Notes from the Virtual Desktop Strategist

What is a Gadget Play?

A specific category of tactical plays that is designed to deceive the opposition in certain situations.

The Essence of the Gadget Play

It does not normally win games. However, the successful execution of this type of play could shift the emotional momentum of the competition and the crowd.

When should One Call a Gadget Play?

Whenever one is confidentially in during the preparation and practice of the play.

Compass Rule: The amount of time that it takes to plan and prepare (for the execution of the play) is inversely proportionally to the amount of time it takes to implement it.

The Key to Quick Decision-Making

Compass Rule: The effectiveness of one's decision is based on their view of the big picture.

Do you know your big picture? What are the attributes behind your big picture? If you don't know, talk to us about it.

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New coach puts vast experience to a special task

Ron Kroichick, Chronicle Staff Writer Wednesday, March 17, 2010

It's tempting, after some quick research, to suspect new Cal special teams coordinator Jeff Genyk is something of a gunslinger, throwing caution to the wind in his approach to college football. Genyk finished his run as Eastern Michigan's

head coach, after all, with a wild 56-52 victory over rival Central Michigan. Check out quarterback Andy Schmitt's numbers on that November 2008 day - a Division I record 58 completions in 80 attempts for 516 yards.

One week earlier, Schmitt went 50-of-76 in a loss to Temple. So the Bears are going to fake punts with abandon and run crazy reverses on kickoff returns? Well, maybe not. Those eye-catching numbers aside, Genyk strikes a measured and analytic tone as he dives into spring practice with the task of upgrading Cal's special teams. He also brings an uncommon background to Berkeley, more than the usual assortment of stops on the coaching ladder.

Start with this: Genyk has an MBA from Western Michigan and another master's degree (in education and social policy) from Northwestern. He worked in private business for nine years before starting his coaching career and spent last season as an ESPN analyst, working ACC games while also starting a consulting business and doing some motivational speaking. Few special teams coaches, for that matter, list five years as a Division I head coach on their resume. Genyk's stay at Eastern Michigan did not exactly unfold as planned - he was fired after posting a 16-42 record - but the experience shaped the way he will perform his job at Cal.

"It certainly should bring the ability to be decisive," Genyk said after the Bears' first workout Thursday at Memorial Stadium. "Maybe not always correct, but I think anytime you have five years of college head-coaching experience, it really allows you to make quick decisions. You can be decisive with yourself, the players and the staff." His decisiveness also comes from personal experience. Genyk was a quarterback and punter in his playing days at Bowling Green, and he handled special teams for the final eight of his 12 seasons (1992-2003) at Northwestern.

Genyk, in other words, should have some credibility when he counsels Cal's kickers and punters. "It helps not only that I did the actual task, but probably more importantly that I've coached it for so long," he said. "So when I put together their drills and their practice plan, hopefully it makes sense to them."

The Bears have some work to do on special teams, shortcomings that prompted the dismissal of Pete Alamar shortly after the team's Poinsettia Bowl loss to Utah. Most noticeably, Cal ranked ninth in the Pac-10 in kickoff coverage last season and 10th in field-goal percentage (.625, 15-of-24).

That last stat clearly rankled head coach Jeff Tedford. Vince D'Amato and Giorgio Tavecchio had their moments in 2009, but they were each only 2-of-6 on kicks between 30 and 49 yards.

"Jeff has a good background with kickers and punters, and that's something we really needed," Tedford said of Genyk. "... I think coaching our kickers is going to be a big deal. He's got a plan for those guys, and they're going to improve every day." Genyk added, "Both those kids have a great desire to get better.

Physically, they have the talent to be very good. I think they need to get mentally stronger. You're going to miss a field goal and you may pull a kickoff out of bounds. How do you respond after that? That's what I'm working on."

E-mail Ron Kroichick at rkroichick@sfchronicle.com.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/03/17/SP5M1CF289.DTL

This article appeared on page B - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle

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