Devils in the Pros: Dirk Koetter, Hot Shot to Hot Seat
Former Arizona State coach Dirk Koetter looked like a hot shot this time last year. Now, he’s firmly on the hot seat in Jacksonville. Would you invite him back to Tempe?
It’s funny how quickly things change in the pros. A year ago, the assumptions of many Sun Devils looked correct as Dirk Koetter excelled not as Arizona State’s head coach but as a professional coordinator.
Take him out of the role of recruiting, leadership, program development and dealing with the media. Pop him into the world where all he needs is a hefty, creative playbook and a good quarterback and he’ll thrive. In 2007, when the Jacksonville Jaguars were one of the five best teams in football with a Pro Bowl quarterback, Koetter came out smelling like roses.
This year, eh, not so much. Which begs the question: would you – the passionate Sun Devil fan – want Koetter as your offensive coordinator?
Jacksonville’s offense is struggling and disappointing. Florida Times-Union columnist Gene Frenette recently noted that since halftime of Jacksonville’s game on Nov. 17, the Jags have been outscored 104-39. Here’s where Jacksonville ranks in a couple offensive categories.
- No. 21 in total offensive yards
- No. 24 in scoring
- No. 16 in passing yards (with 11 TDs to 10 INTs)
- No. 26 in sacks allowed
- No. 17 in rushing yards (a supposed strength)
Disappointing running game, shaky quarterback, sieve of an offensive line … My goodness, you might as well suit Jacksonville up with maroon and gold uniforms and dump them in the Pac-10.
Pining for something to be done about current ASU offensive coordinator Rich Olson is fashionable these days, and not without reason. Jaguars fans are equally hungry for a scapegoat.
Jacksonville’s offense was terrific last year (No. 7 in total yards, No. 2 in rushing), but Koetter is now coaching in the what-have-you-done-for-me-today NFL.
So how’s this – if Jacksonville canned Koetter, would you want Koetter to replace Olson in Tempe?
What’s Your Take, Sun Devils?
Would you welcome Dirk Koetter back to Tempe as ASU’s offensive coordinator? Let us know in the comments below!
Yes! It won’t happen but I’d love to have Dirk as our O.C. Olsen and Erickson’s offense really sucks.
I would like to see Dirk out there again. Highly doubt it would happen, but hey, anything is possible right? By the way, if I ever see Olsen walking around Tempe, Christmas shopping or whatever, I am kicking him in the shin.
NO – Koetter was an arrogant jerk. I don’t want him anywhere near this program. If you really want Rich Olson gone there are plenty of other OC’s out there. However, I’m not upset with Olson. The problem this year was the offensive line, Olson’s play calling worked just fine last year when the QB wasn’t being knocked on his back all the time. Assuming the line improves next year, Olson will be a genius again.
I don’t think getting Koetter back here is the answer. Isn’t this year’s O-line Koetter’s leftovers anyways? I agree with Brad, Olson is fine but we need to give Erickson the time to get us the recruits we need, but these things don’t happen over night.
No Thank You! We do not need Koetter’s help at ASU in any way, shape, or form. I cannot wait until all of his little saplings are gone. Also, I truly think that we need to replace Olson as the OC.
Sure, bring him back. Erickson could use a cleaning lady.
@ Brad: “Olson’s play calling worked just fine last year when the QB wasn’t being knocked on his back all the time.” Did you watch ASU football last year? Carpenter spent more time on his back than … (insert filthy reference here). Seriously, he spent a lot of time looking at the stars last season.
Brad, you’ve got to be kidding me. ASU was one of the worst 2-3 teams in the country last season in giving up sacks. Carpenter was sacked 55 times in 2007. This season the young, inexperienced line actually gave up fewer sacks than that. But the line was only part of the problem. A good OC would know his own teams weaknesses and would scheme around them. However, Olson did nothing of the sort. In a season when we should have been running the ball very rarely and taking even fewer seven-step drops, that seems to be all they did. How many quick passes did ASU do? Almost none. How many misdirection running plays did they do? Almost none. All they did was run straight ahead, and drop Rudy back in the pocket to look for WRs.
Maybe Dirk wants to run on to the field to pick up the kicking tees …
The offense had more good moments than bad under Dirk but there still were some remarkably bad showings in the midst of it all, even for all his so-called offensive genius.
So I was playing NCAA 09 last night and racked up 390 passing yards with Rudy Carpenter. I thought to myself, “This video game really feels like the Dirk Koetter years.”
Seriously people, I will never, ever, EVER understand why ASU fans think they are supposed to hate Dirk, like pro wrestling fans think they’re supposed to hate the “heel” or something.
The guy made ASU football exciting and we played at a higher level offensively under him than at any point in modern ASU history. He’s an offensive genius, but I’d never seen someone so ruined by their reputation for being “cocky.” He may not have the people skills of a head coach, but the difference between Dirk’s offense and this year’s offense was like a Ferrari and a lemon. And I haven’t seen the defense play too much better either.
And how IN GOD’S NAME do people get off saying this year’s 5-7 team is Koetter’s fault because he was a bad recruiter? Last year, ASU won 10 games playing almost exclusively with Koetter’s players!!! This year, Erickson plays the most amount of true freshmen in history, the team predictably suffers, and somehow it’s Dirk’s fault???!!!!
Don’t get me wrong. I like Erickson. But Koetter would have just as easily won 10 games last year too. He did it in 2004. Yet we keep hearing how Erickson performed such magic last year. I just don’t get it.
If Dirk came back as ASU’s OC next year, it would be the single greatest thing that could happen to this team right now, given the plain, unimaginative, simplistic scheme we saw last year. But of course that won’t happen. I don’t believe for a second Dirk is actually on the hot seat in Jacksonville, considering all the problems that team has had. But if he somehow did get let go in Jacksonville, I’m sure half the NFL would snatch him up anyway.