Football Staff

[crusader05]

Also Fox had to put together a staff pretty quickly. Not surprised to see turnover.

[usc4valpo]

I think this recruiting class quality and coaching staff overhaul is critical to get the football program off life support.

[valpofb16]

Recruiting class has emphasis on player size and team need. Cecchini went balanced with his classes but players seemed to always be undersized. Good numbers so far.

In terms of staff. The defensive side showed maybe the 2nd best Valpo defense this decade. Limbach needs to work magic to revamp the other side

[JD24]

Recruiting class has emphasis on player size and team need. Cecchini went balanced with his classes but players seemed to always be undersized. 

In terms of need at the skill positions, which I'd say would be pretty important from last year's roster, no QBs, 1 RB, no WRs and 3 TEs it's hard to argue that they have recruited (or at least landed) based on need. The WRs improved late in the year and the need may have been lessened by the late surge of Reese, Larose and Lopez assuming they all return but the team is nearly desperate for a QB and RB or two. TE, of the skill positions on offense, appeared to be the least needy.

[valpofb16]

JD great points. QB is a question mark as always and think there will most likely be three freshman at least here next season. May have stricken out on our top options.

RB we still have Allison, Haugh, Curtis, Engle. Engle and Curtis look the part, Allison has a load of potential. Robinson appears to be a good fit as well.


The TEs we have brought in are definitely more traditional blocking tight ends. Cecc went with lankier guys (Sutter, Kluck, Bittner, Petruf) for pass game purposes. I think the staff understands how far behind the oline is.

Receiver is actually quite deep Larose, Bingham, Stablein, Reese, Lopez now we just need someone who can get them the ball.

All this to sum up this final point. The OLine was abysmal last year for various reasons. The staff realizes that we will need TE support in the run game and added several large bodies to develop. By the end of the year teams had 0 respect for our run game.

[usc4valpo]

at RB, you have numbers, but are those quality numbers?
agree on the WR assessment but there is room for improvement, not sure about TE.
A Stable and competent offensive coaching staff is imperative.
Also, Fox will continue to learn in his head coaching role which is beneficial.

[JD24]

I'm in agreement with usc on the RBs. We just haven't seen these guys to know if they are any good or not. Allison seemed to get hurt right away, Haugh's been hanging around and not getting any snaps with the offense. Neither of those are good signs because it was not a situation in which the guys who were getting the carries and receptions out of the backfield were tearing it up. My thoughts in those situations are that, if they could play, they'd have been in there.

[IndyValpo]

New Defensive coach RJ Ghilarducci, comes from USD. I am not exactly sure where he fits in.

[valpofb16]

Replaces Coach Frase

[JD24]

OLB's coach according to his twitter.

[NWIGuy]

New guy will coach the Nickels, same as Frase

[JD24]

RJ Ghilarducci,

No reason to doubt you at all. However somebody better tell this guy:

Rj Ghilarducci    @Coach_RJG   Outside Linebackers Coach @Valpoufootball

[NWIGuy]

Coach Carney (Asst DL) has left the Valpo staff...
https://twitter.com/CoachZCarney

Coach Bucar (Asst HC/OL) has left the Valpo staff...
https://twitter.com/CoachBucar

[IndyValpo]

Coach Carney (Asst DL) has left the Valpo staff...
https://twitter.com/CoachZCarney

Coach Bucar (Asst HC/OL) has left the Valpo staff...
https://twitter.com/CoachBucar

No real surprise as Carney was an intern and gets a actual coaching job. Bucar returns to FBS.

2 interns gone but we really need to keep the third as Colder was extremely successful recruiting in VA and NC.

[valpofb16]

The way staff broke out last year

Head Coach: Fox

Assistants (Full-Time): Bucar, Figaro, Limbach, Dunn, Robinson, Doherty,

Assistants (Intern): Carney, Frase, Reny ,Colder


Resolution: Seems like a no brainer to bump Colder with his recruiting season to the paid list. A full time OL coach is needed quickly with all the young guys in the program. Reny appears to be a holdover. This leaves WR, DT, and then we've replaced OLB .

Bucar leaving makes sense he was an FBS guy hired late in the cycle, step down to step back up. Figaro was a hard loss as I felt receivers progressed over season. More or less, spring ball is less than two months away. While not ideal, i'd rather be in this position than where the program was last year at this time.

[JD24]

Dont assistant coaches contracts typically run through the spring? I don't see this situation as any big deal or out of the ordinary.

[valpofb16]

Fred Gladney '14 has been named wide receivers coach

[usc4valpo]

Great, someone from the Osteen era, that will help!

[JD24]

Great, someone from the Osteen era, that will help!

Take this with the intention it appears to be at face value.

You really are an idiot.

Now perhaps if you might offer a comment other than a sarcastic one liner regarding one of the former coaches this player played for who you seem to never be able to let go of, which is more specific to why you think Fred Gladney won't help it would present you as someone who provides next to nothing but nonsense to the football board. As someone who knows the former player a bit and knows it is unlikely that you do, let me just reiterate a little bit.

You really are an idiot.

[usc4valpo]

Please lighten up. We need success. I will delete this if you can't take sarcasm.

[JD24]

Love the "only kidding" defense.

[bbtds]

Please lighten up. We need success. I will delete this if you can't take sarcasm.

Probably time to end the Osteen comments. I know I was the one who teased you about Osteen (sometimes calling him Claude, the MLB pitcher from the 60's and 70's) but it really is old and many posters don't see the humor in it anymore.

[usc4valpo]

Ok, the Carlson era still haunts me and I will check my health insurance to see if psychological visits are covered.  I wake up every morning hearing a loud "Shields Up" shout ringing in my ears, thinking the day will get worse like a 72-12 loss to Butler.  I am haunted after seeing what happened last season as they start a quarterback that is the second coming of Bobby Douglas. I must get help and get out of this idiot status.

That being said, is Gladney qualified for this role, or is it simply a Valpo connection?

[usc4valpo]

Ok, I will bag the Osteen remarks, although both are as credible as politicians, realtors and used car sales  people.

[IndyValpo]

At a minimum Gladney spent 3 years coaching at Wisconsin Lurtheran and 1 at MacMurray.