado State program. In his first year with the program, the Rams went to their first bowl game since 2005, earning their first bowl win since 2001).
At best, this piece is a cursory study in numbers, and its possible that all four men (Jauron, Schonert, Van Pelt, Edwards) should not be involved in pro football. Yet, I have hope. Edwards has played well at times during his first two years under center. Van Pelt was briefly involved in the UB program that developed Drew Willy into an NFL draft pick, and has more knowledge of the no-huddle than most.
Perhaps the biggest indictment of Schonert, though, comes from one of his star wide-outs, Lee Evans.
"The basis of it was that we wanted to be simple and fast and move up and down the field, and he felt that being simple was Pop Warner," Evans told Channel 2's Stu Boyar this weekend.
This coming from a wide receiver who was reassured after a meeting with Dick Jauron last week. If the boys believe in the simple offense, maybe it was one man who was the problem. Maybe Edwards was suffering under the so-called tutelage of a man who couldn't succeed at any other stop. We'll soon find out, but even if its 5-11 instead of 3-13, I think the Bills win with this move.
Its cool he's fired BUT the team as a whole is in trouble, not just the O. The defense is gonna get picked apart this season, starting Monday. The D is slow and undersized. We have a bigger problem here
09/08/2009 9:16AM
MORE BAD LEADERSHIP
While it's hard to argue with the firing of Schonert it is the poor timing of the move that bothers me.We are now hearing about all the tension between Schonert and Jauron and how they disagreed as to how the offense should be run. But it is once again Jaurons inability to make a decision that is the problem. Like dropping the red challenge flag at your feet because your just not sure enough to throw it at an official,he waits until after all the preseason games to fire Schonert! HUH!?! As leader you need to be decisive and this is what we are doing and how we will do it, and you have to sell it to the team so they follow you come hell or high water! Good luck even reaching for the stars of 7-9 with Jauron leading the way!
09/08/2009 10:19AM
Good call, Nick
You are right, and the whole Bills staff is a bunch of guys who have no experience, or are very experienced at losing in the NFL
09/08/2009 11:16AM
Wrong
5-11 is not better for the BILLS than 3-13. If we are going to lose, then lose big and get a higher draft pick. Think early to mid '80's
09/08/2009 1:40PM
Better Late than Never
I give credit to Jauron for making the call at a tough time. The easy way out would have been not to do anything. After the players and Schonert made it obvious they were not going to work well together, Jauron fired him even though he would be criticized for doing it so late.
09/08/2009 4:13PM
bigger issues
I still do not understand why this all seems to fall on Edwards. Yes, he is the QB, but anyone who believes that this team, with a brand new offensive line, will go into NE and look good needs to get their head examined. 2 rookies starting at guard, a tackle well out of position and a new center are not recipie's for success in NE. Don't even get me started on the fact that the FB is a joke, and that you have absolutely no perimeter blocking whatsoever. None of the TE's can block and neither Evans or T.O. have the Heinz Ward mentaility when it comes to the running game. This team cannot run a screen to save its life, too much penetration for draws, no rhythm to the passing game and nothing is run to set up a big play. There's absolutely no leadership on this team either, Evans is a joke as a Captain and Edwards has enough to worry about. If Van Pelt has half a brain this offense is set up to be quick, the ball has to be out in 2.5 to 3 seconds the most, that's all Edwards will have. I think the simplied version will do wonders, but Edwards must chuck it deep at least twice a half to keep everyone honest, and hopefully they will put both TO and Evans in motion more to free them up
09/08/2009 4:51PM
wrong again
willy wasnt a draft pick, he was a rookie free agent
09/08/2009 5:46PM
Confusing to the opponent
All these cuts and such of coaches and players to the very last week are doing a serious confusion to the opponents, the won't know how to play against an oppponent they don't know. Smart move I say.
09/08/2009 8:12PM
Re: Confusing the opponent
Yeah smart move. We should fire someone every WEEK! You sire, should fill out an application at One Bills Drive so they can start next week's cutting with you.
09/09/2009 1:50AM
exp.
If you believe you need playing expeirence to coach in the nfl atleast successfully do not look at the bills staff
09/09/2009 10:15AM
One Bad Apple
Good call Nick, Schonert had to go, he's never done anything that resembles success, in fact, everywhere he's been its been bad, so even though the timing isn't great, I'm glad he's gone!
09/09/2009 11:50AM
heres an idea
as a visual representation of trents progress this year you could do a series of photoshops on that picture so he is fading out of existence like Marty McFly in back to the future. that would be hilarious.
09/09/2009 12:12PM
bigger issues
what bigger issues said.
09/09/2009 1:38PM
Dirk Raat
Schonert always complains about the Jauron offense as being the "Pop Warner" offense. Well Warner was a first-rate coach at Carlisle in the 1890s, introducing innovatons such as the huddle, the spiral punt, the double wing formation, the body block, the idea of numbering plays, and the crouching start. We should be so lucky as to have a Pop Warner offense.
09/10/2009 5:29AM
With all due respect...
Ralph, quit while your AHEAD...We need new management, we need new inspiration,we need a new head coach and a new attitude.If Bills fans are looking towards T.O. as a savior to this team then you need new inspiration. He's only going to be here for ONE year. This year might be a blessing in diguise for all of you who pay so much (for season tickets)and expect so little. Dear Ralph and die-hard Bills fans. The NFL is "no country for old men". The decade is alomost to a close and to those fans who prasie and reward a mediocre 7-9 (or worse) season are not doing anything to help this franchise except fill the seats at Ralph Wilson Stadium,There's only so much the "12th man" can do. I think It's safe to say that at the end of this season that the fat-lady has sung.
09/10/2009 10:21PM
Cowher
Whatever it takes, pay him and get him here to fix ther franchise. Look at tonight. The Bills couldn't hold either team's jock. Bills are weak and it starts at the top.
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