Seahawks coach-to-be could jump ship

Something called the Washington Huskies Examiner and the Web site ProFootballTalk.com are both reporting that Jim Mora could be the next head coach of the Washington Huskies.

While the Seattle Times reported a month ago that he wouldn’t be a candidate, rumors persist that the former Atlanta Falcons coach might in fact be the guy.

Why is this noteworthy? Well, the assistant head coach/defensive backs coach of the Seattle Seahawks had already been pegged to be the successor to Mike Holmgren, who has already announced that he is leaving the Seattle Seahawks to take at least the next year off.

And the Seahawks may have paid the price for making that announcement prior to the season. While the team has been plagued by injuries, there is some evidence that naming a “head coach in waiting” can turn the current team off from playing for the current guy.

Don Banks at sportsillustrated.cnn.com points at the Indianapolis Colts (Jim Caldwell will replace Tony Dungy when Dungy leaves) and Dallas Cowboys (Jason Garrett will replace Wade Phillips when Jerry Jones gets his next itchy trigger finger) as teams in addition to Seattle that all have underachieved to some degree during the season.

The Colts and Cowboys have turned it around enough to get into contention. But an AFC executive told Banks “I can’t recall one, but in the history of the league has there ever been a situation , where there’s a coach, and a coach in waiting and that team has had a productive season?” the executive asked rhetorically. “I really don’t think so. I don’t remember one. There has to be something to all three of these teams struggling in this situation. How can it not be at least a factor?”

So, while injuries have helped derail the Seahawks this season, they also potentially partially wasted a the year in hopes that Mora would take over next year only for him to potentially jump ship before coaching a game?

I’ve got to think that if this comes to pass this strange “coach in waiting” trend might slow a bit. And I’ve also got to think that perhaps these are some of Jim Mora’s true colors starting to shine through … again.