Patrick Mahomes & Mike Kafka

[Artie M.]

If you haven't heard, Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs set the record yesterday for most passing TDs in the first 3 games of the season under the tutelage of Kansas City QB Coach Mike Kafka.

If Mahomes stays healthy and the Chiefs can continue their run of dominance in the AFC West, this bodes well for Kafka's coaching career.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Mahomes' success is making Bear fans apoplectic over Trubisky's development.

 

[Figrating]

Mahomes has just a ton of natural talent and WR's to compliment it.

Congrats to Kafka for landing where he's needed and wanted, even though it took persistent looking.

Somebody will have to score 50 to beat the Chiefs.

 

[Artie M.]

Somebody will have to score 50 to beat the Chiefs.

Well, given the way the Chiefs' D has looked so far, that's not an unrealistic target.

 

[Seattle_Cat]

Mahomes has just a ton of natural talent and WR's to compliment it.

Congrats to Kafka for landing where he's needed and wanted, even though it too persistent looking.

Somebody will have to score 50 to beat the Chiefs.

The Lions defeated the Pats yesterday by not letting Brady off the bench.

 

[corbi2961]

Mahomes has just a ton of natural talent and WR's to compliment it.

Congrats to Kafka for landing where he's needed and wanted, even though it too persistent looking.

Somebody will have to score 50 to beat the Chiefs.

Wait until week 6-7 and let’s see if this still holds. Hasn’t anybody watched the Chiefs under Reid play before this year? They are notoriously fast starters that fade big time. Wait and see is my attitude.

 

[Wildcatfootball12]

Andy Reid also had Eagles teams that went to 4 straight NFC champ games so...

ALSO LETS HIRE KAFKA AS OC AND WIPE OUR HANDS OF MCCALL AND HIS SMUG FACE

Sidenote: Anyone see the foundation and see McCall literally blame the players and take the onus off himself, seriously, screw that guy

 

[corbi2961]

Andy Reid also had Eagles teams that went to 4 straight NFC champ games so...

ALSO LETS HIRE KAFKA AS OC AND WIPE OUR HANDS OF MCCALL AND HIS SMUG FACE

Sidenote: Anyone see the foundation and see McCall literally blame the players and take the onus off himself, seriously, screw that guy

Brilliant, let's hire a guy with an entire 3 games of position coaching experience to coordinate the entire offense for a Big Ten team. That will work out really well.

 

[TheC]

Brilliant, let's hire a guy with an entire 3 games of position coaching experience to coordinate the entire offense for a Big Ten team. That will work out really well.

Kafka for President!!

 

[DaCat]

MOAR!

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

Brilliant, let's hire a guy with an entire 3 games of position coaching experience to coordinate the entire offense for a Big Ten team. That will work out really well.

He will be an OC sooner than you think. In the NFL.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Smug Face McCall, public enemy #1.

 

[corbi2961]

He will be an OC sooner than you think. In the NFL.

My comment was more a defense of McCall than anything against Kafka. It was evident from his days at St. Rita that the kid was a super bright high flyer and a leader. That being said, can we give him a a few years to actually learn the profession? Matt Nagy took seven years in coaching before becoming an OC under Reid and nine years before becoming a head coach. That was considered exceptionally quick. It would not surprise me if Kafka is on an even quicker trajectory but let's give the kid a few years to get comfortable before clamoring for him to take the job of a man who has done really good work for NU.

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

My comment was more a defense of McCall than anything against Kafka. It was evident from his days at St. Rita that the kid was a super bright high flyer and a leader. That being said, can we give him a a few years to actually learn the profession? Matt Nagy took seven years in coaching before becoming an OC under Reid and nine years before becoming a head coach. That was considered exceptionally quick. It would not surprise me if Kafka is on an even quicker trajectory but let's give the kid a few years to get comfortable before clamoring for him to take the job of a man who has done really good work for NU.

Kafka is very well-regarded in the profession. Would love to have him as our OC right now, honestly, but I think he’s a “pro guy.”

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

My comment was more a defense of McCall than anything against Kafka. It was evident from his days at St. Rita that the kid was a super bright high flyer and a leader. That being said, can we give him a a few years to actually learn the profession? Matt Nagy took seven years in coaching before becoming an OC under Reid and nine years before becoming a head coach. That was considered exceptionally quick. It would not surprise me if Kafka is on an even quicker trajectory but let's give the kid a few years to get comfortable before clamoring for him to take the job of a man who has done really good work for NU.

I would not be clamoring for Kafka at this stage of his development. However, the NU offense I have seen for an extended period of time now is Stagnant and predictable. If we have some creative plays in the hopper, we’ll see them this week. We can blame Cushing, Springer, McCall or the players. I have no clear idea where the problem is, just that there is a problem. That makes it hard for me to come to the same conclusion that McCall has done a really good job. Something has needed to change for awhile now and I am not sure it is one Assistant Coach.

 

[xxxbobxxx]

Brilliant, let's hire a guy with an entire 3 games of position coaching experience to coordinate the entire offense for a Big Ten team. That will work out really well.

That’s a horrible idea. We might as well hire a HC with no HC or coordinator experience. In fact, maybe we can find one with only a few years of any coaching experience because he will undoubtedly surround himself w great assistants and have no problem learning from them...

 

[DaCat]

That’s a horrible idea. We might as well hire a HC with no HC or coordinator experience. In fact, maybe we can find one with only a few years of any coaching experience because he will undoubtedly surround himself w great assistants and have no problem learning from them...

He's baaaaaa-aaack!

 

[xxxbobxxx]

He's baaaaaa-aaack!

No substance again.

 

[corbi2961]

I would not be clamoring for Kafka at this stage of his development. However, the NU offense I have seen for an extended period of time now is Stagnant and predictable. If we have some creative plays in the hopper, we’ll see them this week. We can blame Cushing, Springer, McCall or the players. I have no clear idea where the problem is, just that there is a problem. That makes it hard for me to come to the same conclusion that McCall has done a really good job. Something has needed to change for awhile now and I am not sure it is one Assistant Coach.

Very hard to get creative when your OL gives you no time or space. It all starts up front.

 

[GOUNUII]

Very hard to get creative when your OL gives you no time or space. It all starts up front.

Foster and Franks are 2 ginormous steps toward fixing the OL. I don't recall getting 2 better OT prospects in the same class ... since 1982-83 when I first became a recruiting junkie.

GOUNUII

 

[corbi2961]

Kafka is very well-regarded in the profession. Would love to have him as our OC right now, honestly, but I think he’s a “pro guy.”

How can he be very well regarded if this is his first coaching job? Those who know him well think highly of him and are confident in his future success, like I am, but I struggle to understand how he could be broadly very well regarded as a coach when he has been a coach for a grand total of six months. I’d like for him to get a few years experience before being confident that he is ready to step in as an OC at any level.

 

[GlideCat]

He will be an OC sooner than you think. In the NFL.

If Kafka is able to maintain the high level of quarterback productivity through the season and into the play-offs, then he will get some looks sooner rather than later.

 

[Gladeskat]

Foster and Franks are 2 ginormous steps toward fixing the OL. I don't recall getting 2 better OT prospects in the same class ... since 1982-83 when I first became a recruiting junkie.

GOUNUII

Trai Essex and Zach Streif were a pretty good duo in 2001, though Essex was recruited as a TE.

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

How can he be very well regarded if this is his first coaching job? Those who know him well think highly of him and are confident in his future success, like I am, but I struggle to understand how he could be broadly very well regarded as a coach when he has been a coach for a grand total of six months. I’d like for him to get a few years experience before being confident that he is ready to step in as an OC at any level.

Because coaches don’t have to be full time to be noticed? Kafka was seen as a future coach by Reid during his playing days.

 

[corbi2961]

Because coaches don’t have to be full time to be noticed? Kafka was seen as a future coach by Reid during his playing days.

I realize that. I think even Reid would like to see him perform as a position coach for a year or two before considering him ready to take a meaningful step up to an offensive coordinator role.

 

[Figrating]

Brilliant, let's hire a guy with an entire 3 games of position coaching experience to coordinate the entire offense for a Big Ten team. That will work out really well.

In only his second year, OC Brian Ferentz power-ran the Hawks over the over-hyped Badgers and would have won the game except for TWO ST TOs that would eventually cost Iowa the game. BUT the new kid is GOOD. Along the way, many of the plays he tried worked well, as opposed to Mick's game plans that rarely surprise anybody.

3 games may be too young, but NU should be looking for a rising star like this one, with pro experience.

 

[corbi2961]

In only his second year, OC Brian Ferentz power-ran the Hawks over the over-hyped Badgers and would have won the game except for TWO ST TOs that would eventually cost Iowa the game. BUT the new kid is GOOD. Along the way, many of the plays he tried worked well, as opposed to Mick's game plans that rarely surprise anybody.

3 games may be too young, but NU should be looking for a rising star like this one, with pro experience.

How many years of coaching experience did Brian Ferentz have before he was elevated to the OC position by his dad? By the way, there are just as many Iowa fans who hate Ferentz as OC as there are NU fans who hate McCall. The grass isn’t always greener.

 

[Figrating]

With such compelling data behind you to show Iowa fans hate OC Ferentz, who can doubt it? But if he continues to run the team as he did against Bucky, I doubt it will last.

McCall, otoh, could lose to a rock. Time to clean house from the top down on NU O..

 

[corbi2961]

With such compelling data behind you to show Iowa fans hate OC Ferentz, who can doubt it? But if he continues to run the team as he did against Bucky, I doubt it will last.

McCall, otoh, could lose to a rock. Time to clean house from the top down on NU O..

LOL. Go read the Iowa message board the next time they lose a game they should have won. Their fans are as fair weather as ours. 27 wins in the last three years. Pretty sure Iowa and Ferentz can’t match that.

 

[Gladeskat]

LOL. Go read the Iowa message board the next time they lose a game they should have won. Their fans are as fair weather as ours. 27 wins in the last three years. Pretty sure Iowa and Ferentz can’t match that.

Nope. They had 28 wins the past three years.

 

[corbi2961]

Nope. They only had 28 wins the past three years.

Well there you go, I didn’t realize that. Fire McCall and hire Ferentz immediately.

 

[ricko6543211]

How can he be very well regarded if this is his first coaching job? Those who know him well think highly of him and are confident in his future success, like I am, but I struggle to understand how he could be broadly very well regarded as a coach when he has been a coach for a grand total of six months. I’d like for him to get a few years experience before being confident that he is ready to step in as an OC at any level.

I think Mick has been respectable as OC at NU, was quite good early, sort of just okay more recently as defenses have caught up to the spread and he hasn’t innovated that much. I do think he’s been a pretty consistently good QB coach.

Im a big fan of Kafka. Would agree that 3 successful games as a QB coach doesn’t earn him an OC spot, but also I think if he does well training under Reid and the other talent there, learning their system and way of thinking about how to call plays / score on offense, I’d be willing to roll the dice on him sooner rather than later. Maybe after 2 years. Possibly even less. Experience helps. But sometimes new blood and a different way of thinking provides an infusion of freshness and energy that can help more.

Besides, like gcg said, now that he’s in the Andy Reid tree and system, it’s probably more likely he stays on the pro side of things. But that doesn’t mean we can’t find something comparable in college that is a fit for us and an upgrade either at OC or at least at 1-2 offensive position coach spots. Fitz has brought in a few new young guys that seem to have potential over the last couple years. I can’t say with confidence he has demonstrated a willingness to filter out the underperformers as well...

 

[Wildcatfootball12]

I think Mick has been respectable as OC at NU, was quite good early, sort of just okay more recently as defenses have caught up to the spread and he hasn’t innovated that much. I do think he’s been a pretty consistently good QB coach.

So this is just no objectively based on fact

If I remember correctly (and someone do correct me) our offense was only above the national average in 2011 (when they were 28, which is quite good admittedly). Every other year we have been a below average offense in McCall's tenure.

If someone can post the actual numbers, that would help, but it's been on here before. This myth that Mick has been respectable, or was once good and has just stagnated recently is just a myth. The offense has always been frustrating, even with some of our favorite players like Persa and Siemian/Colter/Mark.

I will say this, we have had some flukey seasons, but I don't feel like we ever recovered from the loss against OSU in 2012. That team was damn good, and it felt like in the same way that Thorson's freshman year team was winning despite not being all that great, that team kept losing despite being damn good. Back then we would take care of non-conference play without question, and destroy inferior opponents (think syracuse that year).

So no, I don't think Mick was every above average, I think he had a nice season or two, but a this point we need a shakeup.

 

[ricko6543211]

So this is just no objectively based on fact

If I remember correctly (and someone do correct me) our offense was only above the national average in 2011 (when they were 28, which is quite good admittedly). Every other year we have been a below average offense in McCall's tenure.

If someone can post the actual numbers, that would help, but it's been on here before. This myth that Mick has been respectable, or was once good and has just stagnated recently is just a myth. The offense has always been frustrating, even with some of our favorite players like Persa and Siemian/Colter/Mark.

I will say this, we have had some flukey seasons, but I don't feel like we ever recovered from the loss against OSU in 2012. That team was damn good, and it felt like in the same way that Thorson's freshman year team was winning despite not being all that great, that team kept losing despite being damn good. Back then we would take care of non-conference play without question, and destroy inferior opponents (think syracuse that year).

So no, I don't think Mick was every above average, I think he had a nice season or two, but a this point we need a shakeup.

There are a lot of different metrics you can use to evaluate an offense. Not all are apples to apples, we play a slower pace than average for college football. We also tend to have a better defense so thus a head coach that prizes ball control, lack of turnovers, holding onto leads, and refuses to run up the score. And we play in the B1G, which is known for cold weather and good defenses. That's not all on Mick.

But.... in any event you saying this is "objectively not true" in response to my post bothers me slightly. So below are numbers by S&P+ (football outsiders) for offensive efficiency. There are 130 teams in CFB 1-A right now.
2018 #97 (YTD)
2017 #82
2016 #63
2015 #111
2014 #100
2013 #76
2012 #48
2011 #43
2010 #50
2009 #90
2008 #72

So, I think your point is incorrect based on the data. Our offense has clearly not been great, but if you take the first 6 years it averaged about #63, even with two inauspicious seasons to start, which is right in the middle of the pack for the country and pretty respectable given our conference and style of play (though it's worth noting that S&P+ is intended to adjust for the strength of opponent with its rankings).

In the last 5 years it's averaged about #91. Which represents a dropoff from middle of the pack to near the bottom and is an unacceptable level IMO.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

There are a lot of different metrics you can use to evaluate an offense. Not all are apples to apples, we play a slower pace than average for college football. We also tend to have a better defense so thus a head coach that prizes ball control, lack of turnovers, holding onto leads, and refuses to run up the score. And we play in the B1G, which is known for cold weather and good defenses. That's not all on Mick.

But.... in any event you saying this is "objectively not true" in response to my post bothers me slightly. So below are numbers by S&P+ (football outsiders) for offensive efficiency. There are 130 teams in CFB 1-A right now.
2018 #97 (YTD)
2017 #82
2016 #63
2015 #111
2014 #100
2013 #76
2012 #48
2011 #43
2010 #50
2009 #90
2008 #72

So, I think your point is incorrect based on the data. Our offense has clearly not been great, but if you take the first 6 years it averaged about #63, even with two inauspicious seasons to start, which is right in the middle of the pack for the country and pretty respectable given our conference and style of play (though it's worth noting that S&P+ is intended to adjust for the strength of opponent with its rankings).

In the last 5 years it's averaged about #91. Which represents a dropoff from middle of the pack to near the bottom and is an unacceptable level IMO.

You make good points Rick, but what I think may be a better measure is how our O ranks in the B1G. Similar weather and competition. Too lazy to do that leg work, but bet it is pretty average at best too.

 

[CappyNU]

You make good points Rick, but what I think may be a better measure is how our O ranks in the B1G. Similar weather and competition. Too lazy to do that leg work, but bet it is pretty average at best too.

Under McCall our B1G ranks in yards per play and scoring, respectively, are:

11 teams
08: 9th, 8th
09: 10th, 7th
10: 9th, 8th

12 teams
11: 4th, 5th
12: 8th, 3rd
13: 7th, 11th

14 teams
14: 14th, 12th
15: 14th, 14th
16: 9th, 7th
17: 6th, 4th
18 so far: 12th, 12th

 

[ricko6543211]

Under McCall our B1G ranks in yards per play and scoring, respectively, are:

11 teams
08: 9th, 8th
09: 10th, 7th
10: 9th, 8th

12 teams
11: 4th, 5th
12: 8th, 3rd
13: 7th, 11th

14 teams
14: 14th, 12th
15: 14th, 14th
16: 9th, 7th
17: 6th, 4th
18 so far: 12th, 12th

Sort of shocking that we were 4th in scoring last year! I guess maybe the 5 overtime TDs help.

Some decent years with Persa, and Colter / Venric / Trevor. The Thorson numbers look decent by these metrics. I would like to supplement with a ranking of NU vs B1G by S&P+ but I don't think I'm willing to comb through all the data year by year or write something to pull it from their site...

 

[Wildcatfootball12]

There are a lot of different metrics you can use to evaluate an offense. Not all are apples to apples, we play a slower pace than average for college football. We also tend to have a better defense so thus a head coach that prizes ball control, lack of turnovers, holding onto leads, and refuses to run up the score. And we play in the B1G, which is known for cold weather and good defenses. That's not all on Mick.

But.... in any event you saying this is "objectively not true" in response to my post bothers me slightly. So below are numbers by S&P+ (football outsiders) for offensive efficiency. There are 130 teams in CFB 1-A right now.
2018 #97 (YTD)
2017 #82
2016 #63
2015 #111
2014 #100
2013 #76
2012 #48
2011 #43
2010 #50
2009 #90
2008 #72

So, I think your point is incorrect based on the data. Our offense has clearly not been great, but if you take the first 6 years it averaged about #63, even with two inauspicious seasons to start, which is right in the middle of the pack for the country and pretty respectable given our conference and style of play (though it's worth noting that S&P+ is intended to adjust for the strength of opponent with its rankings).

In the last 5 years it's averaged about #91. Which represents a dropoff from middle of the pack to near the bottom and is an unacceptable level IMO.

Thanks for putting this together

I think we agree. We should be able to do better

My friend recently said "at least we will never be Rutgers", but that is insane, Rutgers is not a top 10 academic university near a world class city, sitting on the lake, with a multi billion dollar endowment and a recent investment of a multi-million dollar facility. So no, we won't be Rutgers, but for the love of God that should not be the metric

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

https://dailynorthwestern.com/2018/...-mccall-coaching-staff-offensive-coordinator/

Think they read this board.

 

[ricko6543211]

https://dailynorthwestern.com/2018/...-mccall-coaching-staff-offensive-coordinator/

Think they read this board.

Haha. Huh. Well, honestly, it was a reasonably decent article. No hot takes, just presented the data and interpreted the evidence.