Pep Hamilton Candidate For Vanderbilt HC Position

[dw49]

You implement the run game when it helps you win and you put it away when it's costing you games.  You don't go out forcing the run until you need to pass to simply stay in the game.

 

Why would anyone in their right mind decide the best way to win would be to put the game in the hands of your interior O line when it consists of Satale , Thornton and McGlynn ? Take the ball out of Andrew Luck's hands and leave it to the NFL's worst interior offensive line ? I read those articles you posted and he actually said we have the "guard talent" to be a successful "power running team." I understand that Donald Thomas went down but he wasn't even a starter for the Pats. The whole "issue" was almost laughable and the only way we were going to run the ball was by setting it up with the pass. About the only game Pep's "desired" offense worked was the 2nd half vs SF. 

[dw49]

My offseason FA priorities:

 

1) Center

2) OG

3) CB

4) Maybe a Safety

 

It's important to me to improve it for when we need it, it's just not important to me to do it every game.

 

 

They've always maintained that's the first (read: primary) option.  I'm glad they want to improve it.  I want them to improve it.  I don't want them to make us a "running team" because I don't think we're as effective as an offense that way.

 

 

I think you have it only safety is a must and CB is a maybe. Bethea has to go and Landry needs a counterpart that can cover.

[dw49]

That's a "you" problem, sir. 

 

 

You had it right. We were OK vs the run for the first 50 minutes. I say just OK because we just offered so little resistance to Blount's goal line runs. They had yards because they just kept running it and we did have plenty of stops. This was the reason I was so upset at those two non calls at 29-22. 

 

Now if you want to talk about the last 10 minutes , I would admit that we were no doubt bad.

[Larry Horseman]

For all the talk of Pep being run heavy, we had the same run to pass ratio this year as last year under Arians. About 60/40, which is where you want to be. Pep's problem was consistently playing with power formations and handcuffing the success of the pass game. The move to many more 3 and 4 wide down the stretch was good. We still should have went no huddle more, IMO. I think there's a ton of potential in Pep and the players we have if he can actually move away from west coast power run. A zone blocking scheme would benefit TRich a ton.

[IndyScribe]

You had it right. We were OK vs the run for the first 50 minutes. I say just OK because we just offered so little resistance to Blount's goal line runs. They had yards because they just kept running it and we did have plenty of stops. This was the reason I was so upset at those two non calls at 29-22. 

 

Now if you want to talk about the last 10 minutes , I would admit that we were no doubt bad.

I agree. Our defense made consecutive stops, and stop some key 3rd down runs. Our offense couldn't produce though.

[esmort]

Being a college head coach in an FBS AQ program is most certainly a step up from being an NFL coordinator.  

 

I don't know what offensive coordinators in the NFL make but I'm guessing it's 6 figures.  Most FBS AQ head coaches make 7 figures.  

 

FBS AQ programs in college football are big enough that a job there is roughly equal to the same job in the NFL.  Maybe the NFL is a slight step up but not a big one.  

 

If you are talking strictly salary you are probably right, but other than salary I don't know if I think the Vanderbilt HC is necessarily a much of a step up from Colts OC.

 

As far as HC goes, if you are talking about reaching the top rung in your career as a coach I would say there are only a handful of college head coaching jobs that might be on the level of prestige and accomplishment equal to being an NFL head coach ... and Vanderbilt is definitely not one of those programs (not even close).

[Jason_]

Then again Norv Turner was said to be interviewed for the Vikings OC whilst he is the OC for the Browns- so it can happen. If Pep leaves- I'd go for Tom Cable or the Baylor OC.

 

That's a different scenario.  Currently, the Browns have no HC so Norv has no idea what his future is with Cleveland.  Jon Fox isn't going anywhere so there's no reason Adam Gase would have to think that his job security is in question.  Therefore a lateral move for him would make no sense whereas the lateral move for Norv would ensure job security for 2014 where his current "job" is by no means guaranteed.

[Steamboat_Shaun]

Good. He can kick rocks

 

If he truly is as bad as you and some other people on this forum suggest, then why would Vandy even be considering him? Is it possible that people that live and breathe football for a living actually know more than you?

[bavanlan]

If he truly is as bad as you and some other people on this forum suggest, then why would Vandy even be considering him? Is it possible that people that live and breathe football for a living actually know more than you?

 

To be fair, it's possible for someone to be better as a HC than they are as a coordinator.  I think Jim Harbaugh would be a below-average OC, but he's a terrific football coach and probably was/is an above average QB coach.

[GoColts8818]

To be fair, it's possible for someone to be better as a HC than they are as a coordinator.  I think Jim Harbaugh would be a below-average OC, but he's a terrific football coach and probably was/is an above average QB coach.

i don't know about the later all his QBs dating back to his days as QB coach for the Raiders have been pretty good and all of them have given Harbaugh a lot if the credit. I think he is very good at coaching QBs.

[bavanlan]

i don't know about the later all his QBs dating back to his days as QB coach for the Raiders have been pretty good and all of them have given Harbaugh a lot if the credit. I think he is very good at coaching QBs.

 

So, "Above Average" is too low?

[GoColts8818]

So, "Above Average" is too low?

imo yes because I think he's good at it if you want to say above average fine. I don't know how he would do as an OC but I do think he would make a good to great QB coach but I also think his days of being a poistion coach are over.

[chad72]

For all the talk of Pep being run heavy, we had the same run to pass ratio this year as last year under Arians. About 60/40, which is where you want to be. Pep's problem was consistently playing with power formations and handcuffing the success of the pass game. The move to many more 3 and 4 wide down the stretch was good. We still should have went no huddle more, IMO. I think there's a ton of potential in Pep and the players we have if he can actually move away from west coast power run. A zone blocking scheme would benefit TRich a ton.

 

Yep, I agree. Ultimately, it is not how many run plays you call, it is when you call them and how you line up that matter.

 

Arians would have a game in the bag with 70-30 passing ratio and boom, comes a whole slew of 10 running plays out of 12 to finish the game off to gear the ratio closer to 60-40. A team that has tired legs in the 4th qtr., and suddenly you find those plays working better than if they were used in the 1st qtr. with obvious run formations.

[Dudley Smith]

I wouldn't mind seeing him gone. I think the idea of a QB's growth being stunted because of a change in OC is extremely overrated. In fact, I might argue that the more different offenses Luck is exposed to early in his career the better. I think he is easily smart enough to learn a new offense and absorbing different ideas is beneficial. Now, I do think you lose the ability to make small tweaks to an offense by changing that often that can make certain plays maximize their efficiency, but it isn't enough to keep around an average OC.

 

However, I would be worried that whoever replaces Pep won't be any different. Pagano has made it clear he wants a power-running team. I think the heavier pass offense we saw at the end of the season (which was much more effective than any of the crap we saw early in the year with a totally healthy team btw) was temporary due to injury. I fear that to start the next season, whether our OC is Pep or someone else, we will see the slow, plodding, and predictable offense we saw at the start of the 2013 season. Hope I am wrong, but might as well keep Pep if that is going to be the case.

[Valpo2004]

If you are talking strictly salary you are probably right, but other than salary I don't know if I think the Vanderbilt HC is necessarily a much of a step up from Colts OC.

 

As far as HC goes, if you are talking about reaching the top rung in your career as a coach I would say there are only a handful of college head coaching jobs that might be on the level of prestige and accomplishment equal to being an NFL head coach ... and Vanderbilt is definitely not one of those programs (not even close).

 

True but it still a step up from offensive coordinator.  

 

Now I will say that it is worthwhile to consider if you think you can be successful there.  Vanderbilt is a program that it is probably not easy to be successful, so it may be worthwhile waiting for a better offer.  

[HGRekks]

Then again Norv Turner was said to be interviewed for the Vikings OC whilst he is the OC for the Browns- so it can happen. If Pep leaves- I'd go for Tom Cable or the Baylor OC.

Lateral moves can be blocked by the team who employs the coach. The only reason teams have to give permission to interview coaches for head coaching gigs is that the team is still playing, typically in the playoffs. I think the rules go even further now, I believe to the point that non-head coaching promotion interviews can be blocked by the team a coach is under contract to, down to position coaches interviewing for coordinator jobs, but I'm not sure about that. I do know that teams still have the ability to block lateral moves, though.

 

Turner is likely being allowed to interview because the Browns are in flux without a head coach and his future isn't guaranteed.

[#12]

The entire season?

 

1-10 Run Formation: Donald Brown for 2 yards

 

2-8 Run Formation: Donald Brown for 0 yards

 

3-8 Pass Formation: Andrew Luck to Coby Fleener for 3 yards.

 

4-5 Punt Formation: Pat McAfee punts.

 

Replace Brown with Richardson, and that sums up the heart of the season. 

 

It all goes back to the Richardson trade and the 49er game.  They did throw early vs. Oakland and Miami, but after the 49er game and the acquisition of Richardson, they thought they could play like that every week, and it almost killed the season.  Then, opening it up in the second half of the Bengals game forward saved the season.   

 

I agree the run first/power running model is not the setting Luck will flourish in.  Unfortunately, he threw 4 INTs in the final game and that's all people will remember, not the arc of the season, or how we've won games over the past two seasons.   

[dudeski]

If he truly is as bad as you and some other people on this forum suggest, then why would Vandy even be considering him? Is it possible that people that live and breathe football for a living actually know more than you?

that is unlikely