Coaching Carousel (Football)
- Status
Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain announced yesterday that he will retire from coaching at the end of the season.
To bad he can’t bring Addison West with him
Semi-related: FCS University of Northern Iowa's Mark Farley is retiring on Saturday saying, "The purity is gone." He goes one to say, "Maybe we've lost the sight of what the purpose of college athletics is, for me, that's giving Iowa farm kids the chance to go play college football and get a college degree."
In this new world, I think a lot of coaches are feeling this sentiment. I live in the same town as UNI and have a hard time seeing who would now want to coach at the FCS level (about $250-450k). If you are good enough to be an FCS HC, you are likely talented enough to be an OC/DC at a P4 school.
Article/Video Here.
I agree. Although he didn’t say it I think Bob stoops was the first high profile guy to call it quits because of that. Saban was older, but he also said the cultural changes had a significant influence. Chip Kelly leaving ucla is in the same boat. I know of a ton of HS coaches that stopped for the same reasons.
Northern Iowa won’t have a problem finding someone. Being an fcs head coach still has plenty of appeal for the right kind of guy, and compared to major schools the ‘purity’ is still present. There’s always d3 also if that’s what you’re looking for. I think the players at the fcs level need to realize they ain’t playin at bama, and perhaps curb their expectations as to what they think they’re entitled to. Just part of the problem imo
I mean, that was gone decades ago for major conferences.
But it still exists if he wants to drop down to Division II. Probably not going to make the $400k a year (at 2-9 that's $200k per win this season) he was making at UNI though...
But it's about purity right?
I used to hold season tickets until about 2019 or so. I would go to a handful of games each year - but once it was obvious UNI was no longer able to compete in the MVFC, the games were not as much fun. In all reality, I think Farely was ready to retire around 2015 or so (I can't recall when his youngest son graduated) but stayed on.
Most of us on this board would return back to some elements before NIL but can also acknowledge it has had benefits as well.
Cook
- Richmond, VA
I'm truly surprised more programs don't anchor to this. Amazing lines elevate average players behind them up a level or two, average>very good, above average>elite, etc. The opposite is also true. Horrible lines bring down the most elite skill players a level or two.
I think the problem is more that the elite programs have already done this and there are only so many guys right out of HS that are close to ready to play and the time of the Alvarez, Bielema, Chryst bring in local kids with good frames and get them ready to start in 2 years is gone as kids will go somewhere where they can play and then transfer.
We absolutely really need to develop a great partnership/relationship with the directional state schools. Use those teams to help develop players for us especially OL & DL
If that's his purpose, he still can do it. There are plenty of Iowa farm kids the would love an opportunity to play college football and get a college degree.
I think I would buy it if it UNI was like a big market non-P4 school that ends up on the outside of realignment. But if you're upset about how the landscape of cfb is shaping now, your problems with it actually started a loooooong time ago.
Your argument might as well be, visual media distribution ruined college football because since then it has always about how many eyeballs are watching you(and the commercials).
Your argument might as well be, visual media distribution ruined college football because since then it has always about how many eyeballs are watching you(and the commercials).
I think it’s just a rapid cultural shift. The social media and #of eyeballs things are just happening in parallel (maybe feeding off each other). The shift is manifested in things like kids transferring right away once it looks like they’re not getting the ball enough, getting upset if a coach yells at them, and generally not willing to work through any adversity they might come across (makes me appreciate guys like McCray). One guy I know who used to work at the college level and now works for the bengals said the best part is he doesn’t have to worry about hurting a kid’s feelings anymore. That stuff has always been present, but it’s much more present now, and seemingly become the rule and not the exception.
Guaranteed a good number of coaches would do something else if they could and it paid the same.
Last edited:
I mean, that's kind of the key. These jobs pay a ton of money. The fact that UNI can afford to pay its football coach $400k says a lot.
And let's be honest here. A college football coach is a manager. Managers of other businesses constantly deal with employees leaving because they can get more elsewhere. Managers of other businesses can't just yell at employees and expect they'll put up with it because they don't have a choice. And most of those managers don't make anywhere close to $400k.
Yes, the job is harder now. But maybe that's because it was too easy before.
By “yelling” I really mean criticism. Ya on the field it is often in the form of yelling. If Johnny runs a crappy route it’s the coach’s job to tell him he ran a crappy route and try to correct it. Then if he doesn’t learn he won’t play. If a kid can’t take that, his problems on the field will be the least of his issues.
Typically for a job, you’re hired because you’re already good at something they want and they don’t need to develop you. You also cant just quit every time something doesn’t go according to plan. Acceptable methods of communicating expectations in a more normal work environment and a football team are not comparable. Good luck going through an hr department to bench your qb that has a 0% passer rating.
I’d argue the job of a coach has always been hard. Just different challenges in different times.
Last edited:
We’ve had oline stick in the program they just haven’t been good. The dline recruiting needs to improve but Jamo has done a good job finding under the radar recruits and developing them. Bray, Farrell, Warren are all solid players but they should’t be getting on the field until their redshirt sophomore years
Another AAC head coaching job reportedly opening.
Tulsa to fire former IU head coach Kevin Wilson. He was 7-16 overall and 3-8 this season, his second in charge of the Golden Hurricane. Tulsa lost 9 games by 30+ points during his tenure.
Tulsa to fire former IU head coach Kevin Wilson. He was 7-16 overall and 3-8 this season, his second in charge of the Golden Hurricane. Tulsa lost 9 games by 30+ points during his tenure.
illinidarrin
- from parts unknown
I just saw a report on X that Walters may be coming back to Purdue next year. It might be from Tom Dienhardt.
mhuml32
Gesture of Northern Aggression
Bad for getting Beerman. Good for beating Purdue next year.
For a team we're going to play against every year, this is almost too good to be true. In the age of NIL, a school can't fall off the pace for two seasons and hop right back into the groove. They are going to lose as much as we would have under another season of Cubit.
Dear West Lafayette: Welcome to Not Ideal.
Does Beerman stay committed is Kane is fired?
Mack Brown got fired
- Status