Our search vs La Tech search

stebo · December 12, 2006

If you look at the guys interested in our job as opposed to the La Tech job, you will see that while DD has been sucking it up all of these years - increasing his salary was the smartest move that RV could have made. It is truly making us a competitve force in choosing our next coach... We are looking at guys like Jim Harbaugh, Todd Dodge, and Jimbo Fisher. They are looking at a positional coach from LSU (QB coach, not a coordinator) and some spare coach from Valdosta State - Chris Hatcher, whom appears to be the leading candidate. Mushmouth seemed to be the frontrunner (ans the Tech guys were creaming themselves over him) until he saw that he wouldn't be able to pay his assistants any money at all, and withdrew his name so that he could stay right where he is at (a positional coach at Auburn)....

The fact is, our measly $4.8 million dollar football budget, as small as it is - is so much better then that of La Tech, that they can't even get a guy like Jimbol Fisher to use them as leverage for another job. Just another thing that I love about RV - even though we were stuck with DD for all of those years, RV thought for the future and put us in a position to replace him with a legitimate candidate. Instead of having to take another "chance" and having to go through 4-5 years of "growing pains" - we will be competitive right out of the gate. Thank you RV for looking to the future. While Tech is looking towards the year 2020, we are looking towards the year 2009. I don't think nearly enough people give RV credit that he is due for making us competive in the new coach's salary ranges... that includes raising all of our assistants' pays along the way as well.

BTW - anyone think that the addition of one more money game next year is a coincidence? I bet that Arkansas is paying us just enough to take care of Dickey's buyout, one game and we are all square with the Darrell; and our new coach might not even consent to losing before the game ball is kicked off. He doesn't like to lose, he has only lost once in the last 78 games.

Edited December 12, 2006 by stebo

ltudchi72 · December 12, 2006

Glad you are so interested in our coaching search.

BTW here are some facts to dispute your allegations:

Will Mushchamp is Defensive Coordinator at Auburn. He has removed himself from the running.

College: University of Georgia (1994); Auburn University (1996)

COACHING EXPERIENCE

1995-96- Auburn (Graduate Assistant)

1998- West Georgia (Secondary)

1999- Eastern Kentucky (Secondary)

2000- Valdosta State (Defensive Coordinator)

2001-04- LSU (Linebackers/Defensive Coordinator)

2005- Miami Dolphins (Assistant Head Coach for Defense)

2006- Auburn (Defensive Coordinator)

Todd Monken was on the LSU national championship team. He is responsible for recruiting Ryan Moats from Dallas (one of our best running backs in recent years). He also has his national championship ring, which cannot hurt.

1989-90 Grand Valley State (assistant coach)

1991-92 Notre Dame (graduate assistant)

1993-99 Eastern Michigan (defensive backs, 1993; wide receivers, punt return unit, 1994-97; offensive coordinator, quarterbacks, 1998-99)

2000-01 Louisiana Tech (running backs/recruiting coordinator, 2000; wide receivers, 2001)

2002-04 Oklahoma State (pass game coordinator, wide receivers)

2005 LSU (passing game coordinator/wide receivers)

Chris Hatcher is not some "spare" coach.

"Hatcher became the university's winningest football coach when he won his 41st game during the 2003 season. His six-year record of 68-10 is a remarkable .870 winning percentage, the highest in the nation at any level. His second and third teams posted back-to-back undefeated regular seasons, a winning streak that reached 35 in a row, a Gulf South Conference record, before being broken during the 2003 season. Hatcher has received numerous coach-of-the-year honors at conference, regional and national levels, and his teams have won numerous national statistical awards.

Hatcher and Valdosta State went from best to perfect in the GSC over the course of the next two seasons, winning all 18 conference games, while tallying a 12-1 record in 2001 and a 14-1 mark in 2002, which included the school's first ever appearance in the Division II national championship game. The 2003 season again saw Valdosta State advance to the Division II playoffs, finishing the year 10-2 and second in the GSC with an 8-1 mark. The 2003 team also achieved the school's first-ever national No. 1 ranking in the second week of the year.

Hatcher led his Blazer squad to the ultimate goal in 2004 when Valdosta State completed a 14-1 season with a 36-31 victory over Pittsburgh State in the Division II national title game. The season saw the Blazers win their fourth Gulf South Conference title in five years, with the only blemish on the year being a 24-22 defeat at the hands of Albany State in the season opener."

ltudchi72 · December 12, 2006

BTW Congrats on Todd Dodge.

This hire should create some buzz in the DFW area.

CorinthEagle · December 12, 2006

Tech will be fine. The pres seems to be committed to doing what it takes to increase the coaches salaries and it wouldn't surprise me at all to see that they actually paid more for their coach than we did. I'm thrilled to death that Dodge is our new coach and I think it's a great hire. I'm sure in a few days Tech fans will feel the same way about whomever is chosen to lead the dawgs.

ltudchi72 · December 12, 2006

Tech will be fine. The pres seems to be committed to doing what it takes to increase the coaches salaries and it wouldn't surprise me at all to see that they actually paid more for their coach than we did. I'm thrilled to death that Dodge is our new coach and I think it's a great hire. I'm sure in a few days Tech fans will feel the same way about whomever is chosen to lead the dawgs.
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With Dodge as coach, I am seriously considering attending a game or two. Especially since I live 30 minutes away.

Should be some exciting games.

stebo · December 13, 2006

Lets see how much press La Tech gets after their hire as opposed to ours.... it is quite obvious that if we had moved to the WAC, we would not be able to afford to pay Dodge... La Tech will be looking for another $150K a year coach and that is what they will get.

CorinthEagle · December 13, 2006

um..............ok?

ltudchi72 · December 13, 2006

Lets see how much press La Tech gets after their hire as opposed to ours.... it is quite obvious that if we had moved to the WAC, we would not be able to afford to pay Dodge... La Tech will be looking for another $150K a year coach and that is what they will get.
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Actually the offer is going to be around $500,00 a year. Looks like Todd Monken is the leading candidate.

Since you are so very interested in our coaching process and such a polite little boy, I will give you some more information.

Kevin Sumlin and Derek Dooley also interviewed. Sumlin is interested, Dooley is being pushed by Nick Saban.

Kevin Sumlin

2006-Present Passing Game Coordinator & Wide Receivers Coach Oklahoma

2003-2005 Tight Ends Coach Oklahoma

2001-2002 Offensive Coordinator, Recruiting Coordinator & Assistant Head Coach Texas A&M

1998-2001 Receivers Coach Purdue

1997 Quarterback Coach Minnesota

1993-1996 Wide Receivers Coach Minnesota

1991-1992 Wide Receivers Coach Wyoming

1988-1990 Assistant Coach Washington St

Derek Dooley

1990: graduated from University of Virginia

1994: graduated from University of Georgia (law degree)

1994-96: practiced law in Atlanta

1996: graduate assistant at Georgia

1997 - 99: coached wide receivers at SMU (last two years spent as asst recruiting coord.)

2000 - 02: recruiting coordinator/tight ends coach at LSU

2003 - 04: running backs coach and special teams coordinator at LSU

2005 - 06: tight ends coach with Miami Dolphins

stebo · December 13, 2006

I am sorry man, but neither one of those guys is that attractive of a hire either. And La Tech has an athletic budget of around $7.3 million, can you really justify spending $500K on a coach that is a positions coach? I just don't get it. Finally, one thing that I have seen through quite a few coaching hires is the use of the "So and So is Pushing Really Hard for this guy" line... well, these guys are all friends and they all put in good notes for each other. Heck, Dickey even had people pushing really hard to get him hired - didn't make him a good hire, he was a bad hire back then and would still be a bad hire today... but I guarantee you that someone will be "pushing" really hard for him to get that spot down at SFA.

Good luck with your search - La Tech is just a weird place to me... you want to be big time, but you guys settle for mediocrity. I wouldn't be excited about any of those coaches that you are interviewing; but maybe they are bigger names there in Ruston. Has Jimbo Fisher interviewed there? You would think - that if he was interested in the North Texas HC job, he certainly would be interested in the La Tech job as well... if you can really pay him the $400K or so that he would demand. He was a finalist here, I would think that in his own state, for a IA position - he would at least have an interview... the guy won a freaking National Championship down at LSU you know?

ltudchi72 · December 13, 2006

Yes, he did an initial interview.

The leading candidate is also from the LSU National Championship staff.

Hatcher is second in the pecking order right now. He has a D-2 championship. Not sure what I think of that.

Saban's boy is not really getting any consideration. He was interviewed as a personal favor to Saban by our President.

Tech has recently hired the American Management Strategy Group to work the final 1/3 of the Tech 2020 plan. This will focus solely on the Athletic side of the equation. Early estimates is Tech will spend somewhere in the tens of millions of dollars on the plan.

runt96 · December 14, 2006

Yes, he did an initial interview.
The leading candidate is also from the LSU National Championship staff.
Hatcher is second in the pecking order right now. He has a D-2 championship. Not sure what I think of that.
Saban's boy is not really getting any consideration. He was interviewed as a personal favor to Saban by our President.
Tech has recently hired the American Management Strategy Group to work the final 1/3 of the Tech 2020 plan. This will focus solely on the Athletic side of the equation. Early estimates is Tech will spend somewhere in the tens of millions of dollars on the plan.
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I think the guy from O.U. would be a good fit. I hear La. Tech. has a low tolerance for underperforming coaches. Your last coach had some good years and landed some very good recruits. But, like Dickey, his last two years cost him. Hope you guys get a good coach.