Looking at Potential OC Candidates: Jeff Quinn

[UConn07]

Could Jeff Quinn Be a Top OC Candidate? – This is UConn Country

 

[sportsart]

Pretty impressive offensive resume. Certainly could handle the 3 WR set our previous guys reportedly couldn't handle. (Mind boggling, but apparently true)

 

[Fishy]

He's in a weird spot at Notre Dame.

Their "analyst" position is really as entry-level as it gets and that's where he was last year. This year, a former graduate assistant moved into that spot and Quinn joined the strength and conditioning staff.

That's an incremental move towards an actual coaching position.

If he thinks Kelly has an eye on the door and that his pace of advancement isn't moving him up the ladder fast enough, he might actually be poachable.

Flip side, he may now be a Kelly lifer and he'll just go full remora and latch onto Kelly wherever he goes.

 

[31GuardTrap]

He's probably a guy that Diaco would "leave alone" to run the offense the way it needs to be run. Don't underestimate that as something of huge importance right now.

 

[FDNY99]

If guys who have been OC's with ties to Kelly and Diaco are brought up Charley Molnar could be in the mix too. He is now WR coach at Idaho after failing miserably as HC at UMass.

 

[jrazz12]

Quinn and Zaire combo package? I can get on board with that

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

My first thought is that it will be hard to get anyone to join Diaco's Titanic...but...the situation with Kelly at ND has become toxic and he may see one year as an OC before unemployment is better than one year as an "analyst" at ND before unemployment. The issue will probably be compensation.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Quinn and Zaire combo package? I can get on board with that

Any OC who comes in knows he doesn't have time...and he has to deliver results in one year. The only way to do that is with a competent QB. Well...unless a QB comes in from elsewhere...QB, as we all know, is a giant gap in the roster. An OC who can bring their own QB in...now that would be ideal. Probably a pipe dream...but ideal.

 

[J187Money]

This is where you are at least happy there is tape on DW - so a prospective OC can see if there is something he likes there or not.

 

[RSTuthill]

Excuse me, but was there something said about UConn's current OC going anywhere? The three games of his tenure might have been disastrous, but that fact can hardly be laid at his door. And like someone said, HCBD will surely be gone on January 2, 2018, so why would someone come to Storrs to take a short term OC job? Certainly no one with any credibility, record, or expertise.

 

[businesslawyer]

I would take him in a heartbeat. But a much better OC isn't going to make this a good team in one year.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I would take him in a heartbeat. But a much better OC isn't going to make this a good team in one year.

Unfortunately I had to "like" this only because it's reality.

This is a 2 win team next year.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Excuse me, but was there something said about UConn's current OC going anywhere? The three games of his tenure might have been disastrous, but that fact can hardly be laid at his door. And like someone said, HCBD will surely be gone on January 2, 2018, so why would someone come to Storrs to take a short term OC job? Certainly no one with any credibility, record, or expertise.

i think it's pretty clear that the next OC is getting a tryout to be the next HC. that's about the only way you are getting someone of talent and experience in this role.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

With Kelly, did Quinn actually call the plays at their prior schools? Even though Quinn's a Diaco contact, a guy who's actually successfully recruited and called plays might be a micro improvement. But, OC to be next head coach?

 

[businesslawyer]

Diaco isn't hiring an OC to be his replacement. Diaco is hiring an OC to try to save his career. I"m not sure walking into this job is the path to be our next head coach, but for a former OC who now isn't even on a coaching staff it's a way to get his name back in play.

I also don't care if he ran the offense at Cincy in '09 under Kelly -- that was a great offense, and it hardly had All American personnel up and down the lineup

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Diaco is hiring an OC to try to save his career. I"m not sure walking into this job is the path to be our next head coach, but for a former OC who now isn't even on a coaching staff it's a way to get his name back in play.

I also don't care if he ran the offense at Cincy in '09 under Kelly -- that was a great offense, and it hardly had All American personnel up and down the lineup

No shiite Diaco's trying to save his head coaching career and he'll likely draw up his target list. However, Benedict, Goetz, et al ideally create their own target candidates. Sadly, we have enough RKGs. We need actual recruiting, development, game planning, play calling, and game day coaching and adjustment success, competence, etc. Minimally, that may require strong vetoing power to avoid another Cummings or Verducci RKG.

I too am not sure OC to be potential HC is a clear path, but it's entirely reasonable to question whether Quinn or any candidate actually called his / their own shots versus being micro managed by Kelly or others. And, implicitly to call in question why no school's hired Quinn and he (or others) might view joining Diaco as a way to get his feet back in the coaching waters.

 

[HobokenHusky]

With Kelly, did Quinn actually call the plays at their prior schools? Even though Quinn's a Diaco contact, a guy who's actually successfully recruited and called plays might be a micro improvement. But, OC to be next head coach?

His squads at Buffalo scored points too, so he was either calling the plays at both places or surrounds himself with the right people, both of which would be an improvement.

This is the only realistic hire that would KIND OF appease me.

 

[NorwalkHusky]

Maybe it's just me but I would love to see Diaco hire a guy he has no connections too. I understand that in this game it really matters who you know, but why not hire some up an coming offensive assistant at some school Diaco has no connection to

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Maybe it's just me but I would love to see Diaco hire a guy he has no connections too. I understand that in this game it really matters who you know, but why not hire some up an coming offensive assistant at some school Diaco has no connection to

I generally agree...but Quinn is different. His pedigree is better than other Diaco hires...and he would bring real HC experience to the staff. You probably won't get someone the quality of Quinn without there being a personal connection.

 

[Husky25]

Diaco isn't hiring an OC to be his replacement. Diaco is hiring an OC to try to save his career. I"m not sure walking into this job is the path to be our next head coach, but for a former OC who now isn't even on a coaching staff it's a way to get his name back in play.

I also don't care if he ran the offense at Cincy in '09 under Kelly -- that was a great offense, and it hardly had All American personnel up and down the lineup

As a former Diaco Kool-Aide drinker, It pains me to see that the team finished so poorly under his watch this season. While I can no longer begrudge any fan who wants the man relieved of his duties, if he is not, I think Benedict must own the decision.

This starts with Benedict having a tad sight more involvement in the OC hiring process than the average bear (i.e. rubber stamp). My guess is that Diaco will be asking the questions, but the list of candidates and questions asked will be fed to him. Finally, Benedict is likely to be watching from behind the two way mirror and will play a larger than normal role in the final selection. Just a hunch.

 

[RSTuthill]

i think it's pretty clear that the next OC is getting a tryout to be the next HC. that's about the only way you are getting someone of talent and experience in this role.

They can dangle that out there if HCBD has nothing to do with the hiring. But who in their right mind would bite on that with all the risks it would entail? UConn would get only a current position assistant coach ready to take a step up to OC and someone completely unready to be a HC. I do not think that scenario is credible.

 

[RSTuthill]

Diaco isn't hiring an OC to be his replacement. Diaco is hiring an OC to try to save his career. I"m not sure walking into this job is the path to be our next head coach, but for a former OC who now isn't even on a coaching staff it's a way to get his name back in play.

I also don't care if he ran the offense at Cincy in '09 under Kelly -- that was a great offense, and it hardly had All American personnel up and down the lineup

Do we know whether or not Diaco is making the hire, is providing input to the hire, or is completely uninvolved in the selection? I don't think we know that do we? And we don't know if there is even gonna be a hire at OC do we?

 

[UConnJim]

Let's take a closer look at Jeff Quinn. He was the OC under Brian Kelly at Grand Valley St., Cincinnati, and Notre Dame. We know that Kelly's offenses were terrific, but I would assume that the real OC was Brian Kelly and not Jeff Quinn. But, Quinn has his own resume, separate from Kelly as he was head coach at Buffalo for 4 1/2 seasons from 2010 to 2014.

Let's look at the offensive results:

The two years before Quinn at Buffalo:

2008: #53 in total offense, #33 in scoring offense.
2009: #39 in total offense, #82 in scoring offense.

Quinn's tenure:

2010: #111 in total offense, #120 (last) in scoring offense.
2011: #80 in total offense, #97 in scoring offense.
2012: #83 in total offense, #99 in scoring offense.
2013: #78 in total offense, #54 in scoring offense.
2014: fired midway through the season.

So, Buffalo had a competent offense in the 2 years before Quinn got there and he turned it into probably the worst offense in college football in year 1 and never really got the offense competent in 4+ years at Buffalo. It seems Quinn pushed out Buffalo's starting QB (going into his JR year) just after being hired because he didn't fit the offense he wanted to run. I just don't see the offensive results to be considered for UConn's OC.

Personally, I think we need to pass on Quinn at OC and look for an OC with more proven results. I would consider Quinn to be Associate Head Coach to mentor Diaco.

 

[Dooley]

Quinn would be a good OC hire. I can definitely get on board with that too.

I really hope this isn't the only staff upgrade though. We have 3 phases of football that all ranked in the bottom third of all FBS in numerous stats.

 

[UConnJim]

Quinn would be a good OC hire. I can definitely get on board with that too.

I really hope this isn't the only staff upgrade though. We have 3 phases of football that all ranked in the bottom third of all FBS in numerous stats.

See above. His results running his own offense are not good.