Even though it hasn't been confirmed by anyone in Boston College, and was only mentioned in a veiled reference by Frank Spaziani, it appears that BC will not be bringing Dave Brock back as OC next season. Last week we reported that Virginia RB Coach Mike Faragalli was offered the job, but turned the job down.
Yesterday the internet was abuzz that University of North Carolina OC and quarterbacks coach John Shoop is the top candidate for the job. Pete Roussel of Coachingsearch.com was the first to report that Shoop was in the running for the OC job.
"A source close to the situation tells me that Frank Spaziani is targeting North Carolina offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach John Shoop for the same position."
Unlike Faragalli, Shoop is a much more experienced OC. He was offensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears from 2001-2003 and QB and TE coach for the Oakland Raiders, and has been at UNC ever since. Though the Bears and Raiders had some pretty horrific offenses during Shoops time at the offensive helm, North Carolina certainly had a better offense than BC over the past three years.
-- 2009: 307.8 YPG (BC actually had a better offense than the Tar Heels this year)
-- 2010: 389.7 YPG
-- 2011: 396.6 YPG
What kind of style would Shoop bring to BC? We look to SB Nation's North Carolina blog Carolina March for our answer:
The biggest difference between the spread and the West Coast offense favored by John Shoop is the duties of the quarterback. There's less timing involved, less scripted series, and more reads at the line of scrimmage from the quarterback. There will also probably be less play-action in the red zone, and almost certainly more incompletions and interceptions. (That might make you shudder, but remember Renner's near-perfect debut this year. That's what the West Coast offense is designed to do.)
Scripted series? Timing plays? Play action in the red zone? Safe passes? Shoop sounds right up Spaz's alley. Again this is just a rumor, but again this begs the question. Are any of these rumored candidates any better than Dave Brock?