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OC Wish List

I left college coaching because I had zero normal life. I was not going back to my condo, I was sleeping in the office 3-4 nights a week. I would work out, eat, work, and sleep at The University. I would go on dates and then never have time to follow up.

I was good at what I did, and i'm confident enough to know where I would have ended up, but I had to walk away.

I am lucky to have an amazing family, and to coach two successful high school programs (one of them nationally ranked).

I now probably only spend 10-15 hours a week on coaching (when out of season), and in season 30 hours a week. Plus teaching. But this is far less than what I was doing....and I go home.
I hear ya brother.
My kids are grown now so my free time is more my own now.
If I were to coach again it would be with the young guys. Teach safe and effective skills (both football and life). Pay back for what many great coaches did for me.
 
I've posted similar articles in the past and this one gives me the impression it's more Decker the OC than Conlin and that's the same impression I had from the other article.

From the article:

The Rams have brought a taste of Rocky Top to the Bronx.

The Jesuit Catholic school that produced Vince Lombardi and the Seven Blocks of Granite has the most prolific offense in Division I football.

Fordham (9-2) enters its first-round NCAA Championship Subdivision playoff game Saturday at New Hampshire averaging 612 yards per game while running basically the same scheme as Tennessee, which leads the Bowl Subdivision at 540 yards per game..

The last Division I school to average 600 yards per game over a season was Baylor, which did it twice (2013 and '15) under coach Art Briles.

Tennessee's offense — and now Fordham's — is a version of what those Baylor teams ran. With receivers split out almost the entire width of the field, defenses face a difficult choice. Commit extra defenders to stopping the deep passes to those wideouts and the offense has room to run in the middle of the field with good ratio of blockers to potential tacklers. Creep safeties and linebackers closer to the line of scrimmage to stop the run, and it's bombs away against one-on-one coverage.

“That's the goal of the whole entire thing is just create more space for our guys to make plays,” Fordham offensive coordinator Kevin Decker said. “If we spread them out, and their intent is to spread out with us and leave a thin box we’re going to attack the box. If they load the box, we can still run it, but also we can attack the exterior."

So how did the offense end up in the Bronx?

Enter David Weeks, a former equipment manager at UCF who broke into coaching as a student assistant for Scott Frost in 2017. Weeks spent two years with Heupel and Lebby, working with quarterbacks before he moved to New York and took what amounted to an internship with Fordham coach Joe Conlin in 2020. He is now the Rams' tight ends coach.

Decker, a former New Hampshire quarterback and disciple of UCLA coach Chip Kelly's version of the spread offense, began picking Weeks' brain about what UCF was doing under Heupel and Lebby.

At first Decker was sprinkling parts of the Heupel offense into his system. A few games into the 2021 season, Decker decided to commit fully to the new system.

“If you look at any really good offense, no matter what it is, they have an identity,” Decker said.



This was the other article I've posted before

Now I can't remember how I stumbled upon his name, which was like 10 minutes ago (a mind is a terrible thing to lose), but it has been a while (4 years) since you have mentioned Tim Cramsey. Another University of New Hampshire guy who learned under Chip Kelly, now the OC at Memphis. From Allentown, PA.

"The Marshall offense is 11th nationally in total offense and 27th nationally in scoring offense under the direction of offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey. In his four seasons in Huntington the Thundering Herd have had one of the more productive offensive units in Conference USA. The Pennsylvania native comes from the Chip Kelly coaching tree as he was a player at New Hampshire when Kelly was the running backs coach there, and he also coached a few different positions on offense when Kelly was the O-coordinator for the Wildcats. Prior to joining the Marshall staff Cramsey spent the 2017 season at Sam Houston State. In his one year with the Bearkats their offense led all of FCS football in scoring offense, passing offense, total offense, and first downs."


 
What about the Flexbone offense?
  • Run-first, complimentary football that Schiano desires
  • It's a "system" -- if anyone is poached via NIL, it's plug-and-play with next man up.
  • Easy to recruit - It's a "Moneyball" strategy in terms of recruiting. We want the cast of misfit toys: Fullbacks, undersized QBs, WR/RB "tweeners", etc. We take the undervalued players and put them and give them the roles tailor made for their skill sets.
  • Play-action "enhances" WR abilities. There will be separation due to the run fakes.
  • Chews up clock -- most games won't be decided until late 2nd half. Army & Navy routinely offer "superior" competition good games.
  • Identity: matches northeast blue-collar, lunch-pail mentality
Who would run it?

Get Paul Johnson out of retirement. He's 65, but he basically wrote the book on it. Pair him up with Ivin Jasper who was recently demoted at Navy. Make them Co-OCs so Johnson doesn't have to travel/recruit if he doesn't want to.

Main counter-argument:
"We would lose all our season ticket holders running that."
Rebuttal:
We are already losing season ticket holders. Just win the games you're supposed to win and keep it close against the heavies and the fans will come back.

Here's a look at it against Michigan:


You don't think we can find 11 Jersey kids equal or better to the Army offense..?

Langan would have been an absolute monster FB in this offense.

[Note]: Personally, I mainly didn't like this offense because I did not think it could win a National Title. But realistically speaking, in this age of NIL & "free-agency", I think we have to recalibrate and acknowledge that a National Title is a pipe dream unless Phil Knight adopts us. Even then, he hasn't brought a title to Oregon...
 
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Fair enough on other jobs as well.

I didn't say everybody on here doesn't get it. I said most. You would be one of the guys I don't count among them.

Coaching can be a sickness. I have to try and control my brain as a spectator! Sometimes not successfully, much to the chagrin of those around me.😂😂😂
I get it. Just coaching youth football I have zero production at work from august through November. I can’t imagine how bad I’d be coaching HS or college. I paid a film guy to go film an opposing teams game because we might see them in the playoffs. My wife was super pumped when she found out I paid 150 bucks for that. And really pumped when we found out they changed the game time and he ended up taping 8 year olds. Lol
 
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Now I can't remember how I stumbled upon his name, which was like 10 minutes ago (a mind is a terrible thing to lose), but it has been a while (4 years) since you have mentioned Tim Cramsey. Another University of New Hampshire guy who learned under Chip Kelly, now the OC at Memphis. From Allentown, PA.

"The Marshall offense is 11th nationally in total offense and 27th nationally in scoring offense under the direction of offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey. In his four seasons in Huntington the Thundering Herd have had one of the more productive offensive units in Conference USA. The Pennsylvania native comes from the Chip Kelly coaching tree as he was a player at New Hampshire when Kelly was the running backs coach there, and he also coached a few different positions on offense when Kelly was the O-coordinator for the Wildcats. Prior to joining the Marshall staff Cramsey spent the 2017 season at Sam Houston State. In his one year with the Bearkats their offense led all of FCS football in scoring offense, passing offense, total offense, and first downs."


I want their hot board
 
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I want their hot board
Walt Bell is at Indiana U now.
We know where Kirk C is at -rowing boats.
Major Applewhite at South Alabama? I think he had some sort of fall from grace-but I don't care.
Justin Frye is at Ohio State
Graham Harrell just got to WVU
Maurice Harris is currently at Liberty-he seems to follow Freeze around.
Zach Kitley just got to Texas Tech
Willy Korn at Coastal Carolina
Chip Lindsey just got to UCF
Chip Long at Ga Tech- maybe he will be available?
Barry Lunney just got to Illinois
Andrew Sowder has been OC at Kent State since 2018

The best possible gets from that list, in terms of realistic and availability, IMO: Cramsey, Chip Long, Willy Korn?
 
Walt Bell is at Indiana U now.
We know where Kirk C is at -rowing boats.
Major Applewhite at South Alabama? I think he had some sort of fall from grace-but I don't care.
Justin Frye is at Ohio State
Graham Harrell just got to WVU
Maurice Harris is currently at Liberty-he seems to follow Freeze around.
Zach Kitley just got to Texas Tech
Willy Korn at Coastal Carolina
Chip Lindsey just got to UCF
Chip Long at Ga Tech- maybe he will be available?
Barry Lunney just got to Illinois
Andrew Sowder has been OC at Kent State since 2018

The best possible gets from that list, in terms of realistic and availability, IMO: Cramsey, Chip Long, Willy Korn?
I sought up major yesterday. He also has 2 QB’s I being with him. His fall from grace was getting named HC too early. Then he did his two years a Bama and now start the climb again
 
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Perfect. Just like Rich rod and his secretary. We either want to compete or we don’t. I’m fine with skeletons as long as they aren’t egregious
I get it.

Just wish we didn't have to shop among dented cans.
 
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Perfect. Just like Rich rod and his secretary. We either want to compete or we don’t. I’m fine with skeletons as long as they aren’t egregious

Not coaching related but I hear there is a highly ranked high school QB recruit out of Florida who may back on the market.
 
Perfect. Just like Rich rod and his secretary. We either want to compete or we don’t. I’m fine with skeletons as long as they aren’t egregious
I'd take Rich Rod, Applewhite, and Bobby Petrino no questions asked. Bobby has hit a rough patch at Missouri State, going 3-5 in conference this year in year 3. But building a program takes 5 or 6 years, so he would fit right in.
 
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I get it.

Just wish we didn't have to shop among dented cans.
Pretty much every can is dented. Just a matter of whether or not it was harped upon on. Let’s be honest, the casual football fan thought Urban was a saint. Then he started losing and stories started leaking.
 
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I'll start. I'll take Frank Cignetti. So so year with Pitt but runs balanced offense that eats clock and puts points on the board. See 2011. The only time Schiano had an experienced OC, let him run the offense and they worked well together. Our defense is good but overexposed. We need someone who doesn't run the rhumba offense. ( 1-2-3 kick).
Maybe if Frank's brother Curt isn't scooped up by a program in need of a new HC, Schiano might be able to convince Crut Cignetti being RU's OC would advance his career faster and Greg would have an OC that knows how to win as a HC and can keep the interference at a minimum when it comes to running the offense from practice and during game-time
Curt was making $450,000 as James Madison's HC .
So offering double of that, maybe more, might get Curt's attention and if Greg and Frank have a good relationship that might be a plus in getting Curt to consider the job, if no HC offer he wants is offered.
 
I'd take Rich Rod, Applewhite, and Bobby Petrino no questions asked. Bobby has hit a rough patch at Missouri State, going 3-5 in conference this year in year 3. But building a program takes 5 or 6 years, so he would fit right in.
Hell no to Petrino.
Dude is a sleaze
 
He would certainly upgrade the level of OL coaching, but he's not an OC. And why would he leave one of the best teams in the NFL to coach at the worst program in the B1G for less money?
I don’t think it would be less money but I agree.
 
This quote from Ajani Shepard should be considered when placing names for OC



“Coach Schiano has told me that he has interviewed four guys plus coach Nunz (Campanile),” Sheppard mentioned. “ He said that whoever he hires is going to be a dual threat guy who going to develop a system that fits his quarterback.”
 
I would be shocked if we got an up and coming, well-regarded coach as our next OC.

Look at how RU destroyed Sean Gleeson’s trajectory.

We don’t offer an appealing profile for someone who has options (like a lot of names that have been mentioned here);
-one of the worst WR rooms in P5
-a RS Sophomore QB that was given the keys but has not flashed, and no other QB options at all
-a notorious micromanager at HC who will helicopter in and call plays.

Chances are, the new OC pick will be met with a collective “Meh”, and the “glass half full crowd” here will explain how he will make a difference, where his predecessors have failed.
 
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This quote from Ajani Shepard should be considered when placing names for OC



“Coach Schiano has told me that he has interviewed four guys plus coach Nunz (Campanile),” Sheppard mentioned. “ He said that whoever he hires is going to be a dual threat guy who going to develop a system that fits his quarterback.”
Until the first three and out in a conference game. Then it's back to the 1 yard in a cloud of dust football that turns the punter into the team MVP and our dual threat QB into a TE.
 
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Until the first three and out in a conference game. Then it's back to the 1 yard in a cloud of dust football that turns the punter into the team MVP and our dual threat QB into a TE.
Yup, offense was humming before that 1st 3 n out in the conference game.
 
Nice article on Dykes and some of the things that helped them go 12-0 this year. I've mentioned this multiple times but these offenses can and do look to run the ball.

From the article:

Riley and Dykes are both Texas Tech grads, and Dykes worked with Riley's brother Lincoln in Lubbock. But that's not what drew Dykes to the younger Riley.

"One of the things about the Air Raid that always concerned me was when we got in late-game situations," Dykes said. "We would sometimes get in these one-score games and you get down to the nitty-gritty and you can't get it done."

So he hired Riley from Appalachian State, where he had been the running backs coach, because, Dykes said, he always admired the Mountaineers' detailed approach to the running game. He said he wanted Riley specifically because he viewed things differently than he did and wanted to "combine those sensibilities." While Dykes is a former OC himself, he prefers to let Riley run his own show, rather than offer input during game-planning.

Kendre Miller, who became the starter at running back this year after the transfer of Zach Evans to Ole Miss, has been a dependable playmaker under Riley. He has rushed for 1,260 yards and 16 touchdowns. More importantly, he's averaged 7.03 yards per carry in the second half when TCU has a lead and forces a missed tackle once every three carries in that situation. Only Texas' Bijan Robinson and Illinois' Chase Brown have forced more second-half missed tackles, both on more carries (26 more for Robinson, 70 for Brown).

TCU, which has been a big-play threat all year, has been able to pound the ball in the second half, running 56.5% of the time, more than some old-school teams like Wisconsin. Riley, in his first year as a Power 5 coordinator, was recently named a finalist for the Broyles Award, given to the top assistant coach in the country.

"That part's been good for me, to have the kind of team that will stay patient enough to run it and to keep chipping away," Dykes said. "All of a sudden, it seems like we'll start to take control of games and the third and fourth quarter. There's a confidence that comes from that."


 
Anyone care to guess when we will announce the new OC?
I’d think it would be helpful to have one in place before the transfer portal officially opens on Dec 5.

I know for HCs, some ADs wanted the HC in place before the portal opened. Is it the same for coordinators and staff? Probably not but it can only be a positive.
 
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Amazed that every hire takes so long. Call me crazy but firing an employee without having the replacement, or indication from replacement that they are onboard is absurd. This hire should have been in place within days of end of season and definitely before portal opens.
It was a midseason firing of SG too.
 
Amazed that every hire takes so long. Call me crazy but firing an employee without having the replacement, or indication from replacement that they are onboard is absurd. This hire should have been in place within days of end of season and definitely before portal opens.
More important to hire the right person than speed. Fingers crossed we get this right. GS 2.0 initial hires were all thought as HRs. But things didn’t workout or the ones that are good got hired away. Typical RU.
 
More important to hire the right person than speed. Fingers crossed we get this right. GS 2.0 initial hires were all thought as HRs. But things didn’t workout or the ones that are good got hired away. Typical RU.
You’re telling me you’re worried about speed? It’s been 53 days since Gleeson was fired. All I am saying is someone should be in place to take advantage of the portal. Which opens in 3 days.

I can honestly tell you I did not think the initial hires were HR’s especially on the offensive side of the ball. You had 2 high school coaches, a wr coach that was brought in from the patriot league and the cream of the crop were the 2 guys from Princeton. Those guys did not jump off the page as HR’s. Serviceable but not HR’s. The defensive side of the ball had more experience but also were light on name recognition and coaching chops.
 
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You’re telling me you’re worried about speed? It’s been 53 days since gleeson was fired. I can honestly tell you I did not think the initial hires were HR’s especially on the offensive side of the ball. You had 2 high school coaches, a wr coach that was brought in from the patriot league and the cream of the crop were the 2 guys from Princeton. Those guys did not jump off the page as HR’s. Serviceable but not HR’s. The defensive side of the ball had more experience but also were light on name recognition and coaching chops.
In fairness, the total (and best) pool of candidates would not get hired while a season is still going on. In some cases, that may be true. But the list should have been completed and top candidates should have been contacted already. Pre-December 5 is ideal. Anything past mid-December is problematic, IMO.
 
In fairness, the total (and best) pool of candidates would not get hired while a season is still going on. In some cases, that may be true. But the list should have been completed and top candidates should have been contacted already. Pre-December 5 is ideal. Anything past mid-December is problematic, IMO.
Exactly my point. A hire in season would not be possible. I too want the best available candidate. .As you said "list should have been completed and top candidates should have been contacted already". You know and I do as well that Schiano should know who his "viable" candidates. Why can new hires have staff in place already but a guy with a 2 month head start not? I am hopeful a hire is made within days or at the latest by Dec10 and the start of bowl season.
 
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I would be shocked if we got an up and coming, well-regarded coach as our next OC.

Look at how RU destroyed Sean Gleeson’s trajectory.

We don’t offer an appealing profile for someone who has options (like a lot of names that have been mentioned here);
-one of the worst WR rooms in P5
-a RS Sophomore QB that was given the keys but has not flashed, and no other QB options at all
-a notorious micromanager at HC who will helicopter in and call plays.

Chances are, the new OC pick will be met with a collective “Meh”, and the “glass half full crowd” here will explain how he will make a difference, where his predecessors have failed.
The new OC will likely be the old (current) one for a lot of the reasons you cite
 
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I would be shocked if we got an up and coming, well-regarded coach as our next OC.

Look at how RU destroyed Sean Gleeson’s trajectory.

We don’t offer an appealing profile for someone who has options (like a lot of names that have been mentioned here);
-one of the worst WR rooms in P5
-a RS Sophomore QB that was given the keys but has not flashed, and no other QB options at all
-a notorious micromanager at HC who will helicopter in and call plays.

Chances are, the new OC pick will be met with a collective “Meh”, and the “glass half full crowd” here will explain how he will make a difference, where his predecessors have failed.
Seriously? Some advice for coaches:

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Who's fault is this?

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