Who would replace Malzahn (merged threads again)

[ArgoEagle 1,775]

6 minutes ago, AUEngineer2016 said:

I really only see 3 options for us here:

1. Bill Clark, HC UAB. 13-6 in the 2 years he's spent resurrecting UAB football, including a 2nd place finish in the MAC West their first year back. Not bad for a school that lost all of their top-tier players.

It'd also be interesting to see if he could convince John Grass (HC Jacksonville State) to come be his OC again- the 2 coached together at Jacksonville State in 2013:

• 35.2 ppg on offense, 23.6 ppg on defense
• 89% Red Zone scoring percentage, 64% Red Zone TD Percentage
• 4.8 YPA rushing, 7.6 YPA passing
• 49 School Records, 13 OVC Records, 3 NCAA 1-AA Records

I think the ideal scenario here is: 

• Bill Clark, HC
• John Grass, OC
• Kevin Steele, DC

2. Josh Heupel - HC UCF. You want offense? A guy who can develop quarterbacks? Heupel's your guy. Just a few of the names he's coached:

• Sam Bradford 
• Landry Jones
• Blake Bell
• Trevor Knight
• Drew Lock 
• Mackenzie Milton

He's shown he can coach a successful offense in the SEC with Mizzou. In his 2 seasons as OC, they put up video game numbers. The year before he became OC, Mizzou averaged 13.6 PPG. In the 2 years he was there, they averaged 31.4 and 37.5 PPG. His offense at UCF is averaging 45.7 PPG. His team is undefeated and in the Top 10- I don't care that Frost did it the year before, it's hard to keep that going. Just ask Major Applewhite at Houston, Mike Norvell at Memphis, and every other coach who's taken over a Top-10 G5 team only to find that it's not so easy to get those guys to buy in. 

Heupel is a QB guy, he won the Heisman at OU under the Pirate himself Mike Leach. He's coached under both Bob and Mike Stoops. He's a young guy with a lot of energy, intensity, and a proven track record of offensive success. 

I think the ideal scenario here is:

• Josh Heupel, HC/OC
• Steele or Randy Shannon, DC

3. Keep Malzahn for another year. We spend the year scouting other coaches, preparing to pay the buyout, and are ready to pull the trigger at any point. 

I like the idea of a HC/OC coach and only that. If a coach is going to run the offense as an HC, I don't see the need for an OC, I believe that is evident using Gus as an example.

[AUApostle 7,651]

23 minutes ago, auburn4ever said:

So people on here don't any big name coach coming to Auburn. Why not? is Alabama the only team that can get any big name coach that they want? Auburn fans needs to start thinking that they are just as good as UAT or other team in the SEC or else where. Here's my list of coaches that could replace GM. James Franklin, David Shaw, Chris Peterson, Gary Patterson,  Mark Stoops, Lane Kiffin, Bill Clark, Bob Stoops, Mario Cristobal, Charlie Strong.

IMO, whether we go after a big name is dependent on when we cut ties with Gus.  I'm not sure we can afford a big name right now unless we go into debt and put off some other AD facilities projects.  We can take a chance on a no-name / up-and-comer and ride that out for 3-4 years until we go after a big salary guy.

[AUEngineer2016 407]

1 hour ago, auburn4ever said:

So people on here don't any big name coach coming to Auburn. Why not? is Alabama the only team that can get any big name coach that they want? Auburn fans needs to start thinking that they are just as good as UAT or other team in the SEC or else where. Here's my list of coaches that could replace GM. James Franklin, David Shaw, Chris Peterson, Gary Patterson,  Mark Stoops, Lane Kiffin, Bill Clark, Bob Stoops, Mario Cristobal, Charlie Strong.

No, they aren't the only team, but (assuming we fire Gus) we will have fired our last 2 head coaches within 6 years, both of whom had success (Chizik won a natty in 2010, Malzahn won the SEC in 2013 and almost won a natty, won the SEC West in 2017). That's a lot of stability you're asking coaches like Franklin, Shaw, Peterson, Patterson, and Stoops to give up. Of that group, 

• Shaw's been at Stanford for 11 years, HC for 7
• Peterson's been at Washington for 3 years, previously was at Boise State for 7, and is a playoff contender. He's never had any ties to the southeast, much less Auburn, which means we'd have to throw serious bags of cash at him. Bags of cash we do not have. 
• Patterson's been at TCU for 20 years, been HC for 18 (and built that program up from C-USA to Mountain West to Big 12). Patterson is as much a part of that TCU program as Bill Snyder is at K-State. 
• Mark Stoops has been at Kentucky for 6 years and has found success in a place with lower expectations. He's been building that program year-by-year, and is just now rounding the corner into success. He's in a situation where he realistically has 1-2 challenges/year in the SEC East, and you think he's going to leave to come to the toughest division in CFB? At a school that in the short term has had a very short tolerance for losing?
• Franklin's been at Penn State for 4 years, but also built that program back from nothing to a top-10 contender year in and year out. He's also in a situation with a wealth of resources with less competition. He isn't leaving, and I doubt we could afford both his and Malzahn's buyouts. 

People need to get over Bob Stoops. He retired due to his health- hell his Dad died from a health condition during the middle of a game. He isn't coming back to coaching.

That leaves Kiffin, Clark, Cristobal, and Strong.

• Strong had success at Louisville and is doing a decent job with USF, but he was clearly not the answer at Texas.
• Kiffin is a good offensive mind, but seems to have struggles as a HC. His FAU team is 3-3 currently with wins over Air Force, Bethune-Cookman, and Old Dominion. They're 5th in-conference. 
• Cristobal is having a ton of success at Oregon, has the backing of one of the biggest names in sports worldwide (Nike), and benefits from a Pac-12 that isn't the toughest. The last coach to have success like that only left to go to the NFL.

That leaves Bill Clark, who I've already voiced my support for. 

[TigerFanAU 586]

11 minutes ago, AUEngineer2016 said:

That leaves Bill Clark

I think he'd be the only one we could afford after Malzahn's ridiculous buyout. 

 

[Texas 14]

4 hours ago, Tiger said:

Good point. My only thing with Briles is he is uber toxic and the accusations against him are not something I want following him to AU, nor would I want that type of culture to permeate at AU in the least bit.

I'd love to see what our offense would look like under him though.

 

With every thing that has come out in the last month regarding the Baylor board, and the stuff still coming out,  He should be cleared (though probably not by the general public). I bet he coaches in the NCAA next year.

[AUJedi 243]

WHEN we fire Gus, and hopefully by some miracle, this year, what is your level of confidence that Auburn will make an excellent hire for the next HC? 

[AUcivE09 582]

If you did not write in Bill Belichick........You are doing this wrong.

[Mid Atlantic Tiger 150]

Honestly, I would much rather bring in Bo Mendenhall at UVA.  The guy can build a program and win

On 10/13/2018 at 8:58 PM, Brad_ATX said:

LOL!  People don't walk away from the HC job at Notre Dame unless it's to go to the NFL or retire.

 

[AUsince72 11,084]

1 hour ago, AUJedi said:

WHEN we fire Gus, and hopefully by some miracle, this year, what is your level of confidence that Auburn will make an excellent hire for the next HC? 

It'll certainly be AD Greene's biggest test.

He passed the keep Bruce Pearl test, so I wouldn't mind giving him the shot.

[BigDarb 0]

What about Neal Brown? 

[AUsince72 11,084]

36 minutes ago, BigDarb said:

What about Neal Brown? 

He was a good choice until he lost to Turner Gill last week.

😉

[I_M4_AU 7,801]

20 minutes ago, AUsince72 said:

He was a good choice until he lost to Turner Gill last week.

😉

Stand by.

[BigDarb 0]

25 minutes ago, AUsince72 said:

He was a good choice until he lost to Turner Gill last week.

😉

Yea... forgot about that. I was too busy being pissed about this AU situation

[AUsince72 11,084]

5 minutes ago, BigDarb said:

Yea... forgot about that. I was too busy being pissed about this AU situation

That's understandable.

FTR, I'd still be on board with Neal Brown.

[provibe 261]

I checked Bob Stoops but was thinking Mark Stoops. I believe he would do the same thing here that he has done in Kentucky. Build a fundamentally sound, physical football team that would compete for the West Championship. He seems to coach with passion and the players seem to respond well to his coaching.

[kd4au 1,145]

7 hours ago, AUEngineer2016 said:

Mark Stoops has been at Kentucky for 6 years and has found success in a place with lower expectations. He's been building that program year-by-year, and is just now rounding the corner into success. He's in a situation where he realistically has 1-2 challenges/year in the SEC East, and you think he's going to leave to come to the toughest division in CFB? At a school that in the short term has had a very short tolerance for losing?

I disagree, I think Stoops might want to be on a bigger stage than UK. If for no other reason just to show his family that he can do it at the big schools just like his brother. They do seem to be a competitive family.

[OnthePlains 2,014]

Take every name you want Auburn to hire...now narrow it down to 5...now write those down on individual pieces of paper...now put them in a bowl...then take the bowl and dump it in the trash...Auburn will not hire anyone you want...now get used to the phrase...Auburn head football coach Rhett Lashlee...

[AUsince72 11,084]

12 minutes ago, OnthePlains said:

Take every name you want Auburn to hire...now narrow it down to 5...now write those down on individual pieces of paper...now put them in a bowl...then take the bowl and dump it in the trash...Auburn will not hire anyone you want...now get used to the phrase...Auburn head football coach Rhett Lashlee...

If it wasn't for new AD Greene, I'd have given you a faceplam..... because it would probably be true.

[OnthePlains 2,014]

2 minutes ago, AUsince72 said:

If it wasn't for new AD Greene, I'd have given you a faceplam..... because it would probably be true.

Lol yeah I don’t really think that will happen but if JJ was still AD I wouldn’t doubt it for a second.

[provibe 261]

Kentucky did not have near the talent that Auburn has and still does not. I do not think it would take as long for Stoops to turn this mess around and I believe he would do it the right way that would last. He might turn us down, but I would at least give him something to think about.

[Samau 110]

I voted Bill Clark because he is very good and won't cost us 7 million a year like a couple on that list.

[bg5 536]

On ‎10‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 5:01 PM, wcware said:

I am so tired of hearing people say that someone would not be a good fit for Auburn. Like anyone really cares about ethics. We care about winning and as long as YOUR guy is winning then the ethics don’t matter!!!!

I hope you kidding. Ethics still do matter!!! I know we all want to win but if you get the wrong guy 5 years down the line you end up on probation and don't win for the next 5 years.

[JBiGGiE 2,488]

My vote is Dantonio. Mostly because he's a decent coach who may have enough dirt to keep Mark Emmert at Bay while we rack up 5 star recruits.

[AUEngineer2016 407]

12 hours ago, kd4au said:

I disagree, I think Stoops might want to be on a bigger stage than UK. If for no other reason just to show his family that he can do it at the big schools just like his brother. They do seem to be a competitive family.

2 points with this:

1. I don't think they're as competitive as you think, evidenced by Mike working under Bob for so long. Over the course of his career, Bob and Mike worked together for 13 years, and for 10 of those Bob was Mike's direct superior. The only "competition" they had were: a) from '92-'95 when they worked on the same defensive staff at K-State and b) when Mike took the HC job at Arizona for 7 years, after which he came back to work under Bob. That doesn't show a pattern of competition, it shows a pattern of family loyalty. 
2. More than a competitive family, they are a family that doesn't jump around. Looking at their tenures: 

Bob:

• Iowa - 4 years (GA and Assistant)
• Kent State - 1 year (Assistant), left for a better job at K-State
• Kansas State - 6 years (DBs, Co-DC), left for a  better job in UF
• Florida - 2 years (AHC/DC), left to take the HC job at OU
• Oklahoma - 17 years (HC), retired

Mike: 

• Iowa - 3 years (GA, LB/DB), left to work with Bob at K-State
• Kansas State - 6 years (DE, co-DC, DB, AHC), left to work with Bob at OU
• Oklahoma - 4 years (AHC/co-DC/DB), left to take HC job at Arizona
• Arizona - 7 years (HC), fired, went back to OU to work with Bob
• Oklahoma - 6 years (AHD/DC/DB/OLB), fired by Bob's replacement, Lincoln Riley

Mark: 

• Iowa - 2 years (GA) - Left for the AD job at a HS
• High School - 3 years (AD/DB) - Left for a college coaching job
• USF - 1 year (DB) 
• Wyoming - 3 years (DB) - Left to follow HC to Houston
• Houston - 1 year (Co-DC/S) - Left for a better job in Miami
• Miami - 3 years (DB) - Left to coach with his brother Mike
• Arizona - 5 years (DC/DB) - Left for a better job in Florida State
• Florida State - 2 years (DC/DB) - Left to take the HC job at Kentucky
• Kentucky - 5 years (HC) 

If you look at all of their career paths, you'll notice some similarities: all coached at Iowa to begin their careers, all bounced around a little as assistants, all eventually specialized in DBs, and all of them stayed with 1 school when getting the HC position until they were either fired, or retired. Mark saw what happened to Mike when he started losing, and he saw how Bob was able to maintain a level of success by building a program and staying at the same school. My guess is that he will follow the "build the program" model vs the "it's a better job" model.

[OnthePlains 2,014]

3 minutes ago, AUEngineer2016 said:

2 points with this:

1. I don't think they're as competitive as you think, evidenced by Mike working under Bob for so long. Over the course of his career, Bob and Mike worked together for 13 years, and for 10 of those Bob was Mike's direct superior. The only "competition" they had were: a) from '92-'95 when they worked on the same defensive staff at K-State and b) when Mike took the HC job at Arizona for 7 years, after which he came back to work under Bob. That doesn't show a pattern of competition, it shows a pattern of family loyalty. 
2. More than a competitive family, they are a family that doesn't jump around. Looking at their tenures: 

Bob:

• Iowa - 4 years (GA and Assistant)
• Kent State - 1 year (Assistant), left for a better job at K-State
• Kansas State - 6 years (DBs, Co-DC), left for a  better job in UF
• Florida - 2 years (AHC/DC), left to take the HC job at OU
• Oklahoma - 17 years (HC), retired

Mike: 

• Iowa - 3 years (GA, LB/DB), left to work with Bob at K-State
• Kansas State - 6 years (DE, co-DC, DB, AHC), left to work with Bob at OU
• Oklahoma - 4 years (AHC/co-DC/DB), left to take HC job at Arizona
• Arizona - 7 years (HC), fired, went back to OU to work with Bob
• Oklahoma - 6 years (AHD/DC/DB/OLB), fired by Bob's replacement, Lincoln Riley

Mark: 

• Iowa - 2 years (GA) - Left for the AD job at a HS
• High School - 3 years (AD/DB) - Left for a college coaching job
• USF - 1 year (DB) 
• Wyoming - 3 years (DB) - Left to follow HC to Houston
• Houston - 1 year (Co-DC/S) - Left for a better job in Miami
• Miami - 3 years (DB) - Left to coach with his brother Mike
• Arizona - 5 years (DC/DB) - Left for a better job in Florida State
• Florida State - 2 years (DC/DB) - Left to take the HC job at Kentucky
• Kentucky - 5 years (HC) 

If you look at all of their career paths, you'll notice some similarities: all coached at Iowa to begin their careers, all bounced around a little as assistants, all eventually specialized in DBs, and all of them stayed with 1 school when getting the HC position until they were either fired, or retired. Mark saw what happened to Mike when he started losing, and he saw how Bob was able to maintain a level of success by building a program and staying at the same school. My guess is that he will follow the "build the program" model vs the "it's a better job" model.

You make great point here. But I wholeheartedly believe Stoops would jump on a plane to Auburn in a heartbeat if offered. No offense to UK but them reaching one SEC title game and averaging 7 or 8 wins a year is their max output in my opinion. The right guy given the right tools can do much better at Auburn.