LSU, Ohio State offenses get upgrade
Staffing changes have become so prevalent in college football that it was almost newsworthy when Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio, a coach coming off a disappointing season, announced in December that his crew of assistants would return intact in 2017.
Elsewhere, change is nearly constant — and not just among head coaches but at both offensive and defensive coordinator, let alone a positional level.
In this week’s top 10 list — the first of many to pop up during this long offseason — let’s take a look at the most important coaching changes to have occurred since the end of the regular season, focusing on the two coordinator spots.
It’s not too grand a statement to say the following: A good offensive or defensive coordinator can mean the difference between a bowl game and the New Year’s Six. Just look at Clemson and its hire of Brent Venables, for one example.
Here are the 10 most-impressive coordinator hires of the offseason, beginning with a new face at offensive coordinator at LSU:
1. LSU OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT CANADA Canada will be paid handsomely for his new position: LSU broke the bank for the well-traveled assistant, handing Canada a threeyear deal worth $1.5 million annually to pull him away from Pittsburgh. It was during the 2016 season with the Panthers that Canada earned national recognition for a detailed yet still simple system — in its basic approach to offense, at least — that should fit well with LSU’s returning talent base.
2. OHIO STATE CO-OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR KEVIN WILSON It was clear in the aftermath of Ohio State’s 31-0 loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl that drastic changes were needed to overhaul the Buckeyes offense. And so Urban Meyer did just that, allowing co-coordinators Tim Beck and Ed Warinner to pursue other opportunities and hiring Wilson, the former Indiana coach who was responsible for some of the most prolific scoring offenses in recent Football Bowl Subdivision history during his previous stint at Oklahoma.
3. TEXAS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR TODD ORLANDO When it came to Tom Herman bringing Orlando along to Texas as his coordinator, the only ques- tion was whether Houston would promote Orlando as Herman’s full-time replacement. Once the Cougars opted for Major Applewhite, the choice was clear: Orlando would lead the Longhorns defense, as he had done to great effect at Connecticut, Florida International, Utah State and Houston.
4. NOTRE DAME OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR CHIP LONG What’s most interesting about the Long hire — outside of the fact that he did a very good job in his one season in the same position at Memphis — is how it signals a shift in Notre Dame’s coaching philosophy. It won’t be Brian Kelly calling plays on Saturdays; it’ll be Long, in an abrupt change from the program’s recent past.
5. ALABAMA OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SARKISIAN This isn’t a new hire, per se, since Sarkisian did replace Lane Kiffin in the Crimson Tide’s title game loss to Clemson. But this spring will mark the first chance for a glimpse at how Sarkisian might tinker with Alabama’s offense — all with Nick Saban’s approval, of course. His most important task will be helping sophomore Jalen Hurts improve his ability to beat teams as a pure passer.
6. NEBRASKA DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR BOB DIACO Diaco will bring his 3-4 expertise to Nebraska, a move that might not be as dramatic as one might expect. The Cornhuskers are built for a shift to that style, with a nice list of linebackers but little pass-rushing talent at traditional defensive end. Diaco will also bring a mean streak — and a sense of energy — largely lacking on defense during Mike Riley’s first two seasons with the Cornhuskers.
7. KANSAS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR DOUG MEACHAM There’s no ignoring the long road still ahead of Kansas as it continues to scratch toward bowl eligibility. But hiring Meacham, formerly of TCU, represents a drastic step forward for an offense long stuck in neutral. Two years ago — albeit with a far greater level of talent, and along with co-coordinator Sonny Cumbie — Meacham quickly turned TCU’s offense into one of the nation’s best. It’ll take time at Kansas, but he’s a great fit for David Beaty and the Jayhawks.
8. MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR SCOTT SHAFER After a one-year break from coaching, Shafer will resurface as the defensive coordinator for a team that might only be a workable defense away from winning the Conference USA title. The Blue Raiders scored 516 points last season, third most in the conference, but allowed 465, fourth worst among bowl teams. How many games can MTSU win with a defense that ranks merely in the middle of the pack nationally?
9. MISSISSIPPI OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR PHIL LONGO The Mike Leach disciple has taken the Air Raid offense and added his own wrinkles, from spread concepts and spacing through an up-tempo pace meant to leave defenses gasping for air. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays in the Southeastern Conference, which has a reputation for defensive stinginess yet has been caught flatfooted in the past — see Gus Malzahn’s first year at Auburn or Texas A&M’s first year in the conference — by unique and speed-based systems.
10. OREGON DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JIM LEAVITT Leavitt rebuilt his own reputation and the fortunes of Colorado’s defense during his stint with the Buffaloes, which ended with a Pac-12 North Division title and Alamo Bowl berth. The same will be expected at Oregon, where first-year coach Willie Taggart has given Leavitt near-complete control on the defensive side.