Head Coach Candidates?

[Lefty]

Just goes to show how weak the media is in AZ, they can never press the issue. Erickson's recruiting class this year is among the top 25 in the country, and if ASU wants to maintain that, they need to hire a well known coach. UofA's hire of RR puts a lot of pressure on ASU to make a big move, and there is a lot going on behind the scenes right now, so it will be interesting to see what direction they go in...

Read this.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/asu/articles/2011/11/22/20111122asu-lisa-love-pressure-big-hire.html

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I don't think UCLA will fire Slick Rick at this point. Earlier in the season it looked like a sure deal, but now he's got his team in position to play for a chance at the Conference Title. Its been slower going there than there fans would've liked, but they seem to be trending in the right direction.

Insert ASU for UCLA and Erickson for Slick Rick and you could technically make the same argument.

If I was ASU I'd target Sumlin then Bellotti. After that it's probably English who is far from a sure thing but knows the ropes which is an underrated asset at any job. But if those guys fall through and some don't see English as worthy then you guys might want to consult the man upstairs. Names like Pflugrad don't have any clout. Leach might be borderline insane to the point where no AD will hitch to his wagon. Coordinators are always a crapshoot as well and none of the ones rumored for HC jobs have West Coast ties. Either way they gotta move in one way or the other and soon.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Insert ASU for UCLA and Erickson for Slick Rick and you could technically make the same argument.

If I was ASU I'd target Sumlin then Bellotti. After that it's probably English who is far from a sure thing but knows the ropes which is an underrated asset at any job. But if those guys fall through and some don't see English as worthy then you guys might want to consult the man upstairs. Names like Pflugrad don't have any clout. Leach might be borderline insane to the point where no AD will hitch to his wagon. Coordinators are always a crapshoot as well and none of the ones rumored for HC jobs have West Coast ties. Either way they gotta move in one way or the other and soon.

Was just talking about it with one of my friends, and at this point if we can't get Sumlin, I'd like to get Leach. Sure, he had some minor issues at TT, but it's also possible that some of that stuff was political with Craig James. It may seem like a monkey see, monkey do move, but who cares if he wins?

 

[Lefty]

I think the only way a school will hire Leach is if he drops his lawsuit.

 

[Absolute Zero]

I want Kevin Sumlin to be our coach. If he comes to ASU then maybe he can bring Jim Jeffcoat in to be our d-line coach or d coordinator. They worked together at Houston for a couple of years.

That would be awesome! Do you think Sumlin is ready to move on from Houston? It seems like it would take a real agressive effort to get him out of there.

 

[AsUpRoDiGy]

Read this.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/asu/articles/2011/11/22/20111122asu-lisa-love-pressure-big-hire.html

See, I can read peoples minds

 

[azsportsfan01]

That would be awesome! Do you think Sumlin is ready to move on from Houston? It seems like it would take a real agressive effort to get him out of there.

I think he is leaving after this season. He has the most value he may ever have. Case Keenum is graduating so there is nowhere else to go but down at Houston. ASU is going to need to pony up some cash to get him since he will probably one of the most sought after guys this season.

 

[HooverDam]

I think that DE will be gone, but not until after the Cal game. .

Indeed thats the case. In fact an email I recieved from ASU's Athletic Department (after sending them a "Fire Erickson Please" email) said as much:

"We will be making the best decision for the long term success of the football program at the end of the season. Take care"

 

[Diamondback Jay]

I think he is leaving after this season. He has the most value he may ever have. Case Keenum is graduating so there is nowhere else to go but down at Houston. ASU is going to need to pony up some cash to get him since he will probably one of the most sought after guys this season.

I don't know, color me crazy but with Houston joining the Big East and being in an AQ conference, Sumlin may want to ride out his horses where he's at.

Regarding Keenum, keep in mind that his development under Sumlin (even though he was an Art Briles recruit) can be a chip for him to recruit future QBs to town and with that BCS potential carrot in the Big East dangling out there, it won't be as tough of a sell as it is now.

He'd be as solid as it gets when it comes to splash hires, but I really wonder whether he's ready to jump.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

For the record, my top 3 wish list is (in no particular order):

1) Larry Fedora
2) Troy Calhoun
3) Kevin Sumlin

 

[azsportsfan01]

I don't know, color me crazy but with Houston joining the Big East and being in an AQ conference, Sumlin may want to ride out his horses where he's at.

Regarding Keenum, keep in mind that his development under Sumlin (even though he was an Art Briles recruit) can be a chip for him to recruit future QBs to town and with that BCS potential carrot in the Big East dangling out there, it won't be as tough of a sell as it is now.

He'd be as solid as it gets when it comes to splash hires, but I really wonder whether he's ready to jump.

Big East is on the verge of collapse. Jon Wilner who is at the San Jose Mercury has been updating all the conference craziness that has gone on in college these past few years. He had this to say this morning:

wilnerhotline Jon Wilner
Also told that ADs from FBS schools believe Rutgers & UConn could head to ACC and BE would cease to exist as fball conf

wilnerhotline Jon Wilner
Source: "The ACC will go to 16.''

The Big East as it is is close to losing it's AQ status so Houston isn't in the best of positions right now. As I said earlier, if Sumlin wants to jump now is the time to do it.

Oh and I agree completely on Keenum. He will only help bring guys in.

 

[Gaddabout]

Everything I've been told says ASU will have plenty of money to make a move. Sumlin is on everyone's lips, and I keep cringing. That would be a disappointing hire to me. Different coach, same story.

I'm doing my best to inject Paul Chryst into every conversation.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Different coach, same story.

What makes you say this?

 

[Absolute Zero]

Indeed thats the case. In fact an email I recieved from ASU's Athletic Department (after sending them a "Fire Erickson Please" email) said as much:

"We will be making the best decision for the long term success of the football program at the end of the season. Take care"

Please post the aforesaid email address so that we can all tell them who to hire!

 

[Gaddabout]

What makes you say this?

Kevin Sumlin is an offensive coordinator operating as HC. If you're good, and Sumlin is, and you know how to recruit, and that staff does in Houston, that kind of imbalance works great in the mid-majors. Who in the ConUSA is going to be able to cover the kind of ridiculous speed they have at WR and RB? I've seen this story before: Mouse Davis, June Jones, Steve Kragthorpe, Hal Mumme, Rick Neuheisel, every coach who ever left Boise State. I could go on here because this list goes back to the very beginnings of the rise of the mid-majors around the time ESPN launched and started throwing money at them.

For every Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier, there's 10 guys like the guys above. And they ALL start out with a Golden Boy, "Next Great Thing" tag.

Sumlin may end up being Meyer and Spurrier, but most of the people who are for him only see what's on the surface and have no way of knowing he has that special something.

Think about this, though. Baylor's Art Briles is the real architect of the Houston resurrection and the one who recruited Case Keenum. With Keenum out last year, Houston went 5-7 in the ConUSA. It was the only time Sumlin has been without Keenum in his short time as head coach. That should raise red flags for all the Sumlin fans.

I'm not really against the guy, though. I'm just very, very tepid. Head coaches who choose to remain holistically plugged-in to one side of the ball make me feel that way. I see a small handful of other guys who look like they have more of the HC CEO material I think the best coaches really are, but none of them are at the points in their career that I think ASU will choose them, because so much importance is going to be placed on winning the press conference.

It just feels like a bad year to be replacing a head coach. Someone will end up being a winner, but even as much as I follow coaches, seeing who that will be is not very clear to me.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Kevin Sumlin is an offensive coordinator operating as HC. If you're good, and Sumlin is, and you know how to recruit, and that staff does in Houston, that kind of imbalance works great in the mid-majors. Who in the ConUSA is going to be able to cover the kind of ridiculous speed they have at WR and RB? I've seen this story before: Mouse Davis, June Jones, Steve Kragthorpe, Hal Mumme, Rick Neuheisel, every coach who ever left Boise State. I could go on here because this list goes back to the very beginnings of the rise of the mid-majors around the time ESPN launched and started throwing money at them.

For every Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier, there's 10 guys like the guys above. And they ALL start out with a Golden Boy, "Next Great Thing" tag.

Sumlin may end up being Meyer and Spurrier, but most of the people who are for him only see what's on the surface and have no way of knowing he has that special something.

Think about this, though. Baylor's Art Briles is the real architect of the Houston resurrection and the one who recruited Case Keenum. With Keenum out last year, Houston went 5-7 in the ConUSA. It was the only time Sumlin has been without Keenum in his short time as head coach. That should raise red flags for all the Sumlin fans.

I'm not really against the guy, though. I'm just very, very tepid. Head coaches who choose to remain holistically plugged-in to one side of the ball make me feel that way. I see a small handful of other guys who look like they have more of the HC CEO material I think the best coaches really are, but none of them are at the points in their career that I think ASU will choose them, because so much importance is going to be placed on winning the press conference.

It just feels like a bad year to be replacing a head coach. Someone will end up being a winner, but even as much as I follow coaches, seeing who that will be is not very clear to me.

Thanks, interesting perspective. Rationale with Chryst? Thoughts on Leach?

 

[Arizona's Finest]

ASU is screwed.

Never before has the gap at every prominent positon (AD, Bball HC, and Football HC)in a Athletic Department been so pronounced between the two schools. I was concerned RichRod was going to end up at ASU but I am sure glad we struck first.

The irony is as big of a chasm as there is between Sean Miller and Herb Sendek, there maybe an even bigger one between Greg Byrne and Lisa Love. And I am not sure there is a hire out there that can close that gap.

I would make the argument Arizona has the best young AD and best young basketball coach in the NATION.

Rich Rod (at 48) and anything he does is just icing on the cake and to me he was the perfect hire for our program.

Good luck ASU but I am guessing last Saturdays game was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of problems for you and the fan base.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

ASU is screwed.

Never before has the gap at every prominent positon in a Athletic Department been so pronounced at either school. I was concerned RIchRod was going to end up at ASU but I am sure glad we struck first.

The irony is as big of a chasm as there is between Sean Miller and Herb Sendek, there maybe an even bigger one between Greg Byrne and Lisa Love. And I am not sure there is a hire out there that can close that gap.

I would make the argument Arizona has the best young AD and best young basketball coach in the NATION.

Rich Rod (at 48) and anything he does is just icing on the cake and to me he was the perfect hire for our program.

Good luck ASU but I am guessing last Saturdays game was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of problems for you and the fan base.

Boring. Wouldn't your time be better spend emailing back and forth with your AD?

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Boring. Wouldn't your time be better spend emailing back and forth with your AD?

Truth hurts bud. Trust me it would be eating me up inside if the roles were reversed. I can't believe we are a missed extra point from being 4-0 the last 4 years against you guys in football.

Dennis Erickson should have been canned a while ago IMO.

 

[Tyler]

Truth hurts bud. Trust me it would be eating me up inside if the roles were reversed. I can't believe we are a missed extra point from being 4-0 the last 4 years against you guys in football.

Dennis Erickson should have been canned a while ago IMO.

Your excited over a coach that led Michigan to its first losing season in how long? Enjoy RR, while he may end up being good it looks like a panic move. THe only other school looking at him was Tulane. Good steal Cats!!

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Here's an outside the box question.

Quite a few people are mentioning Sumlin as a candidate, myself included... However, here's another name relative to Sumlin who Id really not be opposed to seeing ASU go after; in fact I would be strongly in favor of it.. This also would constitute as a big splash..

What about Art Briles?

Sure, at 56 he's not exactly "young" but whose to say he's not good for a 10-12 year run? All the guy has done is win and recruit big at tough jobs. He's turned Baylor from Big 12 doormat to Top 25 and is as much responsible for Houston's success as Sumlin.

His offense is the high octane and explosive one many seem to want in Tempe. Also, by all accounts he's shown interest in the Ole Miss job, and one can't help but think ASU at worst isn't at least on the same level of prestige and may be an easier sell than Mississippi, whose Conference DIVISION is a murderers row of powerhouses.

To me, at WORST he's worth considering.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Your excited over a coach that led Michigan to its first losing season in how long? Enjoy RR, while he may end up being good it looks like a panic move. THe only other school looking at him was Tulane. Good steal Cats!!

By no means am I defending U of A here, but Rodriguez was an extremely good hire and will do good things there.

To me, the Michigan- Rodriguez hire was a square peg, round hole hiring from the get go. A spread offense of his variety isn't built for success in a conference like the Big 10+2, which always produces teams that place heavy emphasis on defense. In the Pac 12, there isn't that heiarchy and I think you'll see productivity out of U of A sooner rather than later. Let's be honest, and I think this next hire for ASU is crucial for this very reason: the PAC 12 is wide open. USC has the sanction mess they're cleaning up, Andrew Luck will be following Jim Harbaugh out the doors of Palo Alto this winter and frankly Oregon is catchable.

I honestly think Rich Rod will prove to be the best hire Arizona has ever made in football when its all said and done. Rodriguez didn't forget how to coach in the three year period between his acrimonious departure from Morgantown and his ultimate ouster in Ann Arbor. Fact is, his coaching style and personality were poor fits for Michigan from the start.

 

[PDXChris]

Dumb question, but with the influx of money the PAC 12 is now getting, why not go after a Urban Meyer? You can afford it now and the hiring would cause enough of a buzz to increase revenues, not to mention a untapped recruiting potential of the South East. For Meyer, a weak PAC 12 South would make him a instant winner.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Dumb question, but with the influx of money the PAC 12 is now getting, why not go after a Urban Meyer? You can afford it now and the hiring would cause enough of a buzz to increase revenues, not to mention a untapped recruiting potential of the South East. For Meyer, a weak PAC 12 South would make him a instant winner.

With Ohio State interested (a job Meyer has called his "dream job," quite frequently), ASU has no chance of getting him.

 

[Mathew81]

Urban Meyer and OSU are just waiting for the ink to dry on the paperwork. We couldn't afford him anyway, even with the new TV deal.

As for Briles, I've read that his buyout is HUGE and will probably prevent him from leaving.