I think we can all agree that it's nearing the sunset of Frank Beamer's tenure and it's entertaining to speculate about who could be the next head coach. I'm in the belief that getting a young up and coming coach could breathe life into the program and I believe that Matt Rhule is a guy that would be a great candidate.
Matt Rhule is the head coach of Temple which is currently 7-0 and has College Gameday visiting for a prime time game against Notre Dame on Halloween. There has been a Gobbler Country article listing the case for him but seems like he hasn't been mentioned much beyond that article as a possible future coach for VT. From what I've read on Rhule I think he'd be a great fit for VT because of his recruiting acumen and his coaching philosophy.
Recruiting
"It'll be great for us recruiting wise," Rhule said. "I'm excited about College GameDay coming, and I'm really excited about recruiting."
- You can see from the above quote the emphasis Rhule puts into recruiting.
I believe that the biggest impact a new coach could make on the program is in recruiting. VT has found itself involved with many star recruits that have had VT as their leader until it came time to close when another program's head coach has come in to sway a that recruit at the last moment. A lot of top programs have coaches that love to recruit and I believe that with all of the investments Whit has made over the past couple of years in the recruiting support staff that the next head coach needs to have that passion.
Rhule is known as being a quality recruiter and there's a great article by 247sports that can be found here that highlights how involved in recruiting Rhule is and that likely comes from his background as being a recruiting coordinator for several years. His recruiting emphasis at Temple has included areas that VT needs to make progress in such as the Mid-Atlantic region, especially the DMV area, as well as his belief in going into Florida and he's stepped into the 757 this year with a commit from Indian River's Keyvone Bruton. He's shown ability to recruit against bigger programs such as Penn State, Maryland, and Pittsburgh which could help if he was at VT recruiting against FSU, Alabama, and other programs that have started to focus in on the 757.
Philosophy of Toughness
I believe that VT needs to keep the philosophy that was prevalent in it's golden years of being a tough football team and Matt Rhule emphasizes toughness. I imagine that Rhule's philosophy comes from many points in his football background including playing linebacker for Joe Paterno, coaching under Steve Addazio, and being an assistant OL coach for Tom Coughlin. Rhule emphasizes the BeamerBall ideals of running the ball as well as playing tough defense and good special teams.
Going to a coach that emphasizes the power run game provides for a quicker rebuild than a spread coach with the current roster. VT has a stable of young RBs available for next year and returns objectively their 5 best offensive linemen. The current staff has been moving to try to develop a consistent run game and I believe it's not that far away especially with continued good OL coaching and recruiting.
Program Rebuilding
Right now the best program in the ACC is Clemson and I believe that how they've built up their program is a great blueprint to follow. Clemson has built their program with a young affordable coach that had a strong emphasis on recruiting and was able to invest more into coordinators to help. Matt Rhule would be a very affordable option with his current salary listed as $648,633 and with a bump to ACC levels would still allow plenty of money to go after great coordinators that believe in his philosophy. Whit has done a great job of putting in the support staff for recruiting and believe that more could be done investing more money in the overall program than paying an under performing buddy most likely the second biggest salary in the ACC (sorry Rich).
There's a number of coaches out there that are great candidates (including Tom Herman who's team could face a tough challenge against Vanderbilt) and I'll be paying attention to Temple this weekend imagining that Whit could possibly be paying attention as well.
Comments
Temple was my favorite team growing up before I became a Hokie.
I viewed Rhule as a good but not great coach making him perfect for Temple in hopes he could have success and not get hired away...then this year happened.
I love the philosophy behind his teams and the way he instill toughness. His game management is way better then Al Golden's when he was here (I love Golden for what he did for TU but I could tell when he was there his best strength was by far recruiting and that would keep him from being an elite coach).
However I'm leery of risking our first hire post-Beamer on a offensive coach (since '07 at least) who's teams are known for defense.
I love him at Temple, and I'd be his biggest fan of he were here. But for some reason I see the headline "Rhule fired from_____" in 4 years if he leaves temple because of lofty expectations.
I hope I'm wrong about that. Even if it's not at VT
From my view of Matt Rhule he's seems more of a overall CEO type coach with his focus on recruiting, game management, and having an OC that shares his philosophical approach of toughness on offense wearing down a team. In a lot of his statements it seems his approach is more on wearing a team down and play great defense. Think it's sort of in the style of what Harbaugh is doing what Michigan this year.
Think it will be interesting to see what happens with Matt Rhule, it's hard to see him staying at Temple with the success he's had this year. If not at VT he's been mentioned for Maryland. Both at VT and a school like Maryland don't think the expectations would be too lofty considering both are coming off several lean years.
Thanks for the write up and links HokieJoe3!
Rhule is a guy that has definitely been overshadowed by Herman and Fuente as potential P5 HCs in the near future. I will admit I didn't know much about him so this post definitely helped out since if not at VT, he will definitely get a big time gig at some point.
I completely agree with you in that I think Rhule checks just about all the boxes Hokies want in the new HC. Young, Energetic, Recruiting, Tough, HC Experience.
I think the quality that I like the most about Rhule is that he has gone through and proven that he can rebuild a program. Under him, Temple has gone 2-10, 6-6 and 7-0 this season so far. Add the fact that he's doing at a school like Temple and it's even more impressive.
You touched on it too but I like that he's been coaching on the east coast for a long time because of recruiting reasons. He should already have connections with high schools especially throughout the mid atlantic states.
In the end, I don't think he ends up at VT for some reason but on paper he has a pretty damn good resume.
I'm hoping Maryland doesn't hire him cause I think he could be a real problem for us especially in recruiting.
Excellent writeup, Joe. Rhule is definitely one to watch. I'll be watching the Owls this weekend, so we'll see how I feel after that!
I think his is great fit, but I don't want him to come to VT.
The only reason I don't want him to come to VT is because I am also a Rutgers fan and I want him to go to Rutgers. Rutgers is honestly a bigger mess than us and I thought he would be a great fit over there. He probably lives in the area which is no more than an hour or 2 from New Brunswick, he is probably already recruiting many of the same guys, etc. Plus I think he went to Penn State and I would love to steal a PSU guy right out from under their noses and then watch them suffer humiliating defeat at his hand.
But for every reason he would be a great fit there he would be a great fit here as well. I have also just been of the mindset lately of the need for change at VT. I mean radical change. Presumably next year will be the first year in the past 30 that there is a new HC on the sidelines in Blacksburg. I understand the culture we have in Blacksburg, tough, defensive, and run it down your throat style of football. I feel like with this radical change we might need a change in culture as well. Maybe we should become the Oregon of the East, or more currently the Baylor/TCU (offensively not the BS off the field stuff) of the Atlantic Coast. It almost feels IMO that if we bring another rough tough defense, ground and pound coach that if he doesn't have immediate success, it will seem as if nothing has changed. I for one could get behind some offensive guru, even watch him struggle for a time, if he can put up bonkers points at some point in the nearish future. It just seems that nowadays you find more of the basketball on turf type teams than the Alabama defense type teams.
I am sure Whit will hire the right guy but it's just my opinion that I wish to see for the next head coach an offensive mastermind. (NOT PJ. NEVER HIM)
Great thoughts, I imagine being both a VT and Rutgers has been extra painful past couple of years. I could see Rhule at any of the mid-Atlantic and Big Ten projected openings.
I was thinking of how many teams now are emphasizing the spread that VT establishing itself as the power run school in the area could help with recruiting. Right now I see teams like Stanford and Michigan pushing that tough running style to wins. It feels like VT has always been able to get dynamic RBs and that if the program continues on the practice of scouting OL from a wider recruiting area think VT could get to that position. One of the things I really like about Rhule is his experience coaching OL in the NFL which could help recruit a position that VT has been lacking in for quite some time.
That's the price you pay growing up near New Brunswick and having Tech as an alma mater. This gif should explain the situation nicely.
My one big caution about Temple coaches would have to be Da U...
Well of course you have to judge each coach on their own merits and Rhule has had a lot of coaching influences including Paterno, Addazio, and Coughlin.
I think Al Golden was just a bad fit for Miami culture and that he came in at a bad time at a job that's not as good as people perceive it as. I think you need to have a guy there that understands the Miami swagger culture. Also have to remember all the sanctions Miami faced during his tenure. You can't really fence off Miami talent like back in the day. The financial as well as fan support is really lacking as well even though the expectations are sky high. If I was a coach I'd be hesitant to take that job. Al Golden's biggest fault was a problem that Beamer has had in being too loyal to under performing assistants especially with his defensive staff.
Rhule = Rebuild and be subpar for a little while and then maybe in 3 years we get back to the top
Herman = Immediate results and getting the best out of current players while also being able to recruit nationally.
I want to hope this is correct. Especially since Herman is at the top of my wishlist currently. I don't know if it's necessarily proven though. He's done well at Houston so far but that team was probably in better shape when he got there than ours is right now.
2012 5-7 (4-4)
2013 8-5 (5-3) (Lost to Vandy in BBVA Compass Bowl 41-24)
2014 8-5 (5-3) (Beat Pitt in Lockheed Martin Bowl 35-34)
2015 7-0 (4-0)
Right now they're undefeated and looking good but they haven't really played anyone of consequence. Mostly a result of who they play. We'll know more after they play Vandy and Memphis.
Houston and Memphis play each other? Sweet! That means we get a coach-off between my top two candidates. Two coaches enter, only one coach leaves.
Temple as well.
Houston is not scheduled to play Temple. If Houston and Temple both win their divisions we may see that match-up but it's not guaranteed. I think Temple probably has a pretty good shot at winning the East but Memphis and Houston have to get past each other along with Navy. The West is much tougher right now
I like Fuente. He just seems like a good fit.
I think Fuente could be a good candidate as well, out of the AAC coaches I'm not as high on him as Herman and Rhule though. Think it would be a tough pull to transition to his type of offense with the roster now only having 2 reliable WRs. Don't know if the air raid fits with the culture that has been built in Blacksburg.
I don't know, I kind of think our roster might actually be better fit to a spread concept. We've got a decent but not great offensive line but lots of playmakers who can create some mismatches and play in space. True we only have 2 reliable receivers, but both of those guys have proven themselves and we have a pretty big haul waiting in the wings (even if a few de-commit, we'll still bring in quite a few), plus Bucky and Kalvin Cline as some very good receiving tight ends. Travon is pretty much an ideal spread running back though and we have a highly athletic quarterback waiting in the wings. I think we can make that transition very quickly.
Currently I'm leaning Fuente, but I honestly can't quite say why. Care to sell me on Herman? He's clearly having a good year, but he's only been a head coach for one year and he took over a program that was already pretty good in a state with a ton of talent.
I don't know how much recruiting swings you but I saw on ESPN U, he's the first non P5 coach to land a commitment from a 5-star recruit since ESPN started rating recruits. I think the guy is the #1 DT and was #2 in ESPN's top 300 at the time.
EDIT: DT = defensive tackle, not dual threat
You're right, we should not Rhule him out from being our next coach.
My problem with Ruhle is that hasn't done any substantial work anywhere but Temple. And at temple, since 2006, they have gone link: 0-11 against teams that ended the year ranked. Yes, Ruhle has done a great job turning that team around (2-10, 6-6, 7-0 and counting), but he only knows one program. However, hes been there for 8 years, so that shows great staying power, something I would look for in the next coach.
Tom Herman, fantastic at OSU and doing great at Houston, I also have an issue with in that it's his first year there. Some coaches have great first years, and they can't follow it up. Also, look at their past 4 years, 13-1, 5-7, 8-5, 8-5. He went into a really good program already. Same problem with Ruhle applies to Herman: You haven't had prolonged success that you can say is all because of you. Hermans previous stop before OSU? Iowa State's Offensive Cc, and they went link: 7-6, 5-7, 6-7, not exactly inspiring.
Justine Fuente, on the other hand, I am a really strong support of. When he was the RB coach at TCU, his squad was ranked 43rd in rushing, the next year they were 11th. In 2009 when he took over as Co-OC TCU total offense was 8th, 12th, and 26th in 2011. That drop off can be attributed to not having Andy Dalton, and they were still top 25. Then Fuente goes to Mephmis, has two rebuilding years including a move to a tougher conference (Conf USA to AAC), then last year he goes 10-3, this year hes 7-0. And you remember that recruiting vs results chart? Link: TCU actually had more results we did at the same recruitment level. . As for Memphis offense ranks, they go from 112, 119, 45, to 10th. That's an outstanding improvement. In my opinion, hes much more proven over a longer time period.
I am on the Fuente Hype train...total package. Solid recruiting, lots of Offense and coupled with a bud foster or foster protege defense = lots of wins for Vt. New culture ...new style...wins all the way around!
And hes into his 4th year at being a HC too. Tom Herman is only on his 1st, ever. So the knock against Foster is that he doesnt have any HC experience, so they hire a guy who only has 1 year? That just don't make no cents
Saw a good article here that goes into why he runs a power run offense.
The article talks about how Rhule wanted to install a spread offense when first going to Temple but his mindset changed in the middle of his second year. He decided to model the offense off of what Michigan State and Stanford do because he felt that was the way to win and it has worked for him. It states how he feels in that teams that are wide open offensively rarely have a strong defense.
I know a lot of people are clamoring for the spread offense but think the pendulum is coming back to the point that if you have a physical offense you can take advantage of all these teams that are becoming more focused on stopping the spread. His offense is still averaging 30 points a game.
The more I read on Rhule the more I can find some similarities to a Dabo Swinney type coach but one that emphasizes more into being as tough as possible and having that lunchpail/blue collar attitude. Would have the money to get a big time pro style OC.