Replace Niekamp

[PlayerRep]

Good Lord...I get the sugar runs deep with you. It also runs deep with me. But, as far as the special teams go...they are terrible Brint. They have been all season.

At some point there has to be accountability. Stitt needs to lead right now. Players need to see it unfold.

ST weren't "terrible". Middle of pack. FG percentage was near the top. Extra points were terrible. Punter was consistent, but only at 41. KO and punt coverage should have been better. Punt returns were in the top 4 or 5. Would have been higher with JLM. KO returns were not great, but again would have been higher with JLM. Snapper had had a very good career at UM. Don't know what happened there. A few too many penalties in the return game. Seemed like some of the same guys.

No mention of the muffed punt which luckily was kicked out of bounds. Oh, check that, Nguyens don't muff punts.

Yup, muffed punt. Griz were lucky. Nguyen hasn't lost a fumble in the last 3 years, as a rb, receiver and returner. I hope I don't jinx him, but I doubt that any rb/returner starter in Griz history has gone 3 years without losing a fumble. Jeez, can you say bad fan.

 

[BWahlberg]

Like I said, general thoughts as no one else was providing them. I think Niekamp needs more time. The guy has a big resumee, just my opinion but I say he needs another year to see how things go.

Special teams are a big issue, no doubt about it. Not denying it.

You and I have different definitions of "big." Looks like a journeyman to me, others can judge for themselves....his resume:

Travis Niekamp (pronounced: NEE-kamp) joined the staff at Montana in January of 2016, coming to Montana from the University of Louisiana-Monroe, and serves as the Grizzlies' special teams coordinator and linebackers coach.

Niekamp served as Louisiana-Monroe’s co-defensive coordinator in 2015, as well as the Warhawks’ special teams coordinator and linebackers coach from 2013-2015. In 2012, Niekamp served as ULM’s tight ends coach.

No stranger to the Northwest, Coach Niekamp served as linebackers coach at Washington State from 2007-2011 in addition to serving as the Cougars' director of football development. Prior to his time in Pullman, he was the linebackers coach/special teams coordinator at Eastern Washington from 2004-2007.

Before coaching at Eastern Washington, Niekamp served as tight ends coach at the United State Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., from 1999 - 2003, and outside linebacker coach, safeties coach and defensive tackles coach at his alma mater, Illinois State University in 1998 and 1999.

"Coach Niekamp came highly recommended by some very good friends of mine, and he also is a big-time special teams coach," said Coach Stitt.

So nearly 20 years of coaching experience.

14 years as a linebackers coach

7 years as an ST coach

Yeah with different teams but that's a lot of time in each job. Do you think the linebackers are having a bad year? Maybe just ST is the specific issue? I can't tell if it's a coaching or youth issue.

Most teams have bunches of "youth" on their special teams...most teams perform better than the Griz across the breadth of their special teams. Dots are not hard to connect on this one. Just my opinion...I have zero influence and I am good with that...Just think Stitt needs to do something bold. He will start next season wondering if he has a job the season after....

Most do, yes, but ours might be to an extreme considering the amount of players that left the team that would've been soph/junior/seniors. Tough to really say. And I think anyone's influence over the program on this board is about the same, so no worries there.

Agreed on 2017. Contract year I believe.

 

[ILoveGriz68]

The Griz need to hire a GA kicking coach, someone to work with the kickers at practice instead of them standing around on the sideline and twiddling their thumbs until their name is called. I suggest Sullivan

 

[grzz]

The Griz need to hire a GA kicking coach, someone to work with the kickers at practice instead of them standing around on the sideline and twiddling their thumbs until their name is called. I suggest Sullivan

Someone can verify this, but I heard that Graduate Assistants were part of the probation that is ending this year. That would mean we are able to hire one this coming season and were not able to last. That could make a difference on the standing around, which I have noticed as well.