Welcoming The New Head Coaches
Breaking Down the
21 New Bosses
By
Richard Cirminiello
Army
Head Coach:
Rich Ellerson
Former Coach: Stan Brock
Last Seen: Coaching Cal Poly
Reason to like the hire: On many levels, Ellerson is an ideal fit
for the struggling Black Knights. He has a successful track record as a
head coach, leading Cal Poly to six straight winning seasons, and has
unique ties to West Point; Ellerson’s father was an Army officer, and
his brothers were graduates. Oh yeah, he’s also a strong proponent of
the triple-option, which has become a staple for all successful service
academies.
Reason to question the hire: Culture shock. Ellerson has never
been a head guy at this level, or coached east of Utah. Ever. Heck, when
he was at Cal Poly, he had a sailboat on Avila Bay, a dive boat in the
driveway, and a vineyard within walking distance of his front door. How
long before the migraine of turning around Army has him longing for the
good old days of the Great West Conference?
The Early Hunch: Considering the constraints of being a service
academy that hasn’t had a winning season since 1996, this is a shrewd
hire by AD Kevin Anderson. Once Ellerson gets his personnel in place,
he’s got a shot to become Paul Johnson light.
Auburn
Head Coach:
Gene Chizik
Former Coach: Tommy Tuberville
Last
Seen:
Coaching Iowa State
Reason to like the hire:
Just two years ago, Chizik was one of the hottest coordinators in the
country. Think Will Muschamp without all the sideline theatrics. He’s
young, motivated, well-liked by his players, and no stranger to what it
takes to be successful at Auburn or in the SEC. For three years, he was
the Tigers’ defensive coordinator, winning the Broyles Award as the
nation’s top assistant coach and helping lead the program to a perfect
season in 2004.
Reason to question the hire: Going 5-19 in two seasons at Iowa
State was hardly the recipe for a promotion. Even worse, the Cyclones
regressed in 2008, losing every conference game and beating just one FBS
foe. Was Chizik a victim of poor talent or is he one of those really
good coordinators that shouldn’t be a head coach? Auburn better pray
it’s the former, or, considering the ominous climate surrounding this
choice, things will get ugly on the Plains real fast.
The Early Hunch: There was a reason Iowa State wanted to extend
Chizik’s contract before he packed up and left. He can coach and he
still has a bright future. However, all of those allegations that race
was a factor in the decision mean the media intensity will be more
oppressive than ever, and the urgency to win right away is
non-negotiable.
Ball State
Head Coach:
Stan Parrish
Former Coach: Brady Hoke
Last
Seen:
Coordinating the Ball State offense
Reason to like the hire:
When you’ve got a good thing going, why go outside the organization and
essentially start over? Parrish has been with Ball State since 2005,
recruiting many of the kids on the roster and leading an offense that’s
set a slew of school records. He personally tutored Nate Davis, the MVP
of last year’s MAC champs, which bodes well for Kelly Page, the heir
apparent at quarterback. Parrish is no stranger to being the chief
executive, having already coached at Marshall and Kansas State.
Reason to question the hire: Sure, Parrish has been a head coach,
but that was 20 years ago. Doesn’t it say something that no one has
offered him an opportunity since he got run out of Manhattan in 1988?
While not quite past his prime, he is 62 years old, so his best
days of coaching are probably in the rear view mirror. An argument can
be made that the Cardinals went safe at a time when they might have been
able to make a splash.
The Early Hunch: There’s something to be said for continuity,
especially coming off a 12-win season. Parrish is the best choice for
Ball State today. Down the road, however, he’ll have to prove he can
attract talent and coach it up the way Hoke did before leaving for San
Diego State.
Boston College
Head Coach:
Frank Spaziani
Former Coach: Jeff Jagodzinski
Last
Seen:
Coordinating the Boston College defense
Reason to like the hire:
When your coaching search begins in mid-January, there’s no room in the
timetable to go outside the family. Plus, Spaziani is a darn good
football coach, who bleeds maroon and gold. One of the most respected
guys on the campus and in the locker room, he’s been at Boston College
since 1997, perennially molding the defense into a rock-solid, no-name
group. In many ways, he is Eagle football, which makes this a
natural fit for both sides.
Reason to question the hire: It’s always a little scary when a
coach gets his first head job in his 60s. Boston College could have made
this move two years ago, but instead went all the way to Green Bay to
pluck a little-known assistant out of the NFL. Why now and not at the
end of 2006 when Tom O’Brien resigned? After being an assistant for four
decades, Coach Spaz needs to show he handle all of the additional duties
of being the top guy.
The Early Hunch: Boston College wanted a company man, and that’s
exactly what it got in Spaziani. He’s extremely popular, knows the
school and the region better than anyone, and has no desire to go
anywhere else. He should have gotten this opportunity two years ago.
Bowling Green
Head Coach:
Dave Clawson
Former Coach: Gregg Brandon
Last
Seen:
Coordinating the Tennessee offense
Reason to like the
hire:
Clawson is a young up-and-comer in the profession with a penchant for
turning sagging programs around. At Fordham, he took a team that was
0-11 in 1999 and had them in the playoffs three years later. In four
seasons at Richmond, he was twice named the FCS Coach of the Year, and
was credited with reenergizing the squad. The Spider team that won the
2008 national championship had Clawson’s fingerprints all over it.
Reason to question the hire:
In his first shot on a big stage, Clawson hardly distinguished himself
in Knoxville. His Tennessee offense ranked 115th nationally
and was held below 10 points four times, reaching a low point for
productivity in the last three decades. None of his moves worked last
fall, raising concerns about his ability to succeed against better
competition.
The Early Hunch:
One bad stint does not erase a career’s worth of success. Call it the
Chizik Law. History shows that Clawson starts slowly, but then really
takes off once his system and style are allowed to set. Given time,
he’ll reward Bowling Green for looking at the big picture and not
getting sidetracked by last year’s failed experiment at Tennessee.
Clemson
Head Coach:
Dabo Swinney
Former Coach: Tommy Bowden
Last
Seen:
Coaching Clemson on an interim basis
Reason to like the hire: In his half-year audition as the interim
coach, Swinney reached the Tiger players with an infectious energy after
Tommy Bowden had already lost many of them. He won four of his seven
games, beating rival South Carolina and guiding Clemson to an improbable
Gator Bowl. He’s also widely considered to be an ace recruiter, which
will be instrumental in the program’s quest to finally win another ACC
championship.
Reason to question the hire: There’s a ton risk associated with
hiring an inexperienced coach based on a hot streak at the end of an
emotional season. Heck, until landing the interim gig, the 39-year old
Swinney had never even been a coordinator. The cameras may love his
sideline antics now, but try and name a championship coach at any level,
who chest bumps his players during games. That’ll wear thin after the
first losing streak.
The Early Hunch: Is Swinney a shooting star or a young Bill
Stewart, a coach that used a short burst to land a job no one thought
he’d get? It’ll take at least a full season to better answer that
question. Still, you can’t help but feel Swinney skipped a level here,
and would have been better prepared had he spent a few seasons coaching
a smaller school, like a Furman or James Madison.
Eastern Michigan
Head Coach:
Ron English
Former Coach: Jeff Genyk
Last Seen:
Coordinating the Louisville defense
Reason to like the hire:
After steadily climbing the ladder, English was ready for this chance to
be a head coach. Stays at Arizona State, Michigan, and Louisville helped
establish him as one the nation’s top young defensive teachers. He has a
presence and a passion that will be necessary to win and recruit at a
school that hasn’t had a winning season in a dozen years. His five years
in Ann Arbor will come in handy when it comes time to reconnect with
local high school coaches.
Reason to question the hire: Like so many first-year coaches, a
lack of head coaching experience sticks out as a concern. Not only has
English never been in this position before, but he’s also never been
surrounded by such a dearth of talent. Coaching elite athletes in places
like Tempe and Ann Arbor does not prepare a man for Ypsilanti, where the
Eagles have had three players drafted in the last decade.
The Early Hunch: English is top dog material. If you want
validation, go ask the kids at Louisville, who had more respect for
their defensive coordinator than their head coach. Places, like Eastern
Michigan, have a way of breaking quality coaches, so endurance and
perseverance will be critical in the first few seasons.
Iowa State
Head Coach:
Paul Rhoads
Former Coach: Gene Chizik
Last
Seen:
Coordinating the Auburn defense
Reason to like the hire:
The Cyclones landed a coach with strong ties to the state and the
program. The kid from Ankeny first cut his teeth as an assistant on Dan
McCarney’s Iowa State team in the 1990s, helping lay the groundwork for
an eventual turnaround. Rhoads has been a successful defensive
coordinator wherever he’s been, including an eight-year stop at
Pittsburgh and a cup of coffee with Auburn. His message and delivery
will resonate to the locals who usually wind up playing in Ames.
Reason to question the hire: Rhoads lacks the sizzle needed to
spark a program that’s fallen on hard times and has some of the worst
facilities in the Big 12. Face it, AD Jamie Pollard had no competition
when making this hire because no other school was sizing up Rhoads for a
promotion. After getting left at the altar by Gene Chizik, Iowa State
needed someone closer to a sure-thing.
The Early Hunch: Good coaching choices are often about finding
the right fit. Was Rhoads the best unemployed guy on the market?
No. For Iowa State, however, a local guy with ties to McCarney might be
exactly what the ‘Clones need to begin making the slow climb back to
.500.
Kansas State
Head Coach:
Bill Snyder
Former Coach: Ron Prince
Last
Seen:
Enjoying retirement
Reason to like the hire:
Who better than Snyder, the architect of the Manhattan Miracle, to awake
the ‘Cats from their slumber? When you have a chance to bring back a
three-time National Coach of the Year and the very embodiment of Kansas
State football, you do it without hesitation. He’s got the blueprint for
making the Wildcats winners again, which requires coaching up kids the
schools don’t want. That’s a distinct advantage over anyone else that AD
Bob Krause might have signed.
Reason to question the hire: When Snyder left the program three
years ago, it was not on the shoulders of his players in some
post-championship celebration. The Wildcats went just 9-13 in his final
two years, finishing no better than fifth in the Big 12 North. Now, on
the brink of turning 70, he’s jumping back into a difficult remodeling
job. Oh, and the conference has gotten a lot tougher to navigate in the
three years since Snyder retired.
The Early Hunch: Whoaa, flashback. Snyder returning to the
stadium that now bears his name makes for great copy, but will it be
good for a school that’s mired in a five-year slump? While the coach
insists he’s rejuvenated by the lay-off, it’ll be fascinating to see if
his message still resonates to his players.
Miami University
Head Coach:
Mike Haywood
Former Coach: Shane Montgomery
Last
Seen:
Coordinating the Notre Dame offense
Reason to like the hire:
At just 44, Haywood possesses a level of energy, intensity, and
experience that’ll resonate with his current and future players. He has
long been recognized as one of the country’s most successful recruiters,
an important trait when competing in a state that sent two schools to
BCS bowl games in 2008. Having held positions with LSU, Texas, and Notre
Dame over the past decade, he knows what it takes to be successful at a
high level.
Reason to question the hire: Is Haywood ready for this promotion?
Sure, he can recruit, but that’s just one component of being a head
coach. While it’s never one person’s fault, his offenses at Notre Dame
lacked consistency and imagination, especially since Brady Quinn’s
graduation following the 2006 season. Toward the end of last year,
Haywood was relieved of his play-calling duties, hardly a
vote-of-confidence from Charlie Weis.
The Early Hunch: The RedHawks appear to be rolling the dice here,
but after two two-win seasons in the last three years, a little
risk-taking may not be such a bad thing. As MAC jobs go, Haywood
actually has a great opportunity at a school with a rich tradition and a
supportive fan base.
Mississippi State
Head Coach:
Dan Mullen
Former Coach: Sylvester Croom
Last Seen:
Coordinating the Florida offense
Reason to like the hire:
Hey, when you’re Mississippi State and you land one of the hottest young
coordinators in the country, it’s cause for a celebration. Mullen is an
Urban Meyer disciple, having been an assistant on his staffs at Bowling
Green, Utah, and Florida. He’s been instrumental in the development of
Meyer’s quarterbacks, and his offenses have been both inventive and
incendiary. At the age of 36, Mullen is just now hitting his stride,
which has helped create a stir around a program that needed it.
Reason to question the hire: All of Mullen’s success has come
with Meyer not far behind. Now that he’s broken the apron strings, is he
about to get exposed? You know the routine about premier coordinators.
Some are meant to be head coaches and others are better suited as cogs
in a larger machine. Mullen will have to prove he’s the former at one of
the toughest SEC schools to win—and recruit—at.
The Early Hunch: There’s really not much to dislike about this
hire. Mullen could have gone in a number of different directions, but
chose Starkville to call home. That’s a big win for a school that rarely
makes headlines in the SEC. The town and the campus have embraced the
new coach, so there’s plenty of equity to be tapped.
New Mexico
Head Coach:
Mike Locksley
Former Coach: Rocky Long
Last
Seen:
Coordinating the Illinois offense
Reason to like the hire:
While best known for his ability to stockpile blue-chip talent,
especially in the D.C. area, Locksley can also coach. He’s an
outstanding motivator, who has already started to earn the respect of
his players. His offenses showed rapid improvement at Illinois, and his
ability to teach was honed at Maryland and Florida. Locksley is young,
aggressive, and capable of blossoming into a dynamite coach now that he
has his own gig. New Mexico got him at the early stages of his ascent.
Reason to question the hire: Hey, there’s no doubt Locksley can
sell, but his skills as a game-day coach and ability to run a program
remain question marks. Plus, his chances of luring young men out of
Washington are greatly diminished now that Albuquerque is home. If Juice
Williams is an example of his work with quarterbacks, the Lobos ought to
be concerned. Williams struggled in 2008, and has almost as many career
picks as touchdowns.
The Early Hunch: If Locksley surrounds himself with capable
coaches, he could hit the ground running at a school that doesn’t need
to rebuild. And if allowed to concentrate on his strengths, motivating
and recruiting, he could be up for another promotion in a couple of
years.
New Mexico State
Head Coach:
DeWayne Walker
Former Coach: Hal Mumme
Last
Seen:
Coordinating the UCLA defense
Reason to like the hire:
After going with offensive-minded coaches the last few go-rounds, the
Aggies have finally handed the reins to a defensive guy. In Walker,
they’ve got one of the best. For all of the problems that UCLA has had
lately, the defense has not been one of them. Walker’s units have been
talented and fundamentally-sound. He’s got ample experience in the NFL
and knows the California landscape well, both of which will help attract
young talent to Las Cruces.
Reason to question the hire: Walker has suggested that it won’t
take years to turn things around at New Mexico State, but one look up
and down the roster shows a group of players who don’t fit his style. To
play for Walker, you’ve got to be tough, physical, and short on
mistakes. The current Aggies, as built by Hal Mumme, are a finesse team
that hasn’t allowed less than 30 points a game since 2003. It’s going to
take a while before the new coach is surrounded by the kind of players
he needs to change the culture of losing.
The Early Hunch: Good coach. Bad job. If this marriage is going
to work, everyone, from Walker to the fans and the administration, will
need to exercise some patience. Until the coach gets more of his type of
kids into the pipeline, the Aggies are going to be a WAC doormat.
Purdue
Head Coach:
Danny Hope
Former Coach: Joe Tiller
Last
Seen:
Assisting Tiller as Purdue’s coach-in-waiting
Reason to like the hire: The Boilermakers may have written the
coach-in-waiting blueprint for other schools to follow. They found their
successor to Tiller a year ago, brought him on board, and got him up to
speed with the personnel and the program. Now, Hope can spend his first
season navigating a much flatter learning curve. Think Wisconsin’s Bret
Bielema in 2006. He’s no stranger to Purdue, having coached the O-line
from 1997-2001, and had a successful five-year stretch as the head coach
of Eastern Kentucky.
Reason to question the hire: The Big Ten might be down a bit, but
it’s not the Ohio Valley Conference. Hope will find the leap from
Eastern Kentucky to West Lafayette to be a big one that’s littered with
all kinds of new challenges and hurdles. In Richmond, his defenses were
a periodic liability, which is a concern for a Boiler team that’s been
way too vulnerable for way too long on that side of the ball.
The Early Hunch: By hiring Hope a year before his official start
date, Purdue has put the coach in the best possible position to succeed
right away. His rugged, blue-collar approach to the game should find a
receptive audience in Big Ten land.
San Diego State
Head Coach:
Brady Hoke
Former Coach: Chuck Long
Last Seen:
Coaching Ball State
Reason to like the hire:
If Hoke can get Ball State into the Top 25 and on the national scene,
imagine what he’ll do in San Diego, where the pool of talent is deeper.
Heck, Auburn was poking around about Hoke’s availability, so the Aztecs
have to be absolutely thrilled that they lured him to the Mountain West.
Before Hoke arrived, the Cardinals had been to just three bowl games in
their entire history. The coach got them to back-to-back postseason
games for the first time ever.
Reason to question the hire: Will the message of a
meat-and-potatoes Midwesterner resonate in Southern California? Hoke has
built his career and made most of his ties in places like Michigan and
Indiana, so it’s no slam dunk that he’ll be equally effective in a new
zip code. He also has to prove he’s no one-hit wonder. Remember, before
this season, he was just 22-37 in his first five years in Muncie.
The Early Hunch: San Diego State has long been a sleeping giant
that shouldn’t be 10 years removed from its last winning season. Hoke
has already proven once that he’s capable of dragging a program off the
scrap heap and into a new era of prosperity. This time around, however,
it can’t take five years to get from Point A to Point B.
Syracuse
Head Coach:
Doug Marrone
Former Coach:
Greg Robinson
Last Seen: Coordinating the New Orleans Saints offense
Reason to like the hire:
In Marrone, the Orange landed one of its own, a former Syracuse lineman,
who has unabashedly dreamed of returning to his alma mater. He has
experience at both the college and the NFL levels, spending the last
three seasons as the offensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints.
During that time, the Saints consistently had one of the most potent
offenses in the league. Marrone’s extensive experience as an offensive
line coach bodes well for a school that hasn’t done much blocking
lately.
Reason to question the hire: Didn’t the Greg Robinson debacle
teach Syracuse anything? The Orange has once again dipped into the NFL
and plucked out a coordinator with no head coaching experience. In fact,
Robinson had a longer resume and had at least spent some recent time on
a campus. Marrone hasn’t coached college kids since 2001. The school
continues to tout the fact that he bleeds orange. That’s charming, but
it’ll only get you so far. And it’s not as if Syracuse has some unique
culture to understand, like Notre Dame or Navy.
The Early Hunch: Maybe Marrone is the next big thing. No one
really knows. However, considering the depths that this program has
reached, it needed a safer bet, who has done this before. Not getting
someone, like Turner Gill, Skip Holtz, or Randy Edsall, will haunt the
Orange if Marrone fails to turn things around.
Tennessee
Head Coach:
Lane Kiffin
Former Coach: Phil Fulmer
Last Seen:
Coaching the Oakland Raiders
Reason to like the hire:
If you’re going to compete in the SEC, you better be prepared to make a
splash when a head coach is needed. Tennessee did that when it signed
Kiffin. Widely considered one of the best young offensive minds in the
sport, he has the right makeup and connections to be a success in the
toughest league in the country. Despite being only 33, he already has
head coaching experience, and his ability to attract talented players
and coaches will serve him well in Knoxville.
Reason to question the hire: Sure, he looks the part of a
wunderkind, but what exactly has Kiffin accomplished that makes everyone
convinced he’s the next big thing? Yeah, his USC offenses were prolific,
but they should have been when Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, LenDale White,
and Dwayne Jarrett are executing the plays. Oh, and in less than two
years with the Oakland Raiders, he went just 5-15. In a league with
heavyweights, like Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, Mark Richt, and Steve
Spurrier, Kiffin could spend his first few years getting a rude
education.
The Early Hunch: Leave it to the SEC to attract a coach, who
comes prepackaged with a slew of storylines. Kiffin’s dad is his new
defensive coordinator. His wife is a Gator. His former bosses include
Pete Carroll and Al Davis. In terms of drama, he’s got the potential to
be Rick New-heisel, which will fit in nicely in his new surroundings.
Toledo
Head Coach:
Tim Beckman
Former Coach: Tom Amstutz
Last Seen: Coordinating the Oklahoma State defense
Reason to like the hire: Beckman is returning to Ohio, the scene
of some of his best coaching accomplishments. Before moving on to
Oklahoma State, he worked for seven years as the Bowling Green defensive
coordinator and two years as the Ohio State cornerbacks coach. He knows
the state and the MAC, which, coupled with his charismatic style, will
produce results in February. One look at Toledo’s defense from the last
few years shows that the timing of his hiring couldn’t be better.
Reason to question the hire: Beckman must be a top recruiter
because his results on the field haven’t exactly been otherworldly. When
he was the coordinator at Bowling Green, the defense was not the
strength of the Falcons. It was the offense that was the catalyst. In
fact, from 2002-2004, the program allowed at least 30 points on 10
different occasions. In Stillwater, the Cowboys fell apart down the
stretch, allowing 176 points in the final four games.
The Early Hunch: Was Beckman on the path to a head job? It didn’t
seem that way, especially after Okie State finished 93rd
nationally in total defense. While his knowledge of the state and the
conference are pluses, he’ll need more than familiarity to surpass what
Amstutz did for Toledo.
Utah State
Head Coach:
Gary Andersen
Former Coach: Brent Guy
Last Seen:
Coordinating the Utah defense
Reason to like the hire:
This made way too much sense not to do it. Andersen has spent the past
12 years of his life in the state, 11 as an assistant with the Utes and
one as the head coach of Southern Utah. He obviously knows the landscape
of the state, and has long been recognized as one of the country’s
premier recruiters from a non-BCS team. He’s had a prominent role on two
BCS bowl-winning teams, experiences that will benefit a struggling
school, such as Utah State.
Reason to question the hire: One season with the Thunderbirds of
Southern Utah does not prepare a coach for a reclamation project at Utah
State, where there’ve been no winning seasons since 1996. Of course
Andersen has had to work for everything he’s earned at Utah, but winning
in Salt Lake City is nothing like winning in Logan. After reaching the
pinnacle with the Utes, the coach will have to reinvent himself to
prepare for the challenge that lies ahead.
The Early Hunch: There’s not really much to nitpick about this
choice. When you’re Utah State and you can get a seasoned coach with
ties to the state and a proven track record, you hand him the lease to
the property. Obviously, there are no guarantees that Andersen will turn
things around, but he’s the logical pick considering the options that
were out there.
Washington
Head Coach:
Steve Sarkisian
Former Coach: Tyrone Willingham
Last Seen:
Coordinating the USC offense
Reason to like the hire:
If you like Lane Kiffin, you’ll love Sarkisian, another 30-something,
offensive-minded coach, who spent time with the Oakland Raiders and made
his bones at USC. He’s got far more charisma than Tyrone Willingham,
which will be refreshing around Seattle, and his history as a recruiter
will lure more blue-chippers to Washington from California. A former
hurler himself, Sarkisian has done a nice job mentoring quarterbacks,
which will benefit U-Dub franchise player Jake Locker.
Reason to question the hire: Sometimes youth and an
apprenticeship at USC can be vastly overrated. Being surrounded by some
of the best talent on the West Coast can insulate a coach from having to
really dig deep and get the most out of his kids. For all of the talk
about Sarkisian’s offensive ingenuity, the Trojans have underachieved on
that side of the ball the last two years. If USC has lapses, how will
the rookie react when he’s got a fraction of the talent at his
disposal.
The Early Hunch: Sometimes, to be great, you’ve got to be willing
to roll the dice on a head coach. There is undeniable risk associated
with Sarkisian, however, if he’s the budding star that AD Scott Woodward
believes he is, Washington may have finally hired someone that can pilot
it back to the glory days.
Wyoming
Head Coach:
Dave Christensen
Former Coach: Joe Glenn
Last Seen:
Coordinating the Missouri offense
Reason to like the
hire:
When your offense needs a shot of B12, it makes sense to look to the Big
12. In nabbing Christensen out of Missouri, Wyoming landed one of the
league’s best Xs and Os coaches. His installation of a no-huddle, spread
offense in Columbia was the key to the Tigers breaking all kinds of
school offensive records over the last couple of seasons. Once he gets
the right mix of talent to Laramie, he’ll provide a much-needed spark at
a program that hasn’t had much to cheer about this decade.
Reason to question the hire: Not only has Christensen never been
a head coach before, but he hasn’t even worked for someone other than
Gary Pinkel over the last 16 years. Now that he’s on his own, he’ll have
to prove that he can still be successful without Pinkel’s presence. To
be successful, he needs his wide-open offense to click. The wicked
winters and the shallow talent pool will be hurdles he didn’t have at
his last job.
The Early Hunch: AD Tom Burman did well to get Christensen,
especially when he knew he had competition. Christensen wasn’t your
ordinary coordinator, who designed an offense in some lab and rarely
poked his head out for daylight. He was an influential part of Mizzou’s
recent success, and the main reason why QB Chase Daniel was in the
Heisman hunt the last two seasons.