Chris Ault agrees to consultant position with Chiefs

[Smalls]

Ault was Kaepernick's college coach, as most know. He's credited with creating the pistol, but I can't speak to the accuracy of that. I'm sure some remember Ault declining offers from teams hoping to gain insight on stopping Kap and the pistol within the last year.

 

[MHSL82]

He's just preparing the place for Kaepernick because we trade all our QBs to them. Alex is just getting them in position to do a seamless process when Kaep gets there.

 

[MHSL82]

Actually, I don't think they will be using it THAT much and Smith is good enough even if they added someone who knows how to run it. Alex would at the very least get a running start to entrench himself, especially with Reid liking him. Never say never, but they'd have to draft someone. Bray said at the combine that he left because the new Tennessee OC was adding a lot of running, to which he admitted wasn't his forte. Not sure why he said that, but it was honest and people who watched his film would already figure that out. He also said he left because it was difficult the first time to learn a new offense, might as well make that transition going to the pros, not in his senior year.

 

[MHSL82]

They've already added Brad Childress, reportedly to help with with the spread offense concepts. His title with the team was strange. But then they changed it to spread game analyst: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap10...childress-joins-chiefs-as-spread-game-analyst

Maybe they are trying to keep Reid's pass happy offense but make it more modern or for Alex Smith and whoever else they bring in.

 

[Kinzu]

Spread Offense is what got Smith drafted #1. He could probably do really well in it. He doesn't have the strong arm for a play action offense, but he is smart and accurate enough to spread the field and locate the match-ups. The Chiefs are not hurting for playmakers either.

 

[MHSL82]

Kansas City Chiefs hire Chris Ault as consultant

The Kansas City Chiefs couldn't have found a better source for help in implementing -- and maybe even defending -- the pistol offensive system sweeping through the NFL.

The Chiefs have hired former Nevada coach Chris Ault, who used the modified shotgun formation to great success in the college ranks, to serve as a consultant to new coach Andy Reid, offensive coordinator Doug Pederson and the rest of the Kansas City coaching staff.

Ault's agent, Bob LaMonte, confirmed the deal to The Associated Press on Monday. It was first reported by the Reno Gazette-Journal, which covered Ault during his college coaching years.

It wasn't clear exactly what his duties will be, though it's safe to say that his expertise running the pistol offense will be heavily drawn upon.

"I told Coach Reid, 'Whatever I can do to help you win a Super Bowl, I'll do it,' " the 66-year-old Ault told the Reno Gazette-Journal in a story published Monday.

The pistol offensive formation lines up the quarterback a few yards behind center, but short of the traditional shotgun formation. The idea is to give the quarterback, particularly those with the ability to run the option, more versatility immediately after the snap.

Ault utilized the offense at Nevada with Colin Kaepernick, who led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl this past season. The 49ers and other NFL teams have begun to implement it, with the Redskins and quarterback Robert Griffin III using it to great success.

Kaepernick, of course, replaced Alex Smith as the 49ers' starting quarterback, allowing the team to trade Smith to the Chiefs this past offseason. And while Smith hasn't done much running in the NFL, he ran a spread-option system for coach Urban Meyer in college at Utah.

The Chiefs have used the pistol system in the past. In 2008, when injuries forced them to use quarterback Tyler Thigpen, he proved to be more successful taking the snap a few steps off the line of scrimmage. It allowed him more time to survey the field and scramble if necessary.

Ault isn't the first special assistant hired by the Chiefs.

Reid previously hired former Vikings coach Brad Childress, whom he worked with in Philadelphia, to serve as spread game analyst. Reid has said that Childress will research variations of the spread offense in an effort to help not only the Chiefs' offense, but also their defense.

 

[MHSL82]

Chiefs coach Andy Reid adds coaching firepower in hiring Chris Ault

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is collecting quite the stash off offensive know-how.

Reid hired Pistol offensive innovator Chris Ault as a consultant Monday. The former Nevada coach is well respected in the coaching community. He was Colin Kaepernick’s college coach.

Now, he will work with Alex Smith. Kaepernick is the reason why Smith is no longer in San Francisco.

Don’t get this wrong -- Ault’s presence doesn’t necessarily mean the Chiefs will run the Pistol all the time. After all, Smith is not a great fit for that particular scheme.

It just means Reid, known as one of the best offensive-minded coaches in the NFL, wants to get his team up to speed on the Pistol offense. Several teams are using it with success. I think Ault is being brought in to get the defense up to speed on stopping the Pistol as much as he is to help out the offense.

Earlier in the offseason, Reid hired former Vikings head coach Brad Childress and gave him the title of Spread Game Analyst/Special Projects. Childress was Reid’s offensive coordinator in Philadelphia.

These are smart moves from Reid. He is getting his team caught up in today’s NFL, including getting his teams prepared for everything on both sides of the ball. That’s good leadership.

 

[DoobieKeebler]

I wonder why SF didn't do this, even if to keep him away from other teams. Roman will probably be poached by another team to be a HC at t he end of the season anyway, so why not have Ault on the team to help an incoming OC seamlessly implementing a playbook that plays to Kap's strengths?

I don't like this at all, even if KC is in the AFC.

 

[Chamoanlad]

I wonder why SF didn't do this, even if to keep him away from other teams. Roman will probably be poached by another team to be a HC at t he end of the season anyway, so why not have Ault on the team to help an incoming OC seamlessly implementing a playbook that plays to Kap's strengths?

I don't like this at all, even if KC is in the AFC.

You're assuming that the 49ers have no one internally that can't take over for Roman or knows our system and Kap. From everything I've read on the subject regarding Roman leaving, Harbaugh is really high on Geep Chryst the teams QB's coach and possible Roman replacement.

The pistol is a great weapon for our offense, but we also do alot of other things and have a great running attack even before the pistol came into play. With Kaep going on year 3 and Harbaugh being here the entire time, I don't doubt our offense can keep doing great things after Roman eventually leaves.

 

[MHSL82]

chris Ault Hired, Application to Offenses in 2012