Back To School

For 10 years at the University of Iowa (1989-98) under head coach Hayden Fry, Frank Verducci helped produce a dozen offensive linemen who made an NFL roster. Over the next decade, though, he actually coached NFL tight ends and linemen.

The contrast between the two was stark, according to Verducci, who stated that even he was amazed at his own personality transformation of how he coached in college and in the pros.

“In the NFL, you’re there with the best of the best, and the only thing those men are interested in is how you can help them,” Verducci explained. “I mean you need to bring something every day as a coach in the NFL, because if you don’t, the players just don’t have any use for you or they will tune you out.”

Known as a firebrand when he coached in college, Verducci admitted his approach changed in the NFL – and even his former players at the collegiate level noticed it. Thus, he says he will be curious once spring practice commences at Notre Dame on March 20 whether he will revert to his collegiate form.

“That’s going to be interesting because in college I was probably much more demonstrative, much more vocal,” Verducci said. “The one thing I know – I coached very few men (in the NFL) who needed a cattle prod to get going. They all had that professional pride and understanding that it was a business and they showed up ready to work every day.

“To me, that’s a little bit of a challenge (at Notre Dame). You have, for the lack of a better term, a less mature athlete at this level. It’s really up to me to find out what motivates to get them to play to their potential. Whether that’s yelling or whether it’s rubbing their back, I’ve got to find that out and take that approach.”

The teaching aspect itself should be elementary to Verducci as he goes “back to school.” One of the first questions he was asked is whether he will employ zone blocking – a style heavily criticized last season by former Notre Dame and standout NFL lineman Tom Thayer (1979-82) – or a more conventional mano-y-mano approach.

Naturally, any such inquiries are deferred to Charlie Weis, the architect of the offense and the man who will be calling the plays.

“Blocking is blocking,” Verducci said. “It still comes down to fundamentals of the position, and it comes down to excelling in fundamentals. I’m comfortable with both schemes. Zone blocking is almost like the term ‘West Coast Offense.’ There’s a lot of wiggle room in there, in zone blocking specifically.”

Verducci said his concentration this spring will be no different than what any coach at any level wants: 1) consistent effort over four quarters, 2) soundness in technique, where the Irish players don’t defeat themselves, and 3) smarts and awareness of what is transpiring strategically on both sides of the ball.

He has already met individually with the players, who will be top-heavy with seniors on the projected starting unit, led by right tackle Sam Young, guards Eric Olsen and Chris Stewart, and center Dan Wenger. Now that he has settled into his new surroundings and the 2009 recruiting class is signed and sealed, Verducci said his next order of business is getting heavily involved on Monday Feb. 16 in the winter-conditioning workouts for the players.

Do not expect him to tweak any philosophies employed by fifth-year strength and conditioning coordinator Ruben Mendoza.

“The biggest thing I’ve seen so far is I absolutely love what I’ve seen out of Coach Mendoza,” Verducci said. “The fact of him being a former offensive lineman and how close he gets to those players, I love the functionality of what he does with those offensive linemen. There’s nothing I can poke around in, because he does such a great job with them.

“The biggest thing I’m looking to do here with the winter conditioning program is look at the work capacity of the offensive linemen and then the competitiveness. I’d like to see how hard they work, how long they can work, and then how long they compete. Those are things that you can tell through workouts.”

The true evaluation period doesn’t begin until the helmets and pads are donned. The reason Verducci is at Notre Dame and John Latina is not back for a fifth season is crystal clear: the offensive line underachieved the past couple of seasons, be it individually, collectively, or because of schemes employed, if not all of the above.

Latina didn’t arrive at Notre Dame in 2005 with credentials any less than Verducci, but for whatever reasons, the consistent production was lacking. Having watched tape of the 2008 team, Verducci said the issues along the offensive line are “correctable,” and it will be his job to make it happen.

“To me there are two aspects to a coaching change,” Verducci said. “One is the initial shock of coming out of that comfort zone. I know the young men here had a strong attachment to John, and I don’t underestimate that. The other thing is it becomes a new opportunity for all of them. I’ve explained to them that the slate is clean. With me they can be whoever they choose to be. They can make that additional impression again.”

Referring to himself as an optimist by nature, Verducci indicated that instead of tearing down and recreating, he will be more into positive reinforcement – at least at the start.

“I’m trying to emphasize all the positives I see, more a dollar of praise for a dime of criticism right now,” Verducci said. “But I think I have imparted in them that once we do get going that I do have high standards, I do have high expectations. I want their input, but there are certain approaches to the game that are not open to compromise.

“The growth aspect is never comfortable. Expect to be challenged in a positive way. They’ve all expressed to me what their short- and long-term goals are. Once they made those known, that’s a powerful thing because now I have part of the responsibility in getting them to that point. Now we’re going to get there together, but on certain things it’s going to be on my terms because I’m the person in charge.”

Although he has coached offensive linemen on both the collegiate and professional level the past 20 years, Verducci said the only résumé that will count is what is displayed on Saturday afternoon in the fall.

Raised in a football household in New Jersey, Verducci’s father and uncle are both Hall of Fame coaches in New Jersey – and he has several other uncles on both sides of the family who coached as well. His name elicits instant credibility on the recruiting trail when he returns to New Jersey. During his 10 years at Iowa, Verducci was singled out by both Tom Lemming and SuperPrep’s Allen Wallace as one of the nation’s premier recruiters.

The stereotype of most NFL coaches is they disdain the thought of returning to the college game because of recruiting, but Verducci is particularly looking forward to the opportunity to sell Notre Dame.

“It’s like getting back on a bike and pedaling again,” Verducci said. “I’ve always enjoyed recruiting. What I missed the most, being in the NFL, was the opportunity to be involved in that type of family atmosphere. I mean that in all sincerity. It was enjoyable for me to recruit a young man, meet the family, meet the coaches, make a commitment to those people…and four, five years later being able to look each other in the eye and say we both held up our end of it. That was probably the most satisfying.”

Regaining stability and a home base also will be essential to Verducci at Notre Dame. After his 10-year stay in Iowa City, his coaching career has seen much upheaval, starting as a tight ends coach at Cincinnati (1999-2000), getting promoted to assistant line coach for the Bengals (2001), and then moving on in the same capacity with the Dallas Cowboys (2002), Buffalo Bills (2004-05) and finally the Cleveland Browns (2007-08), where long-time Weis cohort Romeo Crennel was the conduit between Weis and Verducci after Crennel was fired as the Browns’ head coach. There is no coaching bio listed for Verducci in 2003 and 2006.


Verducci said there is no perfect job, as all have their pros and cons, but he’s seeking a more settled, familial feel at Notre Dame.

“The National Football League, the downside is everything is so disposable,” he said. “Coaches change, players change…it’s just constant turnover, and you really never feel the family aspect of it. You deal more with agents than with parents… That was part of the attraction, specifically to come back here because it affected my family (his wife, Noel, is a St. Mary’s graduate who has seen other family members graduate from Notre Dame) as well. They were every bit as excited.”


Part II will feature Verducci’s role as the running-game coordinator.