Jonathan Rutledge of Auburn hired for Husker special teams

[joncarl]

A full-time coach who works only with special teams isn't a priority for UCLA's Chip Kelly

Chip Kelly, a coach known for his commitment to efficiency, didn’t consider hiring a dedicated special teams coordinator upon his arrival at UCLA even though the NCAA granted teams an extra staff member before this season.

www.latimes.com

Jean-Mary, Shoop Added to Defensive Staff; Harbaugh Named Special Teams Coordinator - University of Michigan Athletics

University of Michigan J. Ira and Nicki Harris Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh announced Saturday (Jan. 18) the addition of Brian Jean-Mary and Bo...

mgoblue.com

Just stuff to read.

 

[ShortSideOption]

A full-time coach who works only with special teams isn't a priority for UCLA's Chip Kelly

Chip Kelly, a coach known for his commitment to efficiency, didn’t consider hiring a dedicated special teams coordinator upon his arrival at UCLA even though the NCAA granted teams an extra staff member before this season.

www.latimes.com

Just stuff to read.

I lean towards what Chip Kelly thinks on this. I don't need a full-time guy doing it like Bruce Read. But someone needs to be accountable on your staff for it (which is probably why Kelly has a special teams coach for 2020).

I've really changed my stance since the addition of the 10th coach, as well as when you have a head coach that also is your offensive coordinator. Someone can make time for special teams coordinating for you. With that said, when Riley really wasn't doing much, and then you had Bruce Read as your special teams coordinator and only that (who would leave practice early), and only able to have 9 coaches, that was a mistake IMO.

I actually would have been ok with Snyder being an analyst and just all hands on deck for special teams from the coaches since he had on field experience. But we really screwed the pooch with our hires if we weren't getting a guy like Snyder to help.

 

[denisonred]

Just kick the damn ball into the end zone.

 

[ShortSideOption]

Just kick the damn ball into the end zone.

Or have us fair catch it every time.... I don't understand starting inside your own 20 ever in this age of college football. There, hire me for your kick return analyst.

 

[SavageHusker]

An Analyst has the ability to do everything a coach can do except be on the field with the players and go on the road recruiting them.

They can watch film, design practices and schemes, grade and evaluate performances.

With the number of walk-ons and size of our roster, we should probably have an army of Analysts, and maybe groom experienced walk-ons like Sullivan to be our additional practice coaches.

Bama has an army of analysts and I would guess they even have sophisticated communications between the analysts and the coaches and players on the field as well to give feedback during practices.

Can't find much on Rutledge, but he was at Missou prior to going to Auburn

Snyder to USC absolutely killed us. May as well have just went and grabbed Jamrog IMO.

Both of these. With 150+ we need more bodies organizing them. Think back to last year when we were juggling freshmen who we were endeavoring to redshirt. Just having someone spreadsheeting who has played, who hasn’t would be huge. Shouldn’t be as much of an issue this year but still, anything to lighten the load for Scott et.al, would be helpful.

Jamrog seemed like a pretty good coach and pretty organized. He would bring a lot to the table.

 

[HuskerWeatherman]

Interesting response.

Let me ask you this... are you ok with being the only team in conference without a special teams coordinator on staff? And this comes after we finished in the 120s in special teams last year overall. Hell, Michigan has 2 full-time staff members with special teams in their title.

I had pondered just last night if Nebraska was the only Big Ten school minus a special teams coordinator. I appreciate you answering before I had to ask. And yes, that is disturbing.

 

[Hville]

Or have us fair catch it every time.... I don't understand starting inside your own 20 ever in this age of college football. There, hire me for your kick return analyst.

This might be the dumbest thing that coaches aren't catching onto right now. Only 12 out of 130 teams are averaging over 25 yards per return. (we averaged 18) That's less than 10% of the teams. And even those 12 aren't killing it in regards to average return. Why take a chance on getting your returners hurt or the stupid penalties that seem to go along with it every third or so return. Fair ball catch it ever time unless you are in the last minute of the game and down by 8 or less.

 

[ShortSideOption]

I had pondered just last night if Nebraska was the only Big Ten school minus a special teams coordinator. I appreciate you answering before I had to ask. And yes, that is disturbing.

Frost will answer it before spring that “all coaches will have a hand in it while using what our analyst gets to us” if I had to guess.

I just think someone needs to be the organizer since our analysts can have zero contact with players while we are practicing and can’t have anything like a headset on during the game. Probably important to have a point person.

 

[HuskerWeatherman]

Frost will make answer it before spring that “all coaches will have a hand in it while using what our analyst gets to us” if I had to guess.

I just think someone needs to be the organizer since our analysts can have zero contact with players while we are practicing and can’t have anything like a headset on during the game. Probably important to have a point person.

Let alone the obvious fact that it would be nice to have our coaches focus entirely on what they were hired to do. Because it's not like we're a really good team. No, we're about the 10th or 11th best team in the Big Ten until we prove otherwise. So I can't understand why we wouldn't seek every advantage possible to make us better.

I'm just frustrated that we don't seem to take special teams more seriously.

 

[ramsker]

Frost will make answer it before spring that “all coaches will have a hand in it while using what our analyst gets to us” if I had to guess.

I just think someone needs to be the organizer since our analysts can have zero contact with players while we are practicing and can’t have anything like a headset on during the game. Probably important to have a point person.

When everyone is in charge of special teams . . . nobody is.

Definitely would want to see one guy who takes the lead and who will be on the field, even if other coaches help.

 

[ShortSideOption]

Let alone the obvious fact that it would be nice to have our coaches focus entirely on what they were hired to do. Because it's not like we're a really good team. No, we're about the 10th or 11th best team in the Big Ten until we prove otherwise. So I can't understand why we wouldn't seek every advantage possible to make us better.

I'm just frustrated that we don't seem to take special teams more seriously.

When everyone is in charge of special teams . . . nobody is.

Definitely would want to see one guy who takes the lead and who will be on the field, even if other coaches help.

It’s a curious decision that was made IMO, one that I was really comfortable with when Sean Snyder was the answer. But now it looks like we gambled and lost. We have so much we are trying to fix offensively and defensively that I’m scared we will have some oversight when no one on the field is directly responsible for 1/3 of the game.

The good news is we could hire literally anyone as analyst and there’s nowhere to go but up. It’s the job everyone wants.

 

[joncarl]

While this may or may not be anyone's preference I think it can work. This dude's one job is to strictly focus on special teams. Figure out the game plan on how the coverages work or returns work, then he can watch film and find those players that he thinks will fit. There will be plenty of time to film practices and then watch the film and he can make tweaks to the scheme. He can then coach each coach that is responsible for each unit.

He will have time after the practice to pour over the film, pick it apart then relay what he sees. While it may not be ideal, I truly believe it will work.

 

[ShortSideOption]

While this may or may not be anyone's preference I think it can work. This dude's one job is to strictly focus on special teams. Figure out the game plan on how the coverages work or returns work, then he can watch film and find those players that he thinks will fit. There will be plenty of time to film practices and then watch the film and he can make tweaks to the scheme. He can then coach each coach that is responsible for each unit.

He will have time after the practice to pour over the film, pick it apart then relay what he sees. While it may not be ideal, I truly believe it will work.

I love the idea of an analyst. But why do we think there’s offensive analysts as well an offensive coordinator? Or to put it another way, would you be ok with us having a defensive analyst but no defensive coordinator?

Either way we will improve next year no matter what so its a good spot for Rutledge to be in

 

[djlhuskerfan]

Until we prove that we can make a play on opponents kickoff returns, every team will try to return it on us. We allowed way too much on kickoffs. That has to be fixed!!

 

[joncarl]

I love the idea of an analyst. But why do we think there’s offensive analysts as well an offensive coordinator? Or to put it another way, would you be ok with us having a defensive analyst but no defensive coordinator?

Either way we will improve next year no matter what so its a good spot for Rutledge to be in

Obviously good questions, and I wish I had some brilliant answer, I really don't have a very good answer. I will always be a special teams guy, that is what I know (what little I know) but I look at it this way, even if you go 3 and out every series the offense has 3 plays the defense has 3 plays but there is only 1 special team play. I do believe that special teams are 1/3 of the game, but realistically it isn't. Unless you score on one offensive play (then you would have a fg and KO) normally your offensive and defensive plays will outnumber your special team plays 4 or 5 or more to 1. I guess I think you could get by with an analyst that can do everything but actually talk to the players without committing a full time position that is probably needed elsewhere. If that makes any sense?

Side question to this dude, is he someone that could be hired as a full time position coach should another member of the staff decide to leave in the next year or two?