Coach Caddy's Job Interview Last Night

[ScotsAU 1,311]

Caddy is not a realistic candidate for a head coach job yet. But whoever the next coach is should absolutely make him the assistant head coach. I think he showed a ton of potential this week. But, having never been a coordinator and only having coached for a few years, he probably needs to learn the X’s and O’s side of football a little more. I think we saw some of his inexperience with that. Despite keeping the kids motivated and being a very active sideline coach (eg, talking to players about their mistakes when they came to the sideline), there were 1-2 head scratcher game management decisions that I don’t think you see with a more seasoned Head Coach Caddy. 
 

But the next coach should make retaining him a priority. I could see a smaller program going after him as a head coaching candidate or a lower prestige power 5 program wanting to make him a co-coordinator. Hopefully, he’ll stay with his alma mater a bit longer. 

Edited November 6, 2022 by ScotsAU

[AU_Canoe 230]

I would imagine having this opportunity to lead AU the last part of the season is a huge growth opportunity for Caddy. Listening to his interviews over the years I appreciate that he is a reflective person and is always hungry to learn new things. Not many assistant coaches get the opportunity to take over on an interim basis. I think we also assume that every Assistant or Staff wants to be or is meant to be a HC. 

HC's often come with their entourage and blueprint; however, if the new HC is smart, he will keep Caddy and further refine and develop his passion. A coach will not find a better Auburn Man that represents the vibe of AU, loyal, marketable, holds the locker room, recruits, fan favorite, and is part of the Auburn DNA. All of those are areas a new HC will have to embrace but takes time and energy, therefore, having someone on my staff that already encompasses this... that is a win! 

[tigerrules 517]

48 minutes ago, bdc81 said:

Had to help someone with a MBA in business buy a car, did not appear to understand anything about the process.

Will always be a Carnell Williams fan, go crazy Cadillac!

 

I know an aeronautical engineer, programmed satellites, that I had to help get through a revolving door one time. 

[abw0004 10,102]

I do think Caddy deserves an interview, if at a bare minimum than for the university to show their appreciation for him and how much he truly means to us.  It’s just an interview.  If Harsin can interview here, Caddy sure can.  

[MaxCohen216 514]

59 minutes ago, AEAugirl said:

Not asking for him to be an orator.  He’s a football coach, and a mentor of young men.  I could give a crap  how eloquent he is.  He’s ten times the man than the the last one that sat and gave a post game presser. 

A very emotional response at a very emotional time.

But you are wrong.  A HC (even an interim) must be articulate.  He wasn't.

[MaxCohen216 514]

40 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

I do think Caddy deserves an interview, if at a bare minimum than for the university to show their appreciation for him and how much he truly means to us.  It’s just an interview.  If Harsin can interview here, Caddy sure can.  

Oh my goodness.  Caddy hasn't even been a coordinator at any level.  He does NOT deserve a SEC HC interview at this point.  What a waste of time that would be for him and all concerned.

His worth (which is much as a RB coach) is being undermined by elevated hero worship on this board.

[Tigers77 281]

2 minutes ago, MaxCohen216 said:

Oh my goodness.  Caddy hasn't even been a coordinator at any level.  He does NOT deserve a SEC HC interview at this point.  What a waste of time that would be for him and all concerned.

His worth (which is much as a RB coach) is being undermined by elevated hero worship on this board.

Good lord shut up 🙄

[MaxCohen216 514]

1 minute ago, Tigers77 said:

Good lord shut up 🙄

No.

[abw0004 10,102]

4 minutes ago, MaxCohen216 said:

Oh my goodness.  Caddy hasn't even been a coordinator at any level.  He does NOT deserve a SEC HC interview at this point.  What a waste of time that would be for him and all concerned.

His worth (which is much as a RB coach) is being undermined by elevated hero worship on this board.

Yes you made it very clear on the game thread yesterday how much you hated Cadillac.  Even went as far to say that the players don’t have as “desire” to play for him.  

[Tigers77 281]

2 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

Yes you made it very clear on the game thread yesterday how much you hated Cadillac.  Even went as far to say that the players don’t have as “desire” to play for him.  

I guess we should just put this guy on ignore. He’s just being a di$# for the sake of being a di$#. 

[BHDAU1 240]

Maxcohen, You are right about the interview, he definitely needs to be more articulate when speaking to the media. BUT, with that said, that is something I think he would have no problem doing.  Auburn University should be able to help him with that fairly easily I would think.  In 6 weeks he could speak with a British accent if necessary.  I am of the opinion that if Coach Williams can keep this team together, make them show growth, and win a couple of games that I would not be mad if Auburn hired him.  I mean honestly, I was at the point of not even watching the games anymore after being a die hard fan for the last 27 years AND as an 2003 Auburn graduate.  Auburn football hit its lowest point I can remember this year, at least for me, and there is no one available that I am really sold on for head coach.  I think he would have to go thru the interview process and present a cohesive plan for rebuilding the team and have two very experienced and successful coordinators 100% already lined up to come if he is hired.  I think having a proven offensive and defensive coordinator coming on board with him would be a requirement.  If he can do that then hire him on a short-term basis, 2 or 3 year contract with little to no buy-out.  Give him a good salary and most importantly give him whatever money he needs to hire his staff.  Worst case scenario he does great recruiting and wins more than Harsin but not good enough to remain head coach, and Auburn lines up a big name coach to replace him after a couple of years.  Best case scenario he recruits really well, fields a team that plays its heart out, and Auburn gets better every year as he becomes a better coach.  Maybe as soon as year 4 or 5 Auburn is in the running for the SEC title and either playoff or meaningful bowl game.  

[EagleEye67 1,937]

1 hour ago, tigerrules said:

I know an aeronautical engineer, programmed satellites, that I had to help get through a revolving door one time. 

He have any eligibility? 

[subterranean_jack 112]

I was emailing an LSU friend Saturday morning. He was asking about the coaching vacancy at Auburn. After working on my response for 90 minutes, going back and forth over the various candidates, I talked myself into Carnell Williams being the best option. Let me explain.

Auburn is not going to convince any home run hire coach to take the job. It's just not going to happen. It has never happened. There is no candidate who would consider the job who checks all the boxes. There is no perfect coach waiting for a phone call whom the university can hand $10 million/year and make all the problems with the boosters, athletic department, and football team vanish overnight.

The whole thing comes down to a choice between an elite recruiter and someone with head coaching experience, because Auburn won't get both. It usually goes for the guy with a little head coaching experience, even if it is at a mid-level school. But, the SEC has changed. What is the difference between Auburn right now and LSU, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, etc? Recruiting. Recruiting. Recruiting.

The current state of the OL and depth in general on the team is beyond desperate. Next season, with most of the current OL departing, unmitigated disaster is a very real possibility, 3-9 or worse. Maybe Auburn eeks out an SEC win over Vandy, but the game is in Nashville, so 50-50 at best. D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R awaits if radical change does not begin ASAP.

Which of the current cast of head coaching candidates could move the needle recruiting-wise in the next 6 months (early signing period, February, and transfer portal)? Maybe Grimes can help the OL a bit in the short-term, but there is no immediate fix unless the new coach can convince some elite recruits to come to Auburn during the few months. Can Grimes do that? I don't think so. Deion Sanders or Carnell Williams then? Which one is going to make the focus the team and not himself? Give me Carnell all day long.

I've spent all week saying Sanders doesn't have enough head coaching experience to run an SEC program. Well, Carnell Williams doesn't have any. I know no one wants a head coach learning on the job after at best mixed results with the Malzahn experiment, however, when it comes to recruiting, either you have it or you don't. Carnell Williams has it. Maybe he doesn't possess the charisma that Sanders has, but what he does have is authenticity. He has experienced everything the recruits and their families are going through and will go through if they come to Auburn. Which of the candidates do you think most likely a 17-year-old would trust?

No coach is any better than the players he recruits. Right now, no one can sell Auburn better than Carnell Williams.

If he can make a respectable showing over the next few weeks, continuously improving on what we saw last night, then definitely the search committee should interview him. If it comes down to a more experienced head coach and Carnell Williams, then bring him in for a second interview. Carnell won't require any convincing there needs to be an experienced staff with recruiting prowess and SEC experience around him. Yes men need not apply. You can be sure anyone on staff wants to be there, because those with any doubts will rush to a safer situation. Give Carnell a contract commensurate with his experience. Provide plenty of incentives to compensate him if he surpasses expectations. Give him a chance to grow and build a new culture at Auburn. Ego won't be an issue. He already admits he made some mistakes last night and still has a lot to learn. At least Carnell took responsibility, instead of repeatedly saying the players just have to execute better.

Realistically, no hire is going to move the needle very much while the Saban juggernaut remains entrenched. But, we are starting to see some cracks in the foundation. Saban won't be there for much longer. I'd rather Auburn takes its lumps under Carnell. Expectations will be low. Maybe the honeymoon will last a couple seasons and he can bring in 2-3 recruiting classes before he's on the hot seat. No matter who gets the job, it is going to take years to rebuild the program just to the point it can be competitive in the SEC on a consistent basis.

I know everyone is pointing to the job Josh Heupel has done at Tennessee in under two years. It's amazing progress that many at Auburn would like to replicate, but yesterday we saw just how far Tennessee still has to go to compete for an SEC title. Tennessee has shown how far you can get relying solely on the transfer portal. It's a start, but it's not enough. You also have to bring in elite high school talent and mold it. You have to do it year after year. This commitment is what Auburn needs in a new coach, and this is the commitment Auburn needs to make to its next head coach.

I know this will require a tremendous leap of faith. But, most of us can get there. Most of us want to get there. We believe in Auburn and love it. Most of us also believe Carnell Williams can be a successful head coach at Auburn one day. That day starts now, with a leap of faith.

[banditmwp 711]

1 hour ago, MaxCohen216 said:

A very emotional response at a very emotional time.

But you are wrong.  A HC (even an interim) must be articulate.  He wasn't.

Tell me when, during the last 5 days, you’ve seen an opportunity for CCW to get any of the media training, speech coaching, or interview preparation that head coaches (even an interim) typically get.  I’ll hang up and listen…

Edited November 6, 2022 by banditmwp

[banditmwp 711]

2 minutes ago, banditmwp said:

Tell me when, during the last 5 days, you’ve seen an opportunity for CCW to get any of the media training, speech coaching, or interview preparation that head coaches (even an interim) typically get.  I’ll hang up and listen…

In no way am I vouching for Coach Caddy to get a full time HC nod, but FFS it’s not like he woke up Monday morning expecting to become the man from an RB Coach position. 

[FormerlySec38Row34 56]

I would much rather hear a coach speak from the heart and mean what he says than hear a lot of well-practiced coach speak and excuses.

[tbone4jc 2,238]

3 hours ago, MaxCohen216 said:

I really like Caddy, as a RB coach and recruiter.  He did better last night than I was willing to give him credit for in the first half.  I was wrong.  He did a good job.

The team started slow, but caught fire and played with purpose.  Credit to Caddy.

Our main problems last night were two things:

- Caddy going for it on 4th-and-one from our own 26 down 10-0 on the road in the SEC.  That was a terrible decision that gave 7 easy points to Moo State.  Terrible decision.  Probably the main reason we lost the game.

- Robby Ashford missing pass after pass, as Stan White pointed out on Auburn radio.  Not only did Ashford miss many of the open receivers he targeted, but he failed to see 4-5 wide open pass plays down field that would have resulted in huge plays for us.

Stan White was incredulous that he failed to see those wide open opportunities for big plays.  The opportunities were there, but it appeared Ashford was locked into certain receivers and missed those opportunities.

Obviously, Ashford is not a potential top SEC QB.

I agree on Ashford. He needs a QB coach over the offseason in a bad way. I disagree on your assessment about Coach Williams decision to go for it. IMO, that was the first building block throughout the game to show his players that he believed in them. Yes, State scored a TD on that play and it looked bleak and boneheaded at the time. Once you show that you believe in n these kids, with actions and not empty words, they will “run through a brick wall for you”. Coach Williams destroyed a block wall last night, you could actually see it transform on the field, those kids gave everything they had. Coach Williams learned valuable information that he will learn from. I don’t think he is ready for the full time HC position, yet, but “Caddy” impressed the hell out of me and I did not expect it! When we went up 25-24, that was the best moment of the game for me. We lost yes, but we gained these young mens belief, our fan base had real hope and it reminded us of the days of old when we fielded a team that didn’t know the meaning of the word “quit”. War Eagle and IGTBAAT!

[tbone4jc 2,238]

3 hours ago, passthebiscuits said:

I admire his passion and he is EXACTLY what we need right now. But…please don’t think I’m blasphemous here…he came off a little manic at times. Sometimes a team needs a little more composure at the end of games to get it done. 
 

i have no doubt Caddy will learn these lessons, but I’d rather see him do it as an assistant than as a head coach for now. Is that ok to say?

He is what he is. I don’t think too many here think he is ready for a permanent HC position but I love the passion he brings and obviously his players feed off of that. Manic is a bit harsh to use to describe the raw emotion he showed last night. Maybe we got so used to the stoic one that we forgot what authentic passion looks like? I love every second of it

[MJDub 106]

2 hours ago, MaxCohen216 said:

A very emotional response at a very emotional time.

But you are wrong.  A HC (even an interim) must be articulate.  He wasn't.

Despite the off-the-field issues, Ed Orgeron directly proves this point wrong. What a silly hill to die on.

[Tigers77 281]

1 hour ago, subterranean_jack said:

I was emailing an LSU friend Saturday morning. He was asking about the coaching vacancy at Auburn. After working on my response for 90 minutes, going back and forth over the various candidates, I talked myself into Carnell Williams being the best option. Let me explain.

Auburn is not going to convince any home run hire coach to take the job. It's just not going to happen. It has never happened. There is no candidate who would consider the job who checks all the boxes. There is no perfect coach waiting for a phone call whom the university can hand $10 million/year and make all the problems with the boosters, athletic department, and football team vanish overnight.

The whole thing comes down to a choice between an elite recruiter and someone with head coaching experience, because Auburn won't get both. It usually goes for the guy with a little head coaching experience, even if it is at a mid-level school. But, the SEC has changed. What is the difference between Auburn right now and LSU, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, etc? Recruiting. Recruiting. Recruiting.

The current state of the OL and depth in general on the team is beyond desperate. Next season, with most of the current OL departing, unmitigated disaster is a very real possibility, 3-9 or worse. Maybe Auburn eeks out an SEC win over Vandy, but the game is in Nashville, so 50-50 at best. D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R awaits if radical change does not begin ASAP.

Which of the current cast of head coaching candidates could move the needle recruiting-wise in the next 6 months (early signing period, February, and transfer portal)? Maybe Grimes can help the OL a bit in the short-term, but there is no immediate fix unless the new coach can convince some elite recruits to come to Auburn during the few months. Can Grimes do that? I don't think so. Deion Sanders or Carnell Williams then? Which one is going to make the focus the team and not himself? Give me Carnell all day long.

I've spent all week saying Sanders doesn't have enough head coaching experience to run an SEC program. Well, Carnell Williams doesn't have any. I know no one wants a head coach learning on the job after at best mixed results with the Malzahn experiment, however, when it comes to recruiting, either you have it or you don't. Carnell Williams has it. Maybe he doesn't possess the charisma that Sanders has, but what he does have is authenticity. He has experienced everything the recruits and their families are going through and will go through if they come to Auburn. Which of the candidates do you think most likely a 17-year-old would trust?

No coach is any better than the players he recruits. Right now, no one can sell Auburn better than Carnell Williams.

If he can make a respectable showing over the next few weeks, continuously improving on what we saw last night, then definitely the search committee should interview him. If it comes down to a more experienced head coach and Carnell Williams, then bring him in for a second interview. Carnell won't require any convincing there needs to be an experienced staff with recruiting prowess and SEC experience around him. Yes men need not apply. You can be sure anyone on staff wants to be there, because those with any doubts will rush to a safer situation. Give Carnell a contract commensurate with his experience. Provide plenty of incentives to compensate him if he surpasses expectations. Give him a chance to grow and build a new culture at Auburn. Ego won't be an issue. He already admits he made some mistakes last night and still has a lot to learn. At least Carnell took responsibility, instead of repeatedly saying the players just have to execute better.

Realistically, no hire is going to move the needle very much while the Saban juggernaut remains entrenched. But, we are starting to see some cracks in the foundation. Saban won't be there for much longer. I'd rather Auburn takes its lumps under Carnell. Expectations will be low. Maybe the honeymoon will last a couple seasons and he can bring in 2-3 recruiting classes before he's on the hot seat. No matter who gets the job, it is going to take years to rebuild the program just to the point it can be competitive in the SEC on a consistent basis.

I know everyone is pointing to the job Josh Heupel has done at Tennessee in under two years. It's amazing progress that many at Auburn would like to replicate, but yesterday we saw just how far Tennessee still has to go to compete for an SEC title. Tennessee has shown how far you can get relying solely on the transfer portal. It's a start, but it's not enough. You also have to bring in elite high school talent and mold it. You have to do it year after year. This commitment is what Auburn needs in a new coach, and this is the commitment Auburn needs to make to its next head coach.

I know this will require a tremendous leap of faith. But, most of us can get there. Most of us want to get there. We believe in Auburn and love it. Most of us also believe Carnell Williams can be a successful head coach at Auburn one day. That day starts now, with a leap of faith.

I appreciate your outlook.  Several things come to mind here however. 
 

A position coach with no coordinator or HC experience? Odds are long against that working. 
 

Auburn will almost always have to figure a way to compete with Bama, UGA and LSU while having lower ranked recruiting classes.  Not to say we can’t recruit big time but there are just built in advantages for those teams. 
 

In that spirit, it’s not important to just have an elite recruiter. You gotta have a coach with a plan on and off the field.  Some examples…

- If it was all about recruiting then we wouldn’t have been within one play of beating Bama last year or LSU this year. 
- If it was all about recruiting Gus wouldn’t have beaten Bama 3 times. 
- If it was all about recruiting Texas A&M should be number one …they have the same record as us currently?

 

Let me say this very clearly…Recruiting is HUGELY important…but having a good roster of solid talent that a good coach can utilize in a solid game plan with good fundamentals is also important. We’ve seen a good bit of talent wasted at Auburn in recent years.  
 

I absolutely love Cadillac. I love the energy and passion he is bringing in a time of need.  He also is absolutely not ready to be a HC in the SEC. I hope he is retained on the next staff and one day he’ll hopefully get his shot. It just isn’t this day. 

[AUinMS9528 1,086]

5 hours ago, AUfan3333 said:

Yes, I agree with these assessments. I really hope that Deion gets this job and knowing what Caddy means to the school and his leadership gives him the Associate Head Coach position. Deion would definitely not feel threatened by that.

I liked this msg, then unliked it, just so that I could like it again!   Deion and Caddy would be amazing!!!!

[DAG 33,949]

Caddy, like any current auburn coach will probably get the opportunity to interview for a job, without any special consideration or preference. This is how it should be done.

[metafour 4,958]

2 hours ago, subterranean_jack said:

I was emailing an LSU friend Saturday morning. He was asking about the coaching vacancy at Auburn. After working on my response for 90 minutes, going back and forth over the various candidates, I talked myself into Carnell Williams being the best option. Let me explain.

...

...

Here's my actual thought:

Fans like you do a disservice to people like Carnell Williams. This is why you can't have nice things. Instead of a nice story about a guy who has no business being an SEC HC rolling his team out for a few games and giving it their all, we're now going to quickly embark on the pure idiocy that can only be described as "the Auburn fan experience".

I can't wait until we beat Western Kentucky and people like yourself with these delusional thoughts start camping out in front of Chris Roberts' office demanding that he be named the permanent HC. NO ONE KNOWS AWBERN BETTER THAN HIM! HE JUST CARES MORE! ISS ALL ABOUT THE FAMBLY!

You are the reason why this football program is always in this position.

[auburnatl1 4,817]

9 minutes ago, metafour said:

You are the reason why this football program is always in this position.

I disagree. At least its sentimental thinking. He’d get us back to the mid tier (assuming he’d have great coordinators with the $ we’d save) just as effectively as many of the other names going around.  With no buy out and no rap sheet. Grimes, freeze, ect all are all better resume versions of the same thing. All below the radar, AU only candidates. Effective coaches that will improve us but will get squashed in the 5* arms race going on around us.   If we really want to go recruiting elite - it’s the big 2. Otherwise it’s not nuts to just save some money and have a mid tier feel good story.

[CAReeves2010 627]

Why can't we just sit back and enjoy watching Cadillac and this group coach and play their hearts out for AU? There doesn't always have to be a conversation and this situation is a great example.

Now we have folks bashing on the man's accent and lobbying for reasons why/why not he should be named the permanent HC.

I swear it's like we B!+# for the sake of B!+#ing. It's exhausting