Who would replace Malzahn (merged threads again)

[Zeek 16,649]

29 minutes ago, bigbird said:

1. Shane Beamer

2. Cale Gundy

3a. Josh Heupel

3b. Jeff Scott

4. Dave Aranda

5. Kevin Wilson

1. Maybe I’m missing something but I’m not sold on Beamer personally.

2. Would be a decent get for the offense but doesn’t have any head coaching experience. I see your first two are Oklahoma guys.

3a. I like Heupel but I doubt he leaves UCF after only one season. He would be a good get but it’s still uncertain if he’s just riding Frost’s success.

3b.Young, cheap, from Florida and he’s a solid recruiter. Could be worth a trial run.

4. I think he’s more to blame/praise for LSU’s success this season than Orgeron. Still think coach O is a joke. Would very much like this hire but his OC choice would be critically important.

5. I’ll pass on this one. Rough record as a head coach and not a lot of southern connections.

interesting list my friend! Definitely all seem like cheap options which I think a replacement will have to be.

[doc4aday 1,887]

3 hours ago, AUght2win said:

Like it or not, when Auburn University looks for a head football coach they have a unique standard. At Auburn, you have to embody the University's ethos to a degree. I think this is what most universities used to do back when the sport was about shaping young men and not entirely about money. I, personally, like it. I believe the head coach should be an ambassador for the university and a representative of its values. But that's here nor there.

Love or Hate Tubberville, Chizik, and Gus as coaches, they all embody what it means to be good, Auburn men. This means being blue collar, tough, fearless, Southern, and traditional. That's why guys like Petrino, Kiffin, and Leach would never seriously be considered to coach at Auburn by the powers that be. 

This isn't a discussion of whether or not the criteria should be used. This is a question of, within that criteria, what coaches would want for the Auburn job if it came open after the season?

My picks in no particular order:

• Neal Brown, Troy (HC Record: 30-15): The guy is young (38) , but resurrected Troy. He runs a wide open spread offense that he could easily plug in with our current talent.
• Bill Clark, UAB (HC Record: 30-16): So impressed with what he's done in his short career. Making UAB relevant is a miracle in and of itself, but in the face of the program shut-down? Insane. He's an Alabamian through and through. In his 30 year career, he's never had a job outside the state. I think he could be special.
• Clay Helton, USC (HC Record: 31-12): He's an Auburn guy who's done well at a big-time program left in big-time chaos. They should again win the Pac 12 South, making it 2 years in a row. They are the defending overall Pac 12 Champs.
• Brent Venables, DC Clemson: No need to dig into the resume. The guy knows how to win and recruit for a Southern powerhouse.
• Kevin Steele, DC Auburn: He was a disaster as a head coach in his only stint at Baylor. But that was 15 years ago. At Baylor, back when they were truly Baylor. He's learned from the best since then. He is 60, though.
• Jeff Brohm, HC Purdue (HC Record 40-19): The guy is winning in a tough job at Purdue, and has a southern football background. Still an unproven.
• John Grass, Jacksonville State (HC Record: 47-9): Dude has never lost a conference game in 4 years at Jack State. 34-0! Has won 4 straight conference titles. Almost beat us in JHS a few years back. 

Other guys who would qualify, but are too green: Travaris Robinson DC South Carolina, T-Will LB Coach, Auburn, Brian Bohannon HC Kennesaw State.

I know there are more out there. Name yours!

I am good with Clark, Venables, Grass Brohm, maybe Helton, and Brown sort of. Kevin Steel is getting ready to retire and is not head coaching material imho.  I would love to get Brian Harsin from Boise State, Lance Leipold from Buffalo, and Dave Aranda - LSU DC.

[fredst 9,064]

1 hour ago, Zeek said:

I think he’s more to blame/praise for LSU’s success this season than Orgeron. Still think coach O is a joke. Would very much like this hire but his OC choice would be critically important.

Regarding this: if we’re going to think a little outside the box....let’s hire Aranda as HC and convince him to hire K Briles as OC. Not sure how they’d mesh but that sounds like good stuff on both sides of the ball to me. 

 

On a side note, the only threads I feel like posting in are the ones where we speculate about who’s coaching instead of Gus. My interest in AU football is at an all-time low with Gus at the helm😞

[OnthePlains 2,014]

38 minutes ago, aucanucktiger said:

IMHO this is a REALLY astute post - one of the best we have seen on this board since the torches & pitch forks were grabbed this week and this forum basically turned into the childrens' hour/Al.com.

Only when people get their panties in a wad over a football message board...

[gr82be 14,423]

35 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

And idk man, some old timers may want to fight you for saying Dye was the Orange & Blue GOAT. Shug didn't mess around.

I caught the last 5 years of Shug and Dye definitely had more of an edge to him. I still love his "60 minutes to beat Bama" comment. Back to your thread though, we just need the best coach possible. I like your list and really think what Bill Clark has done is incredible and he probably even has quite a bit of disdain for the U of A. on top of that too because of what happened. That certainly couldn't hurt anything. 

[bigbird 60,512]

32 minutes ago, Zeek said:

1. Maybe I’m missing something but I’m not sold on Beamer personally.

What are your reservations?

Coached under O'Leary, Fulmer, Croom, Spurrier, Beamer, Smart, and Riley. That's a pretty good pedigree. He also is consistently ranked in top 25 recruiters. 

[cctiger 571]

16 minutes ago, gr82be said:

I caught the last 5 years of Shug and Dye definitely had more of an edge to him.

Coach Dye was a lot younger, and Coach Jordan was getting on up in age and had some health problems too. I would still take Shug, or Dye 100 times over anything that we have had since Dye resigned.

[AUsince72 11,084]

18 minutes ago, bigbird said:

What are your reservations?

Coached under O'Leary, Fulmer, Croom, Spurrier, Beamer, Smart, and Riley. That's a pretty good pedigree. He also is consistently ranked in top 25 recruiters. 

 

[aucanucktiger 1,791]

1 hour ago, OnthePlains said:

Only when people get their panties in a wad over a football message board...

Or more accurately, getting panties in a wad over people getting their panties in a wad over a football message board...

[AUsince72 11,084]

4 minutes ago, aucanucktiger said:

1 hour ago, OnthePlains said:

Only when people get their panties in a wad over a football message board...

Or more accurately, getting panties in a wad over people getting their panties in a wad over a football message board...

So the moral here is...

Be a man and wear mens' underwear.  They don't wad up.

[AURealist 2,185]

Any word on that snowflake button?

[OnthePlains 2,014]

32 minutes ago, aucanucktiger said:

Or more accurately, getting panties in a wad over people getting their panties in a wad over a football message board...

Or or or...nah you’re not worth it.

[tbone1430 1,346]

My updated list: 

1. Kiffin

2. Venables 

3. Brohm

4. Aranda

5. Beamer 

I just think we need to at least have some kind of splash hire. That definitely happens with 1 or 2, even 3 and 4 to a lesser extent. As much as I think Neal Brown, Bill Clark, or others like that may be good head coaches I don’t see that getting lots of buzz around the fan base. I also am not sure of their recruiting abilities. I know 1, 2, and 4 can definitely recruit/develop players. Not as knowledgeable about 3 and 5. All of these guys are younger also so they could stick around for a while if all goes well. 

[DAG 33,980]

42 minutes ago, tbone1430 said:

My updated list: 

1. Kiffin

2. Venables 

3. Brohm

4. Aranda

5. Beamer 

I just think we need to at least have some kind of splash hire. That definitely happens with 1 or 2, even 3 and 4 to a lesser extent. As much as I think Neal Brown, Bill Clark, or others like that may be good head coaches I don’t see that getting lots of buzz around the fan base. I also am not sure of their recruiting abilities. I know 1, 2, and 4 can definitely recruit/develop players. Not as knowledgeable about 3 and 5. All of these guys are younger also so they could stick around for a while if all goes well. 

I love the idea of Venables but I have to believe he has something in his past. There is no reason for him to have not gotten a HC gig yet .

[WarDamnAirForce 23]

I’m legitimately curious as to the lack of interest in Dave Doeren and Matt Campbell. They were Hot last year and it only looks like they’ve continued their success

[bigbird 60,512]

20 minutes ago, WarDamnAirForce said:

I’m legitimately curious as to the lack of interest in Dave Doeren and Matt Campbell. They were Hot last year and it only looks like they’ve continued their success

For me, they come from the same type of limited coaching tree that Gus has.  I place that measurement as the biggest indicator of future success.

[TitanTiger 20,472]

I'm still in the camp that you get a concrete "no" from Bob Stoops and James Franklin first.  The latter is especially a long shot, but it's worth a call.  After that, I like this pool of candidates:

Mario Cristobal - elite recruiter (especially S. Florida), specialty is the OL, SEC experience (at Alabama under Saban), killing it this year at Oregon
Dave Aranda - everything about this guy tells me he's a guy who can lead a program.  excellent defensive mind.  SEC and Big Ten experience, and we get to hurt a rival by taking away their DC.
Brent Venables - has fielded tons of great defenses at Oklahoma and Clemson, excellent recruiter, coached under Bob Stoops and Dabo, winner

 

Folks I'm hesitant on but could eventually be convinced:

Jeff Brohm (still waiting to see him be competitive with the big boys in his conference)
Shane Beamer (mainly need to learn more about him)
Lane Kiffin (think he'd develop QBs like crazy and have consistently great offense and recruiting.  Reservations are his immature behavior in the past)
Bill Clark (everyone says he's going to be the next big thing whenever he leaves UAB, but UAB is really all we have to go on so far, and as impressive as that is, it's still UAB.)
Josh Heupel (good pedigree, but first year as a HC)
Matt Campbell (doing well at Iowa St but I worry about recruiting down here)
 

[AubTigers 25]

36 minutes ago, WarDamnAirForce said:

I’m legitimately curious as to the lack of interest in Dave Doeren and Matt Campbell. They were Hot last year and it only looks like they’ve continued their success

I would love to have Matt Campbell, but he has a 7 million dollar buyout.

[TitanTiger 20,472]

Just now, AubTigers said:

I would love to have Matt Campbell, but he has a 7 million dollar buyout.

There's no decent head coach you can get that won't have a buyout in that range or higher.  If the PTB are willing to buyout Malzahn, they aren't going to pass on the guy they want over a $7M buyout.

[aujeff11 6,243]

32 minutes ago, TitanTiger said:

There's no decent head coach you can get that won't have a buyout in that range or higher.  If the PTB are willing to buyout Malzahn, they aren't going to pass on the guy they want over a $7M buyout.

You mean to tell me they can buyout our whole staff (at least 40 mil,) buyout a 7m coach else where, and then pay his salary plus the new coaching staff’s salaries? Can we get a football only facility too since tbe stove is hot?

[TitanTiger 20,472]

1 minute ago, aujeff11 said:

You mean to tell me they can buyout our whole staff (at least 40 mil,) buyout a 7m coach else where, and then pay his salary plus the new coaching staff’s salaries? Can we get a football only facility too since tbe stove is hot?

I'm telling you that if they make the decision to cut ties with Malzahn, they aren't going to take that kind of drastic step and pay that kind of money to start pinching pennies when hiring his replacement.  They're either all in, or it ain't happening.

Now, what I think will happen if they pull the trigger on this is, they'll end up negotiating that buyout down a good bit.  But the main thing is, they know what the cost of getting a good coach to replace him is.  So if they're willing to spend the buyout money, they're willing to pony up to get what they believe is an actual upgrade and not just a cheap replacement.

[SphyNxXx 96]

I read somewhere else that Venables has been holding out for Snyder to retire at his alma mater KSU.

[OnthePlains 2,014]

3 minutes ago, SphyNxXx said:

I read somewhere else that Venables has been holding out for Snyder to retire at his alma mater KSU.

Wow. I understand loving your alma mater and all...but he’s holding out for that coveted KSU job? To live in Manhattan...KS? That’s school spirit right there. 

[bg5 536]

This is what I love about message boards. Everyone throws out names of potential replacement's then they all get shot down as either not good enough or someone we can't get. That way you are covered when we get them and they don't work out. I am going to be really mad if we fire Gus and don't have a very big splash already lined up to take his place. So that said it's Belichick, Gruden, Carroll or Tomlin or nothing for me.   

[OnthePlains 2,014]

2 minutes ago, bg5 said:

This is what I love about message boards. Everyone throws out names of potential replacement's then they all get shot down as either not good enough or someone we can't get. That way you are covered when we get them and they don't work out. I am going to be really mad if we fire Gus and don't have a very big splash already lined up to take his place. So that said it's Belichick, Gruden, Carroll or Tomlin or nothing for me.   

I hope you forgot the yellow sarcasm font