The Utah Utes have been looking to find a replacement for former offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig took the same position at Kansas State. Last week Scout.com's Washingtion's site was reporting that University of Utah's Andy Roderick was to take the same position, wide receivers coach, to Seattle with his old BYU pal Steve Sarkisian. To most this seemed that Roderick was not going to get the coordinator job and decided to jump ship to a bigger conference, and this was late last week.
Well Friday night the news came out that Andy Roderick and running backs coach Dave Schramm will be the co-offensive coordinators, but then on Saturday reports came out that Schramm would be the main guy with Roderick taking the wide receivers position at Washington. A few things about this, are that maybe Roderick thought he was too big of a coach to share the coordinator position, money could be an issue because Washington is in the Pac-10 and offer more money then the Utes because at Utah he was making $92,000 and the Seattle Times is reporting that Roderick would be getting $132,000 per year for the same position, and finally it could be that Roderick feels that besides making almost 50% more in money that Washington can offer a better chance for him to be an offensive coordinator or head coach.
My opinion, falls somewhat within all three of those first I think is money because he is young, at 36, in coaching years and that big jump in a salary for the same position is quite nice. Sharing the coordinator position most likely would mean that Roderick would still be coaching the wide receivers and back to the pay it may not be much of a difference to coach both, and with two coordinators it is inevitable that only one will be chosen and Roderick feels he is better then that.
Now, with just one coordinator in Dave Schramm who was the running backs coach the question has to be asked is that 'Will Utah keep their spread offense?' The Utes have recruited accordingly with their recruits at quarterbacks all who are mobile and a little on the small size than a traditional drop back passers. The three of the four quarterbacks on scholarship next year all have those qualities: Corbin Loucks, juco recruit Terrance Cain, DeVonte Christopher, and only high school recruit Jordan Wynn is not considered a very mobile player.
There could be a shift to use the running game a bit more because the Utes have a bruiser in Matt Asiata who will be the featured back, and Utah also will have speed guy Eddie Wide and Ray Stowers as the backups. Give coach Whittingham the benefit of the doubt on this because his hires within so far have seen solid, but the offense should concern Utah fans since Whittingham will have his hand in the defense. Whittingham has always said he wants to keep the spread, because that is how Utah football has been successful.
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