Other head coach options (merged)

#1,227
#1,227
Wow. This is actually my first time being able to be somewhat of an "insider".

Spoke to a gentleman at work yesterday with VERY close knowledge of the Bob Stoops situation and pretty tied into the OU football program. "Very close knowledge" = he has Stoops' personal cell number, plays golf with the guy whenever time permits, has been to his house on numerous occasions, and I've been sitting in his office when Coach Stoops has called just to "shoot the bull". "Pretty tied in" = he also has the personal cell numbers of a couple gentlemen by the names of Tommie Harris, Jason White, and Barry Switzer, who still owes him $100 from a golf game.

That having been said, I asked him yesterday "there's people wanting Bob Stoops to replace Butch Jones at Tennessee. Since you know the man, what are the chances of that happening??". I was told with a smile "Miniscule is about right, but closer to non-existent would be better". He won't go into details, and that's none of my or anyone else's business, but I firmly believe that my guy's word is rock solid truth. Take it for what you will.
 
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#1,228
#1,228
I think Bill Battle was 28 when he fluked into the vol coaching job and proceeded to destroy the program. Butch Jones has done a great job rebuilding Vol football- he is several years ahead of where Majors was at the same time. This Year 5 stuff is complete B.S. Previous searches Charlie Strong and Muschamp declined the job. Why would a proven young coach like Justin Fuente leave VA Tech in a stable situation to migrate to the quicksand in Knoxville? Same is true for anyone else in a stable situation. A few years ago even the guy at Air Force declined to interview- Air Force!!! It is possible to pick up another hot seat guy on the rebound- Jim Mora, Brian Kelly who are "big" names. However dropping down to the Venables and Tee Martin levels seem silly to me. Support the staff we have and I believe the program is in much better long term shape than is apparent after the loss in the Swamp.
 
#1,229
#1,229
Booker512 said:
Tier 1:
Jim Bob Cooter
Bo Pelini
Dan Mullen

Tier 2:
Mike Norvell
Bryan Harsin
Jeff Scott
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Pelini is an interesting option. He's a proven winner in a tough conference (though never could really get over the hump so to speak) but has proven he can gut it out in a P5 conference.
 
#1,230
#1,230
ericberry4heisman said:
How do people have Bob Stoops so high on their wish list? I think it's pretty clear that he is not all that interested in committing full time to another program. He's a big-time proven winner, I get it. But I would have serious doubts about him being in it for the long haul and not just coming back for a nice payday.
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Because history says he would win 11 games here per season. However, I don't want Stoops as I think he has health issues.
 
#1,231
#1,231
JoAllan said:
Chip Kelly - While Franklin has no real baggage, Kelly does as we all know; however he is a very solid proven winner, and has developed players better than prob any coach (that we could possibly get). His O talent would fit well with what we have right now. Also he could prob bring in some of the best assistants of anyone. Chip would prob be as high as 9 (on the chance of obtaining him); however Tennessee would have to act before seasons end or very soon after to land him. A&M will be looking at Chip hard, and they could act before we do; however I would expect he likes our situation and our being in the east much better.

Dan Mullen - Everyone knows this choice. He is a proven winner and a good developer. The only prob is he is already in the SEC, so no one really knows his up side. would we be better......certainly, but by how much. He would have and could get more talent ( than at MSU), and he would be in the east....so those look good, but would it be enough to make us 10+ year to year?
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Kelly was the coach of the greatest flag football team in history - Oregon. The problem is flag football isn't played in the East... let alone the NCAA isn't exactly happy with him... whether he could even coach for a year or two might need to be litigated. You say he is a winner but he hasn't had a winning team since 2014. Is Uncle Rico football the kind of football you like to see? I would Chip's idea of football falls more into the realm of flag football.

Mullen is actually a SEC career loser, both at the SEC and SECW... from what I can gather he is basically last in wins in the SECW during his career. He is a solid coach but why would he want to leave unless the NCAA comes a knocking? He is making close to $5m a year and he doesn't have to win at MSU, generally. MSU fans are happy if he wins 5-8 games a year.

Mullen could make sense for a team, the problem is he is already either top 10 in salary or close to it.... he doesn't have to win where he is... so how much would he want... my guess $100m over 10 years or so.
 
#1,232
#1,232
LSU-SIU said:
Kelly was the coach of the greatest flag football team in history - Oregon. The problem is flag football isn't played in the East... let alone the NCAA isn't exactly happy with him... whether he could even coach for a year or two might need to be litigated. You say he is a winner but he hasn't had a winning team since 2014. Is Uncle Rico football the kind of football you like to see? I would Chip's idea of football falls more into the realm of flag football.

Mullen is actually a SEC career loser, both at the SEC and SECW... from what I can gather he is basically last in wins in the SECW during his career. He is a solid coach but why would he want to leave unless the NCAA comes a knocking? He is making close to $5m a year and he doesn't have to win at MSU, generally. MSU fans are happy if he wins 5-8 games a year.

Mullen could make sense for a team, the problem is he is already either top 10 in salary or close to it.... he doesn't have to win where he is... so how much would he want... my guess $100m over 10 years or so.
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Career Losers don't take Mississippi State to a #1 ranking for multiple weeks....
 
#1,233
#1,233
JMSqb11 said:
Career Losers don't take Mississippi State to a #1 ranking for multiple weeks....
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That one did, 30-35 in the SEC... I think something like 14-30 in the SECW. MSU is happy he gets 5-8 wins a year, and they pay him close to top 10 in the country. LOL They just gave him an extension for going 6-7 with losses to South Alabama at home, BYU, and Kentucky. He probably has the greatest football gig in the country, the pay him super great and he doesn't have to win. Unless the NCAA comes a knocking, which is a possibility at this stage... I would think logic is... unless someone offers him $7-10m a year... why bother. An NCAA investigation certainly could change things... which is why Chip left town.

As I discussed most of this seems unrealistic, as LSU figured out last year. There is no reason for any of these guys to even consider anything as they are getting great money... so they are in the driver's seat... not UT. Let me say this.... a school willing to go the $100-150m route for a coach that has a losing conference record... well, they are a ton more confident than I would be. Industrial size comes to mind.
 
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#1,234
#1,234
Booker512 said:
Yep. This team isn't losing because of any reason outside of Butch.

Right now Tennessee is sitting at where Florida was sitting right after Zook was fired. Packed full of players. Lacking a head coach.

Time to bring in the key stone and win some games...
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How many missed Tackles does Butch have? Interceptions? dropped passes? Fumbles? missed assignments?

Its not about the Xs and Os it is all about the Jimmy's and the Joe's!

Butch can only teach them, it is the players responsibility to execute.

I am not taking all of the responsibility off of Butch by any means but it doesn't all rest on him either. It just isn't realistic. Saban could be coaching the players for UMASS but that doesn't mean he would beat Tennessee this week.

Players win Football games! it is never as simple as a bad call, or miss used Timeouts there are 60 minutes in every game and no one second or play defines the entire game.
 
#1,235
#1,235
LSU-SIU said:
That one did, 30-35 in the SEC... I think something like 14-30 in the SECW. MSU is happy he gets 5-8 wins a year, and they pay him close to top 10 in the country. LOL They just gave him an extension for going 6-7 with losses to South Alabama at home, BYU, and Kentucky. He probably has the greatest football gig in the country, the pay him super great and he doesn't have to win. Unless the NCAA comes a knocking, which is a possibility at this stage... I would think logic is... unless someone offers him $7-10m a year... why bother. An NCAA investigation certainly could change things... which is why Chip left town.

As I discussed most of this seems unrealistic, as LSU figured out last year. There is no reason for any of these guys to even consider anything as they are getting great money... so they are in the driver's seat... not UT. Let me say this.... a school willing to go the $100-150m route for a coach that has a losing conference record... well, they are a ton more confident than I would be. Industrial size comes to mind.
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circumstance has to at least be a consideration.

could it be possible that it's that he's at MSU and in the West are more of a contributor to that record than "he's a loser coach"?

not saying i want to throw a bank vault at mullen.

but everything's relative. what they may be happy with there, could translate in to something we'd be happy with here, given the change in circumstances.
 
#1,236
#1,236
jakez4ut said:
circumstance has to at least be a consideration.

could it be possible that it's that he's at MSU and in the West are more of a contributor to that record than "he's a loser coach"?

not saying i want to throw a bank vault at mullen.

but everything's relative. what they may be happy with there, could translate in to something we'd be happy with here, given the change in circumstances.
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I think he is a solid coach, not a great recruiter. The problem is... he is already either top 10 in salary or close to it. LOL What the hell would he get paid if he actually won some games? LOL Now what could change things is the NCAA.... would he want to leave town like Chip did? MS fans are happy if he wins 5-8 games a year, they just gave him an extension on a 6-7 season. His team should be decent this year. He already has a great gig, what could change this... is the NCAA... and I do wonder if he did bolt if he was involved.

All things being equal and he can collect a check for $5m while losing or going to UT for $5-6m and having to win... what makes more sense? He is going to need massive amount of money, he is already making bank. imo
 
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#1,237
#1,237
Bob Stoops
Chip Kelly
Dan Mullen
Bobby Petrino
Scott Satterfield
Justin Fuente
Mike MacIntyre
Mike Gundy
Kyle Whittingham
Pat Fitzgerald
Hugh Freeze
Dana Holgerson
Larry Fedora
Pat Narduzzi
Rich Rodriguez
Kevin Sumlin
PJ Fleck
Troy Calhoun

The list goes on and on. Any big names I'm missing? Again, I'm not saying we should fire Butch. I'm just wondering if there's ever been a better time to be in the market for a head coach. I do think we'll have a strong season and this will be a moot point, but I'm always thinking "what if"
 
#1,242
#1,242
volfan_28 said:
Bob Stoops
Chip KellyDan Mullen
Bobby Petrino
Scott Satterfield
Justin Fuente
Mike MacIntyre
Mike Gundy
Kyle Whittingham
Pat Fitzgerald
Hugh Freeze
Dana Holgerson
Larry Fedora
Pat Narduzzi
Rich Rodriguez
Kevin Sumlin
PJ Fleck
Troy Calhoun

The list goes on and on. Any big names I'm missing? Again, I'm not saying we should fire Butch. I'm just wondering if there's ever been a better time to be in the market for a head coach. I do think we'll have a strong season and this will be a moot point, but I'm always thinking "what if"
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James Franklin and Chip Kelly are the the only legit proven coaches that I would hire, And Franklin before Kelly. I am just not sold that Kelly could win in this league, a weak SECE or not!
 
#1,244
#1,244
I was curious about Mullen's record vs east opponents and Alabama, since those are the teams we'd be playing if he coached here.

He is 14-5 against the east (73.6%) and has never beaten Alabama, going 0-8.

That puts Mullen at 14-13 (51.8%).

I'm not saying I'm for him or against him ... I'm just saying.
 
#1,245
#1,245
Maybe we as fans could maybe learn a few things. They are not of a lot of big name coaches lined up for the Tennessee job. Just look at the last three job searches. Be careful what you wish for
 
#1,246
#1,246
preacherwebb said:
I was curious about Mullen's record vs east opponents and Alabama, since those are the teams we'd be playing if he coached here.

He is 14-5 against the east (73.6%) and has never beaten Alabama, going 0-8.

That puts Mullen at 14-13 (51.8%).

I'm not saying I'm for him or against him ... I'm just saying.
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Mullen is too comfortable in Starkville, Not leaving for higher expectations unless he is a top paid Coach and he already makes like 5-6 mil a year! Not worth the risk for investment if you ask me!
 
#1,247
#1,247
Dan Mullen or Chip Kelly would be the first that we should pursue. Right now it is Butch and he has a chance to coach himself out of a job by the end of the season. He is off to a good start with Tech and Florida even though we won one of the games.
 
#1,248
#1,248
Volfan2012 said:
Dan Mullen or Chip Kelly would be the first that we should pursue. Right now it is Butch and he has a chance to coach himself out of a job by the end of the season. He is off to a good start with Tech and Florida even though we won one of the games.
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I don't feel like the Florida Loss will be a game that effects Butch losing his Job. He would have to go 5-7 to get fired this year, and they still may not show him the door. JMHO.

Coaching hasn't been that horrible, player development that is another issue!
 
#1,249
#1,249
I just hope there's some type of research/homework/interest seeking/agent phone calls going NOW. The last we need is to pull another Dave Hart and start a search AFTER we fire (which is inevitable) the current coach.
 
#1,250
#1,250
Chitlin&theDude said:
I just hope there's some type of research/homework/interest seeking/agent phone calls going NOW. The last we need is to pull another Dave Hart and start a search AFTER we fire (which is inevitable) the current coach.
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How so? I don't think it is inevitable that he gets fired this year! Maybe be next year, but it is far from inevitable at this point in the season!
 
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