You can refer to my coaching update beginning of post #127:
Establishing football programs is the name of the game. If a program is thinking long term then finding a HC who pull is all together in a relatively short period of time is the key. That HC’s ability to pick his asst coaches, especially his OC and DC, is right up there. Once players learn a system that is basically consistent although occasionally fine tuned to fit personnel then they begin to believe in that system that works on both sides of the ball.
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Offensively you have to have a QB who fits and understands the system and an OC who utilizes his players to the max. Programs who maintain the same HC, OC, and DC for a longer period have a distinct advantage over HC’s establishing a new program. Another obstacle for a HC is that if his OC and or DC are successful other schools recruit them and sometimes to evolve into a HC. Let’s take a look at a few programs who have a seasoned group of coaches and see how they have done.
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Look at Minnesota for instance. Jerry Kill is in his 5[SUP]th[/SUP] season with the Gophers. He has battled health problems during that same period. Yet his OC, Matt Linegrover, has been Kill’s OC for the past 16 years and his DC, Tracy Claeys, has been Kill’s DC for the past 14 years. These guys are a team in and of themselves. Together they have taken the Gophers from 3-9 in ’11, to 6-7 in ’12, to 8-5 the past 2 seasons. They have made it to bowls in each of the past 3 seasons.
At one point in ’13 the Gophers won 4 straight conference games and have beaten both NW and Nebraska in each of the past 2 seasons. They return only 12 starters in ’15 so we shall see just how their coaching cohesiveness pays of in 2015.
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Frank Solich went from Nebraska to Ohio which could be seen as a drop in class. Regardless, going into his 11[SUP]th[/SUP] season with the Bobcats Solich has gotten them to a .500 season last year after getting to 5 consecutive bowls. Again his OC, Tim Albin, and his DC, Jimmy Burrow, have been with him though his whole tenure at Ohio. This year they return 10 on offense and 8 on defense and in all have 50 returning lettermen. Steele points out that in the past 6 years the Bobcats have returned 12, 12, 11, 13, 12, and 12 starters. So this could be a season where the coaching experience and a steady program with the most experienced team they have coached recently could be a surprise team. We shall see and keep in mind that while at Nebraska that Solich averaged 10 wins a season. I can see Solich leading this team. They play Kentrucky and Marshall back to back in weeks 2 and 3. After that they put it all together and again coaching would be the key.
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Rich Rodriguez is going into his 4[SUP]th[/SUP] season at Arizona. His Co-OC’s, Calvin McGee and Rod Smith, go back further as does his DC Jeff Casteel. These guys are all on the same page. In ’11 the Wildcats went 8-5 following a 4-8 season the season prior to Rod’s arrival. They went 8-5 in ’12 and ’13 and ’14 went 10-4. Rod gets a lot of the credit but a lot of that credit goes to the fact that his asst coaches are a part of his package. This season the Bobcats return only 7 on offense and 6 on defense. However, they do return their leading rusher and leading passer and a total of 44 lettermen. Their first 3 games are relatively easy so going into game 4 against Cal at home they could be starting to gel. Again, if coaching is all that then these guys are a team to watch.
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Hugh Freeze is entering his 4[SUP]th[/SUP] season at Ole Miss as are his Co-OC’s, Matt Luke and Dan Werner, and his DC, Dave Womack. These guys came to Oxford following the Rebels finishing 2-10 in ’11. They have since gone 7-6. 8-5, and 9-4. So these guys made the jump to the SEC with a lot of success. This season they return 9 on offense and 7 on defense and a total of 58 returning lettermen. They do lose QB Bo Wallace who although had a good career is probably replaceable. Last year they face Steele’s 4[SUP]th[/SUP] toughest schedule and countered with their best season under Freeze who is a Mississippi native. This year they face Steele’s #29 toughest schedule. A lot will ride on developing a QB but they do return their top 2 RB’s so that helps. I think that this is another situation where a group of coaches can make a difference.
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There are a few other coaching situations worth mentioning:
Virginia Tech – HC Frank Beamer and DC Bud Foster have been together of 21 years.
Navy – JC Ken Niumatalolo, OC Ivin Jasper and DC Buddy Green have been together for 8 yrs
Northwestern – HC Pat Fitzgeald is entering his 10[SUP]th[/SUP] year and his OC, Mick McCall and OC Mike Hankwitz have been with him the past 8 years
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Some first year OC’s and DC’s who could have an immediate impact are:
Oklahoma – OC/Lincoln Riley (E Carolina)
Notre Dame – OC Mike Sanford (Boise St)
Utah – DC John Pease (coming out of retirement)
UCLA – DC Tom Bradley (Penn St DC for his last 12 seasons there)
Georgia – OC Brian Schottenheimer (NFL)
Texas A&M – DC John Chavis (formerly with LSU & Tenn – in SEC since ‘89
Auburn – DC Will Muschamp (Florida – Texas)
Arkansas – OC Dan Enos (former QB at Mich St – HC at C Mich)
BOL
