Coury Expects to Be Offered Patriots’ Offensive Coordinator Job

Ram quarterback coach Dick Coury is the New England Patriots’ No. 1 choice to be offensive coordinator, expects to be offered the job as early as this weekend and is strongly leaning toward accepting.

Coury, who has coached the Ram quarterbacks for five seasons, flew to Boston several days ago to interview with new Patriot Coach Dick MacPherson and is expected to meet with MacPherson in San Jose today, when an offer apparently will be made.

“It looks like a good opportunity,” Coury said Friday from his hotel room in San Jose, where he is participating in a football clinic. “He’s said I’m the guy he wants.

“I’ve always wanted to be a head coach (in the NFL) and I guess I’ve got to be a coordinator to do that.

“That’s the reason why I turned down the head coaching job in the other league. I had never pursued a coordinator job in this league, and I thought if I did not take that head coaching job, I’d better start looking for a coordinator spot.”

But Coury also cautioned that he has not yet been offered the job, and isn’t certain he would accept if it’s offered.

Two weeks ago, Coury accepted the head coaching job with the Orlando franchise in the new World League of American Football before reconsidering and turning down the job.

“My gut feeling is that I’ll go, but remember, I also was going to Orlando,” Coury said. “I’ll talk it over with my wife, see what she thinks about leaving. Sometimes it’s harder to leave Los Angeles than you think.”

Coury, 61, who has been a head coach in the WFL and USFL but never a coordinator in the NFL, said he welcomed a chance to increase his coaching responsibilities. With the Rams, he worked mainly on drills and technique with the quarterbacks, and had little input in the game plan.

“It’s tough (leaving the Rams), but the opportunity there is running the offense and doing more coaching,” Coury said. “And with the Rams, I was doing coaching and administrative work--which was nice of (Executive Vice President) John Shaw. . . . I just want to coach more, and this has been the best opportunity.”

Coury said MacPherson probably was directed to him by Joe Collier, MacPherson’s choice for defensive coordinator. Collier worked with Coury on the Denver Broncos’ staff. New England was 1-15 last season, and Coach Rod Rust and his staff were fired.

“I have no idea about their personnel,” Coury said. “I know some names, but evidently, they played with a young quarterback (Tommy Hodson).”

Ram Coach John Robinson, who recently put together his revamped defensive staff, told Coury to go to Boston, consider the job, then make sure he talked to the the Rams before accepting.

“I talked with him after they called,” Coury said, “and he said, ‘Shoot, you’ve got to look into it Might be an avenue for you to do better things.’ ”

Coury said he planned to speak today with Robinson after meeting with MacPherson.

And if he leaves, Coury said he expects the Rams won’t hire anybody to replace him--with offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese and receivers coach Norval Turner taking more of the quarterback coaching duties.