The Vikings are getting new plays from the one and only Bob Stitt

Published Apr. 3, 2015 1:00 p.m. ET

Bruce Feldman

The Cult of Stitt is growing.

Bob Stitt, who became a go-to guru among college coaches for his innovative schemes at a high-academic D2 school, has moved on to a bigger stage -- FCS powerhouse Montana -- and he has continued to gain admirers. Now even NFL coaches are coming to see him.

Last month, Minnesota Vikings QB coach Scott Turner paid a visit to Stitt at the University of Montana.

"I know a lot of guys have gotten stuff from him, so I wanted to go straight to him to expand my football knowledge and figured I might get some things that may be new or different to the league," said the 32-year-old Turner. "It's one thing to take something off film, but it's another to see how they're actually coaching it, what their rules are and stuff like that."

Stitt was hired at Montana three months ago after he transformed Colorado School of Mines from being the most inept program in the near 100-year existence of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference into one of the most prolific attacks in all of football. Among those Stitt's inspired are Dana Holgorsen, Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin and Jake Spavital and UCLA OC Noel Mazzone.

Turner, son of long-time NFL coach Norv Turner, was especially intrigued by the myriad wide-receiver screens Stitt uses and how he spreads the field to stretch a defense.

"The one thing he does is use every inch of the field," said Turner. "With Teddy (Bridgewater) and us specifically, we have a quarterback that can get the ball out quickly and makes good decisions. If you spread everybody out there should be spots that are open or you can run the ball if that's the look you get."

Turner spent a weekend with Stitt and his staff and called it "a great trip." He came back with some new ideas as well a play that is one of Stitt's base plays that he's eager to put in for the Vikings this offseason.

Bruce Feldman is a senior college football reporter and columnist for FOXSports.com and FOX Sports 1. He is also a New York Times Bestselling author. His new book, The QB: The Making of Modern Quarterbacks, came out in October, 2014. Follow him on Twitter @BruceFeldmanCFB.