position coaches

[robroyred]

Am I the only one that finds it puzzling to have so many coaches assigned to positions that they never played?

Running backs coach played DB. Defensive line coach played center. Receivers coach was a LB. and I might be mistaken, but think QB coach has never played QB.

I understand the importance of just being a good teacher and motivator, but would I really hire a guitarist to teach me how to play the piano because of their teaching ability?

Just seems to me that someone that has actually learned to play a certain position at a high level would be better equipped to teach it.

thoughts anyone?

[HuttoHusker]

Interesting point, Having never played myself It appears it's not a deal killer.

[HuskerFanz]

I'm not worried about that. If the guy is a good coach, he will get results. IMO.

[FeelLikeAStranger]

I don't think it's that uncommon, nor anything to be concerned about. Guys play positions in college and then move on to coaching whatever position or positions you can get a job doing...GA, intern, HS coach, assistant...often it's a different side of the ball. You gain skill at each stop and find your niche. Often, it is more of a teaching skill that is acquired or an aptitude for it, and most coaches should know enough about every position group to dig in and go as needed, especially early in their career. It's no different to me than it would be teaching a new class...you prep yourself, learn the big picture, and stay a couple days ahead of details.

What I find a little more questionable is the current Iowa situation...having a guy who was coaching your OL switch to coaching DL. 3 years TE, 9 years OL...then DL? I can understand that he can certainly teach the way the other side of the ball is going to work against his players, but it would seem that fundamentals, footwork, drills, scheme, etc would need to be studied pretty extensively to make such a dramatic switch to the other side of the ball. I'm sure there's plenty of interaction between OL and DL coaches, but still that looks like a big jump to me at this level.

[jikastew]

I think it matters for a QB coach. Otherwise, not so much. JMHO. Coaching QBs is a different animal all together.

[FeelLikeAStranger]

http://www.hawkeyesports.com/sports/...n_reese00.html


FWIW, Morgan was a LB in college, then HS coach...hard to argue he wasn't a successful OL coach at Iowa, thats for sure.

[Red Falcon]

I think the first year may be a challenge, but these guys have been coaching long enough and interact with other coaches, pro players and clinic instructors that they learn the fine points of just about any position.

[FeelLikeAStranger]

I think it matters for a QB coach. Otherwise, not so much. JMHO. Coaching QBs is a different animal all together.

Good point.

Kickers are another one, possibly. If you got a guy that has coached K before, that's a different beast. Not many guys who get jobs for that with only 9 FTA's, however. That's a plus. Most K's coach themselves, I'd guess.

[FeelLikeAStranger]

Scott Frost. QB, S in NFL, DB coach at UNI, WR coach at Oregon. Great teacher, no problem.

[Dave Feit]

From everything I heard (and saw) Carl Pelini was a pretty darn good coach of defensive linemen. I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing he didn't play the position at all (or at least not past H.S.)

Put it another way - Scott Frost is a pretty respected coach, and won a NC as a QB. But would you really want him (and his shot put throwing motion) teaching QBs?

[Pookey]

I think the whole "those who can't do, teach" thing. So since they could play the positions they played, maybe they aren't good at teaching those positions, but they are good at teaching the positions they couldn't do. ???? I hope that didn't confuse.

[FeelLikeAStranger]

From everything I heard (and saw) Carl Pelini was a pretty darn good coach of defensive linemen. I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing he didn't play the position at all (or at least not past H.S.)

Put it another way - Scott Frost is a pretty respected coach, and won a NC as a QB. But would you really want him (and his shot put throwing motion) teaching QBs?

Heck ya I'd hire him as a QB coach, absolutely. Especially if it was an offense with option/spread emphasis. Bill Walsh, Tom Osborne, Turner Gill, Chip Kelly...pretty decent pedigree. Technique as a player ain't everything.

[johnhoie]

I think it matters for a QB coach. Otherwise, not so much. JMHO. Coaching QBs is a different animal all together.

I really agree with that. If you haven't played QB, it has to be tough to understand the proper thought processes.

[YellowDent#2]

Charlie McBride was a TE as a player and an Offensive Line Coach before he was hired as D Line/Defensive Coordinator. Milt Tenopir was a QB in HS & College. Two of the best ever...I have no problem with the current situation as long as they are great communicators, recruiters and work well with the rest of the staff.

[Native]

If one were to work with position they played there might be a bit too much of "well, this technique worked for me" attitude and might force an aspect of the game instead of working with what player "x" might do best. Maybe.

[O'Husker]

I really agree with that. If you haven't played QB, it has to be tough to understand the proper thought processes.

Then how do you explain the Mike Leaches and other very successfull coaches at the college and pro level, that never played the game beyond high school? There is a reason that 95% of the best ever players at their sport in pro/college never were successfull coaches. Its because coaching is teaching and motivating. Those, IMO, are God given talents that you either have or you don't. Look at the current bunch of highly successful football coaches currently at Boise St, Oregon and others... Is their success based on how well they played the game? To me its because they are fabulous teachers, communicators, motivators, and are very smart to boot!

[sdsjrode1]

Then how do you explain the Mike Leaches and other very successfull coaches at the college and pro level, that never played the game beyond high school? There is a reason that 95% of the best ever players at their sport in pro/college never were successfull coaches. Its because coaching is teaching and motivating. Those, IMO, are God given talents that you either have or you don't. Look at the current bunch of highly successful football coaches currently at Boise St, Oregon and others... Is their success based on how well they played the game? To me its because they are fabulous teachers, communicators, motivators, and are very smart to boot!

Add our new secondary coach to the list of not having played the game. As far as I can see his college career was spent on a baseball diamond. Everyone seems excited about what he is bringing to Nebraska.

[husker6]

So does this mean golf coaches can coach football too?

[DuckTownHusker]

In the corporate world, a company will often take the best salesperson and make them a manager. This is wrong thinking because usually the best salesperson is just that - a great salesperson, but maybe not a great manager.

The proper move is to find someone with administrative skills who can coach and mentor, but who may not necessarily be the most skilled salesperson. Their job isn't to sell - it's to manage.

Same illustration applies to coaching. Coaches need a host of skills outside of technically understanding their position. They need to be time managers, encouragers, mentors and leaders. It's probably why the best players are often NOT coaches. Bradshaw, Montana, Elway, Sanders, Sayers, Smith, Aikman, Young, Favre... were ANY of them successful coaches? I'm honestly not sure - maybe some were. But it seems like coaching is a completely different skill set than just being good at a position.

[HuskerRedDread]

My junior year in college I did a survey at the school I was student teaching at about how well being successful in the classroom transfers to being a successful teacher.

It was so long ago so forgive me if I can't remember the exact numbers, but I remember 60% of the staff at that time were C average students through high school and 30% were B average students through college with some A (honors) average students through high school sprinkled in there.

Without going to deep into my study without having my papers from the class in front of me, I remember my conclusion pointed out that most of the teachers whom had students who connected well to them and their teaching styles, were not honor students themselves in the classroom, but they were able to relay the lesson plan in a way that most of their students were able to understand and excel at, while there's the few teachers whom were those Honor students, who didn't connect well with most of their students and usually had a structure in their classroom that most couldn't excel at but managed enough just to squeeze out a respectable grade in that class.

Most honors students look to go into other fields of study or careers rather than education simply because of the skill and character it takes to connect with a student so that they can learn the information that they (the honor student) have. Have you ever been in school and conversed with the "smartest guy in the school".... on average most of the times he isn't the most popular person in the build, not just because he's a geek, but because he can't relate to most because his way of using the information he has in conversation usually goes over many of his peers' heads.

So, I would think that teaching & coaching would have more to do with the ability to communicate effectively with your student/player rather than having the physical ability to carry it out. It's not that an honor student can't be a professor or teacher or educator....etc, it's just most do not because of their way of expressing the information to others is not always in a "cliff notes" language for everyone. Many athletes are able to excel at their positions but when they decided to get involved with the other aspects of the game like coaching or management, etc...they become "not so elite"........

Example who would you want your team to be lead by in game 6, Michael Jordan or Donnie Walsh, now who would you want in charge of your team.