Rams to promote Cignetti to Offensive Coordinator

[Merlin]

As I read through these pages some things that have occurred to me...

Cigs represents a strong desire by Fish to improve the passing game. This should be no surprise to anyone who has been paying attention to the guys Fish has shown interest in, but if he wanted a plodding, unpredictable offense the choice would have been Boras who he is a big fan of clearly and who is knowledgeable with the big guys and undoubtedly blocking schemes.

Also, Cigs' affiliation with WCO concepts means he is going to scheme to attack defenses with a lot of slants and will run the ball out of formations that spread defenses out. Making defenses defend the whole field sounds good to me. But still, since he is familiar with this offense and the "digits" system we won't see a change that will baffle our genius players like, for example, Tavon. Which is an enormous advantage over a guy like Van Pelt who would almost surely want to run what he knows from a terminology standpoint.

If you look at the Rams' offensive backfield you have Mason and Austin as significant matchup problems in the passing game. Watts is also a good receiver for a RB, and Cunningham is no slouch either . I think this promotion of Cignetti to OC is going to introduce RB as receiver usage that we haven't seen for some time, as he demonstrated from being an OC in college.

I presume he is going to have a newly overhauled OL and maybe even a WR added with that 10 overall pick particularly if they address OT in FA as I have mentioned before. Given that, they can easily address OG in the 2nd and 3rd rounds and imagine getting Quick back healthy along with a WR talent like, say, Cooper or White coming onboard at 10 overall which is very possible. I have to think Cigs trotting out 3 and 4 WR sets with Quick/Cooper/Austin/Bailey or equivalent along with Mason coming out of the backfield as a playoff level offense.

And yeah, I get it about QB. I know it is the key. But man, the pieces are almost surely going to be there for some lucky QB to look really, really good. My point in all this is we're not doomed and maybe this hiring is really going to work out for us particularly if they get the right guy to backup Bradford.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Unless he's HC other teams can ask to interview him, his title is irrelevant. And who other than the Rams have open positions at this point in the year?
Seems to me they hired both to be OC, one gets the fancy title, the other probably a bump in pay.
The OC is Fisher, and the offense is going to be what he wants.
I guess that's the way it ought to be in a make or break year.

I thought that if Boras was a TE coach that other teams could hire him as an OC, but making him assistant head coach makes that a bit harder for teams to pull him away.

 

[dieterbrock]

I thought that if Boras was a TE coach that other teams could hire him as an OC, but making him assistant head coach makes that a bit harder for teams to pull him away.

Nope. Only 2 coaching designations, HC and asst coach. Cant prevent an asst coach from interviewing for a promotion to HC but any asst coaching postion is a lateral move and requires the team to allow permission for interview. As long as an asst in under contract, he can be prevented from interviewing.

My guess is that they sold the internal "promotion" to Boras to keep the locker room together

End of the day, Fisher is the OC now

 

[Fatbot]

Also, Cigs' affiliation with WCO concepts means he is going to scheme to attack defenses with a lot of slants and will run the ball out of formations that spread defenses out.

This is my only concern as I'm not a fan of WCO. But it's hard to call anything in the NFL really WCO anymore, it's all been so tweaked and philosophy has changed to the point it's not recognizable. But the NFL is a matchup game, and I can't help but note that if Cigs' WCO is similar to the Mike McCarthy version, the Packers haven't exactly lit it up against the Seahawks lately, so I'm wary of the Rams trying a similar scheme in our division.

 

[Boffo97]

Nope. Only 2 coaching designations, HC and asst coach. Cant prevent an asst coach from interviewing for a promotion to HC but any asst coaching postion is a lateral move and requires the team to allow permission for interview. As long as an asst in under contract, he can be prevented from interviewing.

Yeah, too many teams got cute and gave coaches weird titles simply to be able to prevent other teams from interviewing them.

My guess is that they sold the internal "promotion" to Boras to keep the locker room together

End of the day, Fisher is the OC now

Frankly, from a certain point of view, I think he always was. Schotty and now Ciggy have control of individual plays, but the philosophy is pretty chained to Fisher.

 

[Rmfnlt]

Frankly, from a certain point of view, I think he always was. Schotty and now Ciggy have control of individual plays, but the philosophy is pretty chained to Fisher.

Fisher might have had a chance to "let go" like Vermiel was "urged" to do.

I guess he either decided he didn't want to... or couldn't land someone who fit that bill (diverge from what his philospohy is).

We'll never know how it went down.

But, it's hard for me to believe either Cignetti nor Boras is going to "push" Jeff Fisher into doing something he (Fisher) doesn't want to do.

Maybe I'm wrong.

So, like Dieter says... it's probably Jeff Fisher that is our OC for 2015.

 

[dieterbrock]

Frankly, from a certain point of view, I think he always was. Schotty and now Ciggy have control of individual plays, but the philosophy is pretty chained to Fisher.

I dont know about that. Depsite the lack of QB they've had, in Fisher/Shotty 3 seasons together they've had a 1696 pass attempt to 1232 rush attempt ratio. 58/42%
Thats a passing mentality.
Meanwhile, they've rushed for 5104 yards on 1232 attempts, 4.14 ypc which is a pretty effective ypc

I just feel like there's a missed perception of the offense over the last 3 years. While there's constant talk about being smash mouth, run first etc. I think the offense has been based around the pass.

 

[Rmfnlt]

I dont know about that. Depsite the lack of QB they've had, in Fisher/Shotty 3 seasons together they've had a 1696 pass attempt to 1232 rush attempt ratio. 58/42%
Thats a passing mentality.
Meanwhile, they've rushed for 5104 yards on 1232 attempts, 4.14 ypc which is a pretty effective ypc

I just feel like there's a missed perception of the offense over the last 3 years. While there's constant talk about being smash mouth, run first etc. I think the offense has been based around the pass.

So, was that Schott passing? Or Fisher?

 

[dieterbrock]

So, was that Schott passing? Or Fisher?

Good question
Shotty was criticized in NY for going away from the run and only in Sanchez 1st season did they rush more than pass. His last 2 seasons were more passing attempts then rushes.
And in Fishers last 5 seasons in Tennesee, only his last season had more passing attmpt than rushing attempt.
So my guess is that Shotty was calling the plays

 

[Rmfnlt]

Good question
Shotty was criticized in NY for going away from the run and only in Sanchez 1st season did they rush more than pass. His last 2 seasons were more passing attempts then rushes.
And in Fishers last 5 seasons in Tennesee, only his last season had more rushing attmpt than pass attempt.
So my guess is that Shotty was calling the plays

Interesting.

So... maybe Fisher's reputation doesn't line up with what he has actually done? Maybe he isn't as much a ground-and-pound guy as we think?

And, if that is the case, what does that mean for Cignetti - who, by what I've read, likes more balance?

 

[dieterbrock]

Interesting.

So... maybe Fisher's reputation doesn't line up with what he has actually done? Maybe he isn't as much a ground-and-pound guy as we think?

And, if that is the case, what does that mean for Cignetti - who, by what I've read, likes more balance?

Well, that's the thing. Fisher ws ground and pound at Tennesee, as I saw, 4 of his last 5 seasons were heavily run vs pass.
As for Cignetti, I have no idea what he favors, he stayed at each of his stops for such a short time. His best success came in Fresno State running Pat Hill's offense

 

[iced]

I dont know about that. Depsite the lack of QB they've had, in Fisher/Shotty 3 seasons together they've had a 1696 pass attempt to 1232 rush attempt ratio. 58/42%
Thats a passing mentality.
Meanwhile, they've rushed for 5104 yards on 1232 attempts, 4.14 ypc which is a pretty effective ypc

I just feel like there's a missed perception of the offense over the last 3 years. While there's constant talk about being smash mouth, run first etc. I think the offense has beechen based around the pass.

In Bradford's last 3 games after the "offensive switch" (Texans, Jags, Panthers) , before they entered milk the clock mode (even with 2 possession lead) they were actually closer to 60/40...

That's why i always felt this "run first mantra" with bradford was never accurate when he was under center - completely different story under clemens... stacy had 16 carries a game in those 3; in his first 3 with clemmens he averaged 22

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

Meet your new whipping boy Rams fans! Mr Frank Cignetti!

 

[Rmfnlt]

Well, that's the thing. Fisher ws ground and pound at Tennesee, as I saw, 4 of his last 5 seasons were heavily run vs pass.
As for Cignetti, I have no idea what he favors, he stayed at each of his stops for such a short time. His best success came in Fresno State running Pat Hill's offense

Now, I'm confused... I read your post with:
"... only his last season had more rushing attmpt than pass attempt."

And interpreted that as 3 of his 4 seasons, he passed more than he ran?

Did I get that wrong? If I did and it was the opposite, then yes - he must have let Schotty run his own show for the most part.

But, if I don't have it wrong and he was more pass than run in Tennessee, then I'm not sure what will happen.

 

[dieterbrock]

Meet your new whipping boy Rams fans! Mr Frank Cignetti!

Why would that be?

 

[dieterbrock]

Now, I'm confused... I read your post with:
"... only his last season had more rushing attmpt than pass attempt."

And interpreted that as 3 of his 4 seasons, he passed more than he ran?

Did I get that wrong? If I did and it was the opposite, then yes - he must have let Schotty run his own show for the most part.

But, if I don't have it wrong and he was more pass than run in Tennessee, then I'm not sure what will happen.

Yep, I spazzed.
Meant only 1 season more passing than rushing- I edited

2010 500 pass attempt vs 406 rushing
2009 491 pass attempt vs 499 rushing
2008 465 pass attempt vs 508 rushing
2007 494 pass attempt vs 543 rushing
2006 451 pass attempt vs 469 rushing

 

[Rmfnlt]

Yep, I spazzed.
Meant only 1 season more passing than rushing- I edited

2010 500 pass attempt vs 406 rushing
2009 491 pass attempt vs 499 rushing
2008 465 pass attempt vs 508 rushing
2007 494 pass attempt vs 543 rushing
2006 451 pass attempt vs 469 rushing

No worries.

OK, then. If your guess that Fisher was giving a fair amount of autonomy to Schott (thereby passing more), and his history shows he likes to run more, then we should finally see this "ground-and-pound" approach many attach to Fisher.

It will be interesting.

 

[RamBill]

Did the Rams make the most realistic choice for the OC job? Nick Wagoner talks to Anthony Stalter on 101ESPN's The Turn. He also talks about free agency and the draft

Listen to Wagoner Talk Rams.

 

[Boffo97]

Why would that be?

I would imagine it's because the OC is always the whipping boy.

 

[RamBill]

Looking at Frank Cignetti's OC history
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/16043/looking-at-frank-cignettis-oc-history

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- With the St. Louis Rams expected to name quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti their new offensive coordinator next week, now seems as good a time as any to examine his history at the position.

While Cignetti will be embarking on his first shot at running an NFL offense, he does have plenty of experience handling the role at the college level, including five stops at FBS schools. Those include Fresno State (2002-05), North Carolina (2006), California (2008), Pittsburgh (2009-10) and Rutgers (2011).

Rutgers

2011: The Scarlet Knights averaged 26.4 points per game (65th in the nation), 339 yards per game (99th), 241.2 pass yards per game (52nd) and 97.8 rushing yards per game (112th).

Pittsburgh

2010: The Panthers averaged 26.3 points per game (65th), 367 yards per game (72nd), 201.2 passing yards per game (73rd) and 165.7 rushing yards per game (45th).

2009: 32.1 points per game (21st), 392 yards per game (52nd), 211.3 passing yards per game (68th) and 180.3 rushing yards per game (34th).

California

2008: The Golden Bears averaged 32.6 points per game (27th), 376 yards per game (47th), 189.8 passing yards per game (83rd) and 186.2 rushing yards per game (29th).

North Carolina

2006: The Tar Heels averaged 18 points per game (100th), 293 yards per game (101st), 179.7 passing yards per game (83rd) and 113.3 rushing yards per game (90th).

Fresno State

2005: The Bulldogs averaged 37.8 points per game (sixth), 425 yards per game (tied for 29th), 260.3 passing yards per game (25th) and 164.6 rushing yards per game (41st).

2004: 40.2 points per game (fifth), 405 yards per game (tied for 31st), 177 passing yards per game (95th) and 227.5 rushing yards per game (15th).

2003: 23 points per game (80th), 352.6 yards per game (77th), 192.1 passing yards per game (84th) and 160.4 rushing yards per game (50th).

2002: 27 points per game (62nd), 374 yards per game (59th), 241.6 passing yards per game (41st) and 132.4 rushing yards per game (77th).

Of course, none of these numbers mean anything in terms of how successful Cignetti will be the Rams. Clearly, his offenses didn't do much at the college level save for a couple of strong years at Fresno State and good seasons at California and Pittsburgh.

Aside from Cignetti's time as college coordinator, he spent time coaching quarterbacks in New Orleans (2000-2001) and San Francisco in 2007. If nothing else, Cignetti brings familiarity to the Rams and to quarterback Sam Bradford. It's up to him to figure out how to get the most out of what's in place.