Coaching Carousel '21-22

[Bearcat Chris]

He has NOT made a clear, definite statement that he is staying, and NOT interested in ND, or any other job.

The longer the ND job stays open (remember early signing date is just two weeks off), the more likely he will take the job. He will not desert the team like BK did in 2009.

B.C.

[RedDog]

If CLF does leave & my goodness I hope he doesn't, give the job to Gino! He'd make a great head coach.
Just my humble opinion.

I was thinking the same thing. Luke is probably headed to o$u, Freeman will get ND. I would love to have either but that's how I see the chips falling. Gino might be a viable option.
If Fick can guide the guys to a win Saturday, and keep them focused for a bowl game, it will be an unbelievable accomplishment and unheard of in these selfish and money grabbing times. He has more class than most of these bozos and certainly more compassion and respect for players and schools. Lets hope we can commit to facilities upgrades and sweeten the pot for him to stay but $ is not his driving factor and it will be hard for him to pass on lifetime ambitions. It would also be hard for him to stay for a month until bowl games are over but whatever he does I expect to be handled as well as possible and with regard for all others involved and not just himself. This could exclude him from opportunities but either they really want him and will wait or he sees it through out of commitment and integrity. I have a big worry about losing recruits and transfers in addition to this large senior class. Freeman would be best qualified to stop that bleeding and get us back to where we want to be but a couple year drop off is inevitable. If Fick stays, it would be the ultimate defiance of regrettable industry trends and the most respectable decision imaginable. Lets pray it happens, hope we can stay focused to finish the job either way, but its hard not to envision our situation without his leadership.

[bearcatjd]

If CLF does leave & my goodness I hope he doesn't, give the job to Gino! He'd make a great head coach.
Just my humble opinion.

[bearcatbret]

Guys, I too appreciate what Mr. Freeman did at UC. However, I do not believe we missed a step when he left. The reason BK hired him at ND was because Mr. Freeman knew the players at UC both on offense and defense (and that he is good). Given that familiarity, ND should have shut down UC both on the O and D side of the ball. They did not. If I was a an AD at a Major University, I would not hire him for a head coach. As a head coach at any university, I would hire him as an assistant. I hope that ND loves him enough to promote him but I think that you are giving him way too much credit at his young age. I hope that he does become successful because that will be a pedigree of UC football.

[steveedwards]

I know it may be an apples and oranges situation, but I hope all this Marcus Freeman support from current and past players, fans,etc, isn’t a parallel to what happened with Erik Martin when Brannen left. Could Swarbick feel too much pressure to satisfy these supporters and go the opposite direction?

[longtimefan]

http://<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">CFBreaking: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cincinnati?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cinc innati</a> and HC Luke Fickell are close to a big contract extension<br>Per <a href="https://twitter.com/CJGolson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CJGolson</a></p>&mdash; Film Talk Football (@FilmTalkFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/FilmTalkFB/status/1465726199360110592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"CFBreaking: #Cincinnati and HC Luke Fickell are close to a big contract extension Per
@CJGolson
"

Let's hope it is true. Don't know the source.

The same guy tweeted yesterday afternoon that Kelly had reached an agreement to stay at ND with a new contract. That was just a couple of hours before his move to LSU was confirmed.

[longtimefan]

LOL...10 minute farewell by Kelly. His players were certainly a priority to him. Chase that money..screw those that you recruited to get that money. I feel for ND football players right now. Seriously.

Saw one later report stating the “meeting” lasted only 2 minutes, and he was back in his car by 7:11.

[GoBearcats31]

Chad Brendel says he cannot imagine Luke Fickell going anywhere with out S&C coach Brady Collins, and Notre Dame has announced its S&C coach is staying.

[bearcatbret]

Kelly leaving may have screwed ND from the playoffs... Brian Kelly's departure from Notre Dame could impact Fighting Irish's CFP ranking, says Gary Barta | Sporting News From the same experiece back 12 years ago, I can feel for the players and even the fans. It is of my opinion that Kelly darted from UC knowing that there was going to be a slight drop and that he could not maintain that level the next year. Maybe, BK was feeling the same pressure at ND knowing that he may have already peaked and was not going to move up any further and instead of being scrutinized, he decided to bolt in the dark of night to a school that needs rebuilding where he will be given a "grace" period before the expectations sink in. He is sitting at 60 + years and has limited time. He may just be collecting all that he can before he retires because if he bolts from his new school, he may not find a good home.

Check out the t-shirt in the video... "We Remember 2009". Brian Kelly's brusque Notre Dame exit is nothing new - Sports Illustrated

[Carin's Dad]

There's no such thing as a "destination job", at least not in big time football. There is probably pressure being put on big time coaches to get locked in at maximum salary before paying players happens (if).

[LetsGoCats]

I will say this, I hope Notre Dame hires a coach before the bowl games start. If not, I may get an ulcer.

[LetsGoCats]

Just keep winning...

[red_n_black_attack]

Surely Jack won't wait either. Beat the Coughars!! Go Bearcats

[Lobot]

On the above article,

Surely Swarbrick wouldn't hire Pat FItzgerald? Although he does have familiarity with academic recruiting restrictions.

[GoBearcats31]

Pete Thamel article on potential BK replacements

https://sports.yahoo.com/who-will-replace-brian-kelly-at-notre-dame-heres-the-irishs-potential-candidate-pool-181717920.html

An excerpt:
If Cincinnati makes the playoff by beating Houston this weekend, that would complicate the courtship of Fickell in particular. Telling your team you are leaving on the cusp of a potential playoff run is hard. Also, Notre Dame could be in the playoff. Either way, there’s a chance it could wait to make a hire until after the CFP. Swarbrick is a lawyer and a strategic thinker, and there’s plenty of pondering and strategizing to do here.

Fickell doesn’t seem likely to risk losing his team heading into the playoff nor will he try to convince a Top 25 class to sign at Cincinnati and then bounce two weeks later. There’s a lot of pressure points for Fickell and few clean paths. Fickell is a devout Catholic who has turned down jobs around the country to stay in the Midwest. (He interviewed for a defensive coordinator job at Notre Dame under Weis.)

The sub-drama here will be the future of Freeman, who is one of the bright young coaches in the sport. He could again be the subject of an LSU/Notre Dame squabble for his services as defensive coordinator, or he could also end up at Cincinnati as the head coach if Fickell comes to Notre Dame. He made a prescient decision to go to Notre Dame over LSU last offseason, and he’s going to again have gilded options.