St. Louis gets their Ram: Az-Zahir Hakim to be WR coach

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steinerfhc
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Re: St. Louis gets their Ram: Az-Zahir Hakim to be WR coach

Post by steinerfhc »

GDAWG wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 1:30 pm
steinerfhc wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 12:20 pm
Shooter McGav1n wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 12:12 am It surprised me as well.

This move has me wondering. There’s the obvious connection with Az-Zahir Hakim and St Louis, but are there other connections involved in his return to St Louis? Hakim played under and this past season was a coach on Mike Martz’s staff in San Diego.
Is it possible that Martz will be hired as OC and that move is what has brought Hakim to XFLStLouis? His return has been mentioned before, but this is the first actual link, albeit indirect, to XFLStLouis.
I seriously doubt Martz will be the OC. If they hire him why wouldn't he be THE head coach? It would be amazing if Hayes pull that deal off but Martz is a guy who been a head coach, something Hayes never has so I don't see him taking that role. However I do like the hire and at less someone fans can start connecting with. The XFL teams needs things to draw fans to want to come and watch. I know it sounds gimmicky but at this point what else is there with the underwhemming hires.

Now what is the connection, form what I understood that he, Bruce, and Holt are still close and as recently as I believe it was last year around this time, the had some kind of dinner event where they told stores about there time they played here and the Superbrowl run. So he still comes around St. Louis from time to time. Not sure if they played any role in this but it is something. Could one of the other two end up as OC maybe. The only reason why I could see Bruce being that because how close the AAF was to being the last team in St. Louis and HE was going to be the HC for that. I think Hayes has a better chance of pulling that off than Martz but we will see.
Isaac Bruce is not going to be an OC in the XFL. He's never been a position coach, so why would he be the OC?
The same reason why Hayes is a head coach without ever being a DC or an OS and why the AAF was willing. Same reason why in the NFL so many coaching hires made no sense either. Martz as a OC coach would be great but would it make sense having him there and Hayes at the HC when one been there before and the other hasn't? Hayes could surprise is as an HC just as much as Bruce could as a OC.
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Re: St. Louis gets their Ram: Az-Zahir Hakim to be WR coach

Post by GDAWG »

steinerfhc wrote: Fri Jul 05, 2019 2:07 pm
GDAWG wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 1:30 pm
steinerfhc wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 12:20 pm

I seriously doubt Martz will be the OC. If they hire him why wouldn't he be THE head coach? It would be amazing if Hayes pull that deal off but Martz is a guy who been a head coach, something Hayes never has so I don't see him taking that role. However I do like the hire and at less someone fans can start connecting with. The XFL teams needs things to draw fans to want to come and watch. I know it sounds gimmicky but at this point what else is there with the underwhemming hires.

Now what is the connection, form what I understood that he, Bruce, and Holt are still close and as recently as I believe it was last year around this time, the had some kind of dinner event where they told stores about there time they played here and the Superbrowl run. So he still comes around St. Louis from time to time. Not sure if they played any role in this but it is something. Could one of the other two end up as OC maybe. The only reason why I could see Bruce being that because how close the AAF was to being the last team in St. Louis and HE was going to be the HC for that. I think Hayes has a better chance of pulling that off than Martz but we will see.
Isaac Bruce is not going to be an OC in the XFL. He's never been a position coach, so why would he be the OC?
The same reason why Hayes is a head coach without ever being a DC or an OS and why the AAF was willing. Same reason why in the NFL so many coaching hires made no sense either. Martz as a OC coach would be great but would it make sense having him there and Hayes at the HC when one been there before and the other hasn't? Hayes could surprise is as an HC just as much as Bruce could as a OC.
I would think Hayes would want to hire an OC with years of experience as an OC.
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LeoNY
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Re: St. Louis gets their Ram: Az-Zahir Hakim to be WR coach

Post by LeoNY »

It’s not unprecedented for a position coach to become a head coach. Setting aside Winston Moss and Jon Hayes. Herman Edwards, Tom Coughlin and Andy Reid come to mind. Some coaches are better leaders and delegators better than they are actual coordinators. Who Hayes hires to run hiss offense is important. In interviews, he has talked about being aggressive.
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MikeMitchell
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Re: St. Louis gets their Ram: Az-Zahir Hakim to be WR coach

Post by MikeMitchell »

I am working on this. I hear no go on Mike Martz. He may want some time away and loves California.

When you think of Jonathan Hayes. A few different coaches come to mind that he spent time with in Cincy. You can rule out Hue Jackson. When I last checked in there. Hue wanted to take a year off and recharge his batteries.

So there’s four coaches who all held prominent roles in Cincy during Hayes long tenure.

Bob Bratkowski, Bill Lazor, Paul Alexander and Ken Zampese.

Bratkowski has been out of the mix for awhile. Besides starting his coaching career at Missouri. He doesn’t have any strong ties to the market. Bratkowski does have a lot of coordinating experience in the NFL and in college.

Bill Lazor was fired at the end of the 2018 season. He was a hot coordinator for awhile before his star faded. Lazor is much younger than Bratkowski and does have experience as a coordinator for the Bengals, Dolphins and at Virginia.

Paul Alexander is more of an offensive line guru, who has been an assistant head coach in the league but not an offensive coordinator.

Ken Zampese is a strong possibility. He just recently coordinated the Legends offense after that crazy round of musical chairs. Zampese worked under Martz in St. Louis and spent a lot of time with Hayes in Cincy.
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Re: St. Louis gets their Ram: Az-Zahir Hakim to be WR coach

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No Martz sucks but those other options seem reasonable. Not the greatest names but all of them have decent experience. Zampese’s dad is a legendary coach.
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Re: St. Louis gets their Ram: Az-Zahir Hakim to be WR coach

Post by steinerfhc »

MikeMitchell wrote: Fri Jul 05, 2019 4:09 pm I am working on this. I hear no go on Mike Martz. He may want some time away and loves California.

When you think of Jonathan Hayes. A few different coaches come to mind that he spent time with in Cincy. You can rule out Hue Jackson. When I last checked in there. Hue wanted to take a year off and recharge his batteries.

So there’s four coaches who all held prominent roles in Cincy during Hayes long tenure.

Bob Bratkowski, Bill Lazor, Paul Alexander and Ken Zampese.

Bratkowski has been out of the mix for awhile. Besides starting his coaching career at Missouri. He doesn’t have any strong ties to the market. Bratkowski does have a lot of coordinating experience in the NFL and in college.

Bill Lazor was fired at the end of the 2018 season. He was a hot coordinator for awhile before his star faded. Lazor is much younger than Bratkowski and does have experience as a coordinator for the Bengals, Dolphins and at Virginia.

Paul Alexander is more of an offensive line guru, who has been an assistant head coach in the league but not an offensive coordinator.

Ken Zampese is a strong possibility. He just recently coordinated the Legends offense after that crazy round of musical chairs. Zampese worked under Martz in St. Louis and spent a lot of time with Hayes in Cincy.
For the most part a solid list with guys that have OC experience. I think Alexander would be the one I would less likely to want as the OC.
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Re: St. Louis gets their Ram: Az-Zahir Hakim to be WR coach

Post by Tank55 »

Head coach Jon Hayes has made the following additions to his staff:

Offensive coordinator - Doug Meacham

Offensive asst. coach - Charles Long

WR asst. coach - Az-Zhir Hakim

TE asst. coach - Nicholas Siciliano

Co-DC/LB coach - Matt Raich

DB asst. coach - Tim Lewis
https://twitter.com/XFLStLouis/status/1 ... 3127650304

Meacham was most recently Kansas' OC. Have to love AAF Head Coaches coming in as position coaches. Raich is another former Bengal.
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Re: St. Louis gets their Ram: Az-Zahir Hakim to be WR coach

Post by XFLInSTL »

Tank55 wrote: Mon Jul 08, 2019 3:20 pm
Head coach Jon Hayes has made the following additions to his staff:

Offensive coordinator - Doug Meacham

Offensive asst. coach - Charles Long

WR asst. coach - Az-Zhir Hakim

TE asst. coach - Nicholas Siciliano

Co-DC/LB coach - Matt Raich

DB asst. coach - Tim Lewis
https://twitter.com/XFLStLouis/status/1 ... 3127650304

Meacham was most recently Kansas' OC. Have to love AAF Head Coaches coming in as position coaches. Raich is another former Bengal.
In my opinion Tim Lewis is a better defensive coordinator candidate than Jay Hayes, given what he did in the AAF with Birmingham.
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MikeMitchell
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Re: St. Louis gets their Ram: Az-Zahir Hakim to be WR coach

Post by MikeMitchell »

Tank55 wrote: Mon Jul 08, 2019 3:20 pm
Head coach Jon Hayes has made the following additions to his staff:

Offensive coordinator - Doug Meacham

Offensive asst. coach - Charles Long

WR asst. coach - Az-Zhir Hakim

TE asst. coach - Nicholas Siciliano

Co-DC/LB coach - Matt Raich

DB asst. coach - Tim Lewis
https://twitter.com/XFLStLouis/status/1 ... 3127650304

Meacham was most recently Kansas' OC. Have to love AAF Head Coaches coming in as position coaches. Raich is another former Bengal.
I like the group. I judge these first time head coach/general managers on a different curve. It’s not easy putting together a staff. Lewis and Hakim are really strong hires. I am curious who will be coaching the special teams.
steinerfhc
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Re: St. Louis gets their Ram: Az-Zahir Hakim to be WR coach

Post by steinerfhc »

Hayes put together a very solid group around him overall.
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