Hello: John Baxter, Special Teams
247 is reporting that Michigan is about to hire John Baxter to be their special teams coordinator, and Baxter tweeted something out today that sounds like he's about to be hired somewhere.
While Baxter's name doesn't sound even a little like a law firm, he's got a ton of experience. He's 52 and started coaching in 1981, and he's had special teams in his title since 1986. From 1997 to 2009 he was a mainstay of Pat Hill's Fresno State tenure as a special teams coordinator and, depending on the year, either the TE or WR coach. His record there was excellent:
During his time, Fresno State blocked 84 kicks and punts (including a national-best 49 from 2002 through 2009) and scored 39 special teams touchdowns (with 3 safeties). The Bulldogs topped the nation in fewest punt return yards allowed in 2004 and 2005. A.J. Jefferson led the nation in kickoff returns in 2007. Clifton Smith's 189 punt return yards with 2 touchdowns against Weber State in 2005 were Fresno State game records, while his 5 career scoring punt returns also was a school mark. Six of Baxter's Bulldog kickers and punters earned All-Western Athletic Conference first team honors.
In 2010 USC hired him away to be their special teams coordinator; he would later add TE responsibilities. The results were similarly excellent:
USC was second in blocked punts and fourth in blocked kicks during the 2013 season.
The success in 2013 was hardly an anomaly, either, as Baxter had earned the 2011 FootballScoop.com Special Teams Coordinator of the Year award after overseeing a group that produced seven blocked kicks for the second consecutive year. During those two seasons, USC also managed a punt return for a touchdown, two kickoff returns for touchdowns, two converted fake punts, a converted fake field goal, and six two-point conversions.
He's also held an associate head coach title since arriving at Fresno.
Baxter received "rave reviews" and players' parents asked Steve Sarkisian to keep him on but Sarkisian preferred to import guys from his Washington staff. That didn't go so well for Sarkisian, as USC ended up tenth or worse in the Pac 12 in kickoff coverage, punting, and KO returns—punt returns were middling.
Baxter didn't coach last year after he was a casualty of the Steve Sarkisian transition, but he was seemingly sought after. He interviewed for the Colorado State head job and was high on Texas's list after Charlie Strong axed their WR and TE coach,
ACADEMIC STUFF
Baxter is also noted for his Academic Gameplan, which evidently works miracles:
When I went (to Fresno State), we were ranked 112 out of 112 in graduation rate – dead last in the country. I started doing it there, and that's about the time I realized it had nothing to do with football; it just had to do with students. I published it in '99. And I've just continued to do it ever since.
When I (first) went there, there was an average student who shouldn't have been average named Lane Kiffin going through it. I wouldn't say underperforming. But then again I would, for his intelligence level. He had back-to-back over-3.0 semesters and did great.
Michigan did good work in that department under Hoke and Baxter will help continue that.
INTERVIEW
Here's Baxter talking:
PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE
Looks good to me. Baxter has a terrific track record.
UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE STAFF
There's a Football Scoop report that Jimmie Dougherty is also going to be hired that may or may not be true. Given their record on Michigan events I'm going to wait until someone reputable confirms that before repeating it in earnest.
I did make a mistake on the Guessochart this afternoon, as I only listed eight assistants. Michigan does have room for both Morton and Dougherty in some configuration. I'd be a bit surprised if they added guys who were effectively both WR coaches isntead of adding another defensive assistant or give Drevno some aid on the OL, but as it stands there's not much chatter about other guys. The current guess:
OFFENSE | COACH | confidence | DEFENSE | COACH | confidence |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
OC | Tim Drevno | lock | DC | DJ Durkin | lock |
QB | Jim Harbaugh | lock | DL | Greg Mattison | lock |
RB | Ty Wheatley | probable | LB | Durkin | lock |
WR | John Morton | probable | OLB/DE | Roy Manning | probable |
OL | Drevno | lock | DB | Greg Jackson | lock |
TE | Jimmie Dougherty | probable | ST | John Baxter | lock |
Steve Lorenz is reporting that all of this is just about done($), FWIW, with Jackson "confirmed" and Manning "very likely."
UPDATE: Webb($) and Lorenz are both reporting Jackson is done. Updated him.
HIGHLY IMPORTANT UPDATE
Yes, he's a spread punt guy.
January 7th, 2015 at 10:05 PM ^
January 7th, 2015 at 10:31 PM ^
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January 7th, 2015 at 10:50 PM ^
January 7th, 2015 at 10:50 PM ^
January 11th, 2015 at 10:09 AM ^
January 7th, 2015 at 11:41 PM ^
"FootballScoop.com Special Teams Coordinator of the Year award"
What?
I know that he had nothing to do with the award name, but... What?!?
January 8th, 2015 at 12:32 AM ^
January 8th, 2015 at 5:37 AM ^
Our President changed his mind and spent some money, our AD went and did what he had to do and locked down our #1 candidate, and our HC is amassing a staff that actually has great credentials and isn't just his band of friends. After watching Michigan football just be stupid on multiple levels for much of my fanhood, it's nice to see us do things that just make sense
January 8th, 2015 at 8:46 AM ^
Love that we may have the guy that wrote the book on achieving academic excellence...and his guys block kicks...and return them.
January 8th, 2015 at 9:36 AM ^
This dude can flat out coach! A good Special Team can be the difference in close games and definately let the air out of the sail of opposing teams when our ST dominates.
January 8th, 2015 at 9:45 AM ^
How will this coaching staff compare to the rest of the conference?
January 8th, 2015 at 10:17 AM ^
I love the decision by Harbaugh to have a speacilized special teams coach (see what I did there!!). Special teams has been a soft spot of Michigan football for about 10 years.. Special teams is a huge part of the game and I can't wait to see the massive improvement pay off moving forward!
January 8th, 2015 at 10:46 AM ^
- Can there be team meetings to review films of what these coaches want the players to learn from the coaches’ experiences with other teams?
- Could coaches give the players DVDs of game and practice films, with instructions for them to learn everything shown on those films to prepare for how practices will be run, how schemes will be run by offense, defense and special teams, and things like how the players on the sidelines will be organized during games?
- If John Baxter is also overseeing the academics side of the student-athletes on the team, can he sit in on their classes or attend their study hall sessions?
- Could Jim Harbaugh meet with the quarterbacks and receivers and review game and practice films of his Stanford and 49ers teams to get an idea of how they’ll be practicing and planning for games?
- Could Tim Drevno and DJ Durkin meet with players to review their preferred schemes and show them films of what they expect from them in practices?
- If players decide to work out on their own at the Glick Fieldhouse, could coaches observe them from their offices?
January 8th, 2015 at 11:33 AM ^
I found this article from csnbayarea.com about 49er's staff changes and it says:
The expected shakeup on the 49ers’ coaching staff continues with reports that assistant secondary coach Greg Jackson is busy on the recruiting trail for new Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. Jackson spent four seasons with the 49ers, working primarily with the safeties, while secondary coach Ed Donatell mostly tutored the conerbacks. Despite a number of injuries to key players in the defensive backfield, the 49ers led the NFL this season with 23 interceptions. Jackson played 12 NFL seasons and was a teammate of Harbaugh's with the San Diego Chargers. Jackson is reaching out to recruits and is expected to be named Michigan's secondary coach, according to multiple reports.
The rest of it seems to be second hand reports essentially from here that guys are listed in the directory.
January 8th, 2015 at 11:58 AM ^
Anyone familiar with Baxter's Academic Gameplan thingy? Seems expensive.
January 12th, 2015 at 10:00 PM ^
January 8th, 2015 at 12:07 PM ^
Takes teams that suck at special teams and makes them awesome at them. What else can a coach do, really? Sign us up!
January 8th, 2015 at 12:13 PM ^
January 8th, 2015 at 12:32 PM ^
You have a limited # of coaches, and the old school thinking was probably that you could have other coaches chip in and help on special teams rather than have someone devoted to it.
Personally, given how important special teams are, I think having someone dedicated to them is the right approach. But a lot of teams don't think this way.
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