Sonny Dykes

[Buffett10]

I highly doubt if UT fires Dooley they'll go back to the same school and take their coach...

 

[CTMike]

I like Mark Helferich on that list, only because I would love for our football program to become Oregon East, and I think it's a reasonable goal.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

everywhere he coached offensive records have been set
sure would be nice to see the rock being tossed all over the place at the rent while scoring 40-50 pts a game....enuff of this bullspit of -2 yds & a cloud of dust nonsense
maybe lagow can bring him up with him

Now we're talking. Let's do it!

 

[Doggie Style]

So what's wrong with people named Sonny?

Nothing if your name is Cher. Other than that........

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Culture counts. No man named "Sonny" or "Doc" will coach our Huskies.

Culture only counts if you're a fan of the crap we've seen in the last 1.5 seasons. Actually after the above observation, I hope a new coach is named Bo and speaks with a heavy southern drawl. Who the he-- is Connecticut to be throwing out the culture card?

 

[uconnfan68]

I want people to openly wonder if we're cheating.

Aren't you tired of the constant "Con" references? I know I am.

 

[CTGoonie]

The only coach hat would appease every Uconn FB fan is Belichick. He's a cultural fit too! He's gonna want to try something else after Brady retires. Go get em Warde!

 

[ZooCougar]

The only coach hat would appease every Uconn FB fan is Belichick. He's a cultural fit too! He's gonna want to try something else after Brady retires. Go get em Warde!

Plus he is a known cheater. Values! Culture!

 

[BG79]

Yeah, I don't get this culture crap either. I think winning matters most to people and after that an exciting style of play. We can't limit our scope of search to only CT rooted coaches. We'd be willfully passing up a much larger area of the country that frankly has much more talented individuals.

My biggest hope though is they get someone that coaches an exciting style of play and isnt afraid of innovation. One of the biggest problems in sports is the mentality that "well thats the way it's done" is so hard to shake. You tend to get more acceptance to innovation from a younger staff but thats not to say an old far couldnt adopt it as well.

I honestly don't think we're going to get that. It's why I can at least be happy if they retain Don Brown and let him roll the dice on an offensive coordinator of his own choice. I can be content with at least one side of the ball being enjoyable to watch as long as the other side isnt so horrendously inept that it ruins any positive experience. Personally I'd love it if we could do a Sean Payton/Greg Williams style thing here with both sides of the ball playing an exciting/risky style. To get that I couldnt care any less where the hell the coach is from.

 

[freescooter]

there is something to be said for "cultural fit" but it isn't absolute. You just need to look at Rich Rod at Michigan to see an example of a poor one. Heaven knows we don't have to be only looking at guys who coached at Connecticut high schools, and obviously a guy from New England like Kelly can succeed in the mid-west or the other Kelly in the west and a Southerner can succeed in New England, too. But I do think we'd be looking for a guy with connections in the Northeast, south east, especially Florida where we recruit most heavily, rather than a guy who has most of his contacts in the southwest and west. because no matter how you slice it, UConn is never going to get more than a handful of recruits from califonia, Arizona, even Texas, compared with Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. That is really where "regional fit" more so than cultural come in.

 

[pj]

I don't see cultural fit as an issue. I do see desire to be here as an issue. Someone who sees this as a stepping stone job and really wants to be in the south or west should be less desirable than someone who wants to live in Connecticut and would be excited to build the program for a long time ... like the Boise State guys who have stuck around in Idaho.

 

[UConn07]

Plus he is a known cheater. Values! Culture!

Cheater - yea is that that what the media told you?

Just like the current President was going to be our savior right?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I don't see cultural fit as an issue. I do see desire to be here as an issue. Someone who sees this as a stepping stone job and really wants to be in the south or west should be less desirable than someone who wants to live in Connecticut and would be excited to build the program for a long time ... like the Boise State guys who have stuck around in Idaho.

Cultural fit absolutely matters.

 

[UconnFamily]

Cultural fit absolutely matters.

Idk if it matter's to the kids being recruited... They wouldn't mind having a Texas, California, Michigan, Florida coach, if their a winning coach like Meyers, Mack Brown etc... If they come here I can almost guarantee most 4* 3* kids from CT will stay home because these are big time coaches. You think 3* 4* kids from CT wants to stay because PP is from CT? I think they can careless, but if your a winning coach that matter's!

 

[huskymedic]

Idk if it matter's to the kids being recruited... They wouldn't mind having a Texas, California, Michigan, Florida coach, if their a winning coach like Meyers, Mack Brown etc... If they come here I can almost guarantee most 4* 3* kids from CT will stay home because these are big time coaches. You think 3* 4* kids from CT wants to stay because PP is from CT? I think they can careless, but if your a winning coach that matter's!

You mean the same Mack Brown that the Texas fan base is clamoring for him to resign and retire?

 

[TouchdownHusky]

I don't see cultural fit as an issue. I do see desire to be here as an issue. Someone who sees this as a stepping stone job and really wants to be in the south or west should be less desirable than someone who wants to live in Connecticut and would be excited to build the program for a long time ... like the Boise State guys who have stuck around in Idaho.

High tide elevates all boats. Get the right person, let 'em succeed, let 'em springboard elsewhere. Cincy has done alright with a steady parade of coaches staying long enough to make a name and then moving on for the "next in line". Louisville, too. Even Notre Dame is finally making this work.

So the "cultural fit", someone who wants to live in Connecticut and build for a long time is simply . . . . . . . old school thinking. Win now, worry about seasons to come when they get here.

 

[ZooCougar]

Don't confuse culture, with values and ethics. Just because someone is named Sonny and he is from the south doesn't mean that he is unethical.

We need someone who will fit in with our values and standard of conduct. But we need a new football philosophy or a better one than what we have now, and one that is more effective than what Edsall gave us.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Don't confuse culture, with values and ethics. Just because someone is named Sonny and he is from the south doesn't mean that he is unethical.

We need someone who will fit in with our values and standard of conduct. But we need a new football philosophy or a better one than what we have now, and one that is more effective than what Edsall gave us.

And by "values and standard of conduct", I hope you mean winning conference championships and going to major bowls on New Year's Day.

Values and standard of conduct? You mean like Jim Calhoun? Let's see . . . he was vulger, nasty tempered, outspoken and sarcastic. He verbally accosted his players. He ran the program into turbulant waters with the Nate Miles situation and let us not forget the academic spanking Uconn received. Heck besides being short as many as 3 scholarships during the past year, UConn can't compete in any post season tourneys this season.

Wow! Talk about values and standards of conduct. And yet . . . . . . I wouldn't have had it any different. The man (JC) is a Hall of Fame icon. He cared deeply about his players (that's all you ever hear from them). He raised the basketball program from the ashes and brought national acclaim to the university and state. How can we ever repay him for all that he accomplished?

I will take a JC facsmile any day of the week. Too bad the man himself couldn't take over the football program. He would never have let this program slip the way it has. His values and standards of conduct would never be more apparent than the on the field exploits of his team. It also known as winning and performance excellence.

 

[ZooCougar]

What I mean is, Bobby Petrino, Rick Neuheisel or the old Colorado Coach (the one who had the female kicker) will not representing UConn in the living rooms of our recruits.

Jim Calhoun isn't in that territory. Jim Calhoun is in the same mold of Mike Leach. They both are irascible and they both have the gift of vulgarity. And the both win.

 

[coachcap]

My local nomination would be Bill Mella. He'll never be considered, but he's my kind of coach (editor's note: he coached both of my sons at S.H.S.).
Resume:
Past offensive coach at Trinity
Head Coach for 5 years at Southington H.S.-Took the "Air Raid" offense developed by Jude Kelly to another dimension-improved the defense. Results: Took Southington to the LL post season his first 3 years, Losing in the State Championship game twice, first to Xavier, then to Greenwich. Undefeated regular season 3 straight years in the CCC having to play the likes of New Britain & Glastonbury as conference mates.
one season as an assistant at Wesleyan.
Now an assistant at Avon Old Farms.
The man knows the game, relates to kids, great gametime decision maker.

IF UConn can find a football mind of similar ilk from the major college ranks, I'm all in.

 

[pj]

Don't confuse culture, with values and ethics. Just because someone is named Sonny and he is from the south doesn't mean that he is unethical.

We need someone who will fit in with our values and standard of conduct. But we need a new football philosophy or a better one than what we have now, and one that is more effective than what Edsall gave us.

Yes. I'm not sure what people mean by "cultural fit." For me, I think PP is just about perfect as far as character -- he's a good man, a teacher who cares about his players, is generous with his time, is fair, wants everyone to succeed. If we replace him, I would like a man who's equally good a person -- someone I'd be proud to have representing me before anyone, because I know he'll do well by everyone.

But in addition to character, you need to be effective as a football coach, and to me the #1 criterion is you build a team identity and practice that identity until you become unstoppable at executing it. If Jim Calhoun taught me anything about high level sports, it's that you have to impose your will on the opponent, not be reactive. GDL has built a reactive offense -- we change our identity from game to game and play to play. It doesn't work.

Once you get past character and football and strategic acumen, I don't know what other kinds of "culture" people are looking for. Nelson, when you say it matters, what do you mean?

TDH, you have to build a program, and you have to be able to recruit successfully and consistently. Frequent coaching turnover, coaches who haven't built connections in the recruiting territory, coaches who aren't known and trusted, a program whose style of play may not be consistent due to coaching turnover -- these are recruiting handicaps. They should definitely be factors in hiring and firing decisions. We should aim for low turnover. All the top programs, even the new arrivals, have low coaching turnover and when it happens they sustain the same playing identity, often drawing from the same coaching tree.

 

[J187Money]

And by "values and standard of conduct", I hope you mean winning conference championships and going to major bowls on New Year's Day.

Values and standard of conduct? You mean like Jim Calhoun? Let's see . . . he was vulger, nasty tempered, outspoken and sarcastic. He verbally accosted his players. He ran the program into turbulant waters with the Nate Miles situation and let us not forget the academic spanking Uconn received. Heck besides being short as many as 3 scholarships during the past year, UConn can't compete in any post season tourneys this season.

Wow! Talk about values and standards of conduct. And yet . . . . . . I wouldn't have had it any different. The man (JC) is a Hall of Fame icon. He cared deeply about his players (that's all you ever hear from them). He raised the basketball program from the ashes and brought national acclaim to the university and state. How can we ever repay him for all that he accomplished?

I will take a JC facsmile any day of the week. Too bad the man himself couldn't take over the football program. He would never have let this program slip the way it has. His values and standards of conduct would never be more apparent than the on the field exploits of his team. It also known as winning and performance excellence.

JC won first. If he hit the ground running like that he never would have made it. I agree with your overall point but bad to use JC as a comparison.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

And by "values and standard of conduct", I hope you mean winning conference championships and going to major bowls on New Year's Day.

Values and standard of conduct? You mean like Jim Calhoun? Let's see . . . he was vulger, nasty tempered, outspoken and sarcastic. He verbally accosted his players. He ran the program into turbulant waters with the Nate Miles situation and let us not forget the academic spanking Uconn received. Heck besides being short as many as 3 scholarships during the past year, UConn can't compete in any post season tourneys this season.

Wow! Talk about values and standards of conduct. And yet . . . . . . I wouldn't have had it any different. The man (JC) is a Hall of Fame icon. He cared deeply about his players (that's all you ever hear from them). He raised the basketball program from the ashes and brought national acclaim to the university and state. How can we ever repay him for all that he accomplished?

I will take a JC facsmile any day of the week. Too bad the man himself couldn't take over the football program. He would never have let this program slip the way it has. His values and standards of conduct would never be more apparent than the on the field exploits of his team. It also known as winning and performance excellence.

In a world where Kentucky has a higher payroll than all but a few European professional teams, Calhoun's "transgressions" with Nate Miles are a joke.

 

[huskymedic]

And by "values and standard of conduct", I hope you mean winning conference championships and going to major bowls on New Year's Day.

Values and standard of conduct? You mean like Jim Calhoun? Let's see . . . he was vulger, nasty tempered, outspoken and sarcastic. He verbally accosted his players. He ran the program into turbulant waters with the Nate Miles situation and let us not forget the academic spanking Uconn received. Heck besides being short as many as 3 scholarships during the past year, UConn can't compete in any post season tourneys this season.

Wow! Talk about values and standards of conduct. And yet . . . . . . I wouldn't have had it any different. The man (JC) is a Hall of Fame icon. He cared deeply about his players (that's all you ever hear from them). He raised the basketball program from the ashes and brought national acclaim to the university and state. How can we ever repay him for all that he accomplished?

I will take a JC facsmile any day of the week. Too bad the man himself couldn't take over the football program. He would never have let this program slip the way it has. His values and standards of conduct would never be more apparent than the on the field exploits of his team. It also known as winning and performance excellence.

yeah... but he had the right accent!