EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Mike Tice took firm control of the
Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, shaking up his staff amid a report
that he would hire disgraced coach George O'Leary as an assistant.
In his first day as head coach, Tice dismissed a fifth
assistant, challenged his starting quarterback to get better, and
promised that none of his players would loaf.
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Mike Tice bio
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Date of birth: Feb 2, 1959.
Born: Bayshore, N.Y.
Pro resume: Player: University of Maryland 1977-80; Seattle
Seahawks, 1981-88, Washington Redskins 1989, Seattle Seahawks
1990-91, Minnesota Vikings 1992-93, 1995. Coach: Minnesota Vikings,
1996-present.
Personal: Wife, Diane, and two children. Brother, John, is
Vikings' tight ends coach.
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And the St. Paul Pioneer Press, citing team sources, reported on
its Web site that Tice plans to make O'Leary his defensive line
coach.
Tice has a three-year deal, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.
O'Leary, who quit five days after being hired as Notre Dame
coach when he was found to have lied on his resume, declined
Thursday to confirm the report in an interview with The Associated
Press.
Pressed on whether he was discussing a job with Tice, O'Leary
said: "I've spoken to Michael, but I have not done anything at all
with Minnesota."
He said he expected to talk to Tice again. Jack Reale, O'Leary's agent, told ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli on Thursday that O'Leary has several options and probably won't make up his mind until early next week.
"I'm going to listen to some people," O'Leary said. "Mike's
one of the ones I want to talk to."
Tice didn't mention O'Leary at a news conference to introduce
him as the replacement for Dennis Green, and he wasn't available to
reporters later in the day.
The Vikings also will promote vice president of player personnel Frank Gilliam to head their football operations, ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports. While his title is unclear, Gilliam will definitely oversee the day-to-day football business. Scott Studwell will become the director of college scouting and Paul Wiggin, who had cut back on his schedule, will return to full-time duty as pro scouting director.
Tice pledged a quick return to success for the Vikings after a
5-11 season. He spoke sternly, confidently and candidly about his
vision for the team in a manner rarely shown by his predecessor.
"This season was no fun for me," Tice said. "I want to have
fun."
Green was ousted last week, agreeing with owner Red McCombs on a
buyout of the two years left on his contract. McCombs alluded to
the perception that Green had lost control of the team as one of
the reasons for the change.
Star wide receiver Randy Moss was a large part of that issue. He
had his least productive season, was fined several times by the
league and the team, and said twice that he only plays hard when he
wants to.
Tice, whose tough but fair demeanor has drawn the respect of the
Vikings in his five seasons as offensive line coach, made it clear
that no one will be loafing.
"I love to work hard," Tice said. "I don't think there are
many people who are going to outwork me, and I'm going to demand
the same of my staff and players."
The staff will have a decidedly different look in 2002. Four
assistants, including offensive coordinator Sherm Lewis and
defensive coordinator Emmitt Thomas, learned Tuesday they won't be
returning, and outside linebackers coach Trent Walters left for a
job at Notre Dame.
Special teams coach Gary Zauner was let go Thursday. Tice
offered the defensive coordinator position to defensive backs coach
Willie Shaw, who is expected to accept it.
Tice couldn't discuss his choices for an offensive coordinator,
because most of them are with teams in the playoffs. Whoever it is
will have to get Moss more involved in the offense. He had 10
touchdowns and 1,233 yards this year -- both career lows.
"We have to increase the ratio of touches that Randy Moss
has," Tice said. "That ratio has to improve. It is not good
enough."
Tice also said he'll move fullback Jim Kleinsasser to his
natural tight end position and challenged quarterback Daunte Culpepper to become a better student.
"The No. 1 film watcher on your team should be the
quarterback," Tice said. "Daunte needs to do a better job of
preparing himself so that he knows the game plan as well as the
coach does. Daunte Culpepper might be the best athlete at
quarterback in the entire league. What he has to become is a better
quarterback."
The Vikings were reeling even before the season began when Pro
Bowl tackle Korey Stringer died of heatstroke in training camp.
They never recovered, stumbling to their worst record since 1984
and missing the playoffs for the first time since 1995.
Cameras caught several sideline arguments involving players this
season and Green was criticized for appearing to tolerate a poor
attitude by Moss. Green's relationship with star receiver Cris
Carter also cooled, partly because of the way Green handled Moss.
Carter has strongly hinted that he will not play for Minnesota next
season.
With Moss and Culpepper, Tice was confident the Vikings still
had enough talent to return to the playoffs.
"You're only one or two players away, as Chicago has proven
this year, from changing things," said Tice, referring to the NFC
Central champion Bears, who went from 5-11 in 2000 to 13-3 this
year.
Tice, who coached the Vikings in their final game Monday, a 19-3
loss at Baltimore, was loose and wry. He joked freely with McCombs,
who participated by speakerphone from San Antonio. And he was
playfully chided by his son for being tough on his seventh-grade
team.
"He yells a lot," said Nate, 12.
The players are happy with the choice. Tice has received much of
the credit for turning center Matt Birk from a sixth-round draft
pick from Harvard into a two-time Pro Bowl player.
"Obviously I'm very happy for him," Birk said. "Working under
him for the last four years, seeing how hard he works and how hard
he prepares. He's been like the one coach on the staff that any
player felt like they could go talk to. He told the truth, and he
won't sugarcoat it for everyone."
Running back Michael Bennett, who sobbed in the locker room last
week after learning Green was gone, showed up at Tice's news
conference.
"A couple of days ago, I was upset," Bennett said. "But this
kind of relieves a lot of the tension for me. I think he epitomizes
what our program is all about."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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Working class man
