3 possible offensive coordinator candidates for the Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are in need of offensive coaching help. After being ranked the No. 1 offense in the NFL in the first half of the season in terms of yards, the Cards fell to No. 6 in the latter half. Football Outsider’s DVOA metric ranked them 19th in efficiency. I already wrote specifically on the struggles that HC Kliff Kingsbury had this season, especially while the team was amidst it’s 3-6 finish. My conclusion was that the Cardinals should seek an offensive coordinator to at least help with game planning and to manage the game. There are several good candidates on the market, and we will take a look at a few of them.
Tennessee OC Jim Chaney
Upon being hired by Tennessee in 2019, Chaney immediately boosted the Vols' total offense, passing yards, rushing yards, scoring, turnover margin, and third-down percentage. He has had previous stints with the L.A. Rams (finished sixth in total NFL offense) and Georgia Bulldogs (finished second in scoring in the SEC). He has a great reputation as a veteran coach for being able to adapt to his players' strengths, and that seems to be part of Kingsbury’s problem, making him a great under-the-radar candidate for Arizona.
Former Lions HC Jim Caldwell
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Caldwell has spent some time away from football after being fired by the Detroit Lions in 2017. In 4 years with Detroit, Caldwell went 36-28, not eye-popping numbers but a lot more respectable when you consider the Lions have gone 14-33-1 since his firing, finishing last in the NFC North every year. Caldwell’s teams have finished top 10 in passing offense four times and top 10 in points three times. He has received interest from the Houston Texans for their head coaching position, but Arizona should consider him nonetheless.
SMU HC Sonny Dykes
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Dykes has propelled SMU’s program to a national scale since being hired in 2017, leading the Mustangs to their highest national ranking (14) in 35 years. They also set season records in scoring (544), scoring average (41.8), total yards (6,368), total yards per game (489.8), total plays (1,037), rushing TDS (35), total first downs (322) and total TDs (73), while tying the passing TDs record (35). He was a top-10 finalist for college coach of the year and has done it all with one of the weaker recruiting classes in the nation. Dyke’s hire might be a little more boom or bust, but he could be a big asset for Arizona. Listen to the latest from Cards Wire's Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify. Latest show:
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