Tennessee sets table with Chow
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher might have given quarterback Steve McNair another reason to return for the 2005 season.
Fisher lured Norm Chow away from Southern California, where he helped the Trojans win two straight national titles, to become Tennessee’s offensive coordinator.
Fisher said Wednesday he has no doubts the 58-year-old Chow can handle NFL defenses despite spending 32 years coaching in the college ranks.
One of Chow’s top priorities is “to keep a quarterback on his feet and keep him from getting knocked down,” Fisher said at a news conference. “Obviously, we share similar opinions. So that’s one thing that’s going to be a paramount priority of ours is to keep the pocket clean and keep Steve from getting hit.”
McNair had bone grafted onto his sternum Dec. 28 after missing six starts and parts of two others last season. He has said he will wait to decide whether he should retire from the NFL after 10 seasons.
Fisher said he believes McNair will return. The quarterback met with Chow on Friday, and McNair’s recovery is nearly complete.
“I believe that this decision put a little more bounce in his step than he’s had,” Fisher said of McNair. “He’s doing very well right now, and I know he’s excited about this.”
Chow said the timing for this move was right. His hiring comes a week after the Trojans signed a recruiting class ranked among the best in the nation.
“Everybody understands it’s an opportunity for me and my family to get to the highest level of football, and they understand the excitement that we have,” Chow said during a conference call.
Chow replaces Mike Heimerdinger, who was hired as the New York Jets’ offensive coordinator last month.
This is Chow’s first job in pro football after 27 seasons at Brigham Young University, a season at North Carolina State and the last four at USC. Chow had some NFL opportunities in the past but never pursued them.
Asked about reports of friction with USC coach Pete Carroll, Chow said there was nothing to that talk.
“All of that is exaggerated. I owe a lot to Pete Carroll. He knows that. He knows how I feel. I know how he feels. We can’t control anything else,” Chow said.
A USC alum, Fisher also interviewed assistant head coach George Henshaw and quarterbacks coach Craig Johnson from his staff. He initially met with Chow for four hours a few days before national college signing day on Feb. 2, then had a lengthy final interview in Nashville last Friday.