I hope it is a homerun hire because quite frankly she has no one on her staff that is a proven winner who can coach toe to toe with Geno and other top programs or who can recruit with the best. I hope she does not hire someone who she is "comfortable with" but someone who has been in the trenches with the best coaches. I have no doubt that Kellie can coach; I do have concerns that she is ready to compete with Geno, Tara, Muffett, and Kim. She will be successful only if she surrounds herself with the best available. She needs to understand that she failed at NCState because she did not have the players who could compete at the highest level. Success at Missouri State does not equal success at UT, Uconn, Baylor, Louisville, Stanford, or Notre Dame.
Frankly, I am disappointed that Fulmer has not stressed to her that she needs the best assistant coaches out there. He certainly has put no restrictions on football assistants and I think he has given Barnes the green light to hire the very best. Either Fulmer did not give her the money to hire the best or she is not seeking the best. She needs to poach assistant coaches from the best, not bring in assistants from mediocre teams. And she really needs an great offensive hire because from what I have seen, offense is a weakness.