A QB coach, not an OC, not a HC

[mdk01]

He's still coaching and still developing QBs . A great example of the Peter Principal.

He turned an athletic RU QB recruit into a 5th rd draft pick, and has developed others. And amazingly was the Big East Coach of the Year in 1998

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Shea

Fire away

 

[socaldave]

Hire him

 

[NickRU714]

Not too familiar with Terry Shea specifically (before my time) but absolutely agree with the general concept.

I mentioned this in another thread but when the NCAA expanded from 9 staff to 10 staff we should have absolutely added a QB coach.

Current Staff is 5/5 plus a defensive HC. So really 5.5 or 6 on the defensive side.
Considering how important the QB position is overall, it definitely deserves it's own coach.
If we had an offensive HC who was involved with play calling, then we could get away with an OC/QB coach but we don't.

We need to make the HC/DC in charge of a unit and free up an offensive spot for just QB.
Want to add a specific ST coach? Combine TE into OL and WR coach maybe.

Current staff:
HC - defensive focused
Offense (5)
OC/QB
OL
RB
WR
TE
Defense (5)
DC
DL
LB
CB
S

 

[NickRU714]

Ideal Staff:

HC - offensive oriented 😉
OC/QB (mostly QB)
OL
RB
WR

DC (also help with DB - CB or S as needed)
DL
LB
DB

ST (or remove and add a specific CB/S coach)

 

[mdk01]

Not too familiar with Terry Shea specifically (before my time) but absolutely agree with the general concept.

I mentioned this in another thread but when the NCAA expanded from 9 staff to 10 staff we should have absolutely added a QB coach.

Current Staff is 5/5 plus a defensive HC. So really 5.5 or 6 on the defensive side.
Considering how important the QB position is overall, it definitely deserves it's own coach.
If we had an offensive HC who was involved with play calling, then we could get away with an OC/QB coach but we don't.

We need to make the HC/DC in charge of a unit and free up an offensive spot for just QB.
Want to add a specific ST coach? Combine TE into OL and WR coach maybe.

Current staff:
HC - defensive focused
Offense (5)
OC/QB
OL
RB
WR
TE
Defense (5)
DC
DL
LB
CB
S

Shea was a California guy, never meshed with NJ coaches and tried to recruit California.

He also ran a QB camp each summer on campus that was nationally recognized. He got McMahon, who had played behind a future P5 QB a class ahead of his in HS and did not start until his senior year, because of that camp.

 

[retired711]

A serious question: what does a QB coach do that an OC coordinator doesn't? Does a QB coach just work on mechanics? That would be fine, but we don't need a situation in which one coach is telling the QB one thing, and another coach telling a QB another.

 

[rutgersguy1]

Didn't we have Rob Spence as qb coach with Flood at one time? I don't remember that helping much despite many thinking it would, myself included. OCs are usually qb coaches, not always though. If your OC is a good one, I think he should be able to get the job done but I suppose it depends on what other area you'd cut back on vs the expected benefit to the qb.

 

[NickRU714]

Why is it always "OC/QB" but it never seems the DC is supposed to coach a unit as well?
Maybe I'm just not remembering but it seems like rarely it's "DC/DB" coach or "DC/LB".

I understand the QB room is probably smaller than other position groups but it's arguably more important and requires the most development/coaching.

 

[rutgersguy1]

Why is it always "OC/QB" but it never seems the DC is supposed to coach a unit as well?
Maybe I'm just not remembering but it seems like rarely it's "DC/DB" coach or "DC/LB".

I understand the QB room is probably smaller than other position groups but it's arguably more important and requires the most development/coaching.

You can definitely have DCs that coach a position group as well.

I just did a quick lookup of one that came to mind...Barry Odom. He was DC/LB at Memphis and he's DC/S now at Arkansas according to wiki.

 

[retired711]

Didn't we have Rob Spence as qb coach with Flood at one time? I don't remember that helping much despite many thinking it would, myself included. OCs are usually qb coaches, not always though. If your OC is a good one, I think he should be able to get the job done but I suppose it depends on what other area you'd cut back on vs the expected benefit to the qb.

This site says he was QB coach here for two years, but it doesn't specify when. He went from us to being head coach at a Chattanooga high school, which makes me wonder how successful he was here. He is now offensive coordinator at Georgetown. https://guhoyas.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/rob-spence/1855

 

[Thomas1945]

A serious question: what does a QB coach do that an OC coordinator doesn't? Does a QB coach just work on mechanics? That would be fine, but we don't need a situation in which one coach is telling the QB one thing, and another coach telling a QB another.

Interesting concept, but hopefully the QB coach and the OC are are speaking terms so this scenario shouldn’t happen.

 

[rutgersguy1]

This site says he was QB coach here for two years, but it doesn't specify when. He went from us to being head coach at a Chattanooga high school, which makes me wonder how successful he was here. He is now offensive coordinator at Georgetown. https://guhoyas.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/rob-spence/1855

I'm not against a qb coach but I don't think it's necessary. When Friedgen was the OC, you saw some improvement in Nova. If your OC is capable, your qb can improve. Simplicity of system can help too.

 

[DJ Spanky]

We need a dedicated QB coach or an OC who is a QB whisperer, aka Ralph Friedgen, and we also need a Special Teams coach. This coaching special teams by committee is not working out. We're good in some aspects, awful in others.

 

[Knight Shift]

Didn't we have Rob Spence as qb coach with Flood at one time? I don't remember that helping much despite many thinking it would, myself included. OCs are usually qb coaches, not always though. If your OC is a good one, I think he should be able to get the job done but I suppose it depends on what other area you'd cut back on vs the expected benefit to the qb.

Shea had Maro Verduzco on staff as a dedicated QB coach. He was recently let go by Nebraska after hanging with Scott Frost for 6 years.

Mario Verduzco - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Mario Verduzco - Assistant Coach - Quarterbacks - Football Coaches - University of Nebraska

CAREER COACHING ACCOLADES Broyles Award Nominee (2018) Mario Verduzco is the veteran of Nebraska’s coaching staff. In 2021, he was in his sixth season serving

huskers.com

EDIT- Yes, Spence was at Rutgers:

Rob Spence - Football Coach - Georgetown University Athletics

Spence's All-Patriot League Honors Zach Jewell 2021 2nd Team Talati Polamalu 2021 2nd Team Joshua Tomas 2021 1st

guhoyas.com

 

[rutgersguy1]

Shea had Maro Verduzco on staff as a dedicated QB coach. He was recently let go by Nebraska after hanging with Scott Frost for 6 years.

Mario Verduzco - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Mario Verduzco - Assistant Coach - Quarterbacks - Football Coaches - University of Nebraska

CAREER COACHING ACCOLADES Broyles Award Nominee (2018) Mario Verduzco is the veteran of Nebraska’s coaching staff. In 2021, he was in his sixth season serving

huskers.com

Didn’t seem to help AM much. Nothing wrong with the idea but don’t assume for sure it’ll be a cure all.

 

[Knight Shift]

Didn’t seem to help AM much. Nothing wrong with the idea but don’t assume for sure it’ll be a cure all.

Rough approximations. For some a large % (70-90%) is raw talent.
For others (thinking Nova with Friedgen), 50-70% is talent and the rest is coaching and development.
The great equalizer is that if the OL and the talent positions suck, all estimations go out the window and the QB looks terrible.

A fun experiment would be to put our two young QBs in at Ohio State or Michigan and see how they perform.

 

[mdk01]

We need a dedicated QB coach or an OC who is a QB whisperer, aka Ralph Friedgen, and we also need a Special Teams coach. This coaching special teams by committee is not working out. We're good in some aspects, awful in others.

Shea has a solid reputation as a QB whisperer.

Quickly added but not as an East Coast recruiter

 

[BLewis1968]

I covered those Shea teams.
1) He was a genuinely good guy. I liked him a lot.
2) He grossly underestimated the talent gap.
3) He also underestimated the need to kiss the appropriate pinky rings in NJ and build relationships here.
4) He knew his affairs in terms of identifying QBs.
5) He also was outstanding in terms of developing QBS.
6) I've always felt QB was the one position that should be recruited nationally, funds permitting. Rutgers, as we all know, had no funds then. But with the budget swelling thanks to the B1G and in a league that's actually moving into California, you could do far worse than Shea.

 

[retired711]

Here's Wilkipedia's article about Terry Shea. Note that he is 76 years old, although he is still active. Note also that he hasn't had success everywhere he's gone. He hasn't coached at the college level, even as an assistant, since he left us -- he may feel more comfortable in the pros, even in the alternative pro leagues in which he's most recently been active. I'm not saying yes or no; I just wanted to be sure that everyone has this information. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Shea

 

[mdk01]

Here's Wilkipedia's article about Terry Shea. Note that he is 76 years old, although he is still active. Note also that he hasn't had success everywhere he's gone. He hasn't coached at the college level, even as an assistant, since he left us -- he may feel more comfortable in the pros, even in the alternative pro leagues in which he's most recently been active. I'm not saying yes or no; I just wanted to be sure that everyone has this information. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Shea

A raw talent that needs a QB guru for a year or two. Seems like a good fit.

 

[Knight Shift]

A raw talent that needs a QB guru for a year or two. Seems like a good fit.

Friedgen is geographically closer and considering what he achieved with Nova, throw an offer at him to be a special assistant to coach and develop QBs. Don't see it happening though on our end.

 

[retired711]

Friedgen is geographically closer and considering what he achieved with Nova, throw an offer at him to be a special assistant to coach and develop QBs. Don't see it happening though on our end.

He's almost as old and apparently hasn't worked since leaving us for health reasons in 2015 . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Friedgen

 

[Knight Shift]

He's almost as old and apparently hasn't worked since leaving us for health reasons in 2015 . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Friedgen

He's retired in South Carolina, but still has the bug. But he is informally working with Locksley:

""I miss the players, and I miss Saturdays," Friedgen said. "I don't really miss the rest. I have one of these big screen TVs, picture-in-picture, and I get four games going and watch 16 games on Saturdays. Probably a little more, because I switch back and forth, and anything I don't watch I'll tape. I'm in contact with Mike Locksley, who coaches Maryland now, and he calls me every Saturday night."

After successful coaching career, Harrison's Ralph Friedgen to be honored at game vs. Rye

Former longtime football coach and Harrison native Ralph Friedgen will be honored Saturday when Harrison hosts Rye in their annual rivalry.

www.lohud.com

 

[realhoops2]

Why is it always "OC/QB" but it never seems the DC is supposed to coach a unit as well?
Maybe I'm just not remembering but it seems like rarely it's "DC/DB" coach or "DC/LB".

I understand the QB room is probably smaller than other position groups but it's arguably more important and requires the most development/coaching.

If they dont feel the need or have the resources for a dedicated QB coach they should definitely do all they can to link Simon and Wimsatt with a personal QB coach for the off season.

Perhaps an NIL deal can sponsor it

 

[retired711]

He's retired in South Carolina, but still has the bug. But he is informally working with Locksley:

""I miss the players, and I miss Saturdays," Friedgen said. "I don't really miss the rest. I have one of these big screen TVs, picture-in-picture, and I get four games going and watch 16 games on Saturdays. Probably a little more, because I switch back and forth, and anything I don't watch I'll tape. I'm in contact with Mike Locksley, who coaches Maryland now, and he calls me every Saturday night."

After successful coaching career, Harrison's Ralph Friedgen to be honored at game vs. Rye

Former longtime football coach and Harrison native Ralph Friedgen will be honored Saturday when Harrison hosts Rye in their annual rivalry.

www.lohud.com

Speaking as someone who is retired, I have to say these don't strike me as the statements of someone who wants to work again. But who knows?

 

[LotusAggressor]

I'm not against a qb coach but I don't think it's necessary. When Friedgen was the OC, you saw some improvement in Nova. If your OC is capable, your qb can improve. Simplicity of system can help too.

Friedgen knew how to coach QBs, a skill set that was missing from the RU OCs before and after him.

 

[LotusAggressor]

Friedgen is geographically closer and considering what he achieved with Nova, throw an offer at him to be a special assistant to coach and develop QBs. Don't see it happening though on our end.

Too bad. Friedgen is an excellent coach.

 

[Ray6232010]

He's still coaching and still developing QBs . A great example of the Peter Principal.

He turned an athletic RU QB recruit into a 5th rd draft pick, and has developed others. And amazingly was the Big East Coach of the Year in 1998

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Shea

Fire away

We need both in the worst way

 

[e5fdny]

I covered those Shea teams.
1) He was a genuinely good guy. I liked him a lot.
2) He grossly underestimated the talent gap.
3) He also underestimated the need to kiss the appropriate pinky rings in NJ and build relationships here.
4) He knew his affairs in terms of identifying QBs.
5) He also was outstanding in terms of developing QBS.
6) I've always felt QB was the one position that should be recruited nationally, funds permitting. Rutgers, as we all know, had no funds then. But with the budget swelling thanks to the B1G and in a league that's actually moving into California, you could do far worse than Shea.

Thank you.

Good an informative post.👍