I knew the regiment at football would either make him or break him., Sonny was gracious to take him on and Zach went to work and impressed him and the staff, Kittley continued. He valued his basketball experience but knew he wanted to pursue a different path. This is Kittleys second stint on the Texas Tech coaching staff as he previously served in various roles under Kliff Kingsbury from 2013-17, rising from a student assistant to graduate assistant and assistant quarterbacks coach his final three seasons. HBU played just four games and ended the year with a 1-3 record, but more important than what was in the win-loss column were the eye-popping offensive numbers put up by the Huskies receiving corps and quarterback Bailey Zappe. Through the air, the Chippewas averaged 265.4 passing yards a game. This can have the effect of making it an easier read for the quarterback because it puts the flat defender in a more immediate bind. Visit WKU. He followed a year later by leading the Chiefs to a win in Super Bowl LIV, becoming the youngest quarterback in NFL history to be named Super Bowl MVP in the process. Kittley is the son of Wes Kittley, Texas Techs longtime Director of Track and Field who led the Red Raiders to a national title at the 2019 NCAA Mens Outdoor Championships. Born and raised in Lubbock, his father, Wes Kittley, serves as Texas Techs Track and Field and Cross County Director. Like Trickett, Zach Kittley is another one of the top up-and-coming offensive coaches in the country. @JoeyMcGuireTTU Kittleys version of the play is similar but puts the #2 receiver on a deeper 10 yard corner. 19 in the country in total offense, No. WKU is doing it all behind a pass-heavy offense that is throwing the ball over 68 percent of the time. The hire marks a homecoming for Kittley whos roots are firmly established in the Texas Panhandle. 3 in yards per play (7.08). I think that in their minds, the best thing for their career was to come here and continue to play in this offense with [Zappe] and me, they know how I operate, they know how I design plays, I felt like for them it felt more like home here, being able to have some continuity with me. WKU is doing it all behind a pass-heavy offense that is throwing the ball over 68 percent of the time. Watch out for the Red Raiders offense next season. Typically this play is designed to defeat split safety coverage, whereby the safety widens to carry the corner from #2, leaving a void in the middle of the field. I don't think there's any better person out there than Bailey Zappe. The Sooners have all season to prepare for Kittleys new-look offensive attack. By New Texas Tech offensive coordinator Zach Kittley will make close to $2.2 million over the life of a three-year deal he signed last week. He couldnt take the risk of going somewhere and not knowing people and maybe not even learning the system, who knows what happens from there., And then the other three guys, I love those guys. Our kids came to play, I think it really opened a lot of eyes across the country [to say] wow, these guys are legit and can really get it done.. Kittley and his wife, Emily, were married in February 2017 and are parents to two boys, Knox and a newborn, Ford. After the Birmingham Bowl we played in 2017, I had three years to be a GA and my time was up. 2021 Western Kentucky Statistics. Bijan Robinson (Texas), Deuce Vaughn (Kansas State), Marvin Mims (Oklahoma) and Xavier Worthy (Texas) are just a few of many talented skill players. 2 in scoring offense (43.1) and No. WKU student files lawsuit claiming assault, emotional distress and negligence against university 3223 Views, CVS Pharmacy near campus to permanently close next month 3214 Views, SGA Judicial Council unanimously votes against censure of President Bornefeld regarding use of social media 2801 Views, UPDATED: WKU experiences power outages across campus 911 Views, Coach Stansburys absence indefinite 718 Views, WKU tennis loses to NKU and Cincinnati in weekend matches, WKU Softball grabs four wins in Hilltopper Classic, WKU Baseball wins three of four games in series against Ohio University, WKU Mens Basketball takes down Louisiana Tech, Photos: Mens Basketball, WKU vs. LA Tech, WKU Womens Basketball falls to Louisiana Tech, Former WKU athlete recognized with Kentucky Tennis honors for outstanding career, 2023 College Heights Herald, 1906 College Heights Blvd. I was a young guy at the time, I was a student coach, so I was still 21-22 years old at that time, Kittley said. Gamecocks wide receivers coach Justin Stepp worked alongside Briles on the Arkansas staff in 2020 andsources tell 247Sports that he wouldgive Beamer his seal of approval if this was the move. The read for the quarterback is simple-throw off of the cornerbacks movement and make him wrong. ?? 15 in total offense last season and looking to be even better in 2023. Like Sam Pittman, Grimes has an offensive line coach background while also having experience orchestrating some of the most high-octane offenses in college football the last few seasons. This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. I have three boys and I knew pretty early when they grew up that he was going to be my coach, Kittleys father said. Mahomes is one of two NFL Draft selections to tutor under Kittley as Western Kentucky gunslinger Bailey Zappe heard his name called in the fourth round this past May by the New England Patriots. However, the weakness of triangle concepts like snag are brought to bear when the defense responds by over rotating to the triangle side. WebZach Kittley was named HBUs offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Jan. 10, 2018. Lunney had a pretty successful stint at UTSA in the two seasons that followed, which led to him being hired by Bret Bielema at Illinois before the 2022 season. Can he fix what has derailed this offense in recent years? I'm biased clearly, but I don't think there's a more important football player in the whole country than Bailey Zappe is to this football program and this team.". Copyright 2021 WBKO. I was sitting on the airplane at this point after the bowl game, I checked my email and I had an email from the head football coach at HBU just reaching out for interest in possibly becoming the offensive coordinator, Kittley continued. If you include the new strength and conditioning coach, Ben Sowders, then its been a really good offseason for Pittman as far as staff turnover goes. Turner has built quite a resume of tight ends that have gone on to be successful in the NFL and is also regarded as a great recruiter. zach kittley offense playbook Kittley got to know the gunslinging quarterback when he took on an assistant quarterbacks coach role over his last three years at Texas Tech. Bailey Zappe left. Kittley helped coach Super Bowl Champion and NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes for three years at Texas Tech. A handful of players must have listened to Shealy, as Bailey Zappe, Ben Ratzlaff and brothers Jerreth and Josh Sterns all transferred to the Hill for the 2021 season. I had a quality control position available for me there at Texas Tech to stay if I wanted to but it was tugging at my heart that maybe I needed to move on., I was sitting on the airplane at this point after the bowl game, I checked my email and I had an email from the head football coach at HBU just reaching out for interest in possibly becoming the offensive coordinator, Kittley continued. This can have the effect of making it an easier read for the quarterback because it puts the flat defender in a more immediate bind. Both have SEC connections from their time at Auburn and are considered to be elite recruiters. If the cornerback is playing off, he will eliminate the corner route in his progression and have an easy read on the Sam, just like on stick. Wide receiver Jerreth Sterns led the nation in receptions (137) and receiving yards (1,718) while catching 14 touchdowns. Who Is Ariel Frenkel on The Bachelor? This season, he led the Red Raiders to finishing No. Sterns, who was also a senior graduate transfer from Houston Baptist, led the nation in receptions (150), TD receptions (17), and receiving yards (1,902). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Design a site like this with WordPress.com, Bill Walsh, the Stick Concept, and the Constraint Theory of Offense, Air Coryell and how Lincoln Riley compliments stick with the drive concept, Run and Shoot Part 1: History and Secrecy, Run and Shoot Part 2: Mouse Davis and the Switch Concept. However, it is not confirmed yet as Zach hasnt mentioned his income publicly. The 30-yr-old Lubbock native spent three seasons as a GA & asst QB coach under Kliff Kingsbury. Zappe, just the sixth quarterback in FBS history to record at least 5,000 passing yards and 50 touchdowns, was named the Conference USA Most Valuable Player as well as the winner of the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award. One of the first names that will probably be mentioned by lot of Razorback fans is former tight ends coach Dowell Loggains. The Hilltoppers closed the 2021 campaign as the FBS leader in passing yards per game (433.7) and first downs (384) and ranked second for both scoring offense and total offense and then 13th in red zone offense after scoring in 90.9 percent of their appearances inside the 20. Sterns, who played at Houston Baptist, leads the nation with an incredible 1,014 yards after the catch, according to Pro Football Focus. Junior quarterback Bailey Transfer quarterback Adrian Martinez will boost the Wildcats passing attack which ranked No. The offense averaged a whopping 33.8 points per game. What he's been able to do with the Tar Heels under Mack Brown with quarterbacks Sam Howell and Drake Maye is really impressive when you consider how dreadful North Carolina's defense has been the past few seasons. Led by transfers Bailey Zappe and Jerreth Sterns, WKU finished the season averaging 44 points and 536 yards per game, second behind only Ohio State in total offense. Kittley expressed confidence that his style of air raid offense will be able to thrive in Conference USA, citing the experience he gained when his Huskies faced North Texas and La Tech in 2020. If the cornerback is playing off, he will eliminate the corner route in his progression and have an easy read on the Sam, just like on stick. Outside of the quarterback position, the Big 12 returns some of the most electric players in the country. 93 in red zone offense and No. Zappe became the highest-drafted quarterback in Western Kentucky following a record-setting final collegiate season where he snapped the NCAA FBS records for single-season passing yards (5,967) and passing touchdowns (62). Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. The SEC considers only having one annual conference rival for each team. Myles Price has always found a way to stand out. His father, Wes Kittley, still coaches track and field for Texas Tech. Zach Kittley orchestrated one of the greatest statistical turnarounds in college football history in his first year leading the Hilltoppers' offense. During its shortened 2020 season, Houston Baptist continually frustrated FBS opponents as Zappe, who later transferred to Western Kentucky after Kittleys hire, completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 1,833 yards and 15 touchdowns with only one interception over four games. Quarterbacks, Kittley believed, could and should change some calls at the line of scrimmage. The success of the offense helped Kittley land the offensive coordinator role at Texas Tech under new head coach Joey McGuire. Grimes runs a very versatile scheme that helped a young and depleted Baylor roster finish ranked No. WebZach Kittley, the architect behind one of the nations top offenses this past two years at both Houston Baptist at Western Kentucky, enters his first season on the were also second nationally in total offense and scoring offense in 2015. USF recently fired head coach Jeff Scott, which means his top-end assistants are being courted by other programs as we speak. 125 in red zone defense. It took Mahomes only two seasons from there to garner NFL MVP honors as he was named the leagues top player in his first year as Kansas Citys starter in 2018. Kittley could tell immediately that Kingsbury was going to lead the Red Raiders to success. I was 14 years old at the time, but I just knew I wanted to coach one day this is the path that I knew I was going to take at a younger age., I have three boys and I knew pretty early when they grew up that he was going to be my coach, Kittleys father said. It was fun going to his track meets, being around his college athletes, Kittley said. coach in 2010 and he later served under Dan Mullen as Florida's top assistant. LUBBOCK, Texas Zach Kittley, the architect behind one of the nations top offenses this season at Western Kentucky, has been named the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Texas Tech, head coach Joey McGuire announced Monday evening. Kliff Kingsbury truly took him under his wing and let Zach do a lot to learn that offense.. His defensive high school coach was Don Black, and Zach loved him. That was a telltale time I knew he was destined to be a coach.. Familiar staples of the system originally made famous by Hal Mumme and Mike Leach were omnipresent in WKUs offense, particularly a heavy dose of 4 verticals and Y stick (although they preferred the Y stick/slot fade variation). Led by transfers Bailey Zappe and Jerreth Sterns, WKU finished the season averaging 44 points and 536 yards per game, second behind only Ohio State in total offense. Statistically, it's not even close, no one's in the same ballpark as he is. Kittleys unit ranked second nationally, averaging 528.0 yards and 43.1 Wes Kittley explained that his son had a deep understanding of the game of football from an early age, showing his ability to run an offense and help others comprehend different kinds of schemes and plays all the way back in high school. Running backs remain an afterthought. Erik Ezukanma could return next year to increase his draft stock. Zappe led the nation with 35 passing touchdowns in 2019 and ranked second in passing yards per game for a Huskies offense that was third nationally in passing offense with 334.3 yards per game through the air. Poet Laureate reads her work at WKU, WKU professor shares insights about artificial intelligence in the classroom, Photos: 2022 Poetry Laureate Ada Limn Poetry Reading, WKU African American studies, history department to host 'Unbought'. Heres a look at seven candidates that could be on Arkansas radar as the next offensive coordinator. Symons that stood nearly 20 years up until Western Kentuckys win in the Boca Raton Bowl. It was weird being on the visiting sideline and seeing the Masked Raider run out.it was kind of a rush for me.. 3 in the country in total offense in 2021. #WreckEm https://t.co/S8w9ERrcNu, Strong endorsements on our new OC! Mullen helped develop some stud quarterbacks at the college level like Alex Smith, Tim Tebow and Dak Prescott. The Hilltoppers wont be passing the ball on every snap, however. Kittleys offense at Western Kentucky averaged a whopping 44 points per game in 2021. I mean, you look at a guy that came in here and he led his team to the conference championship game. Have confirmed that Zach Kittley has agreed to return to Texas Tech as offensive coordinator. Barbay rides a balanced spread-style offense for the Mountaineers and just finished his first season as play-caller with the nation's No. It took Mahomes only two seasons from there to garner NFL MVP honors as he was named the leagues top player in his first year as Kansas Citys starter in 2018. At defensive coordinator, they replaced Barry Odom with up-and-comer Travis Williams and co-coordinator Marcus Woodson. Oklahoma State lost a majority of its elite defense but Sanders and Gundy should have the offense in good shape. Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Within the air raid system, snag (or Y corner) developed as the companion play to Y stick. ?? Zach Kittley is coming back to Lubbock to be the offensive coordinator under Joey McGuire #WreckEm #GunsUp pic.twitter.com/r00VCKW1ox. Zach Kittleys electric offense this past season at Western Kentucky put the normally below-the-radar Hilltoppers program onto the national scene. Riley came over from Dykes' staff at SMU and is considered one of college football's up-and-coming offensive gurus. Please. I think this offense can be successful in this conference, Kittley said. The Gamecocks are coming off back-to-back wins over top 10 opponents for the first time in program history and the offense flourished during those two outings, including a 63-point explosion against Tennessee. Mahomes is one of two NFL Draft selections to tutor under Kittley as Western Kentucky gunslinger Bailey Zappe heard his name called in the fourth round this past May by the New England Patriots. Red Raiders bring back former right-hand man to Kliff Kingsbury I had been at Texas Tech for five years now and I really felt like I had come into my own as a coach and I was confident in myself that it may be time for me to move on, Kittley said. The #2 receiver does a good job of stemming and getting on the defenders toes to break open on the corner: Here against Marshall, they again put the back in tear motion before the snap. The cornerback jumps the shoot, isolating Sterns on the corner route against an outmatched linebacker: Against UTSA they put the back on tear motion, which allows Zappe to identify man coverage when the backer vacates the box to run with him. Alumni Association. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Zappe actually broke the previous FBS record set by Texas Techs own B.J. During its shortened 2020 season, Houston Baptist continually frustrated FBS opponents as Zappe, who later transferred to Western Kentucky after Kittleys hire, completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 1,833 yards and 15 touchdowns with only one interception over four games. ?? Peyton Hillis spent more than a week in the hospital and was in intensive care and on a ventilator. Kittley worked alongside Kingsbury in the development of Patrick Mahomes II as a graduate assistant, tutoring the future NFL MVP into becoming the nations leading passer in 2016 and an eventual top-10 selection by the Kansas City Chiefs. Zach was football and basketball star at Frenship High School before serving on then-Red Raiders head coach Kliff Kingsburys staff from 2013 to 2017. However, hes now face with arguably his most important hire to date. WebOpp Pts/G: 29.4 (92nd of 130) SRS: 8.39 (30th of 130) SOS: -2.61 (92nd of 130) Bowl Game: Won Boca Raton Bowl 59-38 versus Appalachian State. 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