"Mystery Candidate" is Jim Fassel, whatever that means

Redskins Insider says a WaPo story is pending naming Jim Fassel as the mystery candidate that received interviews on January 11th and yesterday. So far as hidden prizes go, I would've just kept this one in the box and taken the coach in hand.

Waiting for the word from the Post, here's the story from Fox Sports:

He's a fine coach, I guess, though not my first pick for the job. But what job is it, exactly, asks Fanhouse: Sportz Assassin is drawing from this ESPN article. I'll take Chris Mortensen and SA's word that this could potentially be an offensive coordinator hire, but would disagree about the degree to which Coach Gibbs did or did not obviously lack trust in Al Saunders. Even were that the case, Joe Gibbs is now gone from the team and his alleged distrust of a Saunders offense is irrelevant at this point. I view forcing Jason Campbell into learning a new scheme as a catastrophic error on the part of this coaching staff, even if I've yet to become enamored of Al Saunders as our coordinator.

But, to SA's credit, I think we do need to start concerning ourselves with coordinators as much as who will be the Head Coach. Depending on what contingency works out, it isn't clear that we'll have a defensive coordinator. Should the team go to Fassel or a Jim Schwartz as Head Coach, will Gregg Williams reallyw ant to sit in as coordinator under the newcomer or even his old apprentice? If he walks, we'd turn our attention immediately to finding a new defensive coordinator. Even if Williams gets the job the question would be who gets the job he vacates, and perhaps that is where a newcomer comes in. I'd vote for promoting Jerry Gray from within, personally.

Mark Maske, in a WaPo Q&A this morning discussed the coordinators issue:

This bit is quoted for alterior motives; though I promise I am not "Ashburn, Va." I applaud his hyperbole in so much as it agrees with me in substance, if not thrust. I would add that if Gregg Williams isn't promoted, than the sun will burn out next year, and also beer will cause herpes.

Mostly quoted because Maske is a wise man who lends credibility to the theory that Schwartz and Fassel were merely offensive coordinator hires merely by stating that as a possibility. It is worth not taking for granted that when a coach is interviewed at Redskins park it is for Head Coach, necessarily. For all we know, Gregg Williams was interviewed for Food and Beverage Commissioner.

Riggo's Rag, Jim Fassel or Gregg Williams