Cavalcade Of Whimsy - The Coaching Situations - Baylor & Todge

[jperg2]

SOURCE: http://cfn.scout.com/2/705819.html

8. Baylor

Prestige Factor: None. A coach can make a big name for himself with the slightest bit of success.

Ideal Candidate Would Have … in-roads in Texas. Baylor is a different type of Big 12 school because of its private status. The coach has to come up with a big-time offensive idea, like Guy Morriss tried to do with the Texas Tech passing attack, only with more success.

They Should Think About … North Texas head coach Todd Dodge

The Skinny: As far as the tough job openings go, this is far more difficult than Duke because the rest of the South is so nasty. Oklahoma and Texas will be in the national title discussion every year, Oklahoma State/T. Boone U. is improving, and Texas Tech and Texas A&M will always be bowl bound. Forget about the defense. Some alumni might like the idea of Mike Singletary, but the Bears need an effective offense that can outbomb teams on the right day. Trying to get in defensive struggles against Oklahoma and Texas won’t work. Houston’s Art Briles will likely get the gig.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Good writeup, but not going to happen. Dodge will stay here at least 3 years before he leaves in my opinion.

[NCMeanGreen]

Yeah...right...

[adman]

Yeah...right...

I'm not sure where your skepticism comes from. According to Dodge in an interview earlier this year he had zero designs of ever being a college HC. It wasn't something he aspired to. The NT job was something of a "perfect storm" for him which is why he took it. I can see Dodge staying here quite some time. (And hope he does.)

[rcade]

Good writeup, but not going to happen. Dodge will stay here at least 3 years before he leaves in my opinion.

College coaches back out of commitments all the time when a better deal comes along. I don't expect Coach Dodge to do it, especially with his son planning to attend UNT, but it wouldn't be a complete shock if he did.

[Stan R]

The bears would not take a 2-9 or 3-9 coach, period. If I were a Baylor alum I would be hopping mad if we (they) took Dodge. We took Dodge because it was a gamble on someone who we thought would pan out for the price. That may very well happen. but for over a million a year I damn sure don't want a prospect. I want a blue chipper and paying that much gets you just that.

[Mad Hatter]

I will drive down to Waco and go Medieval on someone if they try to steal Dodge.

[Dodge2007]

I wonder if RV has given TD the right to interview for the job at Baylor?

I would think TD would at least interview for the SMU and Baylor job? He has to be on their "Dave Letterman's Top 10" list for those jobs.

[Eagle1855]

what makes anyone think Bayor is a good job?

[Dodge2007]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$, the new facilities being completed soon, the Big 12, exposure, is that not enough?

[EagleMBA]

It probably IS enough...if you're a whore. Todd Dodge is not. Anything he does in his career will be well thought out and calculated to advance his family interests as well as his career, not just next month's paycheck. That is just my opinion, formed from what I have seen and read of the man without the pleasure of knowing him personally.

[Dodge2007]

Calling a man a whore, who would get a $500,000 or more a year in pay, is absurd. He is thinking of his family. A big 12 job would be monumental for a man like TD. Who could blame a man for bettering himself? Only an idiot would call him a whore.

[UNT Mean Green]

Coach Dodge is not going anywhere folks.

I'm telling you, he's going to pull a Rich Rodriguez or Gary Pinkel and put his stamp on North Texas Football while building it into a nationally recognized football program and enjoy doing so in the meantime. 7 years ago, how were West Virginia and Missouri doing?

Rich Rodgriguez showed up in Morgantown in 2001:

2001 he went 3-8.

2002 he went 9-4 and played in the Continental Tire Bowl.

2003 he went 8-5 and played in the Gator Bowl.

2004 he went 8-4 and played in the Gator Bowl.

**Note that he lost the above 3 bowl games**

2005 he went 11-1 and won the Sugar Bowl over Georgia.

2006 he went 11-2 and won the Gator Bowl over Georgia Tech.

2007 he's 10-1 and ranked #2 in the country...

Gary Pinkel showed up at Missouri in 2001

2001 he went 4-7.

2002 he went 5-7.

2003 he went 8-5 and played in the Independence Bowl against Arkansas.

2004 he went 5-6.

2005 he went 7-5 and won the Independence Bowl over South Carolina.

2006 he went 8-5 and played in the Sun Bowl against Oregon State.

2007 he's 10-1 and ranked #1 in the country...

These are just 2 instances of coaches taking over programs and building them into what they are today (in particular what they are this year). I can guarantee when jobs come open, these 2 guys have their names thrown out there all of the time, but they are still at their respective schools and will be for a long time. I mean Rich Rodriguez turned down $ 3 million/year at Alabama to stay at WVU.

[Green Crazy]

Calling a man a whore, who would get a $500,000 or more a year in pay, is absurd. He is thinking of his family. A big 12 job would be monumental for a man like TD. Who could blame a man for bettering himself? Only an idiot would call him a whore.

Financially is the only way the Baylor job could better his life. If he wants to keep coaching football in college he'll go somewhere that he can win and then try to move on to a better school, if he goes to Baylor he'll lose in the BigXII and ruin his career...SMU would probably benefit him more than Baylor, considering the family situation, proximity, money and the chance to win.

Plus, I don't think Todge is going anywhere since his son decommitted from UT to have a chance to play QB in his Dad's system.

[greenminer]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$, the new facilities being completed soon, the Big 12, exposure, is that not enough?

That's like polishing a diamond in a pile of dung. I'd never stay in Waco. But that's just me.

[Green Crazy]

That's like polishing a diamond in a pile of dung. I'd never stay in Waco. But that's just me.

We had some diamonds...

[CorinthEagle]

We had some diamonds...

greatness

[Ibleedgreen]

They can't have him!!

[NCMeanGreen]

I'm not sure where your skepticism comes from. According to Dodge in an interview earlier this year he had zero designs of ever being a college HC. It wasn't something he aspired to. The NT job was something of a "perfect storm" for him which is why he took it. I can see Dodge staying here quite some time. (And hope he does.)

Timing issue. I meant 'Yeah...right..." to him going to Baylor.

[EagleMBA]

GreenCrazy captured my sentiments when I made that last post. Money is all there is to the Baylor or SMU positions. In my opinion, they are both elephant graveyards, where coaches go to die...they may not be feeling sick when they take the job and start cashing those checks but they are doomed to mediocrity or failure because of the overall situation. Much better for a smart guy like Dodge to bide his time, build a program here, and take a promotion into the mainstream, not the backwater. Just my opinion.

[Eagle1855]

GreenCrazy captured my sentiments when I made that last post. Money is all there is to the Baylor or SMU positions. In my opinion, they are both elephant graveyards, where coaches go to die...they may not be feeling sick when they take the job and start cashing those checks but they are doomed to mediocrity or failure because of the overall situation. Much better for a smart guy like Dodge to bide his time, build a program here, and take a promotion into the mainstream, not the backwater. Just my opinion.

good points. honestly, i'd argue even SMU might be a better job than Baylor. I know that sounds crazy, but if SMU could have the success UH has had in C-USA, even they would be perceived as a better program than Baylor. The Big 12 South is too strong for Baylor to ever have any legitimate ambitions of anything more than a 7-5 season- and maybe that's fine with their fans.

Which brings up the question, are some non-BCS gigs better than BCS programs? Is there hope for football at places like Indiana, Baylor, etc?

Edited November 27, 2007 by Eagle1855

[GreenAlums]

good points. honestly, i'd argue even SMU might be a better job than Baylor. I know that sounds crazy, but if SMU could have the success UH has had in C-USA, even they would be perceived as a better program than Baylor. The Big 12 South is too strong for Baylor to ever have any legitimate ambitions of anything more than a 7-5 season- and maybe that's fine with their fans.

I tend to agree here, since Ann Richards is not holding Baylor's hand (and giving them what they get) they will slowly pass off in to the sunset to be heard from never again. SMU has a year or so to attempt to put it back together. If they do, they will have the support that it will be tough for baylor to get.

[JesseMartin]

I don't know about you guys, but I think 2 years of 1.8 mil would last me comfortably for the rest of my life.

[Green Buckeye]

I will drive down to Waco and go Medieval on someone if they try to steal Dodge.

Man, I'll bring a blow torch and a pair of pliers and help you out.

[eulessismore]

Man, I'll bring a blow torch and a pair of pliers and help you out.

Are those tools really as medieval as a sledgehammer?