Meet Doug Nussmeier
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."
January 9th, 2014 at 6:45 AM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 6:49 AM ^
I believe we could dub the land inside the endzones "Nussopotamia."
January 9th, 2014 at 8:55 AM ^
Ashurbanipal says his haircut makes him look like a Mahenjo-daroan.
January 9th, 2014 at 9:10 AM ^
What are these "endzones" you speak of?
January 9th, 2014 at 10:15 AM ^
Ask Tyler Lockett.
January 9th, 2014 at 7:18 AM ^
Well "Nuss" is "nut" in German, so maybe you can work with that...
January 9th, 2014 at 7:25 AM ^
Nah... "Nutland" doesn't roll off your tongue like "Nussopotamia." Bad connotation as well.
January 9th, 2014 at 7:39 AM ^
Okay, so "DEEZ NUSS"?
One of my favorite albums ever.
January 9th, 2014 at 8:02 AM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 8:41 AM ^
So, if you had a pair of Coach Nuss on your chin would those be called "Chin Nuss"?
January 9th, 2014 at 8:02 AM ^
Lets stay away from anything associated with Ohio (nut). That's their mascot, a nut. Frieghtening.
January 9th, 2014 at 8:03 AM ^
As in other countries, many German family names derive from a vocation: "Schmidt" (blacksmith) "Bauer" (farmer) and so on. Although "Nuss" in German does in fact mean "nut," and "Meier" can separately translate as a "manager" or "foreman," some dictionaries translate "Nussmeier" as "dairy farmer," which is probably as good a translation into English as any.
In any event, let's hope coach Nussmeier "milks" maximum effort from his new O-herd. Go Blue!
January 9th, 2014 at 9:42 AM ^
Uhhhhhhhhh............
January 9th, 2014 at 9:45 AM ^
The first few times I heard "Nussmeier," my mind went to "Neidermeyer" in Animal House.
January 9th, 2014 at 8:14 AM ^
"Meier" comes from an older German word meaning "superior", I believe, so there is that portion to consider.
For general consumption in this thread, Alex Scarborough - a contributor to ESPN's SEC blog - wrote something of a send-off for Nussmeier (HERE). As you might expect, the entry here is both complimentary and critical, but it does suggest the paths that Saban could take moving forward, if anyone is interested in how Alabama may respond.
January 9th, 2014 at 1:36 PM ^
That's it. "Superior (to) Nut" == BEAT OSU!
January 9th, 2014 at 9:43 AM ^
THE NUSS BUS!
January 9th, 2014 at 10:10 AM ^
We've gone from Gorgeous Borges to Dougie Fresh.
And I'm more than okay with that.
January 9th, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 6:49 AM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 6:54 AM ^
I specifically included that bit as well as the no huddle tempo quote, as I figured those would be soothing arrangements of words for Michigan fans.
The one thing that worries me a bit is that he was mentioned as a candidate for the Washington job, the USC job, the Southern Miss job, all as an HC. That tells me that either he will not be here for long, or Hoke will not be here for long.
January 9th, 2014 at 7:32 AM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 10:11 AM ^
that is Borges? Now that was cruel.
January 9th, 2014 at 9:44 AM ^
I think its a forgone conclusion this guy will not be here more than 2 years. Thats totally fine, and I'm sure Hoke and Co know this and will be in contact with replacements the whole time. If he comes in and turns the offense around and leaves for a HC gig I have no problem. If he doesn't, and Hoke is gone, well we are pretty much in the same place as we expected with Borges.
January 9th, 2014 at 6:58 AM ^
I'm smitten.
January 9th, 2014 at 7:09 AM ^
And fergodsakes, let him bring in a QB coach and get someone who can fix that OL.
January 9th, 2014 at 7:15 AM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 7:26 AM ^
Deshawn Hand, too?
January 9th, 2014 at 8:33 AM ^
Bo Scarbrough
January 9th, 2014 at 1:25 PM ^
Guess you were right. Makes sense because he held both roles at Bama.
January 9th, 2014 at 7:22 AM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 1:22 PM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 7:09 AM ^
Now we know why hoke hired him!
January 9th, 2014 at 9:52 AM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 7:20 AM ^
Wasn't worried when MGoBlog crashed twice yesterday - knew Nussmeier would rebuild it.
January 9th, 2014 at 7:45 AM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 8:36 AM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 7:20 AM ^
too soon?
January 9th, 2014 at 7:22 AM ^
What does he think about bubble screens and... Dennis Norfleet?
January 9th, 2014 at 7:23 AM ^
that Nuss was asked by Saban to look around for work. Why would Saban get rid of such a (by all reports) up and coming OC and coach?
January 9th, 2014 at 7:26 AM ^
Saban would get rid of his mother if he thought someone else baked better pies.
January 9th, 2014 at 7:27 AM ^
Word on the street is that he was sleeping with Gary Moeller's wife.
January 9th, 2014 at 7:27 AM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 7:44 AM ^
Saban makes Donald Trump appear to be humble.
January 9th, 2014 at 7:36 AM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 1:25 PM ^
January 9th, 2014 at 8:52 AM ^
Saban's a notorious grouch and runs his shop his way or the highway. I agree that if everything were hunky-dory in the Alabama offense, we probably wouldn't have Nussmeier available to us, but Saban is also the sort to have a much itchier trigger finger if he doesn't like something.
January 9th, 2014 at 9:54 AM ^
Nuss was actually greyshirted. Saban called him into his office to say that his contract was actually an uncommittable offer.
January 9th, 2014 at 10:17 AM ^
You will recall when Saban took the LSU job, not a single assistant from MSU would go with him. That speaks volumes as to Saban's managerial/people skills.
January 9th, 2014 at 8:54 AM ^
Sup, Debbie.