Shawn Watson replaces Mike Sanford as offensive coordinator
by UL is my hot hot sex on Oct 7, 2011 6:34 PM EDT
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From CBS Sports' Brett McMurphy:
Louisville assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Sanford is no longer with the program and has been replaced as offensive coordinator by quarterbacks coach Shawn Watson, CBSSports.com has learned.
Sanford, 56, did not make the trip to Chapel Hill, N.C., for Saturday’s game at North Carolina. Sanford was in his second season with the Cardinals after five seasons as head coach at UNLV. He was 16-43 with the Runnin’ Rebels from 2005-09. He also was previously offensive coordinator at Utah and Stanford.
Watson came to Louisville before this season from Nebraska. Watson will take over the offensive coordinator duties Saturday against UNC and for the rest of the season.
Louisville (2-2) was averaging 18.7 points per game under Sanford, ranking last in the Big East and 105th out of 120 FBS schools in scoring offense. The Cardinals also were 86th nationally in total offense, averaging 359.7 yards per game.
Mike Sanford is a nice man. It sucks to see someone lose their job and I'm a little uncomfortable throwing a party because of it and wishing bad things upon anyone's career. With that out of the way, congratulations Shawn Watson and godspeed, Mike Sanford. We'll always have that near comeback win at Oregon State, bro.
After witnessing Sanford's tumultuous five year UNLV head coaching stint firsthand (and after seeing this video of Sanford a few years ago), I know I'm not the only one who was bearish on him joining Louisville's staff. While I'm a little biased, I don't think I'm the only fan who's applauding this move, either. Many fans wanted to see a change after watching Louisville average 18 points against Murray State, FIU, Kentucky and Marshall.
I think it's plausible to suggest that whatever rift developed between Sanford and the coaching staff came to a boil during and after the Marshall game, leading to an overheated Charlie Strong in the post-game presser. Let's agree not to get overheated if Louisville continues to average 18 points at North Carolina this weekend and at Cincinnati the next. Those are two very capable defenses. It will be a sizable step up in competition for the offense, especially the offensive line. Let's do freak out if somehow UofL upsets the Tar Heels and Bearcats on the road. That won't happen. But if it does, you know what to do.
The Shawn Watson offensive coordinator era begins now.
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Interesting
After finding this out earlier, I went back and re-read the most controversial thing I’ve ever posted on this site: On Froman.
http://www.cardchronicle.com/2010/10/31/1785033/on-froman
Let’s hope Watson is better.
I stand by my comments then.
But you were dead on. This season has shown just how lucky we were to have a veteran line and Powell last year. I personally feel like Watson’s track record shows that he is more inventive and more aggressive than the “post Dan Mullen” Sanford has been.
had that thread in mind when I first heard about the Strong-Sanford "confrontation"
Funny how things work out
by UL is my hot hot sex on Oct 7, 2011 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions
between things heating up and not getting over heated
i’m super confused on what to do!!!
i wanna get chocolate wasted!!!!!
I don't think it will get worse...not convinced it will be much better....
I’m still waiting for another Petrino-like wunderkind, maybe next yr…
Sucky time for a coaching change.
But I also think it was necessary. We all agree the O-line is bad, but the play calling definitely wasn’t giving our players the best chance to succeed.
I guess we’ll see if there is any change in the play calling tomorrow.
Agreed
It is shitty time for a coaching change but it had to be done the play calling was down right horrible. When 90% of your play calls are the same play and it does not work try something new and that is something that Sanford did not do, there was absolutely no adjustments what so ever. I stand behinds HCCS on this.
by Cardemy on Oct 8, 2011 12:06 AM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions
In the picture...
is Sunny Offensive Coordinator Shawn Watson giving Sunny WIll Stein the thumb in favor of Teddy “Bridge Year” Bridgewater? That seems to be the direction he intends to go.
"...and the present, for us, is something that we really look forward to."
- Rick Pitino
The scuttlebutt is....
that what led to Sanford’s demise is that he was insisting on continuing to bring Teddy along slowly, while Strong and Watson are now ready to go with TB full on over Stein.
I guess we will soon find out.
Watson's Teams' Records when Watson was serving as Offenseive Coordinator
Colorado (Big 12) (promoted to OC in the middle of 2000)
2000 Barnett 3–8 3–5 4th (North)
2001 Barnett 10–3 7–1 1st L, 38-16 Fiesta Bowl † 9 9
2002 Barnett 9–5 7–1 1st (North) L, 31-28 (OT) Alamo Bowl 21 20
2003 Barnett 5–7 3–5 4th-t (North)
2004 Barnett 8–5 4–4 1st (North) W, 33-28 EV1.net Houston Bowl
2005 Barnett 7–5 5–3 1st (North) L, 19-10 Champs Sports Bowl
Nebraska (Big 12) (promoted to OC in the middle of 2007, retain through 2007 firing of Bill Callahan)
2010 10-4 #20
2009 10-4 #14
2008 9-4 NR
2007 5-7 NR
Seems to be a mostly positive uptick. GO CARDS. BEAT NORTH CAROLINA.
by REALISTICCARDSFAN on Oct 7, 2011 7:16 PM EDT reply actions
I'm a dick about these things
My loyalty is to this program and to Charlie Strong. I applaud his move because I have faith that HIS first loyalty is to the program as well – not the guys on his staff. It has to be that way in any enterprise where you’re the guy in charge. Sanford was not pulling his weight, and good for us that he’s out. He might be a really nice guy, but so what? Football is war.
by CardsRuleBE on Oct 7, 2011 7:47 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
Not with Strong on this one
The middle of the season is not the time to make staff changes. He should have waited til the end of the year. Nothing but a distraction heading into a VERY important road game.
Let's break this down on his work from last year:
Passing
Passing Statistics
NAME CMP: 163 ATT: 282 YDS: 2108 CMP%: 57.8 YDS/A: 7.48 TD: 16 INT: 8 RAT: 133.6
Rushing Statistics
CAR: 634 YDS: 3466 AVG: 5.5 LONG: 80 TD: 32
Average Points Scored: 30.86
by REALISTICCARDSFAN on Oct 7, 2011 7:48 PM EDT reply actions
I like that 30.86 ppg
I don’t have any illusions we can get to that this year with this OL, but even with a poor OL we should be scoring in the 20’s with all the skill position talent on the roster. Just think if Watson can squeeze out 7 more ppg. We’d be 4-0 or at worst 3-1. I know I know, that’s all speculative and who knows, but I mean all other things being equal. The point is, we don’t need to score a LOT more to win a lot more…. not with this defense.
Yes its funny...
people who were bashing Sanford’s play calling this year were saying it was not good last year.
30.86 ppg
Not bad. Especially considering what he had to work with QB wise.
No matter, he is gone now. Roll on.
GO CARDS!!!!!
I think he meant Watson's 2010 numbers
Not Sanford’s. Louisville averaged 26.4 ppg last year, not 30.86. And the other stats he posted were not Louisville’s either.
You are right
Sorry, I’ve been slopping comments up tonight. They’re all messy and unclear, but they’re about Watson. Got bar exam results today and passed! Drinking and waiting for the wife to get off for celebrations. Promise that my lawyerly work will be better than my Card Chronicle Comments.
by REALISTICCARDSFAN on Oct 7, 2011 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Sucks for Sanford
Wasn’t he the one who declined a job offer from either Alabama or Auburn this past off-season, or am I thinking of someone else? Whoever it was, was praised for his loyalty to this program and Strong publicly commended him. If that’s him, I bet he’s sorry he didn’t bolt.
Either way, though. He wasn’t getting the job done, and a change needed to be made. I’m all for whatever moves this program in the right direction.
________________________________________________
www.lordkayoss.com
Sanford interviewed the the LSU job
and got passed over for _______________.
by scorpiocard on Oct 7, 2011 8:30 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Kudos to Strong for seeing a problem and moving fast to fix it
Not all coaches have the balls to do that mid-season. Of course, not all coaches Charlie F’n Strong
by Ellis from Compton on Oct 7, 2011 8:26 PM EDT reply actions
U of L has not confirmed this, and no local media has reported it.
What has been reported is that Sanford did not make the trip. One would assume he is out, BUT…is cbssports.com jumping the gun on this?
It seems if he was gone there would have been a press release from U of L.
Strange.
Should be easy to figure out
if he did get fired, he’s probably still stomping around the Schnelly Complex demanding a review.
Not so fast my friend
“It sucks to see someone lose their job and I’m a little uncomfortable throwing a party because of it and wishing bad things upon any one’s career.”
There’s always Coach He Whose Name Shall Not Be Spoken.
I was at a conference and they had a “motivational speaker” who said if you can feel sorry for someone it means you have forgiven him. I feel sorry about the Parkinson’s but I will never, ever forgive him.
Mike Sanford is a dry guy
Anybody who is questioning Strong on this can question him to his face. I’m sorry, but with the young talent we have, patience is no longer a virtue. Get them on the field. Get them experienced. Win games.
Careful man, there's a beverage here!
Exactly
This is why I don’t see making a change mid-season as a big deal. The way things were going, we were heading for a 4-8 or 5-7 season anyway. We don’t want the young guys getting used to that. Let’s get them started right now on the new way and hopefully they can get good enough to score more points in time to salvage this year, but at least they’ll be ready right from the outset next year.
Proud of Charlie for recognizing a problem and fixing it. Although I probably would have done it at the end of the year.
I’ve talked to a couple of players and they say Sanford was well liked by the players and that morale is pretty low right now. But I am hopeful! Go Cards!
by SummerofGeorge on Oct 7, 2011 11:17 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Seems like Watson has come in and made quite an impression on players and recruits
Let’s see what he’s got. I don’t care who Sanford thought should be The QB, he completely closed the playbook on Saturday and set TB up for failure late in the 4th quarter. He wasn’t going to get it done and he didn’t fit well with the staff, so the quicker you cut ties the better off the program will be in the long run. Why would we waste away for thenrest of the season if Strong already knew he wanted Sanford out?
If Watson doesn’t show anything this season, then I would love for us to make a run at John L for OC. He may have left us on bad terms, but he is very familiar to the position we are in right now. He deserves better than a Special teams coach position.
by ulcards on Oct 7, 2011 11:31 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
I'd take that,.... or Jeff Brohm
# In Tom We Trust!!
by Chick-Stratino'sUrDaddy on Oct 8, 2011 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions
Shit,.... I'd definitely take that. How awesome would it be if Howard came back here after he hangs it up at Florida Atlantic?
I’m sure a position could be created for him, quick-fast and in a hurry. Director of Football Operations maybe?
Master and Creator of all Bad-assery?
# In Tom We Trust!!
by Chick-Stratino'sUrDaddy on Oct 8, 2011 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree totally with HCCS decision! My thing is I see some folks saying that they don’t agree and feel that it’s a distraction. I would like to think that if you are making bone head decisions and not holding your weight that alone is a distraction. I was questioning some of the play calling the first game of the season. If it is final and he is out. I wish him good luck with whatever route he travels!! Hope Coach Watson can get in and find his notch and allow these boys to grow and learn as oppose to treading thin ice and failing. DIE HARD CARD…counting down till noon Saturday Eastern Cardinal Time!!!!
If you never learn to understand failure, how could you recognize success?
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