When I think of Vince Okruch I think of Mitch Browning as a comparable hire. Lots of experience but most recent position was not on par with the prior positions.
Smart, cheap or frugal ?
- Thread starter Abro1975
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When I think of Vince Okruch I think of Mitch Browning as a comparable hire. Lots of experience but most recent position was not on par with the prior positions.
Wow! Three(3) pages on this really dumb topic! Ash, pays a percentage based on that particular person's previous salary! It's that simple! If the guy you want is making 150,000./yr. you don't offer him 750,000. because that's what other coaches in the league make! You look at a 30% to 40% raise, maybe an incentive, which a very nice raise. This way you have some leeway when you negotiate the next contract, based on that persons performance within your program! Geez, are there no owners, managers in this fan base?
This topic is just stupid, even for this fan base!
This topic is just stupid, even for this fan base!
You guys crack me up. He's hired 3 assistant coaches and 2 S&C coaches so far and has ~6 more coaches to hire. Let's see what the final staff looks like before getting yourself all worked up. How much budget does MD have for assistant coaches compared to RU? It's a fair assessment in comparing MD with RU in terms of recruiting & wins/losses in the next few years. So far, it looks like the comparison is having a staff of experienced coaches compared to up and coming but let's see how Ash fills out the rest of the staff, I have to believe he is going to balance it out with some experienced coaches in there and staying within our budget which looks like to be middle of the road BIG.
I read a lot of this and am the worse for it
in 3 years the clown posse will be saying they knew Ash was the guy....
I like this approach 100% better...having ex head coaches who still see themselves
at that level looking over your shoulder (unless they are at an age where that
is off the table) isn't my preferred model...I like this approach and at a $ tight
school like RU makes better sense than paying higher for top few and paying
lower assistants nothing...
time will tell but I'm on board...
in 3 years the clown posse will be saying they knew Ash was the guy....
I like this approach 100% better...having ex head coaches who still see themselves
at that level looking over your shoulder (unless they are at an age where that
is off the table) isn't my preferred model...I like this approach and at a $ tight
school like RU makes better sense than paying higher for top few and paying
lower assistants nothing...
time will tell but I'm on board...
Rutgers is not Ohio State nor is it the Yankees. To draw comparisons in that regard makes you seem obtuse. To pretend that RU can and should spend money and act like OSU immediately is really silly. RU will require innovation across the football program if it is going to compete in a conference with programs that have significantly more resources. WillHobbs and Ash get the job done? We don't know yet....but your posting about Small time thinking is very derogatory towards the new coach IMO. Putting it in to perspective that you were pushing for Cristobal as HC.....your feelings about Ash and these moves seem laughable.
He is here to teach the OL to block and to recruit some more. He comes from a place where they grow them big and they teach them young. Watch him doing the youtubes, well spoken, confident, energetic, plus personality. This is a very good hire who hopefully comes to love NJ and helps Ash transform Rutgers football into a national program. It takes one man to provide leadership and all the rest to execute with heart, passion and loyalty. The vision for the next five years is set, it's time get behind Ash and help him however we can. I would have thought if there was anyone who could understand the power of visionary leadership and positive thought, it would be rutgersal. Get on board Sir, the man has a plan!
The Rutgers salary of coaching staff is only barely ranked 7th, in fact most of the schools ranked ahead of us are only ranked ahead by a very, VERY small amount. Schools only pull away when you get to the big 4.
But, who needs facts and real data when you can make audition for NJ.com on-line for the world to see right?
But, who needs facts and real data when you can make audition for NJ.com on-line for the world to see right?
Why would Hobbs be interviewing assistant
coaches? The AD hires the headcoach and the headcoach hired his assistants.
Yet Minnesota passed on him. Never went back to Iowa and never coached at Division I. May turn out to be great but hate RU providing on the job training.
I have hired over 100 people at various companies in the last 15 years, never have I been allowed to hire someone without one over one approval. There is someone else at least speaking to these guys and running background checks otherwise we are setting our self up for another MR/EJ fiasco.
The bottom line is there are not a ton of dumb coaches. There are a few innovators but the rest are teaching similar schemes and similar technique. The thing that differentiates a coach is if they can communicate effectively to the players and motivate them enough to play significantly above their ability.
Unfortunately, in the coaching profession, often coaches do exactly what is asked of them and still get fired. A coach that has ****** talent and elevates it to average will get canned in no time. On the other hand, many coaches that have great talent, keep their jobs yet never elevate the talent they have. The wins mask their failures. An obvious case here is Luke Fickell.
I like Ash's approach because I think recruits tend to respond what's cool and a young driven staff will be "cool" for a while and that will assist along the recruiting trail. However, unless he can win, with the talent he has been left with, then the "cool" factor will wear quickly like Golden!!
Time and the ability to recruit a QB that can run this system will tell if we have been Smart, cheap or frugal!!
Unfortunately, in the coaching profession, often coaches do exactly what is asked of them and still get fired. A coach that has ****** talent and elevates it to average will get canned in no time. On the other hand, many coaches that have great talent, keep their jobs yet never elevate the talent they have. The wins mask their failures. An obvious case here is Luke Fickell.
I like Ash's approach because I think recruits tend to respond what's cool and a young driven staff will be "cool" for a while and that will assist along the recruiting trail. However, unless he can win, with the talent he has been left with, then the "cool" factor will wear quickly like Golden!!
Time and the ability to recruit a QB that can run this system will tell if we have been Smart, cheap or frugal!!
I responded to a post that said that Hobbs should be interviewing FHCRE to hire him, not for one over approval. Not sure of the process for hiring assistant coaches, I would think it would be more around background checks than his football knowledge.
Okay, I will be honest. I think the hiring strategy is peculiar. Not discounting it as a viable option, but if you told me 3 weeks ago if I would rather have assistants like London, Lembo, and Shafer.......or a bunch of quality control guys at OSU, I would vote for the known commodities every single time.
That said, it looks like the strategy is to get young, high energy, inexperienced guys that are more likely to align themselves with Ash's vision and coaching style. A staff that is more likely to be all over social media and relentless in recruiting compared to an older more established staff. A staff that is less likely to dissent from Ash's approach and more likely to be open to adjusting their coaching philosophies to that of Chris Ash. Will this approach work? Not sure, to be perfectly clear. Lots of people are saying if Flood was making these hires, it would be small time. That is probably an accurate assessment. Ash, unlike Flood, has an expertise on one side of the ball. His assistants don't necessarily have to carry him....at least on the defensive side of the ball.
I did anticipate a higher profile OC to help push that side of the ball and allow Ash to take care of the defense without requiring much, if any, oversight of the offense. I do think Mehringer could be a good OC for RU, but his experience is minimal given that we have a HC that is pretty much defense oriented.
Concerns aside, I will put my faith in this approach and Chris Ash, until proven otherwise by results on the recruiting trail, field, and scoreboard. A staff of 9 hungry, young, overachieving assistants that will be full boar in their efforts here may be the right approach for Rutgers football.
That said, it looks like the strategy is to get young, high energy, inexperienced guys that are more likely to align themselves with Ash's vision and coaching style. A staff that is more likely to be all over social media and relentless in recruiting compared to an older more established staff. A staff that is less likely to dissent from Ash's approach and more likely to be open to adjusting their coaching philosophies to that of Chris Ash. Will this approach work? Not sure, to be perfectly clear. Lots of people are saying if Flood was making these hires, it would be small time. That is probably an accurate assessment. Ash, unlike Flood, has an expertise on one side of the ball. His assistants don't necessarily have to carry him....at least on the defensive side of the ball.
I did anticipate a higher profile OC to help push that side of the ball and allow Ash to take care of the defense without requiring much, if any, oversight of the offense. I do think Mehringer could be a good OC for RU, but his experience is minimal given that we have a HC that is pretty much defense oriented.
Concerns aside, I will put my faith in this approach and Chris Ash, until proven otherwise by results on the recruiting trail, field, and scoreboard. A staff of 9 hungry, young, overachieving assistants that will be full boar in their efforts here may be the right approach for Rutgers football.
Okay, that statement is probably not entirely accurate. My point is that we are bringing guys in that are jumping up several rungs on the coaching tree.
OC- Mehringer is jumping from WR coach at a non-P5 school to OC of a P5 school.
ST- Okruch is jumping from a quality control position to a full coordinator position
S&C-Parker is jumping from an assistant role in S&C to the head guy.
OL-Blazek is jumping from Western Illinois to a P5 coach
S&C assistant - Beemer is going from #1 at Hawaii to #2 at the position at RU. The exception so far.
I am not discounting this strategy, but I'm just saying its peculiar and not expected. A bunch of young, overachievers may be exactly what we and Ash need on this staff.
It was one of my biggest pet peeves with the old coaching staff. RU should not be in the business of being a training school for it's coaches. At the P5 level you should already have acquired the skills necessary to out coach and out scheme your opponent's. If not you will always be behind. I can't be a hypocrite here, like many on here are. They bitched about the last staff having no experience but now this staff thus far is awesome with the same no experience. I could only say with the limited hires that most have done it on bigger stage before, but not at their current positions. More so than the last staff. Young, energetic and passion is great only if you teach correctly and can convey your point to those you are teaching. The youth should help them relate better to the players, but these hires thus far are really a leap of faith in the coaching category. They simply haven't done it at this level before.
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For the record, has anyone bothered to look up Blazek's history or is this complaint simply based on the fact he is not from a P5 program? You know he isn't teh HC or OC right? He is simply here to implement the schemes we want to run. Oh, and he's considered an awesome recruiter.
In his first year, Blazek helped the offensive line improve nearly 30 spots nationally in sacks allowed from the previous 2012 season, and more than 60 spots compared from two seasons ago. Despite using six different starting line-ups along the front five (mainly due to injuries), the offense registered eight 100-yard rushing efforts during the 2013 season and nearly scored as many points as the previous two seasons combined.
Offensively, the Leathernecks gained 405 yards per game (44th nationally) and ranked eighth nationally in tackles for loss allowed. For the second straight year, Blazek coached an All-MVFC performer on the O-line (Matt Zobrist).
He joined Bob Nielson's staff following a four-year stint at Winona State, a conference rival of Nielson's former team Minnesota-Duluth.
Blazek served as the Warriors' offensive line and tight ends coach, and during his final three years at WSU was the co-offensive coordinator. He was named the 2012 'Assistant Coach of the Year' by the American Football Coaches Association.
During his time, Blazek worked with an offensive unit that saw Rayon Simmons become the program's all-time leading rusher. The First Team Don Hansen Super Region and All-America selection broke the Warriors' season rushing record last year compiling 1,774 yards on the ground. He surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in each of the last three seasons, finishing with a program-record 5,245 career rushing yards.
Winona State concluded the 2012 season ranked 10th nationally in total offense, 11th in passing efficiency, 30th in rushing, 29th in passing offense and 23rd averaging 37.5 points per game. Simmons' 148 rushing yards per game placed him third nationally. Two of Blazek's offensive linemen were named to the Don Hansen Super Region Second Team. Following the 2012 campaign, four of Blazek's five offensive linemen were named All-Northern Sun Conference along with the Warriors starting tight end. Senior Roszell Gayden was a potential NFL draft pick before a knee injury finished his career prematurely. The Warriors also won the 2012 Mineral Water Bowl, finishing 10-2.
In his first year, Blazek helped the offensive line improve nearly 30 spots nationally in sacks allowed from the previous 2012 season, and more than 60 spots compared from two seasons ago. Despite using six different starting line-ups along the front five (mainly due to injuries), the offense registered eight 100-yard rushing efforts during the 2013 season and nearly scored as many points as the previous two seasons combined.
Offensively, the Leathernecks gained 405 yards per game (44th nationally) and ranked eighth nationally in tackles for loss allowed. For the second straight year, Blazek coached an All-MVFC performer on the O-line (Matt Zobrist).
He joined Bob Nielson's staff following a four-year stint at Winona State, a conference rival of Nielson's former team Minnesota-Duluth.
Blazek served as the Warriors' offensive line and tight ends coach, and during his final three years at WSU was the co-offensive coordinator. He was named the 2012 'Assistant Coach of the Year' by the American Football Coaches Association.
During his time, Blazek worked with an offensive unit that saw Rayon Simmons become the program's all-time leading rusher. The First Team Don Hansen Super Region and All-America selection broke the Warriors' season rushing record last year compiling 1,774 yards on the ground. He surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in each of the last three seasons, finishing with a program-record 5,245 career rushing yards.
Winona State concluded the 2012 season ranked 10th nationally in total offense, 11th in passing efficiency, 30th in rushing, 29th in passing offense and 23rd averaging 37.5 points per game. Simmons' 148 rushing yards per game placed him third nationally. Two of Blazek's offensive linemen were named to the Don Hansen Super Region Second Team. Following the 2012 campaign, four of Blazek's five offensive linemen were named All-Northern Sun Conference along with the Warriors starting tight end. Senior Roszell Gayden was a potential NFL draft pick before a knee injury finished his career prematurely. The Warriors also won the 2012 Mineral Water Bowl, finishing 10-2.
See my post above, this O line coach has experience not just as an O line coach but also Co OC and run game coordinator
OK. This is getting to be crazy. Let's not get all up in arms until the ENTIRE staff is filled. I believe Ash has a very very specific group in mind that he wants. I personally like getting some young energetic talent to start. However I believe the "experience" that some on this board are screaming for is not available yet because the team the are currently employed by still have bowl games to play in. If one of these "experienced" guys that some of you want are not hired yet, could it be because they are not yet available for hire? Give me experience that is successful and currently employed over an unemployed experience guy. At least it shows they are on a successful staff currently.
Also working with a number of startup type companies and people, sometimes experience on the smaller scale does prepare you for the larger market. You perfect your craft but have not been given the opportunity to show it to a larger audience. Once you do the company skyrockets. Same in my mind with some of these hires. If you are very strong at the lower level, you deserve the call up to the big leagues. Every coach had to start somewhere. Urban Meyer was at Illinois State, Colorado State, and then Notre Lame, before becoming head coach at Bowling Green. Then left Bowling Green for Utah and then Florida and now OSU. It is called progression. The assistants we are getting are also in their progress stage. We are better than Colorado State but lower than Notre Lame so we should expect coaches coming from the Illinois State level for the most part. I LOVE that Ash has a plan and is following thru on it. His vision needs to play out and the mix of coaches needs to be finalized before I pass any judgment. However I am supporting his strategy. And it is about time we had one. And btw every hire has been successful at there current level.
Just my opinion. You now have permission to tell me how stupid, moronic, or whatever intelligent retort you have.
Also working with a number of startup type companies and people, sometimes experience on the smaller scale does prepare you for the larger market. You perfect your craft but have not been given the opportunity to show it to a larger audience. Once you do the company skyrockets. Same in my mind with some of these hires. If you are very strong at the lower level, you deserve the call up to the big leagues. Every coach had to start somewhere. Urban Meyer was at Illinois State, Colorado State, and then Notre Lame, before becoming head coach at Bowling Green. Then left Bowling Green for Utah and then Florida and now OSU. It is called progression. The assistants we are getting are also in their progress stage. We are better than Colorado State but lower than Notre Lame so we should expect coaches coming from the Illinois State level for the most part. I LOVE that Ash has a plan and is following thru on it. His vision needs to play out and the mix of coaches needs to be finalized before I pass any judgment. However I am supporting his strategy. And it is about time we had one. And btw every hire has been successful at there current level.
Just my opinion. You now have permission to tell me how stupid, moronic, or whatever intelligent retort you have.
The OC also has OC experience as does the ST coach. People just seem to love washed up coaches in here. A real buy high, sell low group.
Or In 3 years the clown posse will be saying they knew Ash wasn't the guy and just another placeholder.
I believe that everyone on this site wants nothing but the best for this program. I believe that most fans share a common goal and that is to field a competitive college football team.
I do not feel the institution shares our vision for Rutgers football. Set your feelings aside for a moment and ask yourself if Hobbs and Ash were "truly" an upgrade to Julie Herman and Coach Flood?
An institution that terminates an AD and HC and then makes claims that money is not an issue does not hire Hobbs & Ash! Instead they open up the wallet and bring in a Rich Rodriguez, Lane Kiffin or Al Golden. The first guy is an offensive genius, the second guy would fill a roster with 4* & 5* athletes and the third guy had extensive head coaching experience with northeastern ties. Last year we were a program on the verge of chaos. A program that needed a HC who can coach X's & O's and recruit the best possible athlete to fit their program. Ash will quickly find out that his new roster will look profoundly different than what he was accustom to at Columbus, Ohio.
I do not feel the institution shares our vision for Rutgers football. Set your feelings aside for a moment and ask yourself if Hobbs and Ash were "truly" an upgrade to Julie Herman and Coach Flood?
An institution that terminates an AD and HC and then makes claims that money is not an issue does not hire Hobbs & Ash! Instead they open up the wallet and bring in a Rich Rodriguez, Lane Kiffin or Al Golden. The first guy is an offensive genius, the second guy would fill a roster with 4* & 5* athletes and the third guy had extensive head coaching experience with northeastern ties. Last year we were a program on the verge of chaos. A program that needed a HC who can coach X's & O's and recruit the best possible athlete to fit their program. Ash will quickly find out that his new roster will look profoundly different than what he was accustom to at Columbus, Ohio.
Or you could word it as
OC: set all types of school records in his first year at OC for a 1AA power. THen went back to spend another year under his mentor and top Offensive mind in the country.
ST: way over qualified 15 years experience in the B1G including multiple DC jobs. Has worked under some of the best recruiters in the country. Took a job as quality control to have a chance to work under Meyer.
S&C: is not re inventing the wheel. He will implement the plan he has taught at both UF and OSU.
OL: he is still teaching O line which is simply implementing schemes. If you read up on him you would see he has coached some very good O lines, been an OC, running game coordinator AND conference coach of the year.
S&C assistant: can help the new guy as he has been the head guy at Hawaii
Oh, and we have 6 hires to go
You lost all credibility once you typed Lane Kiffin. Not sure if Hobbs is an upgrade but anything would have been an upgrade to Flood.
I guess I missed Kiffin and Golden getting hired as head coaches. Everyone else passed on them as well.
LOL. Rich Rod is still HC at Zona. Lane Kiffin failed in Oakland and took an awesome USC program down to pedestrian. Golden was average as a HC at Temple and sucked **** at Miami. So your plan is to pine for guys who would never come here or to pay a lot for retreads because it will make you feel better not because it is the right thing to do. At least we know your agenda against Ash now.....you are holding a grudge because you are a Golden boy.
Lane Kiffin has extensive experience as a HC and OC. He's an excellent recruiter and would have flipped at least 3-6 four star recruits the moment we hired him. Your knocking a guy who came within one game of winning a NC last year and will most likely win a NC this year.
I would have no qualms with Land Kiffin the coach. Lane Kiffin the person is a bit different and I don't think he would do well in NJ. That being said, there must be a reason he wasn't really considered and was passed over by EVERYBODY this year.
Rich Rod is still in Arizona and the other two got passed over by every school? Maybe the AD is just as smart as all the others who didn't hire either of them?
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