Darkest moment since the Harry Hiestand hiring!

[Domina Nostra]

A lot of people in the-the-know made it very clear, very quickly that hiring HH was a desparate move by a coach who was afraid to make a splash. Hesupposedly could not recruit and was a mediocre coach. Recruits looking for information on the internet inevitably learned what a disaster the hire was perceived to be by ND fans.

Turns out that HH was a homerun hire.

Nevertheless, it was uncontrolled negativity for a while. Here is hoping that we can avoid the drama. Uncontrolled optimism (like Damefan) comes off as silly, but doesn't create bad vibes. People have to realize that unreasonable negativity is infectuous and can really turn recruits off-- just like incesant contact through social media.

The fact is that when you are very good, your coordinators become hot commodities. They have families and futures. It's a good thing. Most people seem to get this, which is also good. Will they keep some perspective when we make the hire? Giving an honest, tough--even critical--opinion is great, acting like BK is an idiot and the program is falling apart is not.

The fact that Diaco leaving freaked out a few 17 yos means NOTHING. Kids that age have no perspective. They will think differently in a week, if not a day or a few hours. If some don't get it, if some think some other school (like Clemson) doesn't having coaching turnover, oh well. We lose a couple every year, no matter what.

There is about to be a big shake-up in college football with Texas getting its coach, this will all seem very small in comparison very soon.

So far Kelly has done an excellent job replacing coaches who have left. I expect more of the same.

GO IRISH!

 

[yankeeND]

Nice post DN, this is just a part of the process. Kids leave early, transfer, or graduate. Coaches stay until they get a better gig. Nothing new with this accept its happening to us. Believe it or not, it will happen again someday too.

 

[woolybug25]

Honest question... have you ever read "elevenwarriors" or "tigerdroppings"? The level of freakout is far worse on other teams sites, than IE in my opinion. I don't think that the discussions thus far have been too far out. Pretty reasonable discussion, actually.

Also, I don't really care either way, but seems like this could have just been a post in one of the several threads already made about Diaco. Just typin'.

 

[Domina Nostra]

Honest question... have you ever read "elevenwarriors" or "tigerdroppings"? The level of freakout is far worse on other teams sites, than IE in my opinion. I don't think that the discussions thus far have been too far out. Pretty reasonable discussion, actually.

Also, I don't really care either way, but seems like this could have just been a post in one of the several threads already made about Diaco. Just typin'.

That stuff is hilarious, but I do think it influences recruits.

I said that people have been very reasonable thus far... I was just adding a little dash of (gasp) perspective.

Move it if you'd like, I certainly don't care!

 

[eNDzone]

No doubt I am bumming from the lose of Coach Diaco. The positive I take away from this is that when Kelly is ready to call it quits at ND we may have a head coach replacement with real HC time in. Diaco loves ND. He might just be back.

 

[dublinirish]

No doubt I am bumming from the lose of Coach Diaco. The positive I take away from this is that when Kelly is ready to call it quits at ND we may have a head coach replacement with real HC time in. Diaco loves ND. He might just be back.

would people really want Diaco as a HC at ND in the next 10 years? I am a bit meh about him really. Interested to see what he will do at UConn alright, their D isnt that bad they just need some offense.

 

[Domina Nostra]

would people really want Diaco as a HC at ND in the next 10 years? I am a bit meh about him really. Interested to see what he will do at UConn alright, their D isnt that bad they just need some offense.

I am not a believer, yet, either. But he has been very successful so far, so we'll see.

 

[BGIF]

would people really want Diaco as a HC at ND in the next 10 years? I am a bit meh about him really. Interested to see what he will do at UConn alright, their D isnt that bad they just need some offense.

And would have you felt about hiring Lou Holtz in '86 based upon his experience in '76?

He had just resigned from the NY Jets without completing the season. He was 3-10.

His prior head coaching experience was a couple of years at William & Mary and NCS. He had accepted the HC at Tulane but bolted before showing up to take the Jets job. He had been successful in small ponds but failed off Broadway.


Holtz's crash and burn career turned into a Phoenix at Arkansas. A small recruiting base and the only team in the SWC that wasn't in Texas (but all the SWC refs were from TX).

 

[Domina Nostra]

And would have you felt about hiring Lou Holtz in '86 based upon his experience in '76?

He had just resigned from the NY Jets without completing the season. He was 3-10.

His prior head coaching experience was a couple of years at William & Mary and NCS. He had accepted the HC at Tulane but bolted before showing up to take the Jets job. He had been successful in small ponds but failed off Broadway.


Holtz's crash and burn career turned into a Phoenix at Arkansas. A small recruiting base and the only team in the SWC that wasn't in Texas (but all the SWC refs were from TX).

I think Diaco is a little weird and is a non-traditional thinker. I am not sure how that translates to being the CEO. I think he is a great coach.

 

[ACamp1900]

And would have you felt about hiring Lou Holtz in '86 based upon his experience in '76?

He had just resigned from the NY Jets without completing the season. He was 3-10.

His prior head coaching experience was a couple of years at William & Mary and NCS. He had accepted the HC at Tulane but bolted before showing up to take the Jets job. He had been successful in small ponds but failed off Broadway.


Holtz's crash and burn career turned into a Phoenix at Arkansas. A small recruiting base and the only team in the SWC that wasn't in Texas (but all the SWC refs were from TX).

I understand the Tulane and Jets thing but wasn't he successful at W/H and NCS??

 

[BGIF]

I understand the Tulane and Jets thing but wasn't he successful at W/H and NCS??

He was successful at W&M and NCS which was why I wrote:

His prior head coaching experience was a couple of years at William & Mary and NCS. He had accepted the HC at Tulane but bolted before showing up to take the Jets job. He had been successful in small ponds but failed off Broadway.

 

[ACamp1900]

I guess the 'crash and burn" comment seemed to imply he didn't get it done until Arky... anyway

 

[BGIF]

I guess the 'crash and burn" comment seemed to imply he didn't get it done until Arky... anyway

He didn't get it done in the Big Time until ARK

3-10 and quitting before the season ended was a spectacular crash and burn. His resignation P.C. was the weirdest one I had ever seen until John L. slapped his own face after a ND/MSU game.

Holtz was/is an incredible motivational speaker. Quit wasn't in his vocabulary but he quit ... in less than a year ... in less than a season.

I lived in the NY metro area then and followed his failure daily. The NY media devoured him. I watched his resignation live. I still remember vividly a visibly crushed man shrugging his shoulders during that PC and saying bluntly, "I just don't know how to motivate professionals."

I also had a father-in-law (whose name was Arky) at the time who was a Arkansas booster so I got to spend a lot of time discussing Holtz's resurrection during his run with the Hawgs (as well as his battles with the UA administration. His subsequent struggles with Monk, Beauchamp, and Wadsworth were déjà vu.) my comment about SWC refs was a frequent lament from my father-in-law.