Jeremy Bates: Awesome Alert!

Remember that time when, on 3rd and 17 the Seahawks ran a fullback draw? What about when on 3rd and 17 the Hawks ran a playaction pass to a fullback? Or, say, 3rd and 17 with a screen pass to your chronically injured, couldn't-juke-a-turtle WR?

Well, folks, Jeremy Bates is your new offensive coordinator, and he is no Greg Knapp. He's no Mike Holmgren either. He is, well, Jeremy Bates. In his one year calling plays with Cutler and the Broncos, Bates aired it out 61% of the times and led one of the top offenses in the NFL. Last year at USC, with a freshman quarterback and three potential NFL running backs, he played to his strengths and went to a more balanced scheme. It's more the comments from his peers that does it for me though:

"Jeremy is brilliant," said Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger, who recommended Bates to Shanahan in Denver after working with him on the Jets. "He's very imaginative. He comes up with a different game plan every week. He does a great job of changing the formations. He diagnoses well."

He's also kind of cocky, quite defensive, and willing to fight to have his way. That might sound less than ideal, but I want someone who believes that what he's doing is right. I want my offense to be confident, and that starts at the top. I want my offense to be unpredictable and, more importantly, confident in the risks it takes. Knapp and Mora "took risks" with Seneca, but that was BS. They viewed that as a gimmick, not as a tool. They went to the Wildcat because they felt they were "supposed to" go to the Wildcat.

It remains to be seen how Bates will actually look as our offensive coordinator. There will be a ton of time to be skeptical and judgmental, but today it's time to be excited about what might be. Bates is a rising star in the league. He is not a "college guy," he was born and raised in the professional football (well, his father coached for 18 years in college, 20 in the pros). It's time for a rebirth baby!