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Go Kafka

Just got hired as the new QB coach for the Chiefs. Reid drafted him out of NU, so he must've always thought very highly of him.

Congrats to Mike.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/01/26/chiefs-hiring-mike-kafka-as-quarterbacks-coach/
This seems like a big deal to me as far as reputation of our former players. Isn't it? I mean shouldn't NU recruits be impressed that one of our recent QBs is a QB coach in the NFL. There are only 32 of them right?
 
This seems like a big deal to me as far as reputation of our former players. Isn't it? I mean shouldn't NU recruits be impressed that one of our recent QBs is a QB coach in the NFL. There are only 32 of them right?

Frankly, I consider this to be a big feather in the cap of McCall. Kafka didn’t demonstrate much of anything at NU until McCall came in in 2008, who converted Kafka from a run first qb to one of the most accomplished passers in NU season history.
 
What an accomplishment. If Pat Mahomes goes on to do great things Kafka could end up being a head coach in the NFL.
 
Frankly, I consider this to be a big feather in the cap of McCall. Kafka didn’t demonstrate much of anything at NU until McCall came in in 2008, who converted Kafka from a run first qb to one of the most accomplished passers in NU season history.
McCall is a great QB coach. He has show that over and over.
 
The next logical step is for Siemien to go to the Chiefs.

Wouldn't mind seeing that happen and have Trevor burn the Broncos after how the fanbase has treated him (w/ a few exceptions).


Whatever it takes to get Trevor out of that $hithole in Denver.

Unless the Broncos upgrade their O-line, can't see too many QBs having success behind center.


What an accomplishment. If Pat Mahomes goes on to do great things Kafka could end up being a head coach in the NFL.

These days, it seems like the quickest way to become an OC is to be a QB coach and have your prized pupil do well, and the quickest way to become a HC is to be an OC who puts up a high powered O.

Kafka is on his way with Step 1.


Frankly, I consider this to be a big feather in the cap of McCall. Kafka didn’t demonstrate much of anything at NU until McCall came in in 2008, who converted Kafka from a run first qb to one of the most accomplished passers in NU season history.

Are you sure it's McCall's doing and not someone by the name of Baz?

Dan Persa's mastery of the Northwestern offense can be summed up by a number — 212.06 — and six letters: MOE and NBT.

Stay with us here.

The 212.06 is his passer rating through two games. It's higher than that of Notre Dame's Dayne Crist (157.63), Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor (158.69), USC's Matt Barkley (171.83), Arkansas' Ryan Mallett (184.60) and every other college quarterback you have and have not heard of.
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MOE stands for Margin of Error, and NBT is Next Best Thing. On a sexiness scale, these rate somewhere below Danny DeVito.

But former NU and Bears quarterback Brett Basanez delivered them, and Persa accepts them as gospel.

Basanez, NU's all-time leader in passing yards and the 2005 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, began working out with Persa and Mike Kafka before the 2009 season. He'd been signed by the Bears after a stint in Carolina and wanted some throwing partners.

"Had to work out somewhere," he said.

Basanez improved Kafka's and Persa's fundamentals and began sharing tips he'd gathered, especially the MOE and NBT from Mike McCoy, the offensive coordinator who last year moved from the Panthers to the Broncos.

"Those six letters can answer all your questions," Basanez said. "They're things I wish I would have known."

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...tball--20100916_1_dan-persa-nbt-brett-basanez

Ironically, Mike McCoy kinda ruined Trevor this season.

Haven't seen the same type of development of the QBs ever since Baz left the Bears.
 
Wouldn't mind seeing that happen and have Trevor burn the Broncos after how the fanbase has treated him (w/ a few exceptions).




Unless the Broncos upgrade their O-line, can't see too many QBs having success behind center.




These days, it seems like the quickest way to become an OC is to be a QB coach and have your prized pupil do well, and the quickest way to become a HC is to be an OC who puts up a high powered O.

Kafka is on his way with Step 1.




Are you sure it's McCall's doing and not someone by the name of Baz?





http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...tball--20100916_1_dan-persa-nbt-brett-basanez

Ironically, Mike McCoy kinda ruined Trevor this season.

Haven't seen the same type of development of the QBs ever since Baz left the Bears.


Yes, seeing as in 2008, when McCall started with the Cats, Bacher had his best year, then followed by:

Kafka ‘09
Persa ‘10
Persa/Colter ‘11
Colter/Siemian ‘12, ‘13
Siemian ‘14
Thorson ‘15, ‘16 and ‘17

I am quite sure Kafka’s success wasn’t Brett Bazanez’s doing.
 
^ Thing being, did Bacher really have his best season in '08?

CJ threw for far more yds in 2007 (over 1,200 more yds) - granted, more attempts, but his YPA was significantly better in 2007 than '08 (7.02 vs. 5.96).

In addition, CJ's completion % was slightly better in '07 (despite about 110 more attempts); actually CJ's completion % in '06, '07 and '08 were about the same, but his QB rating was higher in '06 and '07 (122.5 and 124.7 vs. 116.5 in '08).

Similarly, Siemian's completion % were about the same for '12, '13 and '14.

Place CJ and Trevor in a diff. category as they were far more polished passing QBs coming out of HS than most of the other NU QBs during McCall's tenure.

If anything, disappointed that didn't see more improvement out from them, but some of that can be attributed to injuries (talent level surrounding them).

Kafka and Persa saw their greatest improvement after having spent the summer working out with Baz.

Colter never developed into a downfield passing threat at QB that many were hoping for.

As mentioned before, Trevor (in the limited action he saw in his RS frosh season), started off with a bang - so he showed signs of being a talented passer from the onset, but never got to see things really progress (with, again, some of that having to do with injuries and the surrounding talent level).

Thorson improved, but he had nowhere to go but up; and a good # were frankly disappointed by the the progress Thorson has shown in his 3rd year starting/4th in the program (with maybe the GOAT at RB sharing the backfield).
 
Yes, you’re right. Despite Basanez not being a coach at any level, and Mick McMall being a successful qb coach for what, over a decade?, Brett Basanez is the one who deserves credit for Mike Kafka becoming an NFL qb coach. Makes perfect sense.
 
^ Thing being, did Bacher really have his best season in '08?

CJ threw for far more yds in 2007 (over 1,200 more yds) - granted, more attempts, but his YPA was significantly better in 2007 than '08 (7.02 vs. 5.96).

In addition, CJ's completion % was slightly better in '07 (despite about 110 more attempts); actually CJ's completion % in '06, '07 and '08 were about the same, but his QB rating was higher in '06 and '07 (122.5 and 124.7 vs. 116.5 in '08).

Similarly, Siemian's completion % were about the same for '12, '13 and '14.

Place CJ and Trevor in a diff. category as they were far more polished passing QBs coming out of HS than most of the other NU QBs during McCall's tenure.

If anything, disappointed that didn't see more improvement out from them, but some of that can be attributed to injuries (talent level surrounding them).

Kafka and Persa saw their greatest improvement after having spent the summer working out with Baz.

Colter never developed into a downfield passing threat at QB that many were hoping for.

As mentioned before, Trevor (in the limited action he saw in his RS frosh season), started off with a bang - so he showed signs of being a talented passer from the onset, but never got to see things really progress (with, again, some of that having to do with injuries and the surrounding talent level).

Thorson improved, but he had nowhere to go but up; and a good # were frankly disappointed by the the progress Thorson has shown in his 3rd year starting/4th in the program (with maybe the GOAT at RB sharing the backfield).
I'm kind of with Katatonic here. I don't think McCall is a bad QB coach, he's okay to decent, but on balance I think our QBs have had a mixture of development trajectories - some more impressive than I would have expected (Persa, Kafka), some less impressive development (Siemian, Thorson). The fact that Siemian took a huge leap after leaving NU is also potentially an indictment of McCall, though injuries were prob a part of that. When I've spoken with people that worked with Mick directly, I would say that the reviews have been okay but far from glowing in terms of his player development and other abilities.
 
I don't we appreciate what phenomenal assistant coaching staff we have at Northwestern (Including OL coach Cushing) The one exception being coach Hankwitz, every faints about him.....but that is because he followed Dunbar! Let me take that a step back, we are really really lucky to have coach Hank. He got let go from what I remember at Wisconin for "not being a great recruiter". Thank you coach Bielema for not realizing the prized DC you had! Every time a watch a game I'm like eh coach Hank will take care of the Defense for us,,,,and he does! Its like touchdown from the one territory and we stop it and we do this often.

Thank you coach Bielema at Wisconisn for letting us have this dude!
 
Please stop with the Kushing love. You have a short memory. Maybe you will change your mind when the O line decides to show up next year around the 6th game as usual.
 
Yes, you’re right. Despite Basanez not being a coach at any level, and Mick McMall being a successful qb coach for what, over a decade?, Brett Basanez is the one who deserves credit for Mike Kafka becoming an NFL qb coach. Makes perfect sense.

Someone who has played the position often can be a pretty good teacher.

You don't think Siemian learned a lot from Peyton?

Wisky's Jim Leonhard was on the short list for a # of HC jobs.

2 years ago Leonhard had never coached a day in his life.

In 2016, his 1st of coaching, JL improved the play of Wisky's secondary and when UW was in need of a new DC (once again), Chryst had no problem elevating him to DC despite his scant experience coaching and look at what Wisky's D did last season.

Plus, no need to take my word, take Kafka's.

********

But Basanez also knows what he wants from the next phase of his life - and spent some of his summer moonlighting toward that goal.

If Basanez did his job well, then his alma mater is going to enjoy one heck of a 2009 season. And he'll have a nice initial entry for his next resume.

"I try to make an effort to get back to Northwestern to be around 'Coach Fitz,' " Basanez said of NU fourth-year coach Pat Fitzgerald. "Because ideally, when I'm done playing, I want to coach."

When fifth-year senior quarterback Mike Kafka noticed Basanez hanging around Evanston - they were teammates in 2005 during Basanez's senior season - he texted him and asked for help.

Though Kafka has been around for a long time, he has started just 6 games and thrown a grand total of 145 passes.

The duo agreed to meet on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons throughout the summer. Basanez would work out at Halas Hall from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., then make the 20-mile drive from Lake Forest to Evanston to tutor Kafka, NU sophomore backup Dan Persa and Jason Kafka -Mike's brother who's a freshman walk-on at San Jose State.

They'd work on the field for two hours, then spend another hour watching film. Basanez's biggest task, particularly with the Kafkas? Getting rid of their baseball tendencies.


Both are terrific baseball players with big-league arms, but those qualities don't necessarily translate to football. Quarterbacks aren't supposed to fling their bodies toward a target the way a pitcher or an outfielder might.

"Mike is - was - a very mechanical, deliberate thrower," Basanez said. "He went to St. Rita. He didn't throw the ball very much. It was play-action. He played baseball. It was, 'Hey, let's hum this thing 20 yards, 90 yards.'

"I just wanted him to be tight as if you're (standing) in a phone booth, but stay loose with your mechanics. Don't flex all your muscles trying to hum this ball 1,000 miles an hour. Keep your front elbow tight, don't overstride and literally try to play every snap like you're in a phone booth."



Kafka (as well as Persa) not only looks like he's utilizing less effort when he throws, his spirals appear to have more velocity and they stay straight as a string.

"It takes the margin of error out of their throws," NU offensive coordinator Mick McCall said. "The other thing it does, it gets the ball out a lot quicker."

Note McCall commenting on Baz's coaching.

"It was like night and day," Basanez said. "Just the progression they made was so fast, it was just refreshing to see guys like that who are so coachable and so smart, they could take what you tell them and then a couple days later implement that into their game."

"I can't thank him enough," Kafka said.

https://prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id=317438


Seems pretty clear to me who had the biggest hand in the improvement of Kafka, not to mention Persa.


Guess who ESPN also credits in an article about Persa's accuracy?

Persa is only two games into his stint as Northwestern's full-time starter and entered the year with only 34 career pass attempts (20 completions). His fast start is linked to his ability to maximize the offseason, whether it was earning team awards for his weight-room prowess, working with former Northwestern quarterback Brett Basanez on his skills or leading voluntary workouts with his receivers.

http://www.espn.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/16124/northwesterns-dan-persa-right-on-target

But hey, that's only ESPN, nothing much to see there compared to our very own Louie reporting this...

Persa, a serious, hard-working sort, has downplayed the ridiculous numbers he's accumulated. He credited his receivers and offensive line after Saturday's game, and yesterday he talked to NUSports.com about the impact that former NU quarterback Brett Basanez has had on his effectiveness.

https://northwestern.rivals.com/news/persa-is-passing-the-test


Maybe Baz changed his mind about coaching, but regardless, he was such a good teacher that his pupil ended up in the career path he wanted to follow.
 
KC is dealing Alex Smith to Washington, so Kafka will immediately get to make his mark by bringing along a first year starter in Mahomes. Kafka will be working under a great offensive head coach and a rookie OC (Eric Bienemy) whose background is exclusively as a running backs coach.

I see this as a particularly high-reward opportunity for Kafka. He's very smart, very polished, and could accelerate very quickly of things go well next season.
 
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