OT: Cal considering Ken Niumatalolo

Submitted by jimmyshi03 on

Consider the source but this would be a pretty fascinating shift if they decided on it. Air Raid to acedemy-style Triple Option would pretty much be the biggest cultural and strategic change you could make. 

markinmsp

January 11th, 2017 at 3:40 PM ^

That is not necessarily true. Just because someone has large contract, qualifying for pension benefits which includes medical and other insurance is still a big deal and motivation to stay. Personally, know for a fact it had implications in Johnson and other PSU coaches staying until after certain other items were earned.
With high cost and unsure health care costs in future and some pré-existing conditions it can eat away wealth and can be very significant to maintain certain lifestyles.

YOUVE BEEN JAMMED

January 11th, 2017 at 2:20 PM ^

Interesting candidate.  My question, would he bring the triple option to Cal or delegate the offense to a coordinator and run a traditional or spread offense?  If its the former I'd say he's probably not a fit.  The man can obviously coach.  It would be intriguing to see him coach from a hands off approach and coach a traditional style team.  

Cromulent

January 11th, 2017 at 5:35 PM ^

That would be the assumption. Though there is a transition cost; not all slot ninjas can master the blocking skills necessary from an A-back. Its a tough position to play. The blocks themselves are not the only responsibility. Knowing who to block and how that changes based on how the OC sees the D divvying up the dive/QB/pitch responsibilities is just as important. Navy has had to throttle good running A-backs in the past who just weren't reliable enough in their blocking assignments.

Prime example would be Shun White, who thru one 14-game span over 2 seasons once had a > 10 y.p.c. But he couldn't stay on the field 100% because he kept blowing assignments.

 

gte896u

January 11th, 2017 at 2:51 PM ^

And at a school with the size and alumni base of Cal, it wouldn't really even take that much winning.

Our (GT) fan problem is not at all related to PJs offense. Our recent winning definitely is. There were no Orange Bowls or multiple trips to the ACCCG before PJ got to town, and attendance has not suffered.

Our problem is that half of our students don't give a shit about football and half of those who do don't stay in Atlanta. Not to mention that our only sidewalk fans are a small number of urban Atlantans.

Beat 'Em

January 11th, 2017 at 3:32 PM ^

I don't understand why bottom tier P5 schools don't run the triple option. Paul Johnson has shown it can work at Georgia Tech in the ACC. The blueprint is already out there. Why would a school like Kansas, Purdue, Rutgers, or Iowa State not give it a try? Those schools are not going to recruit with the top teams in their divisions. They are never going to be perennial contenders. Why not go to a different system that has been effective at GT and the Service Academies? If fans of those programs value wins over all else, they should give it a try.

gte896u

January 11th, 2017 at 3:39 PM ^

And I hope you aren't lumping us and our plus-level tradition in with those other schools lol. None of them are ever going to be where we are, or have been in the recent past. Actually, one could (keep reading) but won't.

But I agree with your premise. Kansas is the one I always go to. They have money, hot girls, and a huge population. It should actually be much easier to recruit to KU than to Georgia Tech except for location. But that doesn't seem to affect the basketball team, so I don't buy it.

gte896u

January 11th, 2017 at 7:45 PM ^

Morgan Burnett and Derrick Morgan were definitely stars.

Demetrius Robertson is nothing to sneeze at. PJ actually almost stole him last year according to some.

Nesbitt was the real factor imo.

snowcrash

January 11th, 2017 at 5:38 PM ^

Sonny Dykes 2013-2016

Jeff Tedford 2002-2012

Tom Holmoe 1997-2001

Steve Mariucci 1996

Keith Gilbertson 1992-1995

Bruce Snyder 1987-1991

Joe Kapp 1982-1986

Roger Theder 1978-1981

Mike White 1972-1977

Ray Willsey 1964-1971

My undergrad degree is from Cal.

markusr2007

January 11th, 2017 at 5:13 PM ^

Best coaches were Jeff Tedford (2002-2012) and Pappy Waldorf (1947-1956).

Sonny Dykes was 20-30 at Cal in 4 years. That's not enough time in my opinion given' the situation left by Tedford.

Yes, transitioning from Hal Mumme's Air Raid over to Niumatalolo's triple option wishbone attack would take a couple years to install.

Not sure of this, but I think the last team to actually run the wishbone offense in the PAC-12 (then the PAC-10) was Jerry Pettibone at Oregon State (1991-1996). The result was no winning seasons and horrible results.

Interestingly Brady Hoke was the Oregon State DL coach under Dave Kragthorpe (1989-1990) and then Pettibone (1991-1994).

 

 

Cromulent

January 11th, 2017 at 5:27 PM ^

If Kenny leaves Navy then current OC Ivin Jasper almost certainly gets his old job. Big question is then who does Ken get to run the flexbone? Because he's a defensive guy, not a flexbone O guy. Though he does know it far better than non-flex OC's.