The Top Coaches Quarterback Recruits Want to Play for
Every year the quarterback position receives the most scrutiny and attention in the recruiting cycle, as it is the most glamorous and pressure packed position in sports, bar none. Coaching is essential to success at the position at every level.
In recruiting, since the recruits are truly the side with the power since they are the ones being recruited to sign with a school, an overlooked aspect to a player's decision is the coaching he's due to receive.
The smart recruits and their families do their homework and research on a coaching staff and specifically the potential position coach at a school. A trend is starting where some QB coaches are standing out more so than others, some are head coaches and some assistants.
Here are the top 10 coaches QB recruits seem to like the most.
Bobby Petrino, Arkansas
1 of 9
Wherever Petrino has gone, his offenses have scored points. Sure say what you want to say about his tenure in Atlanta, but that was an aberration. Petrino knows offensive football and he knows how to get the most out of his QBs.
He scored points at Louisville and has proven he can still score points in the SEC. Ryan Mallett improved by leaps and bounds from 2009 to 2010, especially in his completion percentage. Petrino sold Mallet on not relying on his arm strength so much and that his check downs were there to help.
Petrino is also known for preparing his QBs well for the NFL. He asks them to be responsible for many different aspects of the offense at the line of scrimmage, which translates well to the pros. Mallet has been raved about in the draft process for his football acumen and knowledge of protections, hot reads, adjustments, coverages, schemes and routes.
Thanks to Petrino.
David Shaw, Stanford
2 of 9
Shaw is relatively new to the mainstream coaching profession, but his credibility is warranted by two words: Andrew Luck. Shaw has been the offensive coordinator at Stanford since Jim Harbaugh has been at the helm and now has been elevated to head coach with Harbaugh's departure to the 49ers.
Luck loves Shaw so much, that he passed up on the being the consensus No.1 overall pick in the NFL Draft to spend another year on The Farm being tutored by Shaw.
A pro-style offense is what Shaw's expertise is in, where he asks Luck to be attentive to detail, observant of coverages, front seven alignments and to always have The Cardinal offense in the right play.
Stanford signed two top flight QB in 2011 in Evan Crower and Kevin Hogan.
Brian Harsin, Texas
3 of 9
Harsin will make a move to the big leagues as he slides over from Boise State to Texas. He and Major Applewhite will be the co-offensive coordinators in Austin, with Harsin as the main play caller.
Recruits will and have already taken notice with what Harsin did with Kellen Moore at Boise State. Moore was a Heisman finalist last season and comes into this season as a clear front runner. Harsin prides his offense on being balanced and being able to run plays to perfection out of multiple formations.
He likes to have his alignments dictate to the defense what alignments and coverages they play, and likes his QBs to be very accurate with the football.
Harsin first test in Austin will be to get Garratt Gilbert back on track.
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Jeff Tedord, California
4 of 9
Tedford has tutored some of the est college QBs in history. From David Carr, Trent Dilfer, Akili Smith, Kyle Boller to Aaron Rodgers. Aside from Rodgers, say what you want about the whole "Tedford curse" and how these names fared in the pros, but note that they were great in college under Tedford.
Tedford believes that a good college program should sign one QB at least in every class. He already has his 2012 man in Zach Kline who will come to Berkley next year.
His offense is similar to a West Coast offensive scheme that accents horizontal attacks, but also has its share of deep plays. Tedofrd is known as a very smart coach, that is keen to what a defense is doing and can figure things out very quickly.
Look for Tedford to keep churning out top college QBs.
Norm Chow, Utah
5 of 9
Chow has not had recent success but still remains one of the most renowned QB coaches and offensive coordinators in college football history. He was the man behind some of the best offenses in the ol' BYU high scoring offense days and won championships at USC as their chief play caller.
He's known as a brilliant QB tutor and mind, and really believes throwing the football and arm strength comes form a QB's legs, and not arm. His offenses is also a pro-style attack that makes the QB make solid reads and adjustments. He's a keen playcaller that does a great job of using his personnel to their talents.
Look for Chow to attract a high ranking QB or two during his stay in Utah as they move into a BCS conference in the Pac-12.
Lane Kiffin, USC
6 of 9
Kiffin has made his mark in the football coaching profession not only with his mouth but also his offensive coaching prowess. He is knowledgeable of all things offense and has generated some high octane attacks as a play caller.
As the offensive coordinator after Norm Chow left USC, Kiffin still had the Trojans highly ranked in every major statistical category and used his personnel correctly. Even when Kiffin became head coach of the Raiders, an overlooked aspect of his tenure in Alameda County was how well he had the Raider offense running the ball.
Now Kiffin is the head man at USC and has Matt Barkley at his disposal, but has attracted elite QB prospects like Jesse Scroggins, Cody Kessler and Max Wittek to Troy.
Steve Sarkisian, Washington
7 of 9
Sark has experience as a NFL QB coach, college QB coach, college offensive coordinator and college head coach. He was also an underrated and instrumental figure in USC's offensive dominance in the early to middle part of the 2000s.
He prepared Jake Locker well for the NFL by tutoring him in his pro-style offense, improvng Locker's drops, climbs, set up and delivery quickness from the pocket. Locker also improved under Sarkisian is his knowledge of setting, sliding, and adjusting protections based on hot reads, alignments and threats.
Sark has a stable of signal callers in Seattle these days and will also look to land Jeff Lindquist in 2012.
Brian Kelly, Notre Dame
8 of 9
Kelly started as a defensive oriented coach working with the linebackers before making the switch over to an offensive minded coach at D-II Grand Valley State. His offense had scored points, and scored points fast wherever he's been and looks like it will be same ol, same ol in South Bend.
Kelly knows the pressure on him to win at South Bend and is working and recruiting at a non-stop pace. His offense is based on tempo and match ups. He usually makes the audibles himself, as he doesn't really have his offense huddle to often.
He turned Tony Pike into a middle round NFL Draft pick, and Dayne Crist should blossom in his second year under Kelly at Notre Dame.
Charlie Weis, Florida
9 of 9
Weis is the new offensive Sheriff in town in Gainesville and comes with the resume of all resumes. Super Bowl rings, NFL rankings, college rankings, recruiting classes, celebrity, you name it and Weis has it. He helped Florida solidify Jeff Driskel's pledge and also attracted Jacoby Brissett after NSD.
Weis has the pedigree to turn any QB into a star and his offense is a pro-style attack that models after a NFL offense. His formation calls are based off of numbers and the rest of the play is tagged by code words and names.
He's had Tom Brady, Brady Quinn, Jimmy Clausen and Matt Cassel as his pupils and each of them improved their play under Weis' eye.
Now he must work his magic to get John Brantley back to expected form, while also prepping Driskel, Brissett, Jordan Reed and perhaps Trey Burton in his system.
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