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| Former safeties coach Adam Braithwaite arguably had the most success of any former Rodriguez staffer in 2011, as his Christopher Newport team almost finished in the top third of D-III defenses and the team went 8-3. (image via Daily Press) |
Former head coach Rich Rodriguez spent the 2011 season as an NCAA football analyst for CBS Sports.
Former offensive coordinator Calvin Magee spent the 2011 season as the offensive coordinator at Pitt. The Panthers finished the regular season #68 in rushing offense (151 yards per game), #75 in passing offense (211 yards per game), #83 in total offense (362 yards per game), and #69 in scoring offense (25.75 points per game). They also allowed more sacks than any other team with 4.75 per game. Magee has been hired to re-join Rodriguez at Arizona and coordinate the offense.
Former defensive coordinator Scott Shafer ('08) has spent the last few seasons at Syracuse. In 2011 the Orangemen finished #32 in rushing defense, #98 in passing defense, #64 in total defense, and #74 in scoring defense.
Former defensive coordinator Greg Robinson ('09-'10) spent the 2011 season away from football.
Former quarterbacks coach Rod Smith ('08-'10) spent the 2011 season as the quarterbacks coach at Indiana. The Hoosiers went 1-11 with a victory over South Carolina State. True freshman Tre Roberson finished the season at 81-for-142 passing for 937 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. He also ran the ball 109 times for 426 yards (3.9 yards per carry) and 2 touchdowns. Sophomore Edward Wright-Backer finished the year at 91-for-153 passing for 1,029 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. He ran the ball 46 times for 68 yards and 0 touchdowns. Overall, the Hoosiers had the #80 passing offense, the #85 total offense, and the #101 scoring offense (21.4 points per game).
Running backs coach Fred Jackson ('08-'10) spent the 2011 season at Michigan, turning Fitzgerald Toussaint into an awesome running back.
Former wide receivers coach Tony Dews ('08-'10) spent the 2011 season as the tight ends coach at Pitt. Starter Hubie Graham finished the year with 27 catches for 307 yards and 3 touchdowns. Dews has been hired to re-join Rodriguez at Arizona as the wide receivers coach.
Former offensive line coach Greg Frey ('08-'10) spent the 2011 season as the offensive line coach at Indiana. The Hoosiers finished #58 in rushing (161 yards per game) and #95 in sacks allowed (2.58 per game).
Former defensive line coach Bruce Tall ('08-'10) was hired as the defensive coordinator at Charlotte, a fledgling football program that won't begin playing until 2013.
Former linebackers coach Jay Hopson ('08-'09) spent 2010 and the first part of 2011 at Memphis. However, he resigned at Memphis after the first two games of the season, when he gave up 59 and 47 points to Mississippi State and Arkansas State, respectively. His current job situation is unknown.
Former secondary coach Tony Gibson ('08-'10) spent the 2011 season as the secondary coach at Pitt. The Panthers finished #71 in the country in pass defense (233 yards per game) and his defensive backs made just 4 total interceptions. Gibson has been hired to re-join Rodriguez at Arizona as the Wildcats' secondary coach.
Former safeties coach Adam Braithwaite ('10) spent the 2011 season as the defensive coordinator at Christopher Newport, a Division III program. CNU finished #85 in rushing defense, #94 in pass defense, #83 in total defense, and #116 in scoring defense while going 8-3 on the year. There are 238 teams in Division III.
... and why would anyone care about the former staff that tarnish Michigan football?
ReplyDeleteStick to reporting on the people who matter to us most.
Not starting a RR debate here......so if that is what you are looking to discuss then quit reading.
ReplyDeleteThose stats for RR former coaches/ assistants do not look impressive as individual resumes. How much of this looks to be new guys at new locations with new players who do not get their offensive/ defensive schemes? Or is it more of a case that these individual coaches are not merely as good by themselves, but when the "band" is together then just have that flow and it works? Can anyone think of a coaching staff that has done a similar thing?
This, in a nutshell, is the #1 reason why RR failed. If you don't surround yourself with quality assistants you won't win football games. Across the board these are all mediocre to bad football coaches. (With the exception maybe being Frey, who it appears may not join RR in Zona).
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous 7:49 a.m.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a reporter. I'm a blogger, and Rodriguez's (and his staff's) success interests me. If you don't want to read about them, then the post title is pretty clear and maybe you should skip it next time.
@ Nick. 9:03 a.m.
ReplyDeleteIt might also be a function of the fact that Pitt, Indiana, and Syracuse aren't that good to begin with. Smith had young quarterbacks, Frey probably doesn't have much to work with, and Pitt was a 6-6 team in 2010 (IIRC). I think what it tells us is that they're not miracle workers, but some of them might still be fine coaches.
Personally, I was impressed with the way Michigan recruited and developed the offensive line, so I think Greg Frey is a solid coach. I also think Magee and Rodriguez are pretty strong coaches. However, I'm convinced that Jay Hopson and Tony Gibson are poor at their jobs.
@ Thunder.
ReplyDeleteI believe that to be a fair assessment of the former coaches, I would have liked a little larger offensive line, but these guys are definitely serviceable. I think Magee and Rodgriguez compliment each other. The odd men out were the defensive coaches.