2023 Head Coach Candidates

Cr1028 · September 12, 2022

1 hour ago, Dannymacfan said:

Bo Davis intrigued me a lot. Dude is a BEAST recruiter. And that really should be our number one criteria.

Of course he is a beast recruiter, he visits 5 star players during the dead period. He had a 2 year show cause to prove it.

Edited September 12, 2022 by Cr1028

Pellom · September 12, 2022

Carthel is really growing on me.

A lot of similarities to Lance Leipold’s resume when Buffalo hired him.

MeanGreen4Life1998 · September 12, 2022

40 minutes ago, Cr1028 said:

Of course he is a beast recruiter, he visits 5 star players during the dead period. He had a 2 year show cause to prove it.

Also helps when you have millions of dollars to pay players and major NIL deals to offer lol

ntmeangreen11 · September 12, 2022

Doug Belk

https://uhcougars.com/staff-directory/doug-belk/450

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/34298172/why-houston-defensive-coordinator-doug-belk-college-football-next-hot-head-coaching-candidate

GreenTroubadour · September 12, 2022

I would like either Kevin Sumlin, Jeff Grimes (Baylor OC), or Tim Banks (Tennessee DC). Only thing is that I doubt either Grimes or Banks would leave for a G5 job.

MeanGreen4Life1998 · September 12, 2022

2 minutes ago, GreenTroubadour said:

I would like either Kevin Sumlin, Jeff Grimes (Baylor OC), or Tim Banks (Tennessee DC). Only thing is that I doubt either Grimes or Banks would leave for a G5 job.

Thats a massive hell no on Kevin Sumlin. You do not want him at all. Jeff Grimes would be a good hire though

UNT Texas Hooligan · September 12, 2022

3 hours ago, Coach Andy Mac said:

No way half those guys even show up for an interview since they are currently in much better situations than the dumpster fire the Nebraska job currently is.

UNT Texas Hooligan · September 12, 2022

40 minutes ago, ntmeangreen11 said:

Doug Belk

https://uhcougars.com/staff-directory/doug-belk/450

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/34298172/why-houston-defensive-coordinator-doug-belk-college-football-next-hot-head-coaching-candidate

The more I read, the more he is my pick.

jtm0097 · September 12, 2022

Kellen Moore and Mike McCarthy will be unemployed soon.

MeanGreenTexan · September 12, 2022

8 hours ago, UNT Texas Hooligan said:

No way half those guys even show up for an interview since they are currently in much better situations than the dumpster fire the Nebraska job currently is.

Poor Nebraska. The 21st Century caught up to them and people realized Lincoln, Nebraska isn't really a place you want to go. Those glory days are long gone, and I doubt they ever return.

cousin oliver · September 12, 2022

12 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Poor Nebraska. The 21st Century caught up to them and people realized Lincoln, Nebraska isn't really a place you want to go. Those glory days are long gone, and I doubt they ever return.

Agreed and they like many others, Kstate, Kansas OSU Iowa State and others have been propped up due to being in respectable conferences. Nebraska is a hell hole.

El Paso Eagle · September 12, 2022

11 hours ago, Dannymacfan said:

Bo Davis intrigued me a lot. Dude is a BEAST recruiter. And that really should be our number one criteria.

Not saying he could not be a good coach here but sometimes the ability to recruit has a lot to do with the school you're at. How about we go after a coach who has recruited Talent OR been able to get transfers to a G5 or FCS School

Pellom · September 12, 2022

I think I’ve posted about it before, but I wrote for MTSU’s Rivals site for about a year and, fortunately enough, the coaching staff was willing to work with me and show me their recruiting process.

Having very little knowledge of how things worked at this level beforehand, the #1 thing that stuck out to me is how much of recruiting is totally dependent on a coach’s relationship with high school staffs. It seems obvious to say it out loud, but there’s a layer to it that I wasn’t totally clear on before taking the role.

1) at the G5 level, coaches rarely have the time to “discover” a great prospect. The P5 schools will always be first because they have dedicated positions solely for recruiting and watching tape.
2) For the most part, G5 coaches are dependent on the high school coach to “tip them off” on a prospect the big schools are missing. I asked about one player specifically - MTSU was his only only offer to that point, so I was curious to know how they found him - “our offensive line coach has known the head coach at his high school for 30 years. He tipped us off.” That player eventually signed at South Carolina if I remember correctly, but it shows how the system works.

I say all of this to put context on why I think Colby Carthel probably makes the most sense, especially in the context of how Jeff Traylor has built his roster at UTSA, how Joey McGuire know intends to build his roster at TTU, and why it seems Seth Littrell has been unable to recruit well after Graham Harrell left.

Relationships with high school coaches in the state of Texas matter more than anything. And if you follow the logic that the lower you get down the football ladder, the more those relationships matter, it makes sense that Carthel and his staff in D2 and now FCS, would have been forced to cultivate those relationships for the past 10+ years.

bstnsportsfan3 · September 12, 2022

On 9/4/2022 at 12:39 PM, eulessismore said:

Or next month.

Or today

Cr1028 · September 12, 2022

43 minutes ago, Pellom said:

I say all of this to put context on why I think Colby Carthel probably makes the most sense, especially in the context of how Jeff Traylor has built his roster at UTSA, how Joey McGuire know intends to build his roster at TTU, and why it seems Seth Littrell has been unable to recruit well after Graham Harrell left.

Relationships with high school coaches in the state of Texas matter more than anything. And if you follow the logic that the lower you get down the football ladder, the more those relationships matter, it makes sense that Carthel and his staff in D2 and now FCS, would have been forced to cultivate those relationships for the past 10+ years.

I love your line of thinking here.

MGNation92 · September 12, 2022

55 minutes ago, Pellom said:

I think I’ve posted about it before, but I wrote for MTSU’s Rivals site for about a year and, fortunately enough, the coaching staff was willing to work with me and show me their recruiting process.

Having very little knowledge of how things worked at this level beforehand, the #1 thing that stuck out to me is how much of recruiting is totally dependent on a coach’s relationship with high school staffs. It seems obvious to say it out loud, but there’s a layer to it that I wasn’t totally clear on before taking the role.

1) at the G5 level, coaches rarely have the time to “discover” a great prospect. The P5 schools will always be first because they have dedicated positions solely for recruiting and watching tape.
2) For the most part, G5 coaches are dependent on the high school coach to “tip them off” on a prospect the big schools are missing. I asked about one player specifically - MTSU was his only only offer to that point, so I was curious to know how they found him - “our offensive line coach has known the head coach at his high school for 30 years. He tipped us off.” That player eventually signed at South Carolina if I remember correctly, but it shows how the system works.

I say all of this to put context on why I think Colby Carthel probably makes the most sense, especially in the context of how Jeff Traylor has built his roster at UTSA, how Joey McGuire know intends to build his roster at TTU, and why it seems Seth Littrell has been unable to recruit well after Graham Harrell left.

Relationships with high school coaches in the state of Texas matter more than anything. And if you follow the logic that the lower you get down the football ladder, the more those relationships matter, it makes sense that Carthel and his staff in D2 and now FCS, would have been forced to cultivate those relationships for the past 10+ years.

Carthel still hasn't done anything at the FCS level. If he can turn in a 10 win season this year I'd be more intrigued but relationships or not, he's a .500 coach at the FCS level.

Kinda hard to justify that, especially to big money donors. We need a winner

wardly · September 12, 2022

On 9/4/2022 at 11:32 AM, dutch said:

This post shows you have no clue what you’d be getting with Herman. His reputation with Texas HS coaches was one of the determining factors in his firing because he was lying to HS recruits to the point he couldn’t keep it all straight.

He’s despicable as a human being. When our AD and President flew to Columbus to interview him at his home he yelled and cursed at his own children in front of them. They left and hired Morris instead.

He wouldn’t take the job anyway so the point is moot.

Some of the names being thrown around here are laughable. Morris may be the only attainable one, and that would be a fun dumpster fire to watch play out.

Agreed, and there is a reason Morris is available. While we can wish that a former P5 head coach like Ga, Southern's and UCF would take a G5 job, I really don't find that very plausible. If and when a change is made I would expect someone with an assistant's background like Littrell's would be hired. I hope we find some one like Texas Tech and UTSA head coaches. We really need someone who can break the Texas high school "code" as regards recruiting.

Wag Tag · September 12, 2022

1 hour ago, Pellom said:

I think I’ve posted about it before, but I wrote for MTSU’s Rivals site for about a year and, fortunately enough, the coaching staff was willing to work with me and show me their recruiting process.

Having very little knowledge of how things worked at this level beforehand, the #1 thing that stuck out to me is how much of recruiting is totally dependent on a coach’s relationship with high school staffs. It seems obvious to say it out loud, but there’s a layer to it that I wasn’t totally clear on before taking the role.

1) at the G5 level, coaches rarely have the time to “discover” a great prospect. The P5 schools will always be first because they have dedicated positions solely for recruiting and watching tape.
2) For the most part, G5 coaches are dependent on the high school coach to “tip them off” on a prospect the big schools are missing. I asked about one player specifically - MTSU was his only only offer to that point, so I was curious to know how they found him - “our offensive line coach has known the head coach at his high school for 30 years. He tipped us off.” That player eventually signed at South Carolina if I remember correctly, but it shows how the system works.

I say all of this to put context on why I think Colby Carthel probably makes the most sense, especially in the context of how Jeff Traylor has built his roster at UTSA, how Joey McGuire know intends to build his roster at TTU, and why it seems Seth Littrell has been unable to recruit well after Graham Harrell left.

Relationships with high school coaches in the state of Texas matter more than anything. And if you follow the logic that the lower you get down the football ladder, the more those relationships matter, it makes sense that Carthel and his staff in D2 and now FCS, would have been forced to cultivate those relationships for the past 10+ years.

Not anymore! I agree with you based on past history, but today it is the transfer portal and NIL money. Last years would be an example at all schools. Development of HS players is over unless you are a star.

Pellom · September 12, 2022

14 minutes ago, MGNation92 said:

Carthel still hasn't done anything at the FCS level. If he can turn in a 10 win season this year I'd be more intrigued but relationships or not, he's a .500 coach at the FCS level.

Kinda hard to justify that, especially to big money donors. We need a winner

Oh, no doubt he would need a good season at SFA this year to justify it.

If you’re Wren, you have to chase Fuente and Herman. I totally get it. But Carthel makes more sense to me than a comparable G5 coordinator.

Pellom · September 12, 2022

2 minutes ago, Wag Tag said:

Not anymore! I agree with you based on past history, but today it is the transfer portal and NIL money. Last years would be an example at all schools. Development of HS players is over unless you are a star.

I would say relationships matter more now than ever, because you’re going to be recruiting those kids yearly instead of once when they leave high school. High school coaches are often tasked with helping their players find their second school too.

“Jimmy got caught with weed at a P5 and they kicked him out. Do you have a spot?”

“Timmy is tired of sitting on the bench, can you all get him some playing time?”

El Paso Eagle · September 12, 2022

1 hour ago, Pellom said:

I was curious to know how they found him - “our offensive line coach has known the head coach at his high school for 30 years. He tipped us off.”

Wasn't an old relationship the reason we found out about Mason?

MGNation92 · September 12, 2022

8 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Wasn't an old relationship the reason we found out about Mason?

Yeah, Littrell was friends with his head coach and he tipped him off. Harrell visited him and the rest is history.

UNTLifer · September 12, 2022

14 minutes ago, Pellom said:

you have to chase Fuente and Herman.

Fuente? I just don't get the attraction. Can someone expand on why he is a good candidate?

Herman? No thanks. Strange dude.

MeanGreenTexan · September 12, 2022

6 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

Fuente? I just don't get the attraction. Can someone expand on why he is a good candidate?

Herman? No thanks. Strange dude.

Fuente is a QB and knows how to coach them.
He was the OC for that magical TCU run back in the late 2000's that got them into the Big12, then took over a 2-10 Memphis team in 2012, and in 2 seasons brought them to the Top 25.
He's only 46 years old. A whippersnapper.

He was successful early in his tenure at VATech, but lost it. That's certainly a cause for concern, but I'm more interested in what he did at Memphis (A G5 school very similar to us).

Same with Neal Brown if WVA gets tired of him. What he did at Troy was remarkable (we saw it firsthand).

El Paso Eagle · September 12, 2022

1 minute ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Fuente is a QB and knows how to coach them.
He was the OC for that magical TCU run back in the late 2000's that got them into the Big12, then took over a 2-10 Memphis team in 2012, and in 2 seasons brought them to the Top 25.
He's only 46 years old. A whippersnapper.

He was successful early in his tenure at VATech, but lost it. That's certainly a cause for concern, but I'm more interested in what he did at Memphis (A G5 school very similar to us).

Same with Neal Brown if WVA gets tired of him. What he did at Troy was remarkable (we saw it firsthand).

I would be more comfortable with a coach who was successful at G5 and might not have done well at a P5 than a Coach or coordinator from a P5 who had a massive budget but has never developed at a lower lever. Different strategies needed at each level.

I think you have to look at each coach's situation and go from there. Always like the story that Pat Fitzgerald (coach at Northwestern) told of how it was amazing that when he wins he is a great coach and when they have a poor season that he forgot how to coach or how then game has passed him by. He joked how he has had a career of forgetting how to coach and then learning how to coach and then forgetting ......