Tag: Coach of the Year

Commanders’ Dan Quinn: From ‘underwhelming’ hire to NFL Coach of the Year candidate

Dan Quinn went from an underwhelming hire to a Coach of the Year contender.

ESPN’s Joe Buck showed a lack of respect for Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn during Monday night’s game between the Broncos and Browns.

Late in the game, Buck, sounding like he was the agent for Denver head coach Sean Payton, laid out the veteran coach’s case for being the NFL Coach of the Year. According to Buck, Payton had the Broncos in contention with a rookie quarterback — and he was the only coach doing so. Troy Aikman played along until a producer clearly reminded Buck about Quinn, Jayden Daniels, and the Commanders.

Buck then mentioned Quinn, only to repeat what he said earlier. It was strange.

Both the Broncos and Commanders are 8-5. Washington was the story of the first half of the season, with Daniels playing at an MVP level and the Commanders sitting at 7-2. While a three-game losing streak cooled Washington a bit, a 42-19 win over Tennessee got them back on the right track.

Let’s go back to Buck for a second. The coaches he named are all doing an outstanding job. Dan Campbell (Lions), Jim Harbaugh (Chargers), Payton, Mike Tomlin (Steelers), and Kevin O’Connell (Vikings) all have a case, but has any coach turned around his team more than Quinn in less than 12 months?

Washington was a dumpster fire before owner Josh Harris fired Ron Rivera. The roster was in terrible shape; there was no quarterback and an overmatched coaching staff. Harris got to work in January, hiring Adam Peters as GM and Quinn as head coach. Quinn put together an All-Star staff, while Peters flipped the roster. The ultimate piece came in April when the Commanders chose Daniels at No. 2 overall in the NFL draft.

Washington won four games last season. The Commanders have won eight already this year — with four games remaining. Payton, who was Denver’s coach last season, won eight games in 2023.

No coach had a bigger job in front of them than Quinn. And remember the outrage from some of Washington’s fan base about Quinn’s hiring? They wanted Ben Johnson. Adam Peters wanted Quinn. Media from around the country called the hire underwhelming, including CBS recently.

There’s a long way to go, but Quinn and Washington got the last laugh. Quinn proved to be exactly what the Commanders needed. He is a true culture changer, not a coach like Rivera, who talked about culture but was too busy reading what was said about him. Quinn has accomplished in 13 weeks what Rivera couldn’t do in four years. And no thanks to Rivera, as all four of his first-round picks are gone from Washington’s roster.

Campbell is having a terrific season, but the Lions were expected to be a Super Bowl contender. Harbaugh, as usual, is phenomenal but inherited a franchise quarterback. O’Connell is truly Quinn’s primary competition for the Coach of the Year award. What he’s doing in Minnesota with a journeyman quarterback is impressive.

Still, Quinn is not only winning but has also cleansed the organization. Players love coming to work—every player on the roster bought into Quinn’s messaging. Imagine if the Commanders get to 12 wins. Heck, even 11 wins. That would mean they tripled, or almost tripled their win total from one year.

Case closed.

So, while Quinn may have been an “underwhelming” hire, and Joe Buck prefers Sean Payton, Quinn’s case is as strong as anyone’s to be the 2024 NFL Coach of the Year.

Bill Belichick says Sean Payton should be a Coach of the Year candidate

“They don’t even have a full team here from a salary cap standpoint,” Bill Belichick said of what Sean Payton is doing with the Broncos.

The Denver Broncos are 6-5 and within reach of making the playoffs, and former NFL coach Bill Belichick has taken notice.

During his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday, Belichick suggested that Broncos coach Sean Payton should be in consideration for Coach of the Year honors.

Technically, Belichick said “Executive of the Year” for the way Payton has managed the team, but that’s not an award Payton would qualify for.

“I think Sean really should be in the running for — whatever, Executive of the Year or whatever you want to call it,” Belichick said. “I mean, to play with, you know, a team that’s 30% under the strength based on the salary cap and the dead money that they had to carry.

“They don’t even have a full team here from a salary cap standpoint. But these guys are playing really well and they’re in a tough division, but seems like they’re getting better. And they’re good on defense.”

The Broncos took on a $53 million dead money cap hit this spring when they released quarterback Russell Wilson. Despite that, Denver’s been competitive this fall, which is no small feat.

Belichick also spoke about the fit Nix has been in Payton’s offense as a rookie.

“Sean runs a tough offense,” Belichick said. “He does. They substitute almost on every play. They change formations a lot. They don’t repeat plays — they repeat concepts but not plays. There’s a lot for the quarterback to do to get things organized cleanly, and it seems like Nix is doing a good job of it. … It’s a pretty smooth operation.”

Notable praise from one of the best coaches in NFL history. Payton and Nix appear to have the Broncos back on track.

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ESPN names Mike Tomlin midseason Coach of the Year

Mike Tomlin’s Steelers have overachieved this season and ESPN recognizes it.

For years, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has been an incredibly polarizing figure among NFL head coaches. His level of regular-season consistency is unmatched in the league but his struggles in the playoffs are a complete mystery.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell handed out his midseason awards and ranked his top three coach candidates for Coach of the Year. At No. 3 he has Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell then at No. 2 it’s Dan Quinn of the Washington Commanders. And in the top spot is Tomlin. Here’s a bit of what he had to say about Tomlin.

I’ve been skeptical of the Steelers over the past few years because their underlying performance hasn’t matched their win-loss record, and history tells us that outperforming point differential and record in close games eventually catches up with teams. Well, Pittsburgh has responded to that by simply improving its performance. It’s 6-2 with a Pythagorean expectation of … exactly six wins. It has gone 1-2 in games decided by seven points or fewer, although it does have two victories by exactly eight points. The Steelers are a nightmare to play and have made teams beat themselves. It seems like the head coach, who has somehow never won this award, might have something to do with that.

The Steelers are coming off the bye week and preparing to take on Quinn and those same Commanders.

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Virginia’s Tony Bennett, coach of Notre Dame ACC rival, retires

Big story in college basketball.

Notre Dame has part of the ACC for over a decade now, and it has gone against some legendary coaches during that time. While Virginia’s Tony Bennett doesn’t have quite the reputation of legends like Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim or Roy Williams, he has done a great job of building his own legacy.

When the Irish visit Charlottesville on Jan. 25 this season, the Cavaliers will look very different on the sidelines because Bennett reportedly has announced his retirement effective immediately. That this is happening less than a month before the start of the season is nothing short of surprising.

The Irish have gone 3-13 against Virginia since joining the ACC, and Bennett’s tenure with the Cavailers’ predates that period. But even before that, the Irish learned how good Bennett was when he coached Washington State to a 61-41 win over them in the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

Bennett retires having won one national championship, two national coach of the year awards, six ACC regular-season championships, two ACC Tournament championships and four ACC Coach of the Year awards. He has an all-time record of 433-169:

https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/1847009701877461379

Best of luck to Bennett in whatever comes next in his life.

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Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Florida’s Tim Walton named D1Softball’s 2024 Coach of the Year

Florida softball’s magical 2024 season ends with head coach Tim Walton taking home the D1Softball Coach of the Year Award.

D1Softball named Florida head coach [autotag]Tim Walton[/autotag] the 2024 Coach of the Year Award on Monday, following a deep run in the Women’s College World Series that ended a win away from reaching the finals.

Although many were upset to see Oklahoma head coach Patty Grasso miss out on the award following a fourth-straight national championship, D1Softball argues that Florida’s transformation over the past year under Walton was more impressive.

Two seasons ago, Florida only had 38 wins. In 2023, they finished with an 11-13 record against the rest of the SEC and were knocked out of the playoffs relatively early in the Stanford Regional.

Walton made a few key additions from the transfer portal — [autotag]Jocelyn Erickson[/autotag] and [autotag]Korbe Otis[/autotag] — to an already strong freshman class, and Florida went 54-15 (17-7) in 2024. Whether the team building or the actual coaching mattered more is inconsequential. That big of a jump forward deserves some recognition.

Florida is pushing forward at full steam, too. Walton has remained active in the transfer portal this offseason to replace a six-woman senior class, including Gators great Skylar Wallace.

Through 19 seasons as Florida’s head coach, Walton has won 980 games with an 81% win rate.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Former Saints assistant Mike Nolan selected as UFL’s first coach of the year

Former New Orleans Saints assistant Mike Nolan was selected as the UFL’s first coach of the year after guiding the Michigan Panthers’ turnaround:

Good for Mike Nolan. The former New Orleans Saints linebackers coach has been selected as the United Football League’s first coach of the year for his efforts leading the Michigan Panthers, who have outscored their opponents 228-189.

Nolan improved the Panthers’ record from 4-6 in 2023 (when they were part of the USFL, competitors to the XFL) to 7-3 this season (after the spring leagues merged to form the UFL). His Panthers team will now compete with the Birmingham Stallions, with the winner advancing the UFL Championship game in St. Louis.

Since leaving the Saints back in 2020, Nolan spent a season as the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator but was let go after just one year. He was out of football for a couple of years before accepting this opportunity with the UFL’s Michigan franchise, and clearly it’s worked out well for him. He first rose to prominence as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 2005 to 2008, but this success could open the door for his return to the NFL.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander opens up about relationship with Mark Daigneault

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander opens up about relationship with Mark Daigneault.

The Oklahoma City Thunder had an eventful couple of days.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault was named the 2023-24 Coach of the Year on Sunday. The next day, the Thunder swept the New Orleans Pelicans in their first-round matchup with a Game 4 win.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander closed out the series with a 24-point performance. After the win, the MVP candidate discussed Daigneault’s award and went into detail about his affinity for the 39-year-old coach.

“He started coaching the year my role changed as a player. To see his growth from that beginning to where it is now is amazing,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I’ve never really had a relationship with a coach on this professional level like I have with him.

“It just makes it easy to play. I think I can say that for the guys across the whole team. He’s so easy to play for because he’s humble, he doesn’t love taking credit, he doesn’t take care about himself, he’s selfless. When he messes up he owns it.

“Because he’s that way, he can get on us. He can hold us accountable because he holds himself accountable. It’s just rare to see at this level. We don’t take him for granted, I don’t take him for granted. Deserved Coach of the Year for sure.”

This was a very well-said response by Gilgeous-Alexander. The duo have been tied to the hip through this rebuild as the coach-star relationship. The 25-year-old has blossomed into one of the best players in the league under his tenure.

Gilgeous-Alexander singling out his relationship with Daigneault is a high compliment in itself. He’s had his fair share of surefire future Hall of Famers who’ve coached him in notable names like John Calipari, Doc Rivers and Billy Donovan.

For a title contender like the Thunder, arguably the most important relationship that needs constant nurturement is the head coach and franchise star.

If they’re on the same page, that creates a positive synergy that trickles down throughout the roster and translates to on-court success. It looks like Gilgeous-Alexander’s and Daigneault’s relationship has only strengthened as OKC has graduated to contender status this season.

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Mark Daigneault comments on winning 2023-24 NBA Coach of the Year

Mark Daigneault comments on winning 2023-24 NBA Coach of the Year .

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s successful season resulted in Mark Daigneault being named the 2023-24 Coach of the Year award. The 39-year-old led the OKC to a 57-25 record and to becoming the youngest top seed in league history.

Daigneault discussed his career achievement before the Thunder’s Game 4 against the New Orleans Pelicans. He deflected credit and instead talked about the totality of the Thunder’s success.

“It’s a little uncomfortable because you see all the different people whose fingerprints were on the final product,” Daigneault said. “Starting with the players, but we have a robust organization.

“I was thinking about this this morning — how to describe this from my seat. If you come here tonight and just watch us move and how efficient everything is. … We’re just on it top to bottom. It allows the team to focus on the performance. It allows the players to focus on their craft.

“That’s invaluable. From my seat, when you see that, it’s very humbling. When you get singled out for it, it’s a little uncomfortable, but I’m certainly grateful. It’s a great honor.”

Daigneault has grown from an unknown to one of the best head coaches in the league since he took over the job from Billy Donovan in 2020. He’s set up the success of several players on the roster during his tenure.

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OKC Thunder’s Mark Daigneault named 2023-24 Coach of the Year winner

OKC Thunder’s Mark Daigneault named 2023-24 Coach of the Year winner.

The NBA announced Oklahoma City Thunder’s Mark Daigneault as the winner of the 2023-24 Coach of the Year award on Sunday.

This comes after Daigneault also won the NBCA’s version of the Coach of the Year award this season. Chris Finch and Jamahl Mosley were the other finalists for the award.

In his fourth season as the head coach, Daigneault led OKC to the youngest top seed in league history. The Thunder finished with a 57-25 record, a 17-win jump from last season’s 40-42 record.

The 39-year-old has grown from an unknown to one of the best head coaches in the league since he took over the job from Billy Donovan in 2020. He’s set up the success of several players on the roster during his tenure.

The full voting results for Coach of the Year can be read below:

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OKC Thunder’s Mark Daigneault named 2023-24 Coach of the Year winner

OKC Thunder’s Mark Daigneault named 2023-24 Coach of the Year winner.

The NBA announced Oklahoma City Thunder’s Mark Daigneault as the winner of the 2023-24 Coach of the Year award on Sunday.

This comes after Daigneault also won the NBCA’s version of the Coach of the Year award this season. Chris Finch and Jamahl Mosley were the other finalists for the award.

In his fourth season as the head coach, Daigneault led OKC to the youngest top seed in league history. The Thunder finished with a 57-25 record, a 17-win jump from last season’s 40-42 record.

The 39-year-old has grown from an unknown to one of the best head coaches in the league since he took over the job from Billy Donovan in 2020. He’s set up the success of several players on the roster during his tenure.

The full voting results for Coach of the Year can be read below:

Image

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