Latest On Rams’ Head Coaching Vacancy

Despite recently announcing an extension for Jeff Fisher, the Rams fired their head coach on Monday, installing special teams coach John Fassel as the interim coach for the remainder of the season. The Los Angeles job should be an attractive opening for the latest round of head coaching candidates, and earlier today PFR’s Zach Links examined some of the potential contenders for the opening, listing names such as Jim Harbaugh, Jim Bob Cooter, and David Shaw, among others.

Let’s take a look at some of the fallout, reaction, and speculation regarding the league’s newest head coaching vacancy…

• Calling the circumstances surrounding Fisher’s firing an “organizational failure,” Rams COO Kevin Demoff emphasized that the Rams’ entire decision-making structure will come under scrutiny in the coming weeks, meaning general manager Les Snead could also be in danger of losing his job. “Starting today we’ll have a complete review of the entire organization. We’ll analyze [the front office],” Demoff said, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Snead, like Fisher, recently inked a contract extension, but that shouldn’t stop Los Angeles from cleaning house.
• The Rams job will be among the most coveted head coaching slots in the league, and many offensive minds are already interested in the opening, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (TwitLonger link) and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (video link). Both scribes identify several factors — a young quarterback and running back, patient ownership, a blank slate, the Los Angles market — that will likely persuade coaches to quickly hand in their résumés.
• While the club does have stars on both sides of the ball in the forms of Todd Gurley and Aaron Donald, reinforcements have been an issue during the Fisher/Snead regime, and Rams coaches had been openly voicing concerns about the lack of depth on the roster, reports Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com. That problem might not be alleviated any time soon, especially given that Los Angeles sacrificed a haul of draft picks to move up and draft Jared Goff.
• While Harbaugh’s name has been tossed out as a candidate for the Rams position, the Michigan head coach doesn’t sound as if he’s ready to make the leap back to the NFL. Harbaugh told his Wolverine players that recent rumors about his leaving Ann Arbor are “lies made up by our enemies,” tweets Dan Murphy of ESPN.com. Meanwhile, a source tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) that Harbaugh isn’t leaving Michigan right now, and in fact may never leave the Maize and Blue.
• Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is also thought to be a possible suitor for Los Angeles, but the New England play-caller isn’t biting on any attempts to link him to the job. “My focus and my attention is gonna stay right here in the building” McDaniels told reporters, including Phil Perry of CSNNE.com (Twitter link), today.
• Whomever the Rams tap as their next head coach, he should be in place in the next month or so, as Demoff told Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com that LA would “ideally” like to hire a coach by mid-January.