Probably in RUs pay range too
In any case, nice to see a real B1G staff form vs a Patriot League nomad staff
Rutgers hires Drew Mehringer as OC (Houston WR coach)
- Thread starter Randal_Graves
- Start date
Probably in RUs pay range too
In any case, nice to see a real B1G staff form vs a Patriot League nomad staff
More from the demean and denigrate crowd. Because YOU were expecting a change in offensive strategies with the new HC hire (truly imaginative thinking on your part) , this hire represents nothing new. Exactly then what would have been "new there" for you? Lane Kiffin? Tom Herman himself? Joe Moorhead? Scott Frost? Tom Coughlin?
I can understand some healthy concern over a 'risky' hire like this; it is hard to argue this isn't a high risk/high reward hire. But I can't understand not being excited by the potential these new coaches bring. I'm really excited to watch some aggressive play on both sides of the ball.
Regardless, I really hope Ash is getting 2 year commitments from these hires a la Urban so we can finally have some continuity, particularly on offense.
He was the playcaller. The reason I ask what happened after he left is to try to gauge how big an impact he had and if it was maintained, was it a particular set of players like people say about Bridgewater/Strong etc...His resume is so light, it's hard to know.
That strategy is intellectual property of the previous staff & suspect there is no interest in paying the licensing fees to be able to use it in the future - so, guess it won't be used .......
We are finally making the jump from coaches with experience at Hofstra and Delaware to those with experience at Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Houston.
Looks like Mehringer was the play caller in 2014 at JMU:
https://jamesmadison.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1716969
He was instrumental in the development of Lee, a Georgia Tech transfer, reconstructing the former option QB into one of the top passers in FCS. Lee set single-season school records for pass completions (282), attempts (465), yards (3,462) and touchdowns (30) as well as total offense (4,288 yards).
Although he spent less than a year on the job at JMU, Mehringer was a favorite among the players. His youth and extensive knowledge of the game made him an instant success.
This is a great hire. They will put together a system that becomes "plug and play", not reliant on 4 and 5 star recruits to ensure success. And enough of the "hire a Jersey guy now to complete the package" spiel. Success on the field and an an exciting program will lead to a better quality of recruits.
Also, Mehringer says he is a PROUD TEXAN:
"I'm a very proud Texan," Mehringer said last month. "Not necessarily any one part or place of Texas, but the Texas culture is something that I grew up in and is very, very ingrained in me. It's definitely a proud-of-where-you're-from kind of deal."
"I'm a very proud Texan," Mehringer said last month. "Not necessarily any one part or place of Texas, but the Texas culture is something that I grew up in and is very, very ingrained in me. It's definitely a proud-of-where-you're-from kind of deal."
It's a risky hire just like McDaniels was. Let's not sugar coat this he's only 28. However, he does have the pedigree in being with Herman as a player and coach through almost his entire career. He's a former QB and those guys more times than not become decent to good OC's. This is not a slam dunk hire, but I'm hopeful. A change in offensive philosophy was sorely needed here it's a big unknown how they're going to make the switch with the current personnel.
Hardly demean or denigrate crowd. I'm the guy who has been pushing coordinators for the HC job when everyone has been so much on having HC experience and this dates back to when I was pushing Herman 2 years ago when no one here even heard of him or replied to all the background I gave. I give dispassionate analysis, if you can't handle don't read it.
It's funny how so many wanted HC experience where I said there's not much difference in success/failure rates between previous experience and coordinators. But when you go farther down the chain to coordinators that criteria of experience suddenly goes out the window? I'm not down on the guy but how can I be excited for a guy who has 1 year of OC experience at JMU. We all knew what kind of offense was coming, that's nothing new whomever was chosen. So no the offense were are going to run isn't a surprise. What I was looking for was an Eddie Gran type who was only making around 350K or so at Cincy who has a little more experience and at a higher level. It doesn't mean this guy will or won't be good, it means I'm keeping my feet on the ground.
I wouldn't mind the hire as much if it was an offensive HC we have but we don't. This is the kind of upcoming hire I'd expect on the defensive side of the ball not the offensive. That was the consensus too on the board, I'm hardly the only one, it was more like a majority felt that way. Now the hire has been made and those thoughts go out the window? I'm not down on the guy but I'm not going to be sky high either. Like I said this is dispassionate analysis. If someone has more info on him I'm all ears. His youth though should help with recruiting as far as proficiency as playcaller on this level, well that's something we'll see in time.
"Young guy, and a bold hire. High upside."
I agree. Sounds like people around him have a lot of confidence in him. This is why I liked the fresh start of a new staff. We are definitely going in new directions. Should make for exciting games.
Originally I wanted to get an experienced coach to fix what the former coach had broken, but maybe what we really need are simply new ideas. And that's what we're getting with Ash.
I agree. Sounds like people around him have a lot of confidence in him. This is why I liked the fresh start of a new staff. We are definitely going in new directions. Should make for exciting games.
Originally I wanted to get an experienced coach to fix what the former coach had broken, but maybe what we really need are simply new ideas. And that's what we're getting with Ash.
Like I was saying whomever was getting hired was going to run a form of the spread so that's not new info or anything surprising. It's a matter of who is the guy to run that show and can do the best job in transitioning us. It could be this guy. Like I said I was the guy pushing certain coordinators for the HC job when others were so stuck on prior HC experience even though there was not really any noticeable difference on success/failure rates between the 2 pools.
This kind of hire is the type I'd expect for the DC under a defensive coach like Ash. I thought a more seasoned guy might be the OC. Most on the board thought the same but those thoughts are forgotten now with the excitement. It is exciting to have a new feel and I've been dying for change to a spread for sometime and long before it was consensus here. But at the same time I have to see through that and give my feelings on it dispassionately. The guy's youth and energy should help recruiting. How he does play calling at this level though is something that's up in the air and we'll see in time. He won't be the first young hot shot OC. Jake Spavital at A&M, Rhett Lashlee at Auburn are some others but they work under offensive HCs so that's a difference to me. A Lincoln Riley worked for a few years at ECU before the step up to the P5 at OU. So there's a difference. He's coming up to the big boy stage now and we don't have a lot to go on to project. So I'm not up or down, just even keel about him.
Appreciate your thoughts , but I may be more conventional than you and think that this hire is so much the better exactly because Ash is a defense guy. This will all take time to get properly "aligned" and hopefully we bring in the right mix of talent to make it successful in a part of the football universe where that style of play has been slower to take root. Imagine, Penn State is going up tempo.
Yea I mentioned he was a play caller there so that's definitely a plus. I like that helped developed their qb too. So these are pluses but you'd like to see it longer than a year at the FCS level. Youth should help with recruiting.
Ash seems like he wants to assemble a strong recruiting staff adept in the ways of social media and the like, similar to Herman. I was just asking the other day wondering if he'll have a tweet quota like Herman does at Houston.
I like your post. I'm excited about a new, fresh thought process of how the offense will be run and the positive energy that will result. No question it will be more exciting to watch. I also like his recruiting background and heavy use of social media. I'm sure the kids will relate to him in a big way. It may also open up other recruiting markets for us such as Texas. I would have also loved this hire if the HC was a Offensive Coach. In the back of my mind, my concern is we become a training ground for P5 level success elsewhere.
Why? It sounds like he would want a strong armed QB to play in this O. Russo sounds like a perfect fit.
Tempo, tempo, tempo. Ohio state killed us with it, not allowing us to sub anyone in on the d line or lbs during their drives. All good teams use it as a weapon, glad to see we are moving into the modern era of football.
Feel for Rettig. This o doesn't fit him. I'd definitely transfer again if it were me. Quite possible that Norfolk State half ends up being his only meaningful contribution to us.
I've been dying for a spread up tempo offense for some time and way before it became consensus here. Posted a number of times about the top 10 offenses in football and how those were the ones who had the best chance to out perform their perceived status on the college landscape. So I'm all for the spread and we all knew it was coming with Ash. It's only a matter of who is implementing the transition and the execution of it.
As I said I'm not down on the guy, I'm just not excited either. I'm basically even keel. It's hard to project on someone like this with such a light resume. There are other hot shots similar like Jake Spavital at A&M and Lashlee at Auburn but they work under offensive HCs. Lincoln Riley worked at ECU for a few years before the step up to OU. So you see the difference. His youth though should help recruiting and I see a similar philosophy to Herman developing. I said Herman has a tweet quota for his assistants and they all have to know how to use social media and I think that kind of thing is coming here too so that should help recruiting. This guy's youth and energy seems plugged into that model.
hate to add extra order of snark to go with this - but - not only are you spot on - also note that-
it is a jump to aggressive young rising stars from OSU & Houston
.... not middle aged journeymen form Hofstra & Delaware.
That's not a problem for me. If he's successful and one of the Texas/Oklahoma schools poach him from us that's fine with me. I would actually expect it frankly. But if he's done well here that's all you can ask. Same with Ash. If you leave after being wildly successful, I'll still be a happy camper. It's the business. For the HC though the only thing I'd like is to be around 3 years at least but after that I'm good and the buyouts are higher early on in contracts.
My very limited understanding of Rettig's HS system is it was a spread offense in an air raid scheme as opposed to using a dual threat QB with an emphasis on the run game. It will be interesting to see how Rutgers handles the QB position for next year and if at this late stage in the recruiting process they go out and attempt to recruit a dual threat QB or work with the talent that it currently has.
Did Herman serve as his own OC this year and call plays? I would feel better about this if that was the case otherwise I think if he was two rungs down on the Houston offensive coaching ladder I am wondering if we could have gotten someone with a little more proven experience for this position. Sounds like a good staff addition but I think its only natural to wonder if this is a something as a stretch to make him the OC.
Very Risky, this guys has risen to a P5 coordinator role very early. It could be at the perfect time or it might a be a few years too early. Hope it works out.
I'd like to see some experience on this staff. It's great to be excited about youth, energy, etc. but there's also value in having a former head guy on staff. I hope Ash brings in a former HC in whatever role. Without it there will be missteps.
Why? This system will need a strong armed QB who can throw the ball around the field. Not a running QB. Rettig and Russo will fit into this system.
I predict he will bring in Dan McCarney.
And Vince Okruch has been around for quite a while, with a lot of years at Northwestern and Minnesota.
really like this hire...youth plus being around experienced winning guys is exactly the kind of hire you want to make. Look at where we are getting these guys from compared to the last regime, we hired a small time head coach and then he brought small time assistants. Its like night and day now
I could see that happening and would welcome an addition like that.
As to Rettig, well Greg Ward was out for a game or two during the year for Houston and they had a backup come in for a game or two and he did ok. Not being familiar with Houston's roster, I don't know how mobile the backup qb was though.
It certainly opens the door for Guarantano and Haskins. They're a perfect fit for this style O.
Kyle Postma came in for Ward and led them to victory against Memphis. IIRC Postma also played a majority of the game against UConn, although missing a few snaps where Ward had to come in. Postma is a pro style QB and it was evident in the UConn game that they missed the element of the QB running threat. However, against Memphis Postma ran for the winning TD, I think it was a 50 yard run.
Did OK? Did you see what he did against Memphis?
http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/p...-to-thrilling-comeback-win-over-no-21-memphis
Came back from 20 points behind.
The Cougars' offense centered around Ward all season, so for Postma to come in with Houston facing a 20-0 deficit and lead them to a win is impressive. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound transfer from Trinity Valley Community College completed 21 of 33 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown and ran for 49 yards and the game-winning touchdown. He kept the Cougars alive.
Now, he did not fare as well against Uconn, but he is a pro-style QB who had no other offers. As someone else said, perhaps we will have a plug and play offense, and memorizing the playbook will not matter.
Based on what I saw of Houston this year.
Here are the qb's stats. He is the offense. If I was a mobile quarterback in NJ (cough cough) I'd pick up mehringer's call.
http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/greg-ward-jr-1.html
