ND Coaching Search Megathread

[zelezo vlk]

The narrative HH doesn't recruit is kind of false. Driskell on IB kind explained his recruiting well. It is true HH doesn't like to be on the road a ton. The way he recruits is he'll watch a ton of film on high school players. Then in coordination with the staff target his 5 guys he wants. And then he'll go out on the road enough to get his guys. If picks out 5-6 guys, he usually comes away with 4 of them.

Except in 2015 & 2016 where he got effectively 3 guys between the 2 classes and 1 of those was Ruhland lol. So no, his recruiting issues were not overblown.

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[Dale]

Except in 2015 & 2016 where he got effectively 3 guys between the 2 classes and 1 of those was Ruhland lol. So no, his recruiting issues were not overblown.

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I don’t think this tally is a fair count on his recruiting. He had just landed 9 4 star players in 2 years. You simply can’t keep doing that lol, not enough scholarships to. 2015 was 2 and 2016 was 3, 2 of which were ELITE. That’s just roster management. 2017 was his only recruiting failure.

You can say he shouldn’t have been a **** to some of those guys that left, but that’s no reflection on recruiting.

 

[Sea Turtle]

Honestly, this will drive me up a wall. We just spent a full year going through growing pains with a young line… makes no sense to throw all that away.

I think HH is a very good coach but if he doesn’t take it down a couple notches it’s going to be a problem. I’m not worried about recruiting at all — just signed the best OL class in the country with effectively no OL coach.

Agreed. LOL, looking at my post that you quoted, the rum I've been drinking tonight was definitely kicking in.

 

[zelezo vlk]

I don’t think this tally is a fair count on his recruiting. He had just landed 9 4 star players in 2 years. You simply can’t keep doing that lol, not enough scholarships to. 2015 was 2 and 2016 was 3, 2 of which were ELITE. That’s just roster management. 2017 was his only recruiting failure.

You can say he shouldn’t have been a **** to some of those guys that left, but that’s no reflection on recruiting.

2 man OL class when 1 is Ruhland who was always a question mark whether he would have enough size to play and the other player left after 1 year. You cannot followup a 2 man class with a 3 man class. 17 was a good class actually, 18 was a massive failure tho.

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[Dale]

2 man OL class when 1 is Ruhland who was always a question mark whether he would have enough size to play and the other player left after 1 year. You cannot followup a 2 man class with a 3 man class. 17 was a good class actually, 18 was a massive failure tho.

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Yes ‘18 not ‘17 my bad. The last class.

In the end, it’s Rees’ hire and Rees’ responsibility to manage both the level of recruiting and eventual transition. I think there is a part where you know HH probably knows this time he won’t last that long regardless, you hope he’s a slam dunk coaching up the 2021 and 2022 class and he gives you 3-4 good years and retires. The recruiting might not dip in such a short hire span.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Yes ‘18 not ‘17 my bad. The last class.

In the end, it’s Rees’ hire and Rees’ responsibility to manage both the level of recruiting and eventual transition. I think there is a part where you know HH probably knows this time he won’t last that long regardless, you hope he’s a slam dunk coaching up the 2021 and 2022 class and he gives you 3-4 good years and retires. The recruiting might not dip in such a short hire span.

I'm certainly hopeful. What I don't want to see is small OL classes again, not back to back at least. I guess we'll see!

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[ulukinatme]

Harry's only real failure was in '18 when he was on the way out. I'm not worried going forward, if he ends up being the guy he'll get them ready. If there's a few that can't take the heat, oh well, they probably weren't up to the task anyway. Their loss.

 

[Dale]

Loy hearing Watt is not going to be retained at Tulane.

Which would open the door of course to some sort of position here with HH (possibly).

Not sure it’s a great sign though if Long isn’t bringing him to GA Tech or whoever new OC at Tulane is isn’t itching to keep him

 

[StPaul_Irish]

Loy hearing Watt is not going to be retained at Tulane.

Which would open the door of course to some sort of position here with HH (possibly).

Not sure it’s a great sign though if Long isn’t bringing him to GA Tech or whoever new OC at Tulane is isn’t itching to keep him

Maybe, or maybe it Long was told that they have a guy they like and to give him a look first. Might not have been given the option, also Watt may have said he wanted to stick around for a bit to see how it shakes out. Who knows, you could also be right that it isn't a good sign. Just think there are to many unknowns to jump to any conclusions yet.

Would he be willing to step back in a GA role after getting a taste? I would love to have him on staff, but maybe he gets a full time gig, shows some coaching/recruiting chops at a G5 school and makes his way back Irish ?

Crappy post by yours truly, just thinking out loud.

 

[Irish#1]

Maybe, or maybe it Long was told that they have a guy they like and to give him a look first. Might not have been given the option, also Watt may have said he wanted to stick around for a bit to see how it shakes out. Who knows, you could also be right that it isn't a good sign. Just think there are to many unknowns to jump to any conclusions yet.

Would he be willing to step back in a GA role after getting a taste? I would love to have him on staff, but maybe he gets a full time gig, shows some coaching/recruiting chops at a G5 school and makes his way back Irish ?

Crappy post by yours truly, just thinking out loud.

Yep, too many variables to really know and most of them typically have nothing to do with the coaches abilities.

 

[SouthSideChiDomer]

IIRC, GT's OL coach is also like associate head coach and is a GT alum. He left Alabama to go to GT, so he's probably pretty good.

 

[IrishLax]

Loy hearing Watt is not going to be retained at Tulane.

Which would open the door of course to some sort of position here with HH (possibly).

Not sure it’s a great sign though if Long isn’t bringing him to GA Tech or whoever new OC at Tulane is isn’t itching to keep him

Could certainly bring him in as an analyst role with the long game being that he'd take over for Harry once he retires... but such a move comes with risk on Watt's end versus finding another OL coach job.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Wasn't Watt very good friends with Tommy? Roommates even?
Have to think that would play well here.

 

[chicago51]

Wasn't Watt very good friends with Tommy? Roommates even?
Have to think that would play well here.

I believe so.

I would hope though Tommy Rees wouldn't hire someone just because of a friendship that is something BK would do. I would also hope Marcus Freeman would question and challenge in a good way Tommy Rees on every hire he wants to make sure we are bringing in best people . Ultimately it's coach Freeman's staff not Tommy's.

Not saying Watt would or wouldn't make a good additional in some capacity. But I would hope personal friendship doesn't factor in too greatly.

 

[Dale]

On ST, I like the spot it seems like we are in. I think it’s just Freeman’s choice who he wants to go with at this point. Nick L has good recruiting feedback as well as coaching LBs and is in his ST trial essentially. Biagi and Mason sound like ST guys of sorts and I think will overall recruit at a higher level then Polian, though he was good for a very specific niche prospects at times.

 

[Dale]

Mason and Freeman were on staff together in 2012 at Kent St, 2013 - 2014 at Purdue, and 2017 - 2020 at UC. Of all the times for them to separate, it was actually for Mason to work at OSU.

 

[chicago51]

I would like our ST coach to be able to coach something else at times. Like that coach can focus primarily on special teams but also maybe coach the Rovers, or inside receivers; some sort of sub position group during certain periods.

Like the idea of promoting Nick L and then him working with Rover / Sniper LB sub group seperate from the Mike / Will LBs during some periods.

 

[ulukinatme]

I would like our ST coach to be able to coach something else at times. Like that coach can focus primarily on special teams but also maybe coach the Rovers, or inside receivers; some sort of sub position group during certain periods.

Like the idea of promoting Nick L and then him working with Rover / Sniper LB sub group seperate from the Mike / Will LBs during some periods.

Makes sense for a position coach like TE to take on ST too since you only have a few guys to work with. That's what they did with Booker if I remember. Booker sadly wasn't a very good coach though.

 

[NDdomer2]

Booker has actually really found his footing on the defensive side of the ball with the Titans.

 

[Irish#1]

I believe so.

I would hope though Tommy Rees wouldn't hire someone just because of a friendship that is something BK would do. I would also hope Marcus Freeman would question and challenge in a good way Tommy Rees on every hire he wants to make sure we are bringing in best people . Ultimately it's coach Freeman's staff not Tommy's.

Not saying Watt would or wouldn't make a good additional in some capacity. But I would hope personal friendship doesn't factor in too greatly.

Coaching at the college and pro levels are littered with guys that hire their friends.

 

[Dizzyphil]

Booker has actually really found his footing on the defensive side of the ball with the Titans.

He's doing great down here.

 

[Irish8248]

Coaching at the college and pro levels are littered with guys that hire their friends.

So is life... trust and familiarity are kind of big things

 

[Dale]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/cfbwatcher/status/1475886638299504649?s=21[/TWEET]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/cfbwatcher/status/1475892072200683524?s=21[/TWEET]

Have these been floated by other sites? Belk has been brought up by posters but haven’t seen any reports. Only reason I give a second look to the tweets is his other posts are direct Loy ripoffs. Maybe just throwing **** at a wall now though.

 

[chicago51]

I’m skeptical of all these DB coaches being thrown in for DC. We need a LB coach.

Unless we are planing to do a 2017 type of situation where Mike Elko was just DC. Instead of having a separate corner / safety coach we just had a DB coach that year. I suppose Nick L coaching LBs and special teams makes the coaching staff numbers work if we go that route.

Only other thing I can think of is O’Leary gets reassigned to a senior analyst role? But seems odd he come back to ND only to be demoted.

I’m not ruling out Elston just being promoted to DC, especially if the Fiesta Bowl goes well. Then you can just bring in a LB or a special teams coach (with Nick L taking the one of those positions but not doing both), and don’t have to change the scheme. To me since Marcus Freeman is always going to be involved and probably want veto power in certain situations when it comes to defensive play calling, this makes the most sense.

 

[Irish Cedar]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/cfbwatcher/status/1475886638299504649?s=21[/TWEET]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/cfbwatcher/status/1475892072200683524?s=21[/TWEET]

Have these been floated by other sites? Belk has been brought up by posters but haven’t seen any reports. Only reason I give a second look to the tweets is his other posts are direct Loy ripoffs. Maybe just throwing **** at a wall now though.

Doug Belk would be a home run hire. Houston has the #6 defense in the NCAA this year and his philosophy and style is very similar to Freeman's.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/cfbwatcher/status/1475886638299504649?s=21[/TWEET]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/cfbwatcher/status/1475892072200683524?s=21[/TWEET]

Have these been floated by other sites? Belk has been brought up by posters but haven’t seen any reports. Only reason I give a second look to the tweets is his other posts are direct Loy ripoffs. Maybe just throwing **** at a wall now though.

Tom commented "no" to both

 

[Irish Cedar]

Tom commented "no" to both

No, as in the interviews are not happening?

 

[GrangerIrish24]

No, as in the interviews are not happening?

Not happening

 

[Irish Cedar]

Not happening

Too bad. Belk would have been a hell of a hire.

 

[Dale]

Tom commented "no" to both

Then deleted, not just locked, the thread. Conspiracy hat says mystery candidate!