Some Positives for Ciarrocca

[ScooterSports]

Ciarrocca isn’t the most popular hire. For good reason, coached a very mediocre offense at Minnesota this year. Obviously didn’t have good track record at RU his time round and he doesn’t run a very exciting offense. He wouldn’t have been my first choice. But he’s the OC now. So let’s look at one good thing I saw on his record.
As Western Michigan OC (2013-2016) and his first stint at Minnesota (2017-2019) the offenses saw improvement every year.
At Western Michigan, the teams PPG by year went
2013: 17.2
2014: 33.8
2015: 36
2016: 41.6
At Minnesota the PPG by year went
2017: 22.1
2018: 28.9
2019: 34.1
And these improvements largely happened because of the QBs development, he was QB coach at Western Michigan and Minnesota at these times.
Zach Terrell was QB at Western Michigan from 2013-2016
2013: 53% completion, 1602 yards, 8 TD - 8 INT
2014: 68%, 3443, 26 - 10
2015: 67%, 3522, 29 - 9
2016: 70%, 3533, 33 - 4
Ciarrocca was the OC for Tanner Morgan’s first 2 years in 2018 and 2019
2018: 59%, 1401, 9 - 6
2019: 66%, 3253, 30-7
Now who knows if he does this when Fleck isn’t his HC. But just this gives me a little bit of hope. Still not the biggest fan, especially since he seems to do pretty bad in year 1 and we need immediate results. But let’s see how it plays out.

 

[jakeknight]

plus he has worked with GS so they should be in synch with expectations both ways. Would be more exciting if the hire was not a re- tread. But excitement doesn’t always work out (Sean Gleason). As noted above he has been a QB coach with some success hopefully we will fully migrate to RPO.

 

[Anteid]

Wow I don’t know with this hire

 

[RU#1fan]

Maybe he can bring the stud RB from Harrisburg with him who he just recruited to Minnesota.
We offered along with every other B1G program (inc PSU).

 

[ScooterSports]

Maybe he can bring the stud RB from Harrisburg with him who he just recruited to Minnesota.
We offered along with every other B1G program (inc PSU).

getting a stud RB duo with him and Brown would be a dream. Pound the rock without having one guy getting 30 carries like Ibrahim did, lower chance of injury and fresh legs constantly.

 

[Dpgru]

The biggest unknown for me, regardless of whether or not KC is the right hire, is the OL. If it doesn’t get significantly better, the play calling won’t make a big difference.

 

[ashokan]

I believe he was "co-cordinator" with Flood in 2010 (maybe that was just a salary promotion gimmick)
RU was spectacularly bad when he was on the team but the OL was a disaster and Savage was a physical and mental mess.
Saban would have flopped then

 

[ecojew]

I believe he was "co-cordinator" with Flood in 2010 (maybe that was just a salary promotion gimmick)
RU was spectacularly bad when he was on the team but the OL was a disaster and Savage was a physical and mental mess.
Saban would have flopped then

And that was also the year of Eric's accident. The entire team was not the same after that game so it might not be an accurate indicator of what he is capable of doing.

 

[ScooterSports]

One thing with the QB development, is that both QBs I mentioned had a stud reciever. Corey Davis at Western Michigan and Rashad Bateman at Minnesota. WR is probably our weakest position rn. Someone’s gonna have to step up.

 

[mdk02]

Maybe he can bring the stud RB from Harrisburg with him who he just recruited to Minnesota.
We offered along with every other B1G program (inc PSU).

getting a stud RB duo with him and Brown would be a dream. Pound the rock without having one guy getting 30 carries like Ibrahim did, lower chance of injury and fresh legs constantly.

It would be great, but the RB group is already the deepest of any position on the team. A
stud WR would be even better.

 

[yesrutgers01]

I believe he was "co-cordinator" with Flood in 2010 (maybe that was just a salary promotion gimmick)
RU was spectacularly bad when he was on the team but the OL was a disaster and Savage was a physical and mental mess.
Saban would have flopped then

I know you have seen me go into detail on this at least 20 times. My son was on that OL and I knew all the others plus many other offensive players from 05-10

 

[zappaa]

I know you have seen me go into detail on this at least 20 times. My son was on that OL and I knew all the others plus many other offensive players from 05-10

Your opinion on the hire?

 

[ashokan]

I know you have seen me go into detail on this at least 20 times. My son was on that OL and I knew all the others plus many other offensive players from 05-10

He wasn't on the 2010 (Kirk's infamous last year and abysmal all around) team when RU set D1 sacks allowed record.
I'm sure Flood would have wished he was around lol

 

[Knight Shift]

plus he has worked with GS so they should be in synch with expectations both ways. Would be more exciting if the hire was not a re- tread. But excitement doesn’t always work out (Sean Gleason). As noted above he has been a QB coach with some success hopefully we will fully migrate to RPO.

Totally agree with your first statement. But your next two sentences are correct. Exciting can be fraught with problems. With Kirk C, they should be aligned pretty quickly.

 

[Knight Shift]

The history of QB development is most impressive.

Flacco went from 2783 passing yards, 18 TD/10 INT in year 1 to 4263 yards and 23 TD and 5 INT in year 2.

As for QBs and running, Zach Terrell ran for 249 yards, 3.1 ypc and 7 TDs in 2016 at WMU.

From the best Rutgers football beat writer:

Solid history of quarterback development​

Ciarrocca most recently helped develop Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan, who was one of the Big Ten’s better quarterbacks while with the Golden Gophers. Morgan made a big jump in 2019, his second season as the starter, setting a single-season school record in passing yards (3,253) and passing touchdowns (30).

Ciarrocca also coached Zach Terrell at Western Michigan, who threw for 33 touchdowns with just four interceptions in 2016 (Western Michigan had the nation’s 49th ranked passing offense that season).

Ciarrocca oversaw the development of Joe Flacco at Delaware, where Ciarrocca was the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach from 2002-07.

Flacco was the 18th overall pick in 2008 and went on to become a Super Bowl-winning quarterback with the Baltimore Ravens.

https://www.app.com/story/sports/co...ngs-to-know-about-kirk-ciarrocca/69770324007/

 

[yesrutgers01]

He wasn't on the 2010 (Kirk's infamous last year and abysmal all around) team when RU set D1 sacks allowed record.
I'm sure Flood would have wished he was around lol

He wasn’t but certainly knew everyone that was…
The honest truth is that it was really a square peg into a round hole that had some success in 09 when you had NFL OTs Tim Brown etc…nothing was going to work in 10…

 

[yesrutgers01]

Your opinion on the hire?

With the time it took- he obviously wasn’t Greg’s first or second choice, so hard to say.
I also have a fear that unless it was a no brainer and as big as GS himself, that no OC will have great success at this point.
But if we can start averaging 28 points a game, with our defense, we bowl every year.

 

[Plum Street]

And that was also the year of Eric's accident. The entire team was not the same after that game so it might not be an accurate indicator of what he is capable of doing.

Team was bad before the injury .

 

[Section124]

Does he have any more daughters for the Rutgers soccer team? Last one was pretty good.

 

[Dpgru]

It would be great, but the RB group is already the deepest of any position on the team. A
stud WR would be even better.

And/or a stud O lineman!!

 

[nikoru09]

The biggest unknown for me, regardless of whether or not KC is the right hire, is the OL. If it doesn’t get significantly better, the play calling won’t make a big difference.

ding,ding,ding,.............we have a winner!.

 

[gef21]

ding,ding,ding,.............we have a winner!.

There is play calling that can help or hurt middle of the road OLs.

 

[yesrutgers01]

There is play calling that can help or hurt middle of the road OLs.

Exactly…I even look at our OL between Flood and Ash- we somehow had above average OL play with Mueller/Miller/Nelson that became bad almost immediately.
Even go back to 2008- OL was not good at the beginner of year because someone wanted to overstack tge left side and put the two best OL next to each other, even if not playing their best position. As soon as a change was made, the OL all of a sudden got better…

 

[RU#1fan]

getting a stud RB duo with him and Brown would be a dream. Pound the rock without having one guy getting 30 carries like Ibrahim did, lower chance of injury and fresh legs constantly.

This
Not sure if a signed commit can change at this point.

 

[mdk02]

Exactly…I even look at our OL between Flood and Ash- we somehow had above average OL play with Mueller/Miller/Nelson that became bad almost immediately.
Even go back to 2008- OL was not good at the beginner of year because someone wanted to overstack tge left side and put the two best OL next to each other, even if not playing their best position. As soon as a change was made, the OL all of a sudden got better…

Weren't those 3 only Flood? I'm not doubting play calling makes a difference, but I think the decline later on, mostly Ash, was more seriously a result of diminished talent.

 

[brgRC90]

Once again, Schiano 2.0 looks more and more like Schiano 1.0...

 

[mdk02]

This
Not sure if a signed commit can change at this point.

Not without sitting out a year, which nobody will do to come to Rutgers when they've signed with a P5 team.

 

[rucoe89]

The biggest unknown for me, regardless of whether or not KC is the right hire, is the OL. If it doesn’t get significantly better, the play calling won’t make a big difference.

Order of concerns to address:

OL Run
OL Pass Block
QB Decision making
QB Accuracy
WR Ability to separate
WR Ability to make grabs

Basically, 80% of what a competent offense should be able to accomplish.

 

[RU#1fan]

It would be great, but the RB group is already the deepest of any position on the team. A
stud WR would be even better.

With injuries, transfers, etc you could never have enough RBs. And Kyle has already played 2 years. Not that deep when considering all we have is Brown and Salaam (3.7 yards per carry) as impactful RBs.
You are right on WRs. Our 3 projected WR starters have a combined 16 career receptions between them.
Scary thought

 

[WhichReligionIsRight]

I'm fine with the KC hire. He is, at least, a competent P5-level OC and QB coach. I expect to see a lot of offensive improvement. OL depth and quality should be better as will the QB position.

If the offense again fails throughout 2023, that will be Schiano's 4th year - basically make-or-break time for this regime. So I think we either see substantial improvement (making a bowl is a must, IMO) or it will be time to clean house and get a new HC.

My money is on the team making substantial strides in 2023. I think the pieces are coming together.

 

[mdk02]

With injuries, transfers, etc you could never have enough RBs. And Kyle has already played 2 years. Not that deep when considering all we have is Brown and Salaam (3.7 yards per carry) as impactful RBs.
You are right on WRs. Our 3 projected WR starters have a combined 16 career receptions between them.
Scary thought

Which means Kyle still has 2 years. Brown 3.

The there is Salaam with 3 years and Rochelle, arguably a better slot back, with 4, as he only played 2 games.

Benjamin, a 3 star arrives this fall.

What do you define as enough? No other position on this team comes anywhere close.

 

[yesrutgers01]

Weren't those 3 only Flood? I'm not doubting play calling makes a difference, but I think the decline later on, mostly Ash, was more seriously a result of diminished talent.

no- all 3 were still on the team as Sr's in 2016. As were Applefield and Jackson who were driven away...

 

[RuSnp]

no- all 3 were still on the team as Sr's in 2016. As were Applefield and Jackson who were driven away...

Jackson was driven away? Woah

 

[fluoxetine]

And that was also the year of Eric's accident. The entire team was not the same after that game so it might not be an accurate indicator of what he is capable of doing.

We lost to Tulane (and had a death struggle with Florida International on the road.. for some reason) before Eric’s injury. That team was always bad.

 

[RU#1fan]

Not without sitting out a year, which nobody will do to come to Rutgers when they've signed with a P5 team.

I thought when a Coach leaves a player has the right to change his commitment. Kirk recruited this RB.

Which means Kyle still has 2 years. Brown 3.

The there is Salaam with 3 years and Rochelle, arguably a better slot back, with 4, as he only played 2 games.

Benjamin, a 3 star arrives this fall.

What do you define as enough? No other position on this team comes anywhere close.

Rochelle will be moved to WR immediately..we have no depth there.
Salaam is small and not proven to be a B1G RB.
You must know RBs are recruited every class. This kid will be a star.

 

[rutger80]

Exactly…I even look at our OL between Flood and Ash- we somehow had above average OL play with Mueller/Miller/Nelson that became bad almost immediately.
Even go back to 2008- OL was not good at the beginner of year because someone wanted to overstack tge left side and put the two best OL next to each other, even if not playing their best position. As soon as a change was made, the OL all of a sudden got better…

Regarding your 2008 comment: who was the 'someone' who wanted to overstack the left side: HC, OC or OL coach.
All I know is that I was at the Cincinnati game that year and it looked like it set back football 100 years. Hard to believe it was the same team a couple of games later.

 

[yesrutgers01]

Regarding your 2008 comment: who was the 'someone' who wanted to overstack the left side: HC, OC or OL coach.
All I know is that I was at the Cincinnati game that year and it looked like it set back football 100 years. Hard to believe it was the same team a couple of games later.

HC had that brilliant idea and overruled McNulty and Flood.
Change was made at Pitt and not only did protection get better but you now had a future NFL OT on both sides and a very experienced C- and 2 newbies at OG but neither had egos and just followed the lead of the other 3.

 

[yesrutgers01]

Jackson was driven away? Woah

Maybe it was someone else that left for OSU…my mistake if it was

 

[rucoe89]

Maybe it was someone else that left for OSU…my mistake if it was

Jackson went to OSU, but you are saying the Staff at the time wanted him gone? If so, that is nuts! He was one of the best linemen Rutgers had at the time and was a Captain when he left.

 

[yesrutgers01]

Jackson went to OSU, but you are saying the Staff at the time wanted him gone? If so, that is nuts! He was one of the best linemen Rutgers had at the time and was a Captain when he left.

Staff SUCKED- they made good OL bad. He was very good but could have been much better elsewhere while he busted his *** for Ash. That was the whole point.