The Revolving Offensive Line Door

Imagine you are a third-year offensive lineman at USC, like Max Tuerk or Zach Banner. Next year you will start your fourth year of college with your fourth offensive line coach. Freshman year was James Cregg. Sophomore year was Mike Summers. Junior year was Tim Drevno. Senior year will be  . . .

You think an offensive lineman who gets criticized by a coach next year might want to say, “maybe if I didn’t have a different coach every year.”

23 thoughts on “The Revolving Offensive Line Door

  1. OR SW. IMAGINE ……..You are a young man maturing that loves being part of a team,part of what has the potential to be the best O line in PAC 12.And you think this is frustrating yet its making me better and the team better.”I’ll dig deeper and work through this…. Then since we are imaging Wolf 5-10-15 years later.. …….”I sure loved my years at USC”………Imagine!….”Fight On”

    • I would be curious to hear what Tuerk and Wheeler really think, and what strategies they use to stay motivated. Maybe it’s just as you say.

      I’d be equally curious to hear what Drevno really thinks about USC’s HC and athletic department.

      Clearly what has transpired is not ideal. Haden’s lack of control over Kiffin and failure to make an early read of the players and fans exacerbated the pace of change.

      On the thought that Sark is going to work out, it might be reasonable to
      project greater stability. On the thought that he won’t work out, it’s
      reasonable to expect more change.

      Count the number of players who departed with remaining eligibility, yet without great prospects in the NFL. I think that says something about general player sentiment. Perhaps you disagree.

      • I agree Ben. You look at what has transpired since Pat Haden became AD and there is no consistency. Pat Haden is in over his head! MG was a hell of a lot better than this…

        • I’m not too familiar with Garrett’s tenure. I read that he hired PC with some reluctance, and that he and PC were often at odds. And that he exacerbated frictions with the NCAA.

          Haden faced a lot of problems, which is why he was invited, with zero experience, to be AD. His management has not wowed me. I think he erred in not hiring a great consultant/#2 with lots of experience. I have read that he will be succeeded by Jackson, and that is not a confidence builder.

      • A lot of interesting points and questions.. We must always remind ourselves last few years were uncharted waters.. Scholarship reductions, many practices no pads, greatly reduced depht charts.. So we see games not the meetings and practice. Coaches being asked to coach in different senaros ..fewer players to coach…. Players react differently than in program with full rosters… I’m neutral concerning Sark today, most of the players were kiffys,good but not Sark’s. So recruiting is different this cycle… A question I’ve had about Hadens hire did any top coach’s want the job? Probably not. Now 2016/17 I think job much more attractive. If Sark doesn’t show the tools next year to lead back to NC, then he could be gone.. …Drevnos history, good coach decent recruiter…. Love hate relationship with Harbaugh,left 49’s mad,joined USC as an escape, now back to Harbaugh..line coaches come and go on all levels..depends on coaches skeems. We will get good coach.lost a lot of marginal players last year only farmer this year.. I’m not a Haden fan. We should have gone balistic in court with NCAA 3 years ago.challenge their excistence ,a deal would have been struck.any way for today and recruiting its good going .when spring ball comes let’s see..

        • Timing affects hiring. Haden didn’t take advantage of what he had: a popular interim coach who would not have required a long-term deal. Instead, he entered a long-term deal with a coach about whom you are neutral. And your nature seems more “glass half full” than “glass half empty.”

          I hope Sark proves out. We’ll see. His prospects would improve if he empowered an OC, and turned all his attention to HC duties (which would still permit him to set the direction of the offense.)

  2. Good point Wolf, stability in the coaching staff is a good thing, builds continuity, turnover is disruptive. Let’s hope Sark finds someone that will want to stay. Who are the potential candidates?

    • Mississippi st.line coach has been brought up a lot.. Great recruiter and builder… Our recruiting has been done for a while for O line,so staff is looking closely before hire..

  3. What a great benefit to get the mentoring and special expertise of all these different top coaches. What a lucky kid.

  4. Just think of all the different boy friends you have had Scott. Has that slowed you down any?

  5. Scott is correct in pointing out the recent coaching staff turmoil. Not the most optimum of situations and a bit more than most programs. Yet, this did not stop Scott from fomenting discontent & agitating for change at the D Coordinator and Head Coaching positions all season long. But when you talk out of both sides of your pie hole it is difficult to remain consistent.

  6. Wish DN would hire a different blog writer. All the turnover means is that the coaches at SC are in high demand and are furthering their careers somewhere else. Drevno was an Oline coach and is now a OC btw. Who wouldn’t make that move?

    What is your excuse for being a lousy beat writer, dog? I mean, Wolf.

  7. That’s what happens when you have a bunch of head coaches, Scottie. Give Sark a chance. Don’t tag him with the sins of the past. You’ll lather on much more starting with his first loss next year.

  8. Perhaps it can be looked at like they may learn something new from each of these coaches they have had. Would that be in their favor? Wolf, do you ever think about this stuff before you put it on here?

  9. Is learning to play the offensive line as tough as writing a best seller or engineering a spaceship to Mars?

    Didn’t think so.

    Perhaps there are certain nuances that each coach teaches, but by and large I bet each coach’s system is more identical than different.

  10. If any offensive lineman uttered the words you wrote, I would make them run gassers. …..NO EXCUSES!!! …and no cookies. …

  11. the O line has been our weakness for years…along with the secondary. The Oline is perpetually “young” and “needs to gel” which is what I have heard for the last 6 years. The fountain of youth, always “very young”
    the talent is there we have/had some of the top O lineman in the country which tells you the coaches suck

  12. One of the biggest reasons why head football coaches have success, is because they retain their assistant coaches, this according to Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh. And the sign of a weak coach is one who has assistants that jump ship for lateral positions, such as Tim Drevno. Michigan gave Drevno the offensive coordinator title along with his offensive line duty’s, but we all know what the deal is with that. Steve Sarkisian will always be looking for quality assistants, because he is a WEAK head coach, and USC will be looking for a defensive coordinator this time next year, I GUARANTEE !!!!

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