RE: New Coach Discussion
I love this insight from PJ Fleck about Matt Canada.
P.J. Fleck has Plenty to Say About his Former Coach Matt Canada
ByJOSH STIRN Sep 19, 2018
Although Matt Canada might be in his most difficult situation yet at Maryland, his coaching career has featured many uphill battles, beginning with his first full-time assistant job at a FBS program in 1998.
That year Canada was hired as the running backs coach for Northern Illinois, which was in the midst of a 23-game losing streak. Five years later, Canada was promoted to offensive coordinator and the Huskies climbed to No. 12 in the AP Poll after wins over Maryland, Alabama, Iowa State and more.
One of the senior leaders on that 2003 team was PJ Fleck, who will be on the opposite sideline as his former coach when the Terps host Minnesota Saturday.
“He was one of those coaches that always made you feel like you were better than you actually were and you actually believed it,” Fleck, who caught 77 passes as a senior, said Tuesday. “He was one of those guys that brought the best out of you and he had such a great relationship with all the players. You can see exactly why he is where he is.”
Canada echoed that sentiment about Fleck. He recalled how he and one of his teammates -- Thomas Hammock, now the running back coach for the Baltimore Ravens -- turned their focus to coaching almost immediately after their playing careers ended.
“After that season, they both went to the [coaches] convention and put on their coat and ties and went around and said they were going to be big time coaches,” Canada said Monday. “PJ’s always been a very driven person. He’s had a tremendous plan.”
Here’s more from Fleck on Canada…
“He’s never walked away from any challenge in his life or as a coach. He demands respect, and that’s not by him asking. You respect him immediately when you get around him because he has a very infectious personality. He’s a heck of an offensive mind.
“I think one characteristic Matt Canada’s always had is he evolves with the times, maybe better than most coordinators. He’s constantly evolving his offense, making it better, changing with the times. Not only that but changing it to the personnel he has. I think that’s the sign of a really good coordinator.
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“They have an offense that’s very similar to option football. So if your eyes are in the wrong spot, they’ve got you. And they have the weapons and athleticism and the skill to put the game away pretty quickly. His offense allows the quarterback I think to have an ever bigger impact not only through the air but on the ground and there’s playmakers all around. One thing I think he does a great job of is he involves everybody. Everybody’s involved. Whether it’s the fly sweep motions, whether it’s the tight ends, whether it’s the receivers down the field, the quarterback’s running, everybody’s involved. That takes a lot of talent as a playcaller to get everybody touches.”
“He’s an aggressive play-caller. He loves to put up points. He knows how to control the football. He doesn’t need anybody, especially me, to back up how good of a coach he is but he’s really, really, really talented.
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