Hiring Failed Head coaches

[ReidMcLain 75]

How do you guys feel about hiring guys were briefly head coaches as coordinators? We've seen it be successful with Lane Kiffin and we've seen it be unsuccessful with Ellis Johnson. Are they just so completely inept at one side of the ball (offense of defense) that they can't possibly be successful as head coaches as opposed to being coordinator? What was it? Leadership? What could they do to so horribly fail as a head coach but thrive as a coordinator?

[JoeBags7277 734]

I'd say its mostly a crapshoot. Some coaches are only good at their niche, some lose their edge after a failed HC gig, some let the game pass them by, and there's probably a gajillion more reasons they might fail. I'm not sure how you can predict which ones will pan out short of giving them another shot.

[gravejd 3,270]

I agree it's a crapshoot mostly. But in someone like Mushchamps situation it was obvious that the team failed because he couldn't get the offense going but the defense was great. So that makes you feel better about hiring him as a d coord

[PatBoCamRob 30]

I think injuries killed him at FL. JMHO

[WarEagleAU 0]

I think injuries killed him at FL. JMHO

Took too long to bench Driskel. Pro-style offense hurts.

[hutchids 227]

Depends on the coach. Muschamp and kiffin werent terrible head coaches. They were average at great schools so.they were canned. Ej was terrible at a top group 5 school (usm had a ton of consecutive bowl births and winning seasons in a row). I would not put kiffin and muschamp with him.

[TitanTiger 20,472]

Worked well at Bama with Kiffin.

Cutcliffe has been a good offensive coordinator everywhere he's been, even after getting fired at Ole Miss but prior to taking the Duke job.

The NFL is full of guys who go back to being coordinators successfully after a failed head coaching gig.

[cooltigger21 0]

The difference between being a coordinator and a head coach is night and day. You have so many more responsibilities as a head coach. Some people have those skills while some don't. Some aren't able to handle thar level of responsibility. They thrive better when they only have one part of the organization to be responsible for.

[AU64 10,122]

The difference between being a coordinator and a head coach is night and day. You have so many more responsibilities as a head coach. Some people have those skills while some don't. Some aren't able to handle thar level of responsibility. They thrive better when they only have one part of the organization to be responsible for.

Dead on....some folks think you just promote a very successful Coordinator and make him the HC. Sometimes it works but I bet a serious study would show very little relationship between success at the coordinator level and success at the HC level. IMO for example, the jury is still out on Gus as HC.

[aucanucktiger 1,791]

This just in. ALL head coaches were coordinators first.

Coaches say the biggest difference is the level of administrator skills needed as head coach. Some head coaches at top programs complain how they miss coaching. Let that sink in...

[Timeslider 6 269]

The difference between being a coordinator and a head coach is night and day. You have so many more responsibilities as a head coach. Some people have those skills while some don't. Some aren't able to handle thar level of responsibility. They thrive better when they only have one part of the organization to be responsible for.

Dead on....some folks think you just promote a very successful Coordinator and make him the HC. Sometimes it works but I bet a serious study would show very little relationship between success at the coordinator level and success at the HC level. IMO for example, the jury is still out on Gus as HC.

Really ?????

You think the jury is still out on Gus?

Wow, what dos it take to convince you? the man has proven he can win at the highest level in college football. Maybe your statement was off the cuff, i don't know. But one thing is for sure, the jury has ruled on Gus and the verdict is, he is a winner. He has managed the team wonderfully. All the while winning against some of the best teams in college football.

[AuburnGrad97 37]

It's the same in the business world. Some people are great managers, but when they get promoted to VP's or CEO type positions, they can't handle all the extra stuff that goes with it.

[Bones4AU 0]

Look how many coaches doomed themselves through bad staff hires. I think you could argue that was a key (but not only) factor in Tuberville and Chizik demises. Tuberville almost lost his job over the failed co-OC's (Nalsminger as it was called) and then the Tony Franklin experiment mortally wounded him. Chizik hires Loeffler and VanGorder and the rest is history. Again, these weren't the only mistakes but a key to leadership is hiring people around you. Dye did that pretty well.

[PigskinPat 2,579]

The difference between being a coordinator and a head coach is night and day. You have so many more responsibilities as a head coach. Some people have those skills while some don't. Some aren't able to handle thar level of responsibility. They thrive better when they only have one part of the organization to be responsible for.

Dead on....some folks think you just promote a very successful Coordinator and make him the HC. Sometimes it works but I bet a serious study would show very little relationship between success at the coordinator level and success at the HC level. IMO for example, the jury is still out on Gus as HC.

Really ?????

You think the jury is still out on Gus?

Wow, what dos it take to convince you? the man has proven he can win at the highest level in college football. Maybe your statement was off the cuff, i don't know. But one thing is for sure, the jury has ruled on Gus and the verdict is, he is a winner. He has managed the team wonderfully. All the while winning against some of the best teams in college football.

Chizik won a national championship and we know how that turned out. I hope Gus is the most successful coach we've ever had at Auburn, but I think what 64 was saying and I agree is seeing if at this level Gus can turn a season of greatness into something that is built for long term success.

[wareagleguy 1,393]

I agree, the key is to sustain success, longevity and consistency. We have all seen coaches have a big year or two and not being able to sustain it. I think GM, or at least I hope, will be able to do just that. Maybe GM will go down as the Wooden of college football!

[AU64 10,122]

I agree, the key is to sustain success, longevity and consistency. We have all seen coaches have a big year or two and not being able to sustain it. I think GM, or at least I hope, will be able to do just that. Maybe GM will go down as the Wooden of college football!

Hoping for the best. Gus is in his third year as a college HC and I was just noting that Gus has to be the coach of the entire team....not just the offense and to be a great HC he needs to get the defense in shape...and it is more than just hiring a good DC. We have seen a number of leads get away in the past few years and if looked at critically, those lost opportunities fall on the HC and not just the DC.

[ronau57 12]

If your bar for success is AU vs UA no one will ever match Tuberville. That is my goal. Beat them 7 out of 10.

[hutchids 227]

Tubs is my standard right. Good against rivals, 6 top 25s in 10 years, winning bowl record, a couple big years and a consistent winner.

[BJ17 0]

Some coaches are just better off as being coordinators. Not everyone is meant to be a HC.

[Tiger 8,822]

I'm all for hiring ex head coaches. The reason anybody becomes a head coach is because they were, in general, very successful at being a coordinator at their previous place of employment. So if they fail as HC, we know their ceiling is as a coordinator. And usually, it means they are great coordinators or else nobody would've hired them to be HC.

[cooltigger21 0]

There is no magic formula for determining who will and won't succeed. Some can make good head coaches at a lower level. Some just never can make that transition. Until you have been the one calling the shots you can't know how you will do. That is why Alabama will not give the hc job to Smart unless he goes somewhere and shows he can handle it.

[AU64 10,122]

I'm all for hiring ex head coaches. The reason anybody becomes a head coach is because they were, in general, very successful at being a coordinator at their previous place of employment. So if they fail as HC, we know their ceiling is as a coordinator. And usually, it means they are great coordinators or else nobody would've hired them to be HC.

This ^^^ and I'm mostly willing to let schools at a lower level help coordinators find out if they can be a head coach...which was why it was worthwhile for Gus to give it a shot at Arky State. I would have liked to see him there a couple years but that did not work with AU's schedule.

[C'viewTiger 242]

Worked well at Bama with Kiffin.

Cutcliffe has been a good offensive coordinator everywhere he's been, even after getting fired at Ole Miss but prior to taking the Duke job.

The NFL is full of guys who go back to being coordinators successfully after a failed head coaching gig.

I think Kiffin was on a leash this year. If the O struggled, NS was all over him. If the play was not the right one, NS was qui k to get in his face. I do agree, some guys do have that niche where they excel.

[AU64 10,122]

Worked well at Bama with Kiffin.

Cutcliffe has been a good offensive coordinator everywhere he's been, even after getting fired at Ole Miss but prior to taking the Duke job.

The NFL is full of guys who go back to being coordinators successfully after a failed head coaching gig.

I think Kiffin was on a leash this year. If the O struggled, NS was all over him. If the play was not the right one, NS was qui k to get in his face. I do agree, some guys do have that niche where they excel.

Wasn't Kiffin three strikes and you are out...well he wasn't fired at UTk but got the boot from Oakland and USCe so he had about used up his options for HC consideration. A couple years at Bama and if he is lucky people will have forgotten what a bummer he was as a head coach.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,662]

If Muschamp came to FL with a hurry up offense and benched Driskel earlier, he'd probably have a SEC title by now