2010 Football Coaching Candidates

[Just1More]

Like you, I too am tired of playing routine junk football at UL. Maybe it time to stop going after the good ol' nice guy coaches and get that edgy aggressive guy that gets after it. _

We are going to struggle to find a coach, for the price, that has the top assets we need at UL. We desperately need a "name guy", most preferably one with knowledge of and ties in our recruiting area, for recruiting purposes, to overcome our school's lackluster reputation in football.

Equally, we need an innovative and inventive coach (the large program coordinators bother me greatly in this respect) to overcome the talent issues we have and are going to have against the FBS and even in the current SBC. The talent is solid in a few areas and unacceptably low in other areas. There are areas UL is always going to have difficulty with as far as talent goes. It may change over time, but not in the immediate future. The next coach is going to have to be creative and innovative specific to UL and our schedule opposition.

If we had a guy that could recruit phenominally and had a high football intellect, specifically for UL, I wouldn't be as adamant about the edgy aggression part. But, I would keep an eye out for a more aggressive type if one of those two other areas is a little weaker than we can tolerate. A tough young workaholic head coach with a little of the resume credentials mentioned, might just be the ticket we can afford.

[cajun4life]

_ We are going to struggle to find a coach, for the price, that has the top assets we need at UL. We desperately need a "name guy", most preferably one with knowledge of and ties in our recruiting area, for recruiting purposes, to overcome our school's lackluster reputation in football.

Equally, we need an innovative and inventive coach (the large program coordinators bother me greatly in this respect) to overcome the talent issues we have and are going to have against the FBS and even in the current SBC. The talent is solid in a few areas and unacceptably low in other areas. There are areas UL is always going to have difficulty with as far as talent goes. It may change over time, but not in the immediate future. The next coach is going to have to be creative and innovative specific to UL and our schedule opposition.

If we had a guy that could recruit phenominally and had a high football intellect, specifically for UL, I wouldn't be as adamant about the edgy aggression part. But, I would keep an eye out for a more aggressive type if one of those two other areas is a little weaker than we can tolerate. A tough young workaholic head coach with a little of the resume credentials mentioned, might just be the ticket we can afford. _

That is why I am starting to warm up to Coach Orgeron. Think about it, with an unbiased view, no mid major would out recruit Orgeron in Louisiana. He is a Cajun and WANTS to be here. I do not think money is a factor in Orgeron's decision to come here. He will interview this time around, just like last time. A guy who is willing to interview twice for a job that the national media would view as a lower 10% job tells me something. He really wants to coach here.

At UL's level the key to sustained success is not a great coach IMO it is a great recruiter who has really solid to great coordinators. If Coach O would have a great group of assistants specifically the coordinators he would be ultra successful here.

Just think about what, arguably the best recruiter in the country, would have to sell to high school athletes. Brand new dorms, a completely remodeled student union, an actual swamp on campus. Then Coach O could bring him to meet Dean Zappi who has sealed the deal for Bustle on more than a few recruits. That doesn't even include our facility upgrades that are soon to take place. Man, Orgeron could sell the hell out of UL to recruits.

He is a Cajun through and through. He is one of us, and could lock down the fertile recruiting grounds of New Orleans through the river parishes where we have lost out on a lot of great recruits over the past 3 years.

I was completely against Coach O, but the longer I think about it and break it down it just makes perfect sense. Some people will say he wasn't successfull at Ole Miss, but he had to coach against Miles, Saban, Meyer, Nutt and Spurrier. It is hard to beat these guys when they are at Legacy programs and get whoever they want to play for them.

Orgeron would energize the local fan base IMO. Some folks will not be happy with him as the coach, but whoever we hire they will have people who wanted someone else.

Again RECRUITS win the Sunbelt not coaching. Troy has won the championship for the past 4 years because they were better at every position than anyone else in the conference. Not because Blakeny is a great coach.

[RedCajun]

I'm warming up to the idea orgeron too. We could finally get rid of the stupid pepper mascot at the games. We would have the angry Cajun man mascot on the sidelines that some on this board have asked for




igeaux.mobi

[Hammer58]

_ That is why I am starting to warm up to Coach Orgeron. Think about it, with an unbiased view, no mid major would out recruit Orgeron in Louisiana. He is a Cajun and WANTS to be here. I do not think money is a factor in Orgeron's decision to come here. He will interview this time around, just like last time. A guy who is willing to interview twice for a job that the national media would view as a lower 10% job tells me something. He really wants to coach here.

At UL's level the key to sustained success is not a great coach IMO it is a great recruiter who has really solid to great coordinators. If Coach O would have a great group of assistants specifically the coordinators he would be ultra successful here.

Just think about what, arguably the best recruiter in the country, would have to sell to high school athletes. Brand new dorms, a completely remodeled student union, an actual swamp on campus. Then Coach O could bring him to meet Dean Zappi who has sealed the deal for Bustle on more than a few recruits. That doesn't even include our facility upgrades that are soon to take place. Man, Orgeron could sell the hell out of UL to recruits.

He is a Cajun through and through. He is one of us, and could lock down the fertile recruiting grounds of New Orleans through the river parishes where we have lost out on a lot of great recruits over the past 3 years.

I was completely against Coach O, but the longer I think about it and break it down it just makes perfect sense. Some people will say he wasn't successfull at Ole Miss, but he had to coach against Miles, Saban, Meyer, Nutt and Spurrier. It is hard to beat these guys when they are at Legacy programs and get whoever they want to play for them.

Orgeron would energize the local fan base IMO. Some folks will not be happy with him as the coach, but whoever we hire they will have people who wanted someone else.

Again RECRUITS win the Sunbelt not coaching. Troy has won the championship for the past 4 years because they were better at every position than anyone else in the conference. Not because Blakeny is a great coach. _

And could he be any worse at game day management than the current staff? Would he run the same play four straight times in goal line situations (happened in two different games with the same negative results)? If we were on the cusp of a bowl game with the present staff and everyone agrees that Orgeron would get us even better recruits then doesn't it stand to reason that he could at least get us that one extra win to get us to 7-5 and a bowl invite with the extra talent? Do you think he would annually lose the one game per year that he should win as we have seen (WKU this year, FIU and / or FIU last year)?

I'm just starting to think he could be the right guy at the right time for UL. Especially if we operate on the theory that our recruiting has to improve. That is one aspect of the job that I think you will have a hard time arguing that anyone else available could do better at in this state. I just don't think we should write him off without talking to him.

[cajun4life]

_ And could he be any worse at game day management than the current staff? Would he run the same play four straight times in goal line situations (happened in two different games with the same negative results)? If we were on the cusp of a bowl game with the present staff and everyone agrees that Orgeron would get us even better recruits then doesn't it stand to reason that he could at least get us that one extra win to get us to 7-5 and a bowl invite with the extra talent? Do you think he would annually lose the one game per year that he should win as we have seen (WKU this year, FIU and / or FIU last year)?

I'm just starting to think he could be the right guy at the right time for UL. Especially if we operate on the theory that our recruiting has to improve. That is one aspect of the job that I think you will have a hard time arguing that anyone else available could do better at in this state. I just don't think we should write him off without talking to him. _

That is exactly what I am saying, Orgeron is the best fit for this program at this time.

[ragin91cajun]

_ And could he be any worse at game day management than the current staff? Would he run the same play four straight times in goal line situations (happened in two different games with the same negative results)? If we were on the cusp of a bowl game with the present staff and everyone agrees that Orgeron would get us even better recruits then doesn't it stand to reason that he could at least get us that one extra win to get us to 7-5 and a bowl invite with the extra talent? Do you think he would annually lose the one game per year that he should win as we have seen (WKU this year, FIU and / or FIU last year)?

I'm just starting to think he could be the right guy at the right time for UL. Especially if we operate on the theory that our recruiting has to improve. That is one aspect of the job that I think you will have a hard time arguing that anyone else available could do better at in this state. I just don't think we should write him off without talking to him. _

Well put Hammer. I've been thinking the same thing the more I consider Orgeron. We come up just short every year for two reasons: below average recruiting and poor on field coaching. Orgeron automatically brings us up astronomically in one of these categories and with decent coordinators he brings improvement in both.

[Turbine]

Hiring a coach after a year with a 6-6 record would have made this process a whole lot easier and the job a lot more attractive.

[ULBaby!]

_ That is exactly what I am saying, Orgeron is the best fit for this program at this time. _

Rivals.com noted that he was a prospect along with deForest (OSU) - i like that he might be the first coach with an accent we can understand. seriously though, i like that he would immediately connect with alot of the local guys on the team and would bring in quality athletes. I also like that his experience at big programs would bring a set of expectations to the organization that we haven't had before. as for all the controversy and badmouthing - if you have ever been a coonass anywhere but south louisiana you will be able to relate - the rest of the world is not like us - bring him with his loud slober-knockin attitude and some decent coordinators (throw in a nutria rat mascot on the sidelines) and i will renew my RCAF and my season tickets in a heartbeat just to see what happens next

[Just1More]

Cajun4Life... it took me a while to get over the contraversial arguments against Orgeron... but when I considered who was making them (rednecks and hillbillies) and why... I listened to their criticisms of him and realized they were FOS. He didn't do anything whatsoever but play it close to the edge with recruiting. Every SEC team steps over the line every single year. He is simply a "character" to them... having his USC ties... being a Cajun... for them to pick on.

He is a one of a kind when it comes to what he would do for us in outstanding recruiting in Louisiana and with a few recruits on the regional/national scene. That compensates greatly for the risk we would take on his head coaching ability. You are right. If he gets a good OC and a good overall staff, I think we'd be a fast threat in a big hurry.

His particular credentials apply to him and him alone. I'm not saying I am not a little skeptical... but the AD and his advisors are the ones to vet Orgeron and make the decision. If he isn't interested or wants too much salary or other contract requirements, that is a different matter entirely.

I like your other coaching suggestions and I think you are looking at Orgeron correctly. His overwhelming recruiting capability is simply too attractive to summarily dismiss.

I believe some fans think we can go after some of the named guys and land them and that is why they so easily take Orgeron off their list. It should be a very difficult process to get a high caliber guy with credentials that most fans will appreciate... for UL football... with the price we can pay. If it isn't difficult, we didn't do it right. Whatever guy UL gets, he is not going to be an automatic "made guy".

But, we will also never know if the guy we end up with was the number one, two, three... or twenty seven... on UL's list.

[cajunhawk]

Side note......Ed Orgeron was in....Tremors???? This is from his wikipedia page. Although IMDB doesn't confirm this. I think this is a joke, its been a while since I have seen Tremors, was there someone with a crazy accent and lots of energy? This could be a premonition...Fred Ward as....Ed Orgeron in....Colonel Reb is Cryin.....Summer 2011

[MetryCajun]

This is not an endorsement of any candidate, but the #1 qualification for the next coach is his ability to recruit. Bustle was agrueably the worst recruiter of our previous 4 coaches. Over the past 5 years we as fans have resorted to comments like Rivals et al do not know how to measure recruiting classes. I would say our record shows our ranking was accurate.
I am not expecting recruiting battles against LSU, but it is reasonable to expect (multiple) guys from SouthLA choosing UL over LATech, USM, Houston, and Tulsa. Right now we are viewed by outside people as on par w/McNeese and Southeastern. We all know that is not the case, but we need a coach to excentuate this.
IMHO guys like Orgeron, Bowden and Levit fit that bill.

[CajunNation]

You are probably right about JC Harper not stepping down as a head coach to become an OC.

If you are looking for a coordinator to run the offense that Orgeron recruited talent for, you don't want Harper. You want HIS coordinator, Shannon Dawson. He is 31 years old, runs Hal Mumme's offense, and is the reason SFA is scoring almost at will this year and leads the country in passing.