OT: MSU Promotes both Barnett and Tressel to DC

Submitted by alum96 on

From the smoke it sounded like Narduzzi wanted both Barrnett and Tressel to come to Pitt, and most of the MSU faithful thought 1 would go to Pitt to be Narduzzi's DC and then the other would remain at MSU to be DC.  Barnett was their DB coach and Tressel their LB coach.  Unfortunately Dantonio cut Narduzzi off at the balls and promoted both to DC.  So that makes both our conference rivals as teams with co-DCs.  In practice it sounds like Barnett will be the real DC as he was given Narduzzi's "assistant head coach" role.  Tressel sounds like he was (ahem) promoted simply to keep him away from Pitt.  New title, same job.

Have to give Dantonio credit for giving Narduzzi a big F-U and putting his program ahead of friendship.  I was hoping for more staff disruption with the Narduzzi move - both these guys have been with Dantonio for 11 years, as had Narduzzi.  Prretty unheard of at  a P5 conference nowadays.

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alum96

December 27th, 2014 at 6:55 PM ^

I'll take the counterpoint.  If he takes a DC from outside the program he probably loses 2 position coaches as both these guys go to Pitt.  So then you are starting next year with a new coordinator and 2 of your 3 defensive position coaches from scratch.

In this scenario you keep your LB coach and give him a new fancy title, you move a guy who has been in every meeting with you for 11 years from DB coach to DC.  And you need to just hire 1 new position - a DB coach.

Also they play a relatively unique style - going outside the program means you'd either allow that new DC to bring in his D, which would probably be an issue for Dantonio.  Or you have to have that DC change to something he is not familiar with.

Last point, what message does it send when a position coach has been with you for 11 years and he never gets promoted?  It makes it hard to ever replace them if you feel like no one on the staff will ever get a promotion.

Not going to hate on Dantonio for this move.  This causes the least disruption.

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snarling wolverine

December 27th, 2014 at 7:08 PM ^

I just think it's extremely doubtful that these guys are going to be as good as Narduzzi.  He fielded four consecutive top-10 defenses from 2011-14.  Now they're going to have a couple of guys who have to learn on the fly.  Odds are they'll be a downgrade.  

If MSU did this because they were worried about having to replace a couple of position coaches on top of their DC, then they sound pretty small-time as a program.  A big-time program doesn't worry about that - it just goes out and hires quality replacements.  Sure, there might be a brief adjustment period, but in the long run it brings in fresh ideas and can expand your coaching tree.

As for your question about program loyalty and such, hey, it's a business.  A guy shouldn't be promoted to coordinator just because he was a good soldier and didn't look elsewhere.  In fact, if an assistant is perfectly content being a position coach for 10+ years at the same school, that's arguably a red flag in itself.  Coordinators should be hungry, ambitious guys.

 

 

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alum96

December 27th, 2014 at 7:19 PM ^

That's your opinion and you are entitled to it.  My opinion is if I am Dantonio I run a hybrid system that very few DCs elsewherre in the country run.  So my pool of outside replacements is small.  And I have 2 guys I know and trust and know the system inside and out under my own roof.  So I can start from scratch at 3 of the 4 defensive coaches next year, or I can start from scratch at 1.  It sounds like a no brainer to me.

As for worthy of promotion - Barnett has turned two 2 star CBs into 1st round draft choices back to back - Waynes and Dennard.  His S Drummond will be a 3rd rounder or so as well.  Guy seems to be doing a damn good job worthy of promotion. (Dantonio helps there as well as he is a DB guy)  Tell me what guys in this country at any program not named Bama are going to put back to back 1st round corners into the league.

I am going to give Dantonio the benefit of the doubt on how to build a defense and a defensive staff.  That was a program in shambles and now is doing very well.  He didnt get dumb overnight or short sighted or worried about protecting feelings.  He basically just told Narduzzi - FU.

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Bodogblog

December 27th, 2014 at 7:49 PM ^

The uniqueness of Sparty's D is the thing, though. It depends primarily on DB play, and now that guy is DC. Dantonio keeps the scheme intact, which is a weapon. He may not be at the same level as Narduzzi, and that D has very tight tolerances - in the sense that a small mistake in player or coach can lead to 6 points - so this can still be good for Michigan. But I think it's a smart move by Dant.

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Tagg

December 27th, 2014 at 8:13 PM ^

It allows MSU to retain it's successful defensive staff which is good for incomming recruits. Also, MSU does not have the financial resources to miss on a coaching hire. You could argue the years prior to Dantonio put them behind financially for his first 4-5 years as the head coach. MSU cannot really afford to take many chances with things going well on the field and in the donor base. Bennett has been highly regarded as a coach well and is one of their lead recruiters so it makes sense on many levels. 

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snarling wolverine

December 27th, 2014 at 9:04 PM ^

Finances weren't a problem for them, at least not at DC.  Narduzzi was getting Mattison-type money.  

They could have tried to make a splash with a big hire, but I don't think they were confident in landing one.  They played it safe.  It may work out for them.  But as a rival fan I'd rather face these guys than Narduzzi.

 

 

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uminks

December 27th, 2014 at 6:51 PM ^

Jim is going to start mowing that team down! The B1G east is going to be a Harbaugh vs Ubz show and once Harbaugh starts beating Ubz, he's going to get ill by the stress and retire. I bet Harbaugh beats Ubz in Ann Arbor next season!

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alum96

December 27th, 2014 at 7:08 PM ^

They just got an endowment for their DC position a few months ago.  Probably looking ahead to this day.  Narduzzi was the highest paid assistant in the conference at $900K.  So even giving both these guys $500K will be doable.  Durkin is making $490K at a much more premium university for example.

http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2014/11/michigan_state_receives…

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PeterKlima

December 27th, 2014 at 7:09 PM ^

I don't know about that. Unlikely they pay both 500k. Either one would likely get the same salary or more at Pitt. That person could also be the only coordinator (a step up for a co title).

I am not sure a big F-U (as the OP accurately describes it) to a long time friend plays well with the other long time coaches though.


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alum96

December 27th, 2014 at 8:19 PM ^

If I can get a similar salary at Pitt or MSU for DC I am staying at MSU.  Better program right now, similar weak conference, I dont move my family,  I get the same promotion at either location, and I know the coach at MSU wont be fired in 3 years.  

Narduzzi is no sure thing - he could be an awful HC and they could all be out of jobs in 3 years.  So if I  get the same job offer at both places for similar money  I am not moving when  I just got a promotion at MSU.

And that assumes Pitt throws half a million at its DC.  I am not familiar with what Pitt pays its coodinators but I somehow doubt it is more than Florida or MSU.  So I think its a moot point. 

EDIT - just went to look up salaries - this shows both guys made $260K last year at MSU.  There is no data for the Pitt coaches.  The staff at MSU as a whole was $3.2M (top heavy to Narduzzi) but that is a lot of cheese to spread around, looks about #20 in the nation.  Nebraska is $2.7M and Arizona $2.5M for comparables.  I doubt Pitt is in that range.

http://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/salaries/football/assistant

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PeterKlima

December 27th, 2014 at 9:02 PM ^

Your post assumes it is the same position at either school. It is not. Being a co-DC is not the same as being the DC. The coaching world is well aware of the difference. Other-wise, why not just call all your position coaches "co-coordinators"? No rule that it can only be two or anything.

Coaches usually strive to move up a pre-ordained ladder and being the only DC is definitely higher than being half a DC.



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ThadMattasagoblin

December 27th, 2014 at 7:23 PM ^

Alabama fans weren't saying that they wouldn't be able to beat Auburn consistently when they signed Saban because of what happened the past 10 years prior. Shula was their Hoke. He recruited well but couldn't get the job done so they went out and got Saban who won a national title like Harbaugh getting to the Super Bowl. He coached up the team and were in the NC contention in 2 years.

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Cold War

December 27th, 2014 at 8:41 PM ^

Narduzzi leaving hurts. But sadly this is good news for Staee because it means they aren't losing these guys, too.

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I Love Lamp

December 27th, 2014 at 10:07 PM ^

But I want to see how the co-dc's adjust on the fly during the game. It's obvious that Narduzzi could find out what the opposition was trying to do, make adjustments, and shut down the opposition for the remainder. Think it will be a learning curve for sure. Enjoy oregon coming to EL next year newly-minted DC's!

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