Whipple the best coordinator hire this year?
No offense to the GERG, but Whipple has turned the other UM into a seemingly good offense in 2 games. Granted they have had pieces before, but no production with Nix. Harris hit three different receivers for the first three TDs vs GT. Starting with FSU, GT, VT and the Sooners is a pretty tough schedule. Interesting to see how they end up after these four.
September 18th, 2009 at 9:57 AM ^
The best I thought they could hope for was 2-2 after those four games going into the season. I am impressed with how that team is playing. However we still don't know how good their competition has been thus far. FSU barely won last weekend against a team they should have beat easily. I am interested to see how they play against VT since that will be the best defense they have seen so far.
September 18th, 2009 at 9:57 AM ^
This team has been outSTANDing these last two games; FSU's defense wasn't no joke, and to hear EA and the boys tell it, GT was absolutely winded by the end of the first half.
I think where it's really come together is the line; Harris was protected extremely well, they put running lanes together that seemed good for 7-8 yds a pop, etc. This team is for real.
Also, I bet if you told Shannon in August he could split a 4-week gauntlet of FSU, GT, VT, and OU (all ranked), he'd have asked which family pet he needed to sacrifice in order to make it so.
September 18th, 2009 at 9:58 AM ^
Gus Malzahn is doing pretty well at Auburn.
September 18th, 2009 at 10:09 AM ^
He does seem to be, but I think the next few weeks (against somewhat stronger competition in the form of WVU and Tenn) might tell us more.
September 18th, 2009 at 10:31 AM ^
That's true. It's interesting, though, to hear on the radio down here how similar Auburn's case is to ours. You hear players and coaches saying things about guys "not buying in" last year with Tuberville and Tony Franklin (now they supposedly are), and about how now they're starting to get the pieces in place to properly run the spread, and about how Malzahn's offense is adaptable etc. You also have the issue of the controversial hire (Chizik) and how that's playing out. It's just the market is a little smaller and more concentrated at Auburn.
September 18th, 2009 at 9:58 AM ^
That game was fantastic. The play calling that I saw (the first half and part of the third quarter) was perfect, and the execution was great. He seems to be doing a good job down there.
September 18th, 2009 at 10:15 AM ^
for Miami to start up their series with Ohio State next year.
September 18th, 2009 at 10:18 AM ^
Just in time for the "Sweater Vest" to open up a can of conservative again?!?
September 18th, 2009 at 10:37 AM ^
Mark Whipple was a terrific small college coach at UMass. He was a candidate for a lot of head coaching jobs before going to the NFL as an OC.
Excellent mind.
September 18th, 2009 at 10:54 AM ^
Anyone else maybe realize why Robert Marve transferred? Jacory Harris has looked pretty redonkulous over the past 2 weeks.
September 18th, 2009 at 11:36 AM ^
but it's too early to annoint "best" status yet.
Monte Kiffin will have Tennessee's defense back up there by the end of the season, but they're in for a nasty one this week against Florida.
I think Robinson's will have our D playing well, if he/we/they get some luck on the injury front and Big Will gets some technique infused into him.
If you're just going off of early returns though, my vote is for Gary Nord over at Purdue. They averaged around 26 ppg last year and he's got them up around 45 ppg right now.
September 18th, 2009 at 11:47 AM ^
Kiffin's surely got a better pedigree, and better resume, than any of the new assistant hires this year (beside Norm Chow, though I'd think it would be a judgment call between them). But Kiffin took over a top-10, experienced defense which didn't lose many contributors. He'll do fine. But I think if Whipple (and certainly Malzahn, who's the other guy in the discussion here) succeeds in making these performances standard over the season, it'll be more of an accomplishment than Kiffin maintaining elite status at Tennessee.
September 18th, 2009 at 11:50 AM ^
Just remembered Chow was hired last year, not this year.
September 18th, 2009 at 12:12 PM ^
is because I thought UT's defense was as bad as their record last year. After reading your post I went back and checked and, you're right, that wasn't the case; and the talent cupboard definitely wasn't bare so, yeah, top 10 defense from UT isn't going to be all that hard.
He doesn't have the pedigree, but I still think the Purdue coordinator bears watching, too.