Wow: Kirk Ciarrocca Takes OC Job at Rutgers

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Taji34 said:
Really really confused if this turns out to be true. Certainly a burned bridge at this point between Kirk and PJ if it is true. PJ brought you back, got over you leaving him the first time, said no hard feelings, and you just signed an extension and then you leave again?

Maybe Kirk doesn't like MN for some reason? Maybe Schiano is offering Kirk more freedom in the offense? What else could there be?
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Maybe PJ wants to go a different direction?
 

short ornery norwegian said:
.....

I have no inside information. just human experience of working at various jobs.
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So then you probably also know the likelihood you'll ever find out the real reason(s) anytime soon is/are slim to none, especially on a message board. Eventually some info will dribble out, but by then nobody will really care.

Maybe the plan is he was a stop gap for a year. Maybe his wife threatened to leave him if he didn't return east. Maybe he just doesn't know what the hell he wants.

It is possible the whole thing implodes, the program crashes and we go winless for the next 10 years. It is also equally possible we get someone as good if not better, the offense becomes more dynamic and the program continues to grow. I'm going to take the positive track, because living in a world of negative 'what ifs' is a miserable existence.
 

This is strange considering KC said one of the reason's he took this job was the opportunity to get to work with AK. I'm pretty sure he said something like this during one of his first pressers back.
 


GopherPete said:
This is strange considering KC said one of the reason's he took this job was the opportunity to get to work with AK. I'm pretty sure he said something like this during one of his first pressers back.
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Which is why a big pay hike might be part of the reason he's leaving. Pay hike and living on the east coast sounds like the right pressure to get him to leave.
 





howeda7 said:
I think passing on him for Sanford was a mistake. I don't claim to know a lot of details about him, but unless there's some HR hire, he deserves a shot.
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HR hire?
 






Some guy said:
Simon has CoOC with Sanford
Probably 25-50% of that mess is on him. Especially since we haven’t developed a WR

Don’t get the Simon love.
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Love that you quantified your opinion. How exactly did you come up with the percentages? Rashad and Tyler who?
 



Why’d he come back? Good riddance. I’ve lost respect for the guy. Hope he sucks in his future jobs. Starting to wonder if Fleck will decide to leave soon (like in the next 2 years)? Wouldn’t be surprised.
 

howeda7 said:
I think that should be the move. We don't need another Sanford situation.
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Sanford could have been avoided with even light diligence. If Fleck wants to sign a hat for me then I'll gladly spend 30 seconds ensuring that every QB the new guy works with doesn't get immediately and measurably worse.
 
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Gilthorp57 said:
Why does Schanio keep looking at PJs staff? There are other places to look for coaches. Note we are not looking at Rutgers assistants
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Because of that TD at the end of the Rutgers game. He could have took a knee but instead rushed it in for a TD. I thought it was a dick move given that was his mentor. Schiano didn’t bat an eye but I’m guessing that stung a little bit?
 

Fleck needs to get the next OC hire right. No stop gaps or placeholders. It needs to be a bona fide home run rock star hire.
 
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Rutgers has had 13 offensive coordinators in the last 14 years. Good luck. Can almost guarantee this doesn't work out for him
 

Matt Simon seems like the obvious choice.

If I can fall down the rabbit hole and suggest an external candidate, Kansas OC Andy Kotelnicki comes to mind. Probably hard to poach him for the same position here, but with what we've seen these last few days, I guess anything is possible.

From Litchfield Minnesota, has Minnesota roots, so maybe that would entice a return home.
Arrived at Kansas in 2021 along with Lance Leipold. Kansas offensive ypg has improved from 260 in 2020 (before his arrival) to 440 ypg this past year, and 6th in offensive yards per play.

Athan isn't quite the athlete that Jalon Daniels is, but Kotelnicki runs a lot of read option and RPO that heavily utilizes slant routes, something that's been pretty successful here.
 
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Gophers_4life said:
Maybe it was always a short-term deal?

Got KC out of being an analyst in West Virginia and back in the OC game.


Clearly he (KC) and his family want to be out east. That's where they're from.
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No way it was a short term deal. It’s an asshole move and Ciarocca can suck it. Lost all respect for the man. Don’t come back if you don’t want to be here. PJ must of got snowed. I wouldn’t talk to the guy if I was Fleck. I’d say you’re dead to me, get the hell out.
 

Spoofin said:
Simon? Bring in someone with some successful experience. I’m not even sure Simon has succeeded as a WR coach.
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Plus you need a coach who can work with the QB’s and is a QB developer. We’re a feeder program, find someone at a lower level who wants to be here. A Midwest guy.
 


STPGopher said:
images
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If it has happened once...
 

CoachBrewMotivator said:
Matt Simon seems like the obvious choice.
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One of Fleck's many 'ism's' is that the offensive coordinator should always be the QB coach. Given how stongly he holds his beliefs, I don't think that Simon will get the job.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
well, I don't see a separate thread on this, so someone has to ask the Big Question?

WTF is going on at MN?

three assistant coaches leaving in the same week? right after Burns leaves for a HC job. that's 4 assistant coaches leaving - including one coordinator.

Is it money?

does it have something to do with personalities?

Look, Haley and Haynes each had prior relationships with the HC's who hired them. Burns got a shot at being a HC. those are understandable.

But Kirk C. making a lateral move - to a less successful program? Yes, he worked with Schiano before - but that was 12 years ago.

I have no inside information. just human experience of working at various jobs.

So I will just say this. all things being equal, you are less likely to leave a job that you like or a situation that you're happy with. you are more likely to leave if you don't like your current situation, or you think you can do better somewhere else. And - Fleck's new contract included higher pay for assistant coaches, so that makes money less likely as an issue.

Somebody - Fleck - Coyle - somebody - needs to be asking some questions about what is going on.

in closing - I will be watching the portal very closely to see if all of the coaching changes have an impact on the Gophers' roster.
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It’s all Ciarocca. Fleck and Coyle don’t need to ask anything. Its obvious MN is not a destination job though, look at the last 55 years. You need guys from the Midwest that want to be here. Seems Minneapolis/Minnesota just isn’t a college football city/state. Lacks the support to be big time. Fleck has done absolutely amazing things here. I wish nothing but failure for Ciarocca. Wonder what Fleck is thinking.
 


Some Day...Maybe said:
No way it was a short term deal. It’s an asshole move and Ciarocca can suck it. Lost all respect for the man. Don’t come back if you don’t want to be here. PJ must of got snowed. I wouldn’t talk to the guy if I was Fleck. I’d say you’re dead to me, get the hell out.
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Right, there's no way Fleck re-hired Ciarrocca expecting him to be gone this soon. He got an extension through 2025 this December.
 

Some Day...Maybe said:
Why’d he come back? Good riddance. I’ve lost respect for the guy. Hope he sucks in his future jobs. Starting to wonder if Fleck will decide to leave soon (like in the next 2 years)? Wouldn’t be surprised.
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I feel you. KC coming back seemed like a perfect fit. PJ is not leaving us and I expect his loyalty to his staff and players will keep us top Tier in the BIG.
 


Don’t forget the axe! said:
Love that you quantified your opinion. How exactly did you come up with the percentages? Rashad and Tyler who?
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I mean I am going to put at least 50% of the offensive problems under Sanford on Sanford.
And would put the second most on his number 2 and co-Oc (Simon)
 

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