The resurrectors

"It's not just one speech or one inspirational moment," says Bill Walsh, who won three Super Bowls coaching the San Francisco 49ers after reviving the franchise during the 1980s. "It's a process in which you methodically condition men's minds to believe in what they're doing, and in each other."

Mr. Walsh and others around the game say turnaround experts typically need two to three years to realize the full benefits of an overhaul.

Even for those coaches skilled enough to pull off renaissance projects, they must have several pieces in place before they can succeed.

Perhaps the most important factor is control. Players won't believe in a new program if they're not convinced the coach's decisions are ironclad - and not subject to second-guessing from ownership or management. Parcells won assurance from Jerry Jones, the often meddlesome Cowboys owner, that his would be the final word and, thus far, the marriage seems solid.

In Kansas City, Peterson, who teamed with Vermeil at UCLA and in Philadelphia, says the relationship is close and smooth. Peterson enjoys carte blanche from Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt and, in turn, has told Vermeil he can coach "as long as I'm here." In San Francisco, owner Eddie DeBartolo had bestowed similar privileges on Walsh.

Credibility, consistent approach, talent evaluation, and adaptability are also prerequisites for a turnaround. The last factor may be underappreciated, Theismann says. Having a football philosophy is essential, but not if it can't be shaped in the image of the roster.

"Don't try to fit a square peg into a round hole," he says. "Too many coaches have a plan, but then the players don't fit it. Classic example: Steve Spurrier. In Washington, he has basically said, 'This is my plan; I want to see if it works.' It doesn't."

Mr. Spurrier, a peerless winner at the University of Florida during the 1990s, has flunked his early tests as the Redskins' coach the past two seasons. His lack of pro football experience may have hurt his credibility with players, as well, a perception unlikely to be reversed without significant NFL triumphs.

By contrast, Theismann and others weren't surprised when longtime NFL assistant coaches John Fox and Marvin Lewis proved quick studies in the top job. Mr. Fox, now in his second year with the Carolina Panthers, and Mr. Lewis, in his debut campaign leading the Cincinnati Bengals (long derided as the "Bungles"), have turned league punching bags into playoff contenders.

"The guys who win and turn it around do several things," says Randy Cross, who played for Walsh in San Francisco before becoming a CBS analyst. "They have specific ideas and they make you accountable and responsible. It sounds simple, but, believe me, it's the exception, not the rule."

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