post Texas A&M: Hud Accountability Index

[ULGrad@HOU]

1. You aren't "tarnishing memories". Even if Bozo the Clown were our coach, we'd have athletes to respect. Respecting some of the athletes has nothing to do with whether the fan base should begin pressuring the leadership to plan for a coaching change. Do we run a dumpster fire of a program... under coaches that don't have it... just to embrace an athlete or four?
2. Mike is right... that this thread and bashing the coach is pointless... except to vent. And that is the sad reality of our existence. Even when we need to dump a coach... we can't. Hud could have gone 0-12 last year... and be set to go 0-12 this year... and Mike would be right about this thread. But it in no way invalidates the examination of Hud's 7 years and where we are right now.
3. "We weren't supposed to win last night or next week" is precisely why we are all mad. When Hud came in 7 years ago... and blew reams of "sleeping giant" smoke up our rear ends... who thought we'd give up 60+ to Tulsa in year 7... and have fans defend it?
4. Unless one of you has the power to actually shut down the year and regroup... threads like this are perfectly fine. Those of you wearing lace around your underwear need to stop being frightened by upset fans. We aren't storming Cajun Field with pitch forks. This is a forum to vent and discuss the disgust of our football coaching ineptness.
5. And once again... there is no distinction between "he can't coach... but he can recruit" and "he can't recruit... but he can coach". That's like saying "he can make the car go fast... but he can't drive". Coaches that can coach don't have trouble recruiting... and coaches that recruit don't have trouble coaching. Keep that in your fan playbook... and it will keep you from making dumb statements about college coaches.

We've been getting heated up about Hud... and there's no reason we shouldn't. He's choosing the staff and the athletes with that staff. It's on him. All of it. Hud barely edged out a win over SLU at Cajun Field... and gave up 60+ to Tulsa. Year 7 fact.

Good points.

[ULGrad@HOU]

This program may not be able to recover if we keep Hud, timing is not on our side.

[alum81]

This program may not be able to recover if we keep Hud, timing is not on our side.

At one point we were all afraid someone was going to scoop HUD right out of here. So we could not wait to throw money at him with a long term contract. My how things have changed.

Maybe this can be a lesson learned. No head football coach has ever left here for another college head coaching job. Let Dr. M construct all future contracts with that in mind. Jmo

[California Cajun]

If today is the day after the season, you fire the D.C. and find one HUD can turn the defense over until he can be bought out (unless no longer necessary).

The picture is simpler (or at least I hope so) with no institutional interference. Players, coaching staff, an adjunct fundraising organization to get resources.

We have a professional CEO AD whose job is to provide as needed and all the University President has to do is pay him.

I'm hopeful we're headed in that direction, so the fans support won't end 10+ years before the University finally does something.

[zephyr]

This will be the Cajuns fans next week when they hang 100 on us

This is awesome.

[ULGrad@HOU]

If today is the day after the season, you fire the D.C. and find one HUD can turn the defense over until he can be bought out (unless) no longer necessary.

The picture is simpler (or at least I hope so) with no institutional interference. Players, coaching staff, an adjunct fundraising organization to get resources.

I would not trust Hud to be able to find a good DC, hasn't happened yet, and I think the bigger problem is talent, this crew cannot recruit. Coaching can only take you so far, I don't really think Lucas is a bad coach. Hud CANNOT RECRUIT.

[zephyr]

Maybe...but is he worth the salary??

Well you think we're going 10-2 so you certainly think he is...right?

[California Cajun]

I would not trust Hud to be able to find a good DC, hasn't happened yet, and I think the bigger problem is talent, this crew cannot recruit. Coaching can only take you so far, I don't really think Lucas is a bad coach. Hud CANNOT RECRUIT.

Sorry for my edits after my post. Your post suggests that changing the head coach needs to be top change needing to be made. Maybe the wheels of change will move faster these days.

[zephyr]

Not absolving them. But those are the issues on defense in my opinion. We know that Lucas can scheme, especially against the run, based on last year's results. Losing two veterans key to stopping the run hurt. But that's basically been the book on Hud since he got here: great motivator, keep him away from X's and O's, and we haven't seen the development we want from guys that have the talent to be great.

I was most disappointed in the scheme. A team like Tulsa who is breaking in a new QB and is a run first team, I would think you would overload the line and work in blitz schemes and work in more movement in the DL like stunts and shifts where you are constantly putting pressure on the OL and putting the QB under more pressure to make good throws, even if that means going man to man on outside. In other words, play the run harder and make them beat you with the passing game which we really never did. I believe the defense can dictate how things go by ratcheting up the pressure up front and disrupting the QB's rhythm. We NEVER did this.

[ManAboutTown]

I would not trust Hud to be able to find a good DC, hasn't happened yet, and I think the bigger problem is talent, this crew cannot recruit. Coaching can only take you so far, I don't really think Lucas is a bad coach. Hud CANNOT RECRUIT.

Partially right. Everyone forgets that we've been stripped of several scholarships the last few years. And for those that think losing scholarships isn't a big deal, look around the country. It took USC 8 years to come back from it. Miami still isn't back.

[ManAboutTown]

And btw, those that think a coaching change is impossible at the end of this season... couldn't be more wrong.

[zephyr]

As usual CajunsMike is a voice of reason. The coach is not getting fired mid season. You get fired in season for borderline criminal activity or massive underachieving. Neither are happening at this time.
I know I am in the minority but I actually think HUD and his staff are good coaches but horrible recruiters and talent evaluators. Over the past 7 years anytime we have good personnel we seem to have success on that side of the ball. It looks like we finally have a division 1 QB and an OL who can move so now we look competent. Presently we have a dearth (or too young) of talent on Defense and we look like keystone cops. To be clear I do think the lack of talent falls on Huds shoulders.
Moving forward HUD needs to either get a new recruiting coordinator or revamp how he targets recruits. If not, he will certainly soon be out of a job.

This defense is truly an anomaly. Just about all of the guys starting on defense played significant minutes or started on a nationally ranked defense last year. The DL has been terrible but all of these guys were involved and/or started last year. It's easy to point to the LB'ers as the reason and they are a part of it as losing Peters and Lightfoot is not an easy task but all of these guys in the front 7 are literally losing every one on one battle in the running game. Guys are getting pancaked and pushed around and that doesn't allow you to make plays. I think we are simply running way too much base defense up front. We have no DL movement, few blitzes and when we do blitz, its always in a 3rd and long situation which is obvious. HUD stated he wanted to run more base stuff this week because the guys were inconsistent in the scheme last week but they simply were outmatched and couldn't win the battles. Its one or the other. You either go more base but have to be able to win those matchups (we can't) or you employ a more attacking system.