Arizona Cardinals Hire the QB Whisperer to Lead Them
Even in the ultimate copycat league, how does a dust devil of a thought like this whirl into a full-blown tornado?
Kliff Kingsbury is the equivalent of the Bitcoin boom.
That comparison could well be cautionary, too, as we all know how that worked out for those who got in at the spike and then watched it crash and burn.
That's crash and burn ...
Come to think of it, that could also be how USC athletic director Lynn Swann feels right now.
Finally recognizing that restricting Kingsbury from interviewing for more lucrative jobs in the NFL, Swann surely knew that reversing his position was also saying sayonara to his barely disguised spare head coach, in the event Clay Helton continues to coach like Clay Helton.
#BREAKING Cardinals hire Kliff "I Am Ye" Kingsbury as head coach, paying him a gazillion dollars over 4 years and a $50 Whole Foods gift certificate. Local single women are reportedly overwhelming make-up, clothes and lingerie shops across Metro Phoenix, per AP.#AZCardinals #NFL pic.twitter.com/upgwYBF9z9
— AZGroovy (@2LeGit2QuitBrU) January 8, 2019
In his ten minutes as USC's offensive coordinator, Kingsbury worked wonders with soph-to-be slinger JT Daniels, who the Trojans consider to be a few refinements short of being Trevor Lawrence West.
Now, the Arizona Cardinals expect him to bring along Josh Rosen just as quickly, if not sooner.
Because that's what losing teams expect from hiring a rookie with zero NFL coaching experience at any level after canning rookie head coach Steve Wilks.
If Kingsbury's established anything, it's his ability to groom QBs for greater things. In that regard, dude's got an impressive résumé at Texas Tech with success stories that include Baker Mayfield -- kinda -- and Pat Mahomes II.
He also did his bit with Johnny Manziel when he was OC at Texas A&M.
The Cardinals are still taking a huge risk, of course. Their plan is clearly to surround Kingsbury with a seasoned staff and let him focus on Rosen and offensive game plans. OGs are expecting sizzle.
In other words, they've led themselves to believe they're reeled in the next Sean McVay, with slightly less hair product.
The fact that Kingsbury's NFL playing career consisted of going 1-2 for 17 yards with the New York Jets in 2005 shouldn't be daunting.
Once can learn details large and small by toting a clipboard, and the Jets did think enough of him to also ask for an interview, so they saw something more than a dude who's not Todd Bowles.
Apparently, what was good enough for the Jets was good enough for the 3-13 Cardinals. And USC. But not Texas Tech.