Who's your list for next HC?

[superjohn]

This board is such a strange place, we all agree UConn football sucks and yet it seems like over half the board is obsessed with bringing back UConn football coaches.

It's reminds me of battered wife syndrome.

 

[coachcap]

This board is such a strange place, we all agree UConn football sucks and yet it seems like over half the board is obsessed with bringing back UConn football coaches.

It's reminds me of battered wife syndrome.

Two reasons why many on the board are naming former UConn Coaches:
-They understand the culture of the fan base
-They were hamstrung by FHCRE & went on to success afterward

 

[metsfan2323]

Anytime someone criticizes someone else's candidate list they should at least provide a few names they think are better. Nothing wrong with Coachcap's list. All good candidates and none of those guys have had anything to do with the problems of the past 10 years. Lashlee did a great job for us in 2017, it was the defense that was awful. (We statistically had the second worst offense in the country in 2016 and finished 49th in total offense in 2017).

We recently hired two guys who never had a previous association with the school (PP and Diaco) and its not like going that route guaranteed success. Moorhead would have been a much better hire in 2011 and Don Brown would have been a better hire in 2013.

 

[ktuck911]

Where's Coachcap's list on this thread exactly? This thing is so long now, how do we keep up with that...

 

[huskymedic]

Where's Coachcap's list on this thread exactly? This thing is so long now, how do we keep up with that...

It’s listed 4 posts back from yours…

 

[businesslawyer]

This board is such a strange place, we all agree UConn football sucks and yet it seems like over half the board is obsessed with bringing back UConn football coaches.

It's reminds me of battered wife syndrome.

I am not concerned at all if we hire someone who has no prior ties to UConn. But, having said that, why would hiring someone like Morehead or Orlando, who has no ties to the post-Fiesta bowl era remind you of battered wife syndrome? Why should I fear hiring someone from the pre-Fiesta Bowl era if that person is the right fit? Surely you don’t think there is no advantage whatsoever in having a history of how you recruit at a place like ours?

 

[businesslawyer]

Anytime someone criticizes someone else's candidate list they should at least provide a few names they think are better. Nothing wrong with Coachcap's list. All good candidates and none of those guys have had anything to do with the problems of the past 10 years. Lashlee did a great job for us in 2017, it was the defense that was awful. (We statistically had the second worst offense in the country in 2016 and finished 49th in total offense in 2017).

We recently hired two guys who never had a previous association with the school (PP and Diaco) and its not like going that route guaranteed success. Moorhead would have been a much better hire in 2011 and Don Brown would have been a better hire in 2013.

The fact that we sucked in 2017 should not take away from the fact that Lashlee did in fact do a great job for us in 2017. i have no knowledge that he is or is not ready to be a good head coach, but what he accomplished here in his one year was tremendous.

That having been said, of all the coaches on these lists we already know Lashlee does not want to be here. Could you offer him enough money to get him? Probably. But while other hires will leave us when they get a more prestigious offer for far more money, Lashlee has already shown he would leave for a lateral job just to get out of here. I am rooting for him to get a chance somewhere, but I’d be surprised — very surprised — if it was here.

 

[UConnRock]

2 criteria - HC experience and a northeast connection. I do not want to go with the "rising coordinator" path, and having the connections and understanding the challenges of recruiting to a northeast school is key

Joe Moorhead - #1 candidate if remotely interested, but as more firings occur from P5 teams the chances of UConn being his 1st choice diminishes greatly. And it is unclear whether he wants to jump back into the HC job. Being OC at Oregon is a pretty nice gig.
Curt Cignetti - #2 - James Madison HC, QB coach at Pitt & Temple, HC at Indiana U of PA. He has won at multiple levels as HC. James Madison is moving to FBS is the new Conf USA so they may bump up his salary, but I can't come close to the to $2M
Joe Harasymiak - #3 - Minnesota co-DC and former Maine HC. Only negative is he is a defense guy and not sure of his coattails in bringing in high quality assistants. But being part of a B1G team puts him above Lewis on my wish list.
Sean Lewis - #4 - Kent St HC, OC/QB coach at Syracuse

 

[Banta55]

2 criteria - HC experience and a northeast connection. I do not want to go with the "rising coordinator" path, and having the connections and understanding the challenges of recruiting to a northeast school is key

Joe Moorhead - #1 candidate if remotely interested, but as more firings occur from P5 teams the chances of UConn being his 1st choice diminishes greatly. And it is unclear whether he wants to jump back into the HC job. Being OC at Oregon is a pretty nice gig.
Curt Cignetti - #2 - James Madison HC, QB coach at Pitt & Temple, HC at Indiana U of PA. He has won at multiple levels as HC. James Madison is moving to FBS is the new Conf USA so they may bump up his salary, but I can't come close to the to $2M
Joe Harasymiak - #3 - Minnesota co-DC and former Maine HC. Only negative is he is a defense guy and not sure of his coattails in bringing in high quality assistants. But being part of a B1G team puts him above Lewis on my wish list.
Sean Lewis - #4 - Kent St HC, OC/QB coach at Syracuse

Good list, i'd add Bob Chesney as well..He has won at every stop H.C. is 6-2 this year, only 44. My concern would be the staff and recruiting..

 

[metsfan2323]

Good list, i'd add Bob Chesney as well..He has won at every stop H.C. is 6-2 this year, only 44. My concern would be the staff and recruiting..

Chesney is high on my list as well and should be a very realistic option. Apparently one of things Chesney is known for is intense practices. Music to my ears.

We found Calhoun when he whipped us in the Connecticut Mutual Classic, maybe lightening from the state of Massachusetts can strike twice.

 

[Banta55]

Chesney is high on my list as well and should be a very realistic option. Apparently one of things Chesney is known for is intense practices. Music to my ears.

We found Calhoun when he whipped us in the Connecticut Mutual Classic, maybe lightening from the state of Massachusetts can strike twice.

They really need a coach, that is or was a head coach..Nostical said they'd go with a P5 assistant with a vision first...I dont believe that..

 

[giddyup]

2 criteria - HC experience and a northeast connection. I do not want to go with the "rising coordinator" path, and having the connections and understanding the challenges of recruiting to a northeast school is key

Joe Moorhead - #1 candidate if remotely interested, but as more firings occur from P5 teams the chances of UConn being his 1st choice diminishes greatly. And it is unclear whether he wants to jump back into the HC job. Being OC at Oregon is a pretty nice gig.
Curt Cignetti - #2 - James Madison HC, QB coach at Pitt & Temple, HC at Indiana U of PA. He has won at multiple levels as HC. James Madison is moving to FBS is the new Conf USA so they may bump up his salary, but I can't come close to the to $2M
Joe Harasymiak - #3 - Minnesota co-DC and former Maine HC. Only negative is he is a defense guy and not sure of his coattails in bringing in high quality assistants. But being part of a B1G team puts him above Lewis on my wish list.
Sean Lewis - #4 - Kent St HC, OC/QB coach at Syracuse

Like 1st 3 a lot. Would never take anybody from Syracuse

 

[WestHartHusk]

Like 1st 3 a lot. Would never take anybody from Syracuse

* again

 

[ktuck911]

2 criteria - HC experience and a northeast connection. I do not want to go with the "rising coordinator" path, and having the connections and understanding the challenges of recruiting to a northeast school is key

Joe Moorhead - #1 candidate if remotely interested, but as more firings occur from P5 teams the chances of UConn being his 1st choice diminishes greatly. And it is unclear whether he wants to jump back into the HC job. Being OC at Oregon is a pretty nice gig.
Curt Cignetti - #2 - James Madison HC, QB coach at Pitt & Temple, HC at Indiana U of PA. He has won at multiple levels as HC. James Madison is moving to FBS is the new Conf USA so they may bump up his salary, but I can't come close to the to $2M
Joe Harasymiak - #3 - Minnesota co-DC and former Maine HC. Only negative is he is a defense guy and not sure of his coattails in bringing in high quality assistants. But being part of a B1G team puts him above Lewis on my wish list.
Sean Lewis - #4 - Kent St HC, OC/QB coach at Syracuse

I like Sean Lewis... he's young, up and coming, and his teams have success with him... he should be able to recruit even better here too...

 

[HuskyHawk]

I know this is a weird take, since he brought Randy back and I don't think any of us wanted that, but I think Dave B. knows what is needed, has plenty of connections and will be able to identify some people who are a fit. He was obviously hamstrung by the Diaco buyout and Randy was a cheap attempt to stop the bleeding. It didn't work, but there was logic to it at the time.

My instinct is to get a younger HC from FCS or an FBS school that can't match what we pay, but if there's a coordinator that can work. Bill Snyder was a coordinator at Iowa. One thing to consider: Dan Hurley had a rep for turning programs from losers to winners. Is there anybody out there like that? Or...anybody who was a senior coordinator on staff of a guy who did that (like Snyder was to Frye)?

 

[UConnRock]

My instinct is to get a younger HC from FCS or an FBS school that can't match what we pay, but if there's a coordinator that can work. Bill Snyder was a coordinator at Iowa. One thing to consider: Dan Hurley had a rep for turning programs from losers to winners. Is there anybody out there like that? Or...anybody who was a senior coordinator on staff of a guy who did that (like Snyder was to Frye)?

Cignetti's track record on "turning losers to winners"​

IUP​

IUP had a 4–10 conference record prior to Cignetti's arrival in 2011. In his first year as head coach, the team won 6 of its last 7 games, by an average of 28 points per game, to finish 7–3. In 2012, The Crimson Hawks won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals, finishing 12–2. Cignetti’s 2013 team finished 9–2 and he led IUP to the NCAAplayoffs in both 2015 and 2016. His 2016 team finished 10–2. Cignetti finished 53–17 at IUP with three NCAA playoff appearances and two conference championships. On December 31, 2016, he accepted the head coaching position at Elon University.

Elon​

The Elon team had had a 4–20 conference record and suffered through six straight losing seasons prior to Cignetti's arrival, but in his first season the squad won eight games in a row after an opening season loss to MAC Champion Toledo. The Phoenix were ranked as high as 6th nationally, played James Madison for the conference championship and were selected for the NCAA Playoffs for the first time since 2009. Cignetti was named CAA coach of the year and was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year. In 2018, Cignetti led the Phoenix to a 27–24 win over James Madison, ending JMU's 22-game CAA Football winning streak and then FCS-best 19-game home winning streak. The win marked Elon's first over a top-five FCS opponent.[2] The Phoenix earned back to back NCAA playoff appearances for the first time in program history.

James Madison​

Curt Cignetti was named Head Football Coach at James Madison on December 14, 2018. In his first season, Cignetti led the Dukes to a seven game improvement over 2018, finishing 14–2. The Dukes won the CAA Conference with an 8–0 record and advanced to the 2020 FCS National Championship.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Cignetti's track record on "turning losers to winners"​

IUP​

IUP had a 4–10 conference record prior to Cignetti's arrival in 2011. In his first year as head coach, the team won 6 of its last 7 games, by an average of 28 points per game, to finish 7–3. In 2012, The Crimson Hawks won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals, finishing 12–2. Cignetti’s 2013 team finished 9–2 and he led IUP to the NCAAplayoffs in both 2015 and 2016. His 2016 team finished 10–2. Cignetti finished 53–17 at IUP with three NCAA playoff appearances and two conference championships. On December 31, 2016, he accepted the head coaching position at Elon University.

Elon​

The Elon team had had a 4–20 conference record and suffered through six straight losing seasons prior to Cignetti's arrival, but in his first season the squad won eight games in a row after an opening season loss to MAC Champion Toledo. The Phoenix were ranked as high as 6th nationally, played James Madison for the conference championship and were selected for the NCAA Playoffs for the first time since 2009. Cignetti was named CAA coach of the year and was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year. In 2018, Cignetti led the Phoenix to a 27–24 win over James Madison, ending JMU's 22-game CAA Football winning streak and then FCS-best 19-game home winning streak. The win marked Elon's first over a top-five FCS opponent.[2] The Phoenix earned back to back NCAA playoff appearances for the first time in program history.

James Madison​

Curt Cignetti was named Head Football Coach at James Madison on December 14, 2018. In his first season, Cignetti led the Dukes to a seven game improvement over 2018, finishing 14–2. The Dukes won the CAA Conference with an 8–0 record and advanced to the 2020 FCS National Championship.

This is the kind of profile I think we should be looking for. I don't know all of these guys, other than big names like Moorhead, so I don't know who fits it. Seems he spent 4 years at Alabama as well. Seems it's in his family too.

 

[JMick]

So Chip Kelly is going to be available. My brain says no but a sliver of me thinks he can turn it around. He's from new england and still has friends in New Hampshire.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

Cignetti's track record on "turning losers to winners"​

IUP​

IUP had a 4–10 conference record prior to Cignetti's arrival in 2011. In his first year as head coach, the team won 6 of its last 7 games, by an average of 28 points per game, to finish 7–3. In 2012, The Crimson Hawks won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals, finishing 12–2. Cignetti’s 2013 team finished 9–2 and he led IUP to the NCAAplayoffs in both 2015 and 2016. His 2016 team finished 10–2. Cignetti finished 53–17 at IUP with three NCAA playoff appearances and two conference championships. On December 31, 2016, he accepted the head coaching position at Elon University.

Elon​

The Elon team had had a 4–20 conference record and suffered through six straight losing seasons prior to Cignetti's arrival, but in his first season the squad won eight games in a row after an opening season loss to MAC Champion Toledo. The Phoenix were ranked as high as 6th nationally, played James Madison for the conference championship and were selected for the NCAA Playoffs for the first time since 2009. Cignetti was named CAA coach of the year and was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year. In 2018, Cignetti led the Phoenix to a 27–24 win over James Madison, ending JMU's 22-game CAA Football winning streak and then FCS-best 19-game home winning streak. The win marked Elon's first over a top-five FCS opponent.[2] The Phoenix earned back to back NCAA playoff appearances for the first time in program history.

James Madison​

Curt Cignetti was named Head Football Coach at James Madison on December 14, 2018. In his first season, Cignetti led the Dukes to a seven game improvement over 2018, finishing 14–2. The Dukes won the CAA Conference with an 8–0 record and advanced to the 2020 FCS National Championship.

Definitely would prefer a coach with this kind of background. He will be friendly to our salary requirements, and he looks like someone who can win at UCONN. We might not hire someone like Cignetti, but we definitely should be looking at someone with a similar resume. Joe Moorehead might be ideal, but he might cost way more than we can afford. Like many have said here, we need a good salary pool for all the assistant coaches. We should be targetting Cignetti or someone similar.

 

[ScottVib]

With JMU upgrading to FBS Cignetti will be harder to land than he would’ve been a few weeks ago.

 

[giddyup]

With JMU upgrading to FBS Cignetti will be harder to land than he would’ve been a few weeks ago.

True, JMU is really growing nicely across all fronts with tons of investments in innovation and economic development. But, it’s not a flagship and there is some cache with that versus a mega regional.

 

[JMick]

With JMU upgrading to FBS Cignetti will be harder to land than he would’ve been a few weeks ago.

the dude is 60. He either wants one last chance at a bigger program or is happy at his forever place. moving up a league isn't going to change that. it's also why I'm not sure if he'd come here. Do you want your last coaching gig to be at UConn?

 

[UConnRock]

the dude is 60. He either wants one last chance at a bigger program or is happy at his forever place. moving up a league isn't going to change that. it's also why I'm not sure if he'd come here. Do you want your last coaching gig to be at UConn?

Do you want your last coaching gig to pay $2m/year for 6+ years or are you happy making $425k/year and maybe getting bumped up to the $800k range in Conf USA. The $$ sometimes talks.

 

[Yup!]

the dude is 60. He either wants one last chance at a bigger program or is happy at his forever place. moving up a league isn't going to change that. it's also why I'm not sure if he'd come here. Do you want your last coaching gig to be at UConn?

Yeah I agree, I’d prefer to go with Matt Entz, we should have taken our shot with cignetti a long time ago.

 

[ZooCougar]

So Chip Kelly is going to be available. My brain says no but a sliver of me thinks he can turn it around. He's from new england and still has friends in New Hampshire.

My brain says yes.