Baylor is set to hire former Michigan State offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic as its next offensive line coach, SicEm365 has learned. Kapilovic joins Dave Aranda’s reconfigured offensive staff and will oversee the trenches under new offensive coordinator Jake Spavital.
Kapilovic joined the staff in East Lansing in February 2020 after spending the 2019 season as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator in Colorado. He has more than 30 years of coaching experience, including roles as an offensive coordinator and/or run game coordinator at Southern Mississippi (2008-11), North Carolina (2012-18), Colorado (2019) and Michigan State (2020-present).
Prior to Colorado, Kapilovic coached the offensive line for seven seasons at North Carolina (2012-18) for head coach Larry Fedora. Kapilovic served as the run game coordinator for the Tar Heels his first two seasons (2012-13), was promoted to co-offensive coordinator for the next two years (2014-15), and was the associate head coach and offensive coordinator his final three seasons (2016-18).
Kapilovic’s offensive line was a key to Michigan State’s 2021 in which the Spartans finished 11-2 overall. The o-line helped pave the way for unanimous All-American Kenneth Walker III, who led the Big Ten and ranked No. 2 in the FBS with 1,636 rushing yards (136.3 ypg) to go along with his 18 rushing touchdowns. In addition to blocking for Walker, the Spartans allowed just 1.62 sacks per game, fourth fewest in the Big Ten and 27th in the FBS. The Spartan offensive line was named one of 13 semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top offensive line.
In his career, Kapilovic has been the primary or secondary recruiter for a number of four-star prospects, including at least eight prospects ranked in the top 250 nationally.
Kapilovic is the third offensive staff addition this offseason for the Bears. The veteran OL coach joins new offensive coordinator Jake Spavital as well as new associate head coach and running backs coach Khenon Hall in Waco.
PacificBear said:
Last Chance U. No one wanted this guy and no one good is coaching under Aranda. Table scraps.
He's been an OC and Assistant Head Coach, most of his success is at the position coach level. He has commanded one of the highest position coach salaries for years, he was #2 highest last year and #4 before that - got all big 10 top 10 coach of the year for 2022 season ( all big 10 teams all positions) was at UNC 11 years, 2 Joe Moore Award semi finalist - including his 2021 line at MSU. Can recruit and has presence in big 10 states where we dont have much of a presence, which is good for 'cruitin OL and DL. If you dont trust Aranda, remember Spavital had a hand in this too, and his OC track record is pretty darn good. I think there's cause for hope. He's an upgrade over Mateos.cowboycwr said:This seems like a lot of stretching to make a list....boognish_bear said:1. Consistency. Since 2008 31ppg or more 10 times and over 36ppg four times.
— Grayson Grundhoefer (@GrayGrundhoefer) December 13, 2023
2. High end recent success - 2015 UNC and 2021 MSU
3. Experience of over 30 years
4. Elite recruiter which is needed as Baylor has to hit the portal on the OL for more talent.
5. Aranda's top candidate.
1. This seems more like the result of the OC he has been under then the O line coach
2. Again he was part of that success, not the cause of it and 2015 isn't really recent when talking coaching
3. 30 years and still a position coach.....
4. OK let's hope so
5. Or so the claim as there is no evidence to back this up as no list was ever released of his candidates...
I understand the healthy skepticism. I was only pointing out things that Grayson probably couldn't squeeze on a twitter list, since the thought was the list was a little thin. Also the word is that he is a very tough demanding coach, but that his former players love him. He has put guys in the league, so all of that should be at least a little encouraging.Noghri said:
Thanks for sharing 92
I hope you are right.
Every Aranda hiring decision now starts with doubt due to his track record.
So he gets paid a lot. Big deal. Jimbo got paid a lot and he got FIRED.92HankBear said:He's been an OC and Assistant Head Coach, most of his success is at the position coach level. He has commanded one of the highest position coach salaries for years, he was #2 highest last year and #4 before that - got all big 10 top 10 coach of the year for 2022 season ( all big 10 teams all positions) was at UNC 11 years, 2 Joe Moore Award semi finalist - including his 2021 line at MSU. Can recruit and has presence in big 10 states where we dont have much of a presence, which is good for 'cruitin OL and DL. If you dont trust Aranda, remember Spavital had a hand in this too, and his OC track record is pretty darn good. I think there's cause for hope. He's an upgrade over Mateos.cowboycwr said:This seems like a lot of stretching to make a list....boognish_bear said:1. Consistency. Since 2008 31ppg or more 10 times and over 36ppg four times.
— Grayson Grundhoefer (@GrayGrundhoefer) December 13, 2023
2. High end recent success - 2015 UNC and 2021 MSU
3. Experience of over 30 years
4. Elite recruiter which is needed as Baylor has to hit the portal on the OL for more talent.
5. Aranda's top candidate.
1. This seems more like the result of the OC he has been under then the O line coach
2. Again he was part of that success, not the cause of it and 2015 isn't really recent when talking coaching
3. 30 years and still a position coach.....
4. OK let's hope so
5. Or so the claim as there is no evidence to back this up as no list was ever released of his candidates...
Where do you get the information that we tried to get Mateos to stay? I haven't seen any evidence on this board that it was desired for him to stay. Most here wanted the OL coach gone, and if any of the position coaches needed to go based on on-field performance of the players (fair or not), the OL coach was near the top of the list, if not at the top of the list.Karab said:PacificBear said:
Last Chance U. No one wanted this guy and no one good is coaching under Aranda. Table scraps.
It really does feel that way.
As soon as Mateos couldn't be convinced to stay, there should have been a bigger fish that we could have nabbed. Instead, we wasted all that valuable portal time where we could have worked on OL prospects to wind up with a bargain bin, clearance coach without a job.
Exactly, I'm about certain the situation was the opposite. I think some posters here want to spin every thing they can to make Baylor or Aranda to look bad.blackie said:Where do you get the information that we tried to get Mateos to stay? I haven't seen any evidence on this board that it was desired for him to stay. Most here wanted the OL coach gone, and if any of the position coaches needed to go based on on-field performance of the players (fair or not), the OL coach was near the top of the list, if not at the top of the list.Karab said:PacificBear said:
Last Chance U. No one wanted this guy and no one good is coaching under Aranda. Table scraps.
It really does feel that way.
As soon as Mateos couldn't be convinced to stay, there should have been a bigger fish that we could have nabbed. Instead, we wasted all that valuable portal time where we could have worked on OL prospects to wind up with a bargain bin, clearance coach without a job.
blackie said:Where do you get the information that we tried to get Mateos to stay? I haven't seen any evidence on this board that it was desired for him to stay. Most here wanted the OL coach gone, and if any of the position coaches needed to go based on on-field performance of the players (fair or not), the OL coach was near the top of the list, if not at the top of the list.Karab said:PacificBear said:
Last Chance U. No one wanted this guy and no one good is coaching under Aranda. Table scraps.
It really does feel that way.
As soon as Mateos couldn't be convinced to stay, there should have been a bigger fish that we could have nabbed. Instead, we wasted all that valuable portal time where we could have worked on OL prospects to wind up with a bargain bin, clearance coach without a job.
PartyBear said:Exactly, I'm about certain the situation was the opposite. I think some posters here want to spin every thing they can to make Baylor or Aranda to look bad.blackie said:Where do you get the information that we tried to get Mateos to stay? I haven't seen any evidence on this board that it was desired for him to stay. Most here wanted the OL coach gone, and if any of the position coaches needed to go based on on-field performance of the players (fair or not), the OL coach was near the top of the list, if not at the top of the list.Karab said:PacificBear said:
Last Chance U. No one wanted this guy and no one good is coaching under Aranda. Table scraps.
It really does feel that way.
As soon as Mateos couldn't be convinced to stay, there should have been a bigger fish that we could have nabbed. Instead, we wasted all that valuable portal time where we could have worked on OL prospects to wind up with a bargain bin, clearance coach without a job.
No Quarterback said:
there isn't any clear paradigm in how Aranda deals with poor coaches. You could make a strong case for firing literally any position coach or coordinator on the team. I didn't think our running back coach was all that bad, but I think Dave probably saw the opportunity to bring in a supposedly better recruiter in the SMU dude
Karab said:No Quarterback said:
there isn't any clear paradigm in how Aranda deals with poor coaches. You could make a strong case for firing literally any position coach or coordinator on the team. I didn't think our running back coach was all that bad, but I think Dave probably saw the opportunity to bring in a supposedly better recruiter in the SMU dude
So Aranda is playing the long game when he needs short term success. Which suggests that Aranda has carte blanche next year too. Or he's extremely confident the young team will be ready next year even with a harder schedule, and that him assuming the DC responsibilities will work.
Karab said:
I just don't understand how we could mess this up so badly.
Realitybites said:Karab said:
I just don't understand how we could mess this up so badly.
It all goes back to Lindamack's decision to keep a coach who everyone knows is going to get fired next year as a lame duck. It affects who you can get as a position coach, it affects your recruiting of high school players and transfers from the portal.
Just pointing out facts- how they translate here remains to be seen. Given facts that weren't addressed in Grayson's tweet, I think there's reason for hope, and definitely an upgrade over Mateos. To clarify, I was saying Spavital was (is) a good OC- it wasn't Kap's strength - thus why I think Kap spent the bulk of his career at OL. If If Spavital wanted him, I think there's probably a good reason why- thus the comment if you don't trust Aranda, maybe you'll consider Spavitals hand in it.cowboycwr said:So he gets paid a lot. Big deal. Jimbo got paid a lot and he got FIRED.92HankBear said:He's been an OC and Assistant Head Coach, most of his success is at the position coach level. He has commanded one of the highest position coach salaries for years, he was #2 highest last year and #4 before that - got all big 10 top 10 coach of the year for 2022 season ( all big 10 teams all positions) was at UNC 11 years, 2 Joe Moore Award semi finalist - including his 2021 line at MSU. Can recruit and has presence in big 10 states where we dont have much of a presence, which is good for 'cruitin OL and DL. If you dont trust Aranda, remember Spavital had a hand in this too, and his OC track record is pretty darn good. I think there's cause for hope. He's an upgrade over Mateos.cowboycwr said:This seems like a lot of stretching to make a list....boognish_bear said:1. Consistency. Since 2008 31ppg or more 10 times and over 36ppg four times.
— Grayson Grundhoefer (@GrayGrundhoefer) December 13, 2023
2. High end recent success - 2015 UNC and 2021 MSU
3. Experience of over 30 years
4. Elite recruiter which is needed as Baylor has to hit the portal on the OL for more talent.
5. Aranda's top candidate.
1. This seems more like the result of the OC he has been under then the O line coach
2. Again he was part of that success, not the cause of it and 2015 isn't really recent when talking coaching
3. 30 years and still a position coach.....
4. OK let's hope so
5. Or so the claim as there is no evidence to back this up as no list was ever released of his candidates...
So what he got an award no one has ever heard of.
So he was at a school a long time.
So he can recruit states we don't get many recruits from and probably still won't just because of him.
Pretty darn good???? He is a lackluster OC who has lived off of two good QBs. Other than that he is average.
a paper bag is an upgrade over Mateos.
Stop pumping sunshine because I am not buying it.
That is very specificRealitybites said:
I suppose if I was an offensive line coach on a downhill slide in D1 which no real prospects for moving up the coaching ladder, accepting Baylor's offer of a paid move to Texas for a one year gig after which I'd go coach in the lower ranks or 5A wouldn't be the worst possible move. Particularly if you're in your mid 50s and can see retirement through the windshield.
