Meet Doug Nussmeier

Submitted by 1464 on

I'm sure this is on it's way from official sources, but here are some interesting bits about our new OC, who apparently has been dubbed "The Nuss" by other sites:

-  From Alabama blog - Gumpin' on Saturday:

There’s no question that the offense has opened up more under Nussmeier. Alabama’s bread and butter in the passing game are still shallow and intermediate routes, designed to attack the linebackers in space, but their use of vertical passing concepts has increased under Nussmeier. As a matter of fact, I actually wrote about this before the season. Nussmeier really seems to favor three verticals, typically with all three receivers (or two receivers and a tight end) lined up on the same side of the field. It has been tremendously effective, both due to the execution on the field and the timing of the play call. From a play calling standpoint, Nussmeier really seems to have a great sense for when a team is vulnerable on the back end, and that has proven quite valuable during his two years here.

I think Nussmeier has done a very good job thus far as a recruiter. He certainly isn’t the Tide’s top assistant in that area, but that’s to be expected considering he has never coached in this part of the country before and simply does not have the same connections that some of the Tide’s other assistants do. And I think that showed last year, when, according to Rivals, he was only responsible for directly recruiting two members of Alabama’s class, one of which was a quarterback from Utah. But the improvement from last year to this year has been dramatic. Up to this point he has been directly responsible for securing the commitments of a top running back (Bo Scarbrough), top wide receiver (Derek Kief), and top quarterback (David Cornwell), to go along with a few others.

- At least one site (thebiglead) recommended him to be the USC HC before that position was filled.  In addition, many tied him to the Washington HC position as well.

Why waste time going after Kevin Sumlin (probably NFL-bound) or Chris Petersen (how many schools does he have to reject before people get the picture?), when you could poach a guy who knows the West Coast and knows offense?

- Q & A with Nuss via their local ABC site:

Coach Nussmeier, occasionally we've seen Alabama come out, no huddle, and kind of spread things out a little bit with a high tempo right out of the gate, and Nick Saban said postgame that we were looking to get the fatigue started early. Obviously you can't comment on what the plan is for this week, but can you just remark on the value of coming out at up tempo, no huddle?

"Well, you know, I think if you look at college football in general, that's a growing trend, no-huddle offense, speed, hurry-up. As any game you play, the ability to change the tempo of the game offensively or defensively can create a competitive advantage for you, if it's useful in the game you're playing."

- From Saturday Down South, an SEC blog.  Nuss is listed as the number one assistant in the SEC who is ready to be a head coach:

Buzz: I’ll argue the one coach on the Tide’s coaching staff most ready to become a head coach is Doug Nussmeier over Kirby Smart. Nussmeier came from Washington, and his offense scored the most points per game (38.71) of any Bama team since 2001. Nussmeier is ready to become a head coach after 2013.

- Kirby Smart on working with Nuss:

McCarron said it's been a "cool experience" working with Nussmeier, and Tide defensive coordinator Kirby Smart appreciates the challenges being presented daily on the practice fields. Smart won the 2009 Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach, and his defense last year was No. 1 nationally in every major statistical category.

"They give us a couple more personnel groupings, more than Coach McElwain used," Smart said. "He does a really good job with the kids. He's a lot like Coach McElwain. He and Jim McElwain come from similar backgrounds, so there's a lot of carryover there. They both do a good job in the passing game and are both very innovative.

"They've got an answer for everything that you do, so it's always a chess match."

 

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GoWings2008

January 9th, 2014 at 11:05 AM ^

and haven't seen it, but does anyone know if Nussmeier has ANY ties to the state of Michigan?  Not that it matters really, just curious. 

The only thing I can find is that he played for John L. Smith at Idaho. 

/s

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991GT3

January 9th, 2014 at 11:48 AM ^

for Hoke it will only solidify Hoke's job. He was not brought in to replace Hoke UNLESS Hoke has personal issues we are not aware like health.

Nussmeier took the job because will be well paid and is postioning himself to become HC in the B1G. There are almost yearly openings of B1G HC's.

Love the hire because he brings in the culture it takes to be a NC.

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charblue.

January 9th, 2014 at 12:18 PM ^

to the days of Lloyd ball. My take on the evolution of Michigan offensive football is a bit different than others. When Bo coached, Michigan never played an offense that was meant to remain a static part of the coach's legacy. He changed with the times. And during his time, you ran the ball to fatigue defenses and break their will in the trenches. 

I mean if you think of what Michigan ran under Bo as compared to the 1947-1948 teams, they were night and day in some respects. That earlier period was definite more in line with the Three and Out RR era. Bo was flexible offensively. He let his OC run the offense with the principles of power behind it. So, Michigan had guys who could run and pass and weren't strictly dropback and Michigan won with qbs who made plays and were pure pocket passers. 

As the Moeller and Carr eras emerged, Michigan's offense became pro-set oriented. It was the offense that Hoke was raised on as a Carr assistant, where he saw the likes of Griese, Brady and Henson who broke the mold and caused controversy before the offense settled back to balanced running and passing from the pocket with Navarre and Henne. 

And then came the speread. And the spread undid Michigan in Evanston one memorable Saturday in one of the highest scoring games ever. And it signaled the kind of change that has always overtaken the college game when somebody came up with a better idea to move the ball and score against fast, more talented, overly-aggressive defenses. 

Now, uptempo, no huddle offenses have given the spread its next dimensional view. Playing fast, running more plays, taking advantage of the college clock, beats huddling up after each down to go over silent snap counts and calls you will likely change at the LOS anyway. The 90's and 2000's are ancient history. 

We are all products of our own experience and what we believe best works and how we adopt changes in thinking and philosophy about what's best depends on our point of view, because as the game has demonstrated over time, there is no one or best way to play or win. Many styles work if they are run righ with great execution and will to win. 

We saw Alabama under Nussmeier's controlling influence run roughshod over Michigan at Jerry's House in Dallas more than a year ago. He did it with a pounding run game, which Michigan used to employ under Lloyd Carr when Hoke was on his staff. Their offense looked old school Michigan to me that night. Not fancy, not newfangled spread. Just rough and tough and in your face and able to make plays to move the ball and score at will with great talent and precision. 

I don't think we are going to see a revolution. I think we are going to see what's old renewed again under this guy. I hope you like it. 

 

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