Thoughts on our new OL coach?
- Thread starter RU23
- Start date
Your leaving out the most important thing on his resume imho. He was an All B1G Ten center in the very conference he will coach and recruit at. That is huge because he is the real deal on the recruiting trail because of that cred. Throw in an engaging personality and I love this hire.
- from Iowa
- all B1G Center while @ Iowa
- OL coach at Western Illinois of the MVC (easily the best conference in the FCS)
- young, eager, energetic
I'll take my chances with this guy. No doubt.
- all B1G Center while @ Iowa
- OL coach at Western Illinois of the MVC (easily the best conference in the FCS)
- young, eager, energetic
I'll take my chances with this guy. No doubt.
being an all B10 center is good.....hope this is a job he covets...because his last job wasnt very impressive school-wise. Just thinking out loud.....for now..I trust coach ASH.....
And the guy before that wasn't all that great either.
- Academic All-Big Ten as junior and senior at Iowa (also academic and Juco All american the prior two years)
- Named permanent Iowa captain in 2000 (earned team Hustle Award and Iron Hawk award as senior)
- Student assistant for 1 year, and Graduate assistant for 3 years at Iowa
- 2012 Assistant Coach of the Year (Western Illinois)
I like him. He gets what it takes to be successful in the Big Ten, and he's had a fairly rapid rise through the coaching ranks so far. It tells me something that when a rival Div-II HC moved to the FCS, he selected Blazek to be his Co-OC.
Of course, the proof is in the pudding, as with all of these hires. We'll see the product that gets put on the field - but right now, I've got good feelings about this hire until proven otherwise.
Please refrain from using the word "stain."
We look so dumb using a term NO ONE really uses.
Just hope he can make the OL a strength every year.
Seems like the OL is supposed to be good every year but proves to be inconsistent, not living up to the hype we give it
Every year it's not as good as we thought it would be before season starts and under-preforms too often.
Seems like the OL is supposed to be good every year but proves to be inconsistent, not living up to the hype we give it
Every year it's not as good as we thought it would be before season starts and under-preforms too often.
Says me! All the recruiting, great play calling and great staff means nothing if this O-Line isn't any good. It could very well be more important than The OC hire.
You guys spend so much time worried about recruiting like were some state school in a poor southern rural state. Were in the most developed, affluent and populated region of the globe and athletes are a dime a dozen. Hire the right coaches for once. The only recruiting that'll ever truly concern me are OLine and game changing QBs. Let the little who want to leave go.
Mad - the only place our OL is "supposed to be good," every year, are these boards. That's it. Every year people on here get other people hyped, about ALL of opposition groups, when most years half or more are lousy, and OL has been a major weakness, as a group, more often than not. I was shocked, over the summer, when people on these boards were having fits with the rankings that the Big Ten writers were giving our different position groups, making claims that "these writers can't possibly know enough about us yet" and what not. Well...
Now...let's hope that truly dies begin to change...finally.
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The thing with OLine, too, is that it's not a position that is flashy and shows individual achievement. More than any other grouping (DLine is probably second on the list), it's about the unit as a whole, rather than the performance of any individual player. Having five highly talented guys on a line doesn't necessarily mean it will be any better than a line of less talented guys - if the less talented guys are better at working together as a group.
That's something we've lacked - a cohesive unit up front. Hoping Blazek can build that cohesiveness.
That's something we've lacked - a cohesive unit up front. Hoping Blazek can build that cohesiveness.
I'm ok with the hire but yes, he has to prove his worth.
Same with everyone else. I just feel a breath of fresh air and a swagger to this staff.
Either the slap tradional power across the face or they burn out. Let's give this a shot because shot for shot with the traditions, isn't working
Same with everyone else. I just feel a breath of fresh air and a swagger to this staff.
Either the slap tradional power across the face or they burn out. Let's give this a shot because shot for shot with the traditions, isn't working
He has been an O line coach at a few stops and every time his O line has performed vastly better than the prior year. Again, he isn't the one coming up with the schemes he simply has to implement them. To me, albeit at a lower level, his prior success shows he can teach. Also, he was named conference coach of the year at his last stop.
Don't overlook his DII asst. coach of the year award
https://www.afca.com/article/article.php?id=2272
https://www.afca.com/article/article.php?id=2272
Don't forget...he played for AND was a grad assistant (for 3 years) under Kirk Ferentz who is an OL guru first and foremost aside from being a successful head coach. I love the hire.
This Hire has specific goals/perspectives for the offense....the other two Offensive hires ....Mehringer and Kuhr...the OC and WR coaches are clearly about the passing game....this hire is about the run game.....both times he was the co-OC I guarantee it was about run-game planning.
My bet is Blazek is a tremendous complement to this staff as constructed.....
I have very little concerns with his ability to teach people how to play at the B1G level when he played at the B1G level and was All B1G for 2 years and watching his video's....he knows how to coach
Also .....the Center is the QB of the OL at the LOS.....the position he played at Iowa....and obviously did very well.
My bet is Blazek is a tremendous complement to this staff as constructed.....
I have very little concerns with his ability to teach people how to play at the B1G level when he played at the B1G level and was All B1G for 2 years and watching his video's....he knows how to coach
Also .....the Center is the QB of the OL at the LOS.....the position he played at Iowa....and obviously did very well.
Developing a good offensive line:
1a. Recruiting better athletes
1b. Strength & Conditioning solely focusing on this group.
1c. Coaching up and developing each position
2a. Positive attitude-confidence-encouragement
2b. Stress a team first environment where each position of the OL is dependent on everyone doing their part.
Our immediate former OL coach had a resume that, on paper, would have made you think that our OL would have dominated. Yes, his last two stops before Rutgers gave some people pause. But last year was almost as painful as watching Tom Savage run for his life.
What did this impressive resume achieve?
BIO:
Browning spent 10 years as an assistant at Minnesota from 1997-2006, including seven years as the offensive line coach. He came to Minnesota after spending nine years as an assistant coach at Kansas (1988-96). He was part of two Kansas teams that finished in the Top 25.
Browning was a finalist for the Frank Broyles Award in 2003, which is presented annually to the nation's top assistant coach. In 2003, Browning was co-offensive coordinator at Minnesota as the Golden Gophers set a school and Big Ten record of 6,430 yards of total offense. Minnesota finished the 2003 campaign with 3,789 yards rushing (fourth-best total at the time in Big Ten history) and scored 503 points (sixth-best total at the time in Big Ten history).
In 2005, Minnesota became the first team in Big Ten history to post three consecutive 3,000-yard rushing seasons and the first team in NCAA history to have two 1,000-yard rushers in three consecutive seasons. The Golden Gophers led the Big Ten in rushing offense, total offense and scoring offense, placing second nationally in rushing offense and fifth in total offense.
In 2004, the Golden Gophers led the Big Ten in rushing and scoring. Before Browning arrived in Minnesota, the Gophers ranked 11th in rushing offense and ninth in total offense in the conference. Through continued improvement under his watch, Minnesota finished first in both categories in 2003 and broke virtually every offensive record in school history as the Big Ten's top offense.
Browning has recruited 20 players during his career that played in the NFL, including first round draft picks Dana Stubblefield and Laurence Maroney.
Davidson
2013: Assistant Head coach Offensive Line/Tight Ends
Ashland
2012: Running Backs/Tigh Ends
Akron
2010-11: Offensive Line
Tennessee
2009: Co-Offensive Line
Syracuse
2008: Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends/Tackles
Minnesota
2005-06: Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends/Tackles
2000-04: Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends/Tackles
1999: Tight Ends/Tackles
1997-98: Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
Kansas
1995-96: Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
1991-94: Outside Linebackers
1988-90: Defensive Backs
Kent State
1985-87: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks/Tight Ends
1983-84: Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers
Ohio State
1982: Graduate Assistant/Wide Receivers
What did this impressive resume achieve?
BIO:
Browning spent 10 years as an assistant at Minnesota from 1997-2006, including seven years as the offensive line coach. He came to Minnesota after spending nine years as an assistant coach at Kansas (1988-96). He was part of two Kansas teams that finished in the Top 25.
Browning was a finalist for the Frank Broyles Award in 2003, which is presented annually to the nation's top assistant coach. In 2003, Browning was co-offensive coordinator at Minnesota as the Golden Gophers set a school and Big Ten record of 6,430 yards of total offense. Minnesota finished the 2003 campaign with 3,789 yards rushing (fourth-best total at the time in Big Ten history) and scored 503 points (sixth-best total at the time in Big Ten history).
In 2005, Minnesota became the first team in Big Ten history to post three consecutive 3,000-yard rushing seasons and the first team in NCAA history to have two 1,000-yard rushers in three consecutive seasons. The Golden Gophers led the Big Ten in rushing offense, total offense and scoring offense, placing second nationally in rushing offense and fifth in total offense.
In 2004, the Golden Gophers led the Big Ten in rushing and scoring. Before Browning arrived in Minnesota, the Gophers ranked 11th in rushing offense and ninth in total offense in the conference. Through continued improvement under his watch, Minnesota finished first in both categories in 2003 and broke virtually every offensive record in school history as the Big Ten's top offense.
Browning has recruited 20 players during his career that played in the NFL, including first round draft picks Dana Stubblefield and Laurence Maroney.
Davidson
2013: Assistant Head coach Offensive Line/Tight Ends
Ashland
2012: Running Backs/Tigh Ends
Akron
2010-11: Offensive Line
Tennessee
2009: Co-Offensive Line
Syracuse
2008: Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends/Tackles
Minnesota
2005-06: Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends/Tackles
2000-04: Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends/Tackles
1999: Tight Ends/Tackles
1997-98: Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
Kansas
1995-96: Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
1991-94: Outside Linebackers
1988-90: Defensive Backs
Kent State
1985-87: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks/Tight Ends
1983-84: Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers
Ohio State
1982: Graduate Assistant/Wide Receivers
Guy was being considered for Minnesota's OL Coaching job.
Read somewhere that Iowa's Ferrntz considered him last year for open OL coaching job and to be Recruiting Coordinator.
Read somewhere that Iowa's Ferrntz considered him last year for open OL coaching job and to be Recruiting Coordinator.
Nothing against Browning but that doesnt read like a resume of a guy that is on the rise. Stubblefield and Maroney are long gone from the league. I doubt kids being recruited nowadays even know who they are.
It can't be easy moving four kids around the country. Best of luck here to you and your family. $$$$
I agree, but this was a major knock on Flood, so recruits seem to look for this term according to some on this board.
He had some good company that year ..
The 2012 honorees are as follows: Football Bowl Subdivision–Kirby Smart, Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach, University of Alabama; Football Championship Subdivision–John Revere, Runningbacks Coach, Eastern Kentucky University; Division II–A.J. Blazek, Co-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line/Tight Ends Coach, Winona State University; Division III–Joe Early, Offensive Coordinator, Middlebury College; and NAIA–Gregg Horner, Defensive Coordinator, Valley City State University.
I find it odd that so many people bash these hires without knowing the men themselves. They say they are too young or inexperienced but than in other threads they scream for Rutgers to hire Brian Leonard who has no experience and is just as young. [eyeroll]
Yeah this makes us look a little stupid although many seem to be saying it sarcastically to bust on previous posters.
What really makes us look like a stupid fan base is the continued cheap shots on former coaches and players. That loser mentality has got to stop. Look forward people. Stop harping on the past. Above someone is criticizing Flood as the OL coach but he was the OL coach when we went 11-2 and finished #12 so we really need to stop not only being negative but being foolish as well. I thank all coaches and players who have come before but now it is a new regime so let's move forward and try having a winner mentality for a change.
I went to a school that used to open with Western Illinois back in the day so I have some understanding about the level from a fan perspective.
I posted this in a different thread. I know it's a different sport but if I was to tell you that Pfog Allen, Joe B Hall, and Gene Bartow all coached at the same small school you'd probably be impressed. The fact it was D2 Central Missouri didn't stop them from being 3 big names during their time at the highest level. It was a step in their careers.
This guy has an impressive resume at the D2 level. It seems to me if you can do a good job in D2 there's no reason to think you can't bring it to the FBS. The only real difference is the kids playing for and against you are more talented.
Brian Kelly is a more recent, pertinent success story of success translating between levels......also, Jim Tressel.
I don't know all that much about Blazek, but if he can teach half as well as he played, I'm thinking he turns Krimin and the others into absolute beasts.
This is an optimism I haven't felt for some time. The proof is in the play, but it looks like Ash is building a competent staff that will demand accountability. That alone will make this team better; it'll make these young men better.
This is an optimism I haven't felt for some time. The proof is in the play, but it looks like Ash is building a competent staff that will demand accountability. That alone will make this team better; it'll make these young men better.
