Written by Matt Zemek at The Comeback
It’s the topic which never gets quite enough attention when coaching carousel situations emerge, and when coaching vacancies are discussed: If the new head coach has a specific point of expertise, how will the program fill the vacancy for the “weak-side” coordinator — the one with expertise on the other side of the ball?
If Head Coach A is an offensive guru, then, how will the program handle the vacancy for Defensive Coordinator B?
It’s not enough for Head Coach A to be a great play caller; if Defensive Coordinator B can’t stop a flea, the program won’t rise. As a perfect example of this, consider Texas Tech.
Kliff Kingsbury is unquestioned as an offensive mastermind, but his defensive coordinators are weak and ineffective. The Red Raiders show no real signs of becoming a program that can ever win more than nine games or crack the top three of the Big 12 in their present configuration. It’s not that the head coach isn’t good at what he does; it’s that he doesn’t ensure success on the side of the ball he doesn’t know well. Budgeting, resources, and a willingness on the part of the assistants to buy into a larger overall plan all form the full puzzle when coaching vacancies are discussed. Merely hiring at one position can move the operation forward, but the real key is for the head coach to have the coordinator who can take care of the other side of the ball.
This is the time to pivot to the reports on Saturday that while Justin Fuente of Memphis will soon be named as Frank Beamer’s replacement at Virginia Tech, defensive coordinator Bud Foster will stay on in Blacksburg to help Fuente.
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