Brian Lindgren
The offensive coordinator at the University of Colorado since arriving with head coach Mike MacIntyre from San Jose State before the 2013 season. Although his planning and play-calling have led to numerous records for Buffs QB Sefo Liufau, Colorado's Pac-12 won-loss record from his arrival to this year was a paltry 2-25.
Darrin Chiaverini
Played his college football at the University of Colorado from 1995-98 as a wide receiver before playing professionally for 7 years (NFL and AFL). He has been working his way up the ladder as a college coach since he retired as a player. He has been involved in spectacular turnaround projects numerous times with both offensive and special teams. Prior to this year, his last stop was at Texas Tech, where he coached special teams and outside wide receivers. He was hired as Co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Colorado following 2015 season.
Many speculated that the pairing of Lindgren and Chiaverini would not work out. Some opined that Lindgren would not react well to being "demoted" to sharing the coordinator position, and others felt that the personality types were too disparate to effectively lead together. Lindgren is known as a quiet and cerebral type of individual while Chiaverini is known for his fire and passion and toughness, along with his ability to fire up his team. Many wondered about how well they would work together.
It turns out that Lindgren and Chiaverini have formed a perfect example of Yin and Yang, and the combination has led to Colorado's offensive production this year being their highest ever. If this year's Buffs continue to rack up yards at the same pace for the rest of the season, they will break the record set by Bill McCartney's last team in 1994. That team featured Heisman Trophy winner Rashaan Salaam and Kordell Stewart and a total of NINE players which were drafted into the NFL the following spring.
Through five games, this team has averaged 531.2 yards per game. That's more than 134 yards per game more than last year, and almost 36 yards per game more than the record setting 1994 squad.
But more importantly than just total yards, the Buffs have been rushing the ball far better in 2016. Their average of 218.6 yards per game is the highest since 2002, when Chris Brown and Bobby Purify helped the Buffs average 251.2 yards per game on the ground.
The improved ground attack has been helped along by a more more dangerous air game for the Buffs. This year Colorado has been averaging 14.6 yards per reception, which is the highest since Koy Detmer led the 1996 Buffs to 15.1 yards per completion.
This year, behind Sefo Liufau and Steven Montez, Colorado has averaged 9.77 yards per attempted pass. Last year, the Buffs averaged only 6.71 YPA. You have to go all the way back to the undefeated 1989 regular season to find a Buffs team that averaged more YPA on their passes. That year, Darian Hagan averaged an unworldly 11.8 YPA and almost 21 yards per completion.
What's the moral of this story? Sometimes Yin and Yang combine to form a perfect union. From two conference wins in three years to 2-0 so far this year and first place in the Pac-12 South.
Showing posts with label Koy Detmer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Koy Detmer. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Exceptional Quarterbacks are Very Rare, Exceptional Coaches are Even More So
An exceptional quarterback is the dream shared by fans as well as QB coaches, offensive coordinators and head coaches. He is what allows a bad team to be ordinary, an ordinary team to be good, and a good team to become great.
A great quarterback rains fire from the sky and sometimes even slashes and burns across the gridiron. Like a general who will not be defeated, he marshals his troops to the most advantageous and strategic positions to ensure victory.
Fans know that certain quarterbacks give their team a REAL chance to win to every time they step on the field. Some coaches use their proximity to exceptional quarterbacks to further, or even "make" their careers. They can do this because coaches can take credit for an exceptional quarterback. The problems arise when the exceptional quarterback leaves and the coach has not found another one to take his place.
No one can doubt that Troy Aikman was an exceptional quarterback. After two years at Oklahoma he transferred to UCLA, where he went on to become a consensus All-American and the #1 overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft. He was a 3-time Super Champion for the Dallas Cowboys and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
One coach who rode Aikman to greater glory for himself was Rick Neuheisel. He parlayed his role as QB coach to Aikman in 1988 to fancy himself a quarterback guru in years to come. Back in the late 80's, reality set in when he was moved to coach wide receivers a year after Aikman was gone.
That didn't slow down slick Rick, however, as he moved on to the University of Colorado in Boulder in 1994, and as quarterbacks coach, he inherited not one, but TWO exceptional quarterbacks in Kordell Stewart and Koy Detmer. (Just a note: The Slickster's Wikipedia page claims that Neuheisel was the offensive coordinator for CU in 1994, but that is NOT true. Elliot Uzelac was the offensive coordinator under Bill McCartney in '94).
The 1994 Buffaloes were arguably the best CU team ever. It was loaded with NFL talent. They had SEVEN players taken in the first 3 rounds of the 1995 NFL Draft, and nine drafted overall. Needless to say, that would have been a great team no matter who was coaching quarterbacks.
Neuheisel somehow convinced CU president Judith Albino he was the right guy to fill the shoes of Bill McCartney when Mac suddenly announced his retirement at the end of the season. Rick was young, good looking, had a law degree, and seemed like the perfect guy to carry on the McCartney legacy (in Albino's eyes, anyway). Problem was, Neuheisel was not a Mac guy. He had only been in Boulder for one year. Mac gave Albino advice on who to promote to head coach, but his advice was ignored.
In '95 and '96, Neuheisel had teams that were built by Mac and led by perhaps the best football mind ever to take a snap at CU in Koy Detmer. This writer remembers when Koy came to Colorado and hearing stories from some sports writers at the Daily Camera about how football savvy the kid was.
Traditionally, when college players go to meetings it is to learn from their coaches. Stories were told then about the young gun from Texas who taught his coaches a thing or two about playing quarterback. (It helps when your father is a high school coaching legend and your brother is a Heisman Trophy winner.) Put it this way, if Koy had the body or athletic gifts of Troy Aikman or Kordell Stewart, he would have been the best quarterback ever to play the game. He was a football savant with a skinny and fragile body.
With Detmer as the primary QB, the Buffs won 10 games each year in '95 and '96. When he left, along with all those great players recruited by McCartney and his staff, the wheels fell off the bus at Colorado. With Koy on the field (or the sideline when injured), the Buffs finished the season ranked #4 in '95 and #8 in '96. Their record was 20-4.
After Detmer graduated on to the NFL, Neuheisel's Buffs won 13 games and lost 10 over the next two years. There were also reports that the NCAA was investigating Colorado for recruiting violations. Like a rat fleeing a sinking ship, the Slickster headed west and took the job at Washington.
WHAT DOES ALL THIS HAVE TO DO WITH COLORADO IN 2015?
Brian Lindgren, the current Colorado QB coach and Offensive Coordinator, came with coach Mike MacIntyre to Colorado in 2013 after leading San Jose State to 11 wins and a top 25 ranking in 2012. It was Lindgren's first year at SJS, and the success of that team gave him great reviews as one of the best young offensive coordinators around.
When one goes back, however, it is easy to note that maybe the success Lindgren had at SJS was due mostly to David Fales, their excellent quarterback now with the Chicago Bears. Fales holds most of the SJS passing records despite being at the school for only two years.
When MacIntyre and Lindgren came to Colorado in 2013, they inherited a team that was possibly the worst in the country in 2012. What they also inherited was a 5* quarterback transfer from Texas in Connor Wood. Despite the pedigree, Lindgren was unable to coach Wood into a top quarterback. In fact, seven games into the season, Wood was benched and freshman Sefo Liufau took over the reins. Wood decided to leave football after that year.
Liufau finished out 2013 as the starter and in 2014 broke many Colorado passing records. Most of the records were due to the sheer volume of passes attempted. Sefo attempted 498 passes in 2014.
By comparison, Koy Detmer threw 458 in '95 and '96 combined. And Kordell Stewart averaged 261 passes each of his three seasons as starter. Kordell also left CU with more almost 1300 yards rushing.)
"Yards per Attempt" (Y/A) is one of they key stats for quarterbacks. Compare the following #'s in Y/A for notable quarterbacks:
9.1 -- Koy Detmer
9.0 -- Darian Hagan
8.9 -- David Fales
8.4 -- Troy Aikman
8.3 -- Kordell Stewart
6.5 -- Sefo Liufau
Each pass attempted by the first five listed was 30-40% more effective in gaining yards than those thrown by the Colorado QB who broke so many records under the guidance of Brian Lindgren.
Even more important than Y/A is the record a team has under the guidance of an exceptional quarterback. These records are for when each was the primary quarterback (starter unless injured) for their team.
30-5-3 Darian Hagan
28-6-2 Kordell Stewart
20-4 Koy Detmer
20-4 Troy Aikman
17-8 David Fales
3-15 Sefo Liufau
Sefo Liufau has been added purely for statistical and comparative reasons. Unlike the others listed above, he was truly thrust into the fire his true freshman season. No redshirt year... no backup up year.... Just take over for a team that has been struggling for a decade.
That being the case, his QB coach and offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren needs to take all the criticism for lack of production from the quarterback and the offense.
If (or when) the Buffs turn it around, all the credit should go to Sefo and his fellow players. If not, the blame falls on the coaches. Like in war, privates and corporals can be heroes, but the loss of the battle belongs on the officers, and ultimately the commanding officer.
A great quarterback rains fire from the sky and sometimes even slashes and burns across the gridiron. Like a general who will not be defeated, he marshals his troops to the most advantageous and strategic positions to ensure victory.
Fans know that certain quarterbacks give their team a REAL chance to win to every time they step on the field. Some coaches use their proximity to exceptional quarterbacks to further, or even "make" their careers. They can do this because coaches can take credit for an exceptional quarterback. The problems arise when the exceptional quarterback leaves and the coach has not found another one to take his place.
No one can doubt that Troy Aikman was an exceptional quarterback. After two years at Oklahoma he transferred to UCLA, where he went on to become a consensus All-American and the #1 overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft. He was a 3-time Super Champion for the Dallas Cowboys and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
One coach who rode Aikman to greater glory for himself was Rick Neuheisel. He parlayed his role as QB coach to Aikman in 1988 to fancy himself a quarterback guru in years to come. Back in the late 80's, reality set in when he was moved to coach wide receivers a year after Aikman was gone.
That didn't slow down slick Rick, however, as he moved on to the University of Colorado in Boulder in 1994, and as quarterbacks coach, he inherited not one, but TWO exceptional quarterbacks in Kordell Stewart and Koy Detmer. (Just a note: The Slickster's Wikipedia page claims that Neuheisel was the offensive coordinator for CU in 1994, but that is NOT true. Elliot Uzelac was the offensive coordinator under Bill McCartney in '94).
The 1994 Buffaloes were arguably the best CU team ever. It was loaded with NFL talent. They had SEVEN players taken in the first 3 rounds of the 1995 NFL Draft, and nine drafted overall. Needless to say, that would have been a great team no matter who was coaching quarterbacks.
Neuheisel somehow convinced CU president Judith Albino he was the right guy to fill the shoes of Bill McCartney when Mac suddenly announced his retirement at the end of the season. Rick was young, good looking, had a law degree, and seemed like the perfect guy to carry on the McCartney legacy (in Albino's eyes, anyway). Problem was, Neuheisel was not a Mac guy. He had only been in Boulder for one year. Mac gave Albino advice on who to promote to head coach, but his advice was ignored.
In '95 and '96, Neuheisel had teams that were built by Mac and led by perhaps the best football mind ever to take a snap at CU in Koy Detmer. This writer remembers when Koy came to Colorado and hearing stories from some sports writers at the Daily Camera about how football savvy the kid was.
Traditionally, when college players go to meetings it is to learn from their coaches. Stories were told then about the young gun from Texas who taught his coaches a thing or two about playing quarterback. (It helps when your father is a high school coaching legend and your brother is a Heisman Trophy winner.) Put it this way, if Koy had the body or athletic gifts of Troy Aikman or Kordell Stewart, he would have been the best quarterback ever to play the game. He was a football savant with a skinny and fragile body.
With Detmer as the primary QB, the Buffs won 10 games each year in '95 and '96. When he left, along with all those great players recruited by McCartney and his staff, the wheels fell off the bus at Colorado. With Koy on the field (or the sideline when injured), the Buffs finished the season ranked #4 in '95 and #8 in '96. Their record was 20-4.
After Detmer graduated on to the NFL, Neuheisel's Buffs won 13 games and lost 10 over the next two years. There were also reports that the NCAA was investigating Colorado for recruiting violations. Like a rat fleeing a sinking ship, the Slickster headed west and took the job at Washington.
WHAT DOES ALL THIS HAVE TO DO WITH COLORADO IN 2015?
Brian Lindgren, the current Colorado QB coach and Offensive Coordinator, came with coach Mike MacIntyre to Colorado in 2013 after leading San Jose State to 11 wins and a top 25 ranking in 2012. It was Lindgren's first year at SJS, and the success of that team gave him great reviews as one of the best young offensive coordinators around.
When one goes back, however, it is easy to note that maybe the success Lindgren had at SJS was due mostly to David Fales, their excellent quarterback now with the Chicago Bears. Fales holds most of the SJS passing records despite being at the school for only two years.
When MacIntyre and Lindgren came to Colorado in 2013, they inherited a team that was possibly the worst in the country in 2012. What they also inherited was a 5* quarterback transfer from Texas in Connor Wood. Despite the pedigree, Lindgren was unable to coach Wood into a top quarterback. In fact, seven games into the season, Wood was benched and freshman Sefo Liufau took over the reins. Wood decided to leave football after that year.
Liufau finished out 2013 as the starter and in 2014 broke many Colorado passing records. Most of the records were due to the sheer volume of passes attempted. Sefo attempted 498 passes in 2014.
By comparison, Koy Detmer threw 458 in '95 and '96 combined. And Kordell Stewart averaged 261 passes each of his three seasons as starter. Kordell also left CU with more almost 1300 yards rushing.)
"Yards per Attempt" (Y/A) is one of they key stats for quarterbacks. Compare the following #'s in Y/A for notable quarterbacks:
9.1 -- Koy Detmer
9.0 -- Darian Hagan
8.9 -- David Fales
8.4 -- Troy Aikman
8.3 -- Kordell Stewart
6.5 -- Sefo Liufau
Each pass attempted by the first five listed was 30-40% more effective in gaining yards than those thrown by the Colorado QB who broke so many records under the guidance of Brian Lindgren.
Even more important than Y/A is the record a team has under the guidance of an exceptional quarterback. These records are for when each was the primary quarterback (starter unless injured) for their team.
30-5-3 Darian Hagan
28-6-2 Kordell Stewart
20-4 Koy Detmer
20-4 Troy Aikman
17-8 David Fales
3-15 Sefo Liufau
Sefo Liufau has been added purely for statistical and comparative reasons. Unlike the others listed above, he was truly thrust into the fire his true freshman season. No redshirt year... no backup up year.... Just take over for a team that has been struggling for a decade.
That being the case, his QB coach and offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren needs to take all the criticism for lack of production from the quarterback and the offense.
If (or when) the Buffs turn it around, all the credit should go to Sefo and his fellow players. If not, the blame falls on the coaches. Like in war, privates and corporals can be heroes, but the loss of the battle belongs on the officers, and ultimately the commanding officer.
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