Give Whisenhunt a grade so far

[Totally_Red]

Hopefully this is a clearer poll and clears up how fans feel.

 

[Shogun]

Just a B thus far. Although the accolades have been nice, we still have seen the same type of mental lapses that have plagued us for years, and we still cannot get any quality run blocking or running going.

 

[TheCardFan]

If you delete all the "noise" from the decision...the facts are:

We won the division for the first time in 30 years.
First playoff appearance in 10 years.
First home playoff game in 60 years.
#1 scoring offense in team history.
One of the only Cardinal head coaches to have a winning record after first two full years.

C'mon people! This guy wasn't handed a posh NFL job...he was given a 5-11 team with a 60 year history of losing. He was more than likely "asked" to retain the DC and made the most of it (switching to a 3-4 base).

Can he improve? Sure. But if you don't think he has earned an A...you don't have a true appreciation of how this franchise has changed.

 

[conraddobler]

A-

You just can't give a coach of this team that gets to the playoffs and gets a home game less than that no matter what.

It could of course have been better but you can say that about anyone's job.

 

[SuperSpck]

A's are reserved for the truly excellent and the special.
They're handed out too readily in the world.
Whis' work has been above average and memorable.

B for starting to change a culture of crap, he'll get an A if he wins a Superbowl as a Cardinal.


UPDATE:

B+ for making the game...

Can't wait to change it to an A!

 

[PrescottLooie]

B- for me. I'm a tough grader.

For me, I'm gonna be very interested in what he does in the off season. How and who we draft and who we pursue in FA will tell me alot about what he thinks our weaknesses are. And, what we do about our dismal Special Teams performance.

 

[AZ Native]

B+

I predict an A for next year.

 

[Totally_Red]

B- for me. I'm a tough grader.

For me, I'm gonna be very interested in what he does in the off season. How and who we draft and who we pursue in FA will tell me alot about what he thinks our weaknesses are. And, what we do about our dismal Special Teams performance.

A lot of it is when the poll is taken. After the 7-3 start he probably gets more A's. After the recent slump, the grades are lower but still decent.

I gave him a B, but would elevate that to a B+ if the Cardinals beat Atlanta. One thing I like is that he eventually adjusts, e.g., starting Warner over Leinart, bringing Edge back to start at RB, replacing Rolle with Hood at CB last season.

I think the players respect Whis, but there are some players on this team that I really don't want back next season. That list would feature Leonard Pope and Eric Green at the top.

 

[Paso Fino]

I am the low marker. I gave a C+ for three reasons:
1. He has made little if any improvement in the running game.
2. The defensive tackling is very bad and the HC should be held responsible for this.
3. The special teams are deficient. A good but not great punter was replaced with one who is inadequate.

I am not blown away by the fact that the Cardinals are in the playoffs. They are in an incredibly weak division and had little success with teams with winning records. We have seen teams, such as Miami and Atlanta, make great strides in one year so don't tell me that W has been all that impressive.

 

[Lomax to Green 84]

I give him an "A" simply because he has done what no coach since Jim Hanifan did in the early 80's, have 2 consecutive non losing seasons. Sure we played in a bad division, but the fact that we won the games we were supposed to win speaks volumes to me.

Whiz has his faults, but overall he has done a terrific job.

 

[sportznutt]

Going by the curriculum standards where I live, I give a B......here a B means it's everything that is expected. He's made them competitive, he's gotten better every year and now we're in the playoffs.

 

[cardsfanmd]

No "F"'s? I guess swd hasn't logged in yet today.

 

[IAWarnerFan]

C+
On the plus side: He realized that starting Kurt Warner this year gave the team the best chance to win the division.

On the negative side: I've butted heads with some of the play calling and some of the comments made before or after the games have been embarrassing.

 

[vince56]

A. This is the Cardinals, people. In just 2 years, he has a winning record of his own, division championship and a home playoff game. Name another coach to do that in 50 years. That's right, you can't! A!

 

[az1965]

So is the grading relative to Cardinals history or relative to rest of the league???

Looks like posters are mixing it up... lets clarify. If it is relative to Cardinals history then, yes, he has earned at least a B+ whereas previous ones were mostly D's or F's. If it is relative to rest of the league, then I'd say a C+ maybe.

 

[jmt]

B. which is good! Still too many penalties, poor special teams, defense mostly sucks. That said we got to 8-8 then 9-7 and hosting a playoff game. Good job so far. GBR!!!

 

[DevonCardsFan]

I gave him a B +, but the real grade comes after Finals, thats this Sunday!

 

[Chris_Sanders]

B- with a strong leaning towards C. The team is slightly above mediocre and the coaching reflects that.

 

[Bert]

How is A+ not an option here?

In two years Whis has taken this football team from 5-11 and a perpetual 4-12 team, to .500 (8-8) and improved that record to 9-7 and our first division championship and home playoff game since Fred Flintstone ruled the world... Seriously... Denny Green lead this team to 5-11 with basically the same talent.

Lets see how this team comes out for the PLAYOFFS before we tie the rope and hang our coach...

Just a thought.

 

[Perfectionist]

B+ He has gotten this team to the playoffs. To many silly mistakes to give him a A. But for a second year coach he his doing well and seems to be learning by his mistakes. Sure hope he can get an A next year.

 

[PortlandCardFan]

B+

 

[Duckjake]

B from me.

Whisenhunt has stopped the losing to bad teams and blowing games when the Car*s had them won.

Defense, special teams and penalties have not been fixed so that lowers the grade. Otherwise the playoff appearance would merit an A.

 

[RolleRocks]

Defense and special teams are horrible.

That is 2/3 of the game.

Running game and tight ends (wasn't Whiz a TE?) suck too.

I give him a "C."

Can't give him much credit for the magic of Warner, Boldin, Fitz, and Breaston.

He needs to clean house this off-season in the personnel and coaching departments.

 

[CaptTurbo]

How a coach can go 3-7 outside the division and get an A or B is just...I'm beside myself actually.

 

[BirdMan21]

A. This is the Cardinals, people. In just 2 years, he has a winning record of his own, division championship and a home playoff game. Name another coach to do that in 50 years. That's right, you can't! A!

Agree. But my grade will decrease quickly if this team doesn't keep improving...that is what makes a great coach.