Saturday, January 23, 2010
Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Stinespring has throwback status
Loudoun County high school a recruiting battleground
Doug Doughty
Doug Doughty's College Notebook Plus is exclusive to roanoke.com and is posted by 5 p.m. Fridays.
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At some point, either in this column or one of my other on-line rants, I think I’ve pondered the wisdom of Virginia trying to lure the best offensive-line coach available by dangling the offensive coordinator’s job in front of him.
Surprisingly, Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring isn’t necessarily a proponent of that strategy, at Virginia or elsewhere.
At the time Stinespring was named Tech’s offensive coordinator following the 2001 season, he was serving as offensive-line coach. He continued to serve in that capacity until the 2006 season, by which time Curt Newsome had been hired as offensive-line coach and Stinespring had replaced Danny Pearman as tight-ends coach.
The moves really had little to do with Stinespring coaching the offensive line and everything to do with the Hokies finding a spot for Newsome, a terrific recruiter at James Madison who had been interviewed by Virginia following the 2005. It may be oversimplifying the situation to say that Pearman was deemed most expendable, but the Hokies had to find a position group for Stinespring.
Stinespring reminded me that he coached the tight ends during his first five seasons on Frank Beamer’s staff (1994-98). However, his first association with Tech had come during a period when another offensive-line coach, Steve Marshall, had served as the Hokies’ offensive coordinator.
When asked how many Division I-A football programs have offensive coordinators who also serve as the offensive line coach, Stinespring said, “Whatever the number is, it has to be low.”
There are 120 programs in the Football Bowl Subdivision, previously Division I-A.
So, how many of those offensive coordinators are also offensive-line coaches, maybe 25? “That would be high,” Stinespring said, “an absolute high.”
We talked about some former offensive-line coaches who had become coordinators, including two who had success at Virginia, Tom O’Brien and Ron Prince. O’Brien kept the offensive-line when he was named coordinator at Virginia, later moved to quarterbacks, and later returned to the O-line to make room for Gary Tranquill.
“What you’re seeing more of these days is offensive-line coaches getting the ‘co-coordinator’ or ‘running-game coordinator’ title,” Stinespring said.
(It’s interesting to note that UVa offensive-line coach Dave Borbely, named running-game coordinator prior to the 2006 season, no longer had that title this year. Maybe that had something to do with the hiring of Gregg Brandon to replace three-year offensive coordinator Mike Groh).
Stinespring said that most offensive-line coaches “cut their niche in this world as an offensive-line coach; they don’t spread themselves very far out from that. They live in the ‘inside’ world, you know, blocking the front seven.”
“For me, starting out as a tight end coach was beneficial because it forces you not only to be cognizant of the line play and the running schemes and the pass protection, but you also have to be very viable also in learning the passing game – the art of spacing and all those little things.”
Jim Bollman, a one-time UVa offensive-line coach, serves as offensive coordinator at Ohio State but head coach Jim Tressel calls the plays. One offensive-line coach who serves as offensive coordinator and also calls the plays is Steed Lobotze, a member of Jim Grobe’s original staff at Wake Forest.
IF I HAD TO BET right now, I’d say that Mike Farigalli, who followed Mike London from Richmond to Virginia, would be the Cavaliers’ offensive coordinator.
It’s hard to see the Cavaliers getting Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback Bill Musgrave, particularly now that the Falcons have refused the Houston Texans’ request to speak to Musgrave, who tutored Texans’ quarterback Matt Schaub in Atlanta and at UVa.
The rules are probably different for a college program seeking to interview a pro assistant, but, if the Falcons were adamant about not having the Texans speak to Musgrave, they probably would do everything in their power to keep him from going to UVa.
I’m told that NFL commentators last weekend were talking about the possibility that Minnesota quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers would get a pro coordinator’s job, so Rogers would have to be considered a long shot, at best, for the Cavaliers.
Before it’s all over, I could see Ron Mattes as the new offensive-line coach, and not necessarily as a graduate assistant. That would leave one spot to fill. We know that Indian River head coach Cadillac Harris and former Syracuse offensive coordinator Rob Spence have been interviewed, although it’s possible that ousted Chicago Bears quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton also could be in the mix. Don’t rule out Al Groh holdover Bob Price (see below).
THE CHALLENGE FACING London in his attempt to even up state recruiting was underscored Friday, when I spoke to coach Mickey Thompson at Stone Bridge High School.
Thompson has five Division I-A or I-AA prospects in his junior class, headed by 6-foot-7, 225-pound defensive end Rob Burns, reportedly a 3.95 student.
Other rising seniors at Stone Bridge include 6-foot, 180-pound running back Marcus Harris, defensive back Spencer Rositano (6-1, 185), linebacker Kyle Gouveia (6-0, 190) and quarterback Brian Rody (6-4, 210).
To their credit, the Cavaliers already have made an offer to Burns, who was at UVa last Saturday for a junior day. However, Thompson said that Virginia Tech had a three-man delegation at his school this week that was composed of head coach Frank Beamer, defensive coordinator Bud Foster and defensive-backs coach Torrian Gray.
“You’d never have all three of them here unless they were really high on your kids,” Thompson said.
When I asked Thompson who was recruiting UVa for the new staff, he replied, “Bob Price … and he’s not sure where he fits in.”
Last I heard, new assistant Shawn Moore was going to be responsible for northern Virginia and the D.C. area, which is a lot to bite off, especially for a first-time college assistant who has not previously recruited.
Thompson said that Foster recruits Loudoun County, a burgeoning area that now has 10 high schools, while Gray has the 22 high schools in Fairfax County.
Once the entire London staff is in place, the division of recruiting areas will have major significance.
Surprisingly, Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring isn’t necessarily a proponent of that strategy, at Virginia or elsewhere.
At the time Stinespring was named Tech’s offensive coordinator following the 2001 season, he was serving as offensive-line coach. He continued to serve in that capacity until the 2006 season, by which time Curt Newsome had been hired as offensive-line coach and Stinespring had replaced Danny Pearman as tight-ends coach.
The moves really had little to do with Stinespring coaching the offensive line and everything to do with the Hokies finding a spot for Newsome, a terrific recruiter at James Madison who had been interviewed by Virginia following the 2005. It may be oversimplifying the situation to say that Pearman was deemed most expendable, but the Hokies had to find a position group for Stinespring.
Stinespring reminded me that he coached the tight ends during his first five seasons on Frank Beamer’s staff (1994-98). However, his first association with Tech had come during a period when another offensive-line coach, Steve Marshall, had served as the Hokies’ offensive coordinator.
When asked how many Division I-A football programs have offensive coordinators who also serve as the offensive line coach, Stinespring said, “Whatever the number is, it has to be low.”
There are 120 programs in the Football Bowl Subdivision, previously Division I-A.
So, how many of those offensive coordinators are also offensive-line coaches, maybe 25? “That would be high,” Stinespring said, “an absolute high.”
We talked about some former offensive-line coaches who had become coordinators, including two who had success at Virginia, Tom O’Brien and Ron Prince. O’Brien kept the offensive-line when he was named coordinator at Virginia, later moved to quarterbacks, and later returned to the O-line to make room for Gary Tranquill.
“What you’re seeing more of these days is offensive-line coaches getting the ‘co-coordinator’ or ‘running-game coordinator’ title,” Stinespring said.
(It’s interesting to note that UVa offensive-line coach Dave Borbely, named running-game coordinator prior to the 2006 season, no longer had that title this year. Maybe that had something to do with the hiring of Gregg Brandon to replace three-year offensive coordinator Mike Groh).
Stinespring said that most offensive-line coaches “cut their niche in this world as an offensive-line coach; they don’t spread themselves very far out from that. They live in the ‘inside’ world, you know, blocking the front seven.”
“For me, starting out as a tight end coach was beneficial because it forces you not only to be cognizant of the line play and the running schemes and the pass protection, but you also have to be very viable also in learning the passing game – the art of spacing and all those little things.”
Jim Bollman, a one-time UVa offensive-line coach, serves as offensive coordinator at Ohio State but head coach Jim Tressel calls the plays. One offensive-line coach who serves as offensive coordinator and also calls the plays is Steed Lobotze, a member of Jim Grobe’s original staff at Wake Forest.
IF I HAD TO BET right now, I’d say that Mike Farigalli, who followed Mike London from Richmond to Virginia, would be the Cavaliers’ offensive coordinator.
It’s hard to see the Cavaliers getting Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback Bill Musgrave, particularly now that the Falcons have refused the Houston Texans’ request to speak to Musgrave, who tutored Texans’ quarterback Matt Schaub in Atlanta and at UVa.
The rules are probably different for a college program seeking to interview a pro assistant, but, if the Falcons were adamant about not having the Texans speak to Musgrave, they probably would do everything in their power to keep him from going to UVa.
I’m told that NFL commentators last weekend were talking about the possibility that Minnesota quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers would get a pro coordinator’s job, so Rogers would have to be considered a long shot, at best, for the Cavaliers.
Before it’s all over, I could see Ron Mattes as the new offensive-line coach, and not necessarily as a graduate assistant. That would leave one spot to fill. We know that Indian River head coach Cadillac Harris and former Syracuse offensive coordinator Rob Spence have been interviewed, although it’s possible that ousted Chicago Bears quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton also could be in the mix. Don’t rule out Al Groh holdover Bob Price (see below).
THE CHALLENGE FACING London in his attempt to even up state recruiting was underscored Friday, when I spoke to coach Mickey Thompson at Stone Bridge High School.
Thompson has five Division I-A or I-AA prospects in his junior class, headed by 6-foot-7, 225-pound defensive end Rob Burns, reportedly a 3.95 student.
Other rising seniors at Stone Bridge include 6-foot, 180-pound running back Marcus Harris, defensive back Spencer Rositano (6-1, 185), linebacker Kyle Gouveia (6-0, 190) and quarterback Brian Rody (6-4, 210).
To their credit, the Cavaliers already have made an offer to Burns, who was at UVa last Saturday for a junior day. However, Thompson said that Virginia Tech had a three-man delegation at his school this week that was composed of head coach Frank Beamer, defensive coordinator Bud Foster and defensive-backs coach Torrian Gray.
“You’d never have all three of them here unless they were really high on your kids,” Thompson said.
When I asked Thompson who was recruiting UVa for the new staff, he replied, “Bob Price … and he’s not sure where he fits in.”
Last I heard, new assistant Shawn Moore was going to be responsible for northern Virginia and the D.C. area, which is a lot to bite off, especially for a first-time college assistant who has not previously recruited.
Thompson said that Foster recruits Loudoun County, a burgeoning area that now has 10 high schools, while Gray has the 22 high schools in Fairfax County.
Once the entire London staff is in place, the division of recruiting areas will have major significance.
