Flores Lures Wlaf Coach -- Kennan Takes Over Seahawk Offense

Jan 8, 1992

Craig Smith

One of Coach Tom Flores' key assistants when he was Raider coach today was named the Seahawks' new offensive coordinator, replacing John Becker.

Larry Kennan, 47, coached quarterbacks for Flores from 1982-87, which included the 1984 Super Bowl championship. Last spring, he was head coach of the London Monarchs, which won the first World League of American football championship.

Kennan and Flores are expected to add more deep passing to the Seahawk attack.

"My philosophy would be very similar to Tom's in that we want to throw the ball up the field," Kennan said by telephone today from his home in Indianapolis. "We want to stretch people out and make them defend the whole field, laterally and vertically. We also want a power-running type game."

Kennan is replacing Becker for the second time in his career, the first time in Indianapolis in 1989 when Becker joined Chuck Knox's Seahawk staff in Seattle.

Meanwhile, the limbo life that Seahawk assistants have been living is expected to resolve itself.

Knox accepted the Los Angeles Rams' head coaching position today and is expected to ask many Seahawk assistants to join him,some of whom have invitations to join Flores' staff.

Chick Harris, Seahawk running backs coach, got an early invitation from Knox.

"It's not going to be an easy decision," said Harris,who has been on Knox's staff for 11 years. Defensive line coach George Dyer has an offer to stay with the Seahawks and is waiting to hear from Knox, his boss for nine years.

"We just sit on pins and needles," Dyer said.

He said the situation would be a lot worse if he didn't have Flores' offer.

Keeping Catlin as a Seahawk would be viewed as a major accomplishment for Flores.

Catlin might be persuaded to remain a Seahawk. He is 60, underwent bypass surgery last March and may not want to move from Redmond. Another factor is the Rams reportedly want their defensive coordinator, Jeff Fisher, retained in some capacity because he is viewed as future head coaching material.

Flores was back in his office today after attending a NFL meeting in Dallas. The only assistant coach who has committed to stay is Paul Moyer.

Flores was expected to speak with offensive line coach Kent Stephenson today about a job offer. Notes

-- Scott Ostler, Los Angeles Times columnist, once wrote of Flores:

"Flores' image is that he doesn't have an image. . . . Some coaches are headset-throwing maniacs on the sideline, some are cool. . . . And then there's Flores, who looks like a guy waiting for a bus."

---------- KENNAN BIO ----------

-- New position: Seahawk offensive coordinator.

-- Age: 47.

-- Previous position: Head coach, London Monarchs, 1991 champions of World League of American Football (11-1).

-- Prior pro positions: Offensive coordinator, Indianapolis Colts, 1989-90; Receivers coach, Denver Broncos, 1988; Quarterback coach, Los Angeles Raiders, 1982-87, under Tom Flores.

-- College positions: Assistant, Colorado, 1969-71; offensive coordinator, UNLV, 1973-75; offensive coordinator, Southern Methodist, 1976-78; head coach, Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas, 1979-81 (13-17-3).

-- High school positions: Head coach, Garden Grove HS, Garden Grove, Calif. and Arvada West High School, Arvada, Colo.

-- College career: Quarterback at La Verne College, Calif. Earned history degree.

-- Family: Wife, Pat. Sons Steve, 21, Ryan, 19, Kyle, 14.

FLORES' 1ST HIRE IS EX-RAIDER

Knox was expected to accept the Los Angeles Rams' head coaching position today and is expected to ask many Seahawk assistants to join him,some of whom have invitations to join Flores' staff.