Chris Ash (Secondary Coach Jacksonville Jaguars)

[ShowMeBuck]

Spring game can't get here quick enough. Chris will have a lot of eyes on him all year. Come in and fix a bad D, coach up young talent and win.....well you make a big name for yourself in the coaching world.

Coaching with Urban is the big stage for him to show his stuff. Some guys thrive on that. I hope Chris is one of those guys. He's fairly young. I'd love it if he makes a name for himself here and brings back the bullets.

Lets hope he brings out the best in the players and gets them playing as a tight unit. He's got a lot to work with and it will be interesting to see what he puts together.

 

[woofermazing]

As long as we aren't switching coverage schemes every damn game again, and barring injuries of course, we will see dramatic improvement in the secondary.

 

[ImFrigginFly]

I'm pretty pumped about this hire

 

[C-busBuck]

Ohh yeah! Breakin out the Clint!

 

[maximumblitz]

Expect a return to the Cover 4 pressure scheme...more press from the corners, heavy safety run support, and an unpredictable 3rd down front look (4 down, 3 down, zero down).

Coming from a novice who has read ony wikipedia and tomahawknation.com, it is kind of interesting that

the main weakness of cover 4 is short underneath routes

and

the flats are vulnerable ... wide receiver screens in the flats become big plays with poor tackling.

Is this deja vous all over again? I guess the difference is that at least there will be someone who is supposed be standing near the WR on screens?

Cover 4 refers to 4 deep defenders each guarding one-fourth of the deep zone. Cover 4 schemes are usually used to defend against deep passes. (See Prevent defense).

The most basic Cover 4 scheme involves 2 CBs and 2 safeties. Upon snap, the CBs work for depth, backpedaling into their assigned zone. Both safeties backpedal towards their assigned zone.

As with other coverage shells, Cover 4 is paired with underneath man or zone coverage in its most basic form.

The main weakness of Cover 4 shells is the retreating defensive backs. Since the DBs are working for depth, short pass routes underneath can isolate them on a wide receiver near the sideline with little help.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_defense_in_American_football
http://www.tomahawknation.com/2010/8/31/1360525/the-florida-state-defense-under

 

[Hstead]

From what I have watched and read, I think he will start pre-snap in quarters but from everything I have been watching about his defenses he will most of the time rotate to cover 3 in "run downs" and cover 2 in obvious pass downs, or run some man. Long yardage he may play a true cover 4 with at least one extra DB or dime man. He is most likely just camo'ing the coverage presnap with a quarters look. The safeties and Mike will make calls depending on the formation and that will change the secondary alignment and at times coverage. It will set the responsibilities for everyone after the calls are made. Responsibilities will change depending on formation. He seems to like keeping it simple.

I like what I have seen so far from him. I have no idea what kind of recruiter he is, but I will say winning breeds winning and if he coaches up the defense and it is one of the top defenses in the nation that will recruit way more talent than a guy that can talk, text, and BS. Kids want to play for winners.

 

[NastyNatiBuck]

From what I have watched and read, I think he will start pre-snap in quarters but from everything I have been watching about his defenses he will most of the time rotate to cover 3 in "run downs" and cover 2 in obvious pass downs, or run some man. Long yardage he may play a true cover 4 with at least one extra DB or dime man. He is most likely just camo'ing the coverage presnap with a quarters look. The safeties and Mike will make calls depending on the formation and that will change the secondary alignment and at times coverage. It will set the responsibilities for everyone after the calls are made. Responsibilities will change depending on formation. He seems to like keeping it simple.

I like what I have seen so far from him. I have no idea what kind of recruiter he is, but I will say winning breeds winning and if he coaches up the defense and it is one of the top defenses in the nation that will recruit way more talent than a guy that can talk, text, and BS. Kids want to play for winners.

Just wanted to point out that Cover 4 is a strong run defense because the safeties are supposed to diagnose run and come downhill. It didn't work well for us because of our safety play this past year. Michigan St looks great with it, though, in large part because everyone knows his role and executes.

 

[C-busBuck]

From what I have watched and read, I think he will start pre-snap in quarters but from everything I have been watching about his defenses he will most of the time rotate to cover 3 in "run downs" and cover 2 in obvious pass downs, or run some man. Long yardage he may play a true cover 4 with at least one extra DB or dime man. He is most likely just camo'ing the coverage presnap with a quarters look. The safeties and Mike will make calls depending on the formation and that will change the secondary alignment and at times coverage. It will set the responsibilities for everyone after the calls are made. Responsibilities will change depending on formation. He seems to like keeping it simple.

I like what I have seen so far from him. I have no idea what kind of recruiter he is, but I will say winning breeds winning and if he coaches up the defense and it is one of the top defenses in the nation that will recruit way more talent than a guy that can talk, text, and BS. Kids want to play for winners.

If you listened to him on the videos he even states that he initially shows a base cover 4 defense as to not tip the hand of the actual coverage called. This is not unusual as a lot of teams do the same thing.

 

[Hstead]

Exactly, I was just trying to explain a little for maxblitz. Every team in the country attempts to disguise the coverage pre-snap. I just wanted to let him know we will not be lining up and playing cover 4 every snap, and it appears we will be in a true cover 4 very rarely from what I have watched and read.

 

[kujirakira]

IMO, last season was a wash. Brand new system for Arkansas, lack of talent, tough schedule, etc. As you said, he'll be working with more talent than he has probably ever had/will have. We all saw what he did against Ohio State in 2012. Meyer & Herman got out coached and admitted as such.......

Q: Which defense that you faced last year posed the most problems?

A: Absolutely, Wisconsin. Without a doubt. Their defensive coordinator Chris Ash, who I knew from my days at Iowa State and am good friends with … I felt like I got out coached. He was very simple. He did not call one blitz on first or second down. He called one front and one coverage. Within that front and coverage, he could adjust to any formation or motion we gave him. And he had his kids extremely well coached up on recognition of plays and alignments.

We were trying to run the ball into a nine-man front. I did a poor job in not having confidence in our throw game. You have to throw it over their heads and our guys have to make plays if they are going to commit both safeties to the run the way that they did. Even though we won in overtime (21-14), Chris had his guys more prepared than I did. I learned from it. And it’s better to learn from a win than to learn from a loss, I can tell you that.

I love the hire.

I already love him. After hearing all year about how complex it is... I love the idea of somebody who subscribes to K.I.S.S. a bit here.

 

[pnuts34]

I already love him. After hearing all year about how complex it is... I love the idea of somebody who subscribes to K.I.S.S. a bit here.

This is especially true since we have so many younger players. Keep it simple and make them fundamentally sound.

 

[maximumblitz]

Comments from the Arkansas press:

If he turns the tOSU defense around in 2 years, he is gone:

The guy has professed a desire to be a head coach soon

and tOSU gets a coach who is better at recruiting, because he has no "magic" at recruiting kids to a failed program:

A Razorback recruiting writer, Danny West of Hawgsports.com, produced a list of high school seniors in which Ash was the lead recruiter. The key targets, all well within Arkansas’ nearby recruiting zone, were potential 4-star players at safety and linebacker, and Ash had drawn a big zero there as well. One player committed to Texas Tech over Arkansas. Talk about foreboding.

Gotta love press on 4th and 12:

To wit, what’s with man-to-man press coverage on fourth-and-12 at Rutgers, rather than guarding the sticks? Rutgers threw over it for a touchdown that keyed the Scarlet Knights’ rally from 17-points down.

Able to teach people how to play:

Ash, who personally coached the safeties, can point to Alan Turner’s vast growth through last season as a highlight of his work in Fayetteville. Turner, who led Arkansas in tackles, will be a senior next year.

Bert made him play soft, with disastrous results:

At Ohio State, Chris Ash will walk in as coordinator (he’s supposedly “co-“ coordinator in title only; he’ll call the shots) with a program loaded with prospects. Ohio State’s most problematic area defensively was its secondary. That seems contagious all around football these days with more teams converting to spread attacks, but the Buckeyes were ranked in the low 100s nationally. Ash will likely have the physical, fast safeties and solid corners who can press receivers at the line to play a little more recklessly in Columbus that he and Bret Bielema thought they could with Arkansas in 2013.

How many times did Arkansas have teams in third-and- short and play the corners 8-10 yards off the ball? How easy was it for the likes of Florida and Ole Miss to get receivers in space under those deep drops and break short passes for big plays? In Arkansas’ insistence to play the secondary deep and safe, the Hogs still gave up the long ball, the final blow being that 49-yard touchdown pass in the final two minutes at LSU that killed what could have been one of the program’s biggest wins (not just for Bielema, who hadn’t won an SEC game up to that point, but for the program all-time).

Lots of injuries on defense.

http://www.sportinglifearkansas.com...ash-easy-to-understand-and-probably-for-best/

 

[maximumblitz]

I have to wonder why this deal has not been officially announced? Was there a problem with sharing DC w Luke? Why don't we hear about Ash going out on the road to recruit? Is Ash sitting in front of a projector and not allowed out until he has the official, detailed plan on how to fix the defense?

 

[Fremont Buckeye]

I have to wonder why this deal has not been officially announced?

That is no longer the case.

 

[MD Buckeye]

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/012314aab.html

Chris Ash named Ohio State Co-Def. Coord./Safeties Coach

Eyes opportunity to work at a top five program and to coach under Urban Meyer

Jan. 23, 2014

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State University coach Urban Meyer completed his coaching staff today with the announcement that Chris Ash would be the team's co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Ash has coached collegiately for 18 years, including 13 years in the defensive secondary and with four years as a coordinator.

"We've competed against a Chris Ash defense before and I have respect for him as a coach," Meyer said. "I like the fact he has experience in the Big Ten Conference and that he is a great recruiter. He was highly recommended by everyone I spoke to."

Ash, a Midwesterner who grew up in Iowa, has spent 15 years coaching in his home state and in the state of Wisconsin. The defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Arkansas last season and with the same responsibilities in 2011 and 2012 at Wisconsin, Ash viewed the Ohio State opportunity as a once-in-a career move.

"I was attracted to this position because it is Ohio State," Ash said, "and I had to wonder if I ever would have this opportunity again. This is one of the top five college football programs in the country. It has tremendous history and tradition, and it is a great academic institution.

"The opportunity to work for Coach Meyer and to learn as a part of his staff will absolutely enhance my knowledge of the game and my coaching experiences."

Ash, who is 40, helped improve Arkansas' pass defense by more than 50 yards in his one season in Fayetteville, with the Razorbacks' defense finishing 72nd nationally in passing yards allowed this year after ranking 113th in 2012.

The two Wisconsin defenses Ash served as defensive coordinator for were solid. The 2011 unit led the Big Ten (conference games only) in total defense and pass defense efficiency, and it ranked fourth nationally in fewest passing yards allowed (163.6), 13th in scoring (19.0) and 15th in total defense (316.4).

Ash's 2012 defense ranked 15th nationally in total defense (322.5), 17th in scoring (19.1), 18th in fewest passing yards allowed (193.6), 22nd in pass efficiency and 24th against the run (128.9).

In the 2012 Ohio State/Wisconsin game, Ash's Badger defense held Ohio State to just 236 yards of offense. Ohio State was 3 of 12 on third down conversions and crossed midfield just once after halftime. The Buckeyes prevailed in overtime, 21-14.

Prior to his three-year run at Wisconsin, Ash spent eight seasons over two different stints at Iowa State University, including the 2009 season when Ohio State offensive coordinator/quarterback coach Tom Herman was also on the staff. Ash progressed from graduate assistant with the Cylcones in 2000-01 to defensive backs coach for a total of six seasons.

After Cyclone head coach Dan McCarney resigned following the 2006 season, Ash spent two seasons at San Diego State University (2007-08) as defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator. He returned to Iowa State in 2009.

Ash, who has worked under Rob Ash (no relation; at Drake), McCarney (Iowa State), Brady Hoke (San Diego State) and Brett Bielema (Wisconsin and Arkansas), has produced numerous instructional videos, including a three-video series - "Aggressive 4-3 Defense" - that includes shutting down the passing game and stuffing the run segments.

"To me, to be successful, I think you have to be detailed," Ash said. "You have to be able to coach and teach the fundamentals of the game, and that's how you develop players. You have to have a consistency with how you prepare yourself so you can prepare them and then get them to play hard."

Ash is excited about the prospect of recruiting for the Buckeyes.

"You can recruit anywhere in the country," Ash said about Ohio State and its coaches. "You can recruit players that are talented, that have character and that believe education is very important. When you have all three of those attributes in players, then you can build upon this outstanding program."

Ash, a 1996 graduate of Drake University with a degree in secondary education, was a defensive back for the Bulldogs. His career was cut short by injuries, including a knee injury that ended his senior season prematurely but ultimately gave him his first opportunity to coach as a student assistant.

Ash has his master's degree from Iowa State (education). He has two children: a son, Tanner; and a daughter, Jacey.

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