Meet the only man to coach Ryan and Rodgers

Jeff Jagodzinski was the coach at Boston College during Matt Ryan’s senior season. They reached No. 2 in the rankings.

Jeff Jagodzinski was the coach at Boston College during Matt Ryan’s senior season. They reached No. 2 in the rankings.

Jeff Jagodzinski could win “To Tell the Truth” with this little nugget about Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who will square off in Sunday’s NFC Championship game with a place in the Super Bowl on the line.

“I’m the only guy in the coaching profession that’s had both guys,” he said.

Jagodzinski was Green Bay’s offensive coordinator in 2006, Rodgers’ second season, and Boston College’s head coach from 2007-08, where his first season was Ryan’s senior season.

“It was such a pleasure to have both those guys,” he said. “I’ve been blessed to be with guys like that.”

Jagodzinski said it would have been impossible when he was coaching either player to predict their greatness.

Rodgers was in second season as Brett Favre’s backup. Though Rodgers was as competitive as almost anyone Jagodzinski has ever coached, he rarely got to play. But it was obvious that Rodgers was skilled.

Jagodzinski said in training camp that every pass thrown by each quarterback was charted. During one day’s practice, Rodgers missed a couple of deep throws. Talking with reporters afterward, Jagodzinski said he was asked why Rodgers can’t complete deep passes.

“Who are you watching out there?” Jagodzinski answered.

Rodgers, of course, has become famous for his deep passes. His Hail Mary helped dispatch the Giants in the wild-card round this year. His 38-yard laser to the sideline at the end of regulation put the Packers in position to defeat the Cowboys with a last-second field goal in the divisional round.

After Favre left and Rodgers began to blossom, Jagodzinski shared that he asked Packers coach Mike McCarthy if he saw this coming. He said McCarthy said he didn’t, but acknowledged that Rodgers is the best quarterback he has ever coached.

“He’s had Favre. He had Joe Montana at Kansas City,” Jagodzinski said. “Mike’s had Hall of Fame quarterbacks.”

Ryan was also ultra-competitive. He absorbed the new offense put in by Jagodzinski and offensive coordinator Steve Logan very quickly during the spring.

“There was something about Matt,” Jagodzinski said. “You know that ‘It factor.’ He had that.”

Under Jagodzinski and Logan, Ryan learned how to call plays on the field during two-minute drills in practice. That was something he had never done. Jagodzinski laughs when remembering the first time they ran the drill during the spring.

“Matt said, ‘what do you want me to call?” Jagodzinski said. “Steve said, ‘Call whatever you want to call. You know the offense.’ It was so much fun.”

It was a skill developed by Ryan that later helped the Eagles upset Virginia Tech in Blacksburg on the game’s last play, and then Clemson in Death Valley in the final minute. In the NFL, Ryan has led the Falcons to 25 fourth-quarter comebacks.

Don’t think you can get Jagodzinski to definitively answer which team will win Sunday. He will say why a team will win: whichever has the fewest turnovers, the most explosive plays, and has the ball last. Good luck figuring that one out.

The same goes for which player should win the league’s MVP award. Ryan has already been named as the Pro Football Writers MVP.

“They are both MVPs to me,” he said, admitting it was weak answer.

Ryan has passed for 38 touchdowns and just seven interceptions in leading the Falcons to an 11-5 record during the regular season to win the NFC South. Rodgers has passed for 40 touchdowns and seven interceptions in leading the Packets to a 10-6 record during the regular season to win the NFC North.

“It will be a shootout, and it should be with two of the best quarterbacks in the league,” Jagodzinski, who later was named offensive coordinator at Georgia State, said. “Rodgers is a Hall of Fame player. Ryan needs to put his stamp on the playoffs. He’s going to be a Hall of Fame player.”