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It feels like we're about to sell our souls like the Chicago Bears did in 2012 with their hire. The Bears were built on defense since the 50s, but the fans were tired of the lack of offense. So they went out and got one of the most respected offensive minds in football (at that time) in Marc Trestman and said, "we're going to change our style, we need a new focus, we need to score points." 2 years later the entire franchise was underwater.
RichRod, Fedora, Mullen, Fuente, Herman, Morris...all of these are really great offensive minds. We're gonna put up points if we hire any of those guys. But I don't think you can put a price on a guy who can go into Columbus, schematically match wits with Urban Meyer and get the best of him. I think some are underestimating how tough it is to replace a defensive wizard like Bud. For ex, if you look at LSU's defense for the past decade (in totatility) of John Chavis' tenure, and now look at them with Kevin Steele, it just doesn't look the same.
But I'm gonna be a fan of whoever we hire.
Or as...
The most talented Cavaliers include:
1. RB Taquan Mizzell has fumbled five times en route to a 4.2 YPC average, good for 201st in the nation (there are 128 FBS teams).
2. QB Matt Johns is tied for the lead among FBS quarterbacks in completions. To the opposing defense (15 interceptions).
3. The ball-hawking secondary has picked off more passes this season (3, T-122nd) than Rice (2, 128th).
Possibly. I think they are modernizing their curriculum. The class is Calling the Manservant 205, the prerequisite being Self-Entitlement 101.
I hope the vocal crowd here looking for the shiny new toy keeps in perspective that their desire for change shouldn't out
I don't think that it's 'shiny new toy' or even a desire for change. We really don't know what to expect from Bud on offense or special teams (other than the comments he's made about a spread offense). We at least know the answers about these things for Fuente/Morris/Herman. Bud's head coaching philosophy is a bigger unknown than the aforementioned coaches.
Report: With no AD and no head coach, Illinois is currently in "considerable turmoil"
Not the job I would want
To be fair, neither does #BeamerPailDefense
I think you and I agree on this, but I wanted to add some of my opinion to what you said above (because that's what we do on the internet).
I'm amused that people -- maybe even Whit -- think that a 1 or 2 years of head coaching experience at a mid-major really means that much.
I think managing a game and a program is a new level of responsibility; much more 'macro' than 'micro'. It's a different position - not all engineers make good managers. It's (typically) a lower risk move to hire someone with managerial experience for a managerial position than not.
There is absolutely no magic recipe for hiring a head coach. The backgrounds and resumes of successful coaches is all over the board. As it also is with unsuccessful coaches. And the vast majority of head coach hires are generally seen in retrospect as disappointing -- regardless of pedigree and resume.
There's no way to remove all risk from a hire, but I'd wager that first time P5 head coaching hires with prior head coaching experience at any level are statistically more likely to succeed than coaches who have not had any head coaching experience. That is NOT to say that someone cannot be successful without HC experience, just that someone who has had HC experience is more likely to be successful (lower risk).
So, IMO, while there may be reasons Bud Foster isn't the right guy for the job, the fact he hasn't been a head coach before is an excuse, not a reason.
Quick distinction here - some people say "Bud Foster has never been offered a head coaching position before, so he must not be head coaching material" - this is completely false and offensive to Bud.
However, I do think that it's fair to say "There are small differences/nuances between the head coach and assistant coach position. We would prefer to hire someone who has proven he understands these differences than risk someone learning on the job at the cost of a win."
How is Bud Foster going to handle time management at the end of a tight game? How is going to decide when to go for two? When to go for it on fourth? When does he kick an onside kick and when does he kick it deep and put the game on his defense? How does he know when a staff member needs to be replaced?
These are all tiny things that a head coach deals with that could decide a game, a season, or in some cases, the national standing of the program. We just have more data on how Fuente/Herman/Morris handles these situations than we do Foster. That makes Foster more of a gamble.
HC experience and success at one school does not guarantee success at VT. Bud not having HC experience does not guarantee he will not succeed as VTs HC. All of the hot names on our short list were once coordinators as well. Many of them we have clamored for were coordinators directly before their recent HCing stints (e.g. Herman, Fuente, and Morris, to name a few). If you want to argue that Bud may not be the best for the job, that is fine. But if you keep saying that he will not succeed as a HC because he has no experience, you need to just shut down your computer and walk away.
If he can't solve that problem, he has become too comfortable.
How many freshman UVA students does it take to change a lightbulb? They can't. That's a Sophomore level Second year class.
📡VT RESEARCH📲
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10 years 8 months
# | A.J. Hughes Wraps Up Prolific Punting Career, Walking Out the Door with Mentor Frank Beamer If he were blowing up the "I'm a DC with an offensive vision" part of his past interviews, I think someone would have made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
His couple of public interviews were pretty "nothing much needs to change". Well... that is not the program I have watched this year. IMHO, he needs to be much more critical and urgent in his interviews with Whit. Maybe he is. We don' t get access to these interviews.
I don't think the culture and/or fit with the strength training / health part of the athletic department is working well. This will take some doing as it appears the function is no longer football, but under the AD. I expect a HC to roll in and ask alot of critical questions and perhaps demand autonomy.
At the end of the day things that are too comfortable need shaking up. If Bud sold himself as the MFER READY TO DO THE SHAKING. I think he elevates to the top 5 candidates. If he doesn't I think he is a fallback guy.
Question: If Bud is named HC, who should he hire as OC?
You're doing the lord's work... well done
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10 years 8 months
# | Buzzketball Central: NC A&T Aggies (0-5) at Virginia Tech Hokies (2-1) 7PM ESPN3 I see the talent is there with Allen, but Leday had to take off last year as well yet he has been one of our best contributors.
I do have concerns about how Leday will hold up against ACC players.
This also represents my opinion.
I highly doubt Bud Foster leaves VT whoever the next coach is. It's obviously going to be an offensive minded HC that we hire but Whit knows as well as Alumni and the fan base how important Foster is.
I do not think he would move just because he is not offered the HC position, but I think he will shop for a good opportunity, and will continue to do it until he finds one. I do not think he would take a HC job that pays less then he gets now just to prove he can do it, or move to a situation that he does not feel he could win in just because he did not get the job. I'm not sure if he would choose to DC elsewhere for more $. But I do feel his loyalty to VT will switch more to a loyalty to $ and himself if he is not named HC.
You're not wrong, and I certainly wasn't calling you or anyone out in particular.
However, there are plenty of people on TKP, TSL, other message boards plus Facebook/Twitter that are literally calling any other coaching rumor a slap in the face to Bud Foster as if he is the surefire #1 candidate.
I think he could be a good head coach. I would certainly be happiest if Tech football is very successful in the near future with him at head coach...that would be my top scenario...but I think Whit has a better handle on these things than I do.
What If'sWhit If's
Bump: Edited the original post from 2012. Take a break from the coaching search and update your wallpapers in time for the #LOLUVA game this weekend.
Says "with all due respect.."
Really means "I'm about to say something really disrespectful..."
I hope the vocal crowd here looking for the shiny new toy keeps in perspective that their desire for change shouldn't out-balance the need for stability. This. Program. Needs. Both.
FWIW - I totally agree with you. I hope my thoughts aren't misconstrued that I want Bud Foster to leave VT. I just acknowledge the possibility of him parting ways with VT might be for the best ... especially if he's not chosen to be the head coach, a choice I would not be unhappy with.
FTFY