The hot shot college coach to pro thing usually doesn’t work out. The Rams’ own John Robinson was mediocre as coach, and Steve Spurrier don’t live up to billing. John McKay did okay with the Bucs, given his #1 bust in Ricky Bell and an overall poor expansion team he had to build.
But some times it does: Jimmy Johnson and Dick Vermeil come to mind....
Don Coryell wasn’t bad though, and his college staff included John Madden and Joe Gibbs.
I heard an interesting report on a sports radio show earlier this week. The guy who was being interviewed said the NFL is facing a growing problem with a lack of talent at the head coaching position ... and a lot of it is being driven by NFL coaches finding better deals and better working conditions in the college ranks.
McKay was once asked (in the Buccaneers’ first season) “Coach, what do you think of the execution of the defense?”
He answered, “I’m all for it.”