Should Detroit Lions Copy Arizona Cardinals and Hire Ryan Day?
Former Arizona Cardinals head football coach Steve Wilks only lasted one season on the job.
After going 3-13 in his inaugural season at the helm back in 2018, the Cardinals organization decided to completely pivot and went in a different direction.
"A defensive backs coach in the NFL for more than a decade before serving as the Panthers’ defensive coordinator for just one season, Wilks led a Cardinals’ team that was never able to find its identity," Sports Illustrated wrote when Wilks was fired. "The secondary he came to tallied just six interceptions all season while rookie quarterback Josh Rosen, the team’s top pick in April’s draft, looked like a rookie quarterback in 2018 behind an unreliable offensive line. David Johnson failed to regain his pre-injury form from 2016 and, for the first time since 2014, the Cardinals failed to field a 1,000-yard receiver, despite having future NFL Hall-of-Famer Larry Fitzgerald on the roster."
The Cardinals turned to the hot name among college coaches and hired Kliff Kingsbury to lead the way.
After gaining the attention of the league due to his prolific offense, the Cardinals took a risk and are now reaping the rewards.
"Cardinals fans, can't tell you how excited I am to be your head coach," Kingsbury said when he was hired. "Looking forward to taking the field at State Farm Stadium in front of the red sea. It's time to rise up."
Enter Kingsbury and new quarterback Kyler Murray, and the team now sits with a record of 9-2 record in 2021.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has experience working in the NFL, as he served as the quarterbacks coach of the Philadelphia Eagles (2015) and San Francisco 49ers (2016).
His run leading the Buckeyes has been stellar, and with a potential victory over the Michigan Wolverines this weekend, Day and Co. could find themselves back in the College Football Playoffs.
Meanwhile, Detroit's offense is antiquated and can't score 20 points consistently.
Fans have been subjected to a first-year head coach who appears to be learning on the job.
For far too long, supporters of the Lions have watched disorganized and uninspired football.
Detroit's football team is still learning how to execute lining up properly and executing fundamentals like listening to the defensive leader when he calls a check on a key play, late in the game.
Day would come in, instantly broom out Goff and find a quarterback that could execute throwing the football beyond seven yards.
Even the most prudent supporters of the Lions must be questioning and asking themselves, 'Do we really want Dan Campbell and his offensive staff mentoring a young quarterback?' Not really, especially after his team has been forced to learn how to call third down and ridiculously long the past couple of weeks.
While Campbell understands Lions history and wants to change it, the organization must realize that anyone tied to the Lions or has the stench of failure from failed seasons of the past will likely not ever find success in today's football landscape.
It's a new day, yes it is.
Call Ryan Day, and let's get serious about winning.
© Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK
