New Football Head Coach announced

[VULB#62]

62, based on your comment below...

"That leaves the D and special teams -- areas that have consistently been ravaged by opposing teams in all four seasons of the Carlson era.
It looks like Stovall is an addition, not a replacement, as the article says he'll coach OLBs like he did at Lehigh.  No one on the 2013 staff had that designation.  Casey Teegardin held the LB coach designation, so perhaps he will be retained and focus on ILBs.  Teegardin also was the the Special Teams coordinator.  The special teams area has a good long-term kicking prospect (Freshman Jacob Newman, if he stays, was the second leading scorer on the team and was 4/5 on FGAs) and their punter, Alex Kozlowski (So/Fr), when he was healthy, was not a bad punter (38.8 av., 6 over 50 yds., and 12 downed inside the 20), But Teegardin's  Special Teams coverage and returns need to improve greatly."

The linebacking corps and special teams need a complete enema.  If new coaching is required here, then no problem IMO.
As for kicking, Newman has potential but has been inconsistent on the extra points.  The punting team needs depth and competition as observed at the Drake game.

Please keep in mind that my initial lengthy assessment was prior to subsequent posts when more information surfaced.  No doubt that all aspects of defense and special teams need work.  But the ILBs, Derbak and Green, IMO, were solid. Derbak went to the FCS Senior Bowl and Green, a sophomore (and 1st team PFL All-Academic and H/M All League), returns and will be a force.   I don't know that much about the OLBs (there was a major drop-off in tackles once you got past the two above) and so I'm thinking that's why Stovall will concentrate there and Teegardin will move inside -- that's pure speculation on my part and Teegartin may not even return based on VUDad's observation. But by adding Stovall and splitting the coaching, that would be one way to shore up that entire unit.

Newman went 4/5 on FGs and 24/27 on PAT's.  Josh Young was 1 for 2 on PATs.  For comparison,  Co-champions Butler's kicker went 54 for 58 and Marist's two kickers went 23/27 and 17/21 respectively.  That puts Newman in good company, and I recall him getting more confident/consistent as the season wore on. But on special teams it's all about coverage and the return game and that is what really has got to improve.

[VUDad]

Hearing now that Teegarden and Donovan will be the returning coaches, possibly one more. Not sure about assignments. No unit proved consistently strong this year, so change is due in all areas. As for the comments about a kicker--sure would be great to see someone emerge as a 3-point threat.  Between the two, Young's ball had better FG trajectory from what I saw than Newman. We also need deeper kickoffs, so maybe one can focus on the uprights and one can work on a big foot. 

[usc4valpo]

Excellent comments and great updates from 62 and VUdad.  Thanks!

IMO, if any players leave the program primarily because of Carlson's firing, then they need to get their heads examined.  I like the changes going on.

[valpopal]

Coach Cecchini Announces Coaching Staff:

http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2013-14/13276/cecchini-announces-coaching-staff/

[vu72]

Coach Cecchini Announces Coaching Staff:

http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2013-14/13276/cecchini-announces-coaching-staff/

One can only conclude that Valpo is able and willing to pay their asst coaches enough to entice them to move and start a new chapter in Valpo.  Some of the new opportunities were lateral (no pun intended!) so presumably there were other benefits including working for Dave.  Let's hope the entire attitude changes and winning becomes the norm.

[VULB#62]

Interesting mix of new and retained. Also interesting shifts in responsibilities for those retained -- especially Donovan.  He moves from D-line to the O side of the ball and will be coaching a (semi)skill position vs. the line.

Wish the best to Gravier, Silveus, Bailey, and Evans.  Gravier and Evans were there only one season.  Hope they have a fall-back to rely on. 


UNIFORM COMMENTARY
BTW in looking at the picture that accompanied the story, I have decided that, if it has to be brown and gold, I like the Lehigh uniforms.  Maybe it's because I played in a metalic gold helmet at Valpo.  I'd like to see them go back to that as there are currently 6 PFL teams with white helmets. Be nice to be a bit distinctive. I also want to see them get rid of those black game socks -- it reminds me of the guy at the beach with plaid shorts, striped collared shirt and sandals with black dress socks.

[a3uge]

Interesting mix of new and retained. Also interesting shifts in responsibilities for those retained -- especially Donovan.  He moves from D-line to the O side of the ball and will be coaching a (semi)skill position vs. the line.

Wish the best to Gravier, Silveus, Bailey, and Evans.  Gravier and Evans were there only one season.  Hope they have a fall-back to rely on. 


UNIFORM COMMENTARY
BTW in looking at the picture that accompanied the story, I have decided that, if it has to be brown and gold, I like the Lehigh uniforms.  Maybe it's because I played in a metalic gold helmet at Valpo.  I'd like to see them go back to that as there are currently 6 PFL teams with white helmets. Be nice to be a bit distinctive. I also want to see them get rid of those black game socks -- it reminds me of the guy at the beach with plaid shorts, striped collared shirt and sandals with black dress socks.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[vu72]

Interesting mix of new and retained. Also interesting shifts in responsibilities for those retained -- especially Donovan.  He moves from D-line to the O side of the ball and will be coaching a (semi)skill position vs. the line.

Wish the best to Gravier, Silveus, Bailey, and Evans.  Gravier and Evans were there only one season.  Hope they have a fall-back to rely on. 


UNIFORM COMMENTARY
BTW in looking at the picture that accompanied the story, I have decided that, if it has to be brown and gold, I like the Lehigh uniforms.  Maybe it's because I played in a metalic gold helmet at Valpo.  I'd like to see them go back to that as there are currently 6 PFL teams with white helmets. Be nice to be a bit distinctive. I also want to see them get rid of those black game socks -- it reminds me of the guy at the beach with plaid shorts, striped collared shirt and sandals with black dress socks.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

I like the idea of the gold helmets. But, in today's world of one upsmanship, perhaps we should go to out "accent" color (lime green)!! 

[VULB#62]

   How about lime green socks (at least they aren't black)?  Then they'd look a little like this guy   

a3uge -- yep, the Wyoming Cowboys are also Brown and 'Gold' but too yellow for my taste.

[NuPudge]

Is there any chance that the team will get new uniforms and equipment (pads, mouth guard, helmets etc? I heard from a few parents that their kids were using old and outdated equipments.. If this is the case, it's a lawsuit waiting to happen..

Will Valpo be getting a new scoreboard? What about improvements in the weight room and the locker room? This is how you can tell if the administration is serious about the football program or just providing lip services to the students..

I would think this would be something that any new HC would come in requesting because these things are important to kids and make them feel good about the program..

[valpotx]

A lot of teams use old equipment, it doesn't mean it is not up to code.  This is a non-scholarship program, they aren't going to get new equipment every few years.  We just built a new scoreboard a few years ago, that won't happen again anytime soon.  None of the stuff you mentioned has anything to do with us losing so much the last few years.  The kids in the program are playing the games, and no equipment/scoreboard/etc will change that if they can't put a whole game together...

[VULB#62]

Is there any chance that the team will get new uniforms and equipment (pads, mouth guard, helmets etc? I heard from a few parents that their kids were using old and outdated equipments.. If this is the case, it's a lawsuit waiting to happen..

Will Valpo be getting a new scoreboard? What about improvements in the weight room and the locker room? This is how you can tell if the administration is serious about the football program or just providing lip services to the students..

I would think this would be something that any new HC would come in requesting because these things are important to kids and make them feel good about the program..

I'm told that before Carlson the players had to supply their own cleats -- not any more.  Uniforms and branding were changed in Carlson's first year.  As Tex pointed out the scoreboard is also within 5 years.  In all likelihood the least updated is the weight program and the space to support it.  Each year in the last 4 cosmetic changes have improved the overall environment.  But carrying 100+ players requires more locker space and that, I'm sure, is on the agenda. Tex is right as well in pointing to on field performance (and coaching) as the critical factors. 

[NuPudge]

Old equiipments are just that, old and not as safe as the new ones... The newest technology is very much better.. Old mean anything over 2-3 years old.. Also it's sad that kid use to buy their own cleats ... How cheap!!!!!$! or Valpo can't do the safe equipments for the players then drop football al together.. Don't send a kid out the with one hand tied behind his back..

[valpotx]

Uh, this isn't the University of Texas or Notre Dame where they have tons of sponsors and money flowing into their athletic programs.  In baseball, we had to buy our own cleats, gloves, batting gloves, bats, etc at Valpo.  They did have some team bats, but nothing special.  I assume that it is fairly similar right now, and they are a scholarship program that has been to 2 NCAA tournaments in a row. 

It isn't cheap at all for a non-scholarship program to not pay for the cleats, and I am sure that our equipment is perfectly safe.  If you expect new equipment every 2-3 years, you are following the wrong football program, as only so many programs at our level would opt to do such a thing.  The kids hands are not tied behind their back because they play with 3-4 year old equipment or whatever it might be.  Their hands are tied because they weren't as athletic/skilled as our opposition, and the coaches did not prepare them to be successful.  Equipment and facilities has absolutely nothing to do with how successful you are on the field.  It can help, but it is your own drive and talent that wins games.  These aren't professional programs, and more successful programs have done far more with less in the past.  If our football players think that equipment and facilities are going to magically help them win games, they need to speak to the football alumni from 10/20/30/40 years ago, that did well with even less than they have now.  They also need a reality check if that is the case...

[NuPudge]

"You get what you pay for"

"You put your money where your mouth is"

"Money talks BS walks"

If you don't think a better looking lockers room, uniforms, weight room, equipments, colors, stadium, campus etc...do not have a mental affect on players (recruiting) and students then I believe Valpo will always have a problem with building a winning tradition in football.. I have seen others posters on this Valpo board question/comments about the lack of administration support for the football team and I didn't want to believe it but I guess I was very wrong.. It's not a big deal, because now I know what's happening..

[VULB#62]

Pudge, yes there were questions about the administration's commitment to FB prior to the coaching change.  There is a new staff headed by a coach from a well-respected true D-IAA program. That, in its self is a major commitment statement.  It has been only a month since that happened.  We all need to step back and see what unfolds. This line of conversation is too speculative at this point.

[NuPudge]

Good point and I can wait for that!!!!!!!

[willy]

I am extremely excited about whats happening with the football program right now!  Before the hiring of Coach Cecchini I questioned the school board and administrations commitment to football.  I don't anymore.  They could have sat back and honored Carlsons contract but knew the kids deserved better.  They targeted the coach they wanted and then went out and recruited him hard and convinced him to pick up his family and move to Indiana.  Coach Cecchini has coached at the fcs level and been successful everywhere he has been. I'm excited, the kids are excited, and I can't wait to see if Coach Cecchini and his young staff can turn this thing around!

[valpotx]

Yes, having better facilities, equipment, etc, can help in getting BETTER recruits, but how does that affect the current players who are losing 90% of the games they play?  If the current players are complaining about these things, do they think these things will magically make them better football players?  Give me a break!  Such things will not make it so that we are not constantly burned on deep passes, can't tackle, give up massive yardage, etc.   

Your argument that the current players need these things to be better is almost the exact opposite of what would be beneficial to them personally.  If we get better recruits/players through better facilities, most of the type of players we have now would not even be on the team because they would be considered a lesser quality recruit!  That, or the current starters would be riding the pine.  I fully support having a successful football program and quality athletes, but anyone complaining that better facilities/equipment will fix our problems is delusional.  I would tell each football player this to their face if they complained that this was the reason they aren't successful. 

We NEVER used our baseball field/facilities/equipment as an excuse for being around .500 each year at Valpo, and I don't buy current athletes complaining about such things as the reason of why they are losing. 

[NuPudge]

Dude, Please stop comparing baseball to football and the recruiting that goes into the sports, they are totally different..

Football programs are normally thought of as the heart of a college sport program (along with basketball).. I will not comment on the baseball program in college.. It's a area I don't want to cover so I will move on.. Some of the reasons we are not winning at football has to do with a few issues that I believed I listed in another posting here.. along with poor coaching.. As I said before, I will wait to see what happens with the new coach..

PS please don't try and get in a football player face with your tone and the nonsense you are saying, it may get ugly..

[vu72]

Yes, having better facilities, equipment, etc, can help in getting BETTER recruits, but how does that affect the current players who are losing 90% of the games they play?  If the current players are complaining about these things, do they think these things will magically make them better football players?  Give me a break!  Such things will not make it so that we are not constantly burned on deep passes, can't tackle, give up massive yardage, etc.   

Your argument that the current players need these things to be better is almost the exact opposite of what would be beneficial to them personally.  If we get better recruits/players through better facilities, most of the type of players we have now would not even be on the team because they would be considered a lesser quality recruit!  That, or the current starters would be riding the pine.  I fully support having a successful football program and quality athletes, but anyone complaining that better facilities/equipment will fix our problems is delusional.  I would tell each football player this to their face if they complained that this was the reason they aren't successful. 

We NEVER used our baseball field/facilities/equipment as an excuse for being around .500 each year at Valpo, and I don't buy current athletes complaining about such things as the reason of why they are losing. 

Question:  Do better facilities/equipment automatically make for better recruits/more wins??

Answer: Loyola University Chicago

[valpotx]

Dude, Please stop comparing baseball to football and the recruiting that goes into the sports, they are totally different..

Football programs are normally thought of as the heart of a college sport program (along with basketball).. I will not comment on the baseball program in college.. It's a area I don't want to cover so I will move on.. Some of the reasons we are not winning at football has to do with a few issues that I believed I listed in another posting here.. along with poor coaching.. As I said before, I will wait to see what happens with the new coach..

PS please don't try and get in a football player face with your tone and the nonsense you are saying, it may get ugly..

Football is not the heart of the athletics program at Valpo, and never will be.  That you seem to think that is possible shows that you don't understand the level differences in our sports teams.  It is a non-scholarship program, 'dude.'  Recruiting is recruiting regardless of sport.  Recruits want to go to winning programs, regardless of facilities, at least the ones that would consider a mid-major program.  The main recruits that care most about facilities are those that are top level recruits, ones we will never touch with a 100 foot pole since we are non-scholarship. 

Trust me, I would not be scared one bit to say these exact things to a football player at Valpo lol.  My tone is not overly negative, it is realistic, and my 'nonsense' is probably shared by the majority of this board who realize that facilities/equipment don't equal wins or even better recruits necessarily.  Even if it was a negative tone, I still wouldn't be afraid of a football player (outside of NFL players), so I find that comment hilarious.  I am 32 and still in great shape, not out of shape and older.  I also played HS football in the state of TX, so it isn't like football players are scary to me.  Enough about me, but I had to say something after you basically mentioned that I should be afraid of Valpo football players lol.

[a3uge]

Any significant dollar spent on football is a dollar not spent on basketball. So they're going to have to make due with the current scoreboard that was replaced 5 or 6 years ago.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

exactly.  you want money?  earn it.

we were already spending more than Butler, as was mentioned before.  And Butler doesn't suck.

[usc4valpo]

A few things:

1. Do you really think a new scoreboard will make a difference in recruiting?  Please!!
2. Have the locker room facilities changed since the early 80's?  If so, that is a problem that needs to be fixed.  It does not have to look like Youngstown State, but it needs to be clean, a little spacious and minimal rust.
3. Football is not the key sport at Valpo and never will be.  Football is an activity to bring in male students.
4. Have patience with Cecchini, I doubt he record will be 2-31 after three seasons.
5. Always keep the cash on basketball which is your strength.
6. NuPudge lighten up on the football bulliness crapola.  Texas football puts Chicago and Indiana football to shame.
7.  I was glad yet surprised Valpo made a coaching change and we should be glad in that they showed signs that they want to make football successful.  Imagine if Osteen quoter were still around for another year.