***Rutgers OC Search Update***

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

That logic doesn't follow unless he's going to become a position coach at RU and will be directly working with players in that capacity. I would 100% take him as a WR coach, though we wouldn't be able to afford him for that.

He hasn't been calling plays, he hasn't needed to design game plans or adapt them to defenses, he hasn't needed to sit down and talk with parents or HS coaches, sell a vision/program to a 17 year old, or to build basic fundamentals/work ethic/etc of teenagers. He's only ever been called on to run an offense once in his long career, for just two seasons... and that game plan was largely dictated by Schiano (run the ball, kill the clock, keep the ball out of their offense's hands.... the offense is primarily an extension of the defense) and after doing so, didn't go back to it for almost a decade.

If he's the pick, I'll accept it, but will be disappointed. I'll support him and hope for the best, but it'll take a lot to build a sense of optimism.

Do you really think offensive position coaches have no role in the game plan? That it is not done in committee headed up by the OC and possibly HC? Do you think a WR, QB or TE coach doesn't have to know about the game plan?

I get the idea of thinking you need youth to recruit... or some professor of some specific school of offense... but plenty of coaches have proven they can plan and call and offense even at an advanced age. Perhaps McNulty would be better here the second time around without Schiano over him.. you never know. What I do know is that when he took over out offense.. he did great.

 

[RUChoppin]

Do you really think offensive position coaches have no role in the game plan? That it is not done in committee headed up by the OC and possibly HC? Do you think a WR, QB or TE coach doesn't have to know about the game plan?

Having a role in it and owning it are different things. Just like hiring a DC as HC has its risks and growing pains, so too does hiring a position coach as OC.

 

[Dpgru]

The Peter Principle is a real thing but it is not a 100% certainty. People are elevated to a higher level based on success at a lower level. At some point you run the risk of elevating them to a level one step above their competency. Happens all the time. The problem is knowing ahead of time where that level is for each person. All of the complaints and criticisms here based on success at a lower level school or a lower level coaching position are all, therefore, valid but only if that coach has reached his peak at that lower level. None of us know that for sure so we really can't tell how any coach will do once elevated to a higher level. It is all conjecture. We have to trust that Ash is doing his best to figure it out.

 

[Knight Shift]

Cignetti is officially off the table:

 

[rutgersguy1_rivals]

A little more in-depth look at Stitt's offense in a 3 part series. Also read when he got there Montana they transitioned from a pro style to a spread. So considering the sanctions, transition in type offense the results aren't too bad and the offense did pretty well.

http://insidethepylon.com/film-stud...s-offense-montanta-fly-sweep-screen-concepts/

From an article I came across:

The shift in play style came with Stitt when he arrived at Montana in 2015. Before then, the Griz ran a classic, pro-style offense centered around a strong running game.

“The playbook was just gigantic,” Nguyen said, “Plays were long.”

The change from the old, pro-style playbook of Stitt’s predecessor Delaney was not instant, but Montana still ranked sixth in total offense (422 yards per game) and eighth in scoring offense (29.3 points per game) in Stitt’s first season.

“It definitely was a huge transition for me, going from a pro-style to more of a run-and-pass offense,” Nguyen said. “Something that took me awhile to get used to. Eventually, I adapted.”

http://www.montanakaimin.com/sports...cle_8c509bee-9f9d-11e6-b86c-6fa5db3a6c02.html

 

[Knight Shift]

A little more in-depth look at Stitt's offense in a 3 part series. Also read when he got there Montana they transitioned from a pro style to a spread. So considering the sanctions, transition in type offense the results aren't too bad and the offense did pretty well.

http://insidethepylon.com/film-stud...s-offense-montanta-fly-sweep-screen-concepts/

From an article I came across:

The shift in play style came with Stitt when he arrived at Montana in 2015. Before then, the Griz ran a classic, pro-style offense centered around a strong running game.

“The playbook was just gigantic,” Nguyen said, “Plays were long.”

The change from the old, pro-style playbook of Stitt’s predecessor Delaney was not instant, but Montana still ranked sixth in total offense (422 yards per game) and eighth in scoring offense (29.3 points per game) in Stitt’s first season.

“It definitely was a huge transition for me, going from a pro-style to more of a run-and-pass offense,” Nguyen said. “Something that took me awhile to get used to. Eventually, I adapted.”

http://www.montanakaimin.com/sports...cle_8c509bee-9f9d-11e6-b86c-6fa5db3a6c02.html

You have a Twitter account? Tweet to Stitt and Ash.

 

[Lawesome]

Reading all of these posts about Stitt really gets my hopes up. Is he even in the OC conversation. I respect and appreciate all of the research and time spent gathering information but it’s a major tease. It’s just like saying here’s a beautiful car that you will never get the keys to. If this guy’s legitimately in the conversation then I’m all ears.

 

[rutgersguy1_rivals]

You have a Twitter account? Tweet to Stitt and Ash.

I get info from Twitter but don't do any social media. I'm a nobody just like most of us here. I bring info here because it's just for fun discussion here and to inform other fans of what's out there outside the RU bubble. I'd like to think most football staffs would know of such people out there without the help of some joe nobody fan.

 

[rutgersguy1_rivals]

Reading all of these posts about Stitt really gets my hopes up. Is he even in the OC conversation. I respect and appreciate all of the research and time spent gathering information but it’s a major tease. It’s just like saying here’s a beautiful car that you will never get the keys to. If this guy’s legitimately in the conversation then I’m all ears.

As I said in my earlier posts on Stitt, I tend to think he's not on the radar but would be pleasantly surprised if he was. To me though, if Carty and Fitch are on the radar, Stitt should be as well. Plus like I said I bring the info here for discussion here and to be informative of what's out there regardless.

 

[Knight Shift]

I get info from Twitter but don't do any social media. I'm a nobody just like most of us here. I bring info here because it's just for fun discussion here and to inform other fans of what's out there outside the RU bubble. I'd like to think most football staffs would know of such people out there without the help of some joe nobody fan.

I would not be too sure of the last part. Nothing against Ash and his staff. The comment applies generally. Sometimes hidden gems that need "mining" are lost in the larger process. If like anyone else, they probably had a list of 10 or 20 candidates, started putting out feelers and whittled it down. Not a lot out there on Stitt other than being a candidate for Fordham, and I saw on Twitter suggestions for UConn's OC.

And by the way, don't kid yourself, you are a hell of a nobody. One of my favorite internet nobody's!
http://dailycampus.com/stories/2018/1/7/football-possible-uconn-offensive-coordinator-candidates

Now Stitt is a free agent, so if Benedict and Edsall wanted to think outside the box with their next OC hire as they did with Lashlee, Stitt would be the perfect choice.

 

[rutgersguy1_rivals]

I would not be too sure of the last part. Nothing against Ash and his staff. The comment applies generally. Sometimes hidden gems that need "mining" are lost in the larger process. If like anyone else, they probably had a list of 10 or 20 candidates, started putting out feelers and whittled it down. Not a lot out there on Stitt other than being a candidate for Fordham, and I saw on Twitter suggestions for UConn's OC.

And by the way, don't kid yourself, you are a hell of a nobody. One of my favorite internet nobody's!
http://dailycampus.com/stories/2018/1/7/football-possible-uconn-offensive-coordinator-candidates

Now Stitt is a free agent, so if Benedict and Edsall wanted to think outside the box with their next OC hire as they did with Lashlee, Stitt would be the perfect choice.

Yea I came across the UConn thing, one of the quotes I pulled was from that article. He's been mentioned as BYU OC candidate as well, not sure if that position has been filled yet or not.

 

[miketd1]

http://insidethepylon.com/film-stud...s-offense-montanta-fly-sweep-screen-concepts/

http://www.montanakaimin.com/sports...cle_8c509bee-9f9d-11e6-b86c-6fa5db3a6c02.html

Good reads! Thanks for the share!

And intriguing prospect...

 

[RUChoppin]

None of us know that for sure so we really can't tell how any coach will do once elevated to a higher level. It is all conjecture. We have to trust that Ash is doing his best to figure it out.

And he has the added pressure that it's his third shot at this particular position, and he doesn't really have the luxury of another miss. If the new OC struggles out of the gate or leaves after a year, Ash's seat would warm up very quickly.

 

[NBKnight]

That logic doesn't follow unless he's going to become a position coach at RU and will be directly working with players in that capacity. I would 100% take him as a WR coach, though we wouldn't be able to afford him for that.

He hasn't been calling plays, he hasn't needed to design game plans or adapt them to defenses, he hasn't needed to sit down and talk with parents or HS coaches, sell a vision/program to a 17 year old, or to build basic fundamentals/work ethic/etc of teenagers. He's only ever been called on to run an offense once in his long career, for just two seasons... and that game plan was largely dictated by Schiano (run the ball, kill the clock, keep the ball out of their offense's hands.... the offense is primarily an extension of the defense) and after doing so, didn't go back to it for almost a decade.

If he's the pick, I'll accept it, but will be disappointed. I'll support him and hope for the best, but it'll take a lot to build a sense of optimism.

You don't think he was not part of the weekly game planning for the past ten years?

Mike Teel threw for 3,147 & 3,418 yards under McNulty. We have not reached the 3,000 yard total since then.

 

[Knight Shift]

Yea I came across the UConn thing, one of the quotes I pulled was from that article. He's been mentioned as BYU OC candidate as well, not sure if that position has been filled yet or not.

BYU hired Jeff Grimes, who was making $560K as LSU's Offensive Line Coach. That's insane.
https://www.sltrib.com/sports/byu-c...eff-grimes-is-byus-new-offensive-coordinator/

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/byu-c...coordinator-jeff-grimes-was-on-cougars-staff/

That closes up another opening for Stitt.

 

[RUChoppin]

You don't think he was not part of the weekly game planning for the past ten years?

Mike Teel threw for 3,147 & 3,418 yards under McNulty. We have not reached the 3,000 yard total since then.

As stated above - "Part of" and "Own" are very different things. Making a move from position coach to playcalling responsibilities is a big change. Making a move from the schemes and player capabilities of NFL players to college is a big change. Making a move from dealing with professional athletes with their own personal regimens and trainers to dealing with teenagers is a big change. Moving from contractual player acquisition to recruiting/development is a big change.

McNulty brings tons of risk. I get that he's a comfortable name, but if he were some other NFL position coach who had a two year stint as OC at an FBS school a decade ago, I doubt he'd be getting nearly the same love on this board.

 

[OldManRiver1]

You don't think he was not part of the weekly game planning for the past ten years?

Mike Teel threw for 3,147 & 3,418 yards under McNulty. We have not reached the 3,000 yard total since then.

We haven'y had any QBs or WRs since then that had the potential to help achieve those numbers.

 

[MorrisAsh]

I'm getting the sense that no one good is answering the "are you you interested in staying at RU for more than a year or two?" question affirmatively.

 

[miketd1]

I'm getting the sense that no one good is answering the "are you you interested in staying at RU for more than a year or two?" question affirmatively.

Maybe the question is: Under what conditions would you consider leaving Rutgers?

If the answer is "for the NFL", I think that's probably OK.
If the answer is "if school X came calling", it's probably not.

Again, no inside info. Just shooting it with all you fine folks.

 

[Knight Shift]

You don't think he was not part of the weekly game planning for the past ten years?

Mike Teel threw for 3,147 & 3,418 yards under McNulty. We have not reached the 3,000 yard total since then.

Nova came close in 2014 with 2851 under Friedgen in 13 games for 219 ypg.
Laviano had 204 ypg in 2015 (he was benched in the first game of 2015).

 

[NBKnight]

We haven'y had any QBs or WRs since then that had the potential to help achieve those numbers.

Still the main point was refuting that all he did was run the ball.

 

[NBKnight]

Nova came close in 2014 with 2851 under Friedgen in 13 games for 219 ypg.
Laviano had 204 ypg in 2015 (he was benched in the first game of 2015).

Nothing close to 3,400

 

[kcg88]

It's time to start considering Drew Mehringer 2.0... let's go get an up-and-coming young kid. Obviously Mehringer bombed here but we saw that things didn't go much better with an experienced signal caller, and up-and-comers are usually that for a reason.

 

[RUChoppin]

Mike Teel threw for 3,147 & 3,418 yards under McNulty. We have not reached the 3,000 yard total since then.

And just to follow on this point... he also had experienced, upperclassman, future-NFL talent all over the place from the day he stepped into the OC chair.

In his first season, he had:
- Teel as a RS Jr, going into his third year as a starter in the same offensive scheme (Teel would later be an NFL reserve).
- So Britt and Jr Underwood, both returning from successful years in 2006 and also NFL bound.
- Four future NFL OLinemen... Davis (freshman All-American), Zuttah (Sr. future Pro Bowler), Fladell (Sr), and Sosa (Sr... whose NFL career was limited due to injury)
- Jr Brock at TE, who would go on to play 9 years in the NFL
- Rice as a Jr, who would then be drafted and go on to be a Pro Bowler in the NFL.

That was about as stocked as a cupboard can get. 9 of 11 guys on the offensive side of the ball would end up on an NFL payroll. The only starters that wouldn't end up in the NFL were Corcoran at FB and Blaszczyk at C. We were playing an NFL offense against Big East defenses.

In his second season, we lost Zuttah/Fladell/Sosa, and the line play crumbled in the early going, both in pass protection and run blocking. We also lost Rice, and our rushing game struggled. But he still had:
- Teel as a 5th yr Sr, going into his fourth year as a starter
- NFL-bound Jr Britt and Sr Underwood, in their third year as starters. Britt would leave after the season to be drafted in the 1st round and is entering his 10th season, and Underwood would be drafted in the 7th and have a 6-year NFL career.
- Two future NFL Olinemen inDavis (Soph) and Haslem (RS Jr - four-year NFL player)
- Sr Brock at TE

After being outscored in our first 6 FBS games 138-79 (13.1 ppg) and dropping the first five, the line finally gelled and we saw a surge in the second half of the season scoring 260 points over the last 6 games (43.3 ppg).

So, McNulty's success here consisted of one year with an NFL-stocked roster, and half of a year where a 5th yr Sr aired it out to two NFL WRs.

 

[Knight Shift]

Nothing close to 3,400

Correct, but that was in 13 games or 262 ypg. Nova's numbers were not too shabby at 219 ypg.

 

[RUMBA-JK]

[QUOT

It's time to start considering Drew Mehringer 2.0... let's go get an up-and-coming young kid. Obviously Mehringer bombed here but we saw that things didn't go much better with an experienced signal caller, and up-and-comers are usually that for a reason.

There may be merit in the direction that you propose - but it is probably fair to say that , for various reasons, last year's experience does not serve as a valid assessment of the value of a very experienced signal calling offensive coordinator

 

[Knight Shift]

It's time to start considering Drew Mehringer 2.0... let's go get an up-and-coming young kid. Obviously Mehringer bombed here but we saw that things didn't go much better with an experienced signal caller, and up-and-comers are usually that for a reason.

No. Be patient.

 

[dvb91]

We haven'y had any QBs or WRs since then that had the potential to help achieve those numbers.

Tom Savage had Sanu, plus Tim Wright, Tim Brown, and Mark Harrison in Year 1, plus added Coleman & Deering in Year 2 as targets. I'm sure a competent OC who wasn't hampered by an overbearing HC would've gotten Savage at or close to 3000, but unfortunately the OC decided to go with the Wild Knight.

 

[RUChoppin]

Tom Savage had Sanu, plus Tim Wright, Tim Brown, and Mark Harrison in Year 1, plus added Coleman & Deering in Year 2 as targets. I'm sure a competent OC who wasn't hampered by an overbearing HC would've gotten Savage at or close to 3000, but unfortunately the OC decided to go with the Wild Knight.

Forgetting a few important details...
True Freshman Tom Savage had True Freshman Sanu, plus RS Freshman Tim Wright, Sr Tim Brown, and True Freshman Mark Harrison (and don't forget RS frosh Keith Stroud). We then added Coleman and Deering the following year (and lost Tim Brown), which lead to having a true soph Savage and 3 soph and 2 frosh WRs.

Can't really compare that to 2007 and 2008.

There's a pretty good chance that by Savage's junior year, if we could have had some consistency at OC and he hadn't transferred, he'd have gotten to 3000.

 

[RUBOB72]

Sorry but by this time we should have had an OC in the fold... typical Rutgers scraping the garbage can for the scraps...I don’t expect any good news... just make Lester Erb the OC and call it a day... easier to find another RB coach.

 

[NBKnight]

And just to follow on this point... he also had experienced, upperclassman, future-NFL talent all over the place from the day he stepped into the OC chair.

In his first season, he had:
- Teel as a RS Jr, going into his third year as a starter in the same offensive scheme (Teel would later be an NFL reserve).
- So Britt and Jr Underwood, both returning from successful years in 2006 and also NFL bound.
- Four future NFL OLinemen... Davis (freshman All-American), Zuttah (Sr. future Pro Bowler), Fladell (Sr), and Sosa (Sr... whose NFL career was limited due to injury)
- Jr Brock at TE, who would go on to play 9 years in the NFL
- Rice as a Jr, who would then be drafted and go on to be a Pro Bowler in the NFL.

That was about as stocked as a cupboard can get. 9 of 11 guys on the offensive side of the ball would end up on an NFL payroll. The only starters that wouldn't end up in the NFL were Corcoran at FB and Blaszczyk at C. We were playing an NFL offense against Big East defenses.

In his second season, we lost Zuttah/Fladell/Sosa, and the line play crumbled in the early going, both in pass protection and run blocking. We also lost Rice, and our rushing game struggled. But he still had:
- Teel as a 5th yr Sr, going into his fourth year as a starter
- NFL-bound Jr Britt and Sr Underwood, in their third year as starters. Britt would leave after the season to be drafted in the 1st round and is entering his 10th season, and Underwood would be drafted in the 7th and have a 6-year NFL career.
- Two future NFL Olinemen inDavis (Soph) and Haslem (RS Jr - four-year NFL player)
- Sr Brock at TE

After being outscored in our first 6 FBS games 138-79 (13.1 ppg) and dropping the first five, the line finally gelled and we saw a surge in the second half of the season scoring 260 points over the last 6 games (43.3 ppg).

So, McNulty's success here consisted of one year with an NFL-stocked roster, and half of a year where a 5th yr Sr aired it out to two NFL WRs.

So he did not just run the ball.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Sorry but by this time we should have had an OC in the fold... typical Rutgers scraping the garbage can for the scraps...I don’t expect any good news... just make Lester Erb the OC and call it a day... easier to find another RB coach.

No thanks.

 

[RUChoppin]

So he did not just run the ball.

Who said we did? I said that Schiano's offense was "run the ball, kill the clock, keep the ball out of their offense's hands". And it was - he chewed the play clock, relied heavily on the run, and moved the chains. The offense was in many ways an extension of the defense. I never said it was "just run the ball" - because that would have made us a service academy.

In 2007, the year when Teel hit 3000+ yards and Britt/Underwood hit 1100+ yards... we still ran the ball 60% of the time.

 

[Mr_Twister]

Our friends at UConn looking for an OC too. Will we be competing with the Huskies for Toledo’s Brian Wright?

https://www.theuconnblog.com/2018/1...ies-football-offensive-coordinator-candidates

 

[RUBOB72]

Did we secure a D line coach yet?

 

[hiwater]

Tom Savage had Sanu, plus Tim Wright, Tim Brown, and Mark Harrison in Year 1, plus added Coleman & Deering in Year 2 as targets. I'm sure a competent OC who wasn't hampered by an overbearing HC would've gotten Savage at or close to 3000, but unfortunately the OC decided to go with the Wild Knight.

The "Wild Knight" was dictated by GS, not to OC.

 

[rufeelinit]

A lot a coaching moves listed on the Scoop today but of course silence where RU is concerned. Beginning to think the guy who left UConn for SMU might have deserved more consideration than he likely got. If you look at the contract that Dooley got from Missouri (3 years at 900K per with automatic 4th year added by 2019 under certain conditions) you realize our pool of candidates may not be that rich if we are in the 600-650K range for a guy like Kill. Enos goes to Michigan as the WR coach for 150K for the first couple of years while still getting paid by Arkansas and then gets a major bump in year 3 or 4.

Maybe Ash is still going to pull something of a surprise out of his hat but on the surface this should have been settled by now. Could we be looking for a donor to step up to underwrite a portion of the salary? That individual would really need to be bullish on Ash since I see another long year in 2018.

 

[RUMBA-JK]

Another question - have either the OC job or the DL job been posted? Is there a work-around for these - or will that be an additional delay?

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Our friends at UConn looking for an OC too. Will we be competing with the Huskies for Toledo’s Brian Wright?

https://www.theuconnblog.com/2018/1...ies-football-offensive-coordinator-candidates

It's one writer's list of POTENTIAL candidates formed by himself. I'm pretty sure Wright wouldn't even answer the phone if Yuke-On called.

 

[rutgersguy1_rivals]

I mentioned Stitt's offensive rankings at Montana earlier but I just ball parked them because I didn't remember them exactly. Looked them up again to see. Remember also transition from a pro style to a spread.

Year - YPG - PPG

2017 - 9 - 11
2016 - 7 - 7
2015 - 28 - 42

Pre-Stitt

2014 - 52 - 44