Who will be the next OC?

[cttxus]

NSD is over. Next big decision is OC. Who will it be?

 

[UconnFamily]

I so hope it's Quinn

 

[BlueMAB]

Could it be anyone other than Quinn after Diaco's comment? (20 year friend, Buffalo) and the fact they both come from the Brian Kelly coaching tree? EDIT: wrong coach, ignore that.

Here's the PPG for his offenses using wikipedia at Cinci (without accounting for defensive scores).

07: 36 (2nd year, team went 10-3)
08: 26 (3rd year, team went 11-3, Big East Champs)
09: 39 (4th year, team went 12-1, Big East Champs)

Brian Kelly gets most of the credit, but I'd love to have Quinn.

 

[cttxus]

BTW, the "other" choice in the poll doesn't include Matt LaFleur. Per UConnFamily in the Coaching Carousel thread . . .

Notre Dame: Irish Illustrated reports Notre Dame quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur is expected to join the Atlanta Falcons staff.

http://coachingsearch.com/coaching-search-ticker

We can scratch him off the list if there is one

 

[Carl Spackler]

I want somebody that undeniably has a track record of installing and running a functional and successful offense. Joe Moorhead was the last guy we had on staff that fits that profile, and Edsall handcuffed him. I want to see UConn score points the way we did pre-BigEast in division 1A

 

[Srqhusky]

May the offensive line and offensive coordinator never be combined again

 

[Dooley]

TJ Weist isn't going to be the guy. There is zero chance our new head coach is going to hire our old head coach when, as soon as we lose our first game of the season (which could be the first game of the season), the fanbase will call for the old coach to replace the new coach.

 

[BlueMAB]

TJ Weist isn't going to be the guy. There is zero chance our new head coach is going to hire our old head coach when, as soon as we lose our first game of the season (which could be the first game of the season), the fanbase will call for the old coach to replace the new coach.

Obama has a better chance at a third term than Weist does at OC at UConn.

 

[cttxus]

I can't remember when UConn had an offense like the one I envision and I'm sure most BoneYarders do. Sure, there were times when a couple, or even several, individual players shined each season, but we've never cobbled enough of them together to really stand out and create an identity. There is no doubt UConn can do defense, and we will again, I'm confident of that. But the missing piece or pieces have always been on the offense's side of the ball. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, the OC decision in is not just important for the UConn football program, it's life or death for the program as we all want it to be.

 

[Carl Spackler]

The running offense, ground game, that was built at UCONN in the Big East years under Edsall was phenomenal. It was a great, great run offense. You could play action pass out of it and be deadly, and when we could do that, we were at our best on offense. THe offense was entirely geared on reading the positon and movement of the linebackers. Blocking schemes shifited, running lanes shifted and opened up based on the tendencies of the linebackers to respond to the battles going on between the OL and DL as the game went on.

There were only about a dozen actual play call formations.

Edsall never reached the stage of building a passing offense on top of that, through recruiting and coaching. We dabbled in going the zone/read/option running QB thing late in that era, but our best physical QB specimen (Endres) was a pure Troy Aikman pocket passer.

Prior to the Big East- Edsall had managed to land Dan Orlovksy, and let the offense get built around him. I've had the convo before, but really - in the history of the program as it transitioned from the 1980s, 1990s to division 1A? There is no single more important player than Dan O. Edsall, IMNSHO, goes no where, if he did not convince Dan to stay at home in CT and build the program. Orlovsky threw I think 84 TD's at UCONN? off the top of my head? I don't think we've scored 84 TD's in 7 years.

 

[Confident Carl]

Read the bio on Charlie Molnar. Put aside the disaster two years at UMASS which was a tough gig for anyone. After you read it,it's hard to believe that he wouldn't be a strong candidate. With all of the young QB's and wide receivers we have, he seems like a natural for the program. He's a Jersey guy and his coached with Diaco at ND and elsewhere. I would be happy with Quinn too but my gut tells me Molnar is the guy.

http://www.und.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/molnar_charley00.html

In 2010, his first year with the Irish, Molnar helped install a new offensive system and developed both Dayne Crist and Tommy Rees as first-time starting quarterbacks. Crist started the first nine games and passed for 2,033 yards with 15 touchdowns before injuring a knee in the first quarter of the ninth game. Rees played the rest of the ninth game after Crist was injured and completed 33 of 54 passes for 334 yards with four touchdowns. He started the final four games and led the Irish to wins over No. 15 Utah, Army, at USC and Miami (Fla.) in the Hyundai Sun Bowl.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Acknowledging Charley Molnar's NJ recruiting contacts could be important, some likely 2010 contribution installing a new offensive system for a program with massive national recruiting advantages (Notre Dame), and his availability purportedly on the cheap (still living off of his umess contract plus Idaho's sub-$100K as a WR assistant), what's magical about an OC who purportedly did NOT call his own plays during his last three OC tenures?

Unlike with ND, Cincinnati, and Central Michigan as OC under Brian Kelly, Molnar reportedly called his own offensive plays a decade ago with Indiana State (2005) as well as with Kent State (1994-2000), Illinois State (1990-1993), and Western Carolina (1989). That's not to suggest Molnar's not a capable OC, but it may present some reasonable questions.

Similarly, most of Jeff Quinn's OC experience has been as an assistant to Brian Kelly (Grand Valley State 1989-2003 including '91-'93 under Kelly, Central Michigan 2004-2006 under Kelly, and Cincinnati 2006-2009). Did Quinn actually call his own offensive plays? Doubtful given Kelly's typically run his own offense. Unlike Molnar, Quinn had some initial success after taking over from Turner Gill as Buffalo's head coach.

As with Molnar, Quinn's been around the game for 3 decades and potentially has great potential to run his own offense and successfully call his own plays. If either of them is Bob Diaco's choice as OC, hopefully the new man proves very successful recruiting and teaching quality players, especially QBs, and leading great success with the Huskies.

 

[06029]

What other schools are currently looking for OC's? I know BC's left for the NFL. Any other AAC schools looking? Lower level B1G schools? Once you look at the pool of openings, how much money each competing school has spent in the past on OC's, then you can really start to look at a list of candidates.

Since BD has never really articulated what kind of team he wants/offensive philosophy he embraces, it is hard to try and make a reasonable guess. If you go based solely on the recruits, this is going to be a run oriented, grind it out team over a fast paced Chip Kelly/Rich Rod type of offense. My best guess is you get a move up from someone he knows that has a run based background or a move up of a moderately successful FCS OC. I would not mind Ryan Carty (UNH). He is young and knows how to run offenses that put up points. But ultimately, BD will choose someone we have never heard of or that was never mentioned on this board.

 

[huskymedic]

What other schools are currently looking for OC's?.

There are 3 open FBS Offensive Coordinators spots - UConn, Tennessee, and BC. Utah's was filled 3?days ago.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I have a better chance of being named OC than both Molnar and Weist.

I'm putting my support behind Quinn. Would be a great hire for OC.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

BTW, the "other" choice in the poll doesn't include Matt LaFleur. Per UConnFamily in the Coaching Carousel thread . . .

Notre Dame: Irish Illustrated reports Notre Dame quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur is expected to join the Atlanta Falcons staff.

http://coachingsearch.com/coaching-search-ticker

We can scratch him off the list if there is one

Sucks.... I was really pulling for LaFleur for this job.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

BTW, the "other" choice in the poll doesn't include Matt LaFleur. Per UConnFamily in the Coaching Carousel thread . . .

Notre Dame: Irish Illustrated reports Notre Dame quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur is expected to join the Atlanta Falcons staff.

http://coachingsearch.com/coaching-search-ticker

We can scratch him off the list if there is one

Oh well.... I was really pulling for LaFleur for this job.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

I get that hiring Quinn makes a lot of sense... the Diaco/Cincy/Brian Kelley connection, the fact that he was last at Buffalo (WM old stomping grounds), etc... but does it bother anyone else that the guy hasn't run an offense (by itself) in six years??

 

[FDNY99]

I get that hiring Quinn makes a lot of sense... the Diaco/Cincy/Brian Kelley connection, the fact that he was last at Buffalo (WM old stomping grounds), etc... but does it bother anyone else that the guy hasn't run an offense (by itself) in six years??

I am starting to get the feeling that if Diaco was going to hire Quinn or Molnar (especially Quinn) he would have pulled the trigger already. Who knows it may be someone he knows, respects and admires as a coach who he has never worked with but has coached and recruited against.

 

[ktuck911]

Quite frankly I don't see any of these guys mentioned as the guy... It's taking too long... Quinn's not even working right now... Molnar might be recruiting some kids somewhere from that college near Siberia that he's at now... Weist isn't working and doesn't seem to be a fit because he's part of the PP regime....

Honestly thought we'd hear something on NSD on this... didn't get anything... which, quite frankly, tells me we haven't found our guy yet... now we gotta month til Spring practice.. No OC and a month til practice starts... there's this thing called an offensive playbook that an OC usually puts together, no? and these kids need to work on their own as well to learn such plays as part of their development... So they can get ready for not only the Spring, but, ultimately be ready to try their darndest to look like they know what to do on the field once fall practice starts.. time is of the essence...

Hopefully we get some news within the next week the latest....

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Quite frankly I don't see any of these guys mentioned as the guy... It's taking too long... Quinn's not even working right now... Molnar might be recruiting some kids somewhere from that college near Siberia that he's at now... Weist isn't working and doesn't seem to be a fit because he's part of the PP regime....

Honestly thought we'd hear something on NSD on this... didn't get anything... which, quite frankly, tells me we haven't found our guy yet... now we gotta month til Spring practice.. No OC and a month til practice starts... there's this thing called an offensive playbook that an OC usually puts together, no? and these kids need to work on their own as well to learn such plays as part of their development... So they can get ready for not only the Spring, but, ultimately be ready to try their darndest to look like they know what to do on the field once fall practice starts.. time is of the essence...

Hopefully we get some news within the next week the latest....

I think we have the guy. More of a red tape thing than anything else at this point. Hiring a state employee is never logistically easy.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

but does it bother anyone else that the guy hasn't run an offense (by itself) in six years??

Not in the least. Guy has 19 years experience as OC.

 

[Jimdish255]

Quinn statement after being let go:

http://campuswatch.buffalonews.com/...ve-ub-cites-accomplishments-statement-firing/

 

[tduconn]

The running offense, ground game, that was built at UCONN in the Big East years under Edsall was phenomenal. It was a great, great run offense. You could play action pass out of it and be deadly, and when we could do that, we were at our best on offense. THe offense was entirely geared on reading the positon and movement of the linebackers. Blocking schemes shifited, running lanes shifted and opened up based on the tendencies of the linebackers to respond to the battles going on between the OL and DL as the game went on.

There were only about a dozen actual play call formations.

Edsall never reached the stage of building a passing offense on top of that, through recruiting and coaching. We dabbled in going the zone/read/option running QB thing late in that era, but our best physical QB specimen (Endres) was a pure Troy Aikman pocket passer.

Prior to the Big East- Edsall had managed to land Dan Orlovksy, and let the offense get built around him. I've had the convo before, but really - in the history of the program as it transitioned from the 1980s, 1990s to division 1A? There is no single more important player than Dan O. Edsall, IMNSHO, goes no where, if he did not convince Dan to stay at home in CT and build the program. Orlovsky threw I think 84 TD's at UCONN? off the top of my head? I don't think we've scored 84 TD's in 7 years.

Under Tom Jackson, (1-aa), Matt DeGennarro as QB was quite an accomplished passer and led a high scoring balanced offense for four years.

The same could be said for Skip Holtz (1-aa), and Shane Stafford (QB) who led the program to first post season play ever.

Both of those coaches were able to recruit talented QB's who could perform admirably at that skill level of play.

 

[Husky25]

I enjoyed watching Stafford.