Yea or nay on a full-time special teams coach for Dogs?
Blair Walsh was one of the bright spots in special teams play for the Dogs. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
I’m back from the holiday and my regular day off and see that the subject that occupied a group of us Dog fans sitting around talking football on Sunday afternoon is still drawing split opinions in the Bulldog Nation: Should Mark Richt use that last open coaching slot for another defensive coach (outside linebackers?) or to finally give Georgia a full-time special teams coach?
Before the news of Todd Grantham and the switch to a 3-4 defensive alignment, most of the chatter seemed to favor the idea that the Dogs badly need a coach dedicated to special teams. But now some are arguing that Grantham will need all the help he can get in the defensive rebuilding project.
Under the Dogs’ system up to now, various coaches split up special teams responsibility and much-maligned former defensive ends coach Jon Fabris was the overall “coordinator” and handled punt returns and kickoff coverage, the two areas of special teams play in which Georgia seemed most hapless this past season.
Of course, not all of the Dogs’ special teams were in need of fixing. Georgia has two of the nation’s best kickers in Blair Walsh and Drew Butler and a dangerous kickoff return game. And on occasion the Dogs’ special teams have looked great — the Independence Bowl being the most recent example. (Was the fact that Fabris was gone by then mere coincidence?)
The Georgia Sports Blog argues that the solution is to “put better athletes on special teams which UGA started doing mid-2009, and … spend more time on special teams in practice.”
I’m certainly in favor of that, particularly when it comes to covering kickoffs. Whether they were booted toward the end zone or those high, shorter directional kicks that Fabris embraced as a “challenge,” Georgia’s coverage often looked clueless and was hampered by too many walk-ons and not enough speed.
The Dawgs Online blog notes that while there have been some bright spots on special teams play, “there have been enough breakdowns over the past few years to suggest that a more cohesive approach to special teams could help. Fabris caught most of the criticism for special teams breakdowns, but all coaches had some responsibilities for some area of special teams. There is too much advantage in having the kickers and guys like [Brandon] Boykin to see it countered by an ad-hoc approach to kick coverage and returns.”
The argument in favor of hiring another defensive assistant, Dawgs Online says, is that “the Bulldogs will be implementing a new defensive alignment and scheme with new coaches. This transition will be especially challenging for the front seven — it’s not as simple as dropping a rush end into an outside linebacker spot. Richt should maximize the coaching resources available to ease that transition and get this new defense performing in time to show big improvement in 2010.”
Both of those bloggers come down on the side of hiring another defensive coach and continuing to split up the special teams coaching responsibilities. Or having Richt himself oversee the special teams, the way Virginia Tech’s Frank Beamer and Florida’s Urban Meyer do. Special teams are, of course, a major element of Beamerball, and Meyer has gone to great lengths to make sure his special teams are truly “special,” making it an honor to be on the teams and giving them certain perks.
Loading ...But while the idea that Richt ought to take ownership of special teams also sounds appealing, I just don’t see it happening. In his time at Georgia, Richt unfortunately has been more like his mentor, Bobby Bowden, than Beamer or Meyer when it comes to special teams. He’s never seemed to appreciate what an important part of the game that is and how many games can be won by dominating special teams play (the Independence Bowl being just one example).
So I come down on the side favoring the hiring of a special teams coach. I think this piecemeal approach plainly hasn’t worked well at Georgia. Remember after A.J. Green blocked a field goal attempt how we heard that there had been opposition from his regular position coach to using him on special teams? Dedicating a full-time coach to that aspect of the game would elevate it in the minds of Georgia’s players and other coaches and be a statement by Richt that the old way of handling special teams wasn’t good enough.
I think that’s needed more than an outside linebackers coach. What do you think? Share your views in the comments, vote in the poll or have it both ways.
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190 comments Add your comment
Ga Gator
January 20th, 2010
2:06 pm
You have the right head coach, he just got complacent as the other teams were on an up swing. I think you have his full attention now since he was forced to fire his best friend.
XXXVII
January 20th, 2010
2:07 pm
hire a special teams coach that also knows a little about outside linbackers.
Cameron
January 20th, 2010
2:11 pm
gtdad:
The only reason why Montez Robinson “only” got two games was because he grew up in-and-out of foster care, in boys and girls clubs, etc. To give up on the kid would have been essentially the kid giving up on life. Keeping him on the team keeps him involved in something. It gives him a shot to make something of himself.
I in no way condone striking a female, but the kid deserves another shot. As long as he shows remorse and makes an effort to reofrm, then I have no problem with it.
jimmy
January 20th, 2010
2:14 pm
go hire the best d coach you can find let the tight end coach run special teams
House Divided
January 20th, 2010
2:18 pm
Special teams coach all the way. Arkansas hired John Smith who was a former head coach at Louisville just to coach the special temas and they improved a great deal this year.
haha
January 20th, 2010
2:26 pm
all the dawgs can do to boost there self confindence is make fun of ga tech…. hahahahaa
De' truth
January 20th, 2010
2:28 pm
According to a story elsewhere in the AJC Atlanta has been named the “Gayest” city in the United States. ‘Course the number of students at Tech(Nerdcentral@North Avenue)who don’t live in Atlanta full time, significantly add to the cities’ total number of wrist flappers since full or part-time was not considered in the study.
dx107
January 20th, 2010
2:28 pm
Why is Georgia Tech fans still talking here — As bad as we were this year we still beat you so SHUT UP!
Now hire a Special Teams Coach we need it badly. Linebackers Coach coaches Linebackers not just 2 of the 4 come on – there is a secondary coach not a corners coach and safeties coach – get a special teams guy to run the show look how many games VT has won with special teams.
FLDawg
January 20th, 2010
2:30 pm
why not both? ST coach and OLB coach
Ga Gator
January 20th, 2010
2:31 pm
dx107, many teams that run the 3-4 have a inside and outside (or DE) coach and most have corners and safety coaches and almost all (except UF last year) have dedicated Special Teams coaches.
arrh
January 20th, 2010
2:38 pm
GEOFFDAWG- Sorry for the lol reference. Won’t happen again. I really don’t care about getting attention from people that I don’t know. Way to attack a fellow dawg. No offense meant on my end, but I’m just saying.
Case Quarter
January 20th, 2010
2:42 pm
Nerd Central @ North Ave said “There will be some serious pains in learning a completely new system.”
Isn’t Tech converting to the same system that will be completely different?
ActuaryDawg
January 20th, 2010
2:43 pm
For the apparently semi literate. As it has been asked and answered at least a half dozen times in the posts above.
WE CAN NOT HIRE BOTH BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO. WE ONLY CAN HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF COACHES AND WE ONLY HAVE ONE EMPTY SLOT LEFT.
Bangkapi Ajarn
January 20th, 2010
2:48 pm
Special teams coach is the biggest need, let Grantham handle linebackers to teach them the new system. Beamer and Meyers are proof that emphasizing special teams = an extra w or two each season, in my opinion. If one hire can put an extra w or two up each season, go for it (of course, having the athletes to dominate, and the coaching that helps avoid injury are obviously also needed).
If it placates whoever, let the special teams specialist help Grantham with linebackers or whatever when he isn’t working with the special teams units.
collegeballfan
January 20th, 2010
2:52 pm
You guys hurry up and make your decision so Richt will know what to do.
Until he hears from you he is totally lost. He doesn’t know who to hire.
Ga Gator
January 20th, 2010
2:55 pm
The official answer is, including the HC there can be max of 10.
exNFLplayer
January 20th, 2010
2:59 pm
The best remedy for what ails the UGA kickoff team is kicking it as far the ball can be kicked and right down the middle. Never have been a fan of this new wave directional kicking. Covering punts is all about hang time.
GeoffDawg
January 20th, 2010
3:15 pm
arrh – that wasn’t directed at you but at gtdad. I don’t usually read every single post so I didn’t realize you had done that as well.
haha – if people lacking in self confidence can still laugh at tech, what does that say about tech?
VinceVanGo
January 20th, 2010
3:37 pm
How about let the two Graduate Assistants who worked with Garner & Coach Richt for the bowl game work on special teams under the supervision of one of the defensive coaches. Sort of a ” coach training in waiting.” It would keep the payroll down and give them valuable training experience. It would look great on their resume and be great motivation to do a good job.
VicDawg
January 20th, 2010
3:48 pm
Special teams are 1/3 of the overall aspect of any football game. K.O., K.O. return, Punt, Punt block/return, field goal, field goal defense. These areas all have potential point totals to the game (both positive and negative). WE MUST HAVE A FULL TIME SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR. It is just as important as the offensive and defensive coordinator.
Big Albany Dawg
January 20th, 2010
3:59 pm
Does Florida have a dedicated special teams coach?
Otto
January 20th, 2010
4:02 pm
Hire another LBs coach
Fire Bobo to open up a Special Teams Coach
CMR takes QBs and play calling
CraZyTRaDeMaN
January 20th, 2010
4:07 pm
Damn!!!!! Chan Gailey would have made a great Special Teams Coach.
Big John
January 20th, 2010
4:08 pm
Gators- Meyer runs the special teams. He makes the Special teams the 1st hurdle an offensive or defensive starter must jump before they get a starting offensive or defensive position.
It’s usually freshman, 3 or 4 starters stay once they move to the starting line up (Haden for example).
Meyer says there’s no stronger link between winning than special teams.
SouthernFriedFan
January 20th, 2010
4:09 pm
I’ve always liked what Coach Smith of the Falcons states. There are 3 basic phases of a football game: offense, defense, and special teams. You win 2 out of those 3 and you usually win the game. If special teams are treated as an afterthought, you d@mn well better win on offense and defense. I think a special team coordinator makes us more versatile in ways we can approach getting an advantage over our opponents. For example, if our offense is stifled by a great SEC defense, then we can still try to win with our defense and our special teams.
Big John
January 20th, 2010
4:10 pm
Here’s a good article somebody should forward ot Mark Richt about how Urban Meyer does special teams:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/gators/for-young-florida-gators-special-teams-are-a-52330.html
Dawg Colonel
January 20th, 2010
4:12 pm
Special Teams definitely needs some attention but I’m not sure it is worthy of a full-time position. CMR isn’t going to be the man…but someone needs the title and responsibity. My vote is for Lakatos…lots of similarities in DBs and special teams…IE..Speed.
The easiest fix for kickoffs is to KICK THE D### BALL OUT OF THE ENDZONE! We signed Bogatay for that purpose but I guess the air is thicker in GA than California! Really, this one isn’t that hard to figure out! Kick it out of the stadium and let them start on the 20!
Big John
January 20th, 2010
4:15 pm
Frank Beamer’s a special teams guru. Here’s a good aerticle about his special teams approach:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/virginia-tech-puts-special-260003.html
Kenny Powers
January 20th, 2010
4:23 pm
No need for Richt to coach special teams if he doesn’t think they are special; i agree hire a special teams guy. If Gardner doesn’t like the 3-4 alignment dump him and get another defensive guy.
johnson's army brigade
January 20th, 2010
4:44 pm
73-66…let that guy who ran back three kickoffs coach the special teams , moron
Lost dog
January 20th, 2010
4:56 pm
Attitude wins game with teams having equal talent. UGA will be a tougher, more agressive team and will play much better on defense in 2010. Probably 8 and 4 or maybe 9 and 3. UGA will be much, much better in 2011. Hire an OLB coach.
GDAWG65
January 20th, 2010
5:04 pm
The next UGA coach hiring should be a qualified Offensive Coordinator.
Bobo is in way over his head and is hurting the team.
shane#1
January 20th, 2010
5:13 pm
I am in favor of a special teams coach with enough power to keep the players he wants. I don’t really care if he coaches another posistion or not. When UGA kicked off against LSU from their own 15 yd line the kick coverage team included five walk ons, a back up fullback, the back up QB, and a 165lb kicker. Does anyone know if Walsh or Gray have ever made a tackle in their lives? To make matters even worse, they were kicking off to a world class sprinter. Is it any wonder that LSU had a short field on offense and won the game? Whoever takes over, I hope we see no more squib kicks or directional kicks!
gtdad
January 20th, 2010
5:43 pm
GeoffDawg, LOL, Hit a nerve did I….. Yeah, I need some attention. Right! UGA football is a JOKE, and everybody but you, knows it…. How PATHETIC!
T'ville Dawg
January 20th, 2010
5:45 pm
While not being overly brilliant the one thing that sticks out in my eyes is to use one or both of those graduate assistants to fill these tasks, after all didn’t they prove themselves in the bowl game. I mean they need to be paid more than they are but they could be molded into whatever your team needs this early in their careers.
gtdad
January 20th, 2010
5:48 pm
Cameron, As long as it’s not YOUR daughter??!!!! That is COMPLETE BS!
NCDAWG
January 20th, 2010
5:54 pm
I would take Travis Jones, if he is willing to go….I think Fabris was in charge of the Kick-Off team and Punt-Return teams….so maybe that debacle left with him….It would be nice if Richt took more control of the special teams…That way they can hire an OLB coach; maybe Travis Jones?!
Bremen Dawg
January 20th, 2010
6:10 pm
Yes, Yes, Yes we need a full time special teams coach. Games are won with special teams and defense. You only need the offensive to move the ball and make some first downs and put a few points on the board. Special teams and defense will take over the rest.
Rocket Rod
January 20th, 2010
6:12 pm
Confucious say: Two men feed horse, horse die! Don’t think its a good ides to break it into different parts. The Spec Team needs to learn work together as one unit. No matter, it needs to be done
Bremen Dawg
January 20th, 2010
6:17 pm
I keep seeing all of this bashing Bobo on the blogs. Remember, we are running a pro style offense that gives the QB’s some options on play calling at the line. The QB can change the play at the line if he sees something at the line. Bobo is not a bad coordinator. If the O line is not blocking and the QB is not changing the plays according to D reads then your not going to move the ball much. So much depends on the QB and we just haven’t had a great one since David Greene. Stafford was good but Greene could make reads and burn a defense.
meansonny
January 20th, 2010
6:43 pm
Why can’t we have a special teams coach that also helps with an aspect of the defense (OLB or CB’s)?
I think we should have a dedicated ST coach (this means that the hire is based on those credentials). That coach can assist in other aspects of the defense. But the reason why they got the job was because they brought something to the Dawgs that we don’t currently have.
ST is that important. And it should be deemed important to the players as well because that’s how most of them will make NFL squads (by contributing on ST during their player development).
JC in Powder Springs
January 20th, 2010
7:13 pm
Two of the 3 ‘D’ coaches are already pulling double duty – Grantham (lb’s & DC), Garner (DL and recruiting coordinator). Now you want yet another D coach to pull double duty by forcing special teams on the new guy?
What about Lilly, McClendon and Ball? When you add Richt, Bobo and Searels, that’s 6 coaches on offense! Dawgs need to get more production out of the offensive coaches if you ask me. Ball or Lilly can handle TE’s and WR’s – why 2 coaches? Give one of them the special teams OR dump the worse of the two and hire a special teams ace! The D coaches have enough responsibilities as it is!
jesse james
January 20th, 2010
8:02 pm
Yes let’s get a special teams coach, a pregame coach, a hafltime coach, a timeout coach, a wind coach. Darn, football is not that complicated. Just let whoever coached them in the Bowl game coach special teams. I thought our kickoff coverage team did a great job of getting down field. That has been our biggest weakness. We had the slowest coverage team I have ever seen during the year. There is no reason for not having a kicker that can kick the ball inside the 10 yard line or better with each kick and get 11 guys that can get down field.
Nerd Central @ North Ave
January 20th, 2010
8:08 pm
You all wish you were as smart as me. I’m getting an engineering degree and will soon be making 6 figures. You have some lame UGA degree and probably manage a PetsMart. I’m sure your family is so proud!!!!
Gooddawg
January 20th, 2010
8:11 pm
HIRE DAVID POLLACK NOW AS DEFENSIVE ENDS COACH. HELLO, HE’S A THREE TIME ALL AMERICAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SC_DAWG
January 20th, 2010
8:15 pm
Who is Georgia Tech?
Old Coach
January 20th, 2010
8:38 pm
Special teams are of the greatest importance to a football team. A football game is divided in 3 phases, Offense, Defense, and Special teams. In 95% of games you MUST win 2 of the 3 areas to win the game. With that being said IMHO the DAWGS have been near outstanding in all areas of the kicking game EXCEPT kick-offs. Do away with the pitiful directional kick-offs and concentrate on staying in lanes and tackle. This will solve this problem. Hire another defensive assistant and the staff can coach the various areas of the kicking game. After all these assistant coaches are more than capable of adding 1 phase of the kicking game to their responsibilities. DO NOT SHORT CHANGE THE DEFENSIVE STAFF.
jesse james
January 20th, 2010
8:50 pm
Nerd Central @ North Ave. – No we own the Petsmart and we hire you to design our stores. And I am probably not as smart as you, but you know what, I’m smart enough. Hurry up and finish I need to build more stores.
Russ' Hairy Sack
January 20th, 2010
9:08 pm
Love all the Techies gloating about their degrees and how much more money they make. The truth is…
What does a Tech grad call someone with a business degree from UGA?
Boss.
Russ' Hairy Sack
January 20th, 2010
9:14 pm
BTW Nerd Central, if you were really that smart you would realize that Tech’s football program sucks and your athletes (in all sports) are unable to win when they see a UGA uniform.