OT - Jack Cochran officially out as Harding football coach

[huskymedic]

CTHSFootball3:11pm via TweetDeck
As reported by @elsctpost Jack Cochran is done as Harding football coach according to City wide AD Neal Kavey #cthsfb

http://www.ctpost.com/sports/article/Cochran-officially-out-as-Harding-football-coach-5019691.php

>>According to citywide athletic director Neal Kavey, Cochran's formal dismissal came during Monday's scheduled Board of Education meeting. Interim coach Eddie Santiago, who has been running the Presidents since Cochran abruptly left in October, was officially named the full-time head coach at the meeting.<<

 

[Oxford Bob]

Besides the grumblings of the other city schools that Jack was taking kids from those schools (i think we all expected that), the main reason for the firing I heard was the fact that the Harding AD wouldn't let the staff in the school on Sundays to prepare for the upcoming week. Jack didn't listen to the AD and went into the school on a Sunday anyways and set off the silent alarm causing the police to show up. Jack then went off on the AD and never showed up again to coach. That's the story I heard from various people around the FCIAC.

 

[huskymedic]

Besides the grumblings of the other city schools that Jack was taking kids from those schools (i think we all expected that), the main reason for the firing I heard was the fact that the Harding AD wouldn't let the staff in the school on Sundays to prepare for the upcoming week. Jack didn't listen to the AD and went into the school on a Sunday anyways and set off the silent alarm causing the police to show up. Jack then went off on the AD and never showed up again to coach. That's the story I heard from various people around the FCIAC.

If true it's a shame. JC has a sharp football mind, and can motivate the heck out of kids and instill pride in the kids they've never had. He just doesn't seem to be able to follow the rules as laid out.

 

[Jimdish255]

Too bad if it's true. I guess they just weren't as committed as they thought they were to winning. Certainly not as much as he was when they hired him. What did they expect they were getting?

 

[UConnDan97]

I'm a selfish bastard, because all I could think about when reading this thread was, "I hope this doesn't f#$k with Casey's head for the Rutgers game"...

 

[Bootsthemonkey]

Cochran left Harding on a leave of absence in early October. His official dismissal could be at his request or at his inability to return. There is nothing out about him having an inability to follow rules at Harding. This may be purely coincidental but his original leave of absence came right around the time PP was fired and his official dismissal seems to come right around the time his son is getting a decent lock on the QB spot. Strange timing.

 

[UConn07]

The more I read about Jack Cochran and the more I know about him, the more I want him involved in some capacity with the UCONN football program, beyond just his son at QB. All the sanctions and running up the score 'rules' that came out is all because people in CT can't handle losing by a bunch of TD's. You know what that means? He can recruit, he motivates and his teams win. All 3 things UCONN needs. I'm not talking head coach, but I'm saying get him into the football facility on a daily basis. No brainer.

 

[Bootsthemonkey]

The running up of the scores was only the most public of the issues. There was much more than that ruffling feathers. I can't say if the accusations were all justified but the scores were not what was getting under people's skin.

 

[Bootsthemonkey]

And I'm neutral on the issue. Just saying I know several coaches. Heard and read a lot. A lot of people hate him. A lot stand behind him. I'm neutral.

 

[Jimdish255]

Casey seems to have turned out OK.

 

[whaler11]

Yeah a guy who has had to leave 5 high school jobs is going to be able to work within the constraints of the NCAA.

The guy is straight up poison - that people still can't get this is almost funny at this point.

Oh it's a no brainer. Literally you would need to have no brain to make that decision.

 

[Bonehead]

The more I read about Jack Cochran and the more I know about him, the more I want him involved in some capacity with the UCONN football program, beyond just his son at QB. All the sanctions and running up the score 'rules' that came out is all because people in CT can't handle losing by a bunch of TD's. You know what that means? He can recruit, he motivates and his teams win. All 3 things UCONN needs. I'm not talking head coach, but I'm saying get him into the football facility on a daily basis. No brainer.

NO- never. Allegations are allegations and when there is smoke usually fire. Agreed best HS coach in CT and the worst of the rule breakers. Whether they are all true or not way too many negative allegations. The NCAA would open a satellite office to investigate all the complaints. Stealing both equipment and kids - from districts. Possible steroids allegations in Bloomfield. Not following state issued practice rules. I could go on. Jack marches to the beat of his own drum - that doesn't work in college or pro's - have to follow rule and procedures - that's is NOT Jacks strength.

I sit near someone who is from NB at the games - claimed a month ago a health thing with him but doesn't seem that was/is issue

 

[huskymedic]

The more I read about Jack Cochran and the more I know about him, the more I want him involved in some capacity with the UCONN football program, beyond just his son at QB. All the sanctions and running up the score 'rules' that came out is all because people in CT can't handle losing by a bunch of TD's. You know what that means? He can recruit, he motivates and his teams win. All 3 things UCONN needs. I'm not talking head coach, but I'm saying get him into the football facility on a daily basis. No brainer.

No Brainer?? You must not have read enough. Do some more research...

 

[gars44]

NO- never. Allegations are allegations and when there is smoke usually fire. Agreed best HS coach in CT and the worst of the rule breakers. Whether they are all true or not way too many negative allegations. The NCAA would open a satellite office to investigate all the complaints. Stealing both equipment and kids - from districts. Possible steroids allegations in Bloomfield. Not following state issued practice rules. I could go on. Jack marches to the beat of his own drum - that doesn't work in college or pro's - have to follow rule and procedures - that's is NOT Jacks strength.

I sit near someone who is from NB at the games - claimed a month ago a health thing with him but doesn't seem that was/is issue

If the rule breaking was going into the school on a Sunday to prepare, then it's a stupid rule, and a lot of rules are stupid. These bureauocrats ruin everything with their fascination with rules. Jack is a motivator and a winner. I understand what an easy target he is. But folks, what we're doin' right now ain't workin'. Just ain't not. This program is about a pint of blood away from flat lining. Boise State, Louisville, and earlier, Miami, and Freeshoes U, didn't knock down that door by ringing the doorbell - that's following the "rules." Politely wait for them to answer the door. No, they busted down the door with a sledgehammer and entered. Breaking and entering. Most of the SEC, the biggest, baddest football conference, doesn't follow the rules. Most respected conference, most profitable, head and shoulders above the rest. They don't follow the rules, and no one gives a damn. So give it a break about Cochran. This whole program is going to turn into mush unless someone like Cochran comes in to run it. In fact, Cochran is a small time rule breaker next to what we need. We need a Jim Calhoun in here. There's a guy who knew how to succeed. Hall of Fame rule breaker. You don't want that? Then you don't want this program to survive.

 

[uconnfan68]

If the rule breaking was going into the school on a Sunday to prepare, then it's a stupid rule, and a lot of rules are stupid. These bureauocrats ruin everything with their fascination with rules. Jack is a motivator and a winner. I understand what an easy target he is. But folks, what we're doin' right now ain't workin'. Just ain't not. This program is about a pint of blood away from flat lining. Boise State, Louisville, and earlier, Miami, and Freeshoes U, didn't knock down that door by ringing the doorbell - that's following the "rules." Politely wait for them to answer the door. No, they busted down the door with a sledgehammer and entered. Breaking and entering. Most of the SEC, the biggest, baddest football conference, doesn't follow the rules. Most respected conference, most profitable, head and shoulders above the rest. They don't follow the rules, and no one gives a damn. So give it a break about Cochran. This whole program is going to turn into mush unless someone like Cochran comes in to run it. In fact, Cochran is a small time rule breaker next to what we need. We need a Jim Calhoun in here. There's a guy who knew how to succeed. Hall of Fame rule breaker. You don't want that? Then you don't want this program to survive.

Calhoun was a Hall of Fame rule breaker? With friends like you no wonder our enemies are winning. Calhoun had a soft spot for troubled kids, and helped a lot of them. Some of them were beyond reaching. Not his fault.

 

[John]

Calhoun was a Hall of Fame rule breaker? With friends like you no wonder our enemies are winning. Calhoun had a soft spot for troubled kids, and helped a lot of them. Some of them were beyond reaching. Not his fault.

Calhoun knew what the rules were and went within a hair's bredth of violating them. That's what you need in a coach, someone who will go right to the edge but not go over.

 

[FAIRTIDES]

Calhoun was a Hall of Fame rule breaker? With friends like you no wonder our enemies are winning. Calhoun had a soft spot for troubled kids, and helped a lot of them. Some of them were beyond reaching. Not his fault.

I've said this before. If JC had been breaking rules, prior to Miles, the media would have caught it. If he had been a serial rule breaker, JC and his assistants would not have stupidly used phones that allowed media access to call records. There hasn't been a New England sports figure hated as much by the media since Ted Williams. There's probably not a nook, cranny or orifice that wasn't subject to some "investigative" journalist trying to earn a Pulitzer on the back of JC and UCONN BB. Miles is on JC. The portion of APR that misses Hathaway is, as well. If there were anything else, the Headlines would have been "VE DAY" big.

 

[whaler11]

I think people are missing what following rules gets at. JC can't follow the rules of his employers to the point where every stop has gotten shorter.

If you can't stay in an employer's good graces with his success - how would he handle the structure of FBS level football at a state university?

At New Britain he all but went AWOL on his teaching position - but he's going to comply with being a state employee and what being compliant with the NCAA requires?

Is it stupid he couldn't get in the school on Sunday? Of course it is - but when the athletic director says no to a coach and he willfully ignores instructions what other outcomes can exist?

With all his success on the field and all the good things he's done getting kids through school he still hasn't gotten college opportunities for a reason.

 

[noeynox]

At UConn? No way. At CCSU, he may be a smashing success. Love him or hate him, the man can coach football. I know people that coached with the man and played under him. They tell you he is a genius, and no one cares more for the kids. I don't know if he has matured since then, but they also said he might be embarras himself at a banquet or two. If I was CCSU, I would strongly consider trying to catch lightning in a bottle.

 

[gars44]

Calhoun was a Hall of Fame rule breaker? With friends like you no wonder our enemies are winning. Calhoun had a soft spot for troubled kids, and helped a lot of them. Some of them were beyond reaching. Not his fault.

I know most everyone here thinks that JC never broke any rules. I get that. Step out of the clubhouse for a minute. Talk to the rest of the world. Everyone else considers it a given.

 

[gars44]

Calhoun was a Hall of Fame rule breaker? With friends like you no wonder our enemies are winning. Calhoun had a soft spot for troubled kids, and helped a lot of them. Some of them were beyond reaching. Not his fault.

And furthermore, what are you talking about "With friends like you no wonder our enemies are winning." Can you explain that one to me? Who are these "enemies" and what are they winning? Sounds pretty paranoid to me. Let's take care of our own house and not worry about imagined "enemies." Weird.

 

[gars44]

Calhoun knew what the rules were and went within a hair's bredth of violating them. That's what you need in a coach, someone who will go right to the edge but not go over.

That's certainly the company line.

 

[gars44]

I think people are missing what following rules gets at. JC can't follow the rules of his employers to the point where every stop has gotten shorter.

If you can't stay in an employer's good graces with his success - how would he handle the structure of FBS level football at a state university?

At New Britain he all but went AWOL on his teaching position - but he's going to comply with being a state employee and what being compliant with the NCAA requires?

Is it stupid he couldn't get in the school on Sunday? Of course it is - but when the athletic director says no to a coach and he willfully ignores instructions what other outcomes can exist?

With all his success on the field and all the good things he's done getting kids through school he still hasn't gotten college opportunities for a reason.

Whaler, I totally agree. Moving past the Jack Cochran issue specifically, this program and this administration needs a dramatic reversal in attitude if it has any hope of rising out of this quicksand we're stuck in. Dramatic in the sense of people who are willing to risk investigation and possible sanctions, like Louisville, Boise State, Florida State, da U, and a lot of other places who wanted to get ahead and weren't going to take no for an answer. Because there is not a chance that this program, in this state, in this region of the country, in this conference, is ever going to be able to recruit the kind of athletes we need to become relevant nationally playing within the rules. I'm not saying that we go out and get the death penalty, but we need imaginative thinkers of the kind that will try and get the Nate Miles' of the world in here, people that don't just go up to the border line. Going up to the border line means that you're going to misstep every now and again, and you slip over. Just like USC, Ohio State, Tennessee, Auburn, Oregon, Texas, Oklahoma State, virtually every name program straddles that fine line, lives in the grey area, spends half its time on the wrong side. This should not be controversial. This is how Jim Calhoun played the game. I'm all for it.

 

[CAHUSKY]

I know most everyone here thinks that JC never broke any rules. I get that. Step out of the clubhouse for a minute. Talk to the rest of the world. Everyone else considers it a given.

What rules do these people think he broke?

 

[gars44]

What rules do these people think he broke?

Ask them.