ND Coaching Search Megathread

[BoredIrish]

I didn’t read the full update till now. Oh boy lol. I mean has to be Golden? Without giving any info, the part about Golden was LENGTHY compared to like 2 sentences on the other 3 combined.

All of the other candidates could have been hired yesterday. So the fact that this is still open would definitely indicate that it is Golden's job.

As for Golden not being a DC in years... he does go against a Zac Taylor offense every day in practice, so its not like he has been frozen in a block of ice for a decade.

 

[chicago51]

All of the other candidates could have been hired yesterday. So the fact that this is still open would definitely indicate that it is Golden's job.

As for Golden not being a DC in years... he does go against a Zac Taylor offense every day in practice, so its not like he has been frozen in a block of ice for a decade.

Not necessarily BK hired Matt House who is still coaching with the Chiefs.

Edit: Golden coaching wouldn't stop the announcement as mentioned above. It might mean he's the leader in the clubhouse though. Freeman probably interviewed him once on a Monday. But he's waiting till after the season to really sit down for a full 1-2 days and do a deep dive to determine for sure he's the guy.

 

[stpeteirish]

This is just a gut feeling, but I wonder if Golden and some of the guys like Mason and Heacock are more of Savvy Jack's picks, while someone like Belk is who Freeman wants. I could see Swarbrick wanting more experience on the staff while Freeman would want and up and comer that will recruit like crazy.

Seriously? I hope to hell Jack is not involving himself in assistant coach hiring. Rees was an exception. We had no head coach and an offer was dangled that he might have taking so Jack stepped in. Getting involved now would be a bad idea unless Freeman asked for help. And why would he ask the AD, that's not his job.

 

[ab2cmiller]

D

If you're theory is true it be the opposite.

See I think Belk despite his inexperience is actually the safer pick because he has a recent track record as a DC. Belk is much closer to the Mike Elko type who JS pushed on BK, than Golden is.

Golden hasn't been a DC since 05 when college football was much different. Golden was actually the mad man recruiter you speak when he was in college. While Belk coached in the American conference.

After BVG I can't see Swarbrick pushing a guy who has been in NFL awhile now on Freeman.

I actually don't see Jack pushing anybody right now. Maybe he'll push people if Freeman has trouble .

Freeman has a past relationship with Heacock it shouldn't be a surprise he wanted him.

Belk may be the safer pick if you are only looking at the DC position in isolation.

Having Golden on staff, with head coaching experience, might benefit Freeman in that he could help avoid some mistakes along the way. Things that he had to learn the hard way about being the head coach. Don't know if Jack is pushing this concept or not, but it seems like it could have some benefit to a young head coach with a generally young staff.

 

[stpeteirish]

Loy made a good point.

Do you want a guy who comes in for a year and leaves? You now have to redo this whole process. Continuity is important.

Golden is going to be a DC in the NFL next year. That's a fact. He understands and is okay with not being a head coach anymore. He wants the job, and wants to be at ND for a long time. Dude was a money recruiter. Savvy. Just didn't work out as a HC. Loy's source "Dude would kill it with a ND polo on" (paraphrasing)

I'm good with it.

Yeah, you to clarify this. If he's going to be a DC in the NFL next year Why would he "want to be at ND for a long time".

 

[stlnd01]

Belk may be the safer pick if you are only looking at the DC position in isolation.

Having Golden on staff, with head coaching experience, might benefit Freeman in that he could help avoid some mistakes along the way. Things that he had to learn the hard way about being the head coach. Don't know if Jack is pushing this concept or not, but it seems like it could have some benefit to a young head coach with a generally young staff.

I think of Golden a bit like Brian Polian was with BK. A totally solid guy who's been around, a sounding board, someone who will recruit well and "get" Notre Dame and who brings some things to the table at a program-wide level that the staff is currently lacking. It's not about the schematics (just like Polian wasn't hired for his punt return coaching chops).

Now, maybe DC is too important a job to put a guy like that in there. Or maybe Freeman has decided he'll have a steady hand in designing the defense anyway and this is a chance to bring in someone with head coaching experience. Or this is all a smoke screen and he's hiring Belk. I guess we'll see.

 

[chicago51]

Stumbled upon a little nugget by accident. Not sure about 2021 but in 2020 Al Golden was making the 3rd down play calls for the Bengals. So he has been doing some D play calling.

Edit: He might still be calling 3rd down in 2021, the article that mentioned he was 3rd down play calling was from 2020.

 

[IrishLion]

Stumbled upon a little nugget by accident. Not sure about 2021 but in 2020 Al Golden was making the 3rd down play calls for the Bengals. So he has been doing some D play calling.

The Bengals D was ass in '20.

Much better this year lol. Haven't read anything about who's calling plays, but DC Lou Anarumo's gotten all of the credit for their turnaround (along with some smart free agent signings).

 

[IrishRazor82]

I think Golden would be a great hire, even if MF doesn't realize it right now. You can fully leave the defense to a guy like Golden and focus on being a HC/Program manager.

Golden for 2 years and the Mike Mickens steps in (or another up and comer). Golden is my #1 based on who's in play. Al Goldendomer.

 

[IrishRazor82]

Also, not on 247 but been on ISD for 2 years. ISD is so behind on breaking anything, it's always posters breaking things based on what 247/others say, the ISD staff just seems focused on context, not news. I think I'll move over to 247 long term.

 

[Irish Cedar]

The fact that Golden was rumoured around the UConn Head Coaching job is a bit of a red flag to me. How thirsty do you have to be to take THAT job? Then, why are you so thirsty? And if you went to Notre Dame as DC why would anyone believe you are in it for the long haul when you are so thirsty?

 

[IrishRazor82]

The fact that Golden was rumoured around the UConn Head Coaching job is a bit of a red flag to me. How thirsty do you have to be to take THAT job? Then, why are you so thirsty? And if you went to Notre Dame as DC why would anyone believe you are in it for the long haul when you are so thirsty?

If you trust every rumor each coach has a red flag.

 

[Dale]

The fact that Golden was rumoured around the UConn Head Coaching job is a bit of a red flag to me. How thirsty do you have to be to take THAT job? Then, why are you so thirsty? And if you went to Notre Dame as DC why would anyone believe you are in it for the long haul when you are so thirsty?

 

[ulukinatme]

QB recruiting and development is complex because a lot of “top” guys simply can’t get the job done at the next level. A lot of 5-star guys that ND recruited — Blake Barnett, Gunner Kiel, Hunter Johnson — and people bemoaned not getting them or them transferring… and then it turns out they can’t play.

Lincoln Riley has lived on the transfer portal. I think Caleb Williams is going to be the first QB he actually scouted out of HS and then “developed” into a good player. Ohio State chose Dwayne Haskins over Burrow (lol) and then went and got Fields from the portal. Bryce Young / Trevor Lawrence situations are outliers.

Short of firing Rees and bringing in a “proven” guy it’s going to continue to be a chicken and egg thing. They are going to have to have someone light it up as a pocket passer *before* they have something to sell. And that’s a tricky proposition, but the Jack Coan show against Oklahoma State was encouraging that it’s a realistically possibility now that Kelly is gone.

The other factor is the WR group, but we've discussed that in the past. Need some real talent to throw to. We really didn't have a consistent playmaker outside of Styles, he really started to step up in the 2nd half of the season. Hopefully Stuckey will get that position up to speed and bring in some talent, cause we need some real help there. It's sickening to see programs just reload each year with at least 1-2 guys (Or have a whole 2nd string of playmakers like tOSU) and we've been struggling in that department for at least the last two years.

 

[Irish Cedar]

Laugh if you want, but any coach willing to entertain UConn anymore is desperate. I don't see how that is not a red flag.

 

[ulukinatme]

Diaco wanted UConn, that should tell you everything. Ruined his career, and they've gotten even worse since then.

 

[tko]

Diaco wanted UConn, that should tell you everything. Ruined his career, and they've gotten even worse since then.

Needed more werewolves

 

[Dale]

Laugh if you want, but any coach willing to entertain UConn anymore is desperate. I don't see how that is not a red flag.

Had no issue with the point the wording and thirsty part was just a bit odd haha

 

[NDRock]

5 star Philure transferred, couldn't beat out Book so he didn't pan out. That's why we had to bring in Coan and he played pretty well for a "Wisconsin backup." Probably would have gone undefeated if our OL hadn't been such a mess for half the season and the defense could have defended a pass or two against Cinci.

Rees also had three classes after Phil to get a QB, none were ready this year. That's the fact. Weird how some coaches get criticized when holes in the roster appear (OL, WR) but when our QB situation looks poor it's nothing but excuses.

Rees has a great chance to make his mark with TB12. Highly ranked kid with all the tools for success. I hope he becomes a stud and Tommy gets a huge helping of praise.

 

[Grahambo]

The other factor is the WR group, but we've discussed that in the past. Need some real talent to throw to. We really didn't have a consistent playmaker outside of Styles, he really started to step up in the 2nd half of the season. Hopefully Stuckey will get that position up to speed and bring in some talent, cause we need some real help there. It's sickening to see programs just reload each year with at least 1-2 guys (Or have a whole 2nd string of playmakers like tOSU) and we've been struggling in that department for at least the last two years.

There’s definitely talent there. Del was huge a negative. Be interesting to see if Watts returns to WR.

 

[chicago51]

I think Golden would be a great hire, even if MF doesn't realize it right now. You can fully leave the defense to a guy like Golden and focus on being a HC/Program manager.

Golden for 2 years and the Mike Mickens steps in (or another up and comer). Golden is my #1 based on who's in play. Al Goldendomer.

Marcus Freeman being a program manager would be one of the biggest waste of coaching talent of all time!

Dabo is involved with Clemson's O, Smart is shouting things at UGA's D all the time, Urban had veto power on offensive plays and coached special teams, Saban coached corners most of his career, still is in charge of the design of his defense.

Lou Holtz was varyingly more involved in the O and D depending on who his assistants where in a given year. But there was games at Notre Dame were Holtz called offensive and defensive plays at various times during the game, in the same game.

Just because BK sucked at balancing his involvement with the offense with the day to day head coaching stuff (BK also didn't have the work ethic) doesn't mean Marcus Freeman will.

Not saying Marcus Freeman has to or even should call defensive plays. But this isn't 70 year old Mack Brown here, the dude is 36 years old, he can involved with the defense a lot.

 

[T-Boone]

Just because BK sucked at balancing his involvement with the offense with the day to day head coaching stuff (BK also didn't have the work ethic) doesn't mean Marcus Freeman will.

Hahah. WTH? What is the limit on stuff we can just make up about BK now?
He bashed old ladies.

 

[chicago51]

The fact that Golden was rumoured around the UConn Head Coaching job is a bit of a red flag to me. How thirsty do you have to be to take THAT job? Then, why are you so thirsty? And if you went to Notre Dame as DC why would anyone believe you are in it for the long haul when you are so thirsty?

I mean it can't be as bad as Temple when he took them over. They were an inch away from disbanding their football program. I think the vote failed like 5-4.

 

[ulukinatme]

Rees also had three classes after Phil to get a QB, none were ready this year. That's the fact. Weird how some coaches get criticized when holes in the roster appear (OL, WR) but when our QB situation looks poor it's nothing but excuses.

Rees has a great chance to make his mark with TB12. Highly ranked kid with all the tools for success. I hope he becomes a stud and Tommy gets a huge helping of praise.

Pyne was decently rated, he looked prepared in his limited action at the beginning of the year despite the OL struggles. He was on fire stepping in when Coan was injured against Wisconsin. While Buckner had a limited playbook he looked pretty prepared too when he was in. Coan certainly took care of business. I don't think at any point did the 3 QBs look unprepared, nothing like Michigan in 2010 when Crist went down and we had absolutely nothing behind him ready to go yet. The biggest problem was Jurk not working out. Scouts played him up, but he didn't live up to the billing and took off when he couldn't unseat Book.

 

[ND87]

Needed more werewolves

Shoulda coached in London, I guess.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Hahah. WTH? What is the limit on stuff we can just make up about BK now?
He bashed old ladies.

They're probably referring to Driskell. His latest kick is that Kelly still tried to influence the offense too much when he was no longer putting in the work to research offense schematics

 

[BoredIrish]

The Ravens have traditionally hired from within at defensive coordinator. Internal candidates include defensive line coach Anthony Weaver and defensive pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt.
It's also possible the Ravens could bring back former inside linebackers coach Mike Macdonald, who was long believed to be the heir apparent to the coordinator job. Macdonald was the defensive coordinator for the Michigan Wolverines last season.

Another option is former Ravens defensive line coach Joe Cullen, who was defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season.

 

[NDIrish88]

At this point, I don't care who the hell they hire. It won't matter until the NIL piece either gets regulated or ND steps up their game. They gotta start participating in the arms race or get blasted back to the dark ages.

 

[chicago51]

Hahah. WTH? What is the limit on stuff we can just make up about BK now?
He bashed old ladies.

Yeah probably a poor statement on my part. BK worked. Do I think BK is the hardest working coach out there? NO. I fully realize things are harder at Notre Dame. But do I think BK works as hard a Dabo, or Kirby Smart, or a Nick Saban? No but few do.

Honestly he's probably a smarter man for it. He's probably got better work-life balance and better health.

 

[ThePiombino]

Pyne was decently rated, he looked prepared in his limited action at the beginning of the year despite the OL struggles. He was on fire stepping in when Coan was injured against Wisconsin. While Buckner had a limited playbook he looked pretty prepared too when he was in. Coan certainly took care of business. I don't think at any point did the 3 QBs look unprepared, nothing like Michigan in 2010 when Crist went down and we had absolutely nothing behind him ready to go yet. The biggest problem was Jurk not working out. Scouts played him up, but he didn't live up to the billing and took off when he couldn't unseat Book.

Yeah, I think Rees has done an admirable job with development. Agreed on Pyne this year and then just take a look at sub 6-foot 3-star Ian Book. The issue isn't development. It's 100% recruiting. Same thing ran cost Denson and Lyte their jobs. How long of a rope does Tommy get? Or is it all moot because he'll be a HC somewhere before it comes time to pay the tab?

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