3 new coaches to be introduced today

[Kermit]

Jeff Kolpack via Twitter reported that NDSU plans to introduce 3 new football coaches today. We know (http://www.areavoices.com/bisonmedia/?blog=71884) that Brian Ward (DBs) and Kenni Burns (WRs) will be two of them. To my knowledge, nothing has been posted here about a 3rd hire. We should know soon.

[rutlandbison]

Jeff Kolpack via Twitter reported that NDSU plans to introduce 3 new football coaches today. We know (http://www.areavoices.com/bisonmedia/?blog=71884) that Brian Ward (DBs) and Kenni Burns (WRs) will be two of them. To my knowledge, nothing has been posted here about a 3rd hire. We should know soon.
Coolio....

[Greenie]

My hunch is that the third coach is AJ Cooper

[WYOBISONMAN]

My hunch is that the third coach is AJ Cooper

AJ would be a solid choice. Best of luck to the the new coaches.

[Kermit]

Jeff Kolpack via Twitter reported that NDSU plans to introduce 3 new football coaches today. We know (http://www.areavoices.com/bisonmedia/?blog=71884) that Brian Ward (DBs) and Kenni Burns (WRs) will be two of them. To my knowledge, nothing has been posted here about a 3rd hire. We should know soon.


FGOSPORTSWRITER Check that, no announcement of fb assistants today. Don't know why the change of plans, either.
1 minute ago

what?????
10 chars

[HandoEX]

what?????
10 chars

Booooooooooooooooooo!

[bisoningrandforks]

according to the football scoop......Minn/Duluth outside linebacker /defensive line coach Nick Goeser (GAY-SER) has accepted the D-line job for the Herd!!!....He also coached at Div 3 Augustana Ill...I think I found out before Lakes!.....(at least posted before he did)

[tjbison]

according to the football scoop......Minn/Duluth outside linebacker /defensive line coach Nick Goeser (GAY-SER) has accepted the D-line job for the Herd!!!....He also coached at Div 3 Augustana Ill...I think I found out before Lakes!.....(at least posted before he did)

Actually Lakes prolly posted first but he is moderated :D

[roadwarrior]

Actually Lakes prolly posted first but he is moderated :D

nope......

[The Lost Dutchman]

I'll get the presser online right afterwards if you guys want to listen to it.

[Kermit]

I'll get the presser online right afterwards if you guys want to listen to it.

Thanks, I would appreciate that!

[The Lost Dutchman]

Thanks, I would appreciate that!

Here ya go, http://216.117.157.184/740thefan/uploads/Bison%20Press%20Conference%20announcing%203%20new% 20hires.MP3

[Kermit]

Press release including bios of the new coaches here:
http://www.gobison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=2400&ATCLID=204906147

[DjKyRo]

Sounds like all three coaches are excited to be here, glad that we've got guys recruiting their home-areas in Wisconsin, Twin Cities, etc. Glad to have all three aboard!

[Herd]

These three coaches will help greatly on the field. I love bringing in a successful head coach in Ward, and Burns is a great hire IMO. I think Bohl is improving the comradery in the FFD offices with this year's staff vs. 2009. Time will tell, but I see three guys with positive can-do attitudes.

Roll up your sleeves gentlement and get to work!

[westnodak93bison]

How about Coach Ward's special teams resume! Looks impressive to me. IMHO, need to designate somebody as "Special Teams Coach". Need some accountability there and Ward probably has had the most special teams success. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[DORMIE]

OK, Tony you started it and unbison and JacksFan06 followed you. This was a post on the 3 new coaches for the football team, not the Summitt. Please keep it in a bunch

[tony]

OK, Tony you started it and unbison and JacksFan06 followed you. This was a post on the 3 new coaches for the football team, not the Summitt. Please keep it in a bunch

Mea culpa... sorry, the Summit slam was still fresh in my mind. I'll move the non-coaching posts to the Fire Hammer thread (not that I think Hammer should be fired.)

[Scooter1]

Three new coaches. It seams that the coaching staff is now set. Maybe for the next three years. I was starting to get a little worried that we would be into April with no new coaches. At least these new guys seam to have some back ground in the areas that they will be coaching. We have other coaches that appear out of their positional expertise.

1. A QB coach that played tight end in college
2. A DE coach that played tight end in college
3. A RB coach that played QB in college
4. An assistant safties coach that played QB and WR in college

Kolpack stated in his blog that he didn't really care how good of coaches these guys were...could they recruit; especially angainst UNI in Minneapolis. I see where he was going with the comment but I have to say I disagree.

I think that the approach that NDSU took last year by recruiting early and getting potential prospects into summer football camp helped immensely. The opportunity for NDSU to showcase the program over the summer helped more than anything last year. Over and over we saw a familiar theme with area kids that verballed and signed (attended NDSU summer camp). My main concern is the ability of these coaches to prepare guys and make adjustments during the game. I could care less how good a kid looks on paper if he is never in the right spot or is still making the same mistakes in game 9 that he did in game 2. Part of being an effective coach is being a good motivator. This skill has a tendency of bleed over into other areas like recruiting. Good motivators are also good sales people, especially when you have a good product to sell.

[Grizzled]

Hopefully these guys can help Bohl right the ship. There is a lot to be corrected. Hopefully he has the staff in place to win games cause if we don't start these guys won't have to worry about recruiting, they won't be around. Either way welcome to the Bison staff coaches. Welcome aboard.

[EndZoneQB]

I thought it was pretty telling that Bohl said the guys would fit well with the rest of the coaches. I think that has been an underestimated value lately. It is so important that everyone meshes well, I think this will turn out to be a big help.

[bisontwice]

My memory is kind of fuzzy on this issue, but wasn't our current QB coach the same QB coach Walker had and he seemed to do ok? While it is not a bad thing to coach the same position you may have played at, it certainly isn't the most important thing. Steve Laqua wasn't a running back but coached that group before leaving, numerous coaches played other positions than what they coach-coaching is coaching.

[BisonNeil]

I think all three of these coaches are great additions for the numerous reasons already mentioned, but to me, three reasons stand out.

First and foremost, they can coach and have a proven track record of doing so. One took a lowly NAIA team and made it a contender. You have to be able to coach and recruit to do that. Another coached a great DL at DII that won a national championship. The other coached under one of the greats in FCS, Dale Lennon.

Second, and even though Bohl rightfully avoided answering Kolpack's question directly, I think these guys have the potential to stick around a few years. Bohl finally decided to stop leaning on his numerous contacts in the business to bring in high profile coaches, ones that are obviously upwardly mobile. I, unlike many of you, do not consider the coaching carousel and the promotion of Bison coaches as a good thing. Coaches getting better jobs than the one they had here at NDSU does nothing for our football program. I think that the last two recruiting classes have the potential to do some good things in their years at NDSU, BUT I think they need coaching consistency to fully reach that potential.

Lastly, these coaches already build on what is a pretty young coaching staff. I think the youth of the staff, the excitement and energy they bring, will be visible to us all on the field of play and on the recruiting trail for years to come.

Good job Bohl!!

[westnodak93bison]

"The other coached under one of the greats in FCS, Dale Lennon."

How can you say Lennon is one of the greats in FCS? He has coached at that level for a couple of years and took over a well established program in SIU.

[Scooter1]

My memory is kind of fuzzy on this issue, but wasn't our current QB coach the same QB coach Walker had and he seemed to do ok? While it is not a bad thing to coach the same position you may have played at, it certainly isn't the most important thing. Steve Laqua wasn't a running back but coached that group before leaving, numerous coaches played other positions than what they coach-coaching is coaching.

Would you like to learn to pitch from Nolan Ryan or Kent Hrbek?

Would you like to take DB pointers from Champ Bailey or William Perry?

Walker was good when he got here...think how good he could have been. Pretty scary isn't it?

[westnodak93bison]

Would you like to learn to pitch from Nolan Ryan or Kent Hrbek?

Would you like to take DB pointers from Champ Bailey or William Perry?

Walker was good when he got here...think how good he could have been. Pretty scary isn't it?

Poor examples imho. You dont have to play the position to be a successful coach. I'd say Polasek has done a good job with the RBs and he was a QB.
If your logic was correct why wouldnt the Yankees pay big bucks and get Roger Clemons as pitching coach? Why isnt Tony Gwynn a hitting coach in the bigs?
Doing and teaching/coaching are entirely different skill sets.

[DORMIE]

I was talking to Pat Simmers on Friday. He played defensive line while at NDSU. He later was offensive coordinator at Wisconsin for 3 years.

[The Lost Dutchman]

Poor examples imho. You dont have to play the position to be a successful coach. I'd say Polasek has done a good job with the RBs and he was a QB.
If your logic was correct why wouldnt the Yankees pay big bucks and get Roger Clemons as pitching coach? Why isnt Tony Gwynn a hitting coach in the bigs?
Doing and teaching/coaching are entirely different skill sets.

Tony Gwynn isn't a hitting coach because he's the Head Coach of his Alma Mater. I think you do make a great point in the fact that you don't have to be a great player to be a great coach.

[Scooter1]

Poor examples imho. You dont have to play the position to be a successful coach. I'd say Polasek has done a good job with the RBs and he was a QB.
If your logic was correct why wouldnt the Yankees pay big bucks and get Roger Clemons as pitching coach? Why isnt Tony Gwynn a hitting coach in the bigs?
Doing and teaching/coaching are entirely different skill sets.

You are absolutely right. What the hell was I thinking. For the last 7 years or so the Bison QB coach has really turned a number of outstanding Quarterbacks. Lets review....

Tony Staus...came in and did solid job as a junior the didn't improve and actually backslid his SR year.

Steve Walker..came in with all world stats..left as a great one

Nick Jackson... switched positions

Mitch Brecke...left team after three years and didn't learn enough to start for a lower division team.

Ryan Parsons...good running QB but never adjusted to west coast style.

Nick Mertens...insert rant here.

Andrew Fabre...

Troy Jackson...

Andy Thoreson...

Jose Mohler...jury is out

Dante Perez...jury is out

Yeah, I gotta tell you these guys really blossomed. I particularly like how Mertens improved his throwing motion over those last four years. One would think he threw somewhat like a tight end. (sarcasm)

It is easier to coach a position that one is technically proficient in than one that they have never played. To infer that it isn't is frankly a load of crap.

But...let's all follow the theme as of late and begin the new Bison School song.....

Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah!
Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah!
Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah!
O Lord, kum ba yah!

Someone's laughing, Lord, kum ba yah!
Someone's laughing, Lord, kum ba yah!
Someone's laughing, Lord, kum ba yah!
O Lord, kum ba yah!

Someone's crying, Lord, kum ba yah!
Someone's crying, Lord, kum ba yah!
Someone's crying, Lord, kum ba yah!
O Lord, kum ba yah!

Someone's praying, Lord, kum ba yah!
Someone's praying, Lord, kum ba yah!
Someone's praying, Lord, kum ba yah!
O Lord, kum ba yah!

Someone's singing, Lord, kum ba yah!
Someone's singing, Lord, kum ba yah!
Someone's singing, Lord, kum ba yah!
O Lord, kum ba yah!

Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah!
Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah!
Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah!
O Lord, kum ba yah!

Amen.

[tony]

Well, you could argue that our QB coaches aren't getting the most out of QBs, but I think basing it on the fact that they didn't play QB in college is not going to win a lot of arguments.

I don't think UNI's QB coach played college ball at all and the FCS championship winner (Villanova), has a QB coach who played LB in college.

[BisonNeil]

You are absolutely right. What the hell was I thinking. For the last 7 years or so the Bison QB coach has really turned a number of outstanding Quarterbacks. Lets review....

Tony Staus...came in and did solid job as a junior the didn't improve and actually backslid his SR year.

Steve Walker..came in with all world stats..left as a great one


I am not going to take sides here but only want to make a couple of points/observations.

First, I think it is interesting to note that Stauss did have a very good Jr year when he was coached by, you got it, Dan Enos. Enos, you will all recall, was an all Big Ten QB at Michigan State and is now the head coach at Central Michigan. Enos would also have been Walker's first QB coach and given the kind of player Steve was he may have learned and retained what he needed to know since his mechanics, if not his arm strength, were good when he became a Bison. Unfortunately, Enos was only the QB coach during Bohl's first year, part of the ongoing coaching carousel here at NDSU. In Stauss' specific case I think one could interpret his slide into mediocrity as evidence that Vigen didn't know what he was doing in his rookie year coaching QBs. I distinctly recall Stauss throwing nearly every throw off his back foot, something that was never corrected and led to many, many interceptions.

With that said, I think the other players listed as evidence of Vigen not being able to coach QBs are simply evidence of poor recruiting, nothing else. No need to flame out on me Burgundy and 56, that is a simple statment that is largely irrefutable.

Second, some may recall on this board that I too questioned Vigen's ability to effectively coach QBs, back when Mertens was struggling during the 2008 season. In an effort to prove my point, I looked at the QB coach of every one of the playoff teams that year. Lo and behold, I found that only slightly more than half of the playoff teams had a QB coach who had played QB in college, which is clearly not what I expected to learn and I immediately backed off my assertions.

So, there you have it. I personally think Vigen has developed as a QB coach and I think this whole discussion will be moot in the very near future since the talent level of the QB recruits has risen dramatically the last few years compared to the early years of Bohl's tenure.

[EndZoneQB]

Those that can, do. Those that can't, teach/coach.