Rams to promote Cignetti to Offensive Coordinator

[jrry32]

I feel underwhelmed. Hopefully, he proves me wrong.

 

[Dagonet]

I feel underwhelmed. Hopefully, he proves me wrong.

I kind of felt the same way. but then started thinking that someone has to get their start somewhere. Could be the next best thing since cold beer?

Besides I would imagine it'd been rough to get a "name" in here considering the environments.

 

[shaunpinney]

To be honest I was hoping it was going to be Cignetti after we lost whasshis name to the Bears, but after digging in his background I'm more confident in Cignetti - I just wish the FO would have shown me some big balls and named him sooner... you know confidence in the inside guy

Roll on next season, sounds like Cignetti's going to get our best players the ball and let them play

 

[TexasRam]

Great hire.

This man has had years of first hand experience watching how NOT to run an NFL offense.

Go team.

 

[den-the-coach]

I feel underwhelmed. Hopefully, he proves me wrong.

He'll do a hell of a job!
Frank Cignetti Jr.

Hometown:
Pittsburgh, PA

Position:
Offensive Coordinator

Birthdate:
10/04/1965

Alma Mater:
Indiana University of Pennsylvania '88




Pittsburgh native Frank Cignetti, whose coaching resume includes two decades of experience on both the collegiate and NFL levels, enters his second year as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Pitt.

Cignetti's impact at Pitt was immediate last year. The Panthers boasted one of their most potent offenses in recent memory, averaging 32.1 points per game -- one of the top five scoring averages in school history. Pitt's offensive arsenal included a 1,700-yard rusher in Dion Lewis and 1,000-yard receiver in Jon Baldwin. Moreover, quarterback Bill Stull ranked among the nation's most efficient passers, throwing for more than 2,600 yards and 21 touchdowns.

In total, seven of Pitt's offensive players were named All-Big East, including Lewis, who was honored as the league's Offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year.

Cignetti joined Wannstedt's staff after spending the 2008 season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of California. The Bears averaged nearly 33 points per game en route to a 9-4 record and victory over Miami (Fla.) in the Emerald Bowl. In 2007 Cignetti was the San Francisco 49ers' quarterbacks coach.

His Pitt appointment marked a return to the place where he landed his first coaching position as a Panthers graduate assistant in 1989.

Cignetti's family has deep ties to Pitt and Western Pennsylvania football. His father, Frank Sr., was a Pitt assistant from 1966-68 and later the head coach at both West Virginia (1976-79) and Indiana University of Pa. (1986-2005). His brother Curt was also a Pitt assistant (1983-84 and 1993-99) who is now at Alabama.

Prior to his 49ers post, Cignetti was the offensive coordinator at North Carolina (2006) and Fresno State (2002-05). In 2004 Fresno State averaged 52.8 points over its final six games and became just the sixth team in NCAA history to score 50 or more points in four consecutive contests.

The Bulldogs twice finished among the nation's top 10 in scoring and third-down conversions during Cignetti's tenure. They were also a perennial postseason team, advancing to four consecutive bowls, including victories over Georgia Tech (2002, Silicon Valley), UCLA (2003, Silicon Valley) and Virginia (2004, MPC Computers).

From 2000-01, Cignetti served as quarterbacks coach with the New Orleans Saints, where he helped Jeff Blake to a career-best passer rating and also helped Aaron Brooks produce some of the best statistics of his career en route to a Pro Bowl alternate selection. Cignetti landed his first NFL appointment in 1999 as a quality control assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs.

From 1990-98, Cignetti was on his father's staff at IUP, where he was an all-conference safety before earning his bachelor's degree in 1988. He served IUP as receivers, secondary and quarterbacks coach before elevating to offensive coordinator for his final two seasons. During his tenure, IUP twice advanced to the NCAA Division II national title game and earned a berth in the semifinals four times.

Cignetti additionally has served on the coaching staffs for the Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine all-star games.

http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/cignettijr_frank00.html

 

[Fatbot]

I just wish the FO would have shown me some big balls and named him sooner...

Yeah that's my thinking too, but then I wonder if what took so long was internal discussions involving Fisher, Cignetti and Boras to try to figure out how it would work promoting one without offending the other? So came up with the running game role for Boras solution? Dunno just guessing.

 

[TheBunk]

Eh we'll see. Hoping for the best.

 

[jjab360]

Honestly, this might be the best thing to happen for us. Interior promotions are often the least celebrated but end up being the best move to make.

 

[TheDYVKX]

I'm sure Fisher knows what he's doing. He's been on the job for over 20 years. Hopefully this works out.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Anyone know how his offenses have done in college before he took over and what he ranked during his tenures? IE did he improve the offenses he took over or not. Curious- don't know much about Cignetti otherwise.

From the links listed in here, he's done well several times....I think I remember some of those Fresno St teams...Competing with the best with limited resources....mostly on the road.

"Cignetti was most successful serving as the offensive coordinator at Fresno State for four years from 2002 until 2006. In 2004, Fresno State's offense ranked fifth nationally and seventh in 2005. In 2004 Fresno State became the sixth team in NCAA history to score over 50 points in four consecutive games. The 2004 team also led theWestern Athletic Conference in average yards per carry and amassed 65 touchdowns."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Cignetti,_Jr.

Have to dig a little deeper for his other tenures.

Thanks Chris.....

Overall I felt Cig had the best qualifications....Now the real test, who do we draft to play backup QB? Who does Cig like? What type of skill-set?

 

[Fatbot]

That said, if the cat is more a ground and pound guy, why did they promote Boras to running game coordinator? Wouldn't Cignetti's strength be the running game from his history?

I think Cignetti is a believer in a strong running game but definitely has more of a passing background (why he's always been a QB coach). Plus it sounds like his love or perhaps strength is similar to Mike McCarthy style of passing offense from the article I linked earlier about his Rutgers offense:

“The foundation is the same,” Cignetti said ... and it isn’t something he merely copied from Mike McCarthy, the Packers’ head coach. He learned it alongside him, starting in 1989 when the two men were unpaid graduate assistants at Pittsburgh.

Cignetti would pick up McCarthy each morning and drive him to work, and then the two would stop for pizza on the way home. Their paths met again, when McCarthy was the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints and Cignetti worked as his quarterbacks coach.
​

Honestly I don't think we're going to see much difference from Schotty's style since in all likelihood it was really Fisher's style, and will remain so. But *if* we see anything different my guess is the goal would be to look more like Green Bay's style.

And I say this knowing the danger of reminding folks of the "look like Denver" fiasco, or remarking that we can't look like Green Bay without Rodgers... I'm just saying as far as philosophy/offense style...

 

[jrry32]

I kind of felt the same way. but then started thinking that someone has to get their start somewhere. Could be the next best thing since cold beer?

Besides I would imagine it'd been rough to get a "name" in here considering the environments.

It's not so much that he's an internal hire. I think I would have been somewhat excited about Boras. It's that he had OC experience at the college level and didn't really blow you away. But, again, I'm hoping he'll prove me wrong and tear it up this year.

 

[Marq]

Meh. I'm going to reserve my judgement about him until we start playing games. Not much of a resume at the NFL level, but was accomplished in the college ranks.

Positives are that the offense will likely have many familiar elements for returning players. Also his promotion likely signals the return of Sam in 2015. His familiarity with Sam may help cater the offense to Sam's strengths (rolling Sam out, running hurry up, etc.)

Agreed except no rolling out. We need to bubble wrap Sam and keep him in the middle of the field. Lol

 

[Dagonet]

Here's where 101 (The Fast Lane) reported on Boras's promotion to running game coordinator.. Plus more on this. It is at the begiining of the show so no fast forwarding needed.

 

[mr.stlouis]

If the drive results in a TD, he's great. If we punt, he sucks. Lol... life of a fan.

 

[A55VA6]

I'm cool with it. Already knows the players and their strengths, so hopefully it'll be a smooth transition.

 

[FRO]

He has done a good job with the QBs given to him. Let's hope we don't have a Walton 2.0 situation.

 

[HometownBoy]

If he can do Schotty's plan without falling for the pitfalls of Schott overthinking or not making adjustments then he should be fine. Schotty's gameplan wasn't a bad one inherently, Schotty himself just used it improperly and failed to open it up/change it after what worked stopped working. If Cignetti can use it and manage to avoid those pitfalls then there shouldn't be a reason for it not to work.

 

[ChrisW]

From the links listed in here, he's done well several times....I think I remember some of those Fresno St teams...Competing with the best with limited resources....mostly on the road.

Thanks Chris.....

Overall I felt Cig had the best qualifications....Now the real test, who do we draft to play backup QB? Who does Cig like? What type of skill-set?

Well he was at Pitt for Tom Savage. Maybe that's the reason we heard that the Rams liked him in the draft.

 

[HX76]

I hope Cig isn't a Seahawks!