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Two Former NU Assistants Fired at IU (Johns and Patton)

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gocatsgo2003

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Per The Scoop (which is usually a very good source, for what it's worth), both Kevin Johns and James Patton have been let go from Indiana:

Indiana: Sources tell FootballScoop offensive coordinator Kevin Johns and tight ends / fullbacks coach James Patton have been let go. The IndyStar has reported the same.​

The Indianapolis Star confirms the same.

Odd to me that the two changes (so far at least) are the two former NU assistants.

No I still do not expect Johns back at NU in any capacity anytime soon, but would welcome Patton back in some role (whether full-time coach or "analyst" akin to Genyk). He's been part of some really good OLs in the past and any input he might have would be most welcome.
 
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Very interesting, as the staff has the chance to remain largely intact even with Wilson's departure.

Seen if referenced before, but what happened with Johns departure from NU?
 
I'm obviously only speculating but it could be that these two guys were seen as diehard Wilson "loyalists" and needed to go so the new guy could make it his team. Worth noting that the new coach was only with IU for one season, so it's not like this is when Claeys gutted the Minny staff after they were together with Kill forever.
 
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Patton seems to have a good track record as an OL coach. Wonder if he gets a look by Fitz.
 
Not surprised by this development at all. As Sheffielder says above, both are Wilson guys. Johns was the OC in name only. KW was calling the shots on that side of the ball. Best of luck to both. Maybe one or both will go to OSU when KW goes to OSU soon as OC.
 
DaCat said:
Patton seems to have a good track record as an OL coach. Wonder if he gets a look by Fitz.
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Because we won a mid-tier bowl game with this O-line and this O-line coach that single-handedly enabled JJ#21 to rush for 200+ yards...giving Cushing a raise and a handshake guarantee that he's got a job in Evanston for as long as Fitz. #goodenough
 
Sheffielder said:
Because we won a mid-tier bowl game with this O-line and this O-line coach that single-handedly enabled JJ#21 to rush for 200+ yards...giving Cushing a raise and a handshake guarantee that he's got a job in Evanston for as long as Fitz. #goodenough
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Sorry to disagree. When you look at his entire tenure as OL coach, at best it can be described as mediocre. We can and should strive for better. Not good enough for a program who has a head coach that aspires to win Big Ten and National Championships.
 
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"Mid-tier" bowl game, yes, but unless PSU wins the Rose, it's the best bowl win for the BIG this post-season because Pitt is the only team to beat possible national champion Clemson. The perpetual calling for coaches to be fired on this board wears me out. Johns was heavily criticized for his play calling by Indiana fans for an underachieving Indiana offense this season, but some on this board kept saying what a terrible loss he was. Then when Springer gets award by BTN, that is ridiculed because of course he had nothing to do with a walk-on being the Big Ten's top pass catcher (sarcasm alert). Then when the o-line has a great game against a Pitt defense that was solid vs. run all year, no credit to the OL coach (who lost the services of two of his most experienced guys Park and Mertz for the entire season). This coaching staff did a great job turning around what looked like an impending disaster, and the team returns 18 starters next year. Let's enjoy that for awhile before we start sniping away. End of rant!
 
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Catreporter said:
"Mid-tier" bowl game, yes, but unless PSU wins the Rose, it's the best bowl win for the BIG this post-season because Pitt is the only team to beat possible national champion Clemson. The perpetual calling for coaches to be fired on this board wears me out. Johns was heavily criticized for his play calling by Indiana fans for an underachieving Indiana offense this season, but some on this board kept saying what a terrible loss he was. Then when Springer gets award by BTN, that is ridiculed because of course he had nothing to do with a walk-on being the Big Ten's top pass catcher (sarcasm alert). Then when the o-line has a great game against a Pitt defense that was solid vs. run all year, no credit to the OL coach (who lost the services of two of his most experienced guys Park and Mertz for the entire season). This coaching staff did a great job turning around what looked like an impending disaster, and the team returns 18 starters next year. Let's enjoy that for awhile before we start sniping away. End of rant!
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I respect your point of view but disagree. Speaking for myself and I believe others who have followed this program for a long time and almost without exception have been supportive of the job Fitz and his staff have done, the criticism of the OL and WR coach is a function of sub par play at those positions on a relative and absolute basis over the course of multiple seasons. I am not one naive enough to think a Kevin John's will come back to NU, but when you look at his performance as a WR coach (not as an OC) and also look at the performance of our OL under Cushing's predecessor, it's clear to me that unit performance and individual player development was far superior under the previous coaches. I know some have argued that the issue has been a function of poor recruiting but I don't buy it. As someone who follows recruiting pretty closely, I think NU has recruited as good a talent over the last 4-5 years as they ever have. That talent has clearly manifested itself at other positions but not on the Ol and WRs. In my opinion that is squarely a function of poor coaching and player development.
 
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corbi296 said:
I respect your point of view but disagree. Speaking for myself and I believe others who have followed this program for a long time and almost without exception have been supportive of the job Fitz and his staff have done, the criticism of the OL and WR coach is a function of sub par play at those positions on a relative and absolute basis over the course of multiple seasons. I am not one naive enough to think a Kevin John's will come back to NU, but when you look at his performance as a WR coach (not as an OC) and also look at the performance of our OL under Cushing's predecessor, it's clear to me that unit performance and individual player development was far superior under the previous coaches. I know some have argued that the issue has been a function of poor recruiting but I don't buy it. As someone who follows recruiting pretty closely, I think NU has recruited as good a talent over the last 4-5 years as they ever have. That talent has clearly manifested itself at other positions but not on the Ol and WRs. In my opinion that is squarely a function of poor coaching and player development.
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I'm not convinced coaching is the main problem as opposed to poor recruiting, player attitudes, injuries, and other factors.
 
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Sheffielder said:
Player attitudes = coaching
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Having done multiple sports in highshool that is highly untrue the majority of the time. Some players work hard others don't. I've seen really talented kids get benched and never end up playing cuz they never showed enough effort. I've also seen kids never reach their potential cuz of how they treated practice. I've also seen certain kids work like there's no tomorrow and drastically get better despite poor coaching. So attitude I guess can't be coached you have it or you don't.
 
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Gladeskat said:
Wrong.
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Well in that case, it is very possible that AC rose to greatness by virtue of his attitude not his coaching and the coach got the credit. Everything about AC screams superstar from his football to his piano to his work ethic and his moral virtue. I hope the coaches all learned from him because NU will be better for it if they did.
 
Deeringfish said:
Well in that case, it is very possible that AC rose to greatness by virtue of his attitude not his coaching and the coach got the credit. Everything about AC screams superstar from his football to his piano to his work ethic and his moral virtue. I hope the coaches all learned from him because NU will be better for it if they did.
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AC brought a great attitude with him to school and football. That makes him more receptive to coaching and working on his WR skills.

Sometimes attitudes can be changed by a coaching staff, but it's best to recruit players with great attitudes rather than try to change attitudes once on campus.
 
Deeringfish said:
Well in that case, it is very possible that AC rose to greatness by virtue of his attitude not his coaching and the coach got the credit. Everything about AC screams superstar from his football to his piano to his work ethic and his moral virtue. I hope the coaches all learned from him because NU will be better for it if they did.
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I think this is the case. And by example Carr made the other receivers better.
 
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Gladeskat said:
Sometimes attitudes can be changed by a coaching staff, but it's best to recruit players with great attitudes rather than try to change attitudes once on campus.
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I thought what set Fitz apart from lesser coaches was his ability to recruit great kids from great families?

/s
 
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DaCat said:
Patton seems to have a good track record as an OL coach. Wonder if he gets a look by Fitz.
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No way. Didn't the NU OL coach just get voted Big Ten Line Coach of the year? Oh wait that was the WR coach.
 
Fitzphile said:
I thought what set Fitz apart from lesser coaches was his ability to recruit great kids from great families?

/s
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I understand you are being sarcastic, but I do think Fitz places a greater emphasis on "character" and "attitude" than the majority of the other coaches out there. A lot of recruits who end up committing to NU state that the character of his future teammates is one of the main reasons for their decision. That's why it is surprising that a few of the recent teams admittedly had issues with attitude or motivation.
 
gocatsgo2003 said:
Per The Scoop (which is usually a very good source, for what it's worth), both Kevin Johns and James Patton have been let go from Indiana:

Indiana: Sources tell FootballScoop offensive coordinator Kevin Johns and tight ends / fullbacks coach James Patton have been let go. The IndyStar has reported the same.​

The Indianapolis Star confirms the same.

Odd to me that the two changes (so far at least) are the two former NU assistants.

No I still do not expect Johns back at NU in any capacity anytime soon, but would welcome Patton back in some role (whether full-time coach or "analyst" akin to Genyk). He's been part of some really good OLs in the past and any input he might have would be most welcome.
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Was Patton coaching their OL? IU's OL has been impressive
 
DaCat said:
I understand you are being sarcastic, but I do think Fitz places a greater emphasis on "character" and "attitude" than the majority of the other coaches out there. A lot of recruits who end up committing to NU state that the character of his future teammates is one of the main reasons for their decision. That's why it is surprising that a few of the recent teams admittedly had issues with attitude or motivation.
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I think some people are putting the cart before the horse here. Fitz puts a high emphasis on character and kids who come from stable family situations frequently benefit from the consistency and accountability stable family situations generate. I don't think Fitz uses a "two parent family" screen to determine who he offers. I remember reading about a time when he was asking girls at the schools he would visit if a guy was a "turd" or not. He looks at character from many angles.
 
Windy City Cat Fan said:
I'm not sure this isn't a promotion for Wilson - OC at OSU seems more attractive to me than HC at IU. I would get the pay isn't that different either
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Of course it isn't a promotion. He went to IU from Oklahoma OC which is largely an equivalent job to dOSU OC, I'd say. Being head man at a BCS school is definitely a step up from Coordinator anywhere else.
 
mikewebb68 said:
Hey watch it there! I come from a single-parent family and have excelled at my chosen field.....
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And that's excellent! I was making fun of a particularly embarrassing, since deleted thread in which it was posited that the increase in single-parent households made it more difficult for NU to recruit (and I called BS, by the way).
 
gocatsgo2003 said:
And that's excellent! I was making fun of a particularly embarrassing, since deleted thread in which it was posited that the increase in single-parent households made it more difficult for NU to recruit (and I called BS, by the way).
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Was joking obv (well, about taking offense, not the single parent part or the excelling in my chosen field part--hopefully).
 
Fitzphile said:
I thought what set Fitz apart from lesser coaches was his ability to recruit great kids from great families?

/s
Click to expand...

Me too. Wonder if anyone wants to then say which WR and OL guys had bad attitudes and were poor recruiting choices? Hmmmm... Anyone? Throw us a few examples please. Double dog dare ya.
 
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