Who is Doug Marrone? How is Alabama O-line coach linked to Saints?
Doug Marrone has been in the news Wednesday after reportedly being hired by the New Orleans Saints as a top offensive assistant under head coach Dennis Allen. This represents a jump back to the NFL for Marrone, after spending a year as Alabama's offensive line coach.
Allen and the Saints are currently trying to build a staff that will have the same long-term success previously seen under Sean Payton. That won't be an easy task, making the hiring of Marrone a fascinating one.
The #Saints are hiring an old friend, bringing back #Bama OL coach and former #Jaguars coach Doug Marrone for a key role on their offensive staff, source said.
Those in NFL circles may be much more aware of the coach's past in the league and elsewhere. But why is Marrone linked so strongly with the Saints?
Why is Doug Marrone connected to the Saints?
The coach slowly but surely rose through the coaching ranks by working with offensive lines. This saw him serve as the offensive line coach of the New York Jets from 2002 to 2005. A big promotion followed as he became the first offensive coordinator under Payton in New Orleans and held the job from 2006 to 2008.
He then left to be the head coach at Syracuse for four seasons. That was followed by a two-year stint with the Buffalo Bills as the head coach, and then four years leading the Jacksonville Jaguars. His reputation took a hit after he went from the AFC Championship Game in 2017 to a 1-15 record in 2020.
He is someone who has worked his way up to the head coaching ranks, only to be average at best. That led to him taking the familiar route of former coaches who head to Alabama to rebuild their reputation working with Nick Saban.
Marrone may now get back to basics by focusing on the team's offensive line. Or he may even share his knowledge throughout the offense, serving in a more senior role given his experience.
Doug Marrone was the #Saints OC and offensive line coach from 2006-2008.
2006 - 5th in points | 1st in yards
2007 - 12th on points | 4th in yards
2008 - 1st in points | 1st in yards
We’ll see what role he serves, but a good one to reunite with.
Marrone is now 57 years old, and it's likely his head coaching days are behind him. His legacy took a blow early on when he bailed on the Buffalo Bills due to an opt-out clause in his contract after two seasons.
The clause let him leave if ownership changed, which it did, and he left abruptly. Reaching the AFC Championship Game with Jacksonville in 2017 is the lone highlight of his head coaching career.
Sometimes coaches do one thing very well, only to take on more and more and ultimately fail. Marrone can now do whatever Allen needs him to do on offense.
The team can also have a large amount of talented assistants who all help each other, with one in particular calling plays. That means he could end up being the offensive coordinator, without such a title in place.
The Saints changed the narrative of their franchise the first time Marrone was with the team. Fans are hoping the same becomes true the second time around in what is a new era of football in New Orleans.
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