Which would you rather have?

[TBS_20]

Sourh Dakota State offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, Zach Lujan is a home run hire. He play called a national title season and is still play calling this 12-0 season.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

Sourh Dakota State offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, Zach Lujan is a home run hire. He play called a national title season and is still play calling this 12-0 season.

OC is a big part of the game but what about defense, specials, recruiting, leadership…etc? I know very little about him but feel like the resume is light/inexperienced if he has been solely focused on offense in his career.

 

[Cheesehead]

Can’t say a lot about specials, our recent performance on special teams has cost us a playoff bid. Hard to say if he would make us better when he inherited a loaded roster of 24 year olds which is what is required to win in the Valley. Somehow SDSU can keep kids from leaving, that’s really the key. Not sure if it’s coaches or money that keeps them there but when average age in a game is 23.5 vs 20.5 it’s over

 

[TBS_20]

OC is a big part of the game but what about defense, specials, recruiting, leadership…etc? I know very little about him but feel like the resume is light/inexperienced if he has been solely focused on offense in his career.

I hear what you're saying and I also don't know how well.he grades in those areas but I know he's a national champion caliber OC and very well could be a 2 natty OC by the time the season of over. Anyone picking him over Spack is just doing it because they like Brock. This isn't about liking someone it's about what's best for the program.

 

[Redbird15]

OC is a big part of the game but what about defense, specials, recruiting, leadership…etc? I know very little about him but feel like the resume is light/inexperienced if he has been solely focused on offense in his career.

Just go back and look at C.J Irvin profile in 2021 when he and Langford were Co-Offensive Coordinators that's what you call inexperience ! C.J. Irvin - Football Coach - Illinois State University Athletics

 

[Redbird222]

It's an interesting question but i do think i feel like for the first time since COVID year that we could potentially have a strong returning team.

I thought 2020 we were setup for a strong year and then we lost so many players once the fall season was cancelled. I dont think things were handled well that year by the Staff and we have been paying the price ever since.

Assuming we retain our offensive coordinator and keys pieces don't head for the portal, I think our offense could be strong again. I do feel confident that Brock will be able to improve the defense. If the offense had stayed stale and there wasnt a fundamental change in our offensive approach, I would say move on and bring in the OC from SDSU. However, that was not the case this year. Whether it was Peterson influence or Spack finally being open to changes, the offense improved leaps and bounds. The run game was still very effective and the passing game moved into the last decade. It was also nice to see we didnt shut down the offense the last 2 games when Rittenhouse took over.

I am pretty confident that Spack can mold this young defense to be much more productive. I would wait the next 4 weeks and assuming Spack keeps Peterson and other key players, I support keeping Spack another year based on the changes made this year and that the team actually improved offensively. I also think it has potential for next. I wouldn't give Spack a long leash. If he reverts back to ultra conservative approach, especially offensively then I would pull the trigger. Also, you can evaluate the OC in the playoffs during the next 4 weeks too.

 

[Total Red]

I'd like to have Coach Stig, the man that built SDSU into the force it is today, but he's retired.

 

[SgtHulka]

Is Lovie available?

 

[DaveBird10]

Offense averaged 32.8 ppg, offense wasn't the problem this year. Yes, Lujan is good OC with a bunch of 25yr olds who have played 6 years of college ball but what d-coordinator is he bringing in and then you're reloading and losing your redshirt freshman linebacker who's up for the Jerry Rice award.

 

[fourthandshort]

It's an interesting question but i do think i feel like for the first time since COVID year that we could potentially have a strong returning team.

I thought 2020 we were setup for a strong year and then we lost so many players once the fall season was cancelled. I dont think things were handled well that year by the Staff and we have been paying the price ever since.

Assuming we retain our offensive coordinator and keys pieces don't head for the portal, I think our offense could be strong again. I do feel confident that Brock will be able to improve the defense. If the offense had stayed stale and there wasnt a fundamental change in our offensive approach, I would say move on and bring in the OC from SDSU. However, that was not the case this year. Whether it was Peterson influence or Spack finally being open to changes, the offense improved leaps and bounds. The run game was still very effective and the passing game moved into the last decade. It was also nice to see we didnt shut down the offense the last 2 games when Rittenhouse took over.

I am pretty confident that Spack can mold this young defense to be much more productive. I would wait the next 4 weeks and assuming Spack keeps Peterson and other key players, I support keeping Spack another year based on the changes made this year and that the team actually improved offensively. I also think it has potential for next. I wouldn't give Spack a long leash. If he reverts back to ultra conservative approach, especially offensively then I would pull the trigger. Also, you can evaluate the OC in the playoffs during the next 4 weeks too.

agreed .. would only frame this as, given how promising this roster looks, there is no way we fire Spack with so much coming back and 2 years left on his contract.

That said, ... I would love to make sure we keep OC Peterson. Given how much he has bounced around, you'd think he wants to prove himself without Annexstad for another couple years. Peterson had many shots at FBS level and hasn't stuck anywhere of late. AD and Spack need to figure out how to throw him a little more money to show him some love. Then we'll see if this isn't the best combination since Spack-Beathard ... though right now, I feel like Spack-Peterson is already a better combination .. BUT for the fact he has only had one good season on offense.

I'm just a huge proponent and fan of using the TEs in the pass game. Yet many offenses struggle to do this .. I just have no idea why it is so hard to remember to throw to the TE ... to me, its easier than throwing to WRs .. and it helps keep defenses so honest out the outside pass game. For this reason, and how well prepared Rittenhouse was to jump right into the mix .. we need to keep Peterson. I just hope Peterson recognizes it was one good season .. he can do more to prove himself if he stays a couple seasons before he bounces back to FBS ... ISU can help him, while he helps ISU. He will be the reason we find a TE in portal and maybe find a few other offensive players, like OL, in portal.

Anyway ... our arrow is pointing squarely upward .. limit portal defections, keep Peterson .. and 2024 will be a playoff run on some level.

 

[fourthandshort]

I'd like to have Coach Stig, the man that built SDSU into the force it is today, but he's retired.

Agreed .. this is still Stig's program and team. SDSU lost to NDSU in playoffs 4 times before they overtook them the last 2 years. Stig had a top 8 program for the last 10-12 years but couldn't get past NDSU, and then the occasional JMU or someone else. But SDSU was always knocking on the door and has had other great offenses. Lujan may be a great OC/QB handler .. but this doesn't mean he is or even will become a great HC. Plus he is young and benefitted greatly from the entire SDSU program built by Stig .. as you said.

 

[Birgs]

Bleeding Blue: Lujan

There are some points that echo some of the sage posters in this thread about benefiting from longevity of system and players. While the article goes with the "bleeds blue" theme, he seems just awfully too "green" to me. Essentially ZERO experience outside of OC or QBs (and SDSU has an exclusive Run Game Coordinator, BTW), no HC on any level, no BCS even as a Grad Asst., no idea about his recruiting footprint.

Hopefully Western offers him their HC gig, so TBS_20 can get an agent commission as much as he's been pimping this guy.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, there is so much more to being an HC from a CEO standpoint so-to-speak; ESPECIALLY in the Portal Era.

Also, agree so much about retaining our current OC, enticing a Portal TE and ramp up that feature further; incentivize our RB stable to stay....

Yes, I am taking a sip of the Kool-Aid, but not drowning in it mode so much.

 

[TBS_20]

Kool aid ran out

 

[fourthandshort]

just read the wording and framing of the 2 voting options for the first time ... this thread is a pretty stupid waste of time.

 

[TBS_20]

just read the wording and framing of the 2 voting options for the first time ... this thread is a pretty stupid waste of time.

There isnt anything untruthful that i said. I assume you meant the brock option. He his beloved, he has been mediocre now, the program is stuck in neutral (what you think will happen next season is still neutral until otherwise proven), and he is soon retiring. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean its not true.

 

[fourthandshort]

There isnt anything untruthful that i said. I assume you meant the brock option. He his beloved, he has been mediocre now, the program is stuck in neutral (what you think will happen next season is still neutral until otherwise proven), and he is soon retiring. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean its not true.

That helps make my point more convincingly !!

Hint .. it's not a serious/objective/realistic set of options. It is a false choice. Yet you want to be taken seriously with your views on this. It's not that you can't have this view, but this is just not a serious approach.

Hint 2 .. nor is, I would rather swing and miss 3 times than keep Spack. Way too emotional to be taken seriously.

 

[crazzymark]

I thought we was getting a FBS job after the season is done.

 

[crazzymark]

agreed .. would only frame this as, given how promising this roster looks, there is no way we fire Spack with so much coming back and 2 years left on his contract.

That said, ... I would love to make sure we keep OC Peterson. Given how much he has bounced around, you'd think he wants to prove himself without Annexstad for another couple years. Peterson had many shots at FBS level and hasn't stuck anywhere of late. AD and Spack need to figure out how to throw him a little more money to show him some love. Then we'll see if this isn't the best combination since Spack-Beathard ... though right now, I feel like Spack-Peterson is already a better combination .. BUT for the fact he has only had one good season on offense.

I'm just a huge proponent and fan of using the TEs in the pass game. Yet many offenses struggle to do this .. I just have no idea why it is so hard to remember to throw to the TE ... to me, its easier than throwing to WRs .. and it helps keep defenses so honest out the outside pass game. For this reason, and how well prepared Rittenhouse was to jump right into the mix .. we need to keep Peterson. I just hope Peterson recognizes it was one good season .. he can do more to prove himself if he stays a couple seasons before he bounces back to FBS ... ISU can help him, while he helps ISU. He will be the reason we find a TE in portal and maybe find a few other offensive players, like OL, in portal.

Anyway ... our arrow is pointing squarely upward .. limit portal defections, keep Peterson .. and 2024 will be a playoff run on some level.

Been told that up to nine starts are portal bound. Most FBS. Rather have a bowl game than nothing at all.

 

[MadBird]

We waited too long!!

With significant staff shaking up on the heels of his program's break-through, 8-5 2023 campaign, Northwestern coach David Braun is dialing in his search for the program's next offensive coordinator.

Sources tell FootballScoop that South Dakota State offensive coordinator Zach Lujan, FootballScoop's 2023 FCS Offensive Coordinator of the Year, has emerged as a top target in Braun's search to replace Mike Bajakian.

https://footballscoop.com/news/sources-nations-top-fcs-offensive-coordinator-zach-lujan-emerges-as-top-northwestern-target

 

[fourthandshort]

We waited too long!!

https://footballscoop.com/news/sources-nations-top-fcs-offensive-coordinator-zach-lujan-emerges-as-top-northwestern-target

will be interesting to see how this pans out - makes me wonder what the connection was. Would sure be a nice bump for same job .. but it is just Northwestern. They're not exactly a destination for an FBS up and comer OC, other than being Big 10 .. so theyre looking at an FCS up and comer OC.

If he gets the job, will be interesting to see how he does as OC starting from scratch. They're offense was pretty weak this year, so this will be a much bigger test for him .. FBS and will need to build it himself. He may work out, or they may learn he inherited a lot at SDSU. But I'm guessing since he got the job at SDSU, they must have liked him and probably gave a glowing recommendation if Northwestern already made the call .. which they must have.