College Football Nation: Mike Norvell
Todd Graham can throw all kinds of diagrams and playbooks and chalk talks at his players until their heads spin. But if they don't believe in what the Sun Devils are trying to do, then it doesn't really matter how much of the playbook they do or don't retain.
So more important than the Xs and Os, Graham is stressing the dos and don'ts of being in his program and the challenges that come from making a culture change. And after a few months on the job, he's pleased to report that, in his mind, Arizona State is headed in the right direction.
"The thing I'm most proud of is how they responded to such a drastic change," said Graham. "In terms of accountability -- we expect them to go to class every day, we check every class, we drug test every kid in the program. We're trying to install this structure and discipline and I'm proud of the way this team has responded to that and embraced that. The guys have bought in."
Before the start of the spring session, Arizona State's players were little more than images on film to Graham. He could read bios, track workouts and see what they did last season. But that didn't really give him a sense of what he had to work with as he and his staff are trying to install new systems on both sides of the ball. Now that he's seen them do some live work, he's starting to get a sense of the team's identity.
"Those first six practices, you know how it is when you are trying to change things up, you just want to beat your head against a wall," Graham said. "But on the seventh practice, I got the impression that they were finally getting it."
Graham said he's been impressed with the offensive line play -- which he thought was going to be a question mark heading into the spring. He was complimentary of returning starters Evan Finkenberg and Andrew Sampson, but also noted that Brice Schwab and Jamil Douglas "have really been impressive."
"I think the strength of our defense is the defensive line so those guys [on the offensive line] are playing against some pretty good competition," Graham said. "Every day those guys get a little better. That has been a real bright spot."
Graham didn't add much to what offensive coordinator Mike Norvell said last week about the quarterback competition, but he did single out the springs of running back Cameron Marshall, safety Alden Darby, cornerback Osahon Irabor, defensive tackle Corey Adams and wide receivers Jamal Miles and Rashad Ross.
"Miles has really started to master his craft," Graham said. "He's been very disciplined in his route running. Marshall is at the front of a stable that I think is going to be very good.
"The reality is that we still have a long way to go. But I've got confidence because I think this team is coming together because of each one of them buying in and working as a team. We are making great progress in developing that trust that it takes to be a family and a team and a team that wins. I remind them every day that we're going to be a team that wins championships and you can't do that without winning every day in everything that you do."
So more important than the Xs and Os, Graham is stressing the dos and don'ts of being in his program and the challenges that come from making a culture change. And after a few months on the job, he's pleased to report that, in his mind, Arizona State is headed in the right direction.
"The thing I'm most proud of is how they responded to such a drastic change," said Graham. "In terms of accountability -- we expect them to go to class every day, we check every class, we drug test every kid in the program. We're trying to install this structure and discipline and I'm proud of the way this team has responded to that and embraced that. The guys have bought in."
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Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesNew ASU coach Todd Graham said his team has responded well to his direction this spring.
Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesNew ASU coach Todd Graham said his team has responded well to his direction this spring."Those first six practices, you know how it is when you are trying to change things up, you just want to beat your head against a wall," Graham said. "But on the seventh practice, I got the impression that they were finally getting it."
Graham said he's been impressed with the offensive line play -- which he thought was going to be a question mark heading into the spring. He was complimentary of returning starters Evan Finkenberg and Andrew Sampson, but also noted that Brice Schwab and Jamil Douglas "have really been impressive."
"I think the strength of our defense is the defensive line so those guys [on the offensive line] are playing against some pretty good competition," Graham said. "Every day those guys get a little better. That has been a real bright spot."
Graham didn't add much to what offensive coordinator Mike Norvell said last week about the quarterback competition, but he did single out the springs of running back Cameron Marshall, safety Alden Darby, cornerback Osahon Irabor, defensive tackle Corey Adams and wide receivers Jamal Miles and Rashad Ross.
"Miles has really started to master his craft," Graham said. "He's been very disciplined in his route running. Marshall is at the front of a stable that I think is going to be very good.
"The reality is that we still have a long way to go. But I've got confidence because I think this team is coming together because of each one of them buying in and working as a team. We are making great progress in developing that trust that it takes to be a family and a team and a team that wins. I remind them every day that we're going to be a team that wins championships and you can't do that without winning every day in everything that you do."
For all of those hoping for a quick resolution to Arizona State's three-way quarterback competition, offensive coordinator Mike Norvell has some disappointing news: not gonna happen.
"I'm definitely OK with this thing going into the summer," said Norvell, who came from Pitt with new head coach Todd Graham. "Obviously, you'd like to be able to name a starter, that always helps. But in our situation, us being in our first year, and these guys all being relatively young, we want to be able to give them time to mature. If we were a third-year staff, I would say that I want a starter by the end of spring. But I don't see that being able to occur, so I'm more than OK with this going into the summer."
Given the inexperience at the position, Norvell had very little film to work with when trying to gauge Michael Eubank, Taylor Kelly and Mike Bercovici, so the last couple of weeks have really been his first chance to start serious evaluations.
Here's his take on the trio so far:
Despite a "spread" mentality, Norvell said people are going to be surprised by how balanced the Sun Devils are going to be. He said -- in a perfect world -- they'll have a 55-45 percent run-to-pass ratio.
"The biggest thing for us is our tempo," he said. "We want to run 80-plus snaps a game. If we're snapping the ball 80-85 times per game, we're still throwing 40-45 times. You get the best of both worlds in this offense. But that tempo hopefully opens everything up.
"Everybody wants to consider us spread because we're in the gun so much, but we are a two-back spread team. We have a lot of straight, pro-style run schemes. We're very balanced with our play-action and run-to-pass ratio. We want to be physical. That's at every position. We want to have that mentality and be able to run the football. That opens up everything we want in the passing game and being able to execute that part of the offense."
All three took equal snaps during Saturday's scrimmage. Norvell is aware that Eubank is a "fan favorite" because of his athletic talent and size. But he won't be swayed by the opinion of others.
"Anytime you look at a young man that has those physical tools and the ability he has, people get excited about it," Norvell said. "He's got to continue to take a workman's approach and he's done a good job. He wants to know this offense as well as I know it. He's putting in the time. But you look at those other two guys, they are fierce competitors and they know what we want to do. We really have a great situation and a great competition."
"I'm definitely OK with this thing going into the summer," said Norvell, who came from Pitt with new head coach Todd Graham. "Obviously, you'd like to be able to name a starter, that always helps. But in our situation, us being in our first year, and these guys all being relatively young, we want to be able to give them time to mature. If we were a third-year staff, I would say that I want a starter by the end of spring. But I don't see that being able to occur, so I'm more than OK with this going into the summer."
Given the inexperience at the position, Norvell had very little film to work with when trying to gauge Michael Eubank, Taylor Kelly and Mike Bercovici, so the last couple of weeks have really been his first chance to start serious evaluations.
Here's his take on the trio so far:
Kelly: Probably the most experienced of the quarterbacks, but he has some game experience. He can do a little of both. He understands throwing on timing, but can also present some promise for defenses with his legs. He's a mature young man and a quick-study of what we're doing. We need to continue to develop some consistency with him.
Bercovici: He's still growing. Great arm, understands the passing game and he gets the ball out quickly on time with a good release. He doesn't have as much experience with timing, but he's done a good job so far picking everything up.
Eubank: He's a physical talent. 6-5, 240 pounds, he can run, has a really good arm and can make a lot of different throws. He throws the deep ball exceptionally well. We need to develop consistency with his fundamentals, and a lot of that is attributed to his youth, but he can do a lot of different things for us.
Despite a "spread" mentality, Norvell said people are going to be surprised by how balanced the Sun Devils are going to be. He said -- in a perfect world -- they'll have a 55-45 percent run-to-pass ratio.
"The biggest thing for us is our tempo," he said. "We want to run 80-plus snaps a game. If we're snapping the ball 80-85 times per game, we're still throwing 40-45 times. You get the best of both worlds in this offense. But that tempo hopefully opens everything up.
"Everybody wants to consider us spread because we're in the gun so much, but we are a two-back spread team. We have a lot of straight, pro-style run schemes. We're very balanced with our play-action and run-to-pass ratio. We want to be physical. That's at every position. We want to have that mentality and be able to run the football. That opens up everything we want in the passing game and being able to execute that part of the offense."
All three took equal snaps during Saturday's scrimmage. Norvell is aware that Eubank is a "fan favorite" because of his athletic talent and size. But he won't be swayed by the opinion of others.
"Anytime you look at a young man that has those physical tools and the ability he has, people get excited about it," Norvell said. "He's got to continue to take a workman's approach and he's done a good job. He wants to know this offense as well as I know it. He's putting in the time. But you look at those other two guys, they are fierce competitors and they know what we want to do. We really have a great situation and a great competition."
TEMPE, Ariz. -- On Jan. 6, Mike Bercovici was chilling with some friends when he got a call from Arizona State receiver Aaron Pflugrad. There, it seemed, was some big news for the Sun Devils' backup quarterback.
In a surprise to many, junior Brock Osweiler, the Sun Devils' starting quarterback, had decided to enter the NFL draft.
"My mindset changed immediately," Bercovici said. "I was really excited when I heard the news."
Of course he was. It's natural that the backup becomes the favorite to win the job when the starter leaves. Osweiler's decision meant Bercovici was suddenly in line to become No. 1 on the depth chart a year earlier than expected -- as a true sophomore.
But, as everyone also knows, Osweiler also wasn't the only person who bolted the Sun Devils. When coach Dennis Erickson was fired, offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone and his spread passing attack moved on to UCLA. Enter Todd Graham and his spread-option, Oregon-esque offense, which asks the quarterback to be a running threat.
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Jennifer Hilderbrand/US PresswireMike Bercovici was last season's backup at Arizona State, but might not be the best quarterback for new coach Todd Graham.
Jennifer Hilderbrand/US PresswireMike Bercovici was last season's backup at Arizona State, but might not be the best quarterback for new coach Todd Graham."I'm not as familiar with the zone read," he said.
The guy who lost out on the backup job to Bercovici last preseason, sophomore Taylor Kelly, however, does have experience running the spread option. And, oh by the way, redshirt freshman Michael Eubank, an impressive athlete at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, was recruited by Graham to play quarterback at Pittsburgh.
"He tells me he knows me. He's told me that numerous times since he's been here," Eubank said. "But I'm fighting for the job like the rest of the guys. I don't feel like I have any advantage just because I know him."
What we do know: This feels like an honest-to-goodness battle. This offense seems to fit Kelly's and Eubank's comfort zone better than Bercovici's, but Graham's offense also emphasizes throwing the ball downfield -- much more so than Mazzone's quick-hit passing attack. Bercovici can hurl the rock downfield, there is absolutely no doubt about that.
But Graham isn't talking so much about the different skill sets of his signal-callers. For one, spring practices only start Tuesday, so he hasn't seen them in action. But he makes clear that there's a lot more to playing the position than passing and running.
"We spend a lot more time focusing on the intangibles, the mental part of it," he said. "The guy who will win this job will be the guy who can lead our team."
That said, becoming proficient with the spread option is a key component of the competition. But it's not all about athletic ability and blazing speed, either.
"The read zone is a part of what we do," Graham said. "We want to hurt them with our legs but slay them with our arm. Most of the guys in this system have been between 4.8 and 5-flat [in the 40-yard-dash], but if you have great technique you can be very deceptive in the option game."
(Graham said his offense best compares to what Chad Morris runs at Clemson and what new Arkansas State coach Gus Malzahn ran as Auburn's offensive coordinator).
None of the three has any real college experience. And all three are young, so whoever wins could be in line to be a three- or (in Eubank's case) four-year starter. Graham and offensive coordinator Mike Norvell said each will get equal time with the first-team offense until a pecking order establishes itself.
"I don't have a timeline for when we're going to cut it to a two-man race or when we're going to name a starter," Norvell said. "It's a process and it's going to take its course. We're going to see how the guys compete."
And the competition is almost certain to extend well into fall camp.
Said Norvell, "I think I'll find it hard to name a starter after just 15 practices."
As spring practice kicks into high gear around the Big East, here's your handy-dandy guide to all of the offseason coaching moves around the league. Clip and save: (Oh, wait. This is a blog. Do not clip your computer screen.)
Cincinnati
No changes
Connecticut
Out:
Randy Edsall, head coach (to Maryland)
Todd Orlando, defensive coordinator/inside linebackers (to Florida International)
Lyndon Johnson, outside linebackers/special teams coordinator (to Maryland)
Terry Richardson, running backs (to Miami)
In:
Paul Pasqualoni, head coach
George DeLeone, offensive coordinator
Don Brown, defensive coordinator
Clayton White, special team coordinator/running backs
Internal moves:
Former offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead is now quarterbacks coach
Quick take:
Pasqualoni, the Connecticut native, comes aboard with two new coordinators (three if you count special teams). But the rest of the staff stayed intact. Edsall took only one assistant with him to Maryland, which is strange. There should be more continuity in this coaching change than most. The trick will be getting the old and the new styles to mesh.
Louisville
Out:
Mike Groh, quarterbacks (to Alabama)
In:
Shawn Watson, quarterbacks
Quick take:
Charlie Strong scored a victory by keeping his staff almost fully together after a successful first year. Watson, the former Nebraska offensive coordinator, looks like a great addition to coach a position in flux.
Pittsburgh
Out:
Dave Wannstedt, head coach (forced resignation)
All of Wannstedt's assistants
In:
Todd Graham, head coach
Paul Randolph, executive associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator/defensive line
Calvin Magee, assistant head coach/co-offensive coordinator/running backs
Mike Norvell, co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers/director of recruiting
Keith Patterson, defensive coordinator/linebackers
Tony Dews, tight ends
Todd Dodge, quarterbacks
Tony Gibson, cornerbacks,/recruiting coordinator
Spencer Leftwich, offensive line
Randall McCray, safeties/special teams coordinator
Quick take:
It's certainly a sea change at Pitt, with an new staff and a whole new philosophy. The presence of several West Virginia assistants lends a little more spice to the Backyard Brawl, as well. Graham has done a good job of building some excitement after the whole Wannstedt/Mike Haywood mess.
Rutgers
Out:
Kyle Ciarrocca, co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks (not retained)
Randy Melvin, defensive line (not retained)
Ed Pinkham, co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs (to Elon)
In:
Frank Cignetti Jr., offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
Brian Angelichio, tight ends
Jeff Hafley, defensive backs
Internal moves:
Phil Galiano moves from tight ends to defensive line
Robb Smith will coach linebackers as well as special teams
Quick take:
After a 4-8 season, Rutgers needed to make some major changes. Head coach Greg Schiano took advantage of the Pitt staff turnover to hire three former Panthers assistants. Hafley's ties in New Jersey already helped in recruiting. Cignetti will be charged with fixing a stale offense.
South Florida
No changes
Syracuse
Out:
Bob Casullo, assistant head coach/special teams (parted ways)
In:
Tim Daoust, defensive end
Internal moves:
Nathanial Hackett was promoted to offensive coordinator
John Anselmo becomes assistant head coach and will work with linebackers
Dan Conley will concentrate on inside linebackers
Defensive coordinator Scott Shafer will work with defensive backs
Jimmy Brumbaugh will coach defensive tackles
Special teams will be divided among the staff
Quick take:
Casullo left before last season ended, so Syracuse had already moved on. The changes in responsibilities reflect the areas of concentration for the Orange this summer, as they have many young players who need tutoring.
West Virginia
Out:
Jeff Mullen, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks (not retained)
Lonnie Galloway, receivers (to Wake Forest)
Dave Johnson, offensive line (not retained)
Chris Beatty, running backs/slot receivers (not retained)
Dave McMichael, tight ends/special teams (not retained)
In:
Dana Holgorsen, offensive coordinator/head coach in waiting
Shannon Dawson, receivers
Bill Bedenbaugh, offensive line
Robert Gillespie, running backs
Quick take:
The entire offensive staff was let go except for Galloway, who left for Wake Forest a couple of weeks ago. West Virginia hasn't named a replacement for Galloway yet, but Dawson and Holgorsen will likely coach the receivers, with someone coming on board for special teams. The defensive staff remains intact, and Bill Stewart will coach his final year before handing the reins to Holgorsen. It will be a fascinating chemistry test.
Cincinnati
No changes
Connecticut
Out:
Randy Edsall, head coach (to Maryland)
Todd Orlando, defensive coordinator/inside linebackers (to Florida International)
Lyndon Johnson, outside linebackers/special teams coordinator (to Maryland)
Terry Richardson, running backs (to Miami)
In:
Paul Pasqualoni, head coach
George DeLeone, offensive coordinator
Don Brown, defensive coordinator
Clayton White, special team coordinator/running backs
Internal moves:
Former offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead is now quarterbacks coach
Quick take:
Pasqualoni, the Connecticut native, comes aboard with two new coordinators (three if you count special teams). But the rest of the staff stayed intact. Edsall took only one assistant with him to Maryland, which is strange. There should be more continuity in this coaching change than most. The trick will be getting the old and the new styles to mesh.
Louisville
Out:
Mike Groh, quarterbacks (to Alabama)
In:
Shawn Watson, quarterbacks
Quick take:
Charlie Strong scored a victory by keeping his staff almost fully together after a successful first year. Watson, the former Nebraska offensive coordinator, looks like a great addition to coach a position in flux.
Pittsburgh
Out:
Dave Wannstedt, head coach (forced resignation)
All of Wannstedt's assistants
In:
Todd Graham, head coach
Paul Randolph, executive associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator/defensive line
Calvin Magee, assistant head coach/co-offensive coordinator/running backs
Mike Norvell, co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers/director of recruiting
Keith Patterson, defensive coordinator/linebackers
Tony Dews, tight ends
Todd Dodge, quarterbacks
Tony Gibson, cornerbacks,/recruiting coordinator
Spencer Leftwich, offensive line
Randall McCray, safeties/special teams coordinator
Quick take:
It's certainly a sea change at Pitt, with an new staff and a whole new philosophy. The presence of several West Virginia assistants lends a little more spice to the Backyard Brawl, as well. Graham has done a good job of building some excitement after the whole Wannstedt/Mike Haywood mess.
Rutgers
Out:
Kyle Ciarrocca, co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks (not retained)
Randy Melvin, defensive line (not retained)
Ed Pinkham, co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs (to Elon)
In:
Frank Cignetti Jr., offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
Brian Angelichio, tight ends
Jeff Hafley, defensive backs
Internal moves:
Phil Galiano moves from tight ends to defensive line
Robb Smith will coach linebackers as well as special teams
Quick take:
After a 4-8 season, Rutgers needed to make some major changes. Head coach Greg Schiano took advantage of the Pitt staff turnover to hire three former Panthers assistants. Hafley's ties in New Jersey already helped in recruiting. Cignetti will be charged with fixing a stale offense.
South Florida
No changes
Syracuse
Out:
Bob Casullo, assistant head coach/special teams (parted ways)
In:
Tim Daoust, defensive end
Internal moves:
Nathanial Hackett was promoted to offensive coordinator
John Anselmo becomes assistant head coach and will work with linebackers
Dan Conley will concentrate on inside linebackers
Defensive coordinator Scott Shafer will work with defensive backs
Jimmy Brumbaugh will coach defensive tackles
Special teams will be divided among the staff
Quick take:
Casullo left before last season ended, so Syracuse had already moved on. The changes in responsibilities reflect the areas of concentration for the Orange this summer, as they have many young players who need tutoring.
West Virginia
Out:
Jeff Mullen, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks (not retained)
Lonnie Galloway, receivers (to Wake Forest)
Dave Johnson, offensive line (not retained)
Chris Beatty, running backs/slot receivers (not retained)
Dave McMichael, tight ends/special teams (not retained)
In:
Dana Holgorsen, offensive coordinator/head coach in waiting
Shannon Dawson, receivers
Bill Bedenbaugh, offensive line
Robert Gillespie, running backs
Quick take:
The entire offensive staff was let go except for Galloway, who left for Wake Forest a couple of weeks ago. West Virginia hasn't named a replacement for Galloway yet, but Dawson and Holgorsen will likely coach the receivers, with someone coming on board for special teams. The defensive staff remains intact, and Bill Stewart will coach his final year before handing the reins to Holgorsen. It will be a fascinating chemistry test.
Pitt feeling like home for Calvin Magee
February, 22, 2011
2/22/11
4:00
PM ET
By
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
Calvin Magee and his wife, Rosie, were driving around Pittsburgh last weekend looking for a place to live. Magee didn't need to use a GPS. Rosie knew where they were going and told him what streets to turn down.
The Steel City might not exactly be home, but it feels close enough for Magee. He worked for seven seasons as an assistant coach at West Virginia, including the last three as offensive coordinator under Rich Rodriguez.
"I didn't spend a lot of time right here in Pittsburgh, but I spent a lot of time on I-79 coming in and out of here," he said.
Now, his job is to get the Panthers into their new offensive system under head coach Todd Graham. The two worked together in Morgantown, when Graham was on the other side of the ball. Graham went on to oversee potent offenses as the head coach at Rice and Tulsa, while Magee followed Rodriguez to Michigan.
The two coaches, along with co-offensive coordinator/receivers coach Mike Norvell and quarterbacks coach Todd Dodge, are blending their philosophies together while watching film from last season to get a sense of what the Pitt players can do. The Panthers open spring practice March 15.
Though the Michigan/West Virginia offense was known more for its zone reads than Graham's more pass-heavy attack, Magee says there isn't that much difference between the two.
"It's funny," he said, "a lot of the base is the same. We base it from the same premise in the running game. Throwing it is a little different, and I'm excited about putting those two together. We have a good blend of people who understand the systems, and we're going to take the best of the best and go."
The offense will look dramatically different than Dave Wannstedt's pro-style philosophy. Just don't, as Graham cautioned, call it a spread.
"We want to make people play in space and defend everything sideline to sideline on every play," Magee said. "People thought we were all spread (at Michigan and West Virginia), but we had tight ends and one or two running backs most of the time.
"But they see shotgun and three or four receivers standing around and they think it's a spread, when it's really just no-huddle. We don't have four little receivers running around there and just throwing the ball around. It's still based on running the football, and then the passing game is based off of that."
Magee said he and the staff are watching all of last season's games and want to incorporate some things that Pitt did well under Wannstedt. Yet every job will be open, including quarterback. Tino Sunseri started every game last season but will have to win his job back in the spring.
"We're excited about the experience that comes back there with Tino, but we're going to make it competitive," Magee said. "Competition makes everybody better."
One spot where there's not a lot of competition, at least in the spring, is running back. Junior Ray Graham is the only experienced ball carrier and could see a lot of touches in this offense.
"I've coached a lot of very good backs in this system," said Magee, who coached running backs at West Virginia. "And, boy, he fits it."
Magee is fitting in at Pittsburgh, even if he spent several years on the other side of the Backyard Brawl rivalry. I asked him if he's gotten used to wearing the Panthers colors yet.
"I'm excited about wearing them and I love them," he said.
The Steel City might not exactly be home, but it feels close enough for Magee. He worked for seven seasons as an assistant coach at West Virginia, including the last three as offensive coordinator under Rich Rodriguez.
"I didn't spend a lot of time right here in Pittsburgh, but I spent a lot of time on I-79 coming in and out of here," he said.
Now, his job is to get the Panthers into their new offensive system under head coach Todd Graham. The two worked together in Morgantown, when Graham was on the other side of the ball. Graham went on to oversee potent offenses as the head coach at Rice and Tulsa, while Magee followed Rodriguez to Michigan.
The two coaches, along with co-offensive coordinator/receivers coach Mike Norvell and quarterbacks coach Todd Dodge, are blending their philosophies together while watching film from last season to get a sense of what the Pitt players can do. The Panthers open spring practice March 15.
Though the Michigan/West Virginia offense was known more for its zone reads than Graham's more pass-heavy attack, Magee says there isn't that much difference between the two.
"It's funny," he said, "a lot of the base is the same. We base it from the same premise in the running game. Throwing it is a little different, and I'm excited about putting those two together. We have a good blend of people who understand the systems, and we're going to take the best of the best and go."
The offense will look dramatically different than Dave Wannstedt's pro-style philosophy. Just don't, as Graham cautioned, call it a spread.
"We want to make people play in space and defend everything sideline to sideline on every play," Magee said. "People thought we were all spread (at Michigan and West Virginia), but we had tight ends and one or two running backs most of the time.
"But they see shotgun and three or four receivers standing around and they think it's a spread, when it's really just no-huddle. We don't have four little receivers running around there and just throwing the ball around. It's still based on running the football, and then the passing game is based off of that."
Magee said he and the staff are watching all of last season's games and want to incorporate some things that Pitt did well under Wannstedt. Yet every job will be open, including quarterback. Tino Sunseri started every game last season but will have to win his job back in the spring.
"We're excited about the experience that comes back there with Tino, but we're going to make it competitive," Magee said. "Competition makes everybody better."
One spot where there's not a lot of competition, at least in the spring, is running back. Junior Ray Graham is the only experienced ball carrier and could see a lot of touches in this offense.
"I've coached a lot of very good backs in this system," said Magee, who coached running backs at West Virginia. "And, boy, he fits it."
Magee is fitting in at Pittsburgh, even if he spent several years on the other side of the Backyard Brawl rivalry. I asked him if he's gotten used to wearing the Panthers colors yet.
"I'm excited about wearing them and I love them," he said.
Tulsa looks to revive the work ethic of past teams
March, 10, 2010
3/10/10
4:00
PM ET
By
Graham Watson | ESPN.com
It had been a long time since bowl season had proceeded without a Todd Graham-coached team, but last year, the Tulsa head coach watched six other Conference USA teams play for a bowl championship while he got back to the drawing board.
Tulsa finished 2009 with a 5-7 record, its first losing record since 2004. During the two years that Graham was head coach, the Golden Hurricane posted a 21-7 record, appeared in the Top 25 and had played for two Conference USA championships. In 2009, Tulsa was more or less out of title contention by the beginning of November.
“No one was more surprised than I was that we didn’t go to a bowl game because that was far from what our expectations were,” Graham said. “I think one of the hard things sometimes is when you win 21 games in two years, the expectation is you’ve got to win 12. That was our expectation.”
After starting the season 4-1, Tulsa lost six consecutive games. The Golden Hurricane fell short on an opportunity to tie Boise State in the final minutes. They allow UTEP running back Donald Buckram to score with 29 second left. Houston kicked a 51-yard field goal at time expired. Southern Miss scored three unanswered touchdowns to pull away in the second half.
It’s not that Tulsa wasn’t competitive. It was just a play here or there that swayed the momentum and Tulsa couldn’t bring it back.
“We’re not far off, it’s just that every close game in ’07 and ’08 we won, and every close game last year we lost.” Graham said. “You have to look no further than leadership and coaching. We’re going back to work and that ‘we’ve got something to prove’ mentality.”
When the season ended at the end of November, Graham went right to work on preparing his team for 2010. He posted team goals on his door:
Conference USA champions, bowl champions, 14-0 BCS champions, 100 percent graduation rate.
And then he posted them on every locker and told each player to write the goals on his mirror at home.
There was no time to feel bad about what happened in 2009, there was only time to get better for 2010. The first step in that process was rectifying the offense. Tulsa had been dominant when Gus Malzahn and Herb Hand shared offensive coordinator duties. But when Malzahn left for Auburn prior to the 2009 season, Hand wasn’t able to steer the ship alone. So, Graham hired former Lake Travis (Texas) High coach Chad Morris to help. Morris takes Malzahn’s role and will call the plays. Hand will coordinate the running game and work the offensive line, and Mike Norvell will be in charge of the passing game.
Graham said the hiring of Morris was not a knock on Hand, but a chance to get Hand back to his comfort zone.
“The key is the partnership there,” Graham said. “Your offensive line coach has to be involved in a big way and naturally, Herb is one of the best in the country. It just allows him to go back to doing what he does best.”
Graham said that while there was disappointment about the way 2009 turned out there was never any quit. The players never stopped believing in the system and the coaches never stopped believing they had the makings of a winning team.
As spring football gets underway this week, the goal is getting back to the type of team that had enough fortitude to pull out those close wins and had the leadership to get through tough stretches in the schedule. Graham said he believes that while missing a bowl game was hard, the experience of doing so might make his team better in the long run.
“I think in a way it’s very, very tough to sustain that and you can take winning for granted,” Graham said. “That’s the one thing that we’ve talked about. We need to get back to that blue-collar mentality. That chip on our shoulder, got something to prove-type mentality. That’s the team we need to be.”
Tulsa finished 2009 with a 5-7 record, its first losing record since 2004. During the two years that Graham was head coach, the Golden Hurricane posted a 21-7 record, appeared in the Top 25 and had played for two Conference USA championships. In 2009, Tulsa was more or less out of title contention by the beginning of November.
“No one was more surprised than I was that we didn’t go to a bowl game because that was far from what our expectations were,” Graham said. “I think one of the hard things sometimes is when you win 21 games in two years, the expectation is you’ve got to win 12. That was our expectation.”
After starting the season 4-1, Tulsa lost six consecutive games. The Golden Hurricane fell short on an opportunity to tie Boise State in the final minutes. They allow UTEP running back Donald Buckram to score with 29 second left. Houston kicked a 51-yard field goal at time expired. Southern Miss scored three unanswered touchdowns to pull away in the second half.
It’s not that Tulsa wasn’t competitive. It was just a play here or there that swayed the momentum and Tulsa couldn’t bring it back.
“We’re not far off, it’s just that every close game in ’07 and ’08 we won, and every close game last year we lost.” Graham said. “You have to look no further than leadership and coaching. We’re going back to work and that ‘we’ve got something to prove’ mentality.”
When the season ended at the end of November, Graham went right to work on preparing his team for 2010. He posted team goals on his door:
Conference USA champions, bowl champions, 14-0 BCS champions, 100 percent graduation rate.
And then he posted them on every locker and told each player to write the goals on his mirror at home.
There was no time to feel bad about what happened in 2009, there was only time to get better for 2010. The first step in that process was rectifying the offense. Tulsa had been dominant when Gus Malzahn and Herb Hand shared offensive coordinator duties. But when Malzahn left for Auburn prior to the 2009 season, Hand wasn’t able to steer the ship alone. So, Graham hired former Lake Travis (Texas) High coach Chad Morris to help. Morris takes Malzahn’s role and will call the plays. Hand will coordinate the running game and work the offensive line, and Mike Norvell will be in charge of the passing game.
Graham said the hiring of Morris was not a knock on Hand, but a chance to get Hand back to his comfort zone.
“The key is the partnership there,” Graham said. “Your offensive line coach has to be involved in a big way and naturally, Herb is one of the best in the country. It just allows him to go back to doing what he does best.”
Graham said that while there was disappointment about the way 2009 turned out there was never any quit. The players never stopped believing in the system and the coaches never stopped believing they had the makings of a winning team.
As spring football gets underway this week, the goal is getting back to the type of team that had enough fortitude to pull out those close wins and had the leadership to get through tough stretches in the schedule. Graham said he believes that while missing a bowl game was hard, the experience of doing so might make his team better in the long run.
“I think in a way it’s very, very tough to sustain that and you can take winning for granted,” Graham said. “That’s the one thing that we’ve talked about. We need to get back to that blue-collar mentality. That chip on our shoulder, got something to prove-type mentality. That’s the team we need to be.”
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