Strib: 'Vikings stick to their vision' with O'Connell hiring

[StickyBun]

https://www.startribune.com/vikings-coac...600143561/

"Harbaugh had won everywhere he'd been, going to three NFC Championship Games in his four years with the 49ers and coming within a play of possibly beating his brother John's Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII. But by the time he interviewed with the Vikings on Wednesday, O'Connell had charged to the front of the team's search following an in-person interview in Los Angeles on Monday that had Vikings leadership buzzing."

Good article by Goessling here, with inside sources into the recent interviews. 

[Guest]

I read this last night...I thought Goessling did a good job. I dont think there is anything earth-shattering new, I found it more confirming..

It's firewalled off so I'll just post a few more snippets to build on Sticky's OP:

The Vikings' decision not to hire Harbaugh claimed plenty of local and national coverage, much of it with an I-hope-you-know-what-you're-doing tone, in the days after the team chose to move forward with O'Connell on Wednesday. 

Instead, they are banking on the idea O'Connell can follow in the footsteps of McVay acolytes such as Packers coach Matt LaFleur (who won 39 regular-season games in his first three seasons) and Bengals coach Zac Taylor (who will face McVay in the Super Bowl). 
The idea that O'Connell could bring the Vikings' offensive scheme to a fuller expression of itself helped him edge Morris and Graham in the search, and the former NFL quarterback will have a key voice in the Vikings' path forward at the position.
The Vikings are also betting on their presumptive coach being the kind of partner for Adofo-Mensah that the GM described in his introductory news conference, where strong opinions and formidable egos are subsumed into the greater good.


The day after the Rams beat the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game at SoFi Stadium, Adofo-Mensah, Vikings co-owner Mark Wilf and executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski boarded a plane from Holman Field to Los Angeles for interviews with O'Connell and Morris. It was there, sources said, where Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell really clicked.

The coach's thoughtful preparation shone through the interview, and experience as quarterback Kirk Cousins' final quarterbacks coach in Washington gave O'Connell special insight into the team's most important offseason decision. The search committee left Los Angeles energized by how it had all gone, as the vision of a 40-year-old GM and 36-year-old coach leading the organization started to take shape.


As impressive as Harbaugh's success with the 49ers was, it had been seven years since he last coached an NFL game. His interview, sources said, never left the Vikings fully confident he'd have the same success this time around, or assuaged the concerns they'd carried into the process. Some in the building were enthused by their interactions with him; others left puzzled by the coach.
His interview ended without the Vikings making an offer. By 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, as two of the Wilfs' planes idled on the runway at Holman Field in St. Paul, Harbaugh reportedly told Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel he would return to the university for the 2022 season.
"I'm an honest person," he said in an interview with the Detroit Free Press' Mitch Albom about the Vikings interview. "There was a large pull there [for the NFL]. But I didn't feel it was that way for both parties. And that's it. That's my mind-set now."

[Guest]

O'Connell can be announced as the Vikings' new head coach as soon as Valentine's Day, a day after he tries to help the Rams win Super Bowl LVI in their home stadium.
The path the Vikings took to replace Spielman and Zimmer, even with a couple of side streets, ultimately ended about where they said it would. They have a partnership of two young leaders with relatively low profiles, and every chance to show that all the talk of a culture change can generate the only currency that counts in the NFL: wins.

[Guest]

Harbaugh could tell that he wasn't convincing everyone that he needed to convince on the Viking's search team. You get a vibe when you're in these big interviews. No offer confirmed that and he needed to reassure Michigan quickly. He was obviously more into the opportunity than the Viking's brass ended up being by the end of their time together, coupled with being blown away by the in-person 2nd interview with O'Connell. 

[Guest]

@StickyBun said:
Harbaugh could tell that he wasn't convincing everyone that he needed to convince on the Viking's search team. You get a vibe when you're in these big interviews. No offer confirmed that and he needed to reassure Michigan quickly. He was obviously more into the opportunity than the Viking's brass ended up being by the end of their time together, coupled with being blown away by the in-person 2nd interview with O'Connell. 

Yah, that was the confirming part for me. I'm beyond Harbaugh already, looking ahead....Two notions gave me hope:

Hope for football improvement:  The idea that O'Connell could bring the Vikings' offensive scheme to a fuller expression of itself helped him edge Morris and Graham in the search, and the former NFL quarterback will have a key voice in the Vikings' path forward at the position.
Hope for culture improvement:  They have a partnership of two young leaders with relatively low profiles, and every chance to show that all the talk of a culture change can generate the only currency that counts in the NFL: wins.

Job 1 is a coaching staff
Job 2 try to improve a putrid D
Job 3 what to do about KC

[Guest]

Another thing thats become clearer to me through this process is how influential Brezinski has become.

[Guest]

[Guest]

They went after what they were looking for and got it. Change was needed.

[Guest]

@Vikergirl said:
They went after what they were looking for and got it. Change was needed.

Agree change was overdue.  The local rag writers, is that really what they are, can't get over the snub of Harbaugh saying is McConnell really the right choice or will they regret not hiring Harbaugh.  Think Jim was looking to have his ego stroked by the Viking and they refused to do it.  Poor pity on Jim.

[Guest]

@Greylock said:

@Vikergirl said:
They went after what they were looking for and got it. Change was needed.

Agree change was overdue.  The local rag writers, is that really what they are, can't get over the snub of Harbaugh saying is McConnell really the right choice or will they regret not hiring Harbaugh.  Think Jim was looking to have his ego stroked by the Viking and they refused to do it.  Poor pity on Jim.

The local rags are generally negative and opposite of whatever the general take of the situation is. If Harbaugh would have been hired, they would have been negative about it. They would have been what are the Wilfs doing to the Vikings culture. Harbaugh made a lot of assumptions and came in entitled, that approach was not helpful. He is playing the victim. It was pretty clear what the Wilfs were looking for. Barreiro acted like the Vikings should kiss his ass. They flew him in for fuck's safe. I am glad they didn't hire his arrogant ass. I am surprised his ego fit in the building.