Still Need DL Coach: Who's Your Home Run Hire? Sleeper Pick?

Submitted by JHumich on January 13th, 2019 at 12:24 AM

I trust that coach will be finding someone great, but I found myself speculating today, and since it's been a few seconds since we had one of these threads, I thought maybe there are others who have been doing similar. I basically followed the find-Don-Brown method of looking at NFL and college DL stats and seeing who popped. Here's what I came up wtih. Who would be yours?

 

Homerun Hire:

jayrodgers.png

Jay Rodgers

The Bears DL has been killing it, as did his Broncos DLs before that. He's been in the NFL for 9 years, but did coach college for 8 years before that. He was even a recruiting intern at Ohio State once upon a time. Admittedly unknown on the recruiting side, which is why I might like my sleeper pick even better...

 

 

Sleeper Pick:

Walter Stewart (2018)

Walter Stewart

Northern Illinois was tied for 2nd in the FBS in rushing YPA, and tied for 7th in sacks. Recruiting-wise, he's from Ohio and stayed in-state as a four-year DL starter at Cincinnati, also had 3 years in the SEC (DL grad assitant at TN), and his time at NIU. 

JHumich

January 13th, 2019 at 12:29 AM ^

Oh, and if you want to neg me for this, here's a post for you to do it. Really just interested in what else anyone else has scoured up while scouring off the wall ideas. Hopefully, we'll have good news soon about someone.

bamf_16

January 13th, 2019 at 9:50 AM ^

His name was tossed around last week too. Experienced, good resume, from Ohio, but questions about recruiting since his last job in the college game was DL coach at Notre Dame in 1994.

 

And OT'ish, but maybe not since this shows there's still time and other programs who also are filling in staff openings, Alabama had both Steve Sarkisian and Chip Long in yesterday for meetings/interviews. Can you imagine one of those guys taking a position other than offensive coordinator? Would they agree to be Co-OC? And while some discussed Pep staying in the college game (Maryland, Charlotte) is it looking more and more like if he leaves, it's to the NFL?

bamf_16

January 13th, 2019 at 10:16 AM ^

I've written before that I'm actually ok with it, if his position is something like Assistant Head Coach & Quarterbacks coach. His job is to learn Gattis' offense and tailor QB instruction to meet the needs of the offense, as is done in almost every other situation.

Pep seems to be similar to guys like Warriner, Drevno, and even Brady Hoke, guys that are good at coaching and teaching a specific position but their talents are diluted or even lost when asked to coordinate an entire offense, defense, or program. 

(Wasn't Harrison Bailey's hesitancy to commit to UM related to uncertainty regarding Pep still being with the program long term?)

Couzen Rick's

January 13th, 2019 at 12:52 AM ^

Also Vinson Reynolds from Syracuse and Jeff Phelps from Washington State. Tbh I just looked at team total sacks and looked at teams that performed higher than their record would indicate. 

EDIT: Didn't realize ND's Mike Elston played for UM back in the day. He's my new home run lol. Above 2 along with Walter Stewart are my sleepers. 

Bleedmaizeblue

January 13th, 2019 at 12:54 AM ^

Vince Reynolds, Syracuse DL coach. He was a D lineman at CMU, coached there after in a winning season. He coach multiple seasons under Fleck at WMU rebuilding a program, then took the Syracuse job doing the same. He’s from Detroit, recruits the state of Michigan. Syracuse set a school record for most sacks this season as well. He’s young, mid-thirties. 

Twitch

January 13th, 2019 at 8:56 AM ^

That's exactly why I have been on the Mike Elston bandwagon.  He's spent his entire life in the tri-state area.  Ohio native, UM alum, and coached in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.  He is a 24/7 top 50 recruiter mainstay and recruits the midwest very well.

Twitch

January 13th, 2019 at 10:30 AM ^

I've lived in the extreme northwest corner of Ohio my entire life and the area (draw a circle with the left and right edges being lakes Erie and Michigan) has been referred to as the tri-state area my entire life (I'm 37). I was also a student of Trine when it was called Tri-State University.  It's in Angola, Indiana.