RonF
Per Ardua Ad Astra
Calm arrival into new era
Cardinals introduce coach Ken Whisenhunt
Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 17, 2007 12:00 AM
How many games will the Arizona Cardinals win next season?
Tough. Aggressive. Smart. Those were the operative words Tuesday when the Cardinals introduced Ken Whisenhunt as their new coach. If the team can throw around opponents like it tossed around adjectives, the 2007 season will be a rousing success.
Unlike some of the team's previous hires, Whisenhunt didn't bluster his way through his introductory news conference. He didn't proclaim a winner had arrived in town (Buddy Ryan), or predict a winning season (Dennis Green).
If the job in Arizona were easy, the Cardinals wouldn't be hiring their seventh full-time coach since arriving here in 1988.
"I think you recognize that is the situation here," Whisenhunt said. "But I don't think that you live in the past. You stay consistent in the message you give to the players and to the community: a disciplined, smart, tough football team that's going to show up on Sunday and play their guts out."
Whisenhunt, 44, signed a four-year contract with a team option for a fifth season. The Cardinals hope Whisenhunt, who has a reputation as an offensive innovator, can turn the team into a winner quickly - and can keep them at that level for a long time.
"We thought he brought both of those elements," said Michael Bidwill, the team's vice president and general counsel.
It's Whisenhunt's first head coaching job, and he choked up Tuesday when he thanked his wife, Alice, and children, Kenny and Mary Ashley, who sat in the front row of the auditorium at the team's Tempe facility.
Whisenhunt, the Steelers offensive coordinator the past three seasons, replaces Green, who was fired after going 16-32 in three seasons. Whisenhunt was one of the hotter names on the NFL coaching market this year. Just more than two weeks ago he began a nationwide tour that included interviews with Miami, Atlanta, Arizona and Pittsburgh.
Whisenhunt made a favorable first impression here, but the deal really came together in the week that followed.
Other NFL coaches called him with some advice. Make sure, they said, to not overlook the Cardinals job because there was an opportunity to win.
Whisenhunt listened. When the Steelers took their time finding a replacement for Bill Cowher, Whisenhunt became concerned he might be shut out of a head coaching job.
"More than anything, what that second week did was give me a chance to look at this situation," he said. "When I had the opportunity to come back in, I was much better prepared than the first time."
The Steelers never tried to stop Whisenhunt from leaving, nor did he give them a chance to match the Cardinals' offer.
Whisenhunt is undaunted by the challenge here. He has a civil engineering degree from Georgia Tech, although he's never used it because he went from playing in the NFL to coaching.
Still, he has an analytical mind and he ticked off a number reasons he thinks the Cardinals can win: the new stadium, talent in key spots, a favorable salary-cap situation, stability in the front office and an owner, Bill Bidwill, who wants to win.
"If you put them together, and hopefully I don't screw it up, you've got a chance to win," he said
He is familiar with University of Phoenix Stadium, having been there with the Steelers in the preseason. So, as an engineer, what did he think?
"I probably would have done some things differently," he deadpanned. "No, I think it's amazing. It's a very nice structure."
Note
Whisenhunt's first priority is hiring a staff. He would like to talk to some Steelers assistants, but all are under contract through 2007 and are in limbo until Pittsburgh hires a coach.
The Cardinals have retained seven assistants, including defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast. Whisenhunt plans to begin interviewing those coaches today.
Whisenhunt's defensive philosophy seems to mesh with Pendergast's. The Cardinals likely will continue to use the 4-3 as their base defense, but will implement elements of the 3-4, which Pittsburgh uses.
The Cardinals were doing that under Pendergast.
On offense, Whisenhunt plans to call plays. One of his mentors, Dan Henning, recently was fired as Carolina's offensive coordinator, and Henning will be considered for a staff position, Whisenhunt said.
Cardinals introduce coach Ken Whisenhunt
Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 17, 2007 12:00 AM
How many games will the Arizona Cardinals win next season?
Tough. Aggressive. Smart. Those were the operative words Tuesday when the Cardinals introduced Ken Whisenhunt as their new coach. If the team can throw around opponents like it tossed around adjectives, the 2007 season will be a rousing success.
Unlike some of the team's previous hires, Whisenhunt didn't bluster his way through his introductory news conference. He didn't proclaim a winner had arrived in town (Buddy Ryan), or predict a winning season (Dennis Green).
If the job in Arizona were easy, the Cardinals wouldn't be hiring their seventh full-time coach since arriving here in 1988.
"I think you recognize that is the situation here," Whisenhunt said. "But I don't think that you live in the past. You stay consistent in the message you give to the players and to the community: a disciplined, smart, tough football team that's going to show up on Sunday and play their guts out."
Whisenhunt, 44, signed a four-year contract with a team option for a fifth season. The Cardinals hope Whisenhunt, who has a reputation as an offensive innovator, can turn the team into a winner quickly - and can keep them at that level for a long time.
"We thought he brought both of those elements," said Michael Bidwill, the team's vice president and general counsel.
It's Whisenhunt's first head coaching job, and he choked up Tuesday when he thanked his wife, Alice, and children, Kenny and Mary Ashley, who sat in the front row of the auditorium at the team's Tempe facility.
Whisenhunt, the Steelers offensive coordinator the past three seasons, replaces Green, who was fired after going 16-32 in three seasons. Whisenhunt was one of the hotter names on the NFL coaching market this year. Just more than two weeks ago he began a nationwide tour that included interviews with Miami, Atlanta, Arizona and Pittsburgh.
Whisenhunt made a favorable first impression here, but the deal really came together in the week that followed.
Other NFL coaches called him with some advice. Make sure, they said, to not overlook the Cardinals job because there was an opportunity to win.
Whisenhunt listened. When the Steelers took their time finding a replacement for Bill Cowher, Whisenhunt became concerned he might be shut out of a head coaching job.
"More than anything, what that second week did was give me a chance to look at this situation," he said. "When I had the opportunity to come back in, I was much better prepared than the first time."
The Steelers never tried to stop Whisenhunt from leaving, nor did he give them a chance to match the Cardinals' offer.
Whisenhunt is undaunted by the challenge here. He has a civil engineering degree from Georgia Tech, although he's never used it because he went from playing in the NFL to coaching.
Still, he has an analytical mind and he ticked off a number reasons he thinks the Cardinals can win: the new stadium, talent in key spots, a favorable salary-cap situation, stability in the front office and an owner, Bill Bidwill, who wants to win.
"If you put them together, and hopefully I don't screw it up, you've got a chance to win," he said
He is familiar with University of Phoenix Stadium, having been there with the Steelers in the preseason. So, as an engineer, what did he think?
"I probably would have done some things differently," he deadpanned. "No, I think it's amazing. It's a very nice structure."
Note
Whisenhunt's first priority is hiring a staff. He would like to talk to some Steelers assistants, but all are under contract through 2007 and are in limbo until Pittsburgh hires a coach.
The Cardinals have retained seven assistants, including defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast. Whisenhunt plans to begin interviewing those coaches today.
Whisenhunt's defensive philosophy seems to mesh with Pendergast's. The Cardinals likely will continue to use the 4-3 as their base defense, but will implement elements of the 3-4, which Pittsburgh uses.
The Cardinals were doing that under Pendergast.
On offense, Whisenhunt plans to call plays. One of his mentors, Dan Henning, recently was fired as Carolina's offensive coordinator, and Henning will be considered for a staff position, Whisenhunt said.
