Brent Vigen

[PokesArePeopleToo]

Just got home a little while ago and I'm now watching the Montana State and UC Davis game on ESPN2. With the success of MSU and with what Brent Vignen has done there up in Bozeman I wonder if any of you guys would approve in bringing him back to Laramie? Maybe it was Bohl who held Vigen back while he was here?

[SDPokeFan]

God no. No more FCS coaches.

[PokesArePeopleToo]

God no. No more FCS coaches.

LOL! That was funny!

[PokesArePeopleToo]

Sean Chambers is having a good game.

[Adv8RU12]

Sean Chambers is having a good game.

Maybe because he's got some good coaching.

[LanderPoke]

Sean Chambers is having a good game.

Maybe because he's got some good coaching.

Or he’s playing FCS football

[DamThatRiver22]

Absolutely not.

Brent Vigen was obviously not the only problem during his time in Laramie, but he was certainly a big part of it. Let's not start trying to revise history just because he's gone and we still have various issues.

Firstly, Vigen was handed the keys to a Montana State program that was already in very good shape with a lot of talent. Secondly, FCS is an entirely different animal, and as we've seen, the schemes and philosophies that are often successful at that level don't always translate to the FBS level.

I'm as irate at anyone over our current offensive issues, but I've got NO desire to go back to Brent Vigen's offenses. I'm also firmly on the "Fire Bohl" train, but Vigen is NOT the play.

(Neither is Entz, by the way, in case someone wants to go down that road.)

The only Laramie retreads (or folks from the Bohl tree in general) I'd even remotely consider are Hazelton (if MSU continues to struggle defensively and he gets canned, we could theoretically offer him the house and the car...but somehow I think someone will outbid us) and Dickert (who isn't ever coming back to the G5 now that he's had success as a P5 head coach; that's a pipe dream).

[PokesArePeopleToo]

The reason I bring up Vigan's name is because he was seemingly well liked when he was here by both Bohl and others around the program, and because it has been pretty clear that his vision of offensive football is a departure from "Bohl ball" evidenced by the way he has designed MSU's offense to date. I can't be the only one to notice that, including the opening game against us last season, that Vigan seems to be a much different play caller heading his own program as opposed to what he was evidently limited to do during his time in Laramie. Thoughts?

[DamThatRiver22]

The reason I bring up Vigan's name is because he was seemingly well liked when he was here by both Bohl and others around the program, and because it has been pretty clear that his vision of offensive football is a departure from "Bohl ball" evidenced by the way he has designed MSU's offense to date. I can't be the only one to notice that, including the opening game against us last season, that Vigan seems to be a much different play caller heading his own program as opposed to what he was evidently limited to do during his time in Laramie. Thoughts?

Vigen is on record saying that he intervenes when he "needs to", but he's not the primary gameplanner or playcaller. Housewright (QB/OC, former offensive analyst) does the majority of that, and seems to have some leeway.

[Adv8RU12]

A Denver Post sports writer today posts Vigen as a possible candidate to replace the just-fired football coach at the Univ. of Colorado.

[McPeachy]

Sean Chambers is having a good game.

Maybe because he's got some good coaching.

Or he’s playing FCS football

That. Men vs. Boys (almost).

[McPeachy]

A Denver Post sports writer today posts Vigen as a possible candidate to replace the just-fired football coach at the Univ. of Colorado.

Oh holy poop, wouldn't that be hilarious.

[OrediggerPoke]

A Denver Post sports writer today posts Vigen as a possible candidate to replace the just-fired football coach at the Univ. of Colorado.

Oh holy Sh#t, wouldn't that be hilarious.

It would be our luck that Vigen would be hired and transform CU football

Although to be honest, CU hates athletics so much and it is unlikely to pay players what it would take to attract talent that CU appears to be a dead end job for any coach.

[PokesArePeopleToo]

Sean Chambers is having a good game.

Maybe because he's got some good coaching.

Or he’s playing FCS football

That. Men vs. Boys (almost).

Tell that to both Dave Christensen AND Craig Bohl with the way we've either lost or just gotten by the "boys club" when we've played them the last 12-13 seasons

[PokesArePeopleToo]

Sean Chambers is having a good game.

Maybe because he's got some good coaching.

Or he’s playing FCS football

That. Men vs. Boys (almost).

Tell that to both Christensen & Bohl as both have either lost or struggled to beat some of those "boys club" teams the last 12-13 years
Tell that to both Dave Christensen AND Craig Bohl with the way we've either lost or just gotten by the "boys club" when we've played them the last 12-13 seasons

[McPeachy]

Sean Chambers is having a good game.

Maybe because he's got some good coaching.

Or he’s playing FCS football

That. Men vs. Boys (almost).

Tell that to both Christensen & Bohl as both have either lost or struggled to beat some of those "boys club" teams the last 12-13 years
Tell that to both Dave Christensen AND Craig Bohl with the way we've either lost or just gotten by the "boys club" when we've played them the last 12-13 seasons

Different deal...FCS teams will sometimes surprise. They have nothing to lose, and leave it all on the field. That said, not many could compete in FBS week in and week out. If any.

[Itsux2beaewe]

Sean Chambers is having a good game.

Indeed, watching a replay. He could have played like that at UW in a different offensive scheme. Vigen should have been given reign of the offense here, instead of the run, run, 3rd and long pass, punt offense he was forced to run.

[DamThatRiver22]

Again, Vigen isn't the playcaller or offensive gameplanner at MSU.

[McPeachy]

Again, Vigen isn't the playcaller or offensive gameplanner at MSU.

Taylor Housewright calling the plays? A former WYO Offense GA under Vigen...

So, basically Vigen is really calling the plays, or has a plan given to Taylor to follow.

[DamThatRiver22]

Again, Vigen isn't the playcaller or offensive gameplanner at MSU.

Taylor Housewright calling the plays? A former WYO Offense GA under Vigen...

So, basically Vigen is really calling the plays, or has a plan given to Taylor to follow.

This is a fairly interesting article from earlier in the year detailing the dynamic. Housewright's offenses actually apparently pull a lot more from his time under Moorehead at Mississippi State and then Oregon than anything. The article actually refers to his particular brand of RPO as "Moorehead-inspired", although he tends to tailor it to the personnel he has to work with.

Also note this quote: "Vigen “intervenes when he needs to,” Housewright said, but has empowered his OC during their MSU tenures. Housewright is often struck by how much Vigen listens to a guy who just started his coordinating career."

https://406mtsports.com/college/big-sky ... ac6af.html

Again, let's not be revisionist. Vigen was part of the problem here, and he was handed the keys to an MSU program already in decent shape....and to his credit, has surrounded himself with staff that have different backgrounds than he and Bohl and lets them do their thing (within certain general boundaries).

So while Vigen has shown himself to be more flexible and willing to change and be challenged than Bohl, let's not credit him with suddenly being an offensive guru himself.