Spotlight -Coaching Legacy of Kevin Maddux -

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Title page

Ignore this for now

Links:
Historical Stats

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The Intro

All the spotlight,
Is not for me,
I close my eyes and imagine I'm home,
I miss the days, when, life was simple.

Growing up in the limelight has it's benefits, its negatives. Every action casts a shadow on those around us and reaches the very fringes of the cast. There is always a main act, and the back up players that step in to balance out the main cast. The supporters aren't known, but they are in the light. It shines on them, but doesn't apply to them.

It all started years ago, a field measuring out to be 120 yards and an unforgettable summer. Kevin Maddux was someone who always found his way into the big picture, always contributed and worked to ensure he wouldn't be the weak link. Even so, the natural gifts, the natural talent didn't apply. He was average height, his speed wasn't special and his arm strength was just enough. Normally the quarterback was the star, but even from the time Maddux pulled on his football jersey for the first time, to the very last time, mediocrity abounded him, yet the spotlight remained. The stars surrounded him, and given his position, he worked his way into the spotlight despite being absolutely average. At least on the field.

In high school, he managed to play his way to a two star ranking and was given a few scholarship offers and drifted out to a junior college in hopes of a better ranking or a better job. This despite a state championship in his junior year, thanks in large to a strong performance from the defense which notoriously only allowed 22 points throughout the entire state playoffs. It seemed to land as he elevated to a three star by his sophomore year and was prompt to sign on at Maryland, the lone big program that offered him a scholarship. A mediocre player going to a program that couldn't be described as much more than just that.

After starting at quarterback for three years for the ACC program, he found himself on the outside looking in, for the 2006 NFL Draft. The attention was fully on Vernon Davis whom solidified himself as a star and was a top pick, the product of the quarterback was entirely tied to Davis, and before Davis was Shawne Merriman. The school seemed adept at producing a single strong talent and a supporting cast, a perfect analogy for a quarterback that always found himself in such a scenario.

As expected, the quarterback bowed out of the NFL draft undrafted and managed to sign on with the Chicago Bears practice squad. Talking about quarterback mediocrity, the team made an excellent case for it. His career came to a crushing end, shortly after signing, he found himself blindsided by a young linebacker and was left battered on the field. Once he had been recovered, it was evident that his arm strength would further decline, to a state not suitable for a NFL quarterback.

Maddux announced his retirement from the NFL by fax, and proceeded to take his talents to a clipboard, joining onto his high school program as an assistant coach. He quickly proved to be a star, producing two top tier quarterbacks in consecutive years before going onto the college ranks, at Carthage in Wisconsin, where he was coordinator for only two years before being promoted to head coach of Upper Iowa University, where he only spent two more years, leading into the 2013 season, where a variety of offers were placed before him.

Programs seeking resurgence from a quarterback guru that turned heads across the lower ranks and sought to bring about the same success in the upcoming seasons to follow. The spotlight was never meant for him, but now with the horizon of an upcoming season coming across his table, it may be time to make the leap to the big time. The coach whom at the age of 31, was poised to make a name for himself, for the first time in his life, the show was focused on Kevin Maddux.

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Kevin Maddux
Born: November 28th, 1982 (Aged 31) in Woodstock, IL
Alma Mater: Rock Valley College (JUCO)
Maryland (QB)

Coaching Experience:
Woodstock-Marian (HS-IL) 2006-2008
Carthage (D3-WIS) 2008-2010
Upper Iowa University (D2) 2010-2013

Offense: Up-Tempo Spread

Coach Kevin Maddux utilizes a spread attack that seeks to minimize time between plays and utilize a quarterback with moderate agility to buy extra time or pick up extra yards. The attack is most beneficial on it's short, quick reads but has been known to open up the play book and resort to a more pro-style offense with more mid to long range throws if the needs arise. Running backs are utilized mostly on first downs and third downs in very short yardage situations. He mostly employs speed wide receivers and pass catching tight ends.

Defense: 3-4

Coach Kevin Maddux utilizes a base 3-4 defense for the majority of his schemes, he tends to utilize an outside linebacker as an agile pass rusher to compensate for the loss of an interior lineman. In addition, at least one inside linebacker is an above average build for the position and is more focused on the interior while the other inside linebacker tends to play a more of a rover position, where he can be utilized across the entirity of the field. The inside linebacker tends to be slower, but more intelligent, while the rover backer will be more physically developed. Corners are designed to keep receivers in check and play fundamental football while the safeties are designated as the playmakers on the defense, routinely counted on for interceptions, deflections and big plays in general.

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NCAA Stabilizes FBS by enforcing conference realignment

One year a team played in the WAC, the next the Mountain west, the next the Big East..rather the American.. and the WAC no longer exists.. the collegiate landscape is changing in a huge way, and finally to end the madness, the NCAA has taken a strong stance on the aforementioned reallocation of squads by forcing a membership limit at 12 for the BCS conferences and making a few rule changes to allow for fluidity of the stronger of the non-BCS conferences.

NCAA Rule: 3189.34
Relocation will be done with only approval of the NCAA membership board, and as such any moves that follow the prelisted moves heading into the 2015 season will be focused on a 2 year time table, where amongst the power conferences (ACC, Big 12, B1G, American, SEC, P12, Mountain West) will be granted the best talent in the nation.

NCAA Rule: 3189.42
Using an average formula, the lowest competitor school in a 2 year span will be relegated to the minor conference below it unless a suitable leader from said lower conference is unavailable

NCAA Rule: 3189.49
A team will become available for promotion if they
i. Win their conference both years
ii. Make a BCS bowl within the two year span
iii. Maintain a winning record over .750 over a two year span (must win conference at least once)
iiii. Nationally ranked in the post season poll

NCAA Rule: 3189.72
To conclude, all previous ties to the BCS matchups will be scrapped in favor of a more randomized BCS schedule, which will replace a previously proposed post season playoff schedule

As a reminder, all moves will be concluded by the advent of the 2015 season with the two year cycle starting from there. The moves and how the conferences will look will be adjusted with some ties alluding to how the teams perform in the years leading to reallocation.

In an additional measure, with economic debt on the rise, congress once more decided to raise the debt ceiling while agreeing to cut military athletic programs to save the country's financials. As such, Air Force, Army and Navy will no longer be a member of the FBS level and can only play as a club. Replacing them is Charlotte, Georgia Southern and Liberty.

Immediately, Georgia Southern and Liberty join the Sunbelt, while Brigham Young rejoins the Mountain West.

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Maddux signs

Kevin Maddux has made his decision, and the first two years of his career will follow the trend he has set by remaining out of the spotlight. He will be the recruiting coordinator for the UTEP Miners for two seasons. With the move, the team announced that Mike Price, a veteran head coach of 31 years will retain a two year contract to help groom Maddux to acclimate him with the ins and outs of coaching in college football. Maddux will be on the sidelines on game day learning from Price, a veteran of the subject.

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Someone told me I fell off
Oh, I needed that!

Year 1

Letter from Kevin Maddux to his father, George Maddux

The team finished 7-6 on the season, and I can't even celebrate it. My duties aren't done, and even behind the scenes, I was still busting my *** just to try and get these boys into shape. We pulled off upsets of some of the upper tier teams in the conference but we were routinely smacked by the very top, and our non-conference games were just embarrassing. We started 6-1, finished 1-5, including losing our bowl game.

The athletic director was happy, to say the least, especially because we were projected maybe four wins, but four to seven wins doesn't do much to sway recruits to campus. Bringing in a Texas boy into El Paso, a boy that's been raised on Longhorn, Red Raider, Aggie turf and try to convince them to goto a smaller school.. that's just treading water in a mid-major conference.. it's difficult.

My office has been almost entirely the chair next to the desk with the fax machine. When I'm actually in town, I'm sitting there making phone calls and using my iPad to contact recruits, scout or any other of the various tasks. It's hard to believe this will be only half of my job come the conclusion of next year. I had someone ask me if I was a graduate assistant the other day.. that was embarrassing.

The offseason is rolling around and I know I haven't touched base, the season has been a whirl wind, on one end we were ontop of the world on the cusp of an unprecedented 6-1 run, and to end the season we lost two games combined 10-117. It wasn't easy to say the least, and I'm expected to sit in on practices while fielding calls from all over the country. If I don't see another airplane for a few years, it'll still be too soon.

Anyways, I just wanted to let you know, everything has been good.. I'm getting prepared and Coach Price has been introducing me around to the various aspects of the job. His tutelage are a great help, as are my connections in the NFL. When I'm promoted, I may bring in my own coordinators, I haven't decided. The defensive coordinator doesn't want to move to a 3-4, and I don't care much for a 4-2-5.

Anyways, I'll get about a month off after signing day and I plan on coming back up to the Midwest to see you and mom. She'll be happy to see her grandson again.

Spoiler

I'm attempting to use Pocket Scout's program for actual stats for the 2013 season, but until I get it working those won't be included. Game by game analysis will come at the end of next season once Maddux takes over as a coach. Just wanted to try something new.

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Coaching Changes for the 2013-14 Season

The Arkansas Razorbacks announce that they had fired Bret Bilema after a horrible first season in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks bring a face that's familiar to the SEC back, with Tommy Tuberville joining the Razorbacks, not too long after his tenure with Auburn.

Cal didn't like the short term investment on head coach Sonny ****s and have since fired him. In his wake will be Rod Carey, Carey most recently went 12-2, including a win in the bowl game with the Northern Illinois Huskies who won the MAC yet again

Cincinnati had a vacancy left from the departed Tommy Tuberville and replaced it with a Sunbelt commodity in Mark Hudspeth, Hudspeth had been atop the Sunbelt for most of his time there and continued that trend this past season, turning it into an AQ job.

Ron English saw his contract expire and the Eagles of Eastern Michigan opted to go in a different direction, instead tabbing Sonny ****s as their head coach, hoping to build a strong program like he had at Louisiana Tech

Willie Taggart takes over for Paul Petrino in Idaho, after another rough season. Taggart came cheap, after struggling the past season.

The Hoosiers tab Doug Nussmeier to be their head coach, a move that many are considering to be a big step in the right direction, after a rough season a year ago, "Nuss" will have a big job ahead of him as he tries to reload a dilapidated Indiana roster.

It seems Charlie Weis couldn't keep grasp on his job, the Jayhawks eyed Shawn Watson as their new headman, hoping to escape the Big 12 bottom with this new coaching change.

Miami (OH) has seen much better times than recent history, long gone are Ben Roethlisbergers day's at the program and it shows, the latest casualty being Don Treadwell, who was fired in favor of Dan McCarney.

Nevada much like the aforementioned Miami (OH) has seen much better times, much recently when they had strong teams led by Colin Kaepernick, but not even his ties to the NFL could save Brian Pollian's job, he was fired in favor of Scott Frost.

New Mexico looks to Steve Fairchile to move into the helm, hoping he can bring the program to a level anywhere similar to the success the basketball team had.

Vance Bedford steps into the helm at North Texas after the previous head coach left for a better job, after leading North Texas to a strong opening season in the Conference USA.

Once more, the Huskies promote internally after losing another coach to an AQ school, with the loss of Rod Carey, the Huskies promote Jay Nieman to the head coaching job.

The Beavers are moving in a different direction after a season riddled with struggles left Riley being fired, bringing in coordinator, Jeremy Pruitt to take over the program.

UL-Lafayette promotes James Willis to head coach after Mark Hudspeth left to coach elsewhere.

U-Mass will be the latest team to try and spin a winning record with Charlie Weis, he replaces Charles Molnar who couldn't bring any sort of success with Umass in their transition to the FBS.

The Charlotte 49ers fired Lambert after a terrible start to their time in the FBS that saw them win two games. Promoting Brian Johnson to be their new head man.

Willie Taggart was terminated and shifted to Idaho, while Bob Cole gets bumped up to head coach after being considered an excellent coordinator for the South Florida Bulls.

Larry Coker announced his retirement, in his wake the Roadrunners bring Ron English, whom had mixed results with Eastern Michigan, mostly negative. Hopefully the more fertile recruiting grounds in Texas breeds more success.

The Utes haven't been nearly as successful in the Pacific 12 as they had been in the Mountain West and it showed with Whittingham being fired after missing another bowl game, the Utes promote Tom Herman to be their head coach

The Wyoming Cowboys fire Dave Christensen and bring in Nick Holt to be head coach, considering Holt has a record of 5-18 as a head coach, this move didn't meet much praise.

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UTEP announces 4 incoming transfers

Right end, Cameron Malveaux joins the Miners football team as a second year freshman. Transferring from the Houston Cougars where he amassed 4 tackles and 2 sacks in limited action.

Left tackle, Darrell Brown will join the Miners as a second year freshman, he is joining the squad from Louisiana Tech and had 5 pancake blocks in partial action the past season

Cornerback, Eric Amaoko will be joining the Miners as a second year freshman, he didn't register any playing time this past season for the Oregon Ducks.

Quarterback, D'Shaie Landor will spice up the quarterback contest that will follow with Jameil Showers graduating next season. Landor is a second year freshman from UL-Lafayette