C'mon people, remember the Dick Vermeil precedent!
Vermeil and the 1999 Rams were not predicted to do much that year, especially after starting QB Trent Green went down with an ACL injury in preseason. Vermeil was 63 that year, and reports were that he stopped micro-managing his coordinators, and delegated more. Certain to his OC Mike Martz.
OK, it's a stretch to see the parallel, but at age 70, Pete stops hiring yes-men coordinators, and honestly delegates and lets them do their job, and brings in Sean Desai on the defensive side. Now all we need is the second coming of Kurt Warner.
So, if we're going to see the Pete Carroll version of the Dick Vermeil '99 Rams, it will be on the defensive side of the ball. Desai and Hurtt will put together a defense for the ages, with a new system (3-4 looks?), a key injury will wipe out a defensive star (Bobby Wagner?) and a surprise new star will appear seemingly out of nowhere (Jordyn Brooks moves to Bobby's spot? Jamal Adams moves to LB? We luck into Luke Kuechly 2.0 in the draft? An Arena league/XFL/CFL signing shocks everyone?)
Or maybe the parallel is that we lose our starting QB by Russell getting traded, JS lures Stan Gelbaugh out of retirement, and Pete tearfully announces, "We will rally around Stan Gelbaugh and we will play good football!" OK, so that's a bit farfetched. Pete wouldn't openly cry like Dick Vermeil.
I think I'll settle for the version where Pete simply delegates, and it turns out he has brought in brilliant minds on both O and D and Pete can LEAD, and the OC and DC actually come up with game plans tailored to each opponent's strengths and weaknesses, and then adjust the plans quickly during the game based on what the opponent is doing. Pete tells Shane Waldon, "Shayne, score early and often, but your O freakin better be able to run the ball down their throats with a lead and 4 minutes left on the clock." Pete tells Sean Desai and Clint Hurtt, "Let's impose our will on them defensively by disguising what we're doing and forcing them into bad decisions and turnovers."
Shane Waldron impressed me with his game plans for the Chicago game and Cardinals road game. Probably others too, just those are the ones where I definitely saw his game plan being executed.
Pete HAS been arrogant, with the "Impose our will" bullcrap, for so long. I hope there is a real change this season.