Eric Studesville completes first round of Giants’ interviews
The Giants interviewed former Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville on Wednesday. Credit: Getty Images / Justin Edmonds
Round 1 is in the books.
The Giants completed the last of their scheduled interviews with candidates to become their next head coach on Wednesday. Former Broncos associate head coach Eric Studesville became the sixth coach to sit down with the team and discuss the job opening. He followed Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, Patriots offensive and defensive coordinators Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia, respectively, and the Giants’ own defensive coordinator and interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo.
And now?
Now we wait. And read the tea leaves.
Co-owner Steve Tisch was part of just one interview, sitting in on the meeting with Wilks on Tuesday. Is that a sign? Or just a scheduling quirk?
Sports Illustrated reported that Patricia may prefer the Giants’ job to the one with the Lions, where he has been attached to general manager and former Patriots personnel officer Bob Quinn. But does that mean the Giants prefer Patricia?
Will the lack of scoring by the Giants in the two years with Ben McAdoo as coach push them toward an offensive-minded coach such as McDaniels or Shurmur? Will having the second overall pick in the draft elevate the prospects of Shurmur, known to be a bit of a quarterback whisperer?
Studesville and Spagnuolo both have links to the Giants. Spagnuolo spent the past three seasons as their defensive coordinator, the same position he had with the 2007 Super Bowl team, and was so trusted by ownership that he was asked to guide the team through the final month of this season after McAdoo was fired. Studesville was the running backs coach for the Giants from 2001-03. He’s a blast from the far past, but the Giants always have liked hiring coaches who have a sense of how the franchise operates.
And most of all, will the Giants be willing to wait for their guy? Shurmur, Patricia and McDaniels are all on teams in the playoffs. If the Vikings and Patriots win this weekend, the Giants won’t be able to speak officially with any of those candidates until they are either eliminated in the conference title games or during the pre-Super Bowl bye.
There might even be other candidates. The Giants received permission to interview Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, but they were unable to schedule that meeting. If the Eagles lose Saturday, Schwartz could re-enter the picture. Perhaps as other NFL teams rejigger their coaching staffs, some pieces will fall out that intrigue the Giants.
And the specter of Bill Belichick looms over the entire process, no matter how many times he or the Patriots deny the possibility.
It’s been 11 days since the Giants began the search for their 18th coach. Eleven days of speculation, supposition and conjecture. Eleven days of questions.
The Giants are getting closer to the answer.
On to Round 2.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
