Frazier May Follow
Dungy, Tomlin Path
The 32 team NFL has five African-American
head coaches. Two of them, Tony Dungy of Indianapolis and
Mike Tomlin of Pittsburgh, came through here as defensive
coordinators for the Minnesota Vikings. Here’s a prediction that the
present defensive coordinator, Leslie Frazier, will one day add
his name to the list.
Dungy was in town last weekend when his
Colts beat the Vikings 18-15. Dungy was Vikings head coach Denny
Green’s defensive coordinator from 1992-1995. Then he moved on to
Tampa Bay as head coach of the Bucs. In 2007 he became the first
African-American head coach to win a Super Bowl.
Low key but effective, Dungy is a contrast
to Tomlin, a more emotional leader who was the Vikings’ defensive
coordinator for one year, 2006, before becoming head coach of the
Steelers at 34 years old. The book on the Steelers’ decision makers is
that they don’t hire bad head coaches. Tomlin is only the team’s third
head coach since 1969. He coached the Steelers to a division title and
the playoffs after finishing with a regular season record of 10-6.
Last season was Frazier’s first as the
Vikings’ defensive coordinator, coming here from Indianapolis where he
had worked for Dungy (Tomlin was an assistant under Dungy in Tampa
Bay). Last season Frazier’s defense was No. 1 in the NFL for allowing the fewest
rushing yards per game, 74.1. The defense scored six touchdowns
on interceptions (fifth most in league history) and two touchdowns on
fumble recoveries. The Vikings gave up 17.5 points per game and tied
for fifth in points allowed.
Vikings’ linebacker Ben Leber was
asked if he considers Frazier one of the league’s best defensive
coordinators. “You know, I think so,” he said. “...We’re
not doing a great job right now helping him out…with the wins and losses
but he’s putting together great schemes and I feel like we’re executing
pretty well.”
Leber admires Frazier’s technical
knowledge of defense, and also his leadership. “When we’re up, he stays
the same,” Leber said. “When we’re down, he stays the same. That’s the
mark of a good leader. You know you can’t be too emotional about the
game. You just gotta keep going. …When things need to be said, he’ll
say it. So I think he’s got all the leadership qualities of a good head
coach.”
Former Viking Mike Morris, now a
KFAN Radio talk show host, is also an admirer. “Part of it is his
appeal to the players in the room,” he said. “...He’s got a great personality for that kind of thing.
Players listen to him and respect him. He’s sharp. He thinks on his
feet.”
Both Morris and Leber consider Frazier,
49, a potential head coach. Can Frazier be as good a head coach as Dungy
and Tomlin? “Well, who knows?” Morris asked. “Dungy and
Tomlin? Who knows? That’s pretty good company.”
Whether it’s eventually with the Vikings
or another NFL team, Frazier looks like he’s in the NFL head coach
candidates' pool.
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