Waited until it became a little more official, but the Jim Bollman hire makes plenty of sense for Michigan State’s football team.
Purdue made it a little closer to concrete today by confirming that Bollman was heading back to East Lansing to become the Spartans’ offensive coordinator. He was with the Boilermakers for a month after a year at Boston College, and Bollman was part of the clean sweep of Ohio State’s staff when Urban Meyer took over for fired Jim Tressel and interim coach Luke Fickell in late 2011.
First, it seemed absurd that Mark Dantonio would reach outside his inner sanctum for a position of importance like offensive coordinator. That’s partially why both Brad Salem and Dave Warner’s names were strongly mentioned as internal candidates.
In this respect, Bollman makes plenty of sense. He was offensive line coach under Nick Saban from 1995-97, while Dantonio was Saban’s defensive backs coach. Then the two worked together again at Ohio State, when Dantonio was Jim Tressel’s defensive coordinator and Bollman held similar responsibilities on offense (though Tressel served as the primary play-caller).
Second, with Bollman’s extensive work orchestrating blocking schemes, he’ll bring a wealth of knowledge to MSU about how to operate with a more of a running quarterback system – something Dantonio alluded to since prior to the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl. The Buckeyes had such mobile QBs as Troy Smith, Craig Krenzel and Terrelle Pryor during Bollman’s tenure from 2001-11.
The Spartans have Andrew Maxwell returning under center, more of a true pocket passing presence, but Tyler O’Connor, Connor Cook and incoming recruit Damion Terry all possess more running ability than Dantonio’s had to work with under center. Bollman’s ability to build offensive line schemes around their abilities could become critical to moving MSU into its next era.
And third, Bollman’s recruiting ties and familiarity with high school coaches in MSU’s bread-and-butter areas – Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania – will be an asset. Bringing in someone who didn’t have those connections wasn’t going to happen, regardless of how hot-shot or up-and-coming any other outside candidate for the OC job might have been.
My first interaction with Bollman came in 1995, during Saban’s first year in East Lansing. I’ll never forget interviewing him outside the Duffy Daugherty practice facility one fall afternoon and him talking about how he wanted his offensive linemen to “strap on their war bonnets” and become road-graters for Tony Banks that year.
Knowing the landscape of MSU politics and the program’s history will be invaluable for Bollman’s return. A thick skin will be needed to handle the pressure that his predecessors, both Dan Roushar and Don Treadwell, endured during their time. Bollman survived that pressure-cooker in Columbus and helped the Buckeyes – and Dantonio – get their national championship rings in 2003. That pedigree will bring even more scrutiny and expectations in his return to the Spartans.
Firefox
Chrome
Safari
purdue must really hate us..we get all of their basketball recruits and now we steal a coach.
Thanks Chris, sounds like a proven winner. This will silence all the naysayers who say MSU was unwilling to reach outside the program for an elite choice. In my mind this every bit as strong a move as LSU made with Cameron. We did not go to the MAC to get this guy. He has played Tressel ball on the big stage. Sounds like MSU will now say it does not matter that opponents know what plays we will call . We will strap on our war bonnets , who cares if the offense is predictable. Bollman will make sure they cant stop it. When Ohio State, Nebraska and Michigan know whats coming and they cant stop it anyway than everyone nationally will get on the Spartan Bandwagon.
81,
One always hopes that the offense will be predictable. Predictable, enough to outscore the opposition by more than 3 or 7 points, before going into “safe” mode. ☺ ☺ ☺
81, have you read about Bollman by other sources? He is no Cam Cameron by any stretch of the imagination in terms of success.
Regardless of what is said anywhere, this is a “program hire”. It’s not a fan hire, or a media hire. Coach Dantonio hired whom he wanted to hire. Everyone else can pound sand.
IDIT
I’m still trying to remove part of sleeping bear dunes from last seasons, sand pounding and packing, liberally applied by Mr. Dantonio. If the team performs at the same illustrious coaching and playing level that we witnessed last season, this fall, there will be talk of packing, but not sand.
IDIT
Im sure there were a lot to choose from. lol
Well, Well, Well….
So Beilein says the MSU game is nothing but a pile of sh__t along the way to wherever it is M is going: Beilein said. ”This is fertilizer for growth.” as told to Larry Lage, Yahoo Sports.
He could have chosen his words better, that’s for sure. He doesn’t or at least hasn’t stepped on quite that badly in the past. I’m not sure the Spartans need much billboard material to psych them up, but this would certainly qualify.
This is what he actually said, I “value”added or maybe, detracted, just a little…
Still a little goofy thinking… specially when there are folks just looking for an opportunity to “jump”
”It’s a tremendous opportunity for us to keep growing,” Beilein said. ”This is fertilizer for growth.”
“The Walrus” OSU fans are laughing and shaking their heads at this hire. The Walrus is an offensive line coach at best! His tenure without Jim Tressel calling the plays exposed him as true example of the Peter Principle; promoted to a level of incompetence. Winning with defense only works if the Offense can stay on the field for more than 1 series of downs.
Pingback: MSU football hires Bollman, restructures coaching staff | Spartan Shadows