Coaching Carousel

[Polish Leppy 22]

That's great. Those more attractive jobs have to be open in order to get them. At the moment, they are not.

These guys go to what's open and where the money is. They don't think like we do. If it goes bad, they get bought out and wind up coaching somewhere else or on TV. They don't see them as dead end jobs. They think they're the guy that's going to win there, and then move onto whatever the next thing is.

The negotiations begin at the end. What's the buyout if I get fired. There's a safety net under the safety net.

You and I can sit here as fans and say "I'd never take that job." The guys in this profession are not at all thinking like that. There are coaches out there was we speak that want the openings VT and UCLA. A few of them probably have not even given it thought and or been approached yet.

The only guys willing to look at Va Tech or UCLA, both really bad jobs, are lower level guys chasing money.

You're painting with a really big brush here in terms of how these coaches think. There's guys like Brent Venables and Shane Beamer who waited around years and turned down opportunities for the right job. Then there's guys like Todd Graham and Mike Elko who are chasing the next big job.

No argument on the buyout/ safety net, but looking only at these two schools:

Chip Kelly left his head coach spot at UCLA to be a coordinator at Ohio State.

Tyler Bowen left his OC spot at Va Tech to be a position coach at Ohio State.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

The only guys willing to look at Va Tech or UCLA, both really bad jobs, are lower level guys chasing money.

You're painting with a really big brush here in terms of how these coaches think. There's guys like Brent Venables and Shane Beamer who waited around years and turned down opportunities for the right job. Then there's guys like Todd Graham and Mike Elko who are chasing the next big job.

No argument on the buyout/ safety net, but looking only at these two schools:

Chip Kelly left his head coach spot at UCLA to be a coordinator at Ohio State.

Tyler Bowen left his OC spot at Va Tech to be a position coach at Ohio State.

Fantastic points.

Venables and Beamer are probably exceptions to the rule, wouldn't you agree?

This isn't a profession where guys tend to stay put for long periods of time. We've had this discussion before when an ND assistant is set to leave. You have the athletic administrative geniuses on this board who say "just back up the Brinks truck." It doesn't work that way. They're looking for the next gig that suits them. Whatever it might be. Kelly and Bowen, while part of a newer trend, are unique circumstances. Note BOTH went to Ohio State.

We are talking about an ACC and Big Ten job that will pay $3-5M a year. It could be a coordinator getting a first time HC job, a G5 guy getting his first big gig or a former P4 HC on the rebound. There are guys who will want these jobs, warts and all.

 

[Katzenboyer]

Just curious - what job(s) would Cignetti conceivably be interested in taking that would (1) be open in the next 2-3 years, and (2) lure him away from Bloomington?

I don't think he'd want anything to do with Florida, and from all reports they're going after Kiffin/Lanning/SEC guys. Same thing with Alabama if that job ever opens up - just don't see them not going for an SEC lifer, especially if the DeBoer hiring blows up in their face.

So who else might be open? Michigan? I suppose, if Moore has a bad year and gets fired. OSU? I don't see Day jumping to the NFL, which is the only way that job opens up.

And for those talking about the money - Cignetti makes $8M per year. Not Top 5, but certainly not bottom of the barrel. What program is going to throw $10M+ at him in the next few years?

 

[rikkitikki08]

Just curious - what job(s) would Cignetti conceivably be interested in taking that would (1) be open in the next 2-3 years, and (2) lure him away from Bloomington?

I don't think he'd want anything to do with Florida, and from all reports they're going after Kiffin/Lanning/SEC guys. Same thing with Alabama if that job ever opens up - just don't see them not going for an SEC lifer, especially if the DeBoer hiring blows up in their face.

So who else might be open? Michigan? I suppose, if Moore has a bad year and gets fired. OSU? I don't see Day jumping to the NFL, which is the only way that job opens up.

And for those talking about the money - Cignetti makes $8M per year. Not Top 5, but certainly not bottom of the barrel. What program is going to throw $10M+ at him in the next few years?

If Dabo steps down or gets canned this year I wouldn’t be surprised if Clemson gives him a call. They’re going to want a coach who embraces the portal and NIL

 

[The Backer]

Just curious - what job(s) would Cignetti conceivably be interested in taking that would (1) be open in the next 2-3 years, and (2) lure him away from Bloomington?

I don't think he'd want anything to do with Florida, and from all reports they're going after Kiffin/Lanning/SEC guys. Same thing with Alabama if that job ever opens up - just don't see them not going for an SEC lifer, especially if the DeBoer hiring blows up in their face.

So who else might be open? Michigan? I suppose, if Moore has a bad year and gets fired. OSU? I don't see Day jumping to the NFL, which is the only way that job opens up.

And for those talking about the money - Cignetti makes $8M per year. Not Top 5, but certainly not bottom of the barrel. What program is going to throw $10M+ at him in the next few years?

The other bit is that IU has ponied up cash for everything he's wanted -- assistant salaries, NIL, etc. They just invested over $80 million in renovations to the stadium and football facilities.

 

[IrishSpartan]

Florida is going to throw the bag at him and the Dc will be their new HC

 

[stlnd01]

If Dabo steps down or gets canned this year I wouldn’t be surprised if Clemson gives him a call. They’re going to want a coach who embraces the portal and NIL

Yeah, could see Clemson pursuing Cignetti. North Carolina when the Belichick experiment flames out. Penn State or maybe Michigan should they open. Probably not any of the SEC jobs. Would Wisconsin say "fuck it, we're in on the modern ways?" Florida State?

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

If Dabo steps down or gets canned this year I wouldn’t be surprised if Clemson gives him a call. They’re going to want a coach who embraces the portal and NIL

There isn't any sign that either of these things are going to happen. They have started out rough by their standards or anyone else's, but the finances on this are going to play an major role in what everyone intends to do.

He's making a shitload of money on a contract that runs through 2031 and his buyout is a fiscal albatross on Clemson if they can him. I realize it's all just silly play money but buying out Dabo and giving Cignetti or anyone else what they want starts to look fiscally fubar for Clemson.

Which is a problem I'm completely fine with all parties involved having.

 

[dublinirish]

Yeah, could see Clemson pursuing Cignetti. North Carolina when the Belichick experiment flames out. Penn State or maybe Michigan should they open. Probably not any of the SEC jobs. Would Wisconsin say "fuck it, we're in on the modern ways?" Florida State?

Cignetti isn't protestant enough for them

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

The other bit is that IU has ponied up cash for everything he's wanted -- assistant salaries, NIL, etc. They just invested over $80 million in renovations to the stadium and football facilities.

That's a major component to this as well. They had to have seen what the books looked like last year when they had a good season, their best likely ever season in football.

They went to the playoff. The other basketball schools like UCLA, UNC, Kentucky, Kansas have really come close to anything of the sort in recent years.

He was probably getting calls last year midseason for all anyone knows. They locked him down and will invest in the program because they saw what the revenue looked like. That place was packed last weekend for the Illinois game.

 

[General Colon Bowel]

Just curious - what job(s) would Cignetti conceivably be interested in taking that would (1) be open in the next 2-3 years, and (2) lure him away from Bloomington?

I don't think he'd want anything to do with Florida, and from all reports they're going after Kiffin/Lanning/SEC guys. Same thing with Alabama if that job ever opens up - just don't see them not going for an SEC lifer, especially if the DeBoer hiring blows up in their face.

So who else might be open? Michigan? I suppose, if Moore has a bad year and gets fired. OSU? I don't see Day jumping to the NFL, which is the only way that job opens up.

And for those talking about the money - Cignetti makes $8M per year. Not Top 5, but certainly not bottom of the barrel. What program is going to throw $10M+ at him in the next few years?

Agreed. There's not a lot of programs that seem like they have meaningfully higher ceilings than IU (now that they're spending money), that will have job openings soon.

Clemson as mentioned could be one.

I don't think any SEC school makes a ton of sense for Cig, because even if you're a very good coach and consistently go 9-3 most fan bases won't be happy.

I could see a Big 12 team throwing a huge bag at him. I would consider that if I were Cig. Big 12 is open for the taking if the right program gets the right coach and support. It's possible to build a perennial conference champion at like half the schools there in the current landscape.

I also don't think it's totally outside the realm of possibility that Michigan goes 7-5 or 8-4 again this year and they pull the plug on Moore. That seems unlikely, but if it did you'd have to think Cig would be close to top of the list.

 

[ulukinatme]

I don't think a soft schedule was the reason for taking the job or even the top 2 or 3. Just my guess, but I would say they were $8M, a year, a willingness for IU to jump into the deep end of NIL and a chance to test himself against better competition. Afterall, he did say "Google me. I win".

I don't remember, did he have any other offers when he took the job at IU?

The soft schedule may not have been the #1 reason he took the job, but it was definitely a factor. I can't remember where I saw it last year, but Cig was on record as saying he looked at Indiana's schedule for 2024 and said basically "That's doable, I can work with that, it's very favorable." Obviously it was a step up for him, but when the schedule gets tougher at Indiana and his stock is still up I'm willing to bet he bails for a more favorable spot like Clemson. He may have Indiana in a decent place right now, but he'll never be king of the B1G. At Clemson he can be a top dog in the ACC.

I'm not saying he takes the Clemson job, it may not even be available, but I think he looks for something similar rather than jumping to a program like Florida where he has a gauntlet to face and it could jeopardize his career..

 

[Bane]

Yeah, could see Clemson pursuing Cignetti. North Carolina when the Belichick experiment flames out. Penn State or maybe Michigan should they open. Probably not any of the SEC jobs. Would Wisconsin say "fuck it, we're in on the modern ways?" Florida State?

UNC is not really a better job right now than IU.

PSU is an interesting one. Franklin has already shown in this new playoff era you can play no one, lose to the only good teams on your schedule, and still be rewarded to the easiest path to the semifinals conceivable. Would they move off of Franklin? I'm not sure, he's their Brian Kelly. Too good to fire, not good enough to win anything of note.

 

[Bane]

The soft schedule may not have been the #1 reason he took the job, but it was definitely a factor. I can't remember where I saw it last year, but Cig was on record as saying he looked at Indiana's schedule for 2024 and said basically "That's doable, I can work with that, it's very favorable." Obviously it was a step up for him, but when the schedule gets tougher at Indiana and his stock is still up I'm willing to bet he bails for a more favorable spot like Clemson. He may have Indiana in a decent place right now, but he'll never be king of the B1G. At Clemson he can be a top dog in the ACC.

I'm not saying he takes the Clemson job, it may not even be available, but I think he looks for something similar rather than jumping to a program like Florida where he has a gauntlet to face and it could jeopardize his career..

I get Florida has a tough schedule but they have the talent today, even having sucked for about 15 years consecutively, to win the SEC. Florida's problems are entirely coaching.

That said, the feeling I get from UF people is they want Lane Kiffin.

 

[ulukinatme]

I get Florida has a tough schedule but they have the talent today, even having sucked for about 15 years consecutively, to win the SEC. Florida's problems are entirely coaching.

That said, the feeling I get from UF people is they want Lane Kiffin.

I guess the question is does Cig see the Florida job that way. Napier is probably out at some point this season, although I don't know anything of his buyout. Yes, Florida can still be successful, but if Cig is only after low hanging fruit I'm not sure he chances his career on rebuilding the Gators.

 

[Bane]

I guess the question is does Cig see the Florida job that way. Napier is probably out at some point this season, although I don't know anything of his buyout. Yes, Florida can still be successful, but if Cig is only after low hanging fruit I'm not sure he chances his career on rebuilding the Gators.

Oh, I agree Cig won't take it, because I ultimately think he's chasing the path of absolute least resistance with the lowest expectations possible. I find his bluster to be a cover for a fundamental lack of confidence.

The moment I knew he was all talk was when he conceded the game to us in the playoffs with a very weak punt. He was going into damage control mode and I knew he spent the weeks leading up to the game lacking the belief IU could win.

For a look at real confidence, look at Freeman. He is almost loathe to talk about anything but the team but you can tell he preps his teams with the absolutely belief they can beat anybody and he will make borderline cocky calls at times in games.

Tldr: Cig ain't got that dawg in him.

 

[stlnd01]

UNC is not really a better job right now than IU.

PSU is an interesting one. Franklin has already shown in this new playoff era you can play no one, lose to the only good teams on your schedule, and still be rewarded to the easiest path to the semifinals conceivable. Would they move off of Franklin? I'm not sure, he's their Brian Kelly. Too good to fire, not good enough to win anything of note.

It’s easier to win your conference at UNC than at IU, and a bigger state with deeper pockets, should they choose to deploy those resources. Also better recruiting turf, to the extent that matters any more.

Penn State, I agree Franklin is their BK. But at some point they’ll part ways and when they do you could see Cignetti making sense there.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

Fantastic points.

Venables and Beamer are probably exceptions to the rule, wouldn't you agree?

This isn't a profession where guys tend to stay put for long periods of time. We've had this discussion before when an ND assistant is set to leave. You have the athletic administrative geniuses on this board who say "just back up the Brinks truck." It doesn't work that way. They're looking for the next gig that suits them. Whatever it might be. Kelly and Bowen, while part of a newer trend, are unique circumstances. Note BOTH went to Ohio State.

We are talking about an ACC and Big Ten job that will pay $3-5M a year. It could be a coordinator getting a first time HC job, a G5 guy getting his first big gig or a former P4 HC on the rebound. There are guys who will want these jobs, warts and all.

Yes we agree that less than qualified dudes will want these dead end jobs, the AD's will make the hires because they have to, and we'll be talking about the same jobs being open again in less than 3 years. Rinse and repeat.

 

[Huntr]

Pittman fired. Petrino takes over

Nicole Auerbach (@nauerbach.com)

This author has chosen to make their posts visible only to people who are signed in.

bsky.app

 

[Bane]

 

[Huntr]

Bobby Petrino is a garbage human. Of course he's back in charge again.

 

[NDPhilly]

Hang the Pelt

 

[stlnd01]

Pittman fired. Petrino takes over

Nicole Auerbach (@nauerbach.com)

This author has chosen to make their posts visible only to people who are signed in.

bsky.app

He looked yesterday like a guy who knew what was going to happen next.

 

[mhunter123]

Pittman fired. Petrino takes over

Nicole Auerbach (@nauerbach.com)

This author has chosen to make their posts visible only to people who are signed in.

bsky.app

Marcus Freeman is a bully...now getting coaches fired.

 

[T Town Tommy]

Bobby Petrino is a garbage human. Of course he's back in charge again.

He’s been working behind the scenes the last two weeks on taking over. Arky gets what they deserve with him.

 

[ulukinatme]

Damn dude...you've got bigger breasts than my wife and she has bolt ons. Use the free time to hit the gym!

 

[Irishdawg]

Damn dude...you've got bigger breasts than my wife and she has bolt ons. Use the free time to hit the gym!

Looks like Meat Loaf in Fight Club!

 

[SeekNDestroy]

Looks like Meat Loaf in Fight Club!

His name is Robert Paulson!

 

[Irishdawg]

His name is Robert Paulson!

Well Done!

 

[Bishop2b5]

I hate to suggest this, but with a rack like that, how long will it be before he and Petrino are involved in a bike accident together?