Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. SOURCE: WKU OC Zach Kittley has agreed to become Texas Tech's new OC. Junior quarterback Bailey The 30-yr-old Lubbock native spent three seasons as a GA & asst QB coach under Kliff Kingsbury. @ZKittley Congrats!! The good news for Sooner faithful is Jeff Lebby and Dillon Gaberial are no slouches. But the Red Raiders talent wasnt just confined to the coaching staff. 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 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 Texas Tech staff as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Toronto had 94 field goal attempts to Chicagos 71 and outrebounded the Bulls 47-35, including a 19-6 advantage on the offensive glass. WKU is doing it all behind a pass-heavy offense that is throwing the ball over 68 percent of the time. At Central Michigan,Barbay helped tailback Lew Nichols III lead the nation with 1,848 rushing yards as a redshirt freshman. As this was happening, the Z would run a lazy slant/snag route (he was coached to fake a fade against a rolled corner) and take the Ys place on the stick. Please check your email for a confirmation. The Red Raiders annually ranked among the nations top offenses during his three seasons as a graduate assistant as Texas Tech led the country in total offense and passing offense and ranked fifth in scoring during the 2016 campaign. When WKU head coach Tyson Helton reached out to Kittley, the Lubbock native was excited to answer the call. I just didnt love the game of basketball enough I always loved football, the Xs and Os aspect of it.. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. He has a quarterback battle on his hands between Max Duggan and Chandler Morris, two guys that have flashed potential in the past. 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. Zach Kittley is coming back to Lubbock to be the offensive coordinator under Joey McGuire #WreckEm #GunsUp pic.twitter.com/r00VCKW1ox. 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. Zach Kittley left. I have three boys and I knew pretty early when they grew up that he was going to be my coach, Kittleys father said. 38 nationally) and routinely bailed out bad play on the other side of the football. 19 in red zone offense. WebKittley just completed his first season at Western Kentucky after previously serving as the offensive coordinator at Houston Baptist from 2018-20. @PatrickMahomes Sterns has also been successful this season, catching 137 passes for 1,718 yards and 17 touchdowns. The hire marks a homecoming for Kittley whos roots are firmly established in the Texas Panhandle. 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. Multiple reports surfaced late Sunday night saying that Kittley was officially joining newly-anointed Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuires Red Raider coaching staff. ?? The Sooners have all season to prepare for Kittleys new-look offensive attack. Zappe only needs four more passing touchdowns to tie Joe Burrows single-season record. He is incredibly sharp and is definitely one of the brightest young minds in the game, Kingsbury said in a statement. Bijan Robinson and Xavier Worthy are bonafide stars, transfers Quinn Ewers, Isaiah Neyor and Jahleel Billingsley add more depth to an already strong offense. 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. Mahomes, who was also second in the school record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (22), is one of three quarterbacks in FBS history to record 5,000 yards of total offense twice in a career, joining fellow Red Raider signal caller Graham Harrell (2007-08) and Houstons Case Keenum (2008-09, 2011). One of the great young minds in the game, Kittley helped coach NFL MVP and Super Bowl Champion Patrick Mahomes for three years at Texas Tech, and The move was first reported by @AaronDickens. 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. WebWKU Athletics DEI Council. This move is likely not happening after Loggains took the job as South Carolinas offensive coordinator in December. I started doing my research, coach [Vic] Shealy was awesome to me and called me down for an interview me and my wife, we prayed about it, and we felt like it was the right move for us at the time I would never ever take back my time and that decision that I made.. 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 success of the offense helped Kittley land the offensive coordinator role at Texas Tech under new head coach Joey McGuire. The bigger question will come down to how does the offensive line perform? First reported by @AaronDickens. He was a finalist for the prestigious Manning Award and a semifinalist for both the Davey OBrien and Walter Camp Player of the Year awards. The Red Raiders alumni and fanbase is deep and strong. 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. Tight ends such as Mason Tharpe should see plenty of action, and we havent even discussed the wide receivers. He developed a quarterback with only one FBS scholarship offer into a household name at WKU. ?? Myles Price vying to stand out in Zach Kittley's offense for Texas Tech football. 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. The Chiefs eventually selected Mahomes with the No. However, Wake Forest star quarterback Sam Hartman did leave for Notre Dame this off-season. The Big 12's defense of uptempo offense. Despite having much concern about his, income Kittley hasnt provided any details yet. I have no way of knowing for sure without access to their playbook, but it is possible that this is kind of an option route, where their outside receiver is coached to work back toward the sideline if he doesnt initially get the ball on the slant: Backside slant touchdown throw on a redzone 4th down: Again on 4th down, UTSA is in man free and Zappe works the vertical/out combo to the backside: Here against Marshall, Zappe works a high/low combo on the backside flat defender: Later on in the game they run snag and go, where the outside receiver basically fakes snag and then runs vertical. The Red Raiders have hired former Western Kentucky offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Zach Kittley as their new offensive coordinator. 2 in scoring offense (43.1) and No. a move that's expected to be finalized this week, his "GoGo" offense with two running backs is exciting. It was a much slower year for the league with many of the best teams in the league (save for Oklahoma State) running slower, more deliberate offenses. I was 26 but really felt good about it. Kittley and his wife, Emily, were married in February 2017 and are parents to two boys, Knox and a newborn, Ford. Have confirmed that Zach Kittley has agreed to return to Texas Tech as offensive coordinator. 58 in red zone offense and No. He began as a student assistant before moving his way up as an offensive intern and eventually a graduate assistant. #11084 Bowling Green, KY , WKU OC Zach Kittley and the road that led him to the Hill. Tyler Shough is back from injury and is a perfect scheme fit for Kittleys air raid offense. This bodes well for SoRodorick Thompson, Xavier White, Tahj Brooks, and freshman CamRon Valdez. Should Shough and Colombi decide to move on, the team will be in good hands with the guys already on the roster. Led by transfers 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. His first season at Baylor in 2021, he completely turned around the Bears offense and helped them to a Big 12 championship and win over Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl. 2021 Western Kentucky Offensive Coordinator (Quarterbacks) Over the years the Big 12 conference has built a reputation of having some of the best high flying, up-tempo offenses in the country. The Mountaineers do have many question marks personnel-wise, but Harrells offense will be exciting nonetheless. One of Steve Sarkisian's aces in the hole on staff, Brennan Marion and his "GoGo" offense with two running backs is exciting if you have the personnel to run it. Sonny Dykes has had no issue putting up points at his coaching stops over the years. The success of the offense helped Kittley land the offensive coordinator role at Texas Tech under new head coach Joey McGuire. That was a telltale time I knew he was destined to be a coach.. Satterfield was one an expiring contract with the Gamecocks and his future with the program prior to Matt Rhule's arrival at Nebraska was shaky at best. That process led him to Western Kentucky offensive coordinator Zach Kittley, who made an incredible jump from 115th to 2nd nationally in scoring in his first season calling the offensive shots, setting all kinds of zach kittley offense playbook 19 in the country in total offense, No. Zappe completed 69.2% of his passes for 5,545 yards with 56 touchdowns and 11 interceptions before the bowl game. 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). Losing Briles is tough, but the right hire can definitely soften the blow. Spencer Sanders is back for his senior season after leading the Pokes to an 11-2 season in 2021. When the strong safety would begin to cheat down in an effort to eliminate the stick concept (often in the red zone), Y corner was the obvious constraint play because it took advantage of the open void that was now left behind the cornerback: As the safety came down, the Y would run a 4 step corner, giving a slight head fake to the Mike before cutting to an aiming point 1 yard inside the back pylon ( it is better to be too high on the corner route than too flat because it is easier to come back to the ball). Led by transfers Visit WKU. 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. That is what will determine how successful this offense can be in 2022. Make no mistake, this is Dykes' scheme, but Riley is the facilitator on offense as a rhythmic play-caller for the unbeaten probable playoff team. 71), 2021: Zach Kittley, Western Kentucky2020: Steve Sarkisian, Alabama2019: Joe Brady, LSU2018: Mike Locksley, Alabama2017: Josh Heupel, Missouri2016: Joe Moorhead, Penn State2015: Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma2014: Tom Herman, Ohio State2013: Mike Bobo, Georgia. Lubbock is my home, I got two degrees from Texas Tech. Youre probably thinking that it would favor Texas Tech by quite a bit, but you would be wrong. 16 in scoring offense. 58 in the country in total offense, No. (LogOut/ Symons that stood nearly 20 years up until Western Kentuckys win in the Boca Raton Bowl. This can be particularly tough on an inside linebacker, who must make his way through the corner and spot route runner in an effort to try and cover the back out in the flat. The Brock product started his career at Texas A&M, but injuries dampened his time in College Station. We used to study these offenses [at Texas Tech] in 2014, 2015, 2016, we loved to watch what WKU was doing, at the time they were one of the most explosive offenses in the country., My offensive line coach [at WKU], Stephen Hamby, we coached together at Texas Tech for three years, Kittley said. J.T. Last season, Ruggieros Demon Deacon offense finished No. The offense ranks second behind only Mississippi State (another Air Raid attack) with 50 passes per game and the offensive line has the best pass-blocking grade in the country heading into the bowl season, according to PFF. "You've got a rock star son," McGuire said. The gigantic leap, along with an eight-win season and the school's first divisional title in Conference USA since 2016, led Kittley back Monday to his alma mater of Texas Tech, where he was hired as offensive coordinator. 3)10-plus yards pass completions: 223 (No. 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. The Hilltoppers didn't lose a step offensively. Zach was helping me with the track team as a freshman in college when one day he said to me, Dad, I want to coach Football. 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. Kittley most recently coached at Houston Baptist and Texas Tech. 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. Sign up for the Razorbacks Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning, Not everyone is a fan of Sam Pittman's offseason moves. LUBBOCK, Texas Zach Kittley, the architect behind one of the nation's 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. Theres a lot of things that those young men were going through in college that I was going through at the same time I was really able to click with those guys on a personal level, which I think was really instrumental for me as a young guy.. The read for the quarterback is simple-throw off of the cornerbacks movement and make him wrong. 3 in the country in total offense in 2021. Tight ends aren't a big part of the WKU FOX Sports Bruce Feldman then confirmed the news late Sunday night that sources indicated Kittley agreed to the position. That being said, his Illini offense left a lot to be desired this season. Some air raid coaches will teach their quarterback to note the depth of the cornerback pre-snap. A deal is not in place at this time, but could be by the end of the weekend. 1. 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. ?? Kliff Kingsbury got hired as the head coach and I said hey, this is a guy that I would love to learn from. Zappe is one of only six quarterbacks in college football history to throw for over 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in a season, and could break two single-season FBS records in the bowl game. Zappe is 342-of-483 (70.8%) for 4,170 passing yards, with 42 touchdowns compared to only seven interceptions. Zach Kittley finished up his first season with Western Kentucky on Saturday as the WKU Hilltoppers defeated Appalachian State 59-38. 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. 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. 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