Alex Wood Leading Offensive Coordinator Candidate

[Metal Militia]

Green to tap Wood?
1-13-04, 10:35 p.m.
BY GEOFF HOBSON

The Bengals may have lost one of their assistant coaches according to an Arizona newspaper. The Arizona Republic reported Tuesday that wide receivers coach Alex Wood is the leading candidate to be the Cardinals offensive coordinator after spending the day at the club’s facility.

Neither team confirmed the expected move Tuesday, which was also reported by the club’s flagship radio station.

Wood, 48, appears to be heading to a reunion in the desert with new Arizona head coach Dennis Green. Wood spent three seasons with Green in Minnesota developing quarterback Daunte Culpepper as his position coach.

Wood had a productive season in what appears to be his only year in Cincinnati with both starting receivers having their best seasons. Chad Johnson is starting in the Pro Bowl with 90 catches and an AFC-leading 1,355 yards while Peter Warrick missed an 80-catch season by one ball after missing the next to last game of the season with arthroscopic knee surgery. Third-round pick Kelley Washington also flashed some rookie promise as the third receiver in responding with 22 catches and four touchdowns, the most passing scores by a rookie wideout since Warrick had four in 2000 and Darnay Scott five in 1994.

 

[Metal Militia]

Alex Wood

You must be registered for see images

Alex Wood, who developed Daunte Culpepper into one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks over the past four seasons, moves to the other end of the passing game as wide receivers coach for the Bengals in 2003.

Wood joined the Vikings in 1999, the same year Culpepper was drafted. Though a first-round draft pick, Culpepper was only the fourth QB selected in ’99, behind Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb and Akili Smith. But under Wood’s tutelage, Culpepper quickly became recognized as a player who could hold his own with anyone in the group.

In 2000, Culpepper’s second season, he became the regular starter and went on to earn the NFC nod as starting quarterback in the Pro Bowl. He led the NFC (and tied for the NFL lead) in touchdown passes with 33. He also finished second in the NFC in passing yards (3937) and third in passer rating (98.0). Culpepper also set Vikings records for rushing yards by a quarterback (470) and rushing TDs by a quarterback (7) as the Vikings won the NFC Central title and advanced to the conference championship game.

In 2001 at Minnesota, Wood faced a very different challenge, overseeing three starting quarterbacks. Culpepper, who finished third in the NFC with a completion percentage of 64.2, was lost to a season-ending injury with four weeks to play. Todd Bouman and Spergon Wynn also made starts, and Bouman was named NFL Miller Lite Player of the Week in his first start, throwing for 348 yards and 4 TDs vs. Tennessee.

Last season, Culpepper returned to the Minnesota lineup as an every-week starter, and under Wood’s leadership, he finished second in the NFC in passing yards (3853) and third in the NFC in yards per attempt (7.02). Culpepper also broke the QB records he had set in 2000 by rushing for 609 yards and scoring 10 TDs. The Vikings finished second in the NFL in net offense and ninth in net passing.

Wood was a college coach for 21 years before joining the Vikings. His final college assignment was from 1995-98 as head coach at James Madison University. In his first season, he led the Dukes to an 8-4 record and a berth in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. Wood finished his JMU tenure with a 23-22 record.

Wood began his coaching career in 1978 at Iowa, his alma mater. In 1986, his second year at Wyoming, he became a staff colleague for the first time of Bob Bratkowski, the current Bengals offensive coordinator. Wood and Bratkowski were also together at Washington State in 1987-88, and from 1989-91, Wood was running backs coach at the University of Miami with Bratkowski as the offensive coordinator. The Hurricanes, under head coach Dennis Erickson, won national titles in ’89 and ’91.

A college running back and special teams player at Iowa from 1975-77, Wood is an Ohio native. He hails from Massillon, and attended Washington High School, where he was a standout running back and also a wrestler.

Wood and his wife, Rosa, have three children: Jerrel (born 1-9-73), Alex (9-5-73) and Natalie (4-4-86). Wood’s birthdate is March 14, 1955.

PLAYING AND COACHING HISTORY
1975-78: Played running back at Iowa. 1978: Assistant coach (AC), Iowa. 1979-80: AC, Kent State. 1981: AC, Southern Illinois. 1982-84: AC,. Southern University. 1985-86: AC, Wyoming. 1987-88: AC, Washington State. 1989-92: AC, Miami (Fla.). 1993-94: AC Wake Forest. 1995-98: Head coach, James Madison University. 1999-2002: AC, Minnesota. Joined Bengals Jan. 22, 2003.

 

[jrjbritt]

I really dont know anything about him.
please help.

is he ready for a OC job?
will he be able to accomplish this?
why him?

 

[Ryanwb]

He really turned Peter Warrick's career around....

Bring 'em in, couldn't hurt

 

[pinnacle]

I actually like the wood choice. He was a head coach of a smaller program (so he should have some play calling ability) and he has worked with receivers and qbs - so he is clearly not one dimensional - and the bengals wide receivers seem improved.

Salisbury would be ok if we get him.

I hope we are suprised on the defensive coaches they are bringing in...the list so far does not excite me (on defense).

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

For what it's worth,a friend of mine had dinner with Chad Johnson recently,just prior to the Probowl announcemment, and JOhnson spoke very highly of Wood.He said it was night and day in the difference in coaching staffs.That being said,i can't see Wood being much better than Sullivan as WR coach.Hopefully, he'll be much better OC.

 

[Renz]

Wood has been hired, according to Kent Somers. Kirby Wilson has also been hired to coach RB's.

 

[JeffGollin]

I think most of us are trying to read between the lines to get a handle on guys we don't know much about.

With this in mind - the prospect of hiring Colletto (who may have had great credentials developing offensive lines) scared the heck out me because I'm hoping Dennis will bring an aggressive "fast break" offense to the Cardinals and Colletto sounded far more conservative than innovative.

If "fast break" is the way Dennis wants to go, Woods sounds like a far better fit.

To sum up - Assuming that better run-blocking remains a top priority, I'd rather see this accomplished via the combination of (a) an innovative OC and (b) a really good O-line coach than I would a conservative, run-oriented OC overseeing an average O-line coach.

 

[spanky1]

When a coach inherits a "clean house", he's forced to make alot of hiring decisions without the luxury of too much time. This year is especially unique in that there were 7 HC slots to fill. As each vacancy gets filled, the shuffle of OC's and DC's accelerates. Newly appointed HC's tend to favor staff from where they came, following the "devil that I know is better than the devil I don't" philosophy. The same philosophy holds true with the OC and DC candidates that follow the new HC. Green is acting quite normal in this regard. And to be sure, under any circumstance, the word "nepotism" is totally inappropriate as it refers to the hiring of " family relatives" and not former associates.

Face it, we are not all going to either know, like or understand the what, why's and wherefore's of all those who Green hires. How could we. So far, I think there has been some over reaction.

Here is what I'm seeing:

a)OC is likely Alex Wood. No he's never been a bona fide OC at the pro level, but face it, it is unlikely that any bona fide OC would consider this job, as Green is, in many ways both a HC and his own OC. Wood has an excellent understanding of the QB and WR positions, has a great track record of being a fundamentally sound teacher and is a person who players like and relate to. He is also considered very innovative and offensively minded. I like this possibility. He is not just a Viking clone either.

b)QB coach is potentially Sean Salisbury. Yes his roots go back to the Vikings, but he is also a student of the QB role and would be an EXCELLENT coach. He has an analytical mind. I REALLY hope he acepts Green's offer. The team of Green, Wood and Salisbury will have our offense doing terrific things.

c)Keith Rowan is likely our new O-Line coach. Can anyone say, in all honesty, that this is either a good or a bad decision?

d) Carl Hargrave is likely going to be our RB coach. Some seem to dislike this possibility. I mean, how much damage can a RB coach do to the overall offensive "master plan". Did anyone really notice Johnny Ro;and? And anyway, Emmitt likely hangs around and he's going to have an influence here as well.

We still don't know too much about the D. When a DC and a D-Line coach are announced, we can determine how significant the hiring of Soloman will really be. My guess is not too much.

 

[spanky1]

Originally posted by Renz
Wood has been hired, according to Kent Somers. Kirby Wilson has also been hired to coach RB's.

If thuis is the case........I'm pleased. I preferred Wilson over Hargraves anyway.

 

[JeffGollin]

Keith Rowan is likely our new O-Line coach. Can anyone say, in all honesty, that this is either a good or a bad decision?
Anyone hate the way KC ran the ball this year?

Regarding Wilson and Hargraves - quite possibly Denny could hire both; with one being RB coach and the other shifted to a different position to coach. (If I were a betting man, I'd guess that Wilson would coach our RB's and Hargraves put in charge of "quality control", "special projects" or something like that).

 

[spanky1]

Originally posted by JeffGollin
Keith Rowan is likely our new O-Line coach. Can anyone say, in all honesty, that this is either a good or a bad decision?
Anyone hate the way KC ran the ball this year?

Regarding Wilson and Hargraves - quite possibly Denny could hire both; with one being RB coach and the other shifted to a different position to coach. (If I were a betting man, I'd guess that Wilson would coach our RB's and Hargraves put in charge of "quality control", "special projects" or something like that).

Jeff,

Good point,
I was not sure where Rowan came from when I said what I did.......yes indeed KC did run the ball well. Seems like, all in all Green is making some excellent offensive coaching hires.

 

[MadCardDisease]

3 coaches hired

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/0114cards0114.html

Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 14, 2004 12:00 AM

New Cardinals coach Dennis Green has filled at least three positions on his coaching staff.

Cincinnati receivers coach Alex Wood, who was at the Cardinals' Tempe facility Tuesday, has been hired as the offensive coordinator, according to people familiar with the situation.

Kirby Wilson, former running backs coach with Tampa Bay, has accepted a similar position with the Cardinals. And former Vikings strength and conditioning coach Steve Wetzel has been hired for the same position in Arizona.

Bob Rogucki, the Cardinals' strength and conditioning coach the past 14 seasons, was informed Monday morning that his contract would not be renewed.

It's expected that former Vikings assistant Richard Solomon will also be part of the Cardinals staff. He coached the secondary and outside linebackers under Green in Minnesota. He was also assistant head coach. Carl Hargrave, who coached the Vikings' running backs under Green, probably will join the staff, too.

Green, who coached Minnesota from 1992 to 2001, declined to comment on specific candidates.

The staff will be composed of coaches with different backgrounds, Green said, including people who have worked for him before.

"All of them will be good teachers," he said.

Wood played running back at Iowa when Green was the running backs/receivers coach and coached quarterbacks for the Vikings from 1999 to 2002. He was a college coach for 21 years prior to joining the Vikings, including four seasons as the head coach at James Madison, where he compiled a 23-22 record.

In Minnesota, Wood tutored quarterback Daunte Culpepper.

In Cincinnati this year, Wood's starting receivers had career years in every category. Chad Johnson is starting in the Pro Bowl with 90 catches and an AFC-leading 1,355 yards. He scored 10 touchdowns. Peter Warrick caught 79 passes and had seven touchdown receptions.

The Cardinals have interest in Kansas City tight ends coach Keith Rowen as the team's offensive line coach. Rowen coached the Vikings offensive line from 1994-96.

ESPN analyst Sean Salisbury interviewed this week for the Cardinals quarterbacks coaching position, but there's no indication yet if he will take the job.

Pete Rodriguez, former special-teams coach with Seattle, also interviewed this week.