2011-2012 College Football Head Coach Carousel

[MrBug708]

If he can find another Chip Kelly, I'm all for it

[dawgfan]

Hearing word from some Husky insiders that UCLA is supposedly ready to open up the pocketbooks and make a big push for Chris Peterson. You guys hearing the same things Bug?

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Hearing word from some Husky insiders that UCLA is supposedly ready to open up the pocketbooks and make a big push for Chris Peterson. You guys hearing the same things Bug?

Interesting to see this from outside sources. We hear stuff like this inside all the time, but you always figure it's pie in the sky stuff, and usually that's exactly what it is.

Would be interesting if there's something behind the talk this year.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Hearing word from some Husky insiders that UCLA is supposedly ready to open up the pocketbooks and make a big push for Chris Peterson. You guys hearing the same things Bug?

I heard this earlier in the year from a pretty good source for USC...I believe there is a ton if smoke. Beating cal might have complicated things. I would be nice to get Wilcox back with ccp

[DeToxRox]

Mississippi Rebels won't retain Houston Nutt as coach, sources say - ESPN

Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt will not be retained after this season, multiple sources told ESPN.com, and the university will make an announce at a 3 p.m. ET news conference.

Sources also said that athletic director Pete Boone also will not return once the university hires his replacement. It's not clear when that announcement will be made.

Nutt, in his fourth season as coach of the Rebels, will coach the remainder of this season. Ole Miss has lost 12 straight Southeastern Conference games dating to last season and is assured of its second straight losing season under Nutt.

Coming over to Mississippi from Arkansas in 2008, Nutt led the Rebels to nine victories in each of his first two seasons, including back-to-back Cotton Bowl wins.

[Izulde]

Par for the course for Nutt.

[DeToxRox]

I think Rich Rod is the perfect guy to take over Ole Miss. I think they will take a stab at a young coordinator though.

[DeToxRox]

lol holy shit. Mandel with the kill shot:

@slmandel Stewart Mandel

In his defense, Nutt wasn't working with a full cupboard. He needed another year for his 2009 recruits to qualify.

[cartman]

If Ole Miss could ever get an Xs and Os coach that could also recruit to keep the in-state talent coming to Oxford, they would be a force to be reckoned with.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Hearing word from some Husky insiders that UCLA is supposedly ready to open up the pocketbooks and make a big push for Chris Peterson. You guys hearing the same things Bug?

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Interesting to see this from outside sources. We hear stuff like this inside all the time, but you always figure it's pie in the sky stuff, and usually that's exactly what it is.

Would be interesting if there's something behind the talk this year.

Originally Posted by MrBug708

I heard this earlier in the year from a pretty good source for USC...I believe there is a ton if smoke. Beating cal might have complicated things. I would be nice to get Wilcox back with ccp

Can't see Peterson leaving BSU, especially for Los Angeles. He has repeatedly stated that he loves the small town atmosphere in Boise and doesn't want to move his kids around again. Stranger things have happened though.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Reports on KC radio that Leach is being targeted for the Old Miss job.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

Can't see Peterson leaving BSU, especially for Los Angeles. He has repeatedly stated that he loves the small town atmosphere in Boise and doesn't want to move his kids around again. Stranger things have happened though.

He has, but things can change. I wouldn't put great odds on UCLA getting Peterson (assuming Neuheisel is gone), but I wouldn't rule it out either. UCLA is arguably the biggest sleeping giant out there - get a good coach there, and there's little reason they couldn't start winning 10+ on a regular basis.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by cartman

If Ole Miss could ever get an Xs and Os coach that could also recruit to keep the in-state talent coming to Oxford, they would be a force to be reckoned with.

Very true.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

He has, but things can change. I wouldn't put great odds on UCLA getting Peterson (assuming Neuheisel is gone), but I wouldn't rule it out either. UCLA is arguably the biggest sleeping giant out there - get a good coach there, and there's little reason they couldn't start winning 10+ on a regular basis.

Yup. The big issue has always been the university's commitment to the program. Too much penny-pinching and stringent overseering in all details of the program. UCLA is a very good academic school--not on par with a Stanford, of course--but a regular top 20-25 school on most academic rankings lists, and the administration takes great pride in this, to the detriment of costly programs that don't contribute to those rankings (i.e. football).

The condition of the program has now (or post-Arizona blowout on national TV) gotten to the point where very frustrated and deep-pocketed alums are really starting to flood the school with complaints about how the most visible program representing the school in the media is an utter embarrassment, and the admin's "culture" with respect to football is regarded as the primary reason for it. The admin does have great pride in UCLA's well-known basketball ttradition and in the currently-being-renovated Pauley Pavillion, one of the "hallowed halls" of the sport. The donors are pissed off enough that many have basically threatened to pull their Pauley renovation donations if a change isn't made, both specifically with the football coaching job at UCLA and the overall culture of the UCLA admin toward football.

There are also rumors that Adidas is pressuring UCLA as well, since UCLA is one of the company's premier apparell reps. Combine that pressure with a whole shitload of new Pac 12 TV money, and the rumors coming out of Westwood now are that the admin is ready to pay a Top 10-15 level salary for the head coach, much more for the staff in general, improved facilities on campus and lossening the academic restrictions which have plagued UCLA recruiting for years.

What all this means is that it's not out of the question you could see a Top 10 salary thrown at Peterson by UCLA. And given the other natural advantages--weather, BCS conference, major media market, right in the middle of a recruiting hotbed--you would have to think a top end salary at UCLA would definitely intrigue Peterson, regardless of his past comments.

[dawgfan]

What I find a bit odd (and I'm sure this hasn't escaped the attention of UCLA fans) is that Dan Guerrero is the highest-paid AD in the conference (at least among the public schools where such figures can be obtained by the press), yet the department has a rep for not shelling out competitive money for coaches.

A really good coach at UCLA scares me. With the location, the prestige of the school and a pretty good tradition, there's no reason the Bruins couldn't pull off something close to what Pete did at USC.

I guess the bright side is UCLA has always recruited well, so even with a good coach there I'm not sure that would have much of an impact on UW recruiting.

[tarcone]

Who gets the PSU job?

[MrBug708]

I find it pretty unspeakable that Baylor has a better football and basketball team than UCLA does at the moment. That should speak to the job that Guerrero has done

[MrBug708]

I dont think that the PSU job is going to be that coveted. That AD situation is going to be a mess and they will be following a legend

[corbes]

I assume Peterson will be linked to every job this year. For what it's worth, the UNC message boards have already decided the exact salary range that Peterson will be/has already been offered by UNC. All insider information of course.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by HiFiRevival

This could be one of the most intriguing college football offseason stories ever. I'll toss out a name that would be the kind of splash they should look to make if everything really does have to start over from scratch.

Chris Peterson.

That would be career suicide.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by corbes

I assume Peterson will be linked to every job this year. For what it's worth, the UNC message boards have already decided the exact salary range that Peterson will be/has already been offered by UNC. All insider information of course.

With all due respect, I can't begin to imagine a scenario where North Carolina is the school that Peterson leaves Boise State for.

[corbes]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

With all due respect, I can't begin to imagine a scenario where North Carolina is the school that Peterson leaves Boise State for.

Even on the UNC boards the scenario is convoluted and involves a (completely imaginary) theory that Peterson is best friends with the incoming AD and that for some reason or another Peterson's wife would be really happy with the medical facilities in the area. I know that even the imaginary theories don't involve football, I can't fathom what football-driven pitch would bring Peterson to UNC. "Hey Chris, four words for you: 'Meineke Car Care Bowl.'"

[Logan]

Originally Posted by corbes

Even on the UNC boards the scenario is convoluted and involves a (completely imaginary) theory that Peterson is best friends with the incoming AD and that for some reason or another Peterson's wife would be really happy with the medical facilities in the area. I know that even the imaginary theories don't involve football, I can't fathom what football-driven pitch would bring Peterson to UNC. "Hey Chris, four words for you: 'Meineke Car Care Bowl.'"

Hopefully he doesn't read the papers. "Hey Chris, two words for you: Belk Bowl" doesn't have the same ring to it.

[britrock88]

Meh. All our next coach has to do is go 7-1 and beat VT to make the ACC Championship every year. We do well against Miami already. We just need to handle the pesky NC State problem...

[Swaggs]

Hearing that Rich Rodriguez has been offered the Tulane head coaching job and that if he does not get an offer from Ole Miss or Arizona (deemed doubtful), he will accept within the next two weeks.

He was offensive coordinator there under Tommy Bowden during their undefeated season about 10-12 years ago. If they allow props, I can see him doing very well down there.

[Tigercat]

If anyone can ever build a program at Tulane where they get the best recruiting scraps in Louisiana and compete with the Mississippi schools for a few recruits, they could build a decently talented team. Talking TCU/Boise State talented.

The problem is playing in front of an empty Superdome crowd isn't exactly appealing, and Tulane's future alternative is an on-campus stadium that will only seat 30k.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I imagine that administrators & news crews better hide their vehicles if PSU hires their next head coach from Liberty.

[MrBug708]

Hello Chris, that was a tough loss today. Ready to join a BCS conference? I have 3 million with your name on it

[Matthean]

PSU is going to need a Les Miles type of guy who can recruit and do PR. If he lacks in Xs and Os, he can bring in guys to handle that. All of the game planning in the world isn't going to counter getting past the PR mess PSU is in or the recruits to move the program forward. Following a legend is bad enough. Following one after this scandal is going to be next to impossible.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Hello Chris, that was a tough loss today. Ready to join a BCS conference? I have 3 million with your name on it

Or wait until next year when Boise State is playing in the Big East.

[Izulde]

I hate I-AA coaches after what little Hauck has done in his two years.

[Swaggs]

Maybe I am crazy, but the PSU job still looks pretty good to me. They play in front of 100K fans, are a big dog in one of the best and most stable conferences, don't appear to be in danger of any sanctions, and are in a great recruiting area (Pennsylvania, Jersey, MD, DC).

Plus, on-field expectations are probably going to be lower than they would have otherwise been and there is probably not going to be a "favorite son" type (like Tom Bradley or Larry Johnson), that was overlooked for the job, that a segment of the fans would always want because anyone tied to Paterno or Sandusky is going to be toxic for awhile.

[Grammaticus]

If you look at it from the fans perspective, Leach is the overwhelming favorite for the job at Ole Miss. Archie Manning and Mike Glenn (FedEX executive) are heading a 5 person committee to identify the HC candidates. I hear the top options are Leach, Sumlin, Mahlzan and Kirby Smart.

Personally, I hope it is Mike Leach. At Ole Miss we need someone that can win with less talent. Leach is one hell of a creative coach and probably the most innovative guy in the game today.

[RedKingGold]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

Maybe I am crazy, but the PSU job still looks pretty good to me. They play in front of 100K fans, are a big dog in one of the best and most stable conferences, don't appear to be in danger of any sanctions, and are in a great recruiting area (Pennsylvania, Jersey, MD, DC).

Plus, on-field expectations are probably going to be lower than they would have otherwise been and there is probably not going to be a "favorite son" type (like Tom Bradley or Larry Johnson), that was overlooked for the job, that a segment of the fans would always want because anyone tied to Paterno or Sandusky is going to be toxic for awhile.

Not only that, but that whole specter of "following a legend" has evaporated. People will want someone to step in and make them forget all about Paterno.

Also, if it's a high profile guy, he could basically step right in and run the program exactly as he wants, likely picking his own AD and staff without having to feel tied to Paterno's staff.

Lastly, if the coach wins, people will rally behind him as an excuse to try and forget all about the scandal. If he loses, then popular opinion will likely blame the fallout of the scandal and not the coach's job performance, at least for awhile.

Therefore, PSU is arguably a more attractive job after the scandal than before it.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Or wait until next year when Boise State is playing in the Big East.

That is like moving from Rhode Island to Connecticut and claiming being happy about the size of the state.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

That is like moving from Rhode Island to Connecticut and claiming being happy about the size of the state.

Even better--in addition to moving to a bigger state, they have a weekly commute from Connecticut to a comparable Florida, Kentucky and Minnesota.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by RedKingGold

Not only that, but that whole specter of "following a legend" has evaporated. People will want someone to step in and make them forget all about Paterno.

Also, if it's a high profile guy, he could basically step right in and run the program exactly as he wants, likely picking his own AD and staff without having to feel tied to Paterno's staff.

Lastly, if the coach wins, people will rally behind him as an excuse to try and forget all about the scandal. If he loses, then popular opinion will likely blame the fallout of the scandal and not the coach's job performance, at least for awhile.

Therefore, PSU is arguably a more attractive job after the scandal than before it.

Yeah, I'm not buying the idea that Penn State is not an attractive job. Huge fan base, stable, high-level (and highly funded) conference, great recruiting location, not directly following the legend - I think this job is still one of the top ones in the country. In fact, given the likely disparity in sanctions between Ohio State (they'll get some) and Penn State (unlikely to get any), I think that Penn State is the more attractive opening right now.

[kcchief19]

Originally Posted by RedKingGold

Therefore, PSU is arguably a more attractive job after the scandal than before it.

I don't see any scenario where that is true. The next coach is going to walk in with the recruiting cupboard bare and few if any of his own recruits willing to follow him to PSU.

This scandal is going to be kept alive for years with the trial and lawsuits. The name PSU is sullied forever.

There's also the likelihood that a combination of time and losing makes people long for the days of Joe Pa. He will always be looming over the program -- and remember that his reputation is still much better with the fan base, donors and ex-players than it will be nationwide. If the next coach is outside "the family," you're talking about a complete start from scratch in terms money, talent and fan support.

The only thing the next coach can do to make things better is win, and it's going to be much harder to win at PSU now than it would have been without he scandal.

[RedKingGold]

Originally Posted by kcchief19

I don't see any scenario where that is true. The next coach is going to walk in with the recruiting cupboard bare and few if any of his own recruits willing to follow him to PSU.

Again, it depends on the type of coach hired. Are you telling me that recruits will say no to Urban Meyer because of the scandal? I think not.

This scandal is going to be kept alive for years with the trial and lawsuits. The name PSU is sullied forever.

While the scandal is, of course, a huge deal, I think this statement is a bit overblown because it's a week old. What happens, a month, a year, five years from now? Honestly, I'd never heard of the Red Sox scandal until it was posted in this thread.

There's also the likelihood that a combination of time and losing makes people long for the days of Joe Pa. He will always be looming over the program -- and remember that his reputation is still much better with the fan base, donors and ex-players than it will be nationwide. If the next coach is outside "the family," you're talking about a complete start from scratch in terms money, talent and fan support.

Again, I disagree. There are many, many, many PSU fans and boosters who have wanted JoePa gone since 2000. Many forget that President Spanier and other Boosters pressured Paterno to retire in 2004 only, because of his power, he rebuffed them.

Outside of the scandal, I think you'd find more PSU fans who would argue that JoePa has held the program back since the mid-nineties but, really, you couldn't just fire the guy without a scandal such as this.

The only thing the next coach can do to make things better is win, and it's going to be much harder to win at PSU now than it would have been without he scandal.

Again, I disagree. Some of the underclass pieces are there and would probably not transfer if a solid coach with a winning pedigree came in. Without the JoePa legacy, boosters/BoT are free to pick a guy without Penn State ties, such as a Meyer or other hot college coach.

[RedKingGold]

By the way, keep one name in mind for the PSU job: Bill Cowher.

Wouldn't that be a win-win for everyone?

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by HiFiRevival

THAT would be interesting. I have no idea if his approach would work in college, both on the field and recruiting, but it's the kind of out of the box thinking they're going to have to do to keep from becoming Illinois for the next few years.

Ron Zook may be available soon...then they could be Illinois for the next few years!

[Ksyrup]

Are people forgetting that the NCAA may step in and level some sanctions on the football program a few years from now, when the criminal trials are over? What big name coach is going to want to take over a program tarnished as PSU is in the short-term, and possibly hamstrung by sanctions 5-10 years out?

Let's take a worst-case scenario, that the criminal trials and discovery in civil trials brings to light a cover-up of allegations pre-dating even 1998. The NCAA has already said they are going to look into this based on where it goes from here. If anything screams "lack of institutional control" - if the NCAA's rules have any meaning to them whatsoever - you'd think they would throw the book at an athletic program that was determined to have purposely concealed a child molester.

Now, maybe ultimately the NCAA is going to adopt a "the damage to the image is sufficient enough and the entire program has been wiped clean" position, but how do you know that by January 2012? I could see a dedicated alum taking the job, but I can't see an established, untarnished coach (someone mentioned Tressel, but isn't he out for 3 years minimum for the Show Cause order?) willingly taking this job because of the upside.