Who do you want as the next OC?

Donate To GopherHole
Also got Callahan the OL coach and running-game coordinator.

I don't know a lot of OL coaches that went on to be great OC's, but there has to be some. Wonder what his ambitions are ...
 

MplsGopher said:
Also got Callahan the OL coach and running-game coordinator.

I don't know a lot of OL coaches that went on to be great OC's, but there has to be some. Wonder what his ambitions are ...
Click to expand...
I was snooping around a bit and South Dakota State had the best offense in the MVC and their OC is a former Badger OL. He's the OC/OL coach at SDSU.

NDSU's OC is OC/TE-FB coach.

We saw Limegrover as OC/OL.

Kevin Wilson at tOSU/ formerly Indiana is an OL guy.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
I was snooping around a bit and South Dakota State had the best offense in the MVC and their OC is a former Badger OL. He's the OC/OL coach at SDSU.
Click to expand...
Gonna need him to renounce his badgerness ....

/s




/s?
 

MaxyJR1 said:
I was snooping around a bit and South Dakota State had the best offense in the MVC and their OC is a former Badger OL. He's the OC/OL coach at SDSU.

NDSU's OC is OC/TE-FB coach.

We saw Limegrover as OC/OL.

Kevin Wilson at tOSU/ formerly Indiana is an OL guy.
Click to expand...
Yeah I knew of Limey, LOL! Not sure he is the best example ... ;)

Thanks for the others. Wilson being the guy who guy fired at Indiana, for currently Allen?
 

Well, on the Simon speculation, my 1st question is "Does He want the job?" not every coach is obsessed with 'moving up the ladder.' So, have to be sure he wants it.

Beyond that, my personal preference would be for someone from outside the program - and someone who is not a friend/crony/pal of Fleck. I want a new voice in the room with new perspectives.

granted, Fleck is still the HC and he has the ultimate say. But, considering some of the offensive issues on the team, I do not want a "yes-man" as the OC. I want someone who will - if necessary - challenge Fleck and keep Fleck's conservative nature from stifling the offensive potential.

It is ultimately not a choice of "run vs pass." It is a question of how do you balance the offense to get the best production out of both the run game and the passing game. that is where I think some new ideas might be helpful.
 



short ornery norwegian said:
It is ultimately not a choice of "run vs pass." It is a question of how do you balance the offense to get the best production out of both the run game and the passing game. that is where I think some new ideas might be helpful.
Click to expand...
Kirk Ciarrocca had a great quote about a game winning play:

Players make plays, if I don't think he can make that play, I won't call it. You call the play and the players have to make it.

I can't say I know what was going on with the previous OC, but sometimes you get the feelling plays are being called for round holes and square players ... like where did the crossing routes go? we know we can do that ... we could...

Pass vs run, I care less about it if we're successful.

Having said that ... I don't think PJ is necessarily conservative ... dude has gone for it a lot compared to past coaches. Kept us in that Ohio St game.
 

MNVCGUY said:
This will probably always be a bit of a mystery but there is just no way it could have been Sanford calling the shots in those last 3 games. If it had been Sanford I don't think he would have been fired right away after the Wisconsin game.

As for Simon and/or Patterson, if they weren't the driving force behind the changes at the end of the year then I think Fleck looks outside the program for the new OC. If they were responsible for what we all clearly saw then it makes a ton of sense to put whoever was driving the offense at the end in charge going forward.
Click to expand...
I was literally asking a question though. If it came out it was sanford, would you want him back?
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Well, on the Simon speculation, my 1st question is "Does He want the job?" not every coach is obsessed with 'moving up the ladder.' So, have to be sure he wants it.

Beyond that, my personal preference would be for someone from outside the program - and someone who is not a friend/crony/pal of Fleck. I want a new voice in the room with new perspectives.

granted, Fleck is still the HC and he has the ultimate say. But, considering some of the offensive issues on the team, I do not want a "yes-man" as the OC. I want someone who will - if necessary - challenge Fleck and keep Fleck's conservative nature from stifling the offensive potential.

It is ultimately not a choice of "run vs pass." It is a question of how do you balance the offense to get the best production out of both the run game and the passing game. that is where I think some new ideas might be helpful.
Click to expand...
I’ve asked the question 1 in paragraph 1 before.
Some people accuse me of being an idiot and others say they have knowledge he does want the job.

If he wanted the job 2 years ago and was passed on; I believe he will probably be passed in again.
if he didn’t want it two years ago and wants it now, he may get it.
if he didn’t want it two years ago, he may still not want it
 



MplsGopher said:
Thoughts on Rossi hire?
Click to expand...

Rossi has demonstrated competence on the job.

Does anyone think Sanford demonstrated an equal level of competence? No - and his track record at previous jobs was full of potential red flags when it came to working with QB's.

I'm not saying that an internal candidate could not work out. I'm just saying that my personal preference would be for new ideas. I don't want the Gophers to be 4th in the country behind the service academies in the % of running plays. I want a balanced offense - preferably with a mobile QB. if Simon has similar ideas, great.
 


Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Fleck needs to cast a wide net here. Immediately settling on Simon would be ridiculous. This is the second highest position at a P5 school. The Gopher OC position is a commodity, and asset. This will be an attractive position. I always look at an opening on my staff to make the organization better. You're holding something that a lot of qualified people would love to have. There are significantly attractive options out there and available.

This hire needs to improve the program, part of the continuation of moving forward. The OC isn't just a play-caller, that person is in control of everything on that side of the ball, Sunday through Saturday.

I'm not saying Simon can't do the job or that I would hate it if that happens, but I have to admit I would like to see someone come in with some credentials for having done the job before and at a very successful level. I'm sure he has someone in mind and they're close to making a move, whether it's Simon or from the outside. He needs to hit on this hire. The wrong move would not be good for the forward progress of the program.
Click to expand...
The net he cast in selecting a new DC in 2018 was not a wide one. It is very possible the best candidate is the one on your staff that you know well.

As a head coach, one of Fleck's jobs is to make his staff better every day. If he has done that well he will always have internal options for openings.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Well, on the Simon speculation, my 1st question is "Does He want the job?" not every coach is obsessed with 'moving up the ladder.' So, have to be sure he wants it.

Beyond that, my personal preference would be for someone from outside the program - and someone who is not a friend/crony/pal of Fleck. I want a new voice in the room with new perspectives.

granted, Fleck is still the HC and he has the ultimate say. But, considering some of the offensive issues on the team, I do not want a "yes-man" as the OC. I want someone who will - if necessary - challenge Fleck and keep Fleck's conservative nature from stifling the offensive potential.

It is ultimately not a choice of "run vs pass." It is a question of how do you balance the offense to get the best production out of both the run game and the passing game. that is where I think some new ideas might be helpful.
Click to expand...
Fleck wants that balance. Many head coaches value the strong running game as the basis of the offense but also recognize a good passing game is necessary for balance and to keep the defense spread. Once in awhile your talent allows a dynamic passing game.

Fleck definitely would like this balance. His WM team developed a dynamic offense and Ciarocca did it in 2019. No complaints from Fleck about that. Sanford just didn't have the balanced attack mentality.
 




short ornery norwegian said:
Rossi has demonstrated competence on the job.

Does anyone think Sanford demonstrated an equal level of competence? No - and his track record at previous jobs was full of potential red flags when it came to working with QB's.

I'm not saying that an internal candidate could not work out. I'm just saying that my personal preference would be for new ideas. I don't want the Gophers to be 4th in the country behind the service academies in the % of running plays. I want a balanced offense - preferably with a mobile QB. if Simon has similar ideas, great.
Click to expand...
Any OC hire will need similar thoughts (to yours) on the mobile quarterback because we have two that will be playing the next several years.
 

MplsGopher said:
So again, how can you say this given what Rossi has done?


That's dictated by Fleck.

That won't be changing.
Click to expand...
Of course it will be changing. When Fleck had the personnel and right OC at WM and again at Minnesota with Ciarocca the run/pass ratio was much different than the last two years under Sanford and with lesser talent at WR.
 

Dakota2 said:
Of course it will be changing. When Fleck had the personnel and right OC at WM and again at Minnesota with Ciarocca the run/pass ratio was much different than the last two years under Sanford and with lesser talent at WR.
Click to expand...
What have been the run pass ratios in Fleck's years here?
 

MplsGopher said:
Simon.

Exact same thing as Rossi.


Patterson can coach QB's and has before. Elevate him to passing-game coordinator, or even co-OC if you need to play that silly game. Get a new TE coach.



As GWG said, if that was what the plan was, seems like there is zero reason why it wouldn't have been announced by now.

Only thing I can think of is: they're trying to make multiple moves, including keeping Rossi and maybe a new deal for him, and they want to announce everything at once.


Or ... maybe Fleck himself is hashing things out with offers. Hopefully not
Click to expand...
Tim Brewsters coming back!!! ;)
 

Simon or KC with a very large buyout.
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Fleck needs to cast a wide net here. Immediately settling on Simon would be ridiculous. This is the second highest position at a P5 school. The Gopher OC position is a commodity, and asset. This will be an attractive position. I always look at an opening on my staff to make the organization better. You're holding something that a lot of qualified people would love to have. There are significantly attractive options out there and available.

This hire needs to improve the program, part of the continuation of moving forward. The OC isn't just a play-caller, that person is in control of everything on that side of the ball, Sunday through Saturday.

I'm not saying Simon can't do the job or that I would hate it if that happens, but I have to admit I would like to see someone come in with some credentials for having done the job before and at a very successful level. I'm sure he has someone in mind and they're close to making a move, whether it's Simon or from the outside. He needs to hit on this hire. The wrong move would not be good for the forward progress of the program.
Click to expand...
GopherWeatherGuy said:
If it's not announced this week, I don't think it will be Simon. If that's the route Fleck wants to go, there's really no reason to delay the announcement.
Click to expand...
This is what I’ve been thinking as well. If Simon is gonna be the guy, why would it take very long at all to make that announcement? I wouldn’t think Simon would have to think this over for very long if he was offered the job.
 

U2Gopher said:
This is what I’ve been thinking as well. If Simon is gonna be the guy, why would it take very long at all to make that announcement? I wouldn’t think Simon would have to think this over for very long if he was offered the job.
Click to expand...
My vibe is he doesn’t want it. He was obvious slam dunk hire two years ago. Didn’t get it.
Didn’t leave when he probably could’ve left to be a G5 OC somewhere the last two years.

why?

People tell me he wants it but I see no evidence that he wants and OC job when there are jobs to be had. He might be content being a position coach with stability for as long as he is with PJ.
 

U2Gopher said:
This is what I’ve been thinking as well. If Simon is gonna be the guy, why would it take very long at all to make that announcement? I wouldn’t think Simon would have to think this over for very long if he was offered the job.
Click to expand...
Want time to think about it with all the coaching chaos?
 

Dakota2 said:
The net he cast in selecting a new DC in 2018 was not a wide one. It is very possible the best candidate is the one on your staff that you know well.

As a head coach, one of Fleck's jobs is to make his staff better every day. If he has done that well he will always have internal options for openings.
Click to expand...
You're not wrong, but it's just not always going to be the case. Sure, he should be developing coaches and getting those coaches opportunities and that's going to happen. But it's not always going to happen and it doesn't happen that way for many of the bigger programs either.

It might be Simon and it might work out great. But not doing a thorough search and a thorough vetting on a handful of viable candidates would be a massive mistake and honestly, a disservice to the program and the university. This isn't just some position coach.

The program can still go a number of different ways, this is a very, very important hire.
 


Otis said:
I wonder if Chris Carter still owns a house in the area?
He knows a little about catching footballs.
Click to expand...
Being a great talent does not make you a great coach. Sometimes it's the opposite.
But I'm a huge CC fan.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Well, on the Simon speculation, my 1st question is "Does He want the job?" not every coach is obsessed with 'moving up the ladder.' So, have to be sure he wants it.
Click to expand...
My sources are telling me that yes, Simon wanted the job last time around and I would assume wants it again this time around.
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
You're not wrong, but it's just not always going to be the case. Sure, he should be developing coaches and getting those coaches opportunities and that's going to happen. But it's not always going to happen and it doesn't happen that way for many of the bigger programs either.

It might be Simon and it might work out great. But not doing a thorough search and a thorough vetting on a handful of viable candidates would be a massive mistake and honestly, a disservice to the program and the university. This isn't just some position coach.

The program can still go a number of different ways, this is a very, very important hire.
Click to expand...
I imagine he is putting a lot of thought into the decision, just as you suggest. But inside the Power 5 head coaching fraternity there is not much that is unknown. Every coach has certain guys in mind he would like to have on staff. Most of those will not be available at the time he needs them. The best will be in demand at other top programs as well.

If he has a guy or two on his wish list he will be sending out feelers through third parties to see if they would entertain a Minnesota offer. If Simon is actually under consideration he is savvy enough to understand this has to play out.

I think we can assume this is PJ's highest priority.
 

Dakota2 said:
You could probably look it up. But please distinguish between Ciarocco years and Sanford years.
Click to expand...

A lot of variables, like playing with the lead more often in 2016, 2019 and 2021, playing from behind more in 2017 and 2020, etc.

But, here are season per game averages:

2016 (Western Michigan) - 45 rush/27 pass

2017 - 43 rush/19 pass
2018 - 40 rush/26 pass
2019 - 43 rush/24 pass

2020 - 42 rush/26 pass
2021 - 46 rush/20 pass
 
Last edited:

Word said:
Being a great talent does not make you a great coach. Sometimes it's the opposite.
But I'm a huge CC fan.
Click to expand...
Hey speaking of that we’re going out Saturday but things get kinda wild sometimes and we need a fall guy…. You in?
 


You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom