Who Do YOU Want To Be the Next Ducks' OC?

[cartm25]

We've seen articles about potential candidates, now I'm curious to know who YOU would pick!

 

Be as specific as possible (i.e., name, or very specific characteristic / scenario).

 

My answer may appear to be a cop-out, but for reasons that will be apparent, I don't have a name.

 

I want the next OC to be a young, under-the-radar, star-in-the-making, coach I've never heard of . . . Like Dillingham was.

[DUCati855]

I'm with you.

 

I'm not one hoping for a well established mentor. That screams boring and predictable to me. I do not want my Ducks to be either of those things.

[Quacker1155]

Junior Adams, WR Coach / Co-OC

[DazeNconfused]

If you call Mike Leech and Shark who is 48 boring and 

On 12/2/2022 at 11:12 AM, DUCati855 said:

I'm with you.

 

I'm not one hoping for a well established mentor. That screams boring and predictable to me. I do not want my Ducks to be either of those things.

Is Mike Leech or Sark at Texas boring and predicable play callers? The odds another young OC is going to do as well as Dilly are long. I've wrote about Dilly and he was taken under Mike Norvell's wing at a very young age.

 

I'd like to assure to Duck fans that there isn't many 32yo OCs out there with Dilly's resume he brought - they aren't growing on trees. There is a real risk with young green OC of him having struggles. Dilly wasn't the rule - he was the exception.

 

Consider this play caller list of mid 40yo to older this year who all had top 15 offenses

Josh Hupel, Kalen DeBoer, Chip Kelly, Bill Obrien, Ryan Day, Todd Monken, Mike Norvell, Phil Longo, i think Tyson Helton called plays this year after he lost his OC.

Then consider 39yo Lincoln Riley and Rhett Lashee were Top 15 as well. 39 yo Jeff Lebby at Sooners, Ole Miss was top 15 with Lane Kiffin's offense but he stopped calling plays.

 

Then consider these names: Dan Mullens, Tom Herman, Billy Napier calling his own plays at Florida, Joe Moorehead who was great without Mario, Kendal Briles is now 40.

 

The cream of the play callers in college football are the 39yo and up crowd - go figure.

 

Now if you want good young play established callers then the list is much shorter: 

Garret Riley at TCU i think is 34, Zack Kittley is around 32 Texas Tech. These are the only young guns off the top of my head who have a few years calling plays!

 

The next group is they young guns who have zero FBS play calling seat time: Brian Hartline, Brennan Marion, Arbuckle at Western Kentucky was a 1st year OC but I think Tyson Helton called plays, The UTSA passing game Cord whose name I can't recall is another up and comer. 

 

The fact is the only Dilly's out there are Garret Riley and Zack Kittley - after that its young kids with zero FBS play calling or OC seat time. That might sound exciting but it's super risky. 

 

I hope this post serves well in combating the idea there is a wide pool of Dilly type young OCs to hire from. The fact is it's a limited hiring pool.

 

EDIT: I forgot coach Boles threw out decker and Bray to other young OCs. So we are now up to 4 Dilly types I can think of to hire from. 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by DazeNconfused

[DazeNconfused]

On 12/2/2022 at 1:09 PM, Quacker1155 said:

Junior Adams, WR Coach / Co-OC

one year calling plays and Sanford the HC took back the play calling duties. Sanford was the Colorado OC this year. and has been the Notre Dame and another FBS OC. 

I'd hire Sanford before I give the job to junior.

[DUCati855]

On 12/2/2022 at 1:31 PM, DazeNconfused said:

I hope this post serves well in combating the idea there is a wide pool of Dilly type young OCs to hire from. The fact is it's a limited hiring pool.

I never said our OC had to be young. I said I'm NOT hoping for a well established mentor.

 

The majority of the play callers you mention are HC's not OC's. No one said finding the right OC would be easy. It shouldn't be. 

 

Oregon hired Dan Lanning to lead this team. He does not need someone looking over his shoulder and criticizing his decisions. He is smart enough to learn from his own mistakes. I don't care how old the OC is. I just want one that is not predictable and definitely not one that wants to play a father figure to our head coach. I feel most that have HC'ing experience would have a difficult time having a significantly younger man as their boss.

Edited December 2, 2022 by DUCati855

[Legion]

I share similar sentiment in hiring a coordinator whose talents have not been fully been recognized.

 

However, as we have seen with Dillingham, those individuals will have short tenures at Oregon and consequently the continuity of the program will suffer. Furthermore, frequent vacancies leaves Lanning with the task of finding a home run hire every time a coordinator seeks greener pastures.

Consequently, I am hopeful Lanning finds a productive re-tread that will be a constant presence on the side lines for years to come. Honestly, I am hoping he gives Mark Helfrich a call, but I don’t foresee  the donors buying that choice. If not Heldich, what about Troy Taylor (Sac St.)? 

 

 

 

[DazeNconfused]

On 12/2/2022 at 1:58 PM, DUCati855 said:

I never said our OC had to be young. I said I'm NOT hoping for a well established mentor.

 

The majority of the play callers you mention are HC's not OC's. No one said finding the right OC would be easy. It shouldn't be. 

 

Oregon hired Dan Lanning to lead this team. He does not need someone looking over his shoulder and criticizing his decisions. He is smart enough to learn from his own mistakes. I don't care how old the OC is. I just want one that is not predictable and definitely not one that wants to play a father figure to our head coach. I feel most that have HC'ing experience would have a difficult time having a significantly younger man as their boss.

You had the second post on the thread and you said you agreed with the OP? The OP said he wanted a young, under the radar coach he never heard of. 

 

So my post was in reply to both of you since you agreed with him. 

 

My post stuck to the facts. The fact is there isn't many Dilly like guys out there to hire. If we go under the radar we are most likely into having a first time play caller. 

 

Just because I wrote an article that said I think Lanning needs a older wiser OC, and that I think Mullens and Phil should advise him to do so - doesn't mean that it's going to happen. We are all entitled to our opinions. I get there are some who disagree with my take - that's all good and fair. 

 

I'm not going to cry over Lanning hiring a young OC like Garrett Riley - that would be a good hire. I also think an older OC can be good hire. 

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by DazeNconfused

[DazeNconfused]

On 12/2/2022 at 2:32 PM, Legion said:

I share similar sentiment in hiring a coordinator whose talents have not been fully been recognized.

 

However, as we have seen with Dillingham, those individuals will have short tenures at Oregon and consequently the continuity of the program will suffer. Furthermore, frequent vacancies leaves Lanning with the task of finding a home run hire every time a coordinator seeks greener pastures.

Consequently, I am hopeful Lanning finds a productive re-tread that will be a constant presence on the side lines for years to come. Honestly, I am hoping he gives Mark Helfrich a call, but I don’t foresee  the donors buying that choice. If not Heldich, what about Troy Taylor (Sac St.)? 

 

 

 

I think Helf is a great college OC and QB coach - but I think his failure as a head coach blinds some to how good he as an an OC-QB coach.

[Triphibius]

Bo Nix. 

 

Many of our plays are his audibles, anyway. 

 

This way we get to keep him another year, and save some money on the OC's salary

 

(Just kidding) 

[Duck 1972]

I don't care who it is, but I want it ran like Sabin at ALA. I think I got a read on it, both by watching how the offense is ran or to reading articles.

 

He knew he was going to get OCs poached, so he devised a base system that each OC had to follow so as to have the players not have to learn a new system every new coach.

 

He could add to the system small amounts that wouldn't have the players thinking all the time and be able to to react rather than be slower because of thinking. 

 

Some continuity, please!

[DUCati855]

On 12/2/2022 at 2:35 PM, DazeNconfused said:

I'm not going to cry over Lanning hiring a young OC like Garrett Riley - that would be a good hire

Garrett Riley would be my number one choice. I'm just not sure he would be interested.

 

I have been hesitant to mention Mark Helfrich (as Legion did). Many cringe at the idea. But, he is likely the ONLY ex head coach capable of taking back seat to someone as young as Coach Lanning. His only downside is his lack of recruiting hustle. The whole staff would need to teach him a new level of recruiting. He is likely the ONLY OC we could get that won't jump ship in a year or two.

[Log Haulin]

How Taylor Housewright went from sleeping in closets to being one of college football's top young offensive coordinators - Footballscoop

FOOTBALLSCOOP.COM

---

Housewright leads the offense for No. 4 Montana State and the Bobcats' run in the FCS Playoffs

Never heard of Housewright but came across this article. Oregon ties and hungry. Putting up huge numbers.

 

Says he is a QB coach and has been calling plays for 2 years. 

[4DuckFans]

There is former offensive coordinator out there:

• * Who has coached in two BCS National Championships, once as a head coach and once as an Offensive Coordinator.
• * Who over 4 years as offensive coordinator, directed an offense that average over 500 yards per game and 45 points a game
• * Who was offensive coordinator in the NFL for 2 years
• * Who coached a Heisman winning QB
• * Who has local origins, and not as likely to bolt with the first offer
• * As coordinator, He coached a freshman QB who led the team to 12-1 record, earned the conferences freshman player of the year award and won a bowl game and being the MVP in that game
• * He was twice named national qb coach of the year and also was one of three finalists for Offensive coordinator of the year.

Obviously I am talking about Mark Helfrich.  Had Vernon Adams not been hurt, he may very well have led the Ducks to another BCS appearance, which may have prevented him from being canned, and then just think what he might have been able to do with Herbert over 4 years and what he might be able to do with a player like Dante Moore.

 

I am not saying he's the guy, but I am saying Oregon could do much worse!

•  

[Pennsylvania Duck]

In my searches for FishDuck today, I have run across several mention of the fact

we should be hearing an OC announcement soon, most likely by Sunday or before.

 

I haven't run across any names, that seems to be a BIG secret at this time...

 

 

 

[AnotherOD]

If you follow the position coach "rigamarole", MH's name has been mentioned regularly for a fair amount of college jobs (including with Lake up at the UW); and, he has reportedly turned down everything except a brief NFL run.

 

I am not exactly sure why there is so much suggestion MH is chomping at the bit to return to the place where he was fired?

 

I imagine he is financially in a good place and appears to have a good gig announcing college football games 4 months out of the year. I absolutely could be wrong but I just am not seeing him running back to an OC position at Oregon. If he wanted to be an OC in college, he would already have been one. I haven't come across a clear article detailing about how MH feels about being booted from the UO; but, I could see an argument he isn't waiting by the phone for that call to resume an assistant position.

 

As for an OC, I'd love to see an OC hire who isn't afraid to throw the ball. I know we are in the middle of a rushing the ball revival (and it is in large part a portion of the UO offensive identity); but, I think right now young players have spent a lot of time before entering FBS football learning to defend exotic rush schemes. Throwing the ball? Decent FBS QBs currently are lighting it up. Alabama, Tennessee, UW, USC, etc. A good move in the immediate 3-4 year window might be moving to take advantage?

 

 

Edited December 3, 2022 by AnotherOD

[OregonDucks]

If Oregon is willing to open up the pocketbook for a proven OC, Joe Brady or Dirk Koetter would both be no brainers, IMHO.

 

I posted a potential dark-horse OC candidate on another thread:

 

Will Stein, co-offensive coordinator and QB coach at UTSA.  UTSA's offensive looks similar to what Oregon ran this year and UTSA ranked in the top 10 for points per possession, which we know is a stat important to Lanning.  UTSA's QB, whom is very mobile, may have one more year of eligibility remaining, which is an added plus.  Stein played QB for Louisville from 2008-12.

 

 

https://youtu.be/Vfmuoi3tb9I

 

[McDuck]

I don't get the fascination with Joe Brady.  He caught lightning in a bottle for one year at LSU with Joe Burrows.  His one offensive coordinator position in the NFL got him fired.  Also I don't have high regard for someone who negotiates a new contract and bails to another job within a week.  Memories of Mike White and Oregon softball.

 

He may be fine but I don't see a track record that calls for backing up a Brinks truck.

[OhioDuck]

Here is my choice if he is available, willing. 

 

Warren Ruggiero - Football Coach

GODEACS.COM

---

Warren Ruggiero, who has coordinated the most prolific offenses in Wake Forest history over the past

 

Warren Ruggiero has turned Wake Forest, yes Wake Forest, into an offensive juggernaut. 

 

Bright, innovative, OC and QB coach. 

 

Have no idea if he would be interested. He may absolutely love Winston Salem and never want to leave.

[DazeNconfused]

On 12/2/2022 at 5:14 PM, OregonDucks said:

Will Stein, co-offensive coordinator and QB coach at UTSA.  UTSA's offensive looks similar to what Oregon ran this year and UTSA ranked in the top 10 for points per possession, which we know is a stat important to Lanning.  UTSA's QB, whom is very mobile, may have one more year of eligibility remaining, which is an added plus.  Stein played QB for Louisville from 2008-12.

https://youtu.be/Vfmuoi3tb9I

Ya that dude, I just brought him up in the thread as the pass cord at UTSA.

I thought he was still the passing game Cord like last year - do you know if he called plays this year? 

 

Jeff Traylor has that program going and a few young dudes on that staff. 

[DazeNconfused]

On 12/2/2022 at 5:50 PM, OhioDuck said:

Here is my choice if he is available, willing. 

 

Warren Ruggiero - Football Coach

GODEACS.COM

---

Warren Ruggiero, who has coordinated the most prolific offenses in Wake Forest history over the past

 

Warren Ruggiero has turned Wake Forest, yes Wake Forest, into an offensive juggernaut. 

 

Bright, innovative, OC and QB coach. 

 

Have no idea if he would be interested. He may absolutely love Winston Salem and never want to leave.

Some have shot him down because of the slow mesh. 

[woundedknees]

Helf may never coach again... The sour taste in the back of his throat from the firing by his dream school will likely never go away.

 

I've always felt his excess loyalty to the old guard, coupled with an archaic recruiting style, were his nemesis.

 

Riley definitely intrigues me.

 

I'm just hoping Lanning has a hard drive overflowing with contacts waiting to be happened.

[SoGaDawg]

On 12/2/2022 at 5:35 PM, DazeNconfused said:

You had the second post on the thread and you said you agreed with the OP? The OP said he wanted a young, under the radar coach he never heard of. 

 

So my post was in reply to both of you since you agreed with him. 

 

My post stuck to the facts. The fact is there isn't many Dilly like guys out there to hire. If we go under the radar we are most likely into having a first time play caller. 

 

Just because I wrote an article that said I think Lanning needs a older wiser OC, and that I think Mullens and Phil should advise him to do so - doesn't mean that it's going to happen. We are all entitled to our opinions. I get there are some who disagree with my take - that's all good and fair. 

 

I'm not going to cry over Lanning hiring a young OC like Garrett Riley - that would be a good hire. I also think an older OC can be good hire. 

 

I think Garrett Riley would be an excellent hire.  Do you think it’s a realistic possibility?  Could he be enticed to leave TCU for the same position at Oregon?

[DazeNconfused]

On 12/2/2022 at 6:57 PM, cartm25 said:

A broader question:  How can one (Not you, per se. Likely many, or all of us), who had never heard of Dillingham prior to being hired by the Ducks, know with certainty the pool size of the Dilly-like OCs?

How can you knows the pool size for young OCs is small?

 

Because an OC is a senior spot on a coaching staff.

 

Being a OC in your lower 30s is rare. It's even rarer at the P-5 level and even more rare good P-5 teams are rocking a young 30s OC. You will find more at the Mid-Majors than in the P-5. The top FBS programs find lots of elite play callers now as head coaches calling plays. UCF was a top-15 offense this year with head coach Guz Malzahn calling plays - so add another older Vet play caller to the cream of Top-15 FBS offense's. 

 

There are way more good older to late 30s play callers in college football .David Yost, Scott Satterfield, Chip Long, Andy Ludwig, Mike Bobo, Josh Gattis, are  more of the top of my head. To go with Hemman, Mullens, Bill Obrien, Jeff Lebby that I already brought up. That's 10 older non head coach  - OCs who are legit seat time play callers. I bet someone could do research and find ten more.

 

Graham Harrel is now 37 - he is a Tweener. 

 

The young guns who could fit the Dilly's  mold are as I said: Kittley, Riley, Kevin Decker at Fordham, Joe Brady. None of these guys are under the radar and all have the play calling time that Dilly didn't. This is the cream of the crop I can think up for the 34 and under crowd. 

 

Lets understand the route to coming up the coaching ladder... 

 

Lets say you finish college ball and get a spot on a staff at 24yo. You have normally 2-3 years doing the GA-Analyst thing. Then you might get a WR or TE gig for 2 years. Then you might get tagged the passing game Cord for 2 years. Then your a Co-OC for 2 years. Then at 34 years old you get an OC job calling plays. Dilly, Riley, Kittley, Brady, Decker all jumped up faster than that normal type of track - they are the few who do. 

 

It also depends on the head coach and how he rolls. Dilly's mentor was Mike Norvell who was a super young OC and then head coach at 34. Since he had chops and moved up to an OC at a young age he brought Dilly along. I think he promoted Dilly to OC at Memphis when he was 28 - so Dilly had four years in as an OC when we hired him. Not  many 32 yo OCs with four years under their belt - but Dilly never called plays until his 5th year as an OC here. But he did lots of game planning and watched Norvell sequence play calls in the system for three years and with Malzhan for one year at Auburn. Both schemes are of the same tree. 

 

There isn't a ton of coaches promoting young dudes on a fast track to CO-OC and then to non play calling OC or play calling OC. This is why you have the hot prospects of Will Stien at UTSA, Brian Hartline at tOSU and Brennan Marion at Texas who have never been a called play calling OC but will be. Does Lanning take a risk with one of them?

Does he go after the Dilly type four of Riley, Kittley, Brady, Decker - or does he hire an older OC? 

Edited December 3, 2022 by DazeNconfused

[OregonDucks]

On 12/2/2022 at 4:28 PM, Pennsylvania Duck said:

In my searches for FishDuck today, I have run across several mention of the fact

we should be hearing an OC announcement soon, most likely by Sunday or before.

 

I haven't run across any names, that seems to be a BIG secret at this time...

 

 

 

If true, to me this implies that the new OC's team is playing this weekend and the person wants to avoid distractions with his current team.  Why else would you wait until Sunday?

[OregonDucks]

On 12/2/2022 at 6:04 PM, DazeNconfused said:

Ya that dude, I just brought him up in the thread as the pass cord at UTSA.

I thought he was still the passing game Cord like last year - do you know if he called plays this year? 

 

Jeff Traylor has that program going and a few young dudes on that staff. 

 

"Will Stein was elevated to UTSA's co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Jan. 8, 2022, after spending the previous two seasons as the Roadrunners' pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach."

Based on an interview, it sounds as though Will Stein is calling plays this year but I'm not 100%.

[GODUCKS15]

Will it be someone we've heard of or a mostly complete unknown?

[Duck Fan 76]

To me the OC position that KD had three major areas of responsibility. 

 

1) Calling plays

2) QB development

3) Organizing the offenses practices, schedules, etc.

 

The assumption was that KD decided on the offensive "style" but in reality that was DL's decision.  He likely asked KD in the interview what kind of offense he would want to run at Oregon and DL made that decision when he hired KD.  What I mean is DL is going to pick an OC that represents an offensive play style that reflects DL's philosophy and DL plays aggressive football.

 

So that being said I'm certain DL is going to ensure Oregon employs an aggressive offense that highlights playmakers at every position.

 

So what do I want to see?  

 

1) Whoever call's plays need to be able to win chess matches against really good defensive play callers.

2) QB development was costly this year.  If Bo plays at 50% where do we measure the backup QB's?  Football is a dangerous sport so we need QB's that can execute

3) The nitty gritty details aren't glamorous but making sure practices run efficiently is important and it's not always easy.  Sure there are assistants handling details but a good plan on managing non-game time helps Oregon maximize limited player development and game prep time.

 

Can Oregon pull a coach that maximizes all three areas?  I doubt it honestly since KD didn't maximize all 3.  Just consider QB development as an open question for KD's resume.  Sure we got Bo, but we also got Ty and I'm not sure why Ty never got comfortable.

 

What I would like to see is a teaming approach that maximizes the total output. Here's my crazy plan, alpha-tango:

 

Adrian Klemm promoted to OC and his primary area of responsibility is managing the offensive staff and teaching the heck out of the O-line.  I would give Adams the play calling duties and the Co-OC title then put him up in the booth.  It's a stretch because he keeps coaching the WR's but he's proven quite adept there.  He's going to need help calling plays and Oregon can spend some money here and hire an offensive analyst that works with Adams and ensures they are ready EVERY game, EVERY down.  Lastly I want to see Oregon hire a devoted QB coach that can make sure we get absolutely everything out of our future QB's, especially Dante Moore. 

[OhioDuck]

On 12/2/2022 at 9:05 PM, DazeNconfused said:

Some have shot him down because of the slow mesh. 

So, they have, but have they stopped his offense? Not yet.