CaribbeanGreen

Tap the brakes.. we're back to no news whatsoeverland. It's entirely possible George was never singled out on the chopping block.

yeah. I fully understand that this is a blog, and I completely appreciate the up to the minute updates... but this doesn't seem like Vito's best day.

do NOT dissuade Bob from posting. EVER.

Bingo. All this says it that it was all these other lousy coaches that were the problem - not Football Trilli. Have we ever seen such scapegoating? Too bad that ol' "The Right Way" Dodge wasn't more loyal to his friends and long time assistants and their families than to his own job - for our sake.

Fran is in the same boat - still banking from the Aggies. He'd make MORE money the LESS we pay him. He's still my top choice, but I'd do backflips if we got Kragthorpe in here.

Oh, I totally agree. I don't consider this a done deal at all. I'm just speaking in terms of IF it happens.

I totally agree with King that it's absurd to hope for .500 in year four of a coach - ABSURD! - especially in this conference. Frankly, I think it's absurd if he really is back, while scapegoating his whole staff over three years. and NT80 - I agree! But given that 5 wins in 3 YEARS was acceptable, can't you see RV keeping Dodge next year after 5 wins in one season? It's STUPID, period... but I can see it. I just think if you set this precedent, that the improvement has been justified to keep Dodge on regardless of changes, IMAGINE next year at 5-7. Hell, over half of this stinkin' board wanted him back with 5 wins in THREE YEARS. If he wins 5 next year, you'll hear extension talk. Guaranteed. F'ing RIDICULOUS, but guaranteed.

IF this is true, it's quite a sad precedent you've set. If you keep on a guy who has won 5 games in THREE YEARS, how can you fire him for DOUBLING his win total in one season? If miracles happen and new assistants help carry Dodge to a 5 win season next year, he's probably fireproof given this precedent. Then again, I still wonder what coach with 5 or less wins in three full seasons has ever been brought back in CFB history, and what the result was. Also, how many of those had most all of their staff fired along the way. IF this is true, I hate the scapegoating going on, think it's BS, and thing there's still something rotten in Denmark.

And a RV precedent for almost the identical thing. Also, per Got5OnIt on another thread, it's possible RV was working on something with another HC candidate behind the scenes and it fell through, given the rumors out there now that RV was talking to candidates.

I'm curious as to whether or not a coach has ever been retained after 3 full seasons with less than 5 wins? Can anyone think of that list? Ok.. now, let's combine that with a question of how many coaches have been retained after essentially being forced to fire their entire staff over a three year span (with 5 wins)? Anyone? ...so, if this happens, I guess we're saying it's been all these other lousy coaches Dodge hired that have been holding Dodge back?

if it's true, who would be left from Dodge's original staff?

This would mercifully be in line with everything I've heard. I still can't concieve of a reason that KEEPING Dodge would necessitate such a delay. It's an easy announcement, especially when you assume that the decision didn't hinge on the Arkie St. game (it didn't.). The only possible way Dodge is still here is if there's been a LOT of BAD info floating around, and there are MASSIVE firings on the coaching staff. On the other hand, dealing with buyouts, reassignments, cancelling team meetings, getting paperwork in order, putting together plans for a search, involving the President... that could possibly take some time. Still don't get why it's been this long, though.

As if the Hawkins comparison needed MORE holes shot in it..... Hawkins was 13-24 his first three seasons at Colorado (Big XII). Dodge is 5-31 here (SBC). Neither is good, one is a WHALE of a lot better than the other. Secondly, as is the point of the thread, here's the BIG difference -- Colorado came out before their season finale last Saturday and announced Hawkins was staying. No drama, no delay in recruiting, no appearance of uncertainty and chaos. Done. Here?? Nada. Zip. Zilch. and today, Maryland came out and announced Ralph Friedgen is staying. Again, if there's open debate, you make an announcement quickly - you don't sabotage your own staff. In our case, with a coach who sabotages himself in the media, it's even MORE imperative. Also, it was reported Monday by numerous outlets that Bobby Bowden would announce his retirement. I wouldn't lump Florida State in here.

Well said. Notre Dame. Virginia. Florida State. Louisville. Even little ol' smaller-budget-than-NT-on-their-best-day ULM. All of them got it done, announced, and the search under way on day one. Colorado, the school that went the other way, made the public announcment Hawkins would be back BEFORE this weekend's game. There is no question that is necessary here. It is NOT a situation of "we're doing nothing, so why have a press conference?"... EVERYONE in and around this program is on pins and needles right now. Dodge himself goes out in the media last week questioning if he'll even be here next season, which is almost UNHEARD OF for a head football coach. To have ANY chance to avoid embarassment and not blow a hole in recruiting, if Dodge is back there needs to be a large announcment. RV was on campus today - not knocking on anyone's door, not out on a search. And I'm sure this was his entire agenda. If he's staying, why the delay?

Quietly, 99, you may have just made the most profound summation of the Dodge Era thus far.... in THREE YEARS, Todd Dodge has yet to master the Extra Point. UN-FREAKING-REAL.

This. We have to wait a few years to let it all shake out, but Dodge's recruiting abilities and VERY questionable at best at this point. For every big offensive weapon, there are quite a few flame-outs and positions left with glaring holes. I heard the same thing this morning, 99, that as of now, Dodge's 3 classes rank below Dickey's final 3. We won't know for sure for a couple of years, but the point is this ONE AND ONLY meager strength some can point to for Football Trilli is HIGHLY debatable at best.

It's amazingly, amazingly accurate, i think.

We can complain all we want about how Vizza was mishandled, but if you want to find a real issue on mishandling QBs, let's spend more time on Danny Meager and Nathan Tune.

I can't imagine this is any kind of issue at all. I appreciate Vito digging up every little nugget, I truly do - but even as confusingly inept as UNT can be at times, I can't conceive this affects the decision.

Exactly. And for the most part, we agree that this team is far more talented than their performance has indicated. With a full staff of experienced successful FBS coaches led by a Franchione or Bower, I think a 200% improvement would be a real possibility. Going into next or ANY season, who would really feel confident in getting the same win total from a team coached by Todd Dodge against a team coached by Dennis Franchione or Jeff Bower?

My problem with this is that it's incredibly easy to make an announcement that Dodge is staying, business as usual, on w/ recruiting. If you assume that the ASU game didn't make the decision one way or another, then there's no reason NOT to make that announcement, especially as damage control for your coach's less than confident rambling to the press (See Hawkins, Dan). Just announcing that Football Trilli is staying requires no paperwork, meetings with Dr. B, behind the scenes maneuvering, financial discussions, etc.... therefore, takes infinitely less time and effort. I would think THAT would be the quick call. That being said, would anything surprise you here?

Well played. Weatherbie was a career 31-51 at ULM, and was 24-24 in the SBC. In his first three seasons, he was 11-23. In his last three, he was 16-20. ...but then again, who are we to have the lofty expectations of Louisiana-Monroe?

That. Neither of these guys (amazingly) are out of our price range at the moment, and Fran has been trying for jobs that pay equal or less than what we can pay. No reason to believe Bower wouldn't take the same - but yeah, what TTG said - Fran makes AMAZING fiscal sense.

With no difference from any other FBS school in Texas. Review the numbers on the "young team" garbage around the state and the country. That excuse doesn't fly, regardless of whether Dodge tanked a year of recruiting or not.

Maybe. I'd expect Dodge to end up at Austin Westlake, though... unless he wants to wait out a year to get the SLC gig back.