Some Bullet Points on the New Jets GM
Posted by Randy Lange on January 18, 2013 – 6:36 pm
Most of us football fans outside the Pacific Northwest would have to admit to not having much familiarity with John Idzik, the Jets’ new general manager announced by the team late this afternoon. But many fans, especially Jets followers of a certain age, at least have heard the name for a while.
John Idzik the elder was in fact a veteran NFL man, an assistant coach who made five stops with four Northeast teams, including the Jets, from the mid-Sixties into the Eighties. And more than three decades after giving the Green & White a respectable and improving offense in the late Seventies, he can smile proudly that his son, 52, is now taking on an even bigger job than he had way back when in spiffing up Richard Todd and Matt Robinson for their late Seventies competition to run the Jets offense.
We haven’t met the younger Idzik yet and likely won’t until he’s introduced to reporters and fans next Thursday. But we have a few facts and trivia that point to the quality of the hire that owner Woody Johnson, with help from Jed Hughes and Korn/Ferry, has announced.
■ Everywhere Idzik goes, winning programs break out soon after. He joined the Buccaneers in 1993 and they went 5-11. But they built under Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden to five playoff berths in six years from 1997-02, crowned by the Bucs’ Super Bowl XXXVII win over Oakland. His three years at Arizona from 2004-06 were three losing seasons under Denny Green, but Ken Whisenhunt took over in ’07 and by ’09 the Cards were NFC champions and Super Bowl participants. With the Seahawks, Idzik’s first season was 10-6, then came four losing seasons, then came this year’s 11-5 resurgence in Seattle.
“John is a well-respected lifelong football man,” ‘Hawks GM John Schneider said this evening, “who I believe will be a strong addition to the Jets organization.”
■ Is he a cap guy? He graduated from Dartmouth magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in mathematics and has put it to use ever since. His main role with the Seahawks has been described as being their salary cap guy who oversaw player negotiations, cap compliance, player personnel transactions, football operations budgets, staff and team contracts and team travel.
■ Is he a personnel guy? That is already a burning question for fans and media and will continue to be on through next Thursday’s news conference to introduce Idzik. He will explain his experience far better than I can from limited research, but yes, he has personnel experience as well. He was a pro personnel assistant, director of football administration and assistant GM with the Bucs, and his Seattle bio stresses that besides all the admin stuff he did for them, he also remained “active in player evaluations.” Before the pros he coached at Duke, SUNY Buffalo and for the Aberdeen, as in Scotland, Oilers of the BAFL, as in the British American Football League.
■ Idzik’s first coaching assignment came as the receivers coach at SUNY Buffalo in ’82. His second was as the offensive backfield coach for Aberdeen in ’90. What did he do in between? He was a programming projects manager and systems engineer for IBM, working in White Plains, N.Y., Atlanta and Tampa.
■ A little more about those bloodlines that no doubt interested Johnson and head coach Rex Ryan: The Jets have had two league-leading rushing attacks since joining the NFL in 1970. The last time was 2009, Ryan’s first year as head coach. The first time was 1979, Idzik Sr.’s last season as the OC.
And we don’t know if Idzik’s first official duties as Jets general manager will incorporate some work at next week’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., but it would be another circle closed as his father served as one of the OC’s in the 1978 Senior Bowl.
■ Word is that Ryan wasn’t part of the GM evaluation. However, Ryan did meet with Idzik and fellow candidate Omar Khan of the Steelers to discuss football philosophy during the interview process.
None of this necessarily tells us much about what the start of the Idzik administration will look like. But we’ll get all the input we need in the coming days, weeks and months as a new, energetic, tireless executive with ties to the Jets’ past sets to work on the Jets’ future.
Unfortunately, its been rather accurate ARod. It seems like this team is always one player, or one coach away from whoever the better of the best are.
I will throw up if Gamble moves on to the Lions one day and builds them into perennial winners. Once again, it will be "hey, we interviewed that guy once."
Nothing against Idzik at all, but should any of the other guys interviewed have greater success than him, it will reinforce my statement.
I dont know that I believe there is a dark cloud or whatever, but I cant argue the teams history of always missing the mark.
Idzik and Morninweg are certainly not a disgrace. They are more than probable improvements versus who they replaced.
That said the Jets are a mess. Worst QB in the league. Lousy RBs, TE. So so WR at best. A demoralized and declining OL.
D is not bad. Not great.
The playoff games though provided at look at the future. QB.
Add to that RG3 and Cam Newton.
The Jetsa are not a player or even 3 players away. 5+ at least.
I was a great Pee Wee league QB. I peeked early. Past success everywhere else doesn't predict future success at the next level. Our owner has had love affairs with Bradway, Herm Edward, Mike T, Mangini and now Rex. I suspect if Idzik is going to be really good our owner is going to have to have hired him for very different reasons than his past hires.
I hope he turns out to be a great GM we need it. Hope is not the same thing as reasoned optimism.
I have similar thoughts.
Idzik is a very well rounded individual. That has spent his whole adult life in various football positions. And while growing up...had a father that held various coaching assignments. Including OC NYJ under Walt Michaels. So when a Summe Cum Laude...Phi Betta Kappa person, with a degree in mathematics at Dartmouth. And a Masters in Liberal Arts from Duke...decides to devote his life to football. To me...that is a significant sign that he has a genuine love and passion for the game. Cause with that kind of educational background...Idzik can write his ticket in many other fields other then football.
When Idzik sits in a meeting over foootball matters...I have a strong feeling that he's the smartest guy in that room. IMO...Dungy and others have confirmed that too.
To harshly criticize Woody for choosing Idzik...with Korn Ferry's blessings...before even hearing out what he has to say in this upcoming Thursday presser. To not at least hear what his vision is for the NYJ. And how he plans to go about implementing it, going forward. Is just simply ridiculous. Apprehension...misgivings...yea that makes sense. Unless you're Fatcessa...Cimini and Myers, etc.
Serby...among all these rag whiners, turns out to be a voice of reason...and suggests that we all give Idzik a chance to show us what he's all about...
"Don’t bail on new Jets boss John Idzik before he builds roster"
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/...wc4grWX4cvtIRJ
One thing I'm confident of...he's going to be the smartest guy at that presser. And I'm eager to hear what he has to say.
For all the focus on whether Idzik is or isnt a "football guy", the main point of the hire is lost. The biggest determining factor if a new GM will succeed is his vision and philosophy as to how he wants to build his team, not the individual scouting of a prospect. GMs dont personally evaluate every prospect, they rely heavily on their scouting department to do that. The GMs job is to look at the roster as a whole and implement his plan. He weighs the opinions of his scouts, coaches and personnel guys and then does what he sees fit. It is much more of a macro approach, than a micro one.
Idzik isnt Tanny, its not even close. Tanny was an intern for 3 years before he joined the Jets. One of those years was with a minor league baseball team. He never held a paid position with any other team other than the Jets. Tanny was is and will always be a numbers guy.
Brian Costello @BrianCoz
John Idzik on right attending the north practice this morning
Do GMs usually attend these events?
not one person here knew who izdik was 2 weeks ago. that includes the ny media. but that does not mean you cannot have an opinion on the guy after reading his bio.
It will take years to evaluate this man as a gm. We need to sit back and see how he operates.
I am happy tanny is gone but i have no clue about what izdik is going to bring to the table. But we needed a fresh pair of eyes and hes the guy that was chosen.
We will see my friends.
Speaking of SOJF's, why don't the Eagles or the Browns have those type of fans, especially since they have won nothing?
Track record : Spent sometime with the Bucs and was in the management that led them to the superbowl.Look at his time in Arizona,spent time with them,they go to the superbowl.He leaves Arizona,they go on a decline.He goes to Seattle they go on a rebound.There is something about this guy that is special.From what I seen of him he kinda looks like John Elway at gm,who will not worry about making the tough decisions,like shipping Tebow out of town.I say it's a slam dunk hire and he will be a top gm for a long long time.He's good at the cap and good at scouting talent -- reference the Seattle drafts.They got a franchize qb in the third round.I don't see one negative in this guy,not one.
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