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Regarding the guys with no FBS HC experience, I personally have no issue with that. If we pluck a HC from a lower level, it needs to be somebody with extensive HC experience. There's guy who spend almost 10 years as a lower level HC. Examples include Lance Leipold of Kansas who went 109-6 over 8 seasons at D3 Wisconsin-Whitewater before being hired at Buffalo. Bob Chesney of James Madison went 111-46 over the course for 14 seasons at various D2 and FCS schools. There's guys out there to be plucked. My choice is to promote from within with Cobbs. Cobbs may not work at HC and I know it's a huge leap in responsibility but you won't know unless you try and others haven't worked out. He's worked wonders at RB and he's been doing it for a while. I'm sure he's made connections over the course of his playing and coaching career and would surround himself with experienced winners. My biggest thing is he loves this school and would want to succeed for the love of the school and not just for his own career. I looked back at Boise State head coaches since 2001 and found every single BSU HC spent time coaching at BSU prior to becoming HC and a few played at BSU as well. Several were promoted to HC from within, some went and became coordinators elsewhere before returning as their HC, and only 2 had prior HC experience, Bryan Harsin and Dan Hawkins. Harsin actually left to become Texas's co-OC and then Arkansas State's HC for a 1 year before returning to BSU as their HC but he'd been a coordinator there prior and played at BSU. I believe he's currently on the market and only 48 if we wanted somebody with experience though poor recruiting was a complaint at Auburn. Boise State kind of debunks the whole "prior HC experience" requirement, though.

Isn't that how you get a banner behind a plane?

Agreed. I would only do it again for a huge name that would excite the fan base, but make the contract heavily based on incentives over guaranteed money. For the Morris-type hires, three years with triggers to extend the contract automatically, like a conference championship buys the coach an extra year with a slight raise. Otherwise it is an annual discussion and negotiation.

I would have already fired Morris but if he stays it needs to be with several conditions. 1) hand over play calling duties to an OC, either bringing in someone or elevating Davis or Cobbs to the position. (I think Davis already has the title but we know it is meaningless). 2) bring in a new ST coach 3) replace the strength and conditioning staff. Too many injuries this season and the team is gassed by the end of the game and getting steamrolled. 4) new DC needs to run a system that can stop the run and must be able to adapt throughout the season to account for opponents and personnel losses. And all of the above needs to be overseen by the AD’s office. And no contracts for more than one year. Obviously this means replacing most of the staff, which at its core means we should really fire Morris and bring in an experienced HC who already knows how to build a staff. But if we are being cheap, at least the assistants don’t require buy outs. I would also like to see the AD renegotiate Morris’ contract to reduce the base salary/buyout and increase the incentives for accomplishments, including bowl wins and championships.

I am torn on what to do with EM, but I know he needs to go. Many say we need a HC with head coaching experience at the FBS level. I know there are HCs at other FBS programs doing more with less, but would they come to a place where historically it's difficult to win consistently and risk it all if their eye is ultimately on a power conference job? Then if you take a P4 conference former HC, they have most likely been fired and they may not get the mojo back like Tom Herman at FAU or Charlie Strong. So, if that is the case where do we go? Many are saying no FCS HC or no more coordinators who have not been a HC at this level. Again where do we go if not those type of guys? My thought is that you may have to hire that guy that this board has been reluctant to go after. That's the guys who have had issues somewhere else and that's why they are no longer where they are. Lane Kiffin had issues and FAU gave him the chance to resurrect his career. Alabama gave Sarkisian (spelling) a chance to resurrect his career and he is doing good things at Texas. We have tried a lot of things, but we have not tried that route of HCs with some skeletons in their past. I feel that if that coach wins, people will forget about their past. I am sure people at Texas have forgotten about what went down with Sark at USC. Just my opinion because we have been striking out for a long time on HCs.