How, exactly, do you pre-plan a transition like this one? Hiring a HCiW, unless he will be another 3O guy wasn't going to work. The only way would have been to pony up for a defensive minded HCiW and planted him in the DC role. Even then, the whole fanbase would complain if he hired an option guy to be OC for a year or so while we slowly backed away, and what OC is going to come work himself out of a job?
No. In this, I think TStan was right. If you're going to change, just go ahead and rip the band aid off all at once and deal with it.