DECEMBER 4: While John Harbaugh classifies the talks between Roman and Stanford as “preliminary,” Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says Roman is indeed interested in the position. The school’s athletic director, Bernard Muir, was reportedly encouraged by his recent conversation with Baltimore’s OC, who would “strongly consider” returning to the Cardinal.
NOVEMBER 30: Longtime Stanford head coach David Shaw stepped down from his post heading the Pac-12 program. The Cardinal will conduct their first coaching search in many years, and Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman is believed to be a part of that process.
Stanford has discussed the position with Roman, according to The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel (on Twitter). Roman, who has been Baltimore’s OC since 2019 and on John Harbaugh‘s staff since 2017, was an assistant at Stanford during Jim Harbaugh‘s time in Palo Alto. Roman was a Stanford position coach from 2009-10.
Both Shaw and Roman have been connected to NFL HC jobs in the past, though such talk has died down for both. Roman, 50, went through his most recent HC interview following the 2019 season, when he met with the Browns. No known HC meetings have taken place since, and Roman’s place as Baltimore’s OC was somewhat in question entering the 2022 offseason. John Harbaugh assured Roman would be back, and he is calling Ravens plays for a fourth season.
Roman has both been given credit for redesigning the Ravens’ offense to fit Lamar Jackson, leading to the run-oriented quarterback’s MVP season, and blamed for holding the dual-threat talent back. The Ravens ranked 17th in scoring offense last season, one played without their top two running backs, and are up to eighth this year despite more J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards injury trouble. Baltimore is also playing without No. 1 wide receiver Rashod Bateman, who is out for the season. Jackson is also on pace for a third 1,000-yard rushing season, averaging 68.6 rushing yards per game.
Tailoring schemes to dual-threat quarterbacks has been a Roman staple. He made over the 49ers’ offense for Colin Kaepernick as Jim Harbaugh’s OC in San Francisco and did the same for Tyrod Taylor in Buffalo. The Bills fired Roman during the 2016 season, leading him to Baltimore. Roman’s offenses contrast to Shaw’s; the latter’s pro-style attacks produced the likes of Andrew Luck and Davis Mills and garnered the offense-oriented HC NFL interest. Shaw was on Harbaugh’s staff during Roman’s two years there.
Other names will come up in this search, and it would be quite interesting if Roman bailed on coaching Jackson. But he has never been a head coach and has seen that well dry up at the professional level. As the Ravens vie for their first AFC North title since Roman’s first year on the job, this will be a storyline to monitor. Stanford, which employed Shaw as HC for 12 years, has gone 3-9 in each of its past two campaigns.
Wow didn’t even see that Shaw stepped down. The man could have been an nfl head coach but he stayed at stanturd. I wonder what his future holds. Go bears.
His system is great at the start, but after a couple of years, it becomes rigid to a point of not growing any more, even if it’s still solid. It would be hard to give him a HC job in the NFL, but imagine how enticing he would be to mobile QB recruits in college.
Head coach? LOL only reason GRo has a job is harbaugh he’s a joke when it matters, guy has handicapped lamar his whole career with his “system”. Lamar makes this bum.
Greg Roman sucks
Speaking of Lamar, seems like he wants out. Like he’s fed up wants out. If he leaves, what’s the direction in Baltimore? Look for another dual threat QB, go more conventional? Gulp.
Shaw is over rated 5 wins what the last 5,6 years
Take him, please. For the love of all things holy, take him.
♫ Lost in a Roman wilderness of pain
And all the children are insane
All the children are insane
Waiting for the summer rain ♫
Greg Roman needs to get out of Baltimore before that situation implodes.
If it were me I’d go a different route. Here’s my top 3 choices:
1. Jerry Granville
2. Denny Green
3. Jim Tomsula
LOL
Im not sure how anyone could watch the ravens offense and want the guy running it..