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- Thread starter ScriptOhio
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Know nothing of the guy. Seems like kind of an underwhelming hire, IMO (if true). Looks like he was Urban's DC for one year at Utah...
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Bucky32
Legend
If this report is true, I think it is somewhat surprising. The only strong point mentioned above is his apparently outstanding recruiting abilities and I have all along thought that that is the critical area for the next coach, not X's and O's (didn't Biff prove that, and he was just an average recruiter?). In 2008, he was named the best recruiter at a non-BCS school. He worked with Urban Meyer at Utah.
Otherwise, the geographic fit is poor; Utah is not the Midwest nor the direction the Big 10 is moving (East by Southeast). Moreover, his overall record is only 30-31 (although he had a great year this past year, at 11-2 and a victory in his bowl game, the Potato Bowl).
Someone mentioned he had coaching experience in the Midwest. I don't see it at Wikipedia which lists areas around Utah, and SE Louisiana as places he has coached.
Having said all this, he appears to have a good football mind (he just won a bowl game at the Potato Bowl), has worked with some good coaches (including Urban Meyer), and recruiting will be a huge asset at Wisconsin. I'm just worried about the cultural one and lack of ties to Wisconsin. There is also the question of whether he jumped ship knowing that his team would not be good next year (and topped out as it were, with a bowl win this year).
Otherwise, the geographic fit is poor; Utah is not the Midwest nor the direction the Big 10 is moving (East by Southeast). Moreover, his overall record is only 30-31 (although he had a great year this past year, at 11-2 and a victory in his bowl game, the Potato Bowl).
Someone mentioned he had coaching experience in the Midwest. I don't see it at Wikipedia which lists areas around Utah, and SE Louisiana as places he has coached.
Having said all this, he appears to have a good football mind (he just won a bowl game at the Potato Bowl), has worked with some good coaches (including Urban Meyer), and recruiting will be a huge asset at Wisconsin. I'm just worried about the cultural one and lack of ties to Wisconsin. There is also the question of whether he jumped ship knowing that his team would not be good next year (and topped out as it were, with a bowl win this year).
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Buckeye86
I do not choose to discuss it
NFBuck;2279584; said:
Could they possibly be that afraid of Meyer that they would make a huge reach just to get a guy with inside knowledge of how he operates?
I can't really think of many other angles that would justify this hire.
The Big Ten (outside of OSU and UM) needs to spend money on quality coaches to improve the conference and this definitely feels like a huge failure by Wisconsin in that department.
Maybe Alvarez should have paid himself a little less for the bowl game and saved a little more up for the next HC.
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Mrstickball
Heisman
To me, its a problem of figuring out who justifies a big-name hire for Wisconsin, if anyone.
The last two big-name B1G coaches, AFAIK were Rodriguez and Meyer... And we know how one of them turned out. I kinda like the hire in the way that the guy did turn around USU, and had a bunch of close games against big name opponents (USU almost beat Oklahoma and Auburn in the past 2 years). Also, USU played Wisconsin this past year (lost by 2)... Does that factor into it at all?
Additionally, you really wonder who Wisconsin could have hired, given that so many coaches had already been plucked, and Biels was out of no where. Not trying to be a Wisconsin apologist, but it seems like a good hire despite how abysmal Biels left the program.
The last two big-name B1G coaches, AFAIK were Rodriguez and Meyer... And we know how one of them turned out. I kinda like the hire in the way that the guy did turn around USU, and had a bunch of close games against big name opponents (USU almost beat Oklahoma and Auburn in the past 2 years). Also, USU played Wisconsin this past year (lost by 2)... Does that factor into it at all?
Additionally, you really wonder who Wisconsin could have hired, given that so many coaches had already been plucked, and Biels was out of no where. Not trying to be a Wisconsin apologist, but it seems like a good hire despite how abysmal Biels left the program.
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Buckeye86;2279591; said:
Agreed.
There is a complete lack of ambition throughout most of the B1G these days when it comes to external football coaching hires. Take a look at some of the guys that these schools used to hire. B1G schools, when they weren't hiring from within, were able to pull sitting head coaches from mid-majors (Utah State is a minor program, not a mid-major), coordinators from other college football powerhouses or coordinators or positions coaches in the NFL.
Look back at some of the past hires... would these schools have the will to go out and find those guys again or have enough going in their favor to attract them all over again? Say what you will about how some of these guys did, but at least they had credentials and the were eager to take the jobs. Would a M*ch*g*n State get a guy like a young Nick Saban from the Cleveland Browns again? Would Iowa be able to pick up a guy like Kirk Ferentz? Minnesota getting Glen Mason from Kansas? Illinois getting Ron Turner from the Bears? Ironically enough, we're apparently seeing that Barry Alvarez won't be able to go out and hire another Barry Alvarez.
...And Nebraska fans, I hate to say it, but you're probably getting a glimpse of your own future if you don't hold your program's feet to the fire. Be honest here, if Pelini were gone tomorrow, do you think Nebraska would be hiring from the pool that the B1G used to, or the one it does now?
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Bucky32
Legend
"Quality coaches". Sure, Hoke looks like a good hire in hindsight, but him and Andersen had very similar experience when taking the jobs at UM and UW, respectively.Buckeye86;2279591; said:
Additionally, I don't think money was an issue, as the only guy that probably would've been a big money guy was Chris Petersen. He stayed at Boise for different reasons altogether. He's also turned down better jobs than Wisconsin in the past.
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Mrstickball;2279606; said:
They could have hired a guy like Bob Diaco.
He holds the same position that Alvarez did before being hired by Wisconsin - defensive coordinator of a Notre Dame team that's playing for championships. Thanks to the work of Alvarez, Wisconsin is a much better gig this time around than it was back then - so why are they not able to pull in that kind of candidate? I think it comes down to a lack of ambition and aggressiveness on the part of the program.
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Yeah, sorry, Wiscy has enough recent success, and is to the point as a program that they should be able to hire somebody better than Utah State's coach after he had one good year. Maybe he comes in and proves me/us wrong, but this seems awfully underwhelming at the moment.
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MaxBuck;2279627; said:
He did well to build USU. But he has always been primarily based in Utah. He may be a dynamite hire, but he is behind the proverbial eight ball in regards to midwest recruiting. Not a huge splash that makes recruits rethink about going to Madison.
I don't think one can make a super team out of WI and UT players. Can Mormons eat beer brats?
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