ND Coaching Search Megathread
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ulukinatme
Carr for QB 2026!
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I'm struggling to figure out what Bama's WR coach is getting out of coming to South Bend. Way less talent to work with, less job security. Possibly more pay? I have my doubts there.
chicago51
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I feel Marcus Freeman is that car salesman when you say "you aren't buying anything today, you're just looking" and you end up going home with a new car. You're not even upset after the about being swindle into buying the car, because he offered you a really great car, and was just that good with his pitch.
drayer54
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better weather
DONTH8
Definitely not Coach BD
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GATTACA!
It's about to get gross
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So we just land nothing but 5 stars. Easy solution.
ulukinatme
Carr for QB 2026!
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Live look at Wiggins:
Seriously don't see why he would be coming, this makes 0 sense. I doubt we even would pay him more than Bama, so I'll believe this one when I see it. Far more likely we go after the Purdue guy or a G5 team.
T-Boone
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Live look at Wiggins:
Seriously don't see why he would be coming, this makes 0 sense. I doubt we even would pay him more than Bama, so I'll believe this one when I see it. Far more likely we go after the Purdue guy or a G5 team.
The post is like the fiesta bowl. Great first half - but the second half sucks.
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Yeah I don’t think it’s happening. Cleared out his office… while preparing for the National Championship? Del made $325k and he makes over $500k at Bama.
Unless there is some other external factor it seems unlikely that there are legs to that rumor.
Free Manera
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It is confusing for sure. He's not from the midwest. No ties to Freeman (other than having like 7 kids, maybe they bonded over that!?).
One of the pods (I think II but not sure) mentioned that Freeman likely has the same total spend that Kelly had, but with like half the head coach salary. That would leave a lot more money to go around. So it's possible they are just doubling people's salaries in efforts to poach them.
The cleaning out the office thing doesn't make sense unless Saban caught wind of it and for some reason told him to hit the road. But with Bama's recent history (the The Nick Saban School for Coaches Who Can't Coach Good and Wanna Learn to Do Other Stuff Good Too), that doesn't really mesh. His guys leave every year, he expects it.
I do think there is something to this rumor though because Prister is pretty conservative with dropping names. Someone at ND must think there is mutual interest.
GrangerIrish24
I bring nothing to the table
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Looks like Mason is official. Thamel is reporting it
Huntr
24 Karat Shamrock
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Mavericknyc1980
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How do we feel about Mason
GoldenAura
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Everything I've read about him is overwhelmingly positive. Cincy's ST has been very good under him and fans are upset to see him go. IIRC he has recruiting chops too.
Home Run Hire, the days of ND not going after the punter are over. Expect to see an aggressive special teams unit. Not to mention he is a good recruiter.
Huntr
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UC special teams were ranked 94th, 35th, 18th and 18th nationally in FEI for 2018,2019, 2020, 2021
ND was 42nd, 50th, 54th, 34th during that same time period.
Free Manera
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It is almost certainly an upgrade over Polian in both recruiting and coaching. He is very highly thought of in both areas. The only question is how big of an upgrade.
He was a GA at Ohio State for a little while before Cincinatti. He was the recruiting czar at Cincy for a year or two and he handled all the logistics and managed the big board. As we know, they have done an incredible job at identifying underrated players with NFL talent.
As far as coaching, his ST units are always towards the top statistically. They blocked SIX kicks this year (3 punts and 3 field goals) which is more than anyone in the country.
chicago51
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Yes. I would think so.
chicago51
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On the Wiggins situation I agree it doesn't seem to make sense. But if we don't hear anything about a likely candidate (not official because of the ND background checks) going into Monday, I think somehow that means Wiggins is the guy.
My thoughts on why he'd go from Bama to ND. Saban has preferred NFL head coach rejects to be his OCs. Maybe Freeman told him "hey Tommy Rees is going to be a head coach in a couple years, and I'll promote you to OC."
I don't think it is Wiggins from a logic standpoint but that's my best rationale why it could be him.
My thoughts on why he'd go from Bama to ND. Saban has preferred NFL head coach rejects to be his OCs. Maybe Freeman told him "hey Tommy Rees is going to be a head coach in a couple years, and I'll promote you to OC."
I don't think it is Wiggins from a logic standpoint but that's my best rationale why it could be him.
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Pumped.
Good recruiter. Good coach. Gets great execution from his special teams units, particularly when he decides to get aggressive and go after opposing teams' punters.
I think I've seen more punt blocks from UC the past two years than I've seen from any other team over any amount of time, except maybe VT in their special-teams heyday... and when that's your callback for reference, that's pretty good imo.
chicago51
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Surprised Mason got announced before HH. You think there is some sort of stinking point with the contract/ titles with ND and HH??
Like HH was run game coordinator before he left but we have a run game coordinator now witn Lance Taylor. Any chance there is a title sticking point?
Could ND be waiting for the WR coach situation to settle because you're not going to keep Lance Taylor as run game coordinator if he is WR coach? Maybe they'll give Harry run game coordinator title if Lance is the WR coach?
Just surprised we don't have an announcement when there has been so much smoke for weeks now.
Like HH was run game coordinator before he left but we have a run game coordinator now witn Lance Taylor. Any chance there is a title sticking point?
Could ND be waiting for the WR coach situation to settle because you're not going to keep Lance Taylor as run game coordinator if he is WR coach? Maybe they'll give Harry run game coordinator title if Lance is the WR coach?
Just surprised we don't have an announcement when there has been so much smoke for weeks now.
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TorontoGold
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In terms of recruiting, I should really check out his 247 profile but he's a goood recruiter for the defensive side? I know he was the sniper coach at UC, when he's recruiting is he going to help whoever the LB coach is going to be in that regard? Based on other posts he helped with the administrative side of recruiting at UC, maybe this is part of Freeman's goal to have a more cohesive recruiting strat between O/D.
How about on punt returns? Please tell me I won't have to see another Salerno fair catch.
Irish du Nord
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Lion, do you have any recruiting highlight stories of Mason? Just curious as I know very little about UC recruiting
irishog77
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I'm curious as to what MF's philosophy will be with scholarships and special teams. Burnt Ends often took up valuable roster spots with specialists, i.e. 4 or 5 of 85 spots going to snappers and kickers. I wonder if MF will continue this?
It is a bit different though now with grad transfers and one-time transfers. So it won't be an apples-to-apples comparison.
It is a bit different though now with grad transfers and one-time transfers. So it won't be an apples-to-apples comparison.
Trait Expectations
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ab2cmiller
Troublemaker in training
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I get one of those when I wipe with inferior toilet paper.
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My understanding is that he was Chad Bowden's counterpart and then replacement once Bowden came to ND, aka a do-everything guy. He's on the administrative side, but he's essentially helping build the board from the ground up and helping recruit anybody that's in for a recruiting event. Obviously he's going to have a huge hand in special teams and safety/linebacker/tweener offers. He's going to identify the unique athletes that Freeman can plug-and-play within a diverse system, aka hopefully land us more JOK-type dudes that cause matchup problems at several positions.
They will set up punt returns, but they are much more aggressive on trying to create lanes on kickoffs. It helps when you have a speedster like Tre Tucker returning kicks, of course, but ND has similar guys with open field speed, so hopefully that trend translates.
No specific stories... but I know UC's recruiting has been on a totally different level than the rest of the Group of 5 (except maybe UCF, who is kind of close), and Freeman thought it was key to get Bowden, and now he's gone after Mason. I'm excited to see the recruiting synergy continue on a bigger stage.
Pops Freshenmeyer
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Does Cincinnati wrestle with B1G programs in recruiting or are they more about identifying and living off Ohio guys who are passed over by OSU?