College Sports Arena

by **e0y2e3** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:55 pm

Same thing Scout is saying re: Studrawa

I, like you, just don't get it.

by **e0y2e3** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:57 pm

peeker643 wrote:
Bayou Tribe wrote:Greg Studrawa just agreed to a contract extension and promotion in title to full time OC with LSU today, fwiw.

Wow. Meyer truly is enriching the lives of all those mentioned in the same breath as one of his openings.

Someone tell Progressive my name has come up for a spot on that staff.

His rumored back-up plan just got $1.3MM from Clemson to stay on as OC. So, yeah.

by **JCoz** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:00 pm

e0y2e3 wrote:Same thing Scout is saying re: Studrawa

I, like you, just don't get it.

Honestly from what i've been reading this morning, I would see Tom Herman for OC as being a great hire, and I'm not convinced that he has come on strictly as a QB coach.

by jb » Thu Dec 08, 2011 3:08 pm

New Asistant or Associate AD to work with UM is reportedly allegedly John Clark from Miss St

by jb » Thu Dec 08, 2011 3:20 pm

Not 100% sure of Jon"s position

by **danwismar** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 5:03 pm

Off topic, but not worth its own thread here...

Toledo's Tim Beckman to Illinois is being reported in the Twitter universe.

...and just as an aside...JB...are you on Twitter yet? ...and if not, why not? (It has survived CDT's involvement...so far)

140 characters and the rapid-fire back and forth is a medium made for you, IMO

by **JCoz** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 5:16 pm

Yah I saw that, great hire for Illinois except that isn't exactly a wonderland for passing the ball. But he's an excellent up and comer who is a good recruiter. That should be an upgrade almost on every level from Zook.

by **JCoz** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 12:26 pm

12/9/11 10:13 AM
RT “@BTNTomDienhart: I have confirmed with source at Iowa State that Tom Herman will be named offensive coordinator and QB coach at Ohio St

This is what I thought would turn out to be the case. Find out Monday for sure.

by **danwismar** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 2:45 pm

Unclear to this point if Herman will be named Offensive Coordinator as well as QB Coach. Find out soon. Here's more on the guy...

http://bruce-feldman.blogs.cbssports.co ... 8/33343011

http://www.cyclones.com/ViewArticle.dbm ... ID=3639778

by **JCoz** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 3:02 pm

I agree dan, still foggy.

Looking more and more likely that Stoops will not be on this staff.

by **danwismar** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 5:44 pm

It's official....Herman hired as OC and QB Coach. Just got the email from OSU 10 minutes ago.

by **danwismar** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 5:56 pm

The release in full...

Tom Herman Named Ohio State Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach

Has directed offenses and quarterbacks for the past seven seasons at Iowa State, Rice and Texas State

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Tom Herman, the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Iowa State University the past three years, and before that an offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for record-setting offenses at Rice University, has been named offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at The Ohio State University. Ohio State coach Urban Meyer announced the hiring today.

“Tom Harmon has one of the bright young minds in college football,” Meyer said. “His philosophies are very similar to those of my own. I spoke to numerous colleagues about Tom and all had great things to say about him. I enjoyed our time together during the interview process and I am excited to have him on the staff.”

Herman’s 2011 Iowa State offense, which he will coach Dec. 30 in the Pinstripe Bowl against Rutgers at Yankee Stadium, averages 181.2 rushing yards and 211.7 passing yards per game. The Cyclones put up 44 points in a triple-overtime win over Iowa and tallied 37 in a double-overtime upset of then-undefeated and No. 2 Oklahoma State.

“To work with and for Coach Meyer is an exciting opportunity for me,” Herman said. “I am really looking forward to working with him and learning about his offensive systems. And to be able to coach with him at The Ohio State University is simply a dream come true.”

Herman has 11 years experience as a collegiate coach, including seven seasons as an offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, and 13 when his two seasons – 1999-2000 – as a graduate assistant at Texas are included. He coached four years at Sam Houston State (2001-04), serving as receivers coach and special teams coordinator. He also spent two years at Texas State (2005-06) and two years at Rice (2007-08) as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

While his Texas State offenses led the Southland Conference in total offense each season, his time at Rice was particularly notable. His offenses broke over 40 school records and in his second season the Owls won 10 games and went to a bowl for the first time since 1954.

Furthermore, Rice ranked in the Top 10 nationally in 2008 in passing offense (5th; 327.8), scoring offense (T8th; 41.6) and total offense (10th; 472.3). Two Rice receivers had more than 1,300 yards receiving that year, tight end James Casey had 111 catches and quarterback Chase Clement was the Conference USA MVP.

Herman was born in Cincinnati and still has family there, although he was raised in Simi Valley, Calif. He played collegiately at California Lutheran, graduating in 1997 with a degree in business administration. He has a master’s in education from the Universisty of Texas.

Herman and his wife, Michelle, have a daughter, Priya, and a son, Maddock.

by **StewieG** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 9:37 pm

I really think that was a great hire. I'm all for guys who have had sustained success at multiple places. Show's it's likely not a fluke or them taking the credit for someone else's work.

by **danwismar** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:55 am

When Rice goes 10-3 with a 4000-yard passer, that's impressive...

Meyer and Herman together will make the OSU offense infinitely more fun to watch, no matter what the end result is early on.

I freely admit to not having known who this guy was three days ago, but I like the hire already. Here's Marcus Hartman's article.....

http://ohiostate.scout.com/2/1137402.html

Everything is supposed to be announced on the 12th.

DC and OL are the big pieces to the puzzle that are still unknowns. Drayton (probably moves from WR's back to RB's) stays on the offensive staff, and Fickell and Taver Johnson (CB's) stay on defense.

by **furls** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:57 am

Boy, maybe we can get Jim Bollman to stay on!

by **gnati** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:58 am

danwismar wrote:Everything is supposed to be announced on the 12th.

DC and OL are the big pieces to the puzzle that are still unknowns. Drayton (probably moves from WR's back to RB's) stays on the offensive staff, and Fickell and Taver Johnson (CB's) stay on defense.

Vrabel has been mentioned by numerous recruits since Corch Irvin Meyers announcement - I believe he was reported to have visited Najee Murray and Tommy Schutt's coach (I think, might have been Schutt himself) mentioned Vrabel was really focused on him...

Kind of hard to believe the Pope would designate Vrabel that duty if he had the intention of cutting him loose in a couple weeks...

Guess we'll find out.

by **JCoz** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 12:47 pm

I think its partially a try out gnati.

by **gnati** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 12:57 pm

JCoz wrote:I think its partially a try out gnati.

Fair enough...but that one seems odd to me...having a guy try to sell the place when he might be gone...just use Fickell or Drayton - if the kid gets attached and then he leaves, it sort of defeats the purpose...

by **danwismar** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:36 pm

You use the bullets you've got in your gun. Meyer is in charge of recruiting, and he can only use the resources he currently has at his disposal...which includes Vrabel. Even if Vrabel ultimately goes elsewhere, he is still a great representative for the university and the program today.

by **JCoz** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 2:17 pm

Good points Dan

by **danwismar** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 5:33 pm

At "Along the Olentangy", a look at four possible candidates for O-line coach job:

http://www.alongtheolentangy.com/2011/1 ... candidates

by **JCoz** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 5:41 pm

I think I like Klemm there most.

I'm not sure I'm looking for a Co-Coordinator here. One more O-coordinator here seems like to many chefs in the kitchen.

Give me the young hungry talented recruiter in Klemm and you get yourself an eager soldier instead of another gerneral.

by **danwismar** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:47 pm

A couple of administrative hires announced officially...

The Mark Pantoni hire had been known for several days...the other is news to me:

Brian Voltolini & Mark Pantoni Join Meyer’s Staff

Named Director of Football Operations and Director of Player Personnel, respectively

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State head football coach Urban Meyer announced the hiring of two individuals to his administrative staff today: Brian Voltolini will be the team’s director of football operations and Mark Pantoni is the team’s director of player personnel. Both worked for Meyer at the University of Florida.

Voltolini will be responsible for the operation of the football program’s budget, scholarships, team travel, housing, camps and clinics. Pantoni will supervise all aspects of the program’s administrative duties for recruiting, including on-campus official and unofficial visits, budgeting, travel and database management.

“I am really pleased that Brian Voltolini and Mark Pantoni wanted to be a part of the football program at The Ohio State University,” Meyer said. “I have spent considerable time working with each and I certainly appreciate the passion and the effort that both bring to their positions every day.”

Voltolini has worked on a Meyer staff for nine seasons, starting with Meyer’s first head coaching position in 2001 at Bowling Green State University. He spent two years there, working as video coordinator with additional responsibilities in the area of operations, before moving on to the University of Utah with Meyer.

Voltolini spent three seasons at Utah, from spring 2003 through the spring of 2006, finishing his tenure as director of video while also handling administrative operations duties in the areas of recruiting budgets, billing and youth camps.

Meyer recruited Voltolini to Florida in 2006, and for the next five years he directed the football video/software operations, including managing Meyer’s coaching web site. He took over football operations for the 2010 season – Meyer’s last at Florida – before spending the 2011 campaign on Will Muschamp’s Florida staff.

“Brian not only has a sharp awareness of what needs to be done for an efficient, fluid operation of a football program,” Meyer said, “but he also has that keen sense of knowing what the program needs from an operations perspective. And I appreciate that greatly.”

Voltolini grew up in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and has a degree in psychology with a minor in sociology from the University of Idaho (1999). He and his wife, the former Lindsey Wilde, have three children: a son, Deacon, and daughters Scarlett and Lucia.

Pantoni has worked at the University of Florida for the past five years, and he has had direct responsibilities as a recruiting program coordinator for the past two seasons, including serving as the director of football administration from March of this year through the end of the regular season.

Pantoni’s vast knowledge of recruiting is something that one recruiting website said would be missed most about his moving on to Ohio State.

“Pantoni did a lot of everything, but what will be missed most of all is his knowledge,” a reporter for “alligatorarmy.com” wrote. “He was an encyclopedia of stats, measurements, strengths, weaknesses, potential, abilities ... this list could go on and on.”

“Mark has proven abilities at organizing recruiting efforts and in building relationships with prospects and their families,” Meyer said. “I have seen how well he understood recruiting in the state of Florida and nationally, and I am certain his efforts are going to be well-received in the state of Ohio. He is one of the hardest working people I have been around.”

Pantoni also helped with Florida’s highly successful summer camp showcase, Friday Night Lights. One of the best-known on-campus summer camps, this one-night event was held under the lights in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium with music and highlight videos on the scoreboard.

A Florida native, Pantoni grew up in Sarasota and attended the University of Florida. He has both bachelor’s (Summa Cum Laude; 2004) and master’s (2006) degrees from Florida in applied physiology and kinesiology.

Pantoni’s wife, the former Kristin O’Berry, is also a Florida native (Jacksonville) and a Florida graduate.

by **JCoz** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 11:01 pm

Rumor is that Everett Withers is going to be hired as DC. Don't know for certain that its true.

Right now I dont fully understand the reason this would be a great hire like some are stating.

by **danwismar** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:42 am

The critics of the possible Withers hire say he probably under-achieved with the great talent he has had there at UNC. I'm hoping he was at least partially responsible for recruiting some of those great athletes. You have to like the six years of recent NFL experience under Jeff Fisher coaching DB's.

career profile:

http://www.tarheelblue.com/sports/m-foo ... ett00.html

He's not the heavy hitter you'd think UM would look for at DC.

by **danwismar** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:55 am

More on Withers:

A source with knowledge of the situation has informed me that North Carolina interim head coach Everett Withers will be joining Urban Meyer's staff at Ohio State.

It is likely Withers will arrive in Columbus shortly after North Carolina's bowl game. The Tar Heels play Missouri in the Independence Bowl on December 26th.

As the interim head coach at North Carolina, Withers led the Tar Heels through great adversity to finish 7-5. He previously served for three seasons as the defensive coordinator under Butch Davis.

Decimated by personnel loses and injuries in 2010, Withers held together the Tar Heels defense that helped UNC finish 8-5. Butch Davis stated that if Withers didn't win the Broyles Award, they should do away with the award forever.

In 2009, Wither's defense ranked sixth in total defense, tenth nationally in rushing defense, and thirteenth nationally in scoring defense. The North Carolina defense was the only defense in the country that finished ranked inside the top 15 in total yards, scoring defense, rushing defense, passing defense, pass efficiency defense, third-down conversions, and tackles for loss.

Prior to joining Butch Davis' staff at UNC, Withers served as the defensive coordinator at Minnesota (2007), defensive backs coach with the Tennessee Titans (2001-2006), defensive backs coach at Texas (1998-2000), defensive coordinator at Louisville (1995-1997).

He also coached with the New Orleans Saints, Southern Miss, Tulane, and Austin Peay.

http://www.coachingsearch.com/home/164- ... staff.html

---

Notice what it doesn't say....that he is going to be the DC. Maybe it'll be just DB's and special teams or something...find out soon, no doubt.

by **JCoz** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 10:19 am

danwismar wrote:The critics of the possible Withers hire say he probably under-achieved with the great talent he has had there at UNC. I'm hoping he was at least partially responsible for recruiting some of those great athletes. You have to like the six years of recent NFL experience under Jeff Fisher coaching DB's.

career profile:

http://www.tarheelblue.com/sports/m-foo ... ett00.html

He's not the heavy hitter you'd think UM would look for at DC.

Yah, look, I'm ultimately going to assume that Urban knows better than I, but I'm not seeing this one as a great hire for DC. At BN there is a whole thread of people saying what a great hire this is, most of whom dont know what he's done or even bother to read the Bio.

I seem to quite literally be the lone dissenter at the moment over there. He's had OSU level talent at UNC for his years there and OSU has been markedly better by every metric over that time.

For those expecting to see a Charlie Strong style defense, which I gather is what most are expecting to see, I don't think thats what you'll be getting with Withers. He is apparently a very good recruiter however.

I sincerely just hope I'm just missing everything here.

by **JCoz** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 4:58 pm

Urban is now on record as saying that Luke WILL have DC in his title and he WILL be the one calling plays on defense.

With rumors of Withers coming in and the above, I can say one thing for absolute certain.

The defensive situation/future at OSU is as convoluted as ever.

by **danwismar** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 4:04 pm

The hire of Mickey Marotti as OSU strength and conditioning coach was made official today:

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports ... 11aaa.html

In fact, the title he was given is "Assistant Athletic Director for Football Sports Performance"

Classy.

There's some more stuff on Marotti linked in my latest article on front page today.

by **e0y2e3** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 4:05 pm

Is there any explanation as of to why Vrable hasn't been publicly confirmed?

by **furls** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 4:25 pm

danwismar wrote:The hire of Mickey Marotti as OSU strength and conditioning coach was made official today:

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports ... 11aaa.html

In fact, the title he was given is "Assistant Athletic Director for Football Sports Performance"

Classy.

There's some more stuff on Marotti linked in my latest article on front page today.

I LOVE THIS HIRE! IMO this is the second best hire tOSU has done since the season ended. The players just did not look that athletic (in general) under Lichter, hell I wrote earlier this year that I though the LBs looked a little umm..... "unchiseled;" they did not look like elite athletes in their prime. The OL has been getting soft too.

Mariotti has a track record of proven performance and I expect to see some players get reborn through the offseason (I also expect that some will not survive the offseason).

by **e0y2e3** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 4:30 pm

You aren't the only person that doesn't think some of the Tressel-ites will survive the off-season.

I've read at least three or four connected people that have assumed death by winter conditioning is going to lead to players running away.

by **furls** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 4:57 pm

Chris Carter (Fr. OL) showed up for camp at 375lbs! Are you fucking kidding me? I am not expecting all players to look like Mr. Universe, but look at our guys compared to UF or 'Bama's guys. The skill player types are night and day different. Look at the DL on tOSU compared to their counterparts in the SEC. Not even similar.

by **JCoz** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:19 pm

furls wrote:Chris Carter (Fr. OL) showed up for camp at 375lbs! Are you fucking kidding me? I am not expecting all players to look like Mr. Universe, but look at our guys compared to UF or 'Bama's guys. The skill player types are night and day different. Look at the DL on tOSU compared to their counterparts in the SEC. Not even similar.

Yah....no offense Furls but I don't think the difference between our bigs and LSU/Bama guys was the S&C coach....

Hell this was easily the most athletic Oline under tress I can remember.....by a LONG SHOT.

Compare this to the Rehring and Boone led lines....THAT was night and day.

I like the hire and I do expect some fallout from the new guy making his mark this summer, but I dont believe for a second that an S&C coach is going turn our spoiled fish into caviar. I remember (most recently) when all these UM guys were so hyped about Barwis and his offseason from hell program and how all those guys that quit (like Boren) were just pounds of fat rolling off the soon to be lean and mean ass-kicking machine they were building in Ann Arbor.....but RR forgot some important ingrediants.

Talent and size.

Urban will bring the right talent in and we will have a great S&C guy and assistants working them into a final product.

I wasn't a huge fan of Lichter but he was and remains highly regarded, and I think this is just one of those things that gets overrated in coaching changes alot. This story is always the same IYAM.

Quality hire, UF didnt want to lose him, but I think Pantoni ends up a much bigger difference maker.

by **e0y2e3** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:21 pm

There is going to be an entire organizational shift to run, run, run though.

That combined with new S & C is going to make winter conditioning hell.

Just the mentality of Urban and Tress is going to cause a lot of difference.

by **JCoz** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:22 pm

e0y2e3 wrote:Is there any explanation as of to why Vrable hasn't been publicly confirmed?

I still think its a tryout in part. Recruiting in particular.

by **e0y2e3** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:25 pm

If he is still being tried out Urban's taking a shit ton of needless risk because he has been on the road meeting with top of the line recruits every day for a week or two.

by **JCoz** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:26 pm

e0y2e3 wrote:Just the mentality of Urban and Tress is going to cause a lot of difference.

I agree, coaching philosophies and mental attitude. Just like people have said, in certain ways the buckeyes took on the personality of their HC, for some qualities that was good, others....no so much.

Over the course of a decade, not too much aggression in general has been exhibited from the team, I expect that to be a change I can see every saturday.

by **e0y2e3** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:28 pm

And I can tell you personally, the place that mentality is first installed is 6AM winter conditioning. It's fucking hell.

I saw two kids punch Brian White at YSU for how in their face he was while they were booting and the OSU kids are already on record that they know satan is coming.

6AMs are going to be the start of the Urban regime. He's going to kill these kids.

by **JCoz** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:47 pm

I'll take your word for it E0 on how those camps are, and I'm not trying to piss in anyones cheerios by posting this (again, I think its a great hire), but this would be Exhibit A for your (or anyones) review:

http://www.buckeyeplanet.com/forum/buckeye-football/25363-eric-lichter-dir-fb-performance-official-thread.html

If you want to read this thread you can, or......you can wait and experience the latest and greatest version coming to this (or some other) board in the coming months.....

by **e0y2e3** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:53 pm

Fair enough, but in the same regard personal trainer who worked with athletes 1 on 1 for money doesn't strike me as "in your face screaming at you all the time."

by **e0y2e3** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 8:27 pm

I thought these two Boren Quotes were interesting a relevant to the conversation:

What’s first thing you want to know about the new coaches?

“The first thing I want to know is if they are going to push us. I want someone who’s going to push us to the fullest and make us the best players we can possibly be because that’s what we need. We have the best athletes in the country here at Ohio State and if these guys are pushing us and expecting the most and the best out of us then we’re going to be doing great things.”

If they yell a lot will that bother anyone?

“Obviously people have different ways of being taught and stuff so some guys may have issues with it but I think it’s just something you have to get used to. I’m a big yeller person. I would rather someone be in my face when I did something wrong and since I’ve been here it’s been kind of quiet. It works both ways. It’s something that maybe at first they’ll be a little startled but they’ll get used to it. You don’t want to yelled at so you’re going to be pushing yourself and expecting the most out of yourself on every single rep, which is good."

by **gotribe31** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 9:06 pm

http://www.homage.com/store/tees-tops/t-shirts/college/ohio-state/relentless

by **JCoz** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 11:32 pm

Just saw a post that urban was on espn Cleveland and said still haven't decided on vrabel.

Also mentioned how uncomfortable this offseason was going to be.

by **JCoz** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:06 pm

Via Dave Biddle at BN:

[Fickell interviewed at Pitt yesterday] Just confirmed it through a well-placed source. Ron Zook also interviewed yesterday. Iowa State's Paul Rhodes and Alabama LB coach Sal Sunseri are also believed to be candidates.

by **e0y2e3** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:11 pm

Yeah, the Post Gazette had that this AM.

Doubt he leaves and it would take a big money offer, but that would probably cross him and Vrable off the current staff (and I refuse to believe Vrable isn't hired looking at all of the visits and what not), it took Urban how long to announce the hires that came out this week?

by **furls** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:13 pm

From what I have read and heard, things had gotten a bit stale in C-bus. Overall roster athleticism was down last year and has been trending that way. Some of that has to do with the kids they are recruiting but a lot of it falls on the S&C Staff. Lichter came on in 2006, and things were OK in the beginning, particularly when Butch Reynolds was with the staff, but when he left in 2008, it started a noticeable downward trend.

I am keenly aware of the Barwis stories and how his MMA scUM teams combined with the DickRod spread pwnage were going to dominate the B1G.

by **JCoz** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:17 pm

e0y2e3 wrote:Yeah, the Post Gazette had that this AM.

Doubt he leaves and it would take a big money offer, but that would probably cross him and Vrable off the current staff (and I refuse to believe Vrable isn't hired looking at all of the visits and what not), it took Urban how long to announce the hires that came out this week?

I get you, but what would be the reason for him to say that himself yesterday? That nothing was decided there? Not like other positions have not been filled already....

by **e0y2e3** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:19 pm

He's been extremely quiet and shady about this entire staff hiring process.

Nothing was decided on Fickel for ages and then he randomly says "he's calling plays" without ever calling him DC.

And I didn't listen to that interview so I don't know if it was actually true. That aside, there is some super secrecy surrounding this entire staff building that is strange to say the least.

by **JCoz** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:28 pm

furls wrote:From what I have read and heard, things had gotten a bit stale in C-bus. Overall roster athleticism was down last year and has been trending that way. Some of that has to do with the kids they are recruiting but a lot of it falls on the S&C Staff. Lichter came on in 2006, and things were OK in the beginning, particularly when Butch Reynolds was with the staff, but when he left in 2008, it started a noticeable downward trend.

I am keenly aware of the Barwis stories and how his MMA scUM teams combined with the DickRod spread pwnage were going to dominate the B1G.

And I think thats what happened with the previous staff. I do expect a nice kick in the ass here with this.

But when we see this team with a whole new mentality next season, I expect 98% of it to be because of this:

http://www.elevenwarriors.com/blogs/buckeyetrack10/urban-meyers-first-team-meeting

And 2% to be from the new and improved S&C team.

Thats all I'm meaning to say.

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