2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. I started doing my research, coach [Vic] Shealy was awesome to me and called me down for an interview me and my wife, we prayed about it, and we felt like it was the right move for us at the time I would never ever take back my time and that decision that I made., WKU student files lawsuit claiming assault, emotional distress and negligence against university, CVS Pharmacy near campus to permanently close next month, SGA Judicial Council unanimously votes against censure of President Bornefeld regarding use of social media, UPDATED: WKU experiences power outages across campus, Top of the Week: Student sustainability, and Cabonis Faculty Senate attendance, WKUs Folk Studies Program, voting guide, and gerrymandering: Top of the Week, 'Find the thing that delights you the most and then not be scared to fail: U.S. Through the air, the Chippewas averaged 265.4 passing yards a game. After the Birmingham bowl, literally sitting on the bus, wrapping my head around, A, the last second loss we had, but B, what am I going to do. The offense ranks second behind only Mississippi State (another Air Raid attack) with 50 passes per game and the offensive line has the best pass-blocking grade in the country heading into the bowl season, according to PFF. 93 in red zone offense and No. But for him, I felt like it was really just the relationship that he and I built where he was going to play had to be perfect for him. Kittley is the son of Wes Kittley, Texas Techs longtime Director of Track and Field who led the Red Raiders to a national title at the 2019 NCAA Mens Outdoor Championships. 90 in scoring offense and No. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Design a site like this with WordPress.com, Bill Walsh, the Stick Concept, and the Constraint Theory of Offense, Air Coryell and how Lincoln Riley compliments stick with the drive concept, Run and Shoot Part 1: History and Secrecy, Run and Shoot Part 2: Mouse Davis and the Switch Concept. Sterns, who was also a senior graduate transfer from Houston Baptist, led the nation in receptions (150), TD receptions (17), and receiving yards (1,902). Like Sam Pittman, Grimes has an offensive line coach background while also having experience orchestrating some of the most high-octane offenses in college football the last few seasons. @Davis_Webb5 One of the young quarterbacks Kittley mentored was future 2018 NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes II. This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Some air raid coaches will teach their quarterback to note the depth of the cornerback pre-snap. Steve Sarkisian is an elite offensive mind who will have tons of weapons to work with for 2022. OC Kittley Press Conference 12-15-20 BOWLING GREEN, Ky. WKU Football has announced the hiring of Zach Kittley as the team's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Kittleys version of the play is similar but puts the #2 receiver on a deeper 10 yard corner. Johnson's coaching careerbegan at Utah as the quarterbackscoach in 2010 and he later served under Dan Mullen as Florida's top assistant. When Zach played football in high school he started both ways on offense and defense. The read for the quarterback is simple-throw off of the cornerbacks movement and make him wrong. I don't think there's any better person out there than Bailey Zappe. He couldnt take the risk of going somewhere and not knowing people and maybe not even learning the system, who knows what happens from there., And then the other three guys, I love those guys. The 2018 season would prove rough for the team, as HBU went 1-10 without a conference victory. Without him out there, people didnt know where to line up. Zach Kittleys electric offense this past season at Western Kentucky put the normally below-the-radar Hilltoppers program onto the national scene. @PatrickMahomes I had a quality control position available for me there at Texas Tech to stay if I wanted to but it was tugging at my heart that maybe I needed to move on., I was sitting on the airplane at this point after the bowl game, I checked my email and I had an email from the head football coach at HBU just reaching out for interest in possibly becoming the offensive coordinator, Kittley continued. When coach Helton reached out to me to gauge my interest, coming here to lead this offense, I had already known how great it was hearing from coach Hamby, Kittley said. A potential trio of Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs and Bijan Robinson would be exciting to watch at the next level. I was fortunate enough to get my foot in the door there.. Zach Kittley, the architect behind one of the nations top offenses this past two years at both Houston Baptist at Western Kentucky, enters his first season on the Texas Tech staff as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The Hilltoppers closed the 2021 campaign as the FBS leader in passing yards per game (433.7) and first downs (384) and ranked second for both scoring offense and total offense and then 13th in red zone offense after scoring in 90.9 percent of their appearances inside the 20. He runs a similar offensive scheme to Kendall Briles the slow mesh version of the RPO which focuses on tempo and passing slightly more than the traditional RPO scheme. If he bails to cover the corner route, throw to the flat (cover 4 rules): The exception to this would obviously be if the outside linebacker flies out fast enough to adequately cover the flat. WebZach Kittley, the architect behind one of the nations top offenses this past two years at both Houston Baptist at Western Kentucky, enters his first season on the Texas Tech staff as Now Tech has the nation's best offensive coordinator of 2021. The Red Raiders annually ranked among the nations top offenses during his three seasons as a graduate assistant as Texas Tech led the country in total offense and passing offense and ranked fifth in scoring during the 2016 campaign. 2 nationally)Passing offense: 434.6 ypg (No. The Chiefs eventually selected Mahomes with the No. FOX Sports Bruce Feldman then confirmed the news late Sunday night that sources indicated Kittley agreed to the position. Mahomes is one of two NFL Draft selections to tutor under Kittley as Western Kentucky gunslinger Bailey Zappe heard his name called in the fourth round this past May by the New England Patriots. 111)Total offense: 290.3 ypg (No. The Hilltoppers wont be passing the ball on every snap, however. Hambys praise of WKU seemed to have a strong effect on Kittley. Kittley helped coach Super Bowl Champion and NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes for three years at Texas Tech. This can have the effect of making it an easier read for the quarterback because it puts the flat defender in a more immediate bind. Western Kentucky defeated Appalachian State, 59-38, in Saturday's Boca Raton Bowl. Miles Price is an emerging name and lets not forget about the youngsters like Jerand Bradley, who stands in at 65. Under Lunney, Illinois ranked behind Arkansas in almost every major offensive category in 2022. I think that in their minds, the best thing for their career was to come here and continue to play in this offense with [Zappe] and me, they know how I operate, they know how I design plays, I felt like for them it felt more like home here, being able to have some continuity with me. By Wesley Ross Zach Kittleys electric offense this past season at Western Kentucky put the normally below-the-radar Hilltoppers program onto the national scene. The Tops rank No. Here Marshall rolls to cover 3, and Zappe ends up throwing an incompletion trying to hit the snag and go up the seam: Special thanks to @_MoveTheChains_ and @CoachT_Robinson for sharing their research with me on WKUs offense. Zach was helping me with the track team as a freshman in college when one day he said to me, Dad, I want to coach Football. Zach Kittley is coming back to Lubbock to be the offensive coordinator under Joey McGuire #WreckEm #GunsUp pic.twitter.com/r00VCKW1ox. 125 in red zone defense. The Cyclones are tasked with replacing All-American running back Breece Hall, longtime starting quarterback Brock Purdy and stud tight end Charlie Kolar. Sterns, who was also a senior graduate transfer from Houston Baptist, led the nation in receptions (150), TD receptions (17), and receiving yards (1,902). I personally got to recruit those three so I developed a relationship with them and their families, and I just felt that the relationship that we had was something that was very important in their decision making.. The 31-year-old is currently Texas Techs offensive coordinator and fresh off of his first season at the Power Five level. One downside is Transfer quarterback Adrian Martinez will boost the Wildcats passing attack which ranked No. 58 in the country in total offense, No. For example, within two high zone structures, the defense can cheat the mike over to cover the spot. Kittley, despite being a young coach, already has years of experience under his belt working with and developing NFL-caliber talent as well as running some of the most high-octane offenses in the country on his way to the Hill. At 31 years old, he is one of the nation's youngest coordinators and this was his first season coaching on a Power Five staff. 120)Yards per play: 4.6 (No. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Statistically, it's not even close, no one's in the same ballpark as he is. @PatrickMahomes In fact, there's a chance the 35-year-old could be leading a team in the NFL as early as next season. Ian Boyd 04/15/22. 21-ranked rushing offense and 26th-best total offense in terms of production. A deal is not in place at this time, but could be by the end of the weekend. This move is likely not happening after Loggains took the job as South Carolinas offensive coordinator in December. Texas Tech hires Zach Kittley as new offensive coordinator, Its over: Law enforcement officials react to suicide of accused officer killer, Scottsville Police respond to accidents due to strong wind conditions, Project to upgrade lanes at a U.S. 68 intersection in Logan County begins, Nissan recalls over 800K SUVs; key defect can cut off engine, Second search for missing Caneyville woman yields no new information, WKU selects 18 for 2023-24 Cherry Presidential Scholarship, Hopkinsville man injured in Todd County accident. Due to this, we arent able to disclose his salary. 2013-14 Texas Tech Student Assistant (Offensive Intern), Im home. Zach Kittley left. Schedule & Results. Our kids came to play, I think it really opened a lot of eyes across the country [to say] wow, these guys are legit and can really get it done.. I mean, you look at a guy that came in here and he led his team to the conference championship game. Kittley was hired by Western Kentucky after three seasons in a similar role at Houston Baptist where he, similarly, built one of the nations top offenses at the FCS level. A native of Lubbock, Kittley originally attended Abilene Christian to play basketball before transferring back to Texas Tech to complete his bachelors in history in 2014. Sterns, who played at Houston Baptist, leads the nation with an incredible 1,014 yards after the catch, according to Pro Football Focus. Maybe Ruggiero is looking to do the same. Don would always tell me that Zach was his quarterback on defense. Visit WKU. When I left [HBU], there was a little inkling in me thinking that he would leave, he had an SEC offer and a Big 12 offer. Zappe led the nation with 35 passing touchdowns in 2019 and ranked second in passing yards per game for a Huskies offense that was third nationally in passing offense with 334.3 yards per game through the air. Zappe completed 141 of 215 of his passes for a completion percentage of 65.6%, throwing for 1,833 yards, 15 touchdowns and only one interception. When the strong safety would begin to cheat down in an effort to eliminate the stick concept (often in the red zone), Y corner was the obvious constraint play because it took advantage of the open void that was now left behind the cornerback: As the safety came down, the Y would run a 4 step corner, giving a slight head fake to the Mike before cutting to an aiming point 1 yard inside the back pylon ( it is better to be too high on the corner route than too flat because it is easier to come back to the ball). My dad was never one that tried to force us into coaching, I got two older brothers, ones an oil guy, ones in a fertilizer business out there in west Texas. Zappe, who followed Kittley from Houston Baptist, put up video game-like numbers at quarterback, setting the NCAA all-time single season record for both touchdowns (62) and passing yards (5,967). Brenen Thompson will run track and miss spring practice. The majority of the Big 12 conference will also have new quarterbacks leading their offense in 2022. It was a much slower year for the league with many of the best teams in the league (save for Oklahoma State) running slower, more deliberate offenses. That was the most points ever scored by an unranked team against a top 5 opponent and vanquished much of the negativity surrounding South Carolina's lack of production this season. I have three boys and I knew pretty early when they grew up that he was going to be my coach, Kittleys father said. WebThe Hilltoppers had 16 big plays, and three of them went for touchdowns. WebZach Kittley, the architect behind one of the nations top offenses this past two years at both Houston Baptist at Western Kentucky, enters his first season on the were also second nationally in total offense and scoring offense in 2015. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Kittley was an offensive interim for the Red Raiders in 2013 and 2014 before moving up to become the assistant quarterbacks coach from 2015-2017. Below are 3 different variations of the snag concept from the Cardinals 2019 playbook: In the clip below, Western Kentucky runs snag in the red zone on a critical 4th down. Against 2 high zone structures, whether it be cover 2 or cover 4, the vertical component of the play should play out as the primary feature, with the cornerback being forced to choose between the corner and the flat route. I was 26 but really felt good about it. The hire marks a homecoming for Kittley whos roots are firmly established in the Texas Panhandle. This is Kittleys second stint on the Texas Tech coaching staff as he previously served in various roles under Kliff Kingsbury from 2013-17, rising from a student assistant to graduate assistant and assistant quarterbacks coach his final three seasons. That was a telltale time I knew he was destined to be a coach.. Were going to run the football here, Kittley said. 3 in the country in total offense in 2021. Peyton Hillis spent more than a week in the hospital and was in intensive care and on a ventilator. All rights reserved. The corner route is in and of itself an excellent man beater route, especially considering the potential mismatch with a linebacker or safety on an inside receiver. In two years with the Huskies, he worked with current WKU quarterback Bailey Zappe and wide receiver Jerreth Sterns before all three transplanted themselves to Bowling Green this past spring. He lost two quarterbacks to injury and one to the transfer portal during camp and both of USF's starting tackles to injury. Kittley was outspoken about Zappe as a Heisman Trophy contender, though he didn't get much play in the national conversation. All the credit goes to the players and the staff there I inherited Bailey Zappe, the staff before me clearly saw something in Zappe that was very special.. Familiar staples of the system originally made famous by Hal Mumme and Mike Leach were omnipresent in WKUs offense, particularly a heavy dose of 4 verticals and Y stick (although they preferred the Y stick/slot fade variation). Kittley expressed confidence that his style of air raid offense will be able to thrive in Conference USA, citing the experience he gained when his Huskies faced North Arkansas was No. DeRuyter and Tech's offensive coordinator Zach Kittley both spoke on March 31 after Tech's Pro Day Wide receiver Quinten Johnson will be one of the best in the Big 12 in 2022. This can have the effect of making it an easier read for the quarterback because it puts the flat defender in a more immediate bind. 114)Passing offense: 164.3 ypg (No. Now Kittley returns to his home state of Texas and his alma mater of Texas Tech, where he learned under Air Raid aficionado Kliff Kingsbury from 2013 to 2017. Have confirmed that Zach Kittley has agreed to return to Texas Tech as offensive coordinator. His two older brothers were good athletes and he was too, but he always seemed to ask me more questions about training or the profession than his brothers. , Kittleys air raid attack was the third-most explosive offense in college football. If the corner is playing down, the QB will now go through his progression with a potential mismatch on a corner route against a backer. WebZach Kittley was named HBUs offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Jan. 10, 2018. The Y and Z were essentially exchanging positions from where they were on the stick play. Today, he was named 247Sports' Offensive Coordinator of the Year. The two shared a handshake and a few words. I said, well, you need to go over to football and ask Sonny Cumbie [wide receivers coach for Texas Tech] that you want to volunteer to do anything he wants you to do and learn from him. Kittleys pass heavy offensive philosophy is firmly rooted in the air raid, stemming from his time as a student assistant and GA under Kliff Kingsbury. The offense averaged a whopping 33.8 points per game. Led by transfers Bailey Zappe and Jerreth Sterns, WKU finished the season averaging 44 points and 536 yards per game, second behind only Ohio State in total offense. Dec 4, 2021. South Carolina football and coach Shane Beamer will soon be on the hunt for a new offensive coordinator following the departure of Marcus Satterfield to Nebraska, a move that's expected to be finalized this week. Only one tight end, River Helms, is on the roster. Gamecocks wide receivers coach Justin Stepp worked alongside Briles on the Arkansas staff in 2020 andsources tell 247Sports that he wouldgive Beamer his seal of approval if this was the move. @Davis_Webb5 The Mountaineers do have many question marks personnel-wise, but Harrells offense will be exciting nonetheless. Offensive coordinator Zach Kittley, quarterback Bailey Zappe, and wide receiver Jerreth Sterns all made the move to Bowling Green. Like Trickett, Zach Kittley is another one of the top up-and-coming offensive coaches in the country. The Tops rank No. Student Life on the Hill. Arkansas will enter the 2023 season without either coordinator from 2022. The gigantic leap, along with an eight-win season and the school's first divisional title in Conference USA since 2016, led Kittley back Monday to his alma mater of Texas Tech, where he was hired as offensive coordinator. The Y and Z were essentially exchanging positions from where they were on the stick play. 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