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Serious discussion about SEC Coaches strengths, weaknesses, and futures: Last 3 coaches
Posted on 2/1/24 at 6:16 pm
Posted on 2/1/24 at 6:16 pm
Tennessee - Josh Heupel: Josh is 55-20 over 5 seasons at UCF and UT. Heupel's entire coaching philosophy is dependent on an elite QB and a stable of tall, fast receivers. Heupel is rigid in his offensive approach (too rigid) and doesn't scheme to his teams strengths well enough to beat teams with equal talent. It's one-size-fits-all for JH. But - when he gets an elite QB and Dude receivers his scheme is dynamite on opposing defenses. Heupel's defensive credentials are better than expected for an offensive minded HC.
Grade: B
Optimistic Heupel will find elite QBs and Dude receivers to streak up and down the field to victory more often than not - and hang around Knoxville for a while.
Texas A&M - Mike Elko: Very odd choice & fit for A&M. There are a few good things in his past and quite a few not so good things. Mike happily lingered (obviously not very ambitious) for 12 long, low-paying years under Dave Clawson in shitty jobs at Fordham, Richmond, Bowling Green, and Wake Forest - far too long. However, Elko is a braniac - an Ivy League grad from Penn - maybe a genius who just isn't in a hurry? His stints as DC at ND and A&M were unremarkable - but his two seasons at Duke were remarkable considering the God-awful talent he inherited.
Grade: C (I guess)
Don't know what to think about Elko. He's obviously a smart guy - but his track record is full of wasted and unproductive years with the lone exception of his 2 great seasons at Duke. I honestly have no clue what he'll do at A&M.
Vanderbilt - Clark Lea: Clark has various college coaching bona fides from scrubs and Blue Bloods - but no remarkable achievements anywhere at age 42 - except beating Florida and Kentucky in 2022. Lea took this dead end job to get some HC experience and put some money in the bank @ $3 million a year and got an extension thru 2029 for his 2 SEC wins in 2022. Leas wife and 3 children appreciate the financial security they got from desperate Vandy.
Grade: D+
Pessimistic Clark Lea will ever win another SEC game -but he'll walk away from Vanderbilt with a tidy fortune.
Grade: B
Optimistic Heupel will find elite QBs and Dude receivers to streak up and down the field to victory more often than not - and hang around Knoxville for a while.
Texas A&M - Mike Elko: Very odd choice & fit for A&M. There are a few good things in his past and quite a few not so good things. Mike happily lingered (obviously not very ambitious) for 12 long, low-paying years under Dave Clawson in shitty jobs at Fordham, Richmond, Bowling Green, and Wake Forest - far too long. However, Elko is a braniac - an Ivy League grad from Penn - maybe a genius who just isn't in a hurry? His stints as DC at ND and A&M were unremarkable - but his two seasons at Duke were remarkable considering the God-awful talent he inherited.
Grade: C (I guess)
Don't know what to think about Elko. He's obviously a smart guy - but his track record is full of wasted and unproductive years with the lone exception of his 2 great seasons at Duke. I honestly have no clue what he'll do at A&M.
Vanderbilt - Clark Lea: Clark has various college coaching bona fides from scrubs and Blue Bloods - but no remarkable achievements anywhere at age 42 - except beating Florida and Kentucky in 2022. Lea took this dead end job to get some HC experience and put some money in the bank @ $3 million a year and got an extension thru 2029 for his 2 SEC wins in 2022. Leas wife and 3 children appreciate the financial security they got from desperate Vandy.
Grade: D+
Pessimistic Clark Lea will ever win another SEC game -but he'll walk away from Vanderbilt with a tidy fortune.
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Posted on 2/1/24 at 6:22 pm to TrendingRight
Considering Elko was the DC at Notre Dame for multiple years under Kelly when they played in major bowl games, I think he’ll be fine.
The fact that A&M had the #3 defense during his first stop under Jimbo. And considering he recruited over half of the 2022 recruiting class.
All of these things lead me to believe you are pulling shite out of your arse.
The fact that A&M had the #3 defense during his first stop under Jimbo. And considering he recruited over half of the 2022 recruiting class.
All of these things lead me to believe you are pulling shite out of your arse.
Posted on 2/1/24 at 6:25 pm to Aggie in TN
quote:
Considering Elko was the DC at Notre Dame for multiple years under Kelly when they played in major bowl games, I think he’ll be fine.
The fact that A&M had the #3 defense during his first stop under Jimbo. And considering he recruited over half of the 2022 recruiting class.
All of these things lead me to believe you are pulling shite out of your arse.
Wow. All I really said is I don't know what Elko will do. And that hurt your feelings?
Posted on 2/1/24 at 6:26 pm to TrendingRight
Not at all. But we do have standards around here and you didn’t do your homework.
#3 defense is unremarkable I guess.
#3 defense is unremarkable I guess.
Posted on 2/1/24 at 6:28 pm to Aggie in TN
quote:I did my homework. We just disagree what constitutes "remarkable".
Not at all. But we do have standards around here and you didn’t do your homework.
#3 defense is unremarkable I guess.
Posted on 2/1/24 at 6:33 pm to TrendingRight
quote:
Heupel is rigid in his offensive approach
That explains why he can shift between rush heavy and pass heavy so seamlessly I guess. And the last “elite QB” he had (Hooker) was an afterthought recruited by Pruitt that was lampooned on tRant as a one read only QB.
Heupel is at his best when he is improvising. He needs a competent dual threat QB, a couple of good RBs, and decent WRs to run his system. He needs Oline depth with it to be successful. But that’s true of everyone.
Posted on 2/1/24 at 6:52 pm to Smokeyone
quote:
That explains why he can shift between rush heavy and pass heavy so seamlessly I guess. And the last “elite QB” he had (Hooker) was an afterthought recruited by Pruitt that was lampooned on tRant as a one read only QB.
Heupel is at his best when he is improvising. He needs a competent dual threat QB, a couple of good RBs, and decent WRs to run his system. He needs Oline depth with it to be successful. But that’s true of everyone.
Josh wants to bomb it up and down the field. He's not a patient play caller. He puts his defense under too much stress with quick possessions. Thats great if he builds a big lead - otherwise
Posted on 2/1/24 at 8:53 pm to TrendingRight
A&M hadn't had a top 50 defense in over a decade prior to Elko, and couldnt stop the run to save their life under sumlin. They were top 50 every year and top 5 against he run a couple years with elko. that kind of turnaround is remarkable in and of itself.
This post was edited on 2/1/24 at 8:54 pm
Posted on 2/1/24 at 9:18 pm to TrendingRight
quote:
Josh wants to bomb it up and down the field. He's not a patient play caller. He puts his defense under too much stress with quick possessions. Thats great if he builds a big lead - otherwise
Many of the deep throws are rarely “called”. The offense is heavily built on option routes. This means it’s up to the receiver to read the defense and run either their deep route, a comeback or an intermediate route.
Quarterback is very important but id also argue WR is just as important. We weren’t as good at WR this past year and it showed. The great thing though is the offense as a whole overperformed because the way his offense spreads the defense out, opens up the run game so much.
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