The Minnesota Vikings took a long, long time between hiring Mike Zimmer as the new head coach and announcing the rest of the coaching staff. Some of the delay was obviously to interview and hire the individual assistant coaches, and some of the delay was assumed to be a side-effect of the Chris Kluwe accusations against incumbent special teams co-ordinator Mike Priefer. The second assumption can’t have been very important, as Priefer has retained his position on the new coaching staff. Kluwe’s lawyer immediately threatened to sue the team over the situation.
Setting aside the potential courtroom drama, here are the new and retained members of the coaching staff:
Norv Turner — Offensive Co-ordinator
- Jeff Davidson — Offensive Line
- Klint Kubiack — Assistant Wide Receivers/Quality Control
- Kevin Stefanski — Tight Ends
- George Stewart — Wide Receivers
- Scott Turner — Quarterbacks
- Kirby Wilson — Running Backs
George Edwards — Defensive Co-ordinator
- Robb Akey — Assistant Defensive Line
- Johnathan Gannon — Assistant Defensive Backs/Quality Control
- Jerry Gary — Defensive Backs
- Jeff Howard — Defensive Assistant
- Andre Patterson — Defensive Line
- Adam Zimmer — Linebackers
Mike Priefer — Special Teams Co-ordinator
- Ryan Ficken — Assistant Special Teams
- Drew Petzing — Coaching Assistant
Jim Souhan discusses Norv Turner’s record and his tentative plans for the coming season:
Norv Turner doesn’t name-drop. He fame-drops.
In 20 minutes on Thursday, Turner, the new Vikings offensive coordinator, mentioned John Robinson, Don Coryell, LaDainian Tomlinson, Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, Terry Allen, John Riggins, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Ricky Williams and Josh Gordon.
What might hearten Vikings fans is that he also mentioned Brad Johnson and Russell Wilson.
Turner is one of the best offensive coaches of the past 25 years. He has excelled while coaching for and with Hall of Fame coaches, and while coaching Hall of Fame-caliber players.
With Matt Cassel opting out of his contract, the Vikings currently employ one quarterback: Christian “You still here?” Ponder. Turner’s quarterback could be Cassel, should the Vikings re-sign him. It could be a first-round draft pick. It could be a third-round draft pick. It could even be Ponder, because Vikings fans apparently have not been punished enough for the deal with the devil that twice brought Fran Tarkenton to town.
Turner either will be asked to coax a career performance out of a less-than-heralded veteran, or rush a rookie into action, or both.
