Can you guys educate me on this 10th Ast coach addition they are saying the NCAA is going to allow?
I think it is supposed to be voted on later this month. I would think most teams would use that assistant coach on the defensive side of the ball and/or as a special teams coordinator. Right now most teams have five offensive assistants and four defensive assistants. It would allow some specialization depending on what the team likes to do defensively. A 3-4 defense might have an inside linebackers and outside linebackers coach, for instance.
It would seem like something likely to pass. I have not heard any push back against it.
I’ve thought it would be a defensive coach for most. Some staffs split the secondary into a coach for corners, one for safeties already.
Robb Smith did not coach a position, but he did work a lot with the nickel and the weakside linebacker. At one point, he was working with safeties, too.
There are some defensive coordinators who insist that they coach the linebackers. Rarely, is the DC someone who coaches the defensive line. They want to have the perspective from the back end or the linebackers.
It could be that if you add that 10th coach, you get two more position coaches on defense, if the coordinator is also coaching a position.
I’ve heard some head coaches say that you need two guys to coach the secondary in the days of the spread since you are playing with five and six DBs at times.
Clay or Matt, how will the 10th assistant affect the financial packages for the assistants? Arkansas already is behind the blue-bloods of the SEC in assistant salaries, and while they too will have to add a 10th coach to their salary structures, they seem more able to do that. How will Arkansas afford it?
There is plenty of money to accommodate a new salary. This is something schools have been planning toward for a while.
from the AFCA:
AFCA: The AFCA announced Wednesday its endorsement of an early signing date on the third Wednesday in December and unanimous approval of a 10th assistant coach.
I would guess the 10th coach salary comes in at near the bottom of your staff. I think Arkansas will add it in the 200k range.