Just for Shiggles:

[Hammer58]

I think you go with the model that worked for us (young up & comer) versus our old model (old retread or AQ coordinator with no HC experience). Stokely worked pretty well under the old model and if he had had the current administration and support structure maybe he would have even been more successful. However, he was the exception. While we only have a limited data set with the new model, it has been wildly successful.

Of course, I am hoping we keep Hud and do not have to go through this experiment.

[Bandwagon King]

All of it, well, all that he did not steal from the US Army Rangers.

Don't know if this is in gest or serious, but I'm sure the rangers don't mind. All great coaches have enough sense to "borrow" from everybody.

[Bandwagon King]

I think you go with the model that worked for us (young up & comer) versus our old model (old retread or AQ coordinator with no HC experience). Stokely worked pretty well under the old model and if he had had the current administration and support structure maybe he would have even been more successful. However, he was the exception. While we only have a limited data set with the new model, it has been wildly successful.

Of course, I am hoping we keep Hud and do not have to go through this experiment.

But let's say you are the AD. How do you handle the present staff ? Do you just clean house? Do you recommend that the coach look strongly at certain coaches? Do you offer incentives to keep most of those guys here? Do you just take hands off approach & allow new coach to "have his way" in every decision?

[Turbine]

Beyond S&C the AD usally doesn't get involved with current staff.

Contracts expire in June and a new coach either asks as few of them back or finds his own staff.

[RaginFan2]

But let's say you are the AD. How do you handle the present staff ? Do you just clean house? Do you recommend that the coach look strongly at certain coaches? Do you offer incentives to keep most of those guys here? Do you just take hands off approach & allow new coach to "have his way" in every decision?

In my opinion (can't speak for Hammer), you have to let the new coach assemble his own staff. They have to work together at least as well as the players on the field. You might encourage him to retain some of the current staff, and most smart coaches do. That helps keep some continuity with the team and recruiting. But ultimately the head coach has to feel comfortable with his staff. I;ve seen examples of where some coaches were forced to keep certain asst. coaches, and it usually didn't work out too well. I do like this staff and feel they'd be an asset worth retaining, but it really depends on the head coach and what he wants to do. I think that would be something that would be discussed during any interview process - what are the coach's thoughts on staff and his football philosophies (which also have a bearing on which assistants would be a fit).

[HoustonCajun]

But let's say you are the AD. How do you handle the present staff ? Do you just clean house? Do you recommend that the coach look strongly at certain coaches? Do you offer incentives to keep most of those guys here? Do you just take hands off approach & allow new coach to "have his way" in every decision?

Is there anyone on the current staff who you would promote to HC and maintain continuity?

[SlappyCajun]

Jay Johnson is the only one I think you could consider, and I don't think he would get it.

[Turbine]

Is there anyone on the current staff who you would promote to HC and maintain continuity?

Not that you asked me . . . Do any have HC experience? If not, no.

[Bandwagon King]

Is there anyone on the current staff who you would promote to HC and maintain continuity?

Very interesting question. I think should for example a head coach take a job & decide to leave before his bowl game, then that "could" be used as part of an interview process for one of the assistants as head coach. How he continued to run practice. How he conducted himself during the game. How he made half time adjustments. How well the players respected him & listened to what he had to say before, during, & after the game. This could also be used in evaluating which assistants are such big assets that they should be retained.

We need to remember this program is in a place it hasn't been before IF a coaching change were to take place. When you are cleaning house it is necessary to make complete changes, but when an operation is changing due to unexpected success. It might be better to maintain the new status quo & build from there, instead of just junking the present operation & starting over or completely.

[zephyr]

As good as his resume is, alot of the players he coached at Miami are constantly getting hurt in the NFL today. Shockey, McGahee, Gore, Andre Johnson, Vilma

Dude, we usually agree on things but I can't see any validity to this statement. I don't know how you can correlate players he coached ten years ago in college to their current injury issues. Lets not forget that all of these guys are veteran players who have been in the league a while and have taken a beating, especially guys like Gore and McGahee. I can't see how their current injury status' have anything to do with their training in college some years ago.