Notre Dame Coaching Changes

PerthDomer

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That's Booker I think. Cooks was DB coach at Wisconsin. Cooks did have a year of D1 experience. I think Kelly wants to win right now so he's probably not looking for a guy to teach how to coach for a few years.
 

PerthDomer

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Booker had a year of experience I meant. At Western Kentucky, then he went the intern route at ND for 2 years (which Denson didn't do)
 

PerthDomer

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I think Denson is our fallback if everything fails, but there are several guys who'd be better hires than he would.
 

dwshade

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I'd like to see Denson coach at USF for a few more years before taking him. It'd build up more relationships in Florida for him as well as give a better idea what kind of coach he is.

He was already a HS coach in Florida and at Bethune Cookman in Florida. Coaches around Florida know who Autry Denson is.
 

PerthDomer

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They know who he is, but he'll be more intimately involved in the area. IE know who to call to find that diamond in the rough kinda guy or have coaches who owe him favors etc. that help him get in the room with kids.
 

kmoose

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I'll take Chuck Martin's opinion over yours.

This is apparently where the disconnect is. I don't have an opinion of Denson's ability as a coach. I am just playing Missouri when I say "Show me!"
 

PerthDomer

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Plus he coached in HS for a year and Bethune Cookman is 1AA. Not everyone knows him on a first name basis.
 

dwshade

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Plus he coached in HS for a year and Bethune Cookman is 1AA. Not everyone knows him on a first name basis.

Got news for you. Everyone in Florida football circles knows Denson going all the way back to his HS playing days there. Why do you think USF hired him.
 

PerthDomer

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Probably for recruiting. My point is A) we have no idea how good he is at coaching and B) he'll be an even better recruiter after working those connections. They know who he is, but they don't necessarily know him yet. For instance, Gran probably knows where some important bodies are buried.

Kelly knows 2015 is do or die. he needs someone who can not only recruit, but can get the RBs to take the next step. Maybe Denson is the guy but our certainty of that isn't that high.
 

dwshade

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Probably for recruiting. My point is A) we have no idea how good he is at coaching and B) he'll be an even better recruiter after working those connections. They know who he is, but they don't necessarily know him yet. For instance, Gran probably knows where some important bodies are buried.

Kelly knows 2015 is do or die. he needs someone who can not only recruit, but can get the RBs to take the next step. Maybe Denson is the guy but our certainty of that isn't that high.

I'm sorry but you're making zero sense. Chuck Martin knows as well as anyone what makes for a good assistant on Kelly's staff and he had Denson on his staff at Miami. Raves about his coaching ability. So yes we do know what kind of coach he is.
 

ndftbl

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Got news for you. Everyone in Florida football circles knows Denson going all the way back to his HS playing days there. Why do you think USF hired him.

Didn't know that. Definitely a plus.
 

PerthDomer

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I said that because Gran has been recruiting the south including Florida for years. If we don't land him, then the guy who coached RBs at IU (Which runs the spread) and led to the rb's there doing very well has a better track record than Denson. Kelly needs the RBs to be better than they were last year and he needs a Freshman to step up in case of injury.
 

ndftbl

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I said that because Gran has been recruiting the south including Florida for years. If we don't land him, then the guy who coached RBs at IU (Which runs the spread) and led to the rb's there doing very well has a better track record than Denson. Kelly needs the RBs to be better than they were last year and he needs a Freshman to step up in case of injury.

Here's my view; research and interview until we find a PROVEN person who cannot only coach RBs, but is also one heck of a recruiter, and then go and get him.

We want to be in plus territory after Alford.

I have no clue who this would be, but I assume Kelly & Co. can figure this out.
 

North Buffalo Irish

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Not sure why people still respond to kmoose.

"Oh, you're excited about the possibility of something? Let me tell you why you shouldn't be."
 

dwshade

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I said that because Gran has been recruiting the south including Florida for years. If we don't land him, then the guy who coached RBs at IU (Which runs the spread) and led to the rb's there doing very well has a better track record than Denson. Kelly needs the RBs to be better than they were last year and he needs a Freshman to step up in case of injury.

Gran is an OC. You don't leave an OC position for a position coach job. Not happening. McCullough has only been at IU for 4 years. Before that one year at Miami Ohio. That's it. So his experience isn't much more than Denson. Plus Denson is an alum who understands how to sell ND and is from Florida. McCullough's roots are in the midwest. Easily take Denson over him.
 
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koonja

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I prefer Denson over Gran For a few reasons, but also cause we'd likely have Denson longer considering he's ND and young in his career, whereas Gran is primed for a big gig.
 

kmoose

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Not sure why people still respond to kmoose.

"Oh, you're excited about the possibility of something? Let me tell you why you shouldn't be."

There is nothing wrong with being excited by possibilities. But 99% of the meltdowns we have had here, in the last few years, have come from rants by people who were irate about something that happened (or didn't happen) based on their own unrealistic expectations. If people took a more even approach, then we wouldn't have the major issues that we have often had recently.
 

Big23Head

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FWIW, tj at II said the Denson actually turned down Weis when he was at ND and Urban when he was at UF because he wasn't ready to coach at that level yet. He is now ready and apparently willing if called.
 

T Town Tommy

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Why would ND not look at someone like Bill Clark? First and foremost, he is a helluva coach. Secondly, he already has established inroads in Alabama and certain parts of Fla, Tenn, and Ga. If you want to make headway in recruiting these areas you need an inside man. He can get in to most any HS in the South and his reputation precedes him. While he is not a ND man by trade, I would put him up against any person mentioned in this thread. And with the loss of Cooks, that Fla inroad may be slightly tougher for the Irish. Yes... I am biased on Clark... but he has proven himself time and time again.
 

dublinirish

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Why would ND not look at someone like Bill Clark? First and foremost, he is a helluva coach. Secondly, he already has established inroads in Alabama and certain parts of Fla, Tenn, and Ga. If you want to make headway in recruiting these areas you need an inside man. He can get in to most any HS in the South and his reputation precedes him. While he is not a ND man by trade, I would put him up against any person mentioned in this thread. And with the loss of Cooks, that Fla inroad may be slightly tougher for the Irish. Yes... I am biased on Clark... but he has proven himself time and time again.

i see you quit on quitting IE. Nice work ;)

ND's coaching hires have to be southeastern guys for sure. Can't afford to lose any of the inroads built there
 

dwshade

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Why would ND not look at someone like Bill Clark? First and foremost, he is a helluva coach. Secondly, he already has established inroads in Alabama and certain parts of Fla, Tenn, and Ga. If you want to make headway in recruiting these areas you need an inside man. He can get in to most any HS in the South and his reputation precedes him. While he is not a ND man by trade, I would put him up against any person mentioned in this thread. And with the loss of Cooks, that Fla inroad may be slightly tougher for the Irish. Yes... I am biased on Clark... but he has proven himself time and time again.

Cooks didn't recruit in Florida. Clark is a defensive coach. We need a RB coach.
 
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Buster Bluth

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There is nothing wrong with being excited by possibilities. But 99% of the meltdowns we have had here, in the last few years, have come from rants by people who were irate about something that happened (or didn't happen) based on their own unrealistic expectations. If people took a more even approach, then we wouldn't have the major issues that we have often had recently.

A+.

That said, put me down as confident that these guys will be fine coaching positions. Kelly isn't asking them to be coordinators, that would be a certain train wreck. I think players who have that wealth of knowledge from their experiences playing at the highest level, and an ability to communicate, can coach positions no problem. I think a lot of former players don't want to put in the time to coach, so they don't.
 

dwshade

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There is nothing wrong with being excited by possibilities. But 99% of the meltdowns we have had here, in the last few years, have come from rants by people who were irate about something that happened (or didn't happen) based on their own unrealistic expectations. If people took a more even approach, then we wouldn't have the major issues that we have often had recently.

To think that Todd Lyght and Autry Denson will be successful position coaches at ND is not unrealistic expectations. Far from it.
 

ndftbl

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To think that Todd Lyght and Autry Denson will be successful position coaches at ND is not unrealistic expectations. Far from it.

I agree. Remember, these are two pretty bright guys. They'll figure it out.

We're not asking them to be OC or DC, or to coach a position foreign to them.

And then add in the ND alum aspect - it's awesome.

It's kind of like working with your spouse in a small business - the loyalty factor alone, causes them to work harder.
 

Fbolt

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Dang KMoose. I get that there are unrealistic expectations, but are you trying to balance the equation?

who_peed_in_your_cornflakes.jpg
 

Crazy Balki

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No, it's not. The conversation that I was referring to was not whether or not these guys would be good coaches, but the idea that just because people say they will, that that makes it some kind of given that they will be.

That still doesn't make any sense, because Charlie Weis WAS a good asst. coach, great even. You're drawing comparisons between a move from asst. coach to head coach, whereas this is a position coach to position coach transition for 2 of 3 and a downgrade for one. It's hard to predict whether or not a asst. will be a good head coach, because he's never done it before and it's a MUCH bigger responsibility. Whereas a positional coach is significantly smaller.
 
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