Quarles

[Paladin91]

Well, at least CH didn't have to fire GQ, but it probably needed to be done - our offensive production stunk. Nothing exciting about our offense at all. I really hope CH will look for someone innovative outside of the program - the offense needs a real work over.

I hear the calls for BB, but I'm not a fan of the idea. Our offensive production from the WR position has been lackluster, and we haven't recruited well at that position for quite a while. I just don't see anything in BB that stands out. I think you can fill the QB coach/OC role with one person. I'd love to see Ingle Martin in that role if we decide to hire an ex-FU type. Otherwise, there are plenty of young, heady coaches out there in D2/D3 ranks.

First, I hope they pick the best man for the job.

Second, I disagree with your premise. How does any position coach "stand out" to the casual fan? How does one become an offensive coordinator without being first provided the opportunity?

As I noted earlier, since Bratton became WR coach, Furman has produced No. 1 and No. 2 all time in receiving yards. Since that time, we've had a revolving door at QB, which likely has an effect on WR production.

Also, I believe Joshua Harris can be a standout.

Again, no knock on BB, but the offense needs to be retooled. He was the passing coordinator under GQ, and I didn't like what I saw in that department. If that's any preview of what we'd see from him as OC, then I'll pass for someone more innovative. In all fairness, we need to bring in an OC that will hire is own personnel. That likely means let him hire his own WR coach, RB, coach, and OL coach. We're fine on the defensive side of the ball but the offense was not productive at all. If it's not the players that were the problem, then nowhere else to look than at the coaches. If you're going to make a change that will be meaningful, go BIG and overhaul our offensive system. If you want a derivative of GQ's pathetic offense, then go BB.

And I've been saying for years, that our WR corps has been lackluster. TG and AS were both undersized receivers that did fine individually and only did so because they had no complementary receiving corps around them. Harris came into FU with talent - I'll give BB credit there, but the cupboard was so bare he got immediate playing time.

[Furmanoid]

I think BB is probably a very good WR coach. But that job just isn’t generally one step away from OC. In that job one is focused on teaching techniques to a group of guys playing essentially the same position. It isn’t really an X’s and O’s kind of job at all. If you want to take a quick 1 step climb to DI OC, you probably don’t start at WR coach. You need to earn OC stripes in HS, NAIA, DII etc. You can maybe climb through the ranks within DI easier if you were a QB or QB coach. OL coaches tend to also be great offensive minds because they’ve come up seeing more moving parts and more of the big picture.

It’s different if you’re at a program where the offense has been going great for years and the WR coach knows THAT offense. But I don’t think that’s where we are.

Dunno…This ‘track’ has worked out pretty well for a school not too far away from FU…

1993–1995 - School1 - Grad Asst
1996 - School1 - WR/TE
1997 - School1 - TE
1998–2000 - School1 - WR
2003–2006 - School2 - WR
2007–2008 - School2 - AHC/WR
2008 - School2 - interim HC/OC
2009–present - School2 - HC

It worked out well because he fired himself and an OC from a nearby school and replaced them with a guy who spent 15 years coaching HS. Without that move he would have been back to selling commercial real estate. Everyone knows this.

[FurmAlum]

Question

If we bring in a new OC with a new system, does that mean new terminology for sets, formations, etc. and new names for plays?

[apaladin]

Question

If we bring in a new OC with a new system, does that mean new terminology for sets, formations, etc. and new names for plays?

Good question but doubt this will happen.

[The Jackal]

Question

If we bring in a new OC with a new system, does that mean new terminology for sets, formations, etc. and new names for plays?

I think it is pretty safe to assume that Hendrix is going to hire someone who gives with what he philosophically wants to do and fits our personnel.

How they may call plays may differ and they'll differ on aspects of the game, but I expect most offensive coaches are going to be speaking a similar language.

[FUpaladin08]

I think BB is probably a very good WR coach. But that job just isn’t generally one step away from OC. In that job one is focused on teaching techniques to a group of guys playing essentially the same position. It isn’t really an X’s and O’s kind of job at all. If you want to take a quick 1 step climb to DI OC, you probably don’t start at WR coach. You need to earn OC stripes in HS, NAIA, DII etc. You can maybe climb through the ranks within DI easier if you were a QB or QB coach. OL coaches tend to also be great offensive minds because they’ve come up seeing more moving parts and more of the big picture.

It’s different if you’re at a program where the offense has been going great for years and the WR coach knows THAT offense. But I don’t think that’s where we are.

Dunno…This ‘track’ has worked out pretty well for a school not too far away from FU…

1993–1995 - School1 - Grad Asst
1996 - School1 - WR/TE
1997 - School1 - TE
1998–2000 - School1 - WR
2003–2006 - School2 - WR
2007–2008 - School2 - AHC/WR
2008 - School2 - interim HC/OC
2009–present - School2 - HC

It worked out well because he fired himself and an OC from a nearby school and replaced them with a guy who spent 15 years coaching HS. Without that move he would have been back to selling commercial real estate. Everyone knows this.

To keep the Clemson talk going Dabo went with 2 former college WRs and WR coaches to lead the offense: Jeff Scott and Tony Elliot. That made a ton of sense as they had a QB-WR centric offense, and it delivered 2 National Championships.

Meanwhile on other threads we all miss the good ol days of the Drew Cronic offense. Yet here again is a former college WR that has coached WRs and TEs and been successful as an OC. He is also a great example of a WR that’s doesn’t want to throw the ball 40 times a game.

BB should get an interview for the job. He should offer his ideas on how to run the Furman offense given the players on the roster. He should tout his ability to recruit the state of Georgia. If he is what CCH wants then he should get the job. Let’s not forget he had a stellar career at Furman as a WR and return specialist, bounced around the NFL, NFL Europe, Arena ball, then found success in Canada over 6 seasons. He’s not just a WR coach. He has a ton of knowledge about football not just specific to WR drills. I’m not saying he’s my pick for OC but he certainly is not ruled out for his WR background.

[The Jackal]

I think BB is probably a very good WR coach. But that job just isn’t generally one step away from OC. In that job one is focused on teaching techniques to a group of guys playing essentially the same position. It isn’t really an X’s and O’s kind of job at all. If you want to take a quick 1 step climb to DI OC, you probably don’t start at WR coach. You need to earn OC stripes in HS, NAIA, DII etc. You can maybe climb through the ranks within DI easier if you were a QB or QB coach. OL coaches tend to also be great offensive minds because they’ve come up seeing more moving parts and more of the big picture.

It’s different if you’re at a program where the offense has been going great for years and the WR coach knows THAT offense. But I don’t think that’s where we are.

Dunno…This ‘track’ has worked out pretty well for a school not too far away from FU…

1993–1995 - School1 - Grad Asst
1996 - School1 - WR/TE
1997 - School1 - TE
1998–2000 - School1 - WR
2003–2006 - School2 - WR
2007–2008 - School2 - AHC/WR
2008 - School2 - interim HC/OC
2009–present - School2 - HC

It worked out well because he fired himself and an OC from a nearby school and replaced them with a guy who spent 15 years coaching HS. Without that move he would have been back to selling commercial real estate. Everyone knows this.

To keep the Clemson talk going Dabo went with 2 former college WRs and WR coaches to lead the offense: Jeff Scott and Tony Elliot. That made a ton of sense as they had a QB-WR centric offense, and it delivered 2 National Championships.

Meanwhile on other threads we all miss the good ol days of the Drew Cronic offense. Yet here again is a former college WR that has coached WRs and TEs and been successful as an OC. He is also a great example of a WR that’s doesn’t want to throw the ball 40 times a game.

BB should get an interview for the job. He should offer his ideas on how to run the Furman offense given the players on the roster. He should tout his ability to recruit the state of Georgia. If he is what CCH wants then he should get the job. Let’s not forget he had a stellar career at Furman as a WR and return specialist, bounced around the NFL, NFL Europe, Arena ball, then found success in Canada over 6 seasons. He’s not just a WR coach. He has a ton of knowledge about football not just specific to WR drills. I’m not saying he’s my pick for OC but he certainly is not ruled out for his WR background.

This is on target. I went back and found a few articles where Hendrix is very complimentary of Bratton as a coach and mentor and several mention that he has had opportunities to move to the FBS as an assistant and has opted to stay at Furman. I do not believe being "just a WR coach" is any sort of impediment.

My recollection is that from reports at the time, "Cronic's offense" at Furman was essentially a collaborative effort between the coaches, including Bratton, based upon available personnel. Again, having a talented senior QB, as Furman did in 2017, makes a ton of difference.

[Furmanoid]

I think BB is probably a very good WR coach. But that job just isn’t generally one step away from OC. In that job one is focused on teaching techniques to a group of guys playing essentially the same position. It isn’t really an X’s and O’s kind of job at all. If you want to take a quick 1 step climb to DI OC, you probably don’t start at WR coach. You need to earn OC stripes in HS, NAIA, DII etc. You can maybe climb through the ranks within DI easier if you were a QB or QB coach. OL coaches tend to also be great offensive minds because they’ve come up seeing more moving parts and more of the big picture.

It’s different if you’re at a program where the offense has been going great for years and the WR coach knows THAT offense. But I don’t think that’s where we are.

Dunno…This ‘track’ has worked out pretty well for a school not too far away from FU…

1993–1995 - School1 - Grad Asst
1996 - School1 - WR/TE
1997 - School1 - TE
1998–2000 - School1 - WR
2003–2006 - School2 - WR
2007–2008 - School2 - AHC/WR
2008 - School2 - interim HC/OC
2009–present - School2 - HC

It worked out well because he fired himself and an OC from a nearby school and replaced them with a guy who spent 15 years coaching HS. Without that move he would have been back to selling commercial real estate. Everyone knows this.

To keep the Clemson talk going Dabo went with 2 former college WRs and WR coaches to lead the offense: Jeff Scott and Tony Elliot. That made a ton of sense as they had a QB-WR centric offense, and it delivered 2 National Championships.

Meanwhile on other threads we all miss the good ol days of the Drew Cronic offense. Yet here again is a former college WR that has coached WRs and TEs and been successful as an OC. He is also a great example of a WR that’s doesn’t want to throw the ball 40 times a game.

BB should get an interview for the job. He should offer his ideas on how to run the Furman offense given the players on the roster. He should tout his ability to recruit the state of Georgia. If he is what CCH wants then he should get the job. Let’s not forget he had a stellar career at Furman as a WR and return specialist, bounced around the NFL, NFL Europe, Arena ball, then found success in Canada over 6 seasons. He’s not just a WR coach. He has a ton of knowledge about football not just specific to WR drills. I’m not saying he’s my pick for OC but he certainly is not ruled out for his WR background.

Not so fast.

Morris had Clemson humming before Scott and Elliot got promoted. All they had to do was help each other keep it going. Clemson had no need for a change. Lots of people think FU does need a change although some are now making statistical arguments that the offense was a juggernaut by seasons end. If you believe that, then I guess BB is the only choice. No need for interviews.

By the way Scott was a HS QB, a college coach’s son, and a State championship HS coach.

Cronic fits my criteria perfectly. He was a HS qb. Played college receiver. Coached WR’s but also RB’s and TE’s at FCS level. So he had playing or coaching experience at everything but OL. HE STILL HAD TO DROP DOWN TO NAIA TO PROVE HIMSELF AT OC! Nobody was gonna hire him to overhaul a DI offense.

Anyway I have nothing against BB, he might be the next Saban. If you feel like the offense is pretty good and doesn’t really need immediate improvement, he’s perfect. I’m now just arguing about this because it’s fun and my argument is so easy to win.

[The Jackal]

Literally who is making the argument that our offense was a juggernaut? Everyone watching Furman can see the same stuff - we had good moments and struggled with consistency.

What I saw was a team that improved at the season went on. In part, I imagine, that's because our true freshman QB played more football at this level. You could have the most elite play caller in the country, and he'd still have to deal with a true freshman learning the position at this level.

Your argument is "easy to win" because you constantly move the goal posts and are meeting subjective criteria housed only in your own mind.

[The Jackal]

And because he comes up so frequently, I think the jury is still out on Cronic. Of course, I feel the same about any new coach. I think you need to wait a few years to evaluate them.

First, before Bear objects, I think he was the right hire for Mercer. He's a talented coach with a record of success. He was an obvious choice for their program.

Second, I think there are still question marks that are yet unanswered.

For instance, he has moved around a good bit. He left Furman to coach with his father at Reinhardt, then inherited that program, and made quick stops at Furman then Lenoir Rhyne. I think there's an open issue about how he will do as an offensive play caller against good defensive coaches as they get more film on his offense.

I think there's an also open question as to how he will do as a recruiter. He was the recruiting coordinator under Bobby Lamb, and as we saw, the end of that administration really flopped on the recruiting front and ushered in a period of pretty week recruiting classes that plagued us through the next 4 or 5 seasons. Recruiting at Mercer against the SoCon schools will be a different animal than recruiting at a DII powerhouse or an NAIA school.

He may be a marvelous hire for Mercer, but I do not think you can make that determination after one season. I also think Furman fans need to let go this notion that Cronic is some offensive sage that we let get away.

[Afurmanfan]

I am convinced that CCH is taking a very methodical path to picking the next OC. Nobody is more aware of the need for better offensive production than him.
When teams learn to dare you to pass the ball to win, and you are not able to do that consistently, you are fighting a tough numbers battle in the box. And that is what we saw the 2 seasons in 2021.
That does not mean we could not have had a better offensive strategy, I would expect every coach looks back at the most recent season and sees where things could have been done better. I know CCH does.
I just have a lot of confidence that he knows what boxes need to be checked with the next OC hire. Similar character, a good background as a player and/or coach in CCH's multiple offense philosophy, and importantly strong recruiting contacts in the states where we get most of our players, etc. I believe we will see all these in the new OC.
Happy New Year fellow FUATT fans!

[The Jackal]

I am convinced that CCH is taking a very methodical path to picking the next OC. Nobody is more aware of the need for better offensive production than him.
When teams learn to dare you to pass the ball to win, and you are not able to do that consistently, you are fighting a tough numbers battle in the box. And that is what we saw the 2 seasons in 2021.
That does not mean we could not have had a better offensive strategy, I would expect every coach looks back at the most recent season and sees where things could have been done better. I know CCH does.
I just have a lot of confidence that he knows what boxes need to be checked with the next OC hire. Similar character, a good background as a player and/or coach in CCH's multiple offense philosophy, and importantly strong recruiting contacts in the states where we get most of our players, etc. I believe we will see all these in the new OC.
Happy New Year fellow FUATT fans!

I think there are a lot of positives with the offense right now:

1. I am interested to see the maturation of the young QBs and what the new kid from PC can do. I think one primary difference between Furman and the top of the SoCon the last year was just consistent QB play every time out.

2. Our offensive line should be as deep as we've seen it in years. Hendrix was limited in recruiting numbers along the offensive front early in his tenure, but now we are seeing the bulk of the OL guys 3 or 4 years in with a lot of experience.

3. I'm excited to see Joshua Harris' future. He had about as impressive a season for a freshman WR that I've seen for Furman in a while.

4. I think the coaching staff really found a combination that worked with Dominic Roberto. He gained their trust and was a dominant player down the stretch run. Along with him, there is a lot of talent in that offensive backfield.

5. I'd love to see what Furman has planned for some of these highly regarded TEs in the 2021 class. When you watch NDSU play, one thing they do better than anyone is mix in 2 or 3 TE sets, which adds more beef in the run game and gives the QB some easy throws on the play action passing attack.

Is it perfect? No. Is it hopeful for the future? In my opinion, yes.

[Furmanoid]

Literally who is making the argument that our offense was a juggernaut? Everyone watching Furman can see the same stuff - we had good moments and struggled with consistency.

What I saw was a team that improved at the season went on. In part, I imagine, that's because our true freshman QB played more football at this level. You could have the most elite play caller in the country, and he'd still have to deal with a true freshman learning the position at this level.

Your argument is "easy to win" because you constantly move the goal posts and are meeting subjective criteria housed only in your own mind.

OK, juggernaut was an exaggeration. But it is hinted that the offense was pretty good at the end. No big changes needed except aging of the QB.

Moving goal post? What I said was that if a guy is going to go straight from position coach to OC of a DI PROGRAM, he’s most likely a Former QB, a QB coach or maybe an OL coach. You might also do it if you are simply inheriting a successful offense you’ve worked in for awhile (Clemson). I did later add that coaches’ sons move up fast for obvious reasons. Nobody has offered an example yet that fails to support my original argument. So the subjective criteria housed in my mind seem to be housed in lots of HC’s minds.

[The Jackal]

Literally who is making the argument that our offense was a juggernaut? Everyone watching Furman can see the same stuff - we had good moments and struggled with consistency.

What I saw was a team that improved at the season went on. In part, I imagine, that's because our true freshman QB played more football at this level. You could have the most elite play caller in the country, and he'd still have to deal with a true freshman learning the position at this level.

Your argument is "easy to win" because you constantly move the goal posts and are meeting subjective criteria housed only in your own mind.

OK, juggernaut was an exaggeration. But it is hinted that the offense was pretty good at the end. No big changes needed except aging of the QB.

Moving goal post? What I said was that if a guy is going to go straight from position coach to OC of a DI PROGRAM, he’s most likely a Former QB, a QB coach or maybe an OL coach. You might also do it if you are simply inheriting a successful offense you’ve worked in for awhile (Clemson). I did later add that coaches’ sons move up fast for obvious reasons. Nobody has offered an example yet that fails to support my original argument. So the subjective criteria housed in my mind seem to be housed in lots of HC’s minds.

My point is that you've put so many qualifiers on your argument that hardly anyone would fit.

How about Joe Brady, college football's top offensive assistant coach in 2019? High school and college WR. Wasn't even a high school QB. Never coached QB. Never been a coordinator.

[Furmanoid]

Ding,ding,ding, a WINNER! Brady certainly does not fit my mold. If we want to bring in a guy from a division winning NFL team I’m all for it.