InsideNebraska - Nebraska parts ways with special teams analyst Jonathan Rutledge
Nebraska has parted ways with special teams analyst Jonathan Rutledge.
nebraska.rivals.com
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Rutledge out as ST Analyst
- Thread starter 2010sAreNeverComingBack
- Start date
nebraska.rivals.com
Obviously either another analyst is on their way in, or delegation of special teams duties to a coach on the staff. The latter seems more likely to me, but purely guessing there.
Well, that's a start at least. Need to find someone that can kick it out of the endzone to help with that aspect. Has to be someone that can do better than what NU had last year. Maybe hold open tryouts?
Hope to see an actual Special Teams “coach” implemented.
This is appears to be another “low hanging fruit” area (like reducing/eliminating unforced errors) where some simple changes/improvements can yield positive impact on game outcomes.
This is appears to be another “low hanging fruit” area (like reducing/eliminating unforced errors) where some simple changes/improvements can yield positive impact on game outcomes.
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I hope it's both. Get an analyst in to help design the game plan, but there needs to be a coach in charge of it.
I'd like to see us bring in an actual experienced ST coach from someplace (I don't care if it's D2) who knows what the heck they are doing and can be there to actually coach from the sideline. Not sure Frost can do that given how many coaching slots are tied up now. But what I would hate to see is just handing it off to someone else on the staff as another duty and they really don't have any level of expertise.
Our ST play has been laughable. It can't continue like that.
Our ST play has been laughable. It can't continue like that.
Who do we fire to make room?
Well, that's the problem. Maybe Frost just can't because he's married to Verdu as QB coach and having a separate OC . . . but Frost running the offense (and with all that, the offense can't get out of it's own way).
Seems to me you could find an OC who can also be the QB coach and then you have Frost. But he's never going to do that. I can't imagine that shuffling the deck chairs is going to have better results, though--do any of the other coaches have ST expertise of any kind?
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I would remove our QB coach, have Frost help with QBs and get a full time ST coach.
FWIW, I went through our current coach bios, and Mike Dawson is the only one with special teams experience listed. He was BC's ST coach for 3 years from 2009-11. If the job gets assigned to someone on the staff, he seems like the most obvious pick.
ShortSideOption
Guest
Curious how this plays out. This is what i've been hinting at for some movement. But I actually like the idea of an analyst, you just have to have a full-time guy that has some skin in the game.
Having an analyst, or who it was, wasn't the problem in my opinion.
Having an analyst, or who it was, wasn't the problem in my opinion.
That statement is what really bothers me about Frost to be honest. Feel the same way in that he's almost paralyzed with inaction when it comes to making staff changes regardless of poor results. I watch other top programs and assisstant coaches are shuffled in and out all the time.
ShortSideOption
Guest
Agree there. Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota all have dedicated special teams coaches that have no other duties. Who are we chasing in our division? Ohio State and Alabama have a position coach as a full-time special teams coordinator.
The blueprint is there. Hell, Snyder who we wanted as an analyst went to USC as a full-time assistant for special teams and they were #1 in the country this year. Funny how that works.
Meaning it was about the implementation (or lack thereof), right? It can't be that difficult to find ways to block for our kick returners. We've done it in the past. Having a "full-time guy with some skin in the game" would surely help to make that a reality.
