Strack: The Rise of Minnesota’s Defensive Guru, Joe Rossi

[BleedGopher]

per Strack:

When Rossi Took Over​

Rossi was promoted to his current defensive coordinator position from within the Minnesota Gophers coaching staff but his rise to the top happened much faster that it does for most. Joe joined PJ Fleck’s staff in 2017 as nothing more than a “Quality Control” coach .

But by the start of 2018, he was coaching the Minnesota defensive line. And when Robb Smith was fired from his defensive coordinator perch after surrendering 55 points to a 4-5 Illinois team on November 3 of that year, Rossi was named as his interim replacement. The rest is history because Joe Rossi was never going to give that job back.

The Gophers immediately improved on that side of the football after Rossi took it over. Under Robb Smith that season, Minnesota went 1-5 in Big Ten play and gave up an average of 43.2 points per game. In their final four games under Joe Rossi, opposing teams posted just 14.75 points per game. That’s an immediate 28.4 point turnaround. Minnesota finished 2018 on a 3-1 hot streak, which included a victory over Wisconsin in Madison.

The Gophers used that momentum to help propel them to a miraculous 11-2 season in 2019 that nobody saw coming.

The Rise of Minnesota's Defensive Guru, Joe Rossi

Minnesota Gophers defensive coordinator Joe Rossi received a raise and contract extension this weekend, just the latest chapter in his meteoric rise.

www.minnesotasportsfan.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[Wally]

Thank god for Joe Rossi!

 

[MNVCGUY]

Will be interesting to see if he has head coaching aspirations here at some point. Selfishly hope he is content to remain a DC for a while as he has done a great job since taking over for the disaster that was Robb Smith.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

Will be interesting to see if he has head coaching aspirations here at some point. Selfishly hope he is content to remain a DC for a while as he has done a great job since taking over for the disaster that was Robb Smith.

Hate to say it, but a shorter term concern might be Rossi potentially leaving for the DC at a higher profile school. A very good/great year defensively in 2022 and that could be a very real possibility

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

Hate to say it, but a shorter term concern might be Rossi potentially leaving for the DC at a higher profile school. A very good/great year defensively in 2022 and that could be a very real possibility

That's possible, but I feel pretty good about a coach like Joe Harasymiak, who has been rumored as a potential head coach hire for smaller schools being able to step in if that ended up happening.

 

[matt]

Minnesota went 1-5 in Big Ten play and gave up an average of 43.2 points per game. In their final four games under Joe Rossi, opposing teams posted just 14.75 points per game. That’s an immediate 28.4 point turnaround. Minnesota finished 2018 on a 3-1 hot streak, which included a victory over Wisconsin in Madison.

Still the most immediate and impressive turnaround I have ever seen.

 

[FredCoxRocks]

It would be a dream if Wisconsin hired Tim Brewster at head coach, Robb Smith at DC, and Mike Sanford Jr. at OC.