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Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Turk Schonert has been fired after the offense's dismal performance in the preseason.
The move was announced by coach **** Jauron on Friday, less than a day after the Bills closed their preseason with a 17-6 loss to Detroit.
Quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt will take over as the Bills prepare to open the season at New England on Sept. 14.
Schonert was responsible for installing a no-huddle offense this year in a bid to keep defenses guessing and to take advantage of new receiver Terrell Owens. The plan has so far failed to work for a first-team offense that generated 279 yards, 15 first downs and 3 points in 15 series this preseason.
Overall, the Bills were outscored 75-12 in the first half and failed to score a touchdown in their final eight-plus quarters, including a 17-0 loss at Pittsburgh last weekend.
"It didn't seem like we were progressing," Jauron said, adding he consulted with team owner Ralph Wilson earlier in the day. Jauron said Wilson told him it was up to him. "It was a decision I needed to make and I did it."
Jauron said he began considering the move over the past day.
The offense's struggles were partly due to the absence of Owens, who missed the final four preseason games with a sprained toe. Another factor was the team's decision to completely retool its offensive line, which is projected to include two rookie starters at guard, first-round pick Eric Wood and second-rounder Andy Levitre.
Schonert was entering his second year as the team's coordinator after serving as Buffalo's quarterbacks coach. He was spotted leaving the Bills facility about 30 minutes before the team's official announcement.
Schonert becomes the third offensive coordinator fired this week, after Kansas City's Chan Gailey was fired on Monday and Tampa Bay's Jeff Jagodzinski was let go on Thursday. Schonert was regarded as a key supporter of quarterback Trent Edwards, as the two are Stanford alums.
Van Pelt is entering his fourth season with the team as coach and previously spent nine seasons playing for the Bills as a backup quarterback. He's familiar with Edwards and also familiar with the no-huddle scheme, having played behind Hall-of-Famer Jim Kelly, who ran the no-huddle K-Gun attack.
The Bills now move on to their sixth offensive coordinator since the start of the 2001 season.
The decision to fire Schonert shouldn't have come as a surprise after the unit's struggles this preseason, and after Wilson expressed concern about the offense after last season when he elected to retain Jauron and his staff.
Wilson, at the time, said he shared "many of the fans' dissatisfaction with our offensive game management," and added he would not be complacent in seeking improvement.
The Bills offense finished 25th in total yards in the NFL last season, the sixth straight year the unit finished 25th or worse.
The move was announced by coach **** Jauron on Friday, less than a day after the Bills closed their preseason with a 17-6 loss to Detroit.
Quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt will take over as the Bills prepare to open the season at New England on Sept. 14.
Schonert was responsible for installing a no-huddle offense this year in a bid to keep defenses guessing and to take advantage of new receiver Terrell Owens. The plan has so far failed to work for a first-team offense that generated 279 yards, 15 first downs and 3 points in 15 series this preseason.
Overall, the Bills were outscored 75-12 in the first half and failed to score a touchdown in their final eight-plus quarters, including a 17-0 loss at Pittsburgh last weekend.
"It didn't seem like we were progressing," Jauron said, adding he consulted with team owner Ralph Wilson earlier in the day. Jauron said Wilson told him it was up to him. "It was a decision I needed to make and I did it."
Jauron said he began considering the move over the past day.
The offense's struggles were partly due to the absence of Owens, who missed the final four preseason games with a sprained toe. Another factor was the team's decision to completely retool its offensive line, which is projected to include two rookie starters at guard, first-round pick Eric Wood and second-rounder Andy Levitre.
Schonert was entering his second year as the team's coordinator after serving as Buffalo's quarterbacks coach. He was spotted leaving the Bills facility about 30 minutes before the team's official announcement.
Schonert becomes the third offensive coordinator fired this week, after Kansas City's Chan Gailey was fired on Monday and Tampa Bay's Jeff Jagodzinski was let go on Thursday. Schonert was regarded as a key supporter of quarterback Trent Edwards, as the two are Stanford alums.
Van Pelt is entering his fourth season with the team as coach and previously spent nine seasons playing for the Bills as a backup quarterback. He's familiar with Edwards and also familiar with the no-huddle scheme, having played behind Hall-of-Famer Jim Kelly, who ran the no-huddle K-Gun attack.
The Bills now move on to their sixth offensive coordinator since the start of the 2001 season.
The decision to fire Schonert shouldn't have come as a surprise after the unit's struggles this preseason, and after Wilson expressed concern about the offense after last season when he elected to retain Jauron and his staff.
Wilson, at the time, said he shared "many of the fans' dissatisfaction with our offensive game management," and added he would not be complacent in seeking improvement.
The Bills offense finished 25th in total yards in the NFL last season, the sixth straight year the unit finished 25th or worse.
