ND Coaching Search Megathread

[Rogue219]

He’s the only rumored candidate that would disappoint me.

He's the only rumored candidate with a National Championship ring.

 

[IrishRazor82]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/petesampson_/status/1487082545481240579?s=21[/TWEET]

Golden has not officially interviewed in SB to this point per Sampson

Kind of a pointless statement by Sampson. Golden's team is in a superbowl run, of course he's not going to drive to SB for a day and interview.

Zoom or phone is all MF needs to know he's a candidate based on Golden's experience and situation.

 

[chicago51]

Freeman is trolling us making contact again with Chris Ash

Chris Ash would be terrible as DC IMO.

He's a good secondary coach. Only way I would even consider being in favor of the arrangement is if ND did something like this:

Al Washington Co-DC run game coordinator.
Chris O'Leary - LBs
​​​​​Brian Mason - Rovers
Mike Mickens - Corners
Chris Ash- Co-DC pass game coordinator
Marcus Freeman - primary defensive play caller / head coach.

 

[chicago51]

He's the only rumored candidate with a National Championship ring.

Yes he rode Luke Fickell's coattails with those defenses. Fickell was primary play caller.

I'm alright with him having that type of roll here. He's a good safeties coach and game planner for the pass game. I just don't him play calling.

His defenses at Texas were mediocre when he was solo DC.

 

[Dale]

Kind of a pointless statement by Sampson. Golden's team is in a superbowl run, of course he's not going to drive to SB for a day and interview.

Zoom or phone is all MF needs to know he's a candidate based on Golden's experience and situation.

It would not be out of the question for him to have interviewed prior and be waiting on a decision from MF in relation to other candidates or Golden weighing NFL options. I didn’t think it’s pointless because it shifts from an assumption we are waiting for Golden to interview, to a report.

 

[Dale]

who from the group has officially interviewed?

Don’t think any are confirmed but I wouldn’t be shocked if Belk and Rossi already did. Especially given that weekend Belk got a lot of steam.

 

[Rogue219]

Yes he rode Luke Fickell's coattails with those defenses. Fickell was primary play caller.

I'm alright with him having that type of roll here. He's a good safeties coach and game planner for the pass game. I just don't him play calling.

His defenses at Texas were mediocre when he was solo DC.

I am not going to pin Texas on him when they've been mediocre for several years now and he was an analyst the year before only to get the DC job in time for Pandemic 2020 football. His work at Arkansas and Wisconsin had nothing to do with Fickell prior to Ohio State. His reputation as a recruiter as I'm reading up on isn't terrible by any means.

I think he made a terrible choice taking the Rutgers job for his first head coaching gig, unless he wanted out of Ohio State badly enough, which may very well be the case considering what a sociopath Urban Meyer is. He spoke in 2019 about learning from the mistakes he's made during that experience. So he bombs out at Rutgers, winds up at Texas for that death rattle, then was part of the Urban NFL Shit Show for a year.

This is someone, who if Marcus Freeman is looking for stability and wants to keep someone around for a few years, would likely count his blessings as getting the ND DC gig where the guys before him became the HCs of Duke, Vanderbilt and Notre Dame respectively. If folks are worried about someone who might leave, Chris Ash might be the best guy of the bunch in that regard. Easy bet you'll avoid the grief of searching to replace him because he left for a head coaching job.

 

[EvilleIrish]

Don’t think any are confirmed but I wouldn’t be shocked if Belk and Rossi already did. Especially given that weekend Belk got a lot of steam.

Is Belk officially out then?

 

[NDFAN420]

We could hire either Belk or Rossi right now, ND's intake process notwithstanding, so Golden has to be the guy, right?

 

[chicago51]

We could hire either Belk or Rossi right now, ND's intake process notwithstanding, so Golden has to be the guy, right?

I wish ND would hire Belk or Rossi right now. But Marcus Freeman is supposed to be (and very likely is ) smarter about these things than me.

 

[GoldenAura]

I wish ND would hire Belk or Rossi right now. But Marcus Freeman is supposed to be (and very likely is ) smarter about these things than me.

I like that you didn't completely rule it out though that he isn't.

 

[Dale]

We could hire either Belk or Rossi right now, ND's intake process notwithstanding, so Golden has to be the guy, right?

He could interview Golden and in turn after, prefer Rossi. I think all we know timeline wise is he definitely doesn’t want to complete this process without interviewing Golden

 

[chicago51]

I like that you didn't completely rule it out though that he isn't.

Haha, I mean I have some high school experience and run a pretty good Jr high team particularly when it comes to defense; the demographics of North West Chicago aren't exactly where you find 5 star athletes either.

But NO I humbly acknowledge I'm not on his level .

 

[GoldenAura]

I mean I have some high school experience and run a pretty good Jr high team particularly when it comes to defense; the demographics of North West Chicago aren't exactly where you find 5 star athletes either.

But NO I humbly acknowledge I'm not on his level .

Hey that's more than I can say. Was just poking fun to be clear.

 

[NDFAN420]

He could interview Golden and in turn after, prefer Rossi. I think all we know timeline wise is he definitely doesn’t want to complete this process without interviewing Golden

True, he could. After waiting until the end of the playoffs for a formal, sit-down interview only to turn to Rossi doesn't seem to be likely though.

 

[Rogue219]

I wish ND would hire Belk or Rossi right now. But Marcus Freeman is supposed to be (and very likely is ) smarter about these things than me.

Same. They can both be true at the same time.

 

[Dale]

Hansen hearing Michael Pitre (Bears formerly Oregon St) and Deland McCullough (IU) are interviewing for RBs next week

 

[MacIrish75]

Hansen hearing Michael Pitre (Bears formerly Oregon St) and Deland McCullough (IU) are interviewing for RBs next week

Deland would be a home run. Can he bring his sons with him????

 

[ndinoxford]

Deland would be a home run. Can he bring his sons with him????

Chad Bowden already following one of them, Dasan 2022 lb

 

[Luckylucci]

Chad Bowden already following one of them, Dasan 2022 lb

Welcome to IE!

He’s got a lot of experiencing and two stud football players as sons. I’m all in.

 

[ndinoxford]

Welcome to IE!

He’s got a lot of experiencing and two stud football players as sons. I’m all in.

Thanks! I've been reading the site since I was 14, and decided to finally make an account 12 years later since I feel like I can be of value to the site lol

I don't like speculating, but would Deland come to ND if they can't get his 3 sons to come with him?

 

[Luckylucci]

Thanks! I've been reading the site since I was 14, and decided to finally make an account 12 years later since I feel like I can be of value to the site lol

I don't like speculating, but would Deland come to ND if they can't get his 3 sons to come with him?

I don’t have the slightest idea on that but i think his resume merits consideration without them. He’s been coaching RB’s at a P5 or higher level since 2011. Spent 3 years in KC with the Chiefs.

 

[Denny]

Chad Bowden already following one of them, Dasan 2022 lb

While at Ohio St, Al Washington recruited Dasan as well.

 

[Free Manera]

Indiana boards are freaking out. Some rationalizing going on. “Why he would he be interested in a lateral move?!” Lol come on bro.

This would be an absolute nuclear hire. Guys a stud and comes as a package with 2 borderline 5 star recruits.

 

[irishog77]

Hansen hearing Michael Pitre (Bears formerly Oregon St) and Deland McCullough (IU) are interviewing for RBs next week

I like it. Not sure either would be a home run, but each seem like they would, at the least, be good, solid hires.

 

[stlnd01]

I like it. Not sure either would be a home run, but each seem like they would, at the least, be good, solid hires.

On paper McCullough looks pretty great - even leaving aside his Top 100 recruit sons, who would be gravy. Experienced. Super Bowl winning coach. Even developed the last running back USC had drafted.
Obviously he's got a personal connection to IU - enough, apparently, that he left the Chiefs to coach there - so maybe he's a tough pull. But if he'd come, is there any reason not to be excited about him?

 

[irishog77]

On paper McCullough looks pretty great - even leaving aside his Top 100 recruit sons, who would be gravy. Experienced. Super Bowl winning coach. Even developed the last running back USC had drafted.
Obviously he's got a personal connection to IU - enough, apparently, that he left the Chiefs to coach there - so maybe he's a tough pull. But if he'd come, is there any reason not to be excited about him?

Not that I know of. As I said, I think he would, minimally, be a good, solid hire. Potentially great.

But the way the RB position has changed, offensive rules have changed, and the way 7-on-7 camps have become prominent, I'm not sure how important RB coaches truly are anymore. I think there can obviously be bad ones. But I think the ones considered great are done so because they tend to be great recruiters. I don't think alabama and georgia have had amazing RB coaches, per se. I think they have had great recruiters that can get great RB's to come and play at their school, and then they have had great OL's and other great players around them.

So much success of RB's is truly dependent on the OL, QB, WR's, OL coach, QB coach, and OC. And now, great recruiting can potentially be overshadowed by NIL money. I think the RB coach, when it truly comes to "coaching," is probably the 8th-10th most important, of the total 10 coaches allowed. So the level of excitement for the hire isn't great to begin with.

If ND starts landing 5-star RB's on the reg, then I would say he would be great. Otherwise, I think he could be merely good and solid.

 

[stlnd01]

Not that I know of. As I said, I think he would, minimally, be a good, solid hire. Potentially great.

But the way the RB position has changed, offensive rules have changed, and the way 7-on-7 camps have become prominent, I'm not sure how important RB coaches truly are anymore. I think there can obviously be bad ones. But I think the ones considered great are done so because they tend to be great recruiters. I don't think alabama and georgia have had amazing RB coaches, per se. I think they have had great recruiters that can get great RB's to come and play at their school, and then they have had great OL's and other great players around them.

So much success of RB's is truly dependent on the OL, QB, WR's, OL coach, QB coach, and OC. And now, great recruiting can potentially be overshadowed by NIL money. I think the RB coach, when it truly comes to "coaching," is probably the 8th-10th most important, of the total 10 coaches allowed. So the level of excitement for the hire isn't great to begin with.

If ND starts landing 5-star RB's on the reg, then I would say he would be great. Otherwise, I think he could be merely good and solid.

I guess. But also, Kyren Williams was the 24th ranked RB in his class. Low four-star with mainly regional/Big 10 offers. No one's elite recruit. Yet he developed into the best RB we've had in 20 years. Yes we had a good OL in '20 but otherwise I'm not sure the other ingredients you mention would qualify as all-world in either of Kyren's big seasons. Maybe it was just a great recruiting eval but I've got to think Lance Taylor gets at least a little credit along the way.

Regardless, I want the best RB coach we can get. McCullough seems like he'd bring a lot to the table. More than a guy from the Bears and Oregon State anyway.

 

[irishog77]

I guess. But also, Kyren Williams was the 24th ranked RB in his class. Low four-star with mainly regional/Big 10 offers. No one's elite recruit. Yet he developed into the best RB we've had in 20 years. Yes we had a good OL in '20 but otherwise I'm not sure the other ingredients you mention would qualify as all-world in either of Kyren's big seasons. Maybe it was just a great recruiting eval but I've got to think Lance Taylor gets at least a little credit along the way.

Regardless, I want the best RB coach we can get. McCullough seems like he'd bring a lot to the table. More than a guy from the Bears and Oregon State anyway.

I get that about Kyren. And I think people generally agree that Taylor was a good, solid coach. But not great. C'Bo wasn't a highly ranked RB either. And then he never became more than the 3rd, 4th string RB under Taylor. Chris Tyree was one of the best RB's coming out of high school, and in 2 years under Taylor, he established himself as just a contributor. So Taylor has to share in that credit as well.

Colleges and the NFL are also full of guys who make it who were ranked well below Kyren in their classes.

Again, I simply think the RB position is often times a dime a dozen, that most schools can get a guy that runs for 1,000 yards, their impact is directly influenced by the other 10 guys, and to be considered a great RB coach, you need to be a great recruiter.

 

[Grahambo]

The RB coach is one that you want him to be a great+ recruiter and a good+ coach. If either of those two candidates are then ND is in great shape. Taylor was the opposite and Denson was a good coach but terrible recruiter.