HC Candidates

[noeynox]

Wow, I think I played against Patrick Graham. If the same guy, he and his brother played for Crosby. Damn, I feel like a loser. Had no idea he was in anyway associated with the nfl.

 

[whaler11]

Possibly. I didn't say he would knock down Warde's door when the job is open. I just said that I would hope that he would be interviewed. Or at least, contacted to see if he would be interested. If not, we move down the list. I just don't want to start contacting candidates further down "the list" because we are devaluing our own product.

I've got a lot of guys on my list before I get to Mangini.

 

[UConnDan97]

In no particular order:

Petrino
Bellotti
Fulmer

Each comes with an issue; Petrino with probable character issues, and Bellotti / Fulmer are both 63 years old. But I'm confident that each of those individuals could transform this program in the 3 to 5 years that they would be here. They would also act as fantastic resources to pick a top-quality replacement for them.

Would it be nice to find a young coach who could turn this program around AND stay for 10-15 years? Sure it would. But there is a much greater probability that the young coach would either not turn the program around or would leave the program in 5 years anyway for a "bigger" job if he does a great job. Might as well get that 5 years with a known quantity...

 

[Dooley]

I've got a lot of guys on my list before I get to Mangini.

And sadly, neither one of our lists will be used!

 

[whaler11]

In no particular order:

Petrino
Bellotti
Fulmer

Each comes with an issue; Petrino with probable character issues, and Bellotti / Fulmer are both 63 years old. But I'm confident that each of those individuals could transform this program in the 3 to 5 years that they would be here. They would also act as fantastic resources to pick a top-quality replacement for them.

Would it be nice to find a young coach who could turn this program around AND stay for 10-15 years? Sure it would. But there is a much greater probability that the young coach would either not turn the program around or would leave the program in 5 years anyway for a "bigger" job if he does a great job. Might as well get that 5 years with a known quantity...

I am completely blown away today by how low people are willing to set their sights. Phil Fulmer? Mike Belotti?

These are painfully horrible candidates.

Who would they even hire for coordinators. The guys they play shuffleboard with?


The school hired Jim Calhoun.

Hire the best coach you can. Hope he catches lightning in a bottle and you finally get good CR news.

You have to shoot for Chris Peterson. You can not worry someone is going to leave. If they are attractive we are light years ahead of where we are now.

 

[ZooCougar]

I think the only way you look at Mangini is if he is interested. He is a big name, but I hear he is a toxic leader.

 

[UConnDan97]

I am completely blown away today by how low people are willing to set their sights. Phil Fulmer? Mike Belotti?

These are painfully horrible candidates.

Who would they even hire for coordinators. The guys they play shuffleboard with?


The school hired Jim Calhoun.

Hire the best coach you can. Hope he catches lightning in a bottle and you finally get good CR news.

You have to shoot for Chris Peterson. You can not worry someone is going to leave. If they are attractive we are light years ahead of where we are now.

You don't think that Mike Bellotti would be able to find solid coordinators? You don't think that he would be able to turn the program around, or that he wouldn't be able to recruit?!?

Stop it. You stop it right now!!! Would I like to get Peterson? Of course I would! But the man makes the same paycheck as PP does right now, and he is in a place where he is already a legend. Why would he make a lateral move to come all the way across the country and start all over again? I'm trying to think of program-changers that could be had right now, at the price that UConn is willing to pay their head coach. In other words, I'm not going to talk about Bo Pelini or Les Miles or Nick Saban, or Dabo Sweeney, etc. I'm going to talk about people that could get this ship right, and they could get it right fast...

 

[joey3$trike$]

There is a clear difference between candidates and a wish list.

Wish List:
Brady Hoke
James Franklin

Candidates:
Mario Christobol
Pat Narduzzi
TJ Weist (Edit - should have included initially)

Edit Note: Sure would love the Moderators to pin one of these threads so we don't have a new one popping up each day till PP signs his severance papers! Please, pretty please

Mario Cristobal that's an interesting hire, where is he now? He got let go from the florida school right? Wow I didn't know he left Miami for Alabama. This is the guy folks, if he doesn't mind the cold. Solid recruiter in South Florida, we play two schools there in the conference. A former O-lineman, played for the Canes, young, energetic, head coaching experience, will bring instant energy. This is the guy, bring out the band wagon.. I'm all aboard.

 

[EJHarrington]

I would like Gene Chizik. The guy won a National Championship as HC and was DC for another undefeated team. He has name recognition and is disliked enough down south that we might be able to hold on to him for awhile if he has success.

That being said, I will take anyone who can bring a high octane offense to UCONN and can stop the decrease in the number of my friends who are season ticket holders (down to me, wifey, and one other friend from a peak of 8 a few years ago).

 

[whaler11]

You don't think that Mike Bellotti would be able to find solid coordinators? You don't think that he would be able to turn the program around, or that he wouldn't be able to recruit?!?

Stop it. You stop it right now!!! Would I like to get Peterson? Of course I would! But the man makes the same paycheck as PP does right now, and he is in a place where he is already a legend. Why would he make a lateral move to come all the way across the country and start all over again? I'm trying to think of program-changers that could be had right now, at the price that UConn is willing to pay their head coach. In other words, I'm not going to talk about Bo Pelini or Les Miles or Nick Saban, or Dabo Sweeney, etc. I'm going to talk about people that could get this ship right, and they could get it right fast...

When you are 63, haven't coached in years, take over a lifeless program on the other side of the country with no natural recruiting ground.... No decent employed coordinator is signing up for that.

Belotti and Fulmer are cooked. Petrino isn't coming. Please I beg... Can we get over names and get to identifying talent?

 

[huskymedic]

Mario Cristobal that's an interesting hire, where is he now? He got let go from the florida school right?

Yup... From FIU. He's the O-Line Coach () @ Bama.

Another top notch recruiter.

 

[CTMike]

I have very little in the way of hard evidence to base it on, but I think TJ Weist has the goods to be an excellent coach. We could do way worse. That said - we need the best possible option. Personally, I believe Louisville hit it out of the park with Charlie Strong. Maybe he'll leave for greener pastures some day, but do you think any Louisville fan regrets having him right now, especially after Kragthorpe? So I don't have a name, but I hope our next hire can be our version of Strong.

 

[UConnDan97]

When you are 63, haven't coached in years, take over a lifeless program on the other side of the country with no natural recruiting ground.... No decent employed coordinator is signing up for that.

Belotti and Fulmer are cooked. Petrino isn't coming. Please I beg... Can we get over names and get to identifying talent?

You act as if they are from the Pop Warner era. They were both coaching 5 years ago. And I'm more than certain that they are well connected in the football ranks. Whether they would be able to get the assistants they wanted would probably have much more to do with what UConn was willing to pay them rather than IF they would want to work with those men again.
As for Petrino, he's probably moved around enough, but keep in mind that he would DOUBLE his WKU salary if he made PP's paycheck. That means something to some people, and Petrino strikes me as one of those people. So you can think that I haven't "identified talent" with those picks; you're entitled to that opinion. I just happen to strongly disagree...

 

[metsfan2323]

In no particular order:

Ambrose - (Calhoun got the UCONN job in part by coming into the HCC and beating UCONN)
Mangini - (kick his tires, there might be interest because it's his back yard, Mangini had more success with the Jets than Pete Caroll)
Don Brown- (a proven charismatic leader, won a national championship as a head coach, knows the players so might have quicker success, we'll always have a good defense)
Chuck Priore - (Stony Brook coach, wins wherever he goes, plays Towson in a few weeks if he wins I like him even more)
Bobby Wilder - (this guy is doing a great job at Old Dominion, he might get a lot of offers, he is a northeast guy)
Any winning coach in the MAC - (Cincy found their coaches in the MAC, why can't we)
North Dakota States coach will have interest from many teams
Joe Moorhead - (that would be so unfair to Nebrich)

 

[joey3$trike$]

Yup... From FIU. He's the O-Line Coach () @ Bama.

Another top notch recruiter.

I'm all aboard, I forgot about this guy, if he made some noise with arguably one of the worst teams in college history, give him a shot. I'm just not sure if he would come to Ct though. Bring out the bank, I'm in.

 

[Hoophound]

When you are 63, haven't coached in years, take over a lifeless program on the other side of the country with no natural recruiting ground.... No decent employed coordinator is signing up for that.

Belotti and Fulmer are cooked. Petrino isn't coming. Please I beg... Can we get over names and get to identifying talent?

I think Petrino will go wherever there is a big enough paycheck. Write the check.

If not, I actually prefer some guys that would know what they are getting into. Moorhead and Ambrose come to mind---with a big edge to Moorhead on personality. Those guys know what it's like to recruit at UConn and they will know what kind of staff they need to put together to bring in players.

 

[whaler11]

You act as if they are from the Pop Warner era. They were both coaching 5 years ago. And I'm more than certain that they are well connected in the football ranks. Whether they would be able to get the assistants they wanted would probably have much more to do with what UConn was willing to pay them rather than IF they would want to work with those men again.
As for Petrino, he's probably moved around enough, but keep in mind that he would DOUBLE his WKU salary if he made PP's paycheck. That means something to some people, and Petrino strikes me as one of those people. So you can think that I haven't "identified talent" with those picks; you're entitled to that opinion. I just happen to strongly disagree...

We are going to have to agree to disagree. You couldn't identify worse candidates that Fulmer and Belotti. How you could watch the last two seasons and think you'd want to pull a guy out of 5 years of retirement to try and revive a program with no energy. It's mind boggling.

Petrino is not going to need UConn he'll have a better job without making the stop.

Any legitimate program in the country and their fans would burn the stadium to the ground if they hired Belotti or Fulmer. Note dozens of jobs open every year and they aren't mentioned.

 

[FDNY99]

Manuel's hires at Buffalo mirror what he has done here at UCONN (counting KO). He hired Turner Gill who had experience at Nebraska, then hired current Buffalo coach Jeff Quinn who was a top 5 finalist for the Broyles Awd (given to the top college Asst coach) in 2009 while on Brian Kelly's staff at Cincinnati. Two guys with experience at two high performing BCS level schools at the time of their hire (Gill spent 1 year with the Packers between leaving Nebraska and being hired at Buffalo). Look at what he did with the hockey job...hired the top Asst who helped build one of the strongest winningest programs in the country. If I had to bet our next HC will be a OC/DC from the ACC, B1G, or SEC. Unless he tries to make that splash hire. To get the staff needed he will need to pay the OC/DC $350-$450K and Asst's $250-$300K.

 

[whaler11]

I think Petrino will go wherever there is a big enough paycheck. Write the check.

If not, I actually prefer some guys that would know what they are getting into. Moorhead and Ambrose come to mind---with a big edge to Moorhead on personality. Those guys know what it's like to recruit at UConn and they will know what kind of staff they need to put together to bring in players.

Maybe I'm not clear enough. Someone with a bigger check will be there at the same time.

The school with the bigger check will be in a P5 conference.

He's not going to be cooling his heels as WKU waiting for a 2-10 AAC team to call.

 

[joey3$trike$]

Wake up no way Petrino, richt, chiznik is coming here, time to get smart and build the smashmouth identity to this program. you say you want a sec coordinator how bout Cristobal. I think he knows how to block somebody. http://video-embed.al.com/services/...AAAAPLMIMAE~,kKetLjW2WxUgiRmvwWvrX1zHOEtf9iIT

 

[UConnDan97]

Maybe I'm not clear enough. Someone with a bigger check will be there at the same time.

The school with the bigger check will be in a P5 conference.

He's not going to be cooling his heels as WKU waiting for a 2-10 AAC team to call.

Were you saying the same thing about "someone with a bigger paycheck" when Cincinnati got Tuberville from Texas Tech??? Tuberville gets the same amount at Cincy that Kingsbury gets at TT (2.3mil.). By the way, Tuberville is only 4 years younger than Fulmer or Bellotti. HOWEVER, Cincy looks like the smartest school on the block after making that move. They destroyed Purdue, and they look like they are headed to the top of the conference again (and perhaps a bigger conference).

So age...other school's money...these aren't reasons for me to turn down highly skilled, highly respected people for the head job...

 

[UconnFamily]

I'm all aboard, I forgot about this guy, if he made some noise with arguably one of the worst teams in college history, give him a shot. I'm just not sure if he would come to Ct though. Bring out the bank, I'm in.

Money talks. I think if we "bring out the bank" as you say he would have no problem coming to CT

He coached at Rutgers from 2001-2003 so I'm sure if the money is right I don't see why he wouldn't come to Uconn

 

[Hoophound]

Petrino probably isn't getting tons of big offers after a year at WKU. Offer him 2.5-3 million and put massive incentives in the contract, including incentives for tenure.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

1 - I don't believe that we would have to break the bank to land Cristobal (who happened to have been my first choice when Edsall left).

2 - The biggest point that is being (for the most part, successfully) illustrated here is that there are more than two or three (flawed) names that could possibly be the guy to get the job (and bring us to a far higher level in football). The decision will need to be made after a far more thorough search than the last one and I personally believe that this search began about ten months ago.

3 - More to address comments on a few other threads, I believe that the decision to allow P a third year here was made after weighing the pros and cons of all options and in terms of the big picture was what those in charge felt was the better move. It is my personal opinion (nothing concrete to support this) that a major factor in the decision was that it was determined that we (the athletic department as a whole and the new leadership of the university) would be far better off waiting a year and having McHugh as an ally than firing P last December and having McHugh as an adversary. There are a number of things that we want to get done here and McHugh can lead a charge to put up a wall and prevent it or he can help rally the troops to support it.

 

[joey3$trike$]

Money talks. I think if we "bring out the bank" as you say he would have no problem coming to CT

He coached at Rutgers from 2001-2003 so I'm sure if the money is right I don't see why he wouldn't come to Uconn

Right now he seems to be my top pick, I thought maybe Locksley but I guess you can't deny 2-26. Cristobal has alot of upside, maybe they need a NE guy though. But I think Mario can bring respectability at the very least back to Uconn football. Heck there not losing to Towson with him at the helm.