ND Coaching Search Megathread

[Irish4life]

Why are we acting like Mason is a done deal here anyways? I'm pretty sure his name was only mentioned as connected to ND?

 

[Dale]

Why are we acting like Mason is a done deal here anyways? I'm pretty sure his name was only mentioned as connected to ND?

Brian Mason is basically official. Derek Mason is just a consideration

 

[Irish4life]

Brian Mason is basically official. Derek Mason is just a consideration

Yeah the ST coach from Cincy. Just seen a lot of chatter about Derek Mason at ND as though the deal is done.

 

[ab2cmiller]

Everyone is reporting Brian Mason as a done deal. Not as speculation or "connected" to ND.

Edit:

I guess I see the poster was possibly referring to Derek Mason.

 

[chicago51]

If I was a betting man and I had to bet the DC hire, I’d say John Heacock from Iowa State. The fact that him and Freeman coach together at Kent State, the fact that Heacock runs a multiple 3-3-5 like Freeman, is just too many dots for me not to make the connection. Not necessary for or against this hire but this one seems to make the most sense from a connection standpoint.

The only issue I see is Heacock is a safety coach. So someone is moving to LBs that is not actually a LB coach, be it Chris O’Leary, or Heacock. Unless Brian Mason who has experience with Rovers would coach LBs and special teams with Laurinitus as a GA heavily involved; in which case Heacock would take a defensive CEO type role like Elko kind of had in 2017.

 

[Rogue219]

If any of these DC only have the ability to coach one position and they've been coordinating entire units, don't hire them.

I think this is more about the general message board public having tunnel vision when it comes to the titles these guys carry on their resumes, but seriously, if Heacock or any of these other candidates has been coaching this long and can't coach linebackers I don't see the point in hiring any of them.

Either everyone has blinders on or I need to put blinders on because I am not following the mental gymnastics of not being able to hire certain guys because of positions they are not listed as having coached.

 

[ulukinatme]

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.

Now if he was clearing out his office that changes things I'd say. Why he'd be clearing it out...I dunno. Saban cutting him loose? Haven't Bama's receivers done well the last few years? Still doesn't make sense to me, but if he isn't being retained that would at least be a clearer picture why he'd be coming. Is the office clean out being reported or just a rumor?

 

[NDFAN2008]

MASON is a good higher for Special Teams but regardless I'm over the days of not putting our fasting guys on punt returns or kick offs. Put your fastest guys there and give the offense an advantage.

 

[stpeteirish]

Tyree was our KO return guy. He wasn’t fast?

 

[NDdomer2]

we also put Kyren on PR quite a bit this year.

 

[chicago51]

How much can Wiggins have in his office? Some pens, maybe a few notebooks, a Nick Saban autographed Football for Dummies book, team playbook, and a laptop with recruiting info???

 

[IrishRazor82]

To be clear, in my post I was talking about Doer/ND. Based on the quotes it must have seemed like I was talking about Cinci's kicker whom I know nothing about.

"Regarding kicking, I don't know the numbers but I've never felt less confident every time he steps up for a kick. It's either going to be crushed or lame duck and not even close. Don't feel like that was on Polian. But as a HC I'd want a guy with a smaller leg who you know is going to kick it well. Hard to make game time decisions when your kicker can make it from 53 but miss from 27 with equal probability."

 

[irishog77]

How much can Wiggins have in his office? Some pens, maybe a few notebooks, a Nick Saban autographed Football for Dummies book, team playbook, and a laptop with recruiting info???

Probably some of this stuff too:

 

[317Irish]

Probably some of this stuff too:

Should be Woman not Women.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

Should be Woman not Women.

DShans is that you?

 

[BoredIrish]

This may be why the Bama wr coach is looking around. It also seems like his daughter just graduated from Bama based on his Twitter.

 

[BobbyMac]

Surprised Mason got announced before HH. .

Takes a while when you break news via Western Union Telegram.

HH is old school cool.

 

[andre784]

Freeman has like the magic touch right now. Getting Hiestand means better performance from the OL. From a rankings perspective on special team coaches we are getting the 12th best one in the country. Polian did recruit at a high level but he was always ranked in the 50s for the performance side of the equation. So I'm excited the more i read into these hires.

 

[Free Manera]

Prister doubled down on Wiggins today. He said there is legit mutual interest. However there is still no answer to the question: why would Wiggins be motivated to do this?

He has ties to the south and west, but not the midwest. This is not an "I'm leaving before you fire me" move either. He is in good standing - he was just promoted by Saban to assistant head coach like a year or two ago because Saban didn't want him to leave. He's being giftwrapped the best WRs in the country every year along with the best QB to throw to them. Seems to have no prior relationship with Freeman.

If Freeman can start stealing elite coaches from big time programs:

 

[chicago51]

Prister doubled down on Wiggins today. He said there is legit mutual interest. However there is still no answer to the question: why would Wiggins be motivated to do this?

He has ties to the south and west, but not the midwest. This is not an "I'm leaving before you fire me" move either. He is in good standing - he was just promoted by Saban to assistant head coach like a year or two ago because Saban didn't want him to leave. He's being giftwrapped the best WRs in the country every year along with the best QB to throw to them. Seems to have no prior relationship with Freeman.

If Freeman can start stealing elite coaches from big time programs:

If true my head cannon is that Wiggins feels he has been a big part of the Alabama passing game success but feels slighted he keeps getting passed over for the offensive coordinator position by head coaching rejects. It’s not easy coaching for Saban, he’ll chew out assistant coaches. He’s already won a natty, might win another one. I assume it’s not about pay (it be pretty sick but I don’t see Notre Dame just flat out buying someone right from under Alabama) but maybe he is thinking career wise he needs a change. Maybe Marcus Freeman assured him if Tommy Rees gets a head coaching job he will get serious consideration for the offensive coordinator position at Notre Dame.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

Incoming....?

 

[Irish Cedar]

Prister doubled down on Wiggins today. He said there is legit mutual interest. However there is still no answer to the question: why would Wiggins be motivated to do this?

He has ties to the south and west, but not the midwest. This is not an "I'm leaving before you fire me" move either. He is in good standing - he was just promoted by Saban to assistant head coach like a year or two ago because Saban didn't want him to leave. He's being giftwrapped the best WRs in the country every year along with the best QB to throw to them. Seems to have no prior relationship with Freeman.

If Freeman can start stealing elite coaches from big time programs:

Pure speculation here, but maybe Wiggins sees the possibility of becoming ND OC to succeed Rees if or when he moves on. And perhaps he did not see the same opportunity in Alabama. Maybe he sees switching coaching trees from Saban to Freeman as a good long-term career decision.

 

[Dale]

I think the pitch, besides if Wiggins put feelers out there he’s unhappy, would be security/mobility. Let’s say BOB gets a HC job next year, new OC wants a specific guy, Wiggins could not be retained by no fault of his own. By similar token, to be a OC he’s gonna have to leave anyways. For someone with 6 young kids like Freeman, which is what Prister said, it’s at least a pitch you could hear. Doesn’t mean it’ll win but that’s all I can think of

 

[IrishRazor82]

I've thought of every possible angle and determined Wiggins must smoke crack. But I'm good with that.

 

[BoredIrish]

Prister doubled down on Wiggins today. He said there is legit mutual interest. However there is still no answer to the question: why would Wiggins be motivated to do this?

He has ties to the south and west, but not the midwest. This is not an "I'm leaving before you fire me" move either. He is in good standing - he was just promoted by Saban to assistant head coach like a year or two ago because Saban didn't want him to leave. He's being giftwrapped the best WRs in the country every year along with the best QB to throw to them. Seems to have no prior relationship with Freeman.

If Freeman can start stealing elite coaches from big time programs:

FWIW Sampson wrote in the Athletic that he has heard that the WR coach is Rees's call and not MF's, so it might be more relevant to ask if Tommy has any connection to Wiggins.

The other possibility which we don't really know about it is how much exposure MF is going to give to his assistants. Saban's assistants never see the light of day, which might be frustrating for a young coach looking to get his name out. But I could see a young riser like Freeman resonating with other similar coaches by empowering them to grow as well.

 

[Rogue219]

Pure speculation here, but maybe Wiggins sees the possibility of becoming ND OC to succeed Rees if or when he moves on. And perhaps he did not see the same opportunity in Alabama. Maybe he sees switching coaching trees from Saban to Freeman as a good long-term career decision.

Wiggins is a 41 year old black man who has been coaching for 18 years and has only ever been an RB or WR coach. I subscribe to your theory here because way too many guys like him don't seem to get the opportunity to be coordinators or HC. They get the AHC title like he has now at Alabama (And Tony Alford has had at Ohio State) but get passed over time and again for the HC and or OC opportunities. Important to note for Wiggins that Autry Denson was only an RB coach and got an HC job without ever being a coordinator. Lance Taylor's name has come up here and there as an HC candidate; he's never been an OC either. If they can parlay ND gigs into bigger and better things, he can too.

41 is not old but when you start seeing younger and younger HC, OC and DC getting hired in their 30s you probably want to see about cashing in on a seven figure opportunity versus the six figure job of coaching WR.

 

[Rogue219]

FWIW Sampson wrote in the Athletic that he has heard that the WR coach is Rees's call and not MF's, so it might be more relevant to ask if Tommy has any connection to Wiggins.

The other possibility which we don't really know about it is how much exposure MF is going to give to his assistants. Saban's assistants never see the light of day, which might be frustrating for a young coach looking to get his name out. But I could see a young riser like Freeman resonating with other similar coaches by empowering them to grow as well.

Tommy's dad Bill Rees is ND Director of Scouting, no? He's got a lot of connections going back decades.

 

[NDRock]

I also have to believe that ND can be a great place to coach. You're typically dealing with a high caliber athlete both on and off the field. You also don't have to get your hands too dirty in recruiting (although Bama has that machine rolling). Working for and with a young, talented, AA coach is probably very appealing to a guy like Wiggins. ND has a lot to sell, I'm surprised people on here can't imagine a coach would be interested in coming here.

Also, Alabama is s shithole.

 

[Grahambo]

Tommy's dad Bill Rees is ND Director of Scouting, no? He's got a lot of connections going back decades.

Another thing to consider is the agents of the coaches. That’s a pretty small world.

Honestly though, it could just be something as simple as Rees knowing he’s a top WR coach and reaching out to gauge interest. As for Wiggins, he’s young and sees a chance to join a young staff with lots of potential. Sees a chance to have more input in the offense and diversify his portfolio a bit more. I’m sure being on Saban’s staff can wear on someone so maybe he’s looking for something different.

 

[chicago51]

Confirmed Watt is out at Tulane:

https://www.nola.com/sports/tulane/a...bcaa2cc1e.html