Assistant Coaches

[Postmaster]

So he took a job last week, then quit to come here?

[Fishclamps]

I was wondering why the UA was using one of their coaching positions for tight ends, when Marshall only used one TE and 3 WRs, but looking it up, in June 2024 the NCAA removed the restrictions on number of coaches. Can the UA finally get a dedicated ST coach?

You can have as many coaches as you want now, the only limit is the number who can recruit

[Irish27]

[tgrumpy2]

Does anyone know anything about these guys?

[TheCatInTheHat]

So is the assumption that Gonzales will also continue as the special teams coordinator, rather than hiring an individual with that as their sole responsibility?

[Merkin]

They should since the NCAA removed limits on the sizes of coaching staffs.

[azgreg]

So is the assumption that Gonzales will also continue as the special teams coordinator, rather than hiring an individual with that as their sole responsibility?

No. Gonzales will be DC/LB. According to Scheer Brennan is still looking for a STC.

[Merkin]

Bring back Joe Rob. He has made it known he wanted to return to Arizona.

https://utepminers.com/sports/football/ ... inson/1585

[TheCatInTheHat]

I sure hope so, since we're already returning a DC from a staff that gave up 32 ppg. Some of those came from offensive turnovers, and maybe we were a little short on defensive personnel. But if we're basically keeping the status quo on D, other than adding Salavea and a bit of staff juggling, keeping the status quo on ST would be a bridge too far. It was a very visible disaster in scheme, technique, coaching, and execution. We don't need fake punts and shifting out of screwy formations; just solid fundamentals on blocking for and executing kicks and with tackling on coverage teams. Hell, I'd even be okay with going back to the early Larry Smith days and just fair-catching everything if it will avoid disaster.

[Carcassdragger]

I sure hope so, since we're already returning a DC from a staff that gave up 32 ppg. Some of those came from offensive turnovers, and maybe we were a little short on defensive personnel. But if we're basically keeping the status quo on D, other than adding Salavea and a bit of staff juggling, keeping the status quo on ST would be a bridge too far. It was a very visible disaster in scheme, technique, coaching, and execution. We don't need fake punts and shifting out of screwy formations; just solid fundamentals on blocking for and executing kicks and with tackling on coverage teams. Hell, I'd even be okay with going back to the early Larry Smith days and just fair-catching everything if it will avoid disaster.

It's ironic that you bring up Larry Smith in regard to ST. He used to encourage special teams to have their own identity. He called them the "Raiders" and they seemed to have a pride and swagger to them.

[TheCatInTheHat]

And that's perfectly fine, as long as the focus is on being strong on fundamentals. Smith also used to say that the kicking game is one-third of football. People say a lot of things. I don't think anybody doubts the need to be good there. My only concern is if somebody comes in who wants to make a name for himself by encouraging an excessively high-risk approach. Yeah, Peter Hansen was tall and blocked some FGs for Tomey. And I think Gordon Bunch or somebody like that blocked a few punts for Smith. But I don't want to lose any (more) games when an opposing punter goes down like a Premier League soccer player overacting a death scene when our attempted punt blocker misses the ball and barely brushes him. And I recall how much Tomey counted on (current WR coach) Bobby Wade to get him lots of yardage on punt returns. Then Ohio State intentionally knocked him out of a game in the first quarter on a punt and ended our chances for an upset. I just want discipline, no penalties, great tackling, good stats by our kickers, and no fumbles by our returners.

[azgreg]

https://twitter.com/JohnJDevine/status/ ... 1305532830

[Merkin]

Not that I am ever thrilled with legacy hires, but he did a fantastic job at MPC. Lots of potential here.

https://www.montereyherald.com/2025/02/ ... t-arizona/

[TheCatInTheHat]

I'm still waiting for a standalone ST coach who isn't moonlighting or getting OJT. One thing that scares me about Brennan (okay there are a lot of things) is the linkage to some of Tomey's less-admired coaching traits. I seem to recall Tomey making a defensive coach his OC one year, apparently trying to help him round out his resume if he ever wanted to be a head coach. (I mean, what the hell...if you can coach at one job, you can eventually figure it out at another...the football's still the same shape isn't it?) Note: Our offense struggled that year, but it was a Tomey offense, so I'm not sure if anybody noticed. I just hope Brennan doesn't repeat yet another of last season's many mistakes.

[Merkin]

Bring Joe Rob back as ST coach. No limits on on-field coaches now.

I seem to recall Tomey making a defensive coach his OC one year, apparently trying to help him round out his resume if he ever wanted to be a head coach.

Duane Akina?

[TheCatInTheHat]

I believe it was another position coach, like maybe a D-line coach, and it just lasted one year before he went elsewhere. I tried to look it up, but they don't make it easy and none of the names rung a bell. And, it's also possible I confused early Tomey with a late post-Axman Smith move during a period when they both kind of shrugged at offense. In any event, the expectation should be experience, expertise, and a track record of success at every key coaching position. Love the Joe Robinson idea if he's interested.

[tgrumpy2]

Bring Joe Rob back as ST coach. No limits on on-field coaches now.

I seem to recall Tomey making a defensive coach his OC one year, apparently trying to help him round out his resume if he ever wanted to be a head coach.

Duane Akina?

Yes it was Duane Akina who also at one time was the quarterback coach. He really wasn't very good at either one.

[Postmaster]

Bring Joe Rob back as ST coach. No limits on on-field coaches now.

I seem to recall Tomey making a defensive coach his OC one year, apparently trying to help him round out his resume if he ever wanted to be a head coach.

Duane Akina?

Yes it was Duane Akina who also at one time was the quarterback coach. He really wasn't very good at either one.

That's who came to my mind.

[Fishclamps]

Oh boy

[84Cat]

More detail

[Fishclamps]

Texas just lost their safeties coach to the Saints today, that's what's with the timing

[Merkin]

Not sure why anyone would hire Duane Akina. I am truly a huge fan, probably because he looks like he could be my brother, but he has absolutely no loyalties. He is the Jedd Fisch of assistant coaches.

[Woodcat]

This is the second time he has done this right before the start of spring practice.

[ProfessorFate]

I wonder if he's going to try to pull Smith, Stukes, and/or Johnson with him.

[Postmaster]

Not sure why anyone would hire Duane Akina. I am truly a huge fan, probably because he looks like he could be my brother, but he has absolutely no loyalties. He is the Jedd Fisch of assistant coaches.

Idk, it seemed like he stayed here last season to try and hold things together.

[Fishclamps]

Not sure why anyone would hire Duane Akina. I am truly a huge fan, probably because he looks like he could be my brother, but he has absolutely no loyalties. He is the Jedd Fisch of assistant coaches.

Seems kinda harsh

[gronk4heisman]

Not sure why anyone would hire Duane Akina. I am truly a huge fan, probably because he looks like he could be my brother, but he has absolutely no loyalties. He is the Jedd Fisch of assistant coaches.

I just view it as we are the G League portion of his two way contract with Texas, where they just call him up whenever they are in need and he jumps at the chance. This is at least the third time he has done this, once with Brennan now, once with Fisch and once with Stoops. Not to mention the original move to Texas, but I think that was caused by Tomey's firing.

[pc in NM]

Not sure why anyone would hire Duane Akina. I am truly a huge fan, probably because he looks like he could be my brother, but he has absolutely no loyalties. He is the Jedd Fisch of assistant coaches.

Seems kinda harsh

I see a journeyman coach near the end of his career moving from a team projected to be last in a second-tier football conference to a team that is a defending SEC champion and national contender; he'll rejoin the DC who recruited him to Arizona in '23.

WTF is "wrong" with this guy???

(Nothing)

[Fishclamps]

Not sure why anyone would hire Duane Akina. I am truly a huge fan, probably because he looks like he could be my brother, but he has absolutely no loyalties. He is the Jedd Fisch of assistant coaches.

I just view it as we are the G League portion of his two way contract with Texas, where they just call him up whenever they are in need and he jumps at the chance. This is at least the third time he has done this, once with Brennan now, once with Fisch and once with Stoops. Not to mention the original move to Texas, but I think that was caused by Tomey's firing.

And the only reason he left Texas was because they fired Mack Brown and didn't retain him. He wasn't itching to go coach at Stanford.

[pc in NM]

BTW, the notion that Akina owes some kind of "loyalty" to AZ, especially over that he might feel towards Texas, is utterly nonsensical!

Duane Akina is returning to Texas to coach the secondary, a position he held with the Longhorns from 2001 to 2013 - a period that included a Golden Decade in football (2000-09) in which the Longhorns won the 2005 national title and played for the 2009 national championship.

During his time at Texas, Akina helped 15 defensive backs get selected in the NFL Draft: Quentin Jammer (2002, first round); Rod Babers (2003, fourth round); Nathan Vashar (2004, fourth round); Michael Huff (2006, first round); Cedric Griffin (2006, first round); Michael Griffin (2007, first round); Aaron Ross (2007, first round); Tarell Brown (2007, fifth round); Earl Thomas (2010, first round); Aaron Williams (2011, second round); Curtis Brown (2011, third round); Chykie Brown (2011, fifth round); Kenny Vaccaro (2013, first round); Mykkele Thompson (2015, fifth round); and Quandre Diggs (2015, sixth round).

https://247sports.com/college/arizona/l ... 246155572/

[Fishclamps]

Also wasn't the reason he was gonna go to Texas last time because he fucking hated Jedd and only stayed after Jedd bailed for Washington?

[TheCatInTheHat]

Spring Football practices start in 17 days, and we still need a secondary coach AND a stand-alone special teams coordinator. And it's not like there's just nothing at all to do when the players aren't on the practice field. In addition to all the logistics of moving, you'd like to think new coaches would be given time to strategize with the other coaches and review film of their new players and meet with them before practices begin. (Background dirge music slowly builds.) Unless, of course, we're talking about something like promoting grad assistants or repeating last year's disaster of adding ST duties to an existing coach. So, since you're on a short leash...any time now, Brent.

[azgreg]

Scheer believes we'll have a ST coordinator early next week.

[Postmaster]

Scheer believes we'll have a ST coordinator early next week.

Waiting until basketball season is done to get a coach?

[azgreg]

Scheer believes we'll have a ST coordinator early next week.

Waiting until basketball season is done to get a coach?

Will basketball season be over next week?

[UAEebs86]

Scheer believes we'll have a ST coordinator early next week.

[Postmaster]

Scheer believes we'll have a ST coordinator early next week.

Waiting until basketball season is done to get a coach?

Will basketball season be over next week?

I was joking since there was a bunch of speculation about waiting for teams to finish their bowl game before we could hire coaches.
Regular season is over next week, right?

[TheCatInTheHat]

Okay, I'm more than satisfied. This looks like a really good hire. DC at Coastal Carolina and previously ST coordinator at SMU and safeties at USC. Nominated for top assistant coach award in 2023. Not sure if he'll do special teams and also safeties to replace Akina. Mixed feelings if so, but it might work out for a coach of his caliber. Also potentially provides options down the road if Gonzales doesn't deliver as DC.

[azgreg]

One more coach to hire and it looks like it's going to be a LB coach.

[azcat49]

Wondering what will happen with our DB returnee’s now that Akina went to Texas. Will this be a Bill Norton type thing?

[azgreg]

https://bsky.app/search?q=Josh+Bringuel

Arizona football officially added two more coaches to its coaching staff on Tuesday. The Wildcats announced special teams coordinator Greg Naivar and linebackers coach Josh Bringuel as the newest members