Schefter: Caldwell to be Ravens QB coach

[bensmotorcyclehelmt]

I'm not sure that getting rid of Zorn was the mistake. Not replacing him with another QB coach was probably more the mistake. Zorn and Cam - and their philosophies - just didn't mess.

Hopefully, this time around, they thought that through a little better and Cam and Caldwell are a better fit.

If you think if what the Colts did passing-wise compared to Zorn's experience with more West-coast principals, I guess it is a bit of a better fit.

Heck, linemen have their own coaches, LBs have coaches, etc etc.

Given as much as they have to handle, it does make sense to remind the QBs about the details/mechanics as much as possible too.

[wickedsolo]

I just don't think offensive philosophy or scheme have anything to do with it. It's not about that.

Caldwell may not be a Coryell understudy, but he knows offense and he knows QB's. It's not going to be difficult for him to step in and sit down with Joe and Cam and figure out what Joe needs to work on to get better. As I said earlier, I don't think Joe needs a lot of work on his mechanics. Most of the work he needs are on pre-snap reads, taking the field in quicker, and making a decisive throw before the OL starts breaking down. Caldwell can definitely help with all of those things.

[BleedPurple92]

Let's see how the off-season goes, shall we?

I'm on the fence too, but they kept him for a reason and it is not nearly as superficial as "he is boys with Harbs".

Bisciotti and Ozzie aren't exactly status quo guys and I don't get the impression that Harbaugh is either.

Rharris isnt on the fence we all know where he stands.

[Jsmoove]

Caldwell is great hire no doubt, as Solo pointed out I don't think its for mechanics if that was the case we would be in some stuff at this stage in joes career, but joes mechanics are pretty solid. Its all about pre-snap reads, timming, surveying the field, making better decisions. Caldwell I hope will come in and add these tangibles and intangibles to joe. As for cam it is what it is.

[wickedsolo]

Caldwell is great hire no doubt, as Solo pointed out I don't think its for mechanics if that was the case we would be in some stuff at this stage in joes career, but joes mechanics are pretty solid. Its all about pre-snap reads, timming, surveying the field, making better decisions. Caldwell I hope will come in and add these tangibles and intangibles to joe. As for cam it is what it is.

I just hope Caldwell isn't afraid to point out to Joe the things that Peyton does.

If Joe wants to be the best, then he has to learn from the best and utilize the things that they do. I actually think that Joe's game is pretty similar to what Peyton's was at this stage of their career (purely from a physical/passing stance).

[The Excellector]

I can line up how it all went down for you:

The hiring of Jim Zorn was a systematic misstep. They got rid of Zorn to A.) Fix the philosophical issues and B.) Put all of the pressure on Cam Cameron.

The plan looks like it will pan out when word is received that Norv Turner will be fired. He is seen as the best candidate to replace Cameron and Cam is out the door.

However, Norv is retained and teams are being very selfish with their assistants.

They decide, it's either Hue, Brad or Cam. They choose Cam, the right choice given the options.

Then, they realize that they have a chance to hire Caldwell, but have already allowed Cam to keep his job.

Group huddle: "How can we take the positive out of this?"

Somebody in the group front office huddle: "Well, Caldwell has never been an OC. We can use this year to get him used to Joe, and figure out what not to do with the play calling, from what Cam is bound to do 4-6 games out of the season. We get him ready, so that he can take over for Cam.

That's how it went.

Cam has no choice, but to listen to him, because his job is on the line. They now have someone in place, underneath of him, who comes from a systematic background close enough to what the Ravens run.

If you watch the Colts offense, with Peyton, they look like a more efficient Ravens offense that abandons the run. You see the same stretch run plays, followed by the same hard play actions. You see similar deep passes. The one difference is that Indianapolis runs more quick slants. They really run them, to set up the slant and go, more than anything.

Jess already listed the quarterbacks that Caldwell has worked with in the past and had success with. It's not as if he has only worked with Manning.

Zorn would have represented a major systematic change that the team did not want to endure, because A.) Joe's best throws are of the intermediate-deep variety and B.) of the lockout.

Caldwell represents more of a slight modification that the team wouldn't mind shifting to at all.

Cam will have to listen more or he's gone.

How long do you honestly think it will take for Flacco and Caldwell to get along?

[Tyrian]

I'm going to play a little devil's advocate here...

As you pointed out, he's never been an OC. So do we really know that he'd be a pass, pass, pass kind've guy? In Indy, he's never had a great rushing game to work with. Here, he could adapt his style a bit more, knowing that we have the pieces to run a more effective running game. There's a difference between running the offense as a HC and running it as an OC, i think.

Yes, of course. I'm not against the idea, just have reservations. His teams in Wake Forest also had pathetic rush attacks except one season. I think one season he was head coach, the highest rusher was only 300 yards. It did improve towards the end of its tenure, particularly his only successful season there, but perhaps the talent coming through wasn't great (know next to nothing about college football).

Guess we'll see as it's only a theory. As a QB coach, I like it.

As for the Peyton requests, I join in the rolling of the eyes. But hey, if he really wants to come here, then should Caldwell become OC, he can be a QB coach for Joe. Everyone's happy!

[wickedsolo]

I dont think Caldwell and Flacco will be best buddies or anything, but Flacco is going to listen to the man simply based on his resume.

I think Caldwell's demeanor is going to mesh well with Joe's though.

[Bazooka Joe]

So the Ravens decided after the 2010 season that there were "too many" coaches telling Joe different things and they fire the QB Coach. Coincidentally, it was also Joe's best season statistically. Joe is so pissed off about it he actually raises his voice and gets a bit angry.

So then in 2011 the QB takes a step backwards in performance and the Ravens decide that he again needs a QB coach. Just 12 months after they thought he didn't.

I like the additional of Caldwell but this seems a bit dysfunctional. Makes me question the top level decision making when it comes to coaching staff.

Can't have different voices with different agendas. There's no negative in in this except what you choose to entertain....which seems to be your M.O.

[The Excellector]

Bazooka Joe is rising with the sun in the morning now.

[NC Raven]

This is a great hire, well done Ravens!!

[Corey]

A waste of a move. The best move they could have made to improve the offense, they didn't. And now every offensive move that follows will also be considered a waste.

[Bazooka Joe]

So the Ravens decided after the 2010 season that there were "too many" coaches telling Joe different things and they fire the QB Coach. Coincidentally, it was also Joe's best season statistically. Joe is so pissed off about it he actually raises his voice and gets a bit angry.

So then in 2011 the QB takes a step backwards in performance and the Ravens decide that he again needs a QB coach. Just 12 months after they thought he didn't.

I like the additional of Caldwell but this seems a bit dysfunctional. Makes me question the top level decision making when it comes to coaching staff.

Can't have different voices with different agendas. There's no negative in in this except what you choose to entertain....which seems to be your M.O.

[seraph]

Caldwell came from the Colts air coryell so there shouldn't be any philosophical differences. The developent of Jim Sorgi and Curtis Painter tells me a lot about Caldwell's coaching acheivements.

[JAB1985]

I just don't think offensive philosophy or scheme have anything to do with it. It's not about that.

Caldwell may not be a Coryell understudy, but he knows offense and he knows QB's. It's not going to be difficult for him to step in and sit down with Joe and Cam and figure out what Joe needs to work on to get better. As I said earlier, I don't think Joe needs a lot of work on his mechanics. Most of the work he needs are on pre-snap reads, taking the field in quicker, and making a decisive throw before the OL starts breaking down. Caldwell can definitely help with all of those things.

This would be my one argument with what all youve said here. The line breaks down before he has time to make a decisive throw. Thats not always because of Joe, not always the line, and not always the scheme. Its usually a combination. Although Air Coryell will always put that extra strain on the OL to hold longer when the routes are all down field further. It takes time for them to develop and that is directly effected by the scheme we run. As long as we run Air Coryell i dont think our QB coach will have much ability to help in that aspect.

[wickedsolo]

Caldwell came from the Colts air coryell so there shouldn't be any philosophical differences. The developent of Jim Sorgi and Curtis Painter tells me a lot about Caldwell's coaching acheivements.

?
Wow. Ok.

You have to have some talent to work with. Most teams would have Sorgi and Painter as their 3rd string QB's. They aren't starters or even remotely close.

If you're not insinuating that, then ok, but that's what it sounds like you're doing. That because Caldwell couldn't turn Sorgi or Curtis Painter into quality starting QB's then he isn't a good coach.

Norv Turner is considered to be one of the better QB developers in the league. How'd he fare with Gus Frerotte? Heath Shuler?

[HoustonRaven]

Caldwell came from the Colts air coryell so there shouldn't be any philosophical differences. The developent of Jim Sorgi and Curtis Painter tells me a lot about Caldwell's coaching acheivements.

The Colts don't run a Coryell.

There has to be some sarcasm here, right?

[The Excellector]

So, Caldwell spent a year in Tampa Bay before following Dungy to Indianapolis?

[Paintballguy]

I like how people discredit Caldwell towards Manning's success, but they want to blame Sorgi/Painter sucking all on Caldwell. Funny how that works.

[seraph]

The Colts don't run a Coryell.

There has to be some sarcasm here, right?

The Colts offense relies on timing and they don't use motion that much. No sarcasm.