Most candidates walk into a job interview knowing a fair amount about the organization. At senior levels, they are expected to have a pretty clear plan. I'm curious whether the same expectation applies to coaching candidates - especially those whose teams reached the playoffs, which means most of the credible pool.
The way I see it, these guys have been immersed in their own teams and opponents for at least six months. Now they are either preparing for a divisional playoff game (Shurmur, McDaniels, Patricia) or coming off a completely draining wild-card prep and heartbreaking loss (Wilks).
Aside from somebody like Schwartz - who actually game-planned against your team this year - how familiar would you expect the candidate to be with your team's situation and personnel? How specific a plan would you expect him to have for turning the Giants around? Would you be put off if he had not been paying attention to the Eli Apple situation, or Beckham's rehab?
Alternatively, would you stick to more general questions about the new job, and maybe drill down on details of recent games in his current gig? For example, perhaps ask Wilks what he would do differently if he could play New Orleans again this week?
It does seem that an idle coach has something of an advantage. On the other hand, Tom Coughlin was apparently so overprepared for his NYG interview that he nearly talked the Maras out of hiring him.
Thoughts?
management styles
situational football
training theories
past lows and highs
strengths and weaknesses
clarifications on recent in-game decisions
handling adversity/discipline
Coordinators and position coaches would be more scheme/position specific.
Prove you know the business and not necessarily the company, except for why would you want to work here.
especially these guys who have seemingly 1 day to prepare for a specific team interview.
are they questions general in nature, more along the lines of "what is your general leadership philosophy?"... do they ask about their own team and ask what the prospective HC would do?
do they ask about coordinators the prospective HC would be able to bring with him?
specific Xs and Os type questions?
I'd love to be a fly on the wall for one of these.
I think the Giants are looking for offensive and defensive vision that matches how they want to play, and a management style that they FEEL will be successful.
It went wrong with McAdoo because he had no defensive vision, got stuck with Spags, and what they thought was his offensive vision was really a blend of His style and Coughlin’s. McAdoo’s vision and management style was not the same as Coughlin’s. What they saw is not what they got. The Giants didn’t see the OC who walked around with his face buried in his play sheet and ignored the players around him.