UC Coaching Search Official Thread

[mjb1979]

Please contact the AD against Skip Holz. I really have a bad feeling about this potential hire, and we as the fans who have helped take the program to the next step need to make our voices known loud and clear to the athletic department.

I really just can't see the mindset behind him as the choice with Quinn as an option who is already here and Butch Jones as someone to make a run at also.

My primary concern is that he is clearly the biggest change in offensive philosophy given our talent on that side of the ball next season, and yet he would also seem the most likely to bolt for "greener pastures" if he is successful enough after what would likely be a rougher transition due to the change in philosophy.

Jeff Quinn would bring the most stability to the situation, and he would seem to be the most likely to be here longer if successful also as he would have already been here around 6 years if he became attractive after 3 years at the helm. And he may feel more loyalty to the program that he helped build and which gave him his first head coaching job.

And Butch Jones would at least bring the same spread style of offense.

So hurry and make your opinions known.

I am going to go ahead and trust Mike Thomas' judgment on the whole coaching search. I am sure he couldn't care less what our opinions are.

[catscratchfever]

I am going to go ahead and trust Mike Thomas' judgment on the whole coaching search. I am sure he couldn't care less what our opinions are.

bingo! that's why he gets paid the big bucks

[bcatwilly]

bingo! that's why he gets paid the big bucks

While I agree as a matter of practice that the fans obviously don't "pick the coach", I would hope that Mike Thomas does actually care about the opinions of his fans who have done so much to build this thing. What I mean by this is unless he feels 100% that Skip Holz is such a lock pick above anyone else for specific reasons then go with what your fans seem to prefer if you are also comfortable with that decision, e.g. Jeff Quinn.

[mjb1979]

While I agree as a matter of practice that the fans obviously don't "pick the coach", I would hope that Mike Thomas does actually care about the opinions of his fans who have done so much to build this thing. What I mean by this is unless he feels 100% that Skip Holz is such a lock pick above anyone else for specific reasons then go with what your fans seem to prefer if you are also comfortable with that decision, e.g. Jeff Quinn.

What makes Jeff Quinn attractive as a coach is also what makes him a risk. We don't know anything about him, other than that he is our offensive coordinator. I trust Mike Thomas whether he picks Quinn or if he passes him over.

[Cordon]

From the most trusted source out there....THE SCOOP!

Cincinnati:
Our sources have confirmed that Offensive Coordinator Jeff Quinn has interviewed today to replace Brian Kelly as the permanent Head Coach. Also, we
have confirmed that Butch Jones will interview Monday, even though, he is negotiating with Marshall to be their next Head Coach.

[superjames1992]

From the most trusted source out there....THE SCOOP!

Cincinnati:
Our sources have confirmed that Offensive Coordinator Jeff Quinn has interviewed today to replace Brian Kelly as the permanent Head Coach. Also, we
have confirmed that Butch Jones will interview Monday, even though, he is negotiating with Marshall to be their next Head Coach.

Wait, I thought Brian Kelly was still at Cincinnati? He wasn't even a candidate for the Notre Dame job. Why do we need to interview anyone to replace BK then?

['nati streets]

Please contact the AD against Skip Holz. I really have a bad feeling about this potential hire, and we as the fans who have helped take the program to the next step need to make our voices known loud and clear to the athletic department.

I really just can't see the mindset behind him as the choice with Quinn as an option who is already here and Butch Jones as someone to make a run at also.

You want us to contact MT because of your feeling?
This site is fun for talking but lets not get carried away with feelings.... the Athletic Department wants a passionate and involved base but a rational one too...

I dont have problem with a proven coach who has considerably grown the fan base in North Carolina.

[#41]

Who are you liking in this process 41? It seems like you can tell us why each potential candidate shouldn't be hired, but who do you like? Just curious. I'm not saying you're not going to do this, but I think it is very important that we support whoever is hired initially and give them a fair shot to do the job. I think it's obvious that we won't be hiring another coach that went undefeated this year, and probably not one that has ever gone undefeated.

Nobody who I like has been mentioned (Dave Christensen, Dave Clawson being the top two) -- so I'm guessing they are off MT's radar.

At the outset, I listed my criteria for a head coach:

1. Previous head coaching experience

2. Offensive background, preferably in the spread-pass

3. Has worked in and recruited in the midwest

4. Shows history of developing players or getting maximum effort out of low-level recruits

5. Ability to work well with media and has some PR savvy

Absent compelling evidence to the contrary, I'm 99% inflexible to those 5 points. I don't want a defense-first or coach with a defensive background -- you have to sell tickets to UC football and defense doesn't sell tickets. I don't want a pro-style or non-spread coach -- the parts are in place to run the spread, and UC simply can't recruit the types of players necessary to run a pro-style offense. I don't want a coordinator -- the wash-out risk is too high. I don't want someone who hasn't worked extensively in the midwest or recruited the midwest -- UC has to recruit this area to win. Someday they'll, hopefully, get a national recruiting base. Someday isn't now, though.

So when names like Tommy Tuberville (has not worked in the midwest, does not run the spread), Skip Holtz (has been out of the midwest for 15+ years, does not run the spread), Al Golden (defensive-background, does not run the spread), Kevin Sumlin (limited coaching experience in the midwest) and Jeff Quinn (no head coaching experience) pop up -- I'm naturally going to be apprehensive about their candidacy.

Whoever UC hires, I'll support 110%. I just don't want to see them make a dumb hire and set the program back 5-10 years, the way Louisville did when Petrino left.

[mjb1979]

Luckily, I think Kelly is leaving the program in much better shape than Petrino did when he left Louisville.

[broeli]

Seems like nobody is being mentioned really. Maybe Sumlin, Jones, and Quinn but thats it. I would be really disappointed if MT isn't doing extensive searching and interviewing for the job. We sure haven't heard much. Kind of odd.
There are sooo many good ones that aren't even being mentioned. We are a top 5 program going to a BCS bowl. We should be drawing all kinds of candidates. Of course nobody is pressing hard to find out who's interviewed/interviewing like was done with ND. We had to listen to their coaching search rumors every 5 minutes on ESPN.

[mjb1979]

Seems like nobody is being mentioned really. Maybe Sumlin, Jones, and Quinn but thats it. I would be really disappointed if MT isn't doing extensive searching and interviewing for the job. We sure haven't heard much. Kind of odd.
There are sooo many good ones that aren't even being mentioned. We are a top 5 program going to a BCS bowl. We should be drawing all kinds of candidates. Of course nobody is pressing hard to find out who's interviewed/interviewing like was done with ND. We had to listen to their coaching search rumors every 5 minutes on ESPN.

Yeah I wouldn't be surprised if our new coach ends up being someone totally off the radar. Nor would I be surprised if it ends up being one of the 3 guys being mentioned. I guess I trust MT to make the right pick, regardless.

[Dannyboy]

Luckily, I think Kelly is leaving the program in much better shape than Petrino did when he left Louisville.

Absolutely. Petrino violated every NCAA rule imaginable, resulting in players transferring and/or getting kicked off the team. There was no one left.

[austinbearcat]

I've heard very little talk about Chris Petersen from Boise St. I would think he'd want to make the jump to a legit BCS school. Anyone have any intel if MT has reached out to him?

[BCat 4Ever]

I like Holtz and Jones, but I would think there is someone out there w/a little more prestige that is interested and understands what we have here.

[Forsure21]

The problem is we have gone to back to back BCS games and no coach wants to take over a program and be seen inferior. 99% of coaching changes in the BCS level are because of losing,not winning. That is the problem here. We might have to look for someone on the staff.

If Quinn really wants the job I wouldn't mind letting him have a chance.