Steele and current thinking

[DonDiego]

I'm not a smart man. God didn't bless me with good looks or a fully functional brain, but if somebody on this forum can explain to me why a new coach, with a reputation for offensive genius, would send packing a defensive guru, working on the cheap, with ties like crazy to the recruiting target market, I'd just love to hear your theory. For G_d's sake, he may have at least saved some of this class. He was bought and paid for and he is considered one of the best DC's and one of the best recruiters in the conference ---and we're paying him to go away. Strike one for me with Heupel.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Yeah I definitely don’t like this move. But I wonder if it’s more Steele than Heupel. I have a feeling that Fulmer promised him things and when DW and JH came along, things changed. I don’t know that for sure. Just a guess.

Either way it’s not good.

 

[DonDiego]

Yeah I definitely don’t like this move. But I wonder if it’s more Steele than Heupel. I have a feeling that Fulmer promised him things and when DW and JH came along, things changed. I don’t know that for sure. Just a guess.

Either way it’s not good.

Promised, shmomised...he was hired without a title. We could have named him defensive recruiter/waterboy. Dude made $450 K per year for nada. He was a Vol, great recruiter, great DC...like I said, strike one.

 

[T2P_Priceless]

Promised, shmomised...he was hired without a title. We could have named him defensive recruiter/waterboy. Dude made $450 K per year for nada. He was a Vol, great recruiter, great DC...like I said, strike one.

If Heupel wants him but he doesn’t want to stay because he expected to take over then how is that a strike on Heupel?

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Theory 1. Steele is butthurt he's not HC and doesn't want to stay and won't stay even if they want him.

Theory 2. White and Heupel want every last vestige of the Fulmer era removed from the program at any cost.

I believe it's theory 1 and shrug, what can you do? This is the second HC job Steele has had kind of pulled out from under him recently. I get it. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride..... is disappointing.

If it's theory 2, I'm not "inside" to know how much Fulmer meddled, might meddle, and/or might still be the "elephant" in the room for Heupel. Painful as hell for everyone, but we've got to have a new beginning.

 

[goldenvol]

Theory 1. Steele is butthurt he's not HC and doesn't want to stay and won't stay even if they want him.

Theory 2. White and Heupel want every last vestige of the Fulmer era removed from the program at any cost.

I believe it's theory 1 and shrug, what can you do? This is the second HC job Steele has had kind of pulled out from under him recently. I get it. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride..... is disappointing.

If it's theory 2, I'm not "inside" to know how much Fulmer meddled, might meddle, and/or might still be the "elephant" in the room for Heupel. Painful as hell for everyone, but we've got to have a new beginning.

Theory 3: Steele had some dealings to try and get Malhzan pushed out the door at Auburn thinking he would get the job. Heupel doesn't want any part of someone that isnt loyal to him.

 

[Titan&Volfan4life]

We're all guessing so my guess is that Steele thought he would be the next HC or at least interim with a good shot at HC with Filmer as our AD.

Pruitt and Fulmer were both shown the door and our new AD passes on Steel as HC, which he should have done, and Steel is pissed and just wants his $$$ so he can go see what else he can get into.

I believe that our AD and new HC are both too smart to not even talk to Steel to try to see if he would be a good fit as our DC.

I think this is all 100% Steele wanting to go away with his pockets full of our $$$.

VFL...GBO!!!

 

[DonDiego]

If Heupel wants him but he doesn’t want to stay because he expected to take over then how is that a strike on Heupel?

Because we could have named him waterboy in that case, and if he didn't like it, no freaking buyout. Tired of being screwed, but I suspect it wasn't the case of Steele not wanting to stay. Heupel, being very defensively wanting, had better knock it out of the park with his DC appointment after this.

 

[ThreatLevelOrange]

I'm not a smart man. God didn't bless me with good looks or a fully functional brain, but if somebody on this forum can explain to me why a new coach, with a reputation for offensive genius, would send packing a defensive guru, working on the cheap, with ties like crazy to the recruiting target market, I'd just love to hear your theory. For G_d's sake, he may have at least saved some of this class. He was bought and paid for and he is considered one of the best DC's and one of the best recruiters in the conference ---and we're paying him to go away. Strike one for me with Heupel.

Steele stabbed Gus in the back and lobbied for the HC job. I dunnno....maybe that leads to a little tension.

Granted, Steele is a good defensive mind and is known as a recruiter. But I wouldn’t keep just because you’re worried about the money. That’s the same reason people said we had to keep Pruitt. The boosters will write this check too.

 

[JCHateSteve]

Does Steele carry around the knife he tried to stab Gus in the back with, at Auburn? Because that would make me nervous.

 

[DonDiego]

We're all guessing so my guess is that Steele thought he would be the next HC or at least interim with a good shot at HC with Filmer as our AD.

Pruitt and Fulmer were both shown the door and our new AD passes on Steel as HC, which he should have done, and Steel is pissed and just wants his $$$ so he can go see what else he can get into.

I believe that our AD and new HC are both too smart to not even talk to Steel to try to see if he would be a good fit as our DC.

I think this is all 100% Steele wanting to go away with his pockets full of our $$$.

VFL...GBO!!!

Steele doesn't get his money because he's pissed. I've been pissed before ---and didn't get a penny. He got his money because someone (always) at UT is stupid. He got hired with no title. He can't walk away with a buyout because he's pissed. I can find him something to do.

 

[thistime]

I can understand why people wanted Steele but there are better options. His total defense at Auburn was not in the top 50 in the nation so the fact that he is the best is not true, good but not best. The need to be able to recruit in the a south is not true either. We need someone with connections everywhere. Our best defensive player was from California this last year and with every other coach in the SEC using our predicament against use we are going to have to recruit everywhere more so now more than ever. I think the Administration and some boosters will never admit it but I think they wanted everyone from the last regime gone. Fulmer and Steele were just to close, also Steele was a finalist when he hired Pruitt so you got that as well.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Steele doesn't get his money because he's pissed. I've been pissed before ---and didn't get a penny. He got his money because someone (always) at UT is stupid. He got hired with no title. He can't walk away with a buyout because he's pissed. I can find him something to do.

Pin that money DIRECTLY on Phil Fulmer.

I don't recall seeing his contract here so I'm unsure if he technically had a title. I KNOW they announced him as "interim head coach" at Fulmer's last press conference, so that WAS his official title. Perhaps his contract was written such that he had the option to walk if a coach was hired. Someone more able than me to negotiate the Athletic Dept website might dig up his contract and look at the terms.

 

[VolMarine1371]

I'm not a smart man. God didn't bless me with good looks or a fully functional brain, but if somebody on this forum can explain to me why a new coach, with a reputation for offensive genius, would send packing a defensive guru, working on the cheap, with ties like crazy to the recruiting target market, I'd just love to hear your theory. For G_d's sake, he may have at least saved some of this class. He was bought and paid for and he is considered one of the best DC's and one of the best recruiters in the conference ---and we're paying him to go away. Strike one for me with Heupel.

Remember the last defenseivr Guru we had? He is now looking at a show cause and coaching for the Giants in the NFL. How did that work out for UT and the defense.

 

[chef3531]

Steele doesn't get his money because he's pissed. I've been pissed before ---and didn't get a penny. He got his money because someone (always) at UT is stupid. He got hired with no title. He can't walk away with a buyout because he's pissed. I can find him something to do.

Unless you work for the university you aren't going to find anything for him to do. You're going to air your grievances on this forum, and that's the extent of it. Why don't you ask Steele why he isn't staying?

 

[DonDiego]

Pin that money DIRECTLY on Phil Fulmer.

I don't recall seeing his contract here so I'm unsure if he technically had a title. I KNOW they announced him as "interim head coach" at Fulmer's last press conference, so that WAS his official title. Perhaps his contract was written such that he had the option to walk if a coach was hired. Someone more able than me to negotiate the Athletic Dept website might dig up his contract and look at the terms.

Who writes a freaking two year contract for an interim coach with no title...lol? It was clear, he was hired as a defensive coach, with no specific title/duties. With Heupel's OBVIOUS defensive shortcomings, why in the crap would he not leverage the guy we had on staff? Top SEC recruiter, top national DC, VFL, already paid for by Aubie and us? Like I said, dude needs to knock it out of the park with DC coordinator. I'll be shocked if he does better. If Steele didn't want to stay, why are we paying his azz?

 

[TennesseeStudVOL]

Steele sucks....sucked when he was here before...not sure y folk can't remember this...I must be the only old guy here....GBO!!!!

 

[DonDiego]

Unless you work for the university you aren't going to find anything for him to do. You're going to air your grievances on this forum, and that's the extent of it. Why don't you ask Steele why he isn't staying?

I shouldn't have to. No way in his contract he could quit and still get his money. Obviously, he was 'let go'.

 

[livefaith]

Promised, shmomised...he was hired without a title. We could have named him defensive recruiter/waterboy. Dude made $450 K per year for nada. He was a Vol, great recruiter, great DC...like I said, strike one.

Wasn't Steele hired by Pruitt? Wouldn't it be a lot more wise to say "Heupel knows every single quality of Steele 10x better than we do. If he thinks he has a better plan than the fans, then could it be"? or "Does KS and JH possibly have a different defensive philosophy that may flare up later when things get tough" or "Maybe KS hit on JH's wife last year at the coaches ball, and the two have been at war since."?

I mean all your point has a certain validity, but the unknowns far outweigh them.

 

[DonDiego]

Wasn't Steele hired by Pruitt? Wouldn't it be a lot more wise to say "Heupel knows every single quality of Steele 10x better than we do. If he thinks he has a better plan than the fans, then could it be"? or "Does KS and JH possibly have a different defensive philosophy that may flare up later when things get tough" or "Maybe KS hit on JH's wife last year at the coaches ball, and the two have been at war since."?

I mean all your point has a certain validity, but the unknowns far outweigh them.

If KS hit on JH's wife (and I'm not validating this one way or the other, although she is pretty cute), UT shouldn't have to swallow this. That being said, JH's defenses have been pretty...umm receptive..in the past. Steele, who we continue to pay, has on the other hand, had incredible defenses.

 

[VolArmy74]

His total D ranking in the SEC the last 5 years at LSU/Auburn has been 5th, 5th, 7th, 7th, 6th. He's basically been upper mid-pack in the league. Oddly, Kentucky and Miss State often show up in front of them with way less talent. He also finished behind Tennessee in conference in total D one of the years.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Who writes a freaking two year contract for an interim coach with no title...lol? It was clear, he was hired as a defensive coach, with no specific title/duties. With Heupel's OBVIOUS defensive shortcomings, why in the crap would he not leverage the guy we had on staff? Top SEC recruiter, top national DC, VFL, already paid for by Aubie and us? Like I said, dude needs to knock it out of the park with DC coordinator. I'll be shocked if he does better. If Steele didn't want to stay, why are we paying his azz?

Again, Fulmer hired Steele knowing Pruitt is heading out the door and likely HOPING Steele would get at least a season of interim HC. At this point, I suspect this was Fulmer's "last shot" to maintain a finger in the coaching pie.

It didn't work. At some point, you cut your losses, even with a UT legend and his hires. Sure, Steele would at least be a stop-gap DC but I'm assuming the baggage....... whatever it is...... is just not worth the money.

Again, $900k is a lot of money to me but the football program just allotted our new coach $35k to move. It's only money.

 

[DonDiego]

Again, Fulmer hired Steele knowing Pruitt is heading out the door and likely HOPING Steele would get at least a season of interim HC. At this point, I suspect this was Fulmer's "last shot" to maintain a finger in the coaching pie.

It didn't work. At some point, you cut your losses, even with a UT legend and his hires. Sure, Steele would at least be a stop-gap DC but I'm assuming the baggage....... whatever it is...... is just not worth the money.

Again, $900k is a lot of money to me but the football program just allotted our new coach $35k to move. It's only money.

Well, let's just see who he replaces the guy who had one of the best resumes and reputations in the SEC for recruiting and coaching. If it's someone better, I'll cheer louder than most, but let's don't forget we're still paying this guy either way.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Well, let's just see who he replaces the guy who had one of the best resumes and reputations in the SEC for recruiting and coaching. If it's someone better, I'll cheer louder than most, but let's don't forget we're still paying this guy either way.

Agreed that the situation sucks but there were issues with the Steele hire. I'd advise watching where Steele goes from here because that will give a hint about his reputation NOW in the SEC.

As for a DC, I'm hoping they are really going hard. Perhaps they're going to try to pry Chris Ash from Urban Meyer. Ash is, to me, a sleeper to be a big-time HC one day either in college or the NFL.

 

[TGVol]

This is the second HC job Steele has had kind of pulled out from under him recently. I get it. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride..... is disappointing.

Baylor fans certainly remember when Steele was their ugly bride HC from 1999-2002, where he posted 9-36 W-L record (1-31 W-L within Big 12 ).
On the other hand he has proven to be a very good DC and would have been nice if we kept him in that role. But no point in crying over that now - time to move on.