Mid-Season Round Table: Which 2009 Coaching Addition Has Had The BIggest Impact; Positive or Negative

With the 2009 season a little more than halfway over we here at In The Bleachers decided to take a step back and look big picture on the season's occurences. As we all know college football is a fickle mistress, especially to those who make a living trying to win in the meat grinder that is FBS football. Every year their are plenty of new faces in new places set up to help teams either build on success, start a winning tradition or return an institution to past glory.

This season is no different and in our first Mid-Season Round Table we look at which staff moves have had the most significant impact; with a twist. Instead of just analyzing head coaching hires we've opened the floor to coordinators as well and are looking at both negative and positive impacts.

Aiding in this analysis of the good and the bad of the newest coaching moves we have former Ohio State Safety Rob Harley from Harley in the Huddle, Clark Nelson from The ACC & SEC Blog, Big Head from Mizzourah, Brian Scott from The Brian Scott Radio Hour and Jeremy Mauss from Mountain West Connection.

Here's a look at 2009's most impactful coaching hires, through the eyes of folks who know college football:

Rob Harley-Without a doubt Steve Sarkisian & Co have made the biggest impact out of any new staff in the country. What’s most impressive has been the new staff’s ability to change the entire football culture up in Seattle. The losing virus ravaged the Huskies as they dropped a nation leading 15 straight games, before finally earning a victory in their second game of the 2009 season. That transformation alone deserves major props as this new Husky atmosphere, of being able to compete in EVERY game, will serve as the foundation for a bright future.

Other than two games this season (Stanford and Oregon) the Huskies have been in a position to win every game, which also includes a marquee upset over USC. That’s unbelievable when you look at a program that hasn’t truly been competitive since early 2007!

 

Already this season Sarkisian’s quest to revitalize Washington’s rich football history has gained the attention of prep superstar recruit QB Nick Montana. “If you build it they will come” has been the Husky staff’s mantra, play their cards right and there might be some more star quarterback recruits asking, “Is this heaven?” Nope…it’s Seattle.

 

Read more for the rest of the ITB Round Table

 

 

Clark Nelson-Whipple ball is alive and well in Miami as the Hurricanes have discovered an offense this season. The former Philadelphia Eagles OC is working wonders with young QB Jacory Harris and the Miami offensive line which has been atrocious the last few seasons. On the season, Miami is averaging 30 points and 392 yards per game, almost 70 yards more per game. But more importantly, Mark Whipple has instilled confidence again in a team looking to return to championship form.

Honorable mention should go to Monte Kiffin and Ted Roof. Monte Kiffin looks like he has had a big impact on the field, but UT was pretty good on defense last year. The biggest impact Kiffin has had is not in the statistics, but in the attitude of this Volunteer team believing they can win any game.

 

At Auburn the Tigers are allowing nearly 9 points more per game this season under Ted Roof and 50 yards more per game. Roof's defenses have given up 30 points or more four times this season. Hired from Minnesota to be on Gene Chizik's new staff at Auburn, Roof may want to think about renting and not buying in Auburn.

 

Big Head-Probably the easiest call is Gus Malzahn, even with a string of a couple losses. Auburn's O was horrendous the last few years, even with spread guru Tony Franklin. Chizik showed how inept he was at doing everything while at Iowa State, and Malzahn has to be the only reason for Auburn's success.

 

Jeremy Mauss- I am going with the former Illini offensive coordinator Mike Locksley who is now the head coach at New Mexico. In less then one year on the job he has been accused of ageism, sexual harassment, and most recently suspended one game for punching his wide recievers coach which busted his lip because of an argument.

 

Then include that New Mexico is doing their best impression of the 2008 Washington Huskies with a serious run at 0-12. Also, take in account that the Lobos have had only one losing season in the past four years and made two bowl games. The best chance for a win is this weekend at San Diego State, but that seems like a long shot since the Aztecs just had their best game last week.

 

Brian Scott    - I hate to say it, but my vote for biggest impact coach has to go to Lane Kiffin. He started out with an uphill battle, and knowing this he decided to take matters into his own hands. Most new coaches will either endear themselves to the fan base, or not, by putting W's and L's in the results column. Lane Kiffin knew that this UT team was in a rebuilding phase and their work on the field might not be enough to make him "the Guy" in Knoxville. So as a pre-emptive strike, Kiffin decided to go after an easy target - Florida head coach Urban Meyer.

 

Since that spat between Kiffin and Meyer, Kiffin has continued to make headlines by making inappropriate comments to recruits, criticizing referees, and losing close games. But if you ask anyone in Knoxville, they aren't worried about the program. They love Kiffin's new staff, they love Kiffin's mouth, and they are excited about the future of their Volunteer program. Not many college football fans would be excited about 4-4 half way through the season, but 3 out of those 4 losses were by 4 points or less, and their largest deficit was by 10 points to #1 Gators, a game in which the Vols were a 26 point underdog in.

 

With Memphis, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky left on the schedule, Kiffin should have no worries about getting his team bowl eligible. But running the table with victories against South Carolina and Ole Miss would convert any non-believers that may be out there.

 

Michael Felder- While the rest of the staff additions listed have been outside hires brought in to fix a system or right a program I’m going to go with something a little more subtle; the shift of Jon Tenuta to head play caller for the Fighting Irish defense. This spring the Irish stripped Corwin Brown of his play calling duties and turned them over to the über aggressive Tenuta. Since gaining the reins to the blue and gold the former GT defensive guru has done nothing but frustrate Irish fans. A look at the surface makes it clear as Notre Dame has surrendered 30+ points in four of their seven games and in games against BCS opponents they give up a troubling 28.2 points per game.

 

Going beneath the surface you’ll find that the picture gets even uglier as Tenuta’s Irish rank 50^th in rush defense, 117^th in pass defense, 97^th in total defense and 64^th in scoring defense. They’re giving up over twenty first downs a game and not surprisingly they’re 88^th in pass efficiency defense. The formerly aggressive, zone blitzing and gambling Tenuta hasn’t been able to recreate the chaos with his schemes that lead to normally lead to sacks as ND ranks 75^th in nation in that category.

 

While the Fighting Irish are holding on strong at #23 in the BCS and should finish strong with an easy schedule the defense is a true problem in South Bend. Moving Tenuta over from his co-defensive coordinator spot was meant to ratchet up the pressure on opposing offenses instead its lead to an implosion of epic sorts. This Notre Dame defense, which took some major steps forward in 2008 is now back to the basement they occupied in 2007.