USF official release: Holtz Adds Five to USF Coaching Staff

[Mama_Bull]

Holtz Adds Five to USF Coaching Staff 

Courtesy: USF

           

Release: 01/18/2010

 

TAMPA - University of South Florida head coach Skip Holtz added five assistants to his coaching staff on Monday, including two assistant coaches who have been a part of national championship staffs during the last decade and one with professional championships under his belt.

The new assistant coaches are Mark Snyder, Todd Fitch, Vernon Hargreaves, Peter Vaas and Rick Smith.  Coach Holtz has not announced official staff titles or duties at this date.

Snyder is coming off a four-year run as the head coach at his alma mater Marshall. Prior to Marshall, Snyder was on Jim Tressel's staff at Ohio State from 2001-04, including the National Championship season of 2002.  Snyder was the linebackers coach for his first three seasons at Ohio State, before serving as defensive coordinator in 2004.  The Buckeyes also won the 2003 and 2004 Fiesta Bowls during his tenure in scarlet and gray.

Fitch has been a member of Holtz's staff at East Carolina for the last three seasons. In his first season with the Pirates, the offensive unit broke a pair of school single-season records for most points (403) and touchdowns (52) scored that had previously stood for 28 years.  Fitch and Holtz have worked together for 10-plus seasons, including stops at South Carolina and Connecticut.  A veteran with over 21 years of coaching experience, Fitch has also worked under legendary head coaches Don Nehlen, Earle Bruce and Lou Holtz during his career which spans back to 1986 and included stops at alma mater Ohio Wesleyan, Bowling Green, West Virginia and Colorado State.

While Hargeaves is a native and graduate of BIG EAST-member Connecticut, his ties to Miami stand out on an impressive resume.  Prior to spending three seasons with Holtz at ECU, Hargreaves was on the Miami Hurricanes staff for eight seasons (1998-2005).  Hargreaves was the linebackers coach under Larry Coker when UM defeated Nebraska, 37-24, to capture the 2001 national title.  While with the Hurricanes, he is credited with molding some of the nation's finest linebackers, including 2000 Butkus Award winner Dan Morgan and 2004 first-round draft choices Jonathan Vilma and D.J. Williams, as well as playing a key role in developing the UM defense into one of the nation's top units over a five-season span under head coaches Butch Davis and Larry Coker.

Vaas is leaving his post as offensive coordinator at Miami (Ohio) to join the Bulls staff. Vaas will have the opportunity redshirt-freshman quarterback B.J. Daniels into an elite level quarterback, much like he did with Brady Quinn during the 2005 and 2006 seasons at Notre Dame.  The All-American Quinn won the Maxwell Trophy and Johnny Unitas Award in 2006, after throwing for 3,426 yards and 37 touchdowns that season.  Vaas can also claim a couple professional championships during his head coaching tenure in NFL Europe.  Vaas served six seasons as the head coach of the Berlin Thunder, during which time his teams won the 2001 and 2002 World Bowl championships.

For Smith, it is an opportunity to return home to Florida.  Smith graduated from Florida State in 1971 and has extensive recruiting ties in the state.  He just completed his fifth season on the ECU staff with Holtz, where the defensive united increased their interceptions from 15 in 2005, to 16 in 2006, 17 in 2007 and 22 in 2008. The nationally-respected defensive mind has worked in NFL Europe and at Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, Cincinnati and Baylor.

The five new assistants join Kevin Patrick, Larry Scott, Carl Franks and Phil McGeoghan, who were members of the USF staff during the 2009 season.

http://www.gousfbulls.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7700&ATCLID=204870823

 

[E.T.]

Vernon Hargreaves

http://www.gousfbulls.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=37329&SPID=2981&DB_OEM_ID=7700&ATCLID=204870705&Q_SEASON=2010

[tampabull]

hopefully hargreaves will put a shot in the arm to usf special teams.

[Mama_Bull]

USF football staff page already updated:

http://www.gousfbulls.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7700&KEY=&SPID=2981&SPSID=37329

[dabull80]

Sure looks like Fitch can put on an offensive show.  I wonder what our offense lloks like next year.

[HappyHourHero]

So just trying to clear up who is going to coach what, is it:

Mark Snyder- DC

Todd Fitch- OC

Vernon Hargreaves- LB's/ Special Teams

Peter Vaas- QB's

Rick Smith- DB's

[deters-]

So just trying to clear up who is going to coach what, is it:

Mark Snyder- DC

Todd Fitch- OC

Vernon Hargreaves- LB's/ Special Teams

Peter Vaas- QB's

Rick Smith- DB's

Yep, sounds about right. Hopefully they can mold and develop our talent.

[Skingraft]

That is a sick A** coaching staff...2 Former Head Coaches and 2 NC's...I feel that the days of being out coached are gone!  I'm drinking the cool aide or "I'm sipping the Skip"

[Rocky Style]

OK, I am usually one to poopoo on people who get overly excited before the season and after a few wins into the season but I have to say this is the first time I have been this excited about the future in probably at least a couple years.  Not sure if it is warranted or not but I am just being honest.

[locus000]

Hopefully more trick plays and fake punts on special teams. We never do that.