(12-31-2015 06:22 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote: http://eastcarolina.247sports.com/Board/...#M42418589
Was going to bring this up but since this thread was already started...
Oh, I didn't know he was going to be the OC. I can give you a little more information on his 3 years at Tech.
Year 1: Skip hired him from Marshall because he was the QB coach at Marshall and wanted to be an OC and call plays. He inherited an offense with 10 new starters and only 1 good player... Kenneth Dixon. He wanted to run an up-tempo spread, but the QB, OL, and receivers sucked and we could only run the ball because Dixon is a freak of nature stud. We went 4-8, averaged 19 points a game and 95% of Tech fans wanted to fire Holtz after game 4.
Year 2: Holtz took over the offense because his job was on the line. He brought in TE's and FB's to supplement Dixon and Petersen went and found a 5th year transfer QB from Iowa who was 3rd team and wanting to play somewhere. Petersen was very valuable in teaching this transfer the offense in a very short period of time (he came to Tech in the Summer before Fall camp). The QB had an outstanding year and Tech went 9-5 and won a bowl game.
Year 3: The QB graduated, and Holtz/Petersen attracted the interest of Jeff Driskel, who was looking to find a place where he could put up big numbers after failing miserably at Florida. He talked to the Iowa QB who spoke well of Holtz/Petersen/Tech players and decided to come to Tech. Petersen had him for Spring and Summer and Driskel ended up passing for over 4,000 yards (more than he passed for in 3 years combined at Florida).
So, while his play-calling was taken away after Year 1, it wasn't his fault as he inherited a VERY inexperienced team without much experience or talent. Holtz had to take over the play-calling to save his career. But, he watched the games in the booth and kept constant contact with Holtz advising what he was seeing from the defense and advising play calls. It was play-calling by committee. His QB development was exceptional with the 2 transfers who found enormous success in a very short time in the program.
He's a great QB coach and I think he is smart and will be a good play-caller. Just a bad situation he inherited at Tech.