Coaching Profile: A Look At Marty Biagi

A Marty Biagi, who is expected to be Notre Dame's next special teams coordinator

Notre Dame is hosting Ole Miss assistant coach Marty Biagi for an official interview today, and expectations are that once it is completed he'll become Notre Dame's next special teams coordinator.

Biagi will be tasked with replacing Brian Mason, who did an outstanding job last season for the Fighting Irish. Here is a look at what Biagi has done during his special teams coaching career.

COACHING BACKGROUND

2022 - Ole Miss - Special Teams Coordinator
2020-21 - Purdue - Special Teams Coordinator
2017-19 - North Texas - Special Teams Coordinator
2016 - Notre Dame - Special Teams Analyst
2015 - South Dakota - Cornerbacks
2012-14 - Southern - Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Backs
2011 - Arkansas-Pine Bluff - Co-Defensive Coordinator

FIELD GOALS

One of the greatest strengths of Biagi's special teams over the years has been field goal kicking. In his seven seasons working with special teams at the FBS level, Biagi's field goal kickers have gone 114-136, which is good for an 83.8% success rate, which is outstanding.

Notre Dame hasn't had a field goal kicker reach an 80% success rate since 2019, and it has only happened four times with the Irish since 2010.

Normally I don't give too much credit to special teams coaches for the success of place kickers. Most don't have the specialization skills to really teach it at a high level and success comes down more to the talent/mindset of the place kickers. That's different for Biagi, who actually was a specialist in college. He was a punter at Marshall and was a place kicker and punter in high school, which gives him the specialization and experience from a mindset standpoint to actually teach this skill.

There is likely no special teams area where Biagi should have a greater impact.

BLOCKING KICKS

Evaluating success for a special teams coach is finding areas where there is some level of consistency across jobs. That's a bit of an issue for Biagi in some areas, but it's not when it comes to field goals and blocking kicks. Biagi's special teams have blocked at least one kick in each of his 10 seasons coaching those units.

His units have blocked at least three kicks in seven of those 10 seasons. Ole Miss failed to block a kick in the three seasons prior to Biagi's arrival but blocked three in his one season with the Rebels. 

His units blocked jus one kick per season in his two years at Purdue, but in three years at North Texas his units blocked 11 kicks, and they matched that total in three years at Southern University as well.

In 10 years working with special teams, Biagi's units blocked a total of 29 kicks.

KICK RETURNS

There has been some up and down in kick return production in Biagi's tenure, but when it has been up it has been impressive. 

At the FBS level, his best stretch came at Notre Dame and North Texas. Notre Dame ranked 27th in kick return average in 2016, and return man CJ Sanders returned two kicks for scores that season. In three seasons at North Texas, the Mean Green ranked 22nd in kick return average in 2018 and 25th in 2019, returning one kick for a score in each season. Return man Deion Hair-Griffin was named a second team All-Conference USA returner in 2019.

Biagi had great success with kick returns at the FCS level, with his Southern units returning seven kicks for scores, including four in 2014. The Jaguars ranked 9th nationally in returns in 2014 and 10th in 2013. His lowest ranked season was 23rd in 2012.

In recent seasons the success hasn't been very good. Ole Miss ranked 94th nationally in kick return average (17.9), and his Purdue units ranked 129th (12.4) in 2021 and 64th (20.1) in 2020.

PUNT RETURNS

Biagi's 2014 Southern unit returned three punts for touchdowns and ranked 3rd nationally (18.7). His 2013 unit ranked 58th (8.4) and his 2012 unit ranked 35th (9.6).

As a FBS coach, the 2016 Notre Dame punt return unit ranked 4th (9.1), his 2017 North Texas unit ranked 25th (10.4) and his 2018 Mean Green unit ranked 33rd (11.5). North Texas also returned four punts for scores during his three seasons there.

Since this his units have ranked 55th (North Texas, 2019), 81st (Purdue, 2020), 96th (Purdue, 2021) and 82nd (Ole Miss, 2022). The early returns were good, but in recent seasons Biagi hasn't been able to find much success in the return game.

KICK COVERAGE

This has been a problem area for Biagi throughout his career. During his 10 seasons as a special teams coach, Biagi's unit has never ranked higher than 45th in kick coverage average. Four times it has ranked 104th or lower, including his 2022 unit at Ole Miss (104th), his 2020 unit at Purdue (122nd) and his 2019 unit at North Texas (109th). 

Most troubling is the fact that in 10 seasons as a special teams coordinator, Biagi's units have given up 11 kick returns for touchdowns, including two in 2016 while working with Notre Dame.

PUNT COVERAGE

Biagi's punt coverage units were good at Southern, ranking between 10th and 54th nationally, but his last two units were his best (10th in 2013, 21st in 2014). Notre Dame ranked 123rd in punt return average in 2016 (giving up two touchdowns), but his North Texas squad ranked 8th in 2017.

Biagi's units have never gotten back to that level. In 2018 and 2019 at North Texas, his unit ranked 78th and 100th in punt coverage, his two units at Purdue in 2020 and 2021 ranked 119th and 48th, and his Ole Miss unit ranked 54th this past season.

EFFICIENCY RANKING

In 2017, the North Texas special teams ranked 18th nationally in efficiency according to the Fremeau Efficiency Index. Since then the best mark was 33rd in 2019. His 2018 North Texas unit ranked 53rd, which is respectable.

His Power 5 rankings have been below average to bad. Notre Dame ranked 87th in 2016, his Purdue units ranked 114th (2020) and 103rd (2021) and his 2022 Ole Miss unit ranked 99th.

If you look at the efficiency rankings at ESPN, his Ole Miss unit ranked 85th this past season, his 2021 Purdue unit ranked 100th and his 2020 Purdue unit ranked 123rd. The Notre Dame unit in 2016 ranked 101st.

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