Let's meet our new co-OC, Mike Sanford Jr (Matt Simon annouced as other co-OC)

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Nokomis said:
Seems like another masterful move by Fleck, only two days since the big win. Sanford's only 37 and already has HC experience. Great hire & great retention in Simon.
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he got fired from his head coaching position.
 

MplsGopher said:
You could also have one guy doing the overall play calling, like Sanford. Calls out things like "short pass, long pass, inside run" etc. Then Simon and Callahan fill in the blank.
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One guy upstairs in the booth, the other on the sidelines is my guess.
 



BarnBoy said:
Recruiter: Hey, do you want to come and play for Notre Dame?

Player: Sure.
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I love this narrative, that it's "easy" to recruit at a school like Notre Dame. If anything, it's way, way harder because you're competing against the best of the best and trying to convince a recruit that your option is the best among a plethora of outstanding alternatives.
 

dpodoll68 said:
I love these narrative, that it's "easy" to recruit at a school like Notre Dame. If anything, it's way, way harder because you're competing against the best of the best and trying to convince a recruit that your option is the best among a plethora of outstanding alternatives.
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It's easier to get a top croot to go to Notre Dame than MN....
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
It's easier to get a top croot to go to Notre Dame than MN....
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In the rare instance that a recruit's best two choices are Minnesota and Notre Dame - sure. I would argue that a recruit in that circumstance isn't a "top croot" anyway. In reality, most players being recruited by Notre Dame have offers from schools like Alabama, LSU, OSU, Stanford, Texas, etc. In those circumstances, it doesn't matter whether they have a Minnesota offer, because they're not coming here anyway.
 

dpodoll68 said:
In the rare instance that a recruit's best two choices are Minnesota and Notre Dame - sure. I would argue that a recruit in that circumstance isn't a "top croot" anyway. In reality, most players being recruited by Notre Dame have offers from schools like Alabama, LSU, OSU, Stanford, Texas, etc. In those circumstances, it doesn't matter whether they have a Minnesota offer, because they're not coming here anyway.
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Thus it is easier to recruit that guy at Notre Dame....
 



I like his resume, impressive. Simon will eventually get the job as Sanford will be at Minnesota 2 or 3 years before a new opportunity comes knocking. It's a great hire and I believe the recruiting team got a very good addition. Fleck hasn't been perfect in his hires but overall, pretty darn good. An 11 - 2 season doesn't happen without solid coaching throughout.
 


I like that PJ found a guy that has a pretty good coaching resume, having been an offensive coordinator at big time schools and also a head coach, but who also is already very familiar with PJ and his culture. He needs coaches that really buy into his unique style and from what I've read Sanford will. Not every qualified coach would fit the program, so you are hiring from a smaller pool.
 

This Sanford guy just don’t look like a team player. I believe Simon will butt heads with Sanford. Not sure I’m excited about this hire. Underwhelmed.
 



I’m I correct that he was an oc at notre dame then a hc and now becoming a co oc at Minnesota?

isn’t that an odd career progression?
 

GophersInIowa said:
I'm assuming they'll pick one person (more than likely Sanford) to always call the play. The other person will provide input and they'll discuss things between series. I can't see them switching back and forth calling the plays. It would tough to get any rhythm going.
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yeah, he’s the OC, he’s not the co-OC, they aren’t equals. Kinda like Zygi Wilf is the Vikings owner and his brother is a co-owner.
 



This feels like a good time to post this again. Also, there’s an article floating around that states Sanford will be calling the plays.

HFdNafr.png
 

WHB Brewer said:
How does he utilize the tight end in the passing game?
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That's my most important question as well. Was begging Minnesota to release the tight end in the Wisconsin game. Their linebackers were their most vaunted weapons coming into that game and they employed them most effectively in the pass rush. When that happens we need to make quick hitting throws to the area's that they vacated. The closest eligible receiver is the tight end, but alas.....no tight end releasing gave WI the green light to bring the blitz.
 



SJUgopher said:
He’s the offensive coordinator, he doesn’t have a “co” in his title. Look how the coaches are listed, he definitely has more authority than Simon. He is listed alphabetically with the position coaches.


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I’m not arguing he’s not above Simon. But to say he’s a offensive coordinator in the traditional sense is a bit disingenuous.

First glance, once I saw there was a co-offensive coordinator, I assumed there were two. The fact that there isn’t makes me even more questioning of the title
 

BroncoRedux said:
I like his resume, impressive. Simon will eventually get the job as Sanford will be at Minnesota 2 or 3 years before a new opportunity comes knocking. It's a great hire and I believe the recruiting team got a very good addition. Fleck hasn't been perfect in his hires but overall, pretty darn good. An 11 - 2 season doesn't happen without solid coaching throughout.
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For Sanford, being part of an outstanding offense for 2 or 3 years should give him another head coaching opportunity.
For Minnesota, I certainly hope that he makes an excellent offense even better. Beyond that, I hope that he can do 2 things which would be special: 1. Develop Clark, Kramer or Kalkimanis into an outstanding QB who will be ready when Morgan goes. 2. Recruit top players from Texas and California. While I prefer Texas, it would be interesting to see if the Gophers could get at least 3 or 4 strong prospects from California each year. If they will come to Nebraska, why not Minnesota?
 

Winasota Gopher said:
I’m I correct that he was an oc at notre dame then a hc and now becoming a co oc at Minnesota?

isn’t that an odd career progression?
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You are reading correctly on his progression. He was fired as the HC at Western Kentucky after two years and landed as the OC at Utah State. We "poached" him from Utah State.
 

dpodoll68 said:
In the rare instance that a recruit's best two choices are Minnesota and Notre Dame - sure. I would argue that a recruit in that circumstance isn't a "top croot" anyway. In reality, most players being recruited by Notre Dame have offers from schools like Alabama, LSU, OSU, Stanford, Texas, etc. In those circumstances, it doesn't matter whether they have a Minnesota offer, because they're not coming here anyway.
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There are around 300 blue chippers every year and only so many blue blood programs. The 4 and 5 stars can’t all go to Alabama, Clemson, USC, LSU, and Ohio State. It’s a game of musical chairs and by default a school like Notre Dame is going to end up with top 15 type classes year in and year out. I don’t think it’s some sort of revelation a highly rated player goes there unless the aforementioned programs also wanted him then sure, it’s impressive. Is that the case here?
 


As much as I’m underwhelmed by the hire - if I’m being totally honest it was a brief wet blanket on my week of celebration - I have to remind myself there’s a chance the offense could be even better under Sanford. He’s been around and has been influenced by a lot of different coaches, probably doesn’t want to face plant and rub a lot of people the wrong way right out of the gate ergo will (probably) not want to throw out the playbook and start over. He may have recruiting “ins” that could benefit the program.
 
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Winasota Gopher said:
I’m I correct that he was an oc at notre dame then a hc and now becoming a co oc at Minnesota?

isn’t that an odd career progression?
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Probably went after a HC job a bit too early in his career- when it didn’t work had to drop a few notches in status.
 

Time will tell, as always, but I don't believe that there is any way that he throws out the playbook. I would bet, with a large degree of confidence, that Fleck told him, "we're running RPO. Happy to add your twists to it to make it better but RPO is the offence we will run".
 

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