Coaching Carousel '21-22

[GoCats1994]

From Swarbrick via SI just now:

Notre Dame hasn't made a decision on an interim coach, Jack Swarbrick says. He suggests that the Irish actually might take a different approach and not have an interim coach.

Swarbrick went on to say that they won’t use a search firm.


There are a couple ways you can read that.

1. They’ve got their guy already in Freeman
2. They’re going to have someone in place before the Playoffs.

3. They've got their guy already in CLF. Simply waiting on an exit date.

I actually don't agree that #3 is the correct answer...just pointing out that there are more than 2 scenarios

[Chewbacca2099]

Well it's frustrating that they specifically mentioned on the ESPN article that they are willing to wait until playoffs are over to make a hire... That seems to be targeted, I hope they hire freeman and call it a day. If not, I hope we can get him before BK takes him to LSU

[GoBearcats31]

Kentucky announces contract extension for @UKCoachStoops through 2027 season. Includes guaranteed extensions for any season with seven wins (one-year extension) or 10 wins (two-year extension).

[Bearcat Chris]

CLF needs to make a Gen. Sherman like statement; “If nominated I will not accept, and if elected I will not serve”. That will end all speculation once and for all, instead of playing this cat and mouse game. One thing is for certain though, I don’t think he will desert the team before the season is completely over.

B.C.

[GoBearcats31]

Tim Prister of Irish Illustrated on with Rocky Boiman and Jason Williams on 700WLW. Said as things stand now, Fickell and Freeman are probably the top candidates, with LF being the top among current head coaches and MF the top among non-current head coaches. Suggested Notre Dame would be more open to someone without head coaching experience and personally suggested Freeman would be a great hire. Rocky said that Freeman has helped take ND recruiting to the next level, which (in his opinion) gives him a leg up. Rocky did not sound personally as high on Matt Campbell but thinks Freeman could make a lot of sense. Prister added that he thinks Tommy Rees (OC) will go to LSU with Brian Kelly.

[Lobot]

Just a heads up, there’s a fake Twitter account out there that mimics NDFootball saying they’ve hired Matt Campbell. It’s a really good fake graphic to be honest. It’s already fooled a few people.

[gobearcats1]

Fickell is likely gone, this hurts! https://twitter.com/dennisdoddcbs/st...7Ctwgr%5Etweet

[leo from jersey]

Fickell is likely gone, this hurts! https://twitter.com/dennisdoddcbs/st...7Ctwgr%5Etweet

We wait and see but I was hoping for more than UC being the stepping stone school.

[GoBearcats31]

Fickell is likely gone, this hurts! https://twitter.com/dennisdoddcbs/st...7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Not sure the reliability here. Not saying he's wrong, but that I wouldn't take it to mean Fickell is gone. Last week, I shared a tweet from Dodd saying Fickell was staying at Cincinnati, but no one batted an eye. Largely because it seemed people assumed Dodd was basing it off Mario Eugenio telling someone that Fickell told them he was staying.

[GoBearcats31]

Jac Collinsworth says there is a lot of interest in Freeman among the "ND community" https://twitter.com/JacCollinsworth/...82703178067975

[JohnFrancis]

Kelly to LSU is LSU's 'all in' attempt to nab Arch Manning in a couple of years in my opinion. Kelly worked wonders at UC with multiple injuries to QBs and no matter who came in he got production out of the replacement. Kelly's history with QBs has to be a selling point to Manning. Look what he did with little Ian Book at ND.

[bearcatbret]

I am sorry but the overall community of South Bend is an armpit. I am hoping that with the new salary offer from UC to CLF, it will be good enough to keep him. UC is moving to the Big 12 which will help in many ways. CLF has a ton of children that I am sure that he does not want to move them.

[Lobot]

Dennis Dodd does some pretty good reporting on things. This coaching carousel has not been his brightest hour. He’s gone from USC offered Luke the position to turn down to Fickell is staying at UC to NDs waiting on him in a week.

This whole thing is crazy and Dodd might still be right. I’m betting against him today.

[Lobot]

Pete Sampson is reporting ND is meeting with Tommy Rees to try and keep him on staff. He has an offer at LSU as does Freeman.

Swarbrick is telling The recruiting staff to stay on the road.

[GoBearcats31]

Pete Thamel article on potential BK replacements
https://sports.yahoo.com/who-will-re...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.