Silly Season '13 (Coaching Changes)

[T Town Tommy]

Being reported the AD at Louisville wants to speak to Rich Rod. Can't see him leaving Arizona for Louisville.

 

[ulukinatme]

Being reported the AD at Louisville wants to speak to Rich Rod. Can't see him leaving Arizona for Louisville.

Yeah, if Louisville wasn't going to the ACC, I could see where it might look more attractive if he was able to take over Louisville and start dominating the conference. With the move to the ACC it would probably be more of a lateral move though or a step down, at least given perceptions and win totals. I imagine either team will lose the same number of games each season given the talent levels and conferences they're playing in.

 

[rocket66]

Yeah, if Louisville wasn't going to the ACC, I could see where it might look more attractive if he was able to take over Louisville and start dominating the conference. With the move to the ACC it would probably be more of a lateral move though or a step down, at least given perceptions and win totals. I imagine either team will lose the same number of games each season given the talent levels and conferences they're playing in.

This makes no sense. The move to the ACC is the only reason the Louisville job could look attractive to other major conference coaches.

 

[ulukinatme]

This makes no sense. The move to the ACC is the only reason the Louisville job could look attractive to other major conference coaches.

The Pac-12 is slightly better than the ACC in football, although some would probably make the case they're much better. However, the competition in the ACC is also better than the AAC, and Louisville will most likely drop a few more games in the move than they would in the AAC. If RichRod was able to take over Louisville and dominate the AAC, it would be like West Virginia 2.0 and he could parlay that into a better job elsewhere like his Michigan move (Even if that didn't work out). However, taking over Louisville in the ACC probably wouldn't work as well. Arizona lost 5 games this year in the PAC-12, I imagine RichRod would probably lose about 4, maybe 3 with Louisville in the ACC. Doesn't really do anything to make his coaching resume look better, but going 12-1 in the AAC would look better to bigger programs wouldn't you agree?

 

[PANDFAN]

big thing...richrod was paid as #40th or 45th highest paid coach and strong was #10...louisville has money to pay and the $ could be too much for him to resist....from my perspective he is bringing in talent and will have 2 5* transfers in neal and brewer....w/ jalen tabor joining...he has almost "his guys" needed for his system...he would need to basically rebuild because his system is completely different then what louisville was doing w/ strong

 

[Irish#1]

No reason at all, IMO. They have a great stadium with passionate fans, and they're in a location that's advantageous compared to the rest of the BIG 10 (i.e., not burried in the midwest). I'd argue they're in the best location of any BIG 10 team.

That bottle of Jack Daniels empty?

I agree with Stl01 that it is one of the better football schools in the country from an all over perspective, but location isn't one of the reasons. Happy "Valley" got its name because it's somewhat isolated. You can't get there from here.

 

[ulukinatme]

Yeah, there really wouldn't be much to gain, if anything, for RichRod to move to Louisville. Hit best opportunity is to stay with Arizona and hope that a couple decent PAC-12 teams forget how to play defense.

 

[ulukinatme]

No reason at all, IMO. They have a great stadium with passionate fans, and they're in a location that's advantageous compared to the rest of the BIG 10 (i.e., not burried in the midwest). I'd argue they're in the best location of any BIG 10 team.

That really hasn't parlayed Penn State into a great record in the B1G since they joined in '93. In 20 years they've played for the Rose Bowl only twice, and one of those seasons is now stricken from the records. They've been a B1G bottom feeder a number of years, more often than a team you would consider a powerhouse, especially the last 10 years. After sanctions they actually have a .371 winning percentage in the B1G.

 

[Irish#1]

This cannot be understated, and the proximity to Virginia/DC shouldn't be understated either. Basically, should PSU ever get rolling with the right coach, they'd almost have their pick of talent from the mid-Atlantic. If you go look at the amount of talent in PA, MD, VA, DC, NJ, NY this year... it's #1 class worthy without even having to go into Ohio.

I would put Nebraska and PSU in the 1A category. Especially if you're looking at fan base, money, alumni, tradition, etc.. PSU use to be in the hunt for the NC all the time. Same with Nebraska. Sure that was a few years back, but while the wins haven't been there show me any of the 1A schools that haven't went through dry spells?

 

[rtrn2glory]

at the very least this should get rich rod a nice raise

 

[koonja]

That bottle of Jack Daniels empty?

I agree with Stl01 that it is one of the better football schools in the country from an all over perspective, but location isn't one of the reasons. Happy "Valley" got its name because it's somewhat isolated. You can't get there from here.

If it's empty, it's because you stole it, lol.

Did you read my OP? Pennsylvania is absolutely in a great location for recruiting compared to the rest of the BIG 10. I'm not talking nationally, I'm talking about compared to the rest of their peers.

 

[IrishLax]

I would put Nebraska and PSU in the 1A category. Especially if you're looking at fan base, money, alumni, tradition, etc.. PSU use to be in the hunt for the NC all the time. Same with Nebraska. Sure that was a few years back, but while the wins haven't been there show me any of the 1A schools that haven't went through dry spells?

There is absolutely no way either of those teams are 1A with what is currently going on at those schools. Nebraska is dangerously close to becoming Tier 2, if anything.

It's not about a dry spell, it's about how well they're currently set up to succeed and where they stand in the hierarchy. Penn State with their sanctions and one of the biggest black mark scandals of all time is simply not a 1A school. There is no way you can say "oh yeah, that job is as desirable as Alabama or Texas." In a couple years they could move back up to that tier, but right now they're not even close to any Tier 1A school.

Nebraska has all the fan passion you can desire, but does not have the recruiting ability or the money of the other 1A schools. They can't afford to pay head coaches or assistants competitive pay versus a Tier 1A school, and they don't have the location/ability to recruit Tier 1A talent. They're 5-10 years of mediocrity away from their history becoming largely irrelevant and being relegated all the way to Tier 2 like a Wisconsin.

 

[ulukinatme]

There is absolutely no way either of those teams are 1A with what is currently going on at those schools. Nebraska is dangerously close to becoming Tier 2, if anything.

It's not about a dry spell, it's about how well they're currently set up to succeed and where they stand in the hierarchy. Penn State with their sanctions and one of the biggest black mark scandals of all time is simply not a 1A school. There is no way you can say "oh yeah, that job is as desirable as Alabama or Texas." In a couple years they could move back up to that tier, but right now they're not even close to any Tier 1A school.

Nebraska has all the fan passion you can desire, but does not have the recruiting ability or the money of the other 1A schools. They can't afford to pay head coaches or assistants competitive pay versus a Tier 1A school, and they don't have the location/ability to recruit Tier 1A talent. They're 5-10 years of mediocrity away from their history becoming largely irrelevant and being relegated all the way to Tier 2 like a Wisconsin.

I agree. Hell, even before the sanctions I wouldn't put Penn State in the 1A category. To be in 1A I think you would have to at least win your conference fairly regularly. Penn State only has one Rose Bowl trip in the last 20 years, and it's been stricken from the record books.

 

[GowerND11]

That bottle of Jack Daniels empty?

I agree with Stl01 that it is one of the better football schools in the country from an all over perspective, but location isn't one of the reasons. Happy "Valley" got its name because it's somewhat isolated. You can't get there from here.

What exactly do you mean by that bolded part? Happy Valley is in a very rural area of Pennsylvania, but I80 runs right past it. Really it's a great place in terms of location due to the fact that by hopping onto that interstate Penn State can pretty much get to any other B1G school.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Harbaugh looks eerily familiar to someone in this picture....

 

[connect the dots]

Harbaugh looks eerily familiar to someone in this picture....

If the belt and pants don't fit, he can always borrow from Charlie Weis' wardrobe!

 

[ACamp1900]

If Penn St. and Nebraska aren't 1A then is Notre Dame??? Nebraska has three title game appearances and two titles since ND's last major bowl win. If two elite programs have truly spun their wheels for a decade plus it has to be PSU and ND… no??

 

[IrishLax]

If Penn St. and Nebraska aren't 1A then is Notre Dame??? Nebraska has three title game appearances and two titles since ND's last major bowl win. If two elite programs have truly spun their wheels for a decade plus it has to be PSU and ND… no??

Yes. Come on. This is silly, ACAMP.

What makes Penn State not 1A is the Sandusky scandal and sanctions. They can easily get back up to that tier with the right coach. Nobody -- coaches or fans or recruits -- views them as a 1A school right now. They also have only two BCS bowl appearances in the BCS era.

Nebraska isn't 1A and is teetering on Tier 2. They have the tradition and the legacy and the fan support... that's it. In every other characteristic, they are not even close to 1A. Only 2 BCS bowl appearances, none in over a decade. So saying "blah blah titles since major bowl win" is really kind of ridiculous when you consider Notre Dame has made 4 BCS trips including a title game appearance since Nebraska was BCS level good -- much less relevant in any kind of national title picture.

Finally, it's not AT ALL about current winning that makes you Tier 1 (or 1A vs 1B) job. Oregon and Stanford are clearly dominant programs right now, but neither is a Tier 1A job like Michigan, because they all have serious flaws in important programmatic aspects.

 

[PANDFAN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>lmaoooooooooo RT <a href="https://twitter.com/schadjoe">@schadjoe</a>: Iowa State has hired former Kansas head coach Mark Mangino as offensive coordinator, a source said.</p>— Peter Berkes (@peterberkes) <a href="https://twitter.com/peterberkes/statuses/420298935299612672">January 6, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[tussin]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>lmaoooooooooo RT <a href="https://twitter.com/schadjoe">@schadjoe</a>: Iowa State has hired former Kansas head coach Mark Mangino as offensive coordinator, a source said.</p>— Peter Berkes (@peterberkes) <a href="https://twitter.com/peterberkes/statuses/420298935299612672">January 6, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The man can call plays.

I don't think that's too bad of a hire if you keep him in control.

 

[PANDFAN]

The man can call plays.

I don't think that's too bad of a hire if you keep him in control.

 

[ACamp1900]

Yes. Come on. This is silly, ACAMP.

What makes Penn State not 1A is the Sandusky scandal and sanctions. They can easily get back up to that tier with the right coach. Nobody -- coaches or fans or recruits -- views them as a 1A school right now. They also have only two BCS bowl appearances in the BCS era.

Nebraska isn't 1A and is teetering on Tier 2. They have the tradition and the legacy and the fan support... that's it. In every other characteristic, they are not even close to 1A. Only 2 BCS bowl appearances, none in over a decade. So saying "blah blah titles since major bowl win" is really kind of ridiculous when you consider Notre Dame has made 4 BCS trips including a title game appearance since Nebraska was BCS level good -- much less relevant in any kind of national title picture.

Finally, it's not AT ALL about current winning that makes you Tier 1 (or 1A vs 1B) job. Oregon and Stanford are clearly dominant programs right now, but neither is a Tier 1A job like Michigan, because they all have serious flaws in important programmatic aspects.

IDK la, if '1A' is so fluid then I tend to think ND hasn't been in that group for at least a decade and getting embarrassed in a big game for like the upteenth straight time doesn't change that... and you said all NU has is "tradition and the legacy and the fan support"... that sounds familiar...

Now, I tend to be of the school that the cream isn't that fluid anyway... so NU, ND and PSU are still all there... but if it is and NU and PSU are easily out, then ND has been out of that group for a LONG TIME now also. One has to have pretty hefty blinders to think otherwise... just my feelings.

EDIT** Anyway, I know your focus is more on 'the job'... I guess I'm thinking more in the way of 'program.' So maybe there is just a disconnect with overall point... which of course is my fault for injecting on a side/different point.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

The man can call plays.

I don't think that's too bad of a hire if you keep him in control.

That's an incredible hire. He's one of the best offensive minds in the country.

 

[chubler]

IDK la, if '1A' is so fluid then I tend to think ND hasn't been in that group for at least a decade and getting embarrassed in a big game for like the upteenth straight time doesn't change that... and you said all NU has is "tradition and the legacy and the fan support"... that sounds familiar...

Now, I tend to be of the school that the cream isn't that fluid anyway... so NU, ND and PSU are still all there... but if it is and NU and PSU are easily out, then ND has been out of that group for a LONG TIME now also. One has to have pretty hefty blinders to think otherwise... just my feelings.

EDIT** Anyway, I know your focus is more on 'the job'... I guess I'm thinking more in the way of 'program.' So maybe there is just a disconnect with overall point... which of course is my fault for injecting on a side/different point.

I think you're ignoring the fact the PSU and NU both, as a program, have much less to work with and therefore lower ceilings than ND or Texas. Therefore, spinning wheels for 20 years is a lot more damaging to Penn State than it is to Texas, which is why Texas' status as 1A is much less elastic or fluid than Penn State's.

 

[ACamp1900]

Please explain how PSU 'has much less to work with' than ND.

 

[ulukinatme]

That's an incredible hire. He's one of the best offensive minds in the country.

He'll also single handily increase profits for food chains located in Ames by 200%.

 

[tussin]

I think you're ignoring the fact the PSU and NU both, as a program, have much less to work with and therefore lower ceilings than ND or Texas. Therefore, spinning wheels for 20 years is a lot more damaging to Penn State than it is to Texas, which is why Texas' status as 1A is much less elastic or fluid than Penn State's.

I agree with that point in regards to NU. PSU has every resource available. It wasn't long ago (i.e. directly before the sanctions) that PSU was pumping out top 10 recruiting classes consistently. As Lax said, the sanctions are the only thing holding back PSU.

 

[IrishLax]

Please explain how PSU 'has much less to work with' than ND.

1. Sanctions.
2. Most damaging scandal to a brand of all time.
3. Not relevant outside of their state.
4. Minimal talent on the roster.
5. Lack of recent success.

Nebraska is similar, but with no sanctions/scandal +
1. Horrid nearby recruiting.
2. Not as much money as other 1A or even 1B schools.

I'm sorry but it's common sense that Penn State and Nebraska are MUCH worse jobs than Notre Dame right now, and as programs they are also much further away from being in a BCS or title hunt with less ability to currently attract talent to get them there.

 

[chubler]

Please explain how PSU 'has much less to work with' than ND.

ND has three main assets, IMO, for recruiting players and coaches: Tradition (winning), degree value/education, and "mystique"/character of the University.

Penn State can't come even close on degree value and mystique (which is fairly unique to ND). Unless we tank and they tear it up for a good 30 years, ND will still be more 'prestigious' than ND in terms of a coaching job, or a place to play. Winning tradition is roughly the same, we probably have a slight advantage there as well.

a fourth, and slightly less significant factor, is our substantial financial leg up on PSU.

Just my opinion but IMO ND is set up for considerably more success than PSU over the long run given equal "luck" and leadership

 

[ACamp1900]

ND has three main assets, IMO, for recruiting players and coaches: Tradition (winning), degree value/education, and "mystique"/character of the University.

Penn State can't come even close on degree value and mystique (which is fairly unique to ND). Unless we tank and they tear it up for a good 30 years, ND will still be more 'prestigious' than ND in terms of a coaching job, or a place to play. Winning tradition is roughly the same, we probably have a slight advantage there as well.

a fourth, and slightly less significant factor, is our substantial financial leg up on PSU.

Just my opinion but IMO ND is set up for considerably more success than PSU over the long run given equal "luck" and leadership

That can be a double edged sword on the football field if the goal is winning games... just saying.

Anyway, I don't think we are even talking about the same think here… If I were a top coach I wouldn’t take the PSU job right now, which I think was LAX's main point. I see that totally.

My thing was I got caught up in the idea that NU and PSU are no longer 1A programs or CFB ‘royalty’, which, if that’s the case, then one has to ask honestly if ND is also, and I stand by that.