Coaching Carousel (Football)

[ptgrd23]

I thought he got lucky last year but he has done it 2 years in a row.
Might be like when they hired Bobby Knight. Did not know the story that Wisconsin offered him 1968 but he turned them down based on advice from Bo Schembechler who interviewed there for football. Imagine Wisconsin athletic success if they had gotten Bobby and Bo.

 

[RJK01]

I look at Luke Fickell and Mike Houston's resumes at lower level programs and thought they were the next Urban Meyer. They didn't forget how to coach, so what went wrong? Too often coaches move to the wrong school and can't adjust. Someone like Fritz and Kill keep moving up and continue to win. Why? To me, it's that they know how to build a program for the long term. Also, they pick schools that allow them time to recruit and develop players that have skills but are overlooked by other big-name schools. They also know how to hire coaches that can teach players how to get better.

I think Bielema, like Zook, feel comfortable with coaches that they have a prior relationship with, but are lacking coaching skills and it hurts them in achieving long term success.

 

[Iamgroot]

Historic college football program is favorite to be ex-LSU coach Brian Kelly's next job

As LSU searches for a new coach, Brian Kelly also faces a decision about his future. One SEC program is being floated as Kelly's most likely next stop.

www.si.com

 

[BZuppke]

View attachment 44546

Good to see the governor of Louisiana is focused on the important issues

Why doesn’t he say and do things behind the scenes?

 

[BZuppke]

I wouldn’t trade Bret for anyone. He’s well on his ways towards making Iowa/pre Fickel Wisconsin good. Get there consistently and we can discuss playoffs.

 

[Dan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1984051946249187831

 

[therealmiket86]

I look at Luke Fickell and Mike Houston's resumes at lower level programs and thought they were the next Urban Meyer. They didn't forget how to coach, so what went wrong? Too often coaches move to the wrong school and can't adjust. Someone like Fritz and Kill keep moving up and continue to win. Why? To me, it's that they know how to build a program for the long term. Also, they pick schools that allow them time to recruit and develop players that have skills but are overlooked by other big-name schools. They also know how to hire coaches that can teach players how to get better.

I think Bielema, like Zook, feel comfortable with coaches that they have a prior relationship with, but are lacking coaching skills and it hurts them in achieving long term success.

Look at the staff Fickel had at Cincinnati. It was much better back then. His coordinator hires at Wisconsin have been bad

Was Luke Fickell's success at Cincinnati due to an elite group of assistants?

After the 2022 regular season ended, the Bearcats went 9-3 and got a bowl matchup against Louisville in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl. Around 2 weeks before the bowl g

cincyontheprowl.com

 

[Oracle21]

I mean look who Kentucky basketball had to hire. Even the most name value programs end up with guys who aren’t the cream of the crop.

Every coach not named Nick Saban and Urban Meyer is going to feel at best just average

 

[BrownTown]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1983957869989888190

I don't agree with the Governor making the Brian Kelly firing the publicity circus he has...

But....he was right that they should have hired Will Wade back if this is true.

 

[the juiceman cometh]

Well, is Cignetti who we think? Perhaps this all continues but I won't be surprised if they revert to the middle of the pack.

Anything is possible but this seems like wishful thinking at this point. He'll have made the playoffs two years in a row and sent a bunch of guys to the league. He's obviously a good coach and talent acquisition won't be a problem for him going forward.

 

[jamarvelous31]

Is Penn State Football having an Illini-Basketball-Circa-2012 moment? Proud program that is going to be humbled in its coaching search efforts due to an athletic department regime that coaches don't want to work for??

I feel like LSU and PSU are competing for this accolade.

In LSUs case the athletic department is the governor of the 2nd-3rd worst run state in the union. It's wild that PSU is racing to the bottom against...that.

 

[jamarvelous31]

Anything is possible but this seems like wishful thinking at this point. He'll have made the playoffs two years in a row and sent a bunch of guys to the league. He's obviously a good coach and talent acquisition won't be a problem for him going forward.

Next year will be real interesting.

Dantonio showed it's possible but history makes it easy to be skeptical that it will be sustained at a school that has never seen sustained winning, particularly when others escalate the spending to poach coaches & players.

 

[IlliniShelt]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1984051946249187831

Hopefully Woodward's buyout is comparable to the buyouts of the coaches he's hired.

 

[BrownTown]

Anything is possible but this seems like wishful thinking at this point. He'll have made the playoffs two years in a row and sent a bunch of guys to the league. He's obviously a good coach and talent acquisition won't be a problem for him going forward.

If his NIL budget was close to 35 million this year like Mike Cagley has floated....Certainly changes my ideas on how incredible a savant he is though even with the $$$ going to Oregon and winning is incredibly impressive.

I think the national assumption is that he is winning like he is on a Illinois 9 mil type NIL budget.

 

[EyeoftheIllini]

I look at Luke Fickell and Mike Houston's resumes at lower level programs and thought they were the next Urban Meyer. They didn't forget how to coach, so what went wrong? Too often coaches move to the wrong school and can't adjust. Someone like Fritz and Kill keep moving up and continue to win. Why? To me, it's that they know how to build a program for the long term. Also, they pick schools that allow them time to recruit and develop players that have skills but are overlooked by other big-name schools. They also know how to hire coaches that can teach players how to get better.

I think Bielema, like Zook, feel comfortable with coaches that they have a prior relationship with, but are lacking coaching skills and it hurts them in achieving long term success.

I think it would be fascinating to see a documentary on Fickell’s first years at Wisconsin (or similar type struggle of a coach moving up and not succeeding) with a real, honest unbundling of what went wrong — especially from his perspective. Not expecting to see something like this as I can’t see anyone doing it and actually being honest if they planned to coach again. Seeing this from HC, staff, AD, donors and players perspective would be much more interesting to me than the success stories.

 

[therealmiket86]

I think it would be fascinating to see a documentary on Fickell’s first years at Wisconsin (or similar type struggle of a coach moving up and not succeeding) with a real, honest unbundling of what went wrong — especially from his perspective. Not expecting to see something like this as I can’t see anyone doing it and actually being honest if they planned to coach again. Seeing this from HC, staff, AD, donors and players perspective would be much more interesting to me than the success stories.

Supposedly Fickle hasn’t spoken to recruits since the summer

 

[BalloonsTheElephant]

Supposedly Fickle hasn’t spoken to recruits since the summer

Who does he think he is? Brad Underwood?

 

[ILLINISON1]

Odds on Lunney leaving? Not that I want him to go but lots of folks talking about him as a HC.

 

[BrownTown]

Odds on Lunney leaving? Not that I want him to go but lots of folks talking about him as a HC.

UTSA coach Traylor looks primed for a P4 Head Coach job. So does Lunney go back to UTSA? Seems very possible.

He doesn't even have to take that job for us to lose him though....Imagine Traylor would push to get him to join as OC wherever he goes if he isn't already fielding calls from big money programs looking to upgrade their offense.

I'd really love for us to find a way to retain him. Losing both coordinators after this season adds a ton of question marks.

Not that Bret can't make the right hires. Your new OC will also be responsible for finding the QB of the future in the portal.

 

[BrownTown]

UTSA coach Traylor looks primed for a P4 Head Coach job. So does Lunney go back to UTSA? Seems very possible.

He doesn't even have to take that job for us to lose him though....Imagine Traylor would push to get him to join as OC wherever he goes if he isn't already fielding calls from big money programs looking to upgrade their offense.

I'd really love for us to find a way to retain him. Losing both coordinators after this season adds a ton of question marks.

Not that Bret can't make the right hires. Your new OC will also be responsible for finding the QB of the future in the portal.

I would add...

If Lunney makes the step to HC. I'd look for us to bring in an established QB/OC from a non P2 school. Would be a big headstart to getting our offense rebuilt.

 

[ForeverOrange]

Odds on Lunney leaving? Not that I want him to go but lots of folks talking about him as a HC.

Lunney will have some tough choices ahead. I would not blame him for taking an SEC job and getting paid.

At the same time I’m sure he knows how stable he is in this current position and wouldn’t leave unless it was the perfect fit with a lot of guarantees.

 

[jrichisamazing]

I've seen some rumors floating around about Virginia Tech going hard after Franklin. Would be a very intriguing hire IMO.

I know the B1G and SEC are the place to be right now, but the ACC is begging for someone to take over. Clemson is fading, Miami is trying to be #1 but I'm skeptical, FSU is a mess, etc etc.

I could see Franklin killing it with the Hokies. Plus, I'm guessing their recruiting footprint somewhat overlaps with PSU so he could stick it to them a little bit.

 

[Old.Edgy]

I've seen some rumors floating around about Virginia Tech going hard after Franklin. Would be a very intriguing hire IMO.

I know the B1G and SEC are the place to be right now, but the ACC is begging for someone to take over. Clemson is fading, Miami is trying to be #1 but I'm skeptical, FSU is a mess, etc etc.

I could see Franklin killing it with the Hokies. Plus, I'm guessing their recruiting footprint somewhat overlaps with PSU so he could stick it to them a little bit.

I thought Shane Beamer was looking for a 'reset' at VT ? Isn't that is daddy's old spot ? I can't get my head around where Franklin might be going... I think it might be somewhat of a lower level, but not necessarily lower conference... If Maryland ever gets tired of Locks, would they consider James ?IDK... I think many coaches in the big12 might be looking at how they could get into the B1G or SEC (Hello Matt Campbell - Lance Liepold), Interesting to me is the Jedd Fisch talk out here that UCLA might be interested in making an offer - Or even Fla. getting into that conversation... Jonathan Smith could also be a target for UCLA, as Smith is a west coast guy... I don't worry about the Brian Kelly LSU situation or any of the SEC - they are overhyped and their expectations are unrealistic, and I don't think Urban Meyer or Nick Saban are in a big hurry (nor should they be) to 'get back in the line of fire'...

Lunney is an intriguing situation to me. On the one hand his offense is the only one to score on Ohio State this year, but NOT scoring against Indiana was a huge problem. I think if he goes, he'll go to a G5/whatever school to get that HC experience. I'm not convinced that a P4 school would look at his record and say - Yeah that's the guy we gotta have. OTOH as others have said, if he's comfortable here, then I'm ok with that, but IMHO he'll still have to up his game somewhat. We'll still be in dire need of OL dudes and a new QB next year, so he'll have his hands full...

Question: When Fickell was at tOSU and at Cincy, was he an Offensive or Defensive background guy ?

 

[altgeld88]

View attachment 44546

Good to see the governor of Louisiana is focused on the important issues

OTOH if a governor focuses intently on an issue like this then it is by definition a crucial one to his constituents.

My initial exposure to Louisiana 30 years ago when I discovered that it's the only state that doesn't use English Common Law (instead, Napoleonic Code from its days as a French colony) explained a lot about the place. It is indeed an unusual state.

 

[BryceHopkins]

I thought Shane Beamer was looking for a 'reset' at VT ? Isn't that is daddy's old spot ? I can't get my head around where Franklin might be going... I think it might be somewhat of a lower level, but not necessarily lower conference... If Maryland ever gets tired of Locks, would they consider James ?IDK... I think many coaches in the big12 might be looking at how they could get into the B1G or SEC (Hello Matt Campbell - Lance Liepold), Interesting to me is the Jedd Fisch talk out here that UCLA might be interested in making an offer - Or even Fla. getting into that conversation... Jonathan Smith could also be a target for UCLA, as Smith is a west coast guy... I don't worry about the Brian Kelly LSU situation or any of the SEC - they are overhyped and their expectations are unrealistic, and I don't think Urban Meyer or Nick Saban are in a big hurry (nor should they be) to 'get back in the line of fire'...

Lunney is an intriguing situation to me. On the one hand his offense is the only one to score on Ohio State this year, but NOT scoring against Indiana was a huge problem. I think if he goes, he'll go to a G5/whatever school to get that HC experience. I'm not convinced that a P4 school would look at his record and say - Yeah that's the guy we gotta have. OTOH as others have said, if he's comfortable here, then I'm ok with that, but IMHO he'll still have to up his game somewhat. We'll still be in dire need of OL dudes and a new QB next year, so he'll have his hands full...

Question: When Fickell was at tOSU and at Cincy, was he an Offensive or Defensive background guy ?

Defense... he played D line at OSU and started his coaching career as a D line coach.