The Fake Lonnie Finch

How exactly did Bob Stull run a program into the ground that was already run into the ground. His predecessor, Woody Widenhofer, was 12-31-1 in the four years before Stull was hired. The program had already had five consecutive losing seasons when Stull was hired. The coach before Widenhofer, Warren Power, had a .579 winning percentage (46-33-3). Widenhofer took over and led the program with a .284 winning percentage. Stull, had a .290 winning percentage. Widenhofer ran Missouri into the ground, not Stull. Stull simply couldn't revive Widenhofer's wreck. Stull had engineered two season turnarounds at both Massachusetts and UTEP. He led UTEP to the only 10-win season in their history. The Big 8 in the late 80s with Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Colorado as legitimate national powers is a different ball game than what he'd seen at UMass and UTEP. But, to blame him to the demise of Mizzou in the 80s is asinine. We know you like Jim Leavitt, but don't lie about the kind of coach Bob Stull was. He was the offensive coordinator for some of Washington's best programs, with five 10 wins seasons while he assisted there. He was also on James' staff at Kent State, where they were the last coaching staff to lead the Golden Flashes to winning seasons in three consecutive seasons; and, to the only bowl game in the school's history. While with Washington, the Huskies went to three Rose Bowl, beating Michigan and Iowa (led by Hayden Fry). They also beat Texas in a bowl game with Stull calling the shots on offense. Stull is currently UTEP's athletic director. His tenure at Missouri is the only blip on his resume, but he in no way "ran it into the ground." Bob Stull is a solid football guy and always was. He inherited a mess at Missouri. Many coaches failed during the power era of the 80s Nebraska-Oklahoma-Colorado. But, Stull sure as hell wasn't the reason Missouri was down.

He resigned. But, it makes no difference. He's been hired twice since then. Let MizzouTiger go down the demonstrably absurd path that fired coaches are never rehired. He's got to find some way to deal with the subject of the article - abusive coaches. His method of dealing with it is to try to change the subject.

If there were, no fired assistant - or head coach, for that matter - would ever land another coaching job. This is demonstrably not the case. Every school in America has fired head coaches and assistant coaches who have found employment at other college...and, sometimes, even in the NFL. So, apparently, short of player abuse or some other scandal, there is no stigma attached to a firing. Of course, the thread is about an article which explains that coaches who have abused players have a hard time getting a second chance. It's not about coaches who may be fired or resign not getting another coaching job. No such article would ever be written because of the rank absurdity of the hypothesis. As we know from our former coaches Darrell Dickey and Matt Simon, firing without scandal has no long term effect of future employment. In fact, in both of those cases, it didn't even have a short term, effect.

There's no irony in it at all. The article is about coaches who lost their jobs due to player abuse. Mike Canales has never lost a job due to player abuse. Jim Leavitt, Mark Mangino, and Mike Leach have. Therefore, there is no stigma attached to his name that an athletic director would have to consider when hiring him.

I don't know about all of that. I do know that Riley's dad (and Todd Ford) couldn't seem to get out of him the same type of play Canales is getting out of him - efficient, error-free football. He's got talent. As shifty as he is, I'd still like to see him return kicks and punts someday.

"I would rather defend a coaches' record than try to explain why a coach was involved in some of the instances these guys reportedly were involved in," said the SEC A.D. "I think that's a hard call." These guys have the same hill to climb as former Colorado coach Gary Barnett, who turned around Northwestern and kept Colorado winning. No charges were ever filed in relation to Katie Hnida's allegations against Barnett and the Colorado program. She never even filed a civil suit, and refused to name who her alleged rapists were. Still, with no charges or suits attached to the scandal, Colorado abandoned Gary Barnett and he hasn't been given a second chance.

Agree 164%. Whatever it is that Canales has done, it's gotten two wins with Riley at the helm. He knows Riley's strengths and weaknesses and is preparing game plans that make Riley competitive. Best of all, though, Canales seems to grasp overall where the majority of talent lies in this thing and is getting it to respond. I've said before, I don't care if we win running the ball or throwing the ball. Apparently, Canales doesn't either. Surprised no one mentioned the passes to tight ends against Troy as well.

Perhaps, but after CU's buys out the remainder of his contract, he'll be flush with cash...provided he doesn't blow it all on hookers, Coors, and weed on his way out of Boulder. Maybe, he'd like to keep even our meager contribution to his bank account for a few seasons while he rebuilds his reputation. With his Colorado failure, no AQ will touch him again yet. But, I'd bet he gets some jingles from mid-majors. I still wouldn't mind having Dirk Koetter's name in the mix as well.

I tend to agree with this...although, that wipes out most of who we'd want. My guess is hiring a guy who's built a mid-major will have less of a culture shock, so to speak, when he sees how much less a recruiting budget, etc. he has here. And, that's why I'd favor a coach who's been not only a mid-major builder, but someone who has recruiting ties all over the country. Texas is important, and will always be most important. But, to build this thing, we can't have a 1970s mindset. Darrell Dickey dabbled abroad with some success. We need that x 10 going forward.

Let's write poems and sonnets anyway. It will put my English degree to use. Canales is here; Will he put the Mean in Green? Or, will he just suck.

Yes. In fact, he's more experienced that the younger Stoops. I think if it comes down to these two Rick Villareal just has to ask himself if he wants an offensive minded coach or a defensive minded coach. Both are in their 40s and full of energy, I'd be happy with either. As to Pasqualoni, I'd gladly have him as well. He put alot of players in the NFL. He, like Glen Mason, was a victim of an ungrateful fanbase. He gave Syracuse many winning seasons; and, they showed their appreciation by cutting him loose. I'd love watching Minnesota and Syracuse fail after firing those two. Those schools got what they deserved.

Walked out of his last presser when reporters questioned his play calling during the Buffs 4th quarter collapse against Kansas. http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_16559630

If we're going the coordinator route, Mark Stoops is an excellent choice. The Stoops brothers recruit coast-to-coast. Get ready for their feast or famine defenses though...the Stoopses love to blitz and leave their corners all alone. We'll need some robust corner recruits if Mark Stoops is the choice. You will see the same thing you see at Oklahoma and Arizona - defenders flying around the ball like crazy...sometimes, too crazy. But, crazy nonetheless.

The end = some one who will be fired See = sounds like the letter C It's Dan Hawkins! Soon-to-be ex-coach of CU Welcome to Denton, Dan!

More crazy predictions of Coker failure. Coker will be fine at UTSA, much to the chagrine of those UNT fans, who for reasons unknown, care.

Is it a coincidence that this post was made on the day Wade Phillips was fired...within mere minutes of such? Welcome to Denton, Wade!

This...again and again and again. The problem is too many in our fanbase have their football weenies up for two coaches embroiled in lawsuits with their former universities, and no one else will do. Our fanbase is like a flock of sheep, constantly locked into one path. Before the season, I said I'd be for the coaching staff being kept if we went 4-4 in conference. We can still do that. The only difference is Todd Dodge is no longer the head coach. If we go 4-4 in conference, I'll be for keeping Canales over anyone else. If not, I'll be for Canales submitting his resume and interviewing like everyone else, with no guarantees. Some people here were hell bent for or against Todd Dodge. Trying to pin three years of Dodge onto Canales' one season in Denton is absurd. This team obviously plays differently under Canales than it did under Dodge. Let's not pretend Canales is to blame for Dodge's 2007-2009 fiascos. Canales has been a part of building a couple of winners - Arizona's rebuilding under Mike Stoops and South Florida's building under Jim Leavitt. Canales wasn't hire here until January 29th of this year, a few days before recruiting ended. You can't pin the Dodge disaster on him, from any angle - recruiting or past performance. (By the way, this was yet another Todd Dodge mistake, playing the "Ford and George are staying" charade thoughout last year's recruiting period instead of firing them right after the season and getting more college football coaches in here to help recruit better.) Anyway, if Canales can get us to 4-4, hire him. If not, put him in line with the rest. But, either way, he's helped build enough winners elsewhere and wasn't here to lay the foundations of what is here now - he's just doing a hell of a job leading with what mess he's been left.

He should be hired for the mere fact that he's got people formely on polar opposites of the thing like me and Lifer agreeing with each other 100% these days! The game last night should have never been. With as many injuries and losses as we've had, this team should have been mentally beaten and unconfident. They were neither. They were competitive and believed they could win. Canales has given this team a boost. I'd love to have his coast-to-coast recruiting connections in the high school and JUCO ranks with us. Unless we're completely blown out by MTSU and ULM, I think he's the guy.

I know this - Mike Canales has Riley playing like a college QB. No one can deny that. We went toe-to-toe with the reigning Sun Belt Goliath tonight, and much of it was due to correctly gameplanning with what you have available to you. I don't know if Canales will get this job. But, he's got the team believing the can beat anyone. If he's not our coach, he'll shortly be picked up by someone else - and, they'll win a bunch of games.

There is no similarity between North Texas and Boise State other than we both used to be I-AA schools. Boise has only had tow or three losing seasons since 1969. They've always had community and school support no matter what division they were playing in. They've upgraded their facilities along the way. That's nothing like the situation we are in. They've been climbing; we've been sitting around with out heads up of collective backsides.

Todd Berry has good ties into Oklahoma as well, having grown up there (Miami), played there (at Tulsa), and coached there (OSU and Tulsa). He's a good coach; doing much better than I thought he would right out of the gate at ULM. Although, it's not like Charlie Weatherbie left that place in bad shape. I mean, how to you knock a guy who won, and won bowl games, at Utah State and Navy, as well as leading ULM to 6-6 records two of his last three seasons. At 4-4 currently, Berry has them about where they'd have been under Weatherbie again anyway. Still, I'd rather see us hiring a guy who is competing for MWC/C-USA level talent or better. Not to knock this kid or any other, but I hope we are soon in recruiting battles with TCU, Baylor, Tulsa, Houston, Kansas, Iowa State and the like.

Also, it's likely the new coach will be recruiting quarterbacks at a level that doesn't have us fighting over them with ULM. At least, that's our hope.

I wouldn't sweat it. The new coach will likely sign a JUCO or two anyway. Plus, Thompson is still young. He didn't even get a full quarter in before his injury. Hopefully, he'll get a medical redshirt.

Yes, it looks as though you as very near some of my dad's cousins in West Plains, MO. He also has family just across the border in Salem, AR.