2010 Football Coaching Candidates

[California Cajun]

_ Wrong. The only way to win long term is to start out with a low budget winner.

igeaux.mobi _

To me, that points to someone like the Stephen F. Austin coach J.C. Harper. He appears to be the "Bob Marlin" of the names bandied about. http://sfajacks.cstv.com/sports/m-fo...rper_jc00.html

[CajunPride]

I want a coach who is a little hungry and will put in the effort to create a winning team.

[Cajunsmike]

_ I respectfully disagree. I think we need someone who understands what it takes to be a big time program and how we will get there. Hiring someone from another low budget program will only likely serve to perpetuate the low level of football we have always had here. It is not like Ohio State picking a 1AA coach from Youngstown State (Tressel). OSU had the money and the program in place to win. UL does not have either. Let's commit to doing this right for a change. I am tired of second class citizenry in sports. _

We have tried the coordinator route from the big programs and that has not worked out as well as it should (Nelson Stokley was an exception prior to the budget cuts). In our case someone with success as a lower level head coach is exactly what we need as he will have similar resources to what he has now. As far as the X's and O's of the game, most would be shocked at how little difference there is in that regard between levels. It does not matter what you and I think about this. What matters is what the decision makers think and I can assure you the key players believe head coaching experience is a key criteria.

[CajunNation]

To me, that points to someone like the Stephen F. Austin coach J.C. Harper. He appears to be the "Bob Marlin" of the names bandied about. http://sfajacks.cstv.com/sports/m-fo...rper_jc00.html

Harper has shown the instincts it takes to be a successful head coach. He hand selected his current coordinators a couple of years ago which has directly led to the current domination they are showing in the SLC.

For those of you who don't know, the O.C. at SFA is Shannon Dawson, a Hal Mumme disciple, and, YES, they throw the football with video-game type results.

I would say the odds are 60/40 that Harper and his crew will be in Cajun Field next season.

[CajunT]

_ Harper has shown the instincts it takes to be a successful head coach. He hand selected his current coordinators a couple of years ago which has directly led to the current domination they are showing in the SLC.

For those of you who don't know, the O.C. at SFA is Shannon Dawson, a Hal Mumme disciple, and, YES, they throw the football with video-game type results.

I would say the odds are 60/40 that Harper and his crew will be in Cajun Field next season. _

Interesting prediction.

[California Cajun]

If you like the Bob Marlin selection, here's what J.C. Harper has accomplished at Stephen F. Austin and how few fans attended:

1. 2007: 0-11 Attendance: 8480 average
2. 2008: 4-8 Attendance: 8577 average
3. 2009: 10-3 Attendance: 11111 average Conference Champions
4. 2010 (5 out of 6 home games played): 8-2 Attendance: 9849 average

They are 4-1 in conference (5-1 if you count Lamar game, who will be in conference next year).

I counted 13 on the roster that looked like Jucos/transfers from 1-A programs.

That looks pretty good to me.

[Phant]

Pretty good? This is "pretty good" to me.

Let's count this coach's win at LAMAR as well, he is undefeated, 10-0; for the 2nd straight season, oh yeah, they have only had a football team for 2 seasons:

9/4/2010 Sat. Pikeville (Ky.) Mobile W 56-0
9/18/2010 Sat. Nicholls State Mobile W 39-21
9/25/2010 Sat. (1) vs. Edward Waters (Fla.) Dothan, Ala. W 64-0
10/2/2010 Sat. Kentucky Wesleyan Mobile W 52-3
10/9/2010 Sat. Missouri S&T (Parents' Weekend) Mobile W 45-6
10/16/2010 Sat. at Lamar Beaumont, Texas W 26-0
10/23/2010 Sat. at UC Davis Davis, Calif. W 24-21
10/30/2010 Sat. Georgia State Mobile W 39-34
11/6/2010 Sat. Henderson (Ark.) State (Homecoming) Mobile W 37-31
11/11/2010 Thu. Arkansas-Monticello Mobile W 31-14

_ If you like the Bob Marlin selection, here's what J.C. Harper has accomplished at Stephen F. Austin and how few fans attended:

1. 2007: 0-11 Attendance: 8480 average
2. 2008: 4-8 Attendance: 8577 average
3. 2009: 10-3 Attendance: 11111 average Conference Champions
4. 2010 (5 out of 6 home games played): 8-2 Attendance: 9849 average

They are 4-1 in conference (5-1 if you count Lamar game, who will be in conference next year).

I counted 13 on the roster that looked like Jucos/transfers from 1-A programs.

That looks pretty good to me. _

[ULGrad@HOU]

This notion that "we have already tried assistants from big programs" and that didn't work out is a ridiculous argument. It's about like saying we tried Offensive football coaches, and that didn't work out, so let's get some other kind. All head coaches were assistants at one time. It's finding the right assistant that is important. I'm not saying that's the way to go, I'm saying we must keep our options open and find the best Coach we can. There are some programs that have assistants that have really made an impact. The OK State Off coord. and the TCU def. coord are examples of coaches that are way above normal in the success they are having. If we go with the experienced head coach, then he should be an energetic, sweet talkin, hi football IQ, go getter kind of coach, that's not ready to set up shop and retire. I think we need someone who is involved in recruiting, and does it very well. I'm not sold on any FCS coach at the moment, because none show a real dominance. Yeah, the SFA guy has some success, but moving up to FBS is a whole different environment in recruiting and competing. The Coach Marlin example doesn't really coorelate because he showed success in going to the NCAA tournament and winning against D1 teams, which is the same level that we are.

And please not Coach Orgeron. He was not successful at Ole Miss, and as Def Line coach for the Saints recently, they showed no improvement under him. Not to mention, listening to him on the radio, I was not impressed at all.

[ULGrad@HOU]

_ Pretty good? This is "pretty good" to me.

Let's count this coach's win at LAMAR as well, he is undefeated, 10-0; for the 2nd straight season, oh yeah, they have only had a football team for 2 seasons:

9/4/2010 Sat. Pikeville (Ky.) Mobile W 56-0
9/18/2010 Sat. Nicholls State Mobile W 39-21
9/25/2010 Sat. (1) vs. Edward Waters (Fla.) Dothan, Ala. W 64-0
10/2/2010 Sat. Kentucky Wesleyan Mobile W 52-3
10/9/2010 Sat. Missouri S&T (Parents' Weekend) Mobile W 45-6
10/16/2010 Sat. at Lamar Beaumont, Texas W 26-0
10/23/2010 Sat. at UC Davis Davis, Calif. W 24-21
10/30/2010 Sat. Georgia State Mobile W 39-34
11/6/2010 Sat. Henderson (Ark.) State (Homecoming) Mobile W 37-31
11/11/2010 Thu. Arkansas-Monticello Mobile W 31-14 _

So you are talking about the South Alabama Coach? That is pretty impressive. I would say that's dominant. Interesting Coach, no doubt.

[California Cajun]

_ This notion that "we have already tried assistants from big programs" and that didn't work out is a ridiculous argument. It's about like saying we tried Offensive football coaches, and that didn't work out, so let's get some other kind. All head coaches were assistants at one time. It's finding the right assistant that is important. I'm not saying that's the way to go, I'm saying we must keep our options open and find the best Coach we can. There are some programs that have assistants that have really made an impact. The OK State Off coord. and the TCU def. coord are examples of coaches that are way above normal in the success they are having. If we go with the experienced head coach, then he should be an energetic, sweet talkin, hi football IQ, go getter kind of coach, that's not ready to set up shop and retire. I think we need someone who is involved in recruiting, and does it very well. I'm not sold on any FCS coach at the moment, because none show a real dominance. Yeah, the SFA guy has some success, but moving up to FBS is a whole different environment in recruiting and competing. The Coach Marlin example doesn't really coorelate because he showed success in going to the NCAA tournament and winning against D1 teams, which is the same level that we are.

And please not Coach Orgeron. He was not successful at Ole Miss, and as Def Line coach for the Saints recently, they showed no improvement under him. Not to mention, listening to him on the radio, I was not impressed at all. _

I'm ready to try something else this time.

We hired Augie Tammariello (OC at Colorado when they had a #2 ranking the year before).

We hired Nelson Stokley (OC at Clemson when they won the national championship five years before).

We hired Rickey Bustle (OC at Virginia Tech when they played in the national championship game a couple of years before).

These guys were outstanding candidates.

I think it would be a good idea to go with a head coach this time that resurrected a program in spite of a tight budget. Remember also that we have academic requirements that make recruiting harder here than for some other schools.

For what we can pay, even if it is more than we have ever paid before, I think an FCS coach should definitely be considered.