Homework awaits McD

Homework awaits McD
January 13
Denver Post
columnist Woody Paige
"And a child shall lead them. When Josh McDaniels was growing up in Canton, Ohio, he would tour the Pro Football Hall of Fame with his father, the head coach at the local high school, and stare up at the sculptures of Johnny Unitas, Gale Sayers, Bart Starr, Dick Butkus and Vince Lombardi. He would dream of one day joining them in the hallowed shrine. He can get his own bust. Just win Super Bowls - three would be a good number - as the head coach of the Denver Broncos, Josh. That's not too much to insist. McDaniels was introduced to Denver on Monday evening as the new young man to guide the Broncos out of the wilderness. Upon the firing of Mike Shanahan, Pat Bowlen said he would search for a replacement who was a "10." I asked the Broncos owner after the news conference if he got his "10." "Ask me again in a year." McDaniels cannot be a bust or a "6." McDaniels - seen, but rarely heard publicly while with the New England Patriots - took to the podium for the first time as a head coach. He was questioned politely, mostly, but was grilled and flamed-broiled, occasionally, and could be examined and evaluated by the masses who saw snippets on TV. "I thought, for it being his first time, Josh did well. Maybe he was somewhat uptight, but he was looser upstairs before," said Bowlen, who added that he chose McDaniels without regard to age because "when you been in football for a long time, you have an instinctive feeling about someone you think could be a great football coach." Perhaps McDaniels will be, as long as he brings the best of Bill Belichick and Nick Saban (as extraordinary coaches) and leaves the worst of his former bosses (as arrogant, distant human beings). McDaniels said he learned a lot from both, but will be his own man. Two of Belichick's former assistants have just been fired from NFL coaching jobs, and another is experiencing serious pressure at Notre Dame. McDaniels suggested he was prepared differently (better?) because he worked with the Patriots in player personnel, as a defensive assistant and, ultimately, the offensive coordinator. I brought up a little matter that happened with the Patriots and wondered about his involvement, his reaction and his moral position. He actually cracked a grin and asked what I was referring to. That would be "Spygate," the infamous video purloining of defensive signals, which would be helpful to an offensive coordinator and which damaged New England's dynasty designation. McDaniels did an impression of tap-dancer Gene Kelly, saying he didn't know about "Spygate" when it was going on, that it was a distraction, but he never used the tape, and he swore he would not break the NFL rules as the Broncos coach. McDaniels generally responded in coachspeak - the Broncos will be "tough, smart and prepared" - and was vague, which is in vogue, about Broncos players, coaches and the most appalling defense in the league. But the McD unequivocally said he would call the Broncos' offensive plays, admitted he had ta
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