Munchak's Making All The Right Moves
New Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Munchak wasted no time in distinguishing himself from previous coach Jeff Fisher.
In a somewhat controversial decision, Munchak fired offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger. This would have been a low-profile event had Heimerdinger not been battling cancer.
Munchak's next bold move was convincing Jerry Gray to give up his new job at the University of Texas to become the Titans' defensive coordinator.
Gray was overqualified for the defensive back coach position at Texas and effectively burned his bridges with his alma mater by resigning. He will show creativity in designing and disciplining a defense that performed poorly under former defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil.
Gray played one season with the Houston Oilers. His best years as a pro were with the Los Angeles Rams, where he earned Pro Bowl honors four times.
Munchak's most recent bold decision was hiring Chris Palmer as the Titans' offensive coordinator. Palmer last coached in the United Football League.
If there’s one thing about Chris Palmer that is crystal clear: the man loves coaching football and will take a job on any level, in any league. In addition to the UFL, Palmer has coached in the Canadian Football League and the USFL. He also coached at five universities. Palmer was the head coach for the expansion Cleveland Browns in 1999.
Palmer has history with the city of Houston. His first NFL coaching job was with the Oilers in 1990. Palmer was the first offensive coordinator for the Houston Texans
Both Gray and Palmer will have a chance to show that they can contribute to a winning football team. The two Titans coordinators had mixed results with their previous professional teams. However, the Gray and Palmer have plenty of experience and the confidence of their new boss in Nashville.
I'm excited about the new direction the Titans are taking under Mike Munchak. He's made courageous decisions that may lead to good results this fall. Now he faces another tough decision: whether to allow a veteran or rookie to start at quarterback, now that Vince Young has been shown the door.
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