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Examining Van Pelt's fast rise from player to coordinator

News has come that Buffalo Bills quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt has been officially named offensive coordinator by head coach Dick Jauron.  While the game plan will be put together by a committee of Van Pelt, Jauron, and running game coordinator Eric Studesville, Van Pelt will be in the booth managing the game.  Van Pelt will reportedly radio the plays or play packages to backup Ryan Fitzpatrick who will relay them to starting quarterback Trent Edwards. 

As many fans remember, "AVP" played on several good (but many more bad) teams in his Bills career; his coaching experience is minimal.  His rise to NFL coordinator has been a relatively fast one, as he was a member of the Bills roster as recently as 2003.

Playing Career
Van Pelt grew up in the quarterback hotbed of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He chose to go to the hometown college when he decided to become a University of Pittsburgh Panther.  Van Pelt was the most successful quarterback in school history, breaking several of Dan Marino's passing records in the process.  Van Pelt, a four-year starter, holds the Panther records for most career passing yards (11,267), career completions (867) and career attempts (1,503). He held the record of passing yards in a season (3,163) until it was broken in 2003.

Star-divide

0905vanpelt_medium
Van Pelt commanding the Pittsburgh offense

He was drafted in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, but did not make the team.  Van Pelt signed with the Bills prior to the 1994 season, but did not play in any games that year.  He was the third string quarterback for the Bills behind Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly and then-QB of the future Todd Collins for two seasons.  His first start came in 1997 in relief of an injured Collins against the division rival Dolphins.  AVP led the Bills to a win over fellow Pitt alum Dan Marino, but threw for only 89 yards. The QB would start two more games in relief that year, but would not start again until four years later in 2001.  That year, Van Pelt started half of the Bills' games and played in four more in relief of Mr. Glass, Rob Johnson.  He finished the year going 178 of 307 for 2,056 yards (58% completion percentage), 12 TD, 11 INT, and a 76.4 passer rating.  He was then relegated back to his backup role behind new Bills QB Drew Bledsoe for two more years before retiring after nine seasons.  His career stats were mostly earned in that 2001 season: 262 completions on 477 attempts for 2,985 yards (54.9% completion percentage), 16 touchdowns, 24 interceptions, and a lifetime passer rating of 64.1.

Vanpelt_i_medium
Van Pelt warming up in 2005

Broadcasting Career
After the 2003 season, Van Pelt auditioned for and won the job opposite Bills radio man John Murphy to replace the departed broadcasting legend, Van Miller.  Van Pelt was the color commentator for the Buffalo Bills Radio Network during the 2004 season, providing insights on the locker room and players with whom he had spent time with as a player.

Coaching Career
The former player's heart was just not in broadcasting, however, and he left after one year on the job.  In the winter of 2005, Van Pelt volunteered to coach quarterbacks at the University of Buffalo.  In the Spring of '05, he joined the staff of the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe.  He was the quarterbacks coach and also called plays for a team that finished 3-7 and fifth in the six-team league.  It was the only time in the last five years of NFL Europe from 2003-2007 the Galaxy did not appear in the World Bowl, and the only time in the final six years the Galaxy did not earn six wins or more in the team's ten game schedule.  Quarterback Kevin Eakin (who went on to be a 2007 member of the Bills off-season roster), Akili Smith, and B.J. Symons combined to go 170 for 290 (58.6% completion percentage) for 2,005 yards, with 13 TD, 8 INT, and an 83.2 passer rating.

In 2006, Van Pelt was hired by then-new Bills coach Jauron as Offensive Quality Control Coach.  The OQCC is the staff member who breaks down film on the team's offense and opposing defenses to find tendencies, strengths, and weaknesses.  He held that job during the 2006 and 2007 seasons before being promoted to quarterbacks coach prior to the 2008 season, replacing Turk Schonert, who was himself promoted to the position of offensive coordinator.  Last week, Van Pelt again replaced Schonert, this time as offensive coordinator.

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nice post!

by chaucer on Sep 7, 2009 5:12 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

It’s been a fast rise, but is it more because he’s been hanging around and there’s no better option, or because he’s a top up-and-coming mind in the game?

It’s probably somewhere in between, but I’m worried it’s going to be more of the former than the latter.

His stint in NFL Europe seems isn’t a positive, but without knowing too much of the context of the league I’m not sure how much reading into that there should be.

by Pistol on Sep 7, 2009 5:14 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Thanks, Matt.

After reading that I feel much better.

by Gino Parilli on Sep 7, 2009 5:31 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I bet…

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

by MattRichWarren on Sep 7, 2009 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

This season will be interesting

"Hold ya chin up...nuh nuh nuh...gone"
-Marshawn Lynch-

by billsoferie on Sep 7, 2009 7:32 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Has there been any word as to who will replace AVP as quarterbacks coach?

"I could have conquered Europe, all of it, but I had women in my life." - King Henry II of England

by Calvert on Sep 7, 2009 8:58 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I’m assuming he will maintain those duties.

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

by MattRichWarren on Sep 7, 2009 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Gibran Hamdan

Godspeed Nick - RIP - 1986-2009

by norcaliangelsfan on Sep 8, 2009 12:22 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

So as he prepares for MNF, is this supposed to make me feel better or worse ?
The OQCC is the staff member who breaks down film on the team’s offense and opposing defenses to find tendencies, strengths, and weaknesses.

I am sure he has learned a lot since then :-)

Teflon Jauron…..Nothing sticks to Dick

by Joe P. on Sep 7, 2009 9:05 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I remember

Gary Kubiak on the sideline with Elway and it took me a while to see him as a legitimate coach. Now I can’t think of him as a player.

I think it’ll eventually be the same with AVP. And btw I think he’ll be fine.

I wonder if they still call him “dough boy”?

by Ono on Sep 7, 2009 9:12 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

He looks the part just seeing him at camp. LOL

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

by MattRichWarren on Sep 7, 2009 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Are you making a fat joke?

Of course we could make things more challenging, Lisa, but then the stupider students would be in here complaining, furrowing their brows in a vain attempt to understand the situation--Seymour Skinner

by Ron From NM on Sep 7, 2009 9:32 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

That is how he got the nickname, “the pill” as in Pillsbury dough boy.

No weekend spent pantsless is a wasted weekend.

by sireric on Sep 7, 2009 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Its up to the players

As Bills fans we know the coaching staff is inept. It’s up to the players to decide they want to win and take over the ship. Unless something amazing like that happens look for 4 wins maybe 5. Ralph Wilson never realized paying the top players means nothing if you don’t pay the top coaches to lead them.

by Pietro Sirianni on Sep 7, 2009 10:09 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I don’t think the coaching staff is inept.

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

by MattRichWarren on Sep 8, 2009 6:44 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Well they certainly haven’t proven to be ept

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Sep 8, 2009 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Van Pelt is a pretty heady guy

He spent some time around Levy, Kelly, and Co., and understands the West Coast offense and the spread.

Even if he’s not successful this year, I think it’s just a matter of time.

by Der Jaeger on Sep 7, 2009 10:10 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Hmmm

So when did we become a West Coast offense, or a spread offense. It might help if we employ some spread. – thats what she said!

by djblitz11 on Sep 8, 2009 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Van Pelt really let himself go after his playing days….fatty!

Eh, I don’t know what to think of Van Pelt yet. I’m happy he’s in the OC now, simply because Schonert isn’t. But I’m not sure I’m happy with Van Pelt himself. His lack of experience and success has me worried, but he can’t be any worse than SFM or Schonert…right?

The OQCC is the staff member who breaks down film on the team’s offense and opposing defenses to find tendencies, strengths, and weaknesses.

So, uh, he didn’t exactly do a good job then I’m assuming….well unless Schonert didn’t listen to him which is 100% plausible….

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Sep 8, 2009 1:07 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

well unless Schonert didn’t listen to him which is 100% plausible….

based off of what i’m hearing this is probably accurate. Schonert probably just wanted to run what he wanted to run regardless of strengths/weaknesses. Thinking that his plays will work as long as everyone does their asignments. Problem with this is that players are good at some things and not good at others. Something he probably never grasped

I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying

by J2 on Sep 8, 2009 9:01 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

The current OQCC is Nate Hackett (who I believe was on the Stanford Coaching staff when Edwards was their QB).

by Zumone on Sep 8, 2009 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

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