Freeze dismisses OC Philip Montgomery

[Viper 3,132]

3 hours ago, sevenlee36 said:

“No doubt about it”

Easy to be a great OC calling plays for Darren McFadden and Cam. 

[aucanucktiger 1,794]

7 hours ago, lutzcammed said:

I would prefer that Freeze call his own plays.

There was a time when I did too but his frequent comments about not WANTING to call plays anymore is both disappointing and worrisome. Hugh Freeze's value as a head coach is his recruiting and offensive mind. He's very hit or miss at staff building & retention. 

[Viper 3,132]

2 hours ago, tigeraddikt said:

Clinton era thing, along with Dont ask don’t tell and getting blown by Monica.

[Mims44 1,871]

3 hours ago, rophle said:

So a high school coach has a top 10 offense🤔?

A "Mickey Mouse" high school offense don't forget.

 

[japantiger 4,051]

1 hour ago, aucanucktiger said:

There was a time when I did too but his frequent comments about not WANTING to call plays anymore is both disappointing and worrisome. Hugh Freeze's value as a head coach is his recruiting and offensive mind. He's very hit or miss at staff building & retention. 

Then he will fail. 

[Browning4AU 405]

2 hours ago, aucanucktiger said:

There was a time when I did too but his frequent comments about not WANTING to call plays anymore is both disappointing and worrisome. Hugh Freeze's value as a head coach is his recruiting and offensive mind. He's very hit or miss at staff building & retention. 

I don't recall him stating he doesn't WANT to call plays? I do recall him saying that it was a first for him. 

[japantiger 4,051]

3 hours ago, Browning4AU said:

@japantiger, you facepalmed my response to you but no response from you was given. Just curious what exactly is your stance on this and why?

He was hired to be head ball coach.  Head ball coaches hire elite staffs to manage elite programs (see the teams in the playoffs and those that were nearly in the playoffs).  Like his predecessors, he was a poor choice as he is not a program builder.  He's already demonstrated poor abilities at hiring assistants.  Firing your OC after year 1 is telegraphing trouble.  If you can't attract elite assistants, align with them on their role and job, and then let them execute under supervision, you have no business in the job.  

The notion that the solution to our offensive woes is to have HF call plays is absurd.   He's already admitted to being unable to manage all dimensions of the programand you want to add play calling to his plate.  A head coach has to manage the program: 1) game planning and game management; 2) roster, recruiting, Transfer portal and NIL 3), building, managing and developing a staff of elite assistants; and lastly 4) manage the donors and administration.

I'll say it again, "if you're doing someone else's job, you're not doing yours".

[gman87 398]

5 hours ago, japantiger said:

He was hired to be head ball coach.  Head ball coaches hire elite staffs to manage elite programs (see the teams in the playoffs and those that were nearly in the playoffs).  Like his predecessors, he was a poor choice as he is not a program builder.  He's already demonstrated poor abilities at hiring assistants.  Firing your OC after year 1 is telegraphing trouble.  If you can't attract elite assistants, align with them on their role and job, and then let them execute under supervision, you have no business in the job.  

The notion that the solution to our offensive woes is to have HF call plays is absurd.   He's already admitted to being unable to manage all dimensions of the programand you want to add play calling to his plate.  A head coach has to manage the program: 1) game planning and game management; 2) roster, recruiting, Transfer portal and NIL 3), building, managing and developing a staff of elite assistants; and lastly 4) manage the donors and administration.

I'll say it again, "if you're doing someone else's job, you're not doing yours".

Kiffin managed to call plays so maybe Freeze should focus on that and hire recruiters for gaining talent.

[Carnell 592]

10 hours ago, AUwent said:

If he's just going to promote Kent Austin, would he have done it today?

You may be right but Austin is the only fluid hire of the canadiates I heard mentioned.  Montgomery was the QB coach also and Austin is the only Qb coach in the named canadiates.  Hiring Nix we would then have two receivers coach and not a QB coach, hiring Luke would give us 2 OL coaches w/o a QB coach unless Freeze is planning top assume the role as QB coach or the hire could signal more staff changes.

Edited January 6 by Carnell

[gr82be 14,433]

2 minutes ago, Carnell said:

unless Freeze is planning top assume the role as QB coach.

I’m addition to calling plays???

How dare you suggest that he adds something else, that he’s already proven he could do in the past, to his plate. (No yellow font on my phone)

Sometimes a person just has to get back in their comfort zone and I think Freeze can do it. 

[Hank2020 3,204]

1 hour ago, gr82be said:

I’m addition to calling plays???

How dare you suggest that he adds something else, that he’s already proven he could do in the past, to his plate. (No yellow font on my phone)

Sometimes a person just has to get back in their comfort zone and I think Freeze can do it. 

I think I read thT Freeze hS never actually coached the QB’s. Always had an asst. for that.

[Mims44 1,871]

1 hour ago, Hank2020 said:

I think I read thT Freeze hS never actually coached the QB’s. Always had an asst. for that.

I read that too Hank, though I read it here. So no clue if it's accurate or not  

[japantiger 4,051]

4 hours ago, gman87 said:

Kiffin managed to call plays so maybe Freeze should focus on that and hire recruiters for gaining talent.

Kiffen....Elite...in the words of Inego Montoyoa

The real reason I don't like the Freeze hire (his past and coaching shortcomings aside) is because there was never an actual coaching search.  The admin zeroed in on him immediately and that was it.  The admin screwed us, again; and here we are in half-assed land, again.  All the while ALA and UGA move farther and farther away and let's throw TX and OK into the SEC mix now on top of that.  Having a bad season while something is building is tolerable; this ain't that.

 

[PUB78 1,358]

11 hours ago, japantiger said:

He was hired to be head ball coach.  Head ball coaches hire elite staffs to manage elite programs (see the teams in the playoffs and those that were nearly in the playoffs).  Like his predecessors, he was a poor choice as he is not a program builder.  He's already demonstrated poor abilities at hiring assistants.  Firing your OC after year 1 is telegraphing trouble.  If you can't attract elite assistants, align with them on their role and job, and then let them execute under supervision, you have no business in the job.  

The notion that the solution to our offensive woes is to have HF call plays is absurd.   He's already admitted to being unable to manage all dimensions of the programand you want to add play calling to his plate.  A head coach has to manage the program: 1) game planning and game management; 2) roster, recruiting, Transfer portal and NIL 3), building, managing and developing a staff of elite assistants; and lastly 4) manage the donors and administration.

I'll say it again, "if you're doing someone else's job, you're not doing yours".

I expected some staff changes. When a new HC is hired they are scrambling to assemble a staff for recruitment and momentum. Often they can’t/don’t hire the best personnel and it becomes obvious after the first or second season. HF has a 2nd opportunity to get the OC hire right.

My gripe is that PM’s contract had no “ offset clause “ so now Auburn owes him $2-3 million for being a failure.

[Lotto 171]

11 hours ago, japantiger said:

He was hired to be head ball coach.  Head ball coaches hire elite staffs to manage elite programs (see the teams in the playoffs and those that were nearly in the playoffs).  Like his predecessors, he was a poor choice as he is not a program builder.  He's already demonstrated poor abilities at hiring assistants.  Firing your OC after year 1 is telegraphing trouble.  If you can't attract elite assistants, align with them on their role and job, and then let them execute under supervision, you have no business in the job.  

The notion that the solution to our offensive woes is to have HF call plays is absurd.   He's already admitted to being unable to manage all dimensions of the programand you want to add play calling to his plate.  A head coach has to manage the program: 1) game planning and game management; 2) roster, recruiting, Transfer portal and NIL 3), building, managing and developing a staff of elite assistants; and lastly 4) manage the donors and administration.

I'll say it again, "if you're doing someone else's job, you're not doing yours".

You’ve convinced me 

[japantiger 4,051]

24 minutes ago, PUB78 said:

I expected some staff changes. When a new HC is hired they are scrambling to assemble a staff for recruitment and momentum. Often they can’t/don’t hire the best personnel and it becomes obvious after the first or second season. HF has a 2nd opportunity to get the OC hire right.

My gripe is that PM’s contract had no “ offset clause “ so now Auburn owes him $2-3 million for being a failure.

This is some major rationalization.  Replace HF name with Kirby Smart or Nick Saban and then say those two sentences.  Does it make sense?  Would anyone believe it?  Of course not.  

[aucom96 1,620]

2 hours ago, japantiger said:

The real reason I don't like the Freeze hire (his past and coaching shortcomings aside) is because there was never an actual coaching search.  The admin zeroed in on him immediately and that was it.  The admin screwed us, again; and here we are in half-assed land, again.  All the while ALA and UGA move farther and farther away and let's throw TX and OK into the SEC mix now on top of that.  Having a bad season while something is building is tolerable; this ain't that.

 

We are just not a very forward thinking program. The way things are, there are two primary considerations for a head coach. They have to be a salesman to keep the booster money flowing. Freeze has proven good at this. They also have to be able to prioritize and manage the portal. Freeze is terrible at this and it's going to become a slow leak on any recruiting gains he makes. 

NIL has allowed these kids to be what they are... amateurs looking to land a payday. As we speak, teams are shelling out major money to land QBs like Thorne or G5 skill players with some stats to fill holes. The biggest bank accounts will wait out freshman years and head hunt blue-chips in the portal. Right now, you've got highly recruited players on rosters seeing Jack State talent get paydays and I can't imagine it's good for team chemistry. That will require a lot of management skills from coaches to keep locker rooms stable. I think Freeze stinks at this. It also doesn't seem like Freeze enjoys taking charge of his staff. He's a high school coach that had a blip on the radar and he's in over his head. Unless he surrounds himself with pros who know how to manage like pros, we're going to have a hard time getting back up off the mat. This is no longer a three, four year build. It's year to year. Every year has to count. 

[PUB78 1,358]

27 minutes ago, japantiger said:

This is some major rationalization.  Replace HF name with Kirby Smart or Nick Saban and then say those two sentences.  Does it make sense?  Would anyone believe it?  Of course not.  

Satan replaced his OC after his 1st season at Bammer.

[Elephant Tipper 430]

12 hours ago, japantiger said:

He was hired to be head ball coach.  Head ball coaches hire elite staffs to manage elite programs (see the teams in the playoffs and those that were nearly in the playoffs).  Like his predecessors, he was a poor choice as he is not a program builder.  He's already demonstrated poor abilities at hiring assistants.  Firing your OC after year 1 is telegraphing trouble.  If you can't attract elite assistants, align with them on their role and job, and then let them execute under supervision, you have no business in the job.  

The notion that the solution to our offensive woes is to have HF call plays is absurd.   He's already admitted to being unable to manage all dimensions of the programand you want to add play calling to his plate.  A head coach has to manage the program: 1) game planning and game management; 2) roster, recruiting, Transfer portal and NIL 3), building, managing and developing a staff of elite assistants; and lastly 4) manage the donors and administration.

I'll say it again, "if you're doing someone else's job, you're not doing yours".

Excellent post !  I'll add one more comment, not about HF though.  AU ptb and fans seem to just not think that AU is an elite program and are willing to accept these mediocre hires by searching for the next up and comer instead of hiring proven talent.  My preference had been that we should have pursued Urban Meyer, not HF.  Whatever fans may think of him, UM has the bona fides and would have been a major game changer for AU, instead, we hired a creepy coach that tanked his UM program which the NCAA sanctioned, who, when hired, had his daughter become his morality overseer.  AU has certainly paid enormous sums of money to make bad talent go away, instead that money should have been used to retain stellar talent.  AU ptb paid out over the equivalent of $10 million/year for Gus and Harsin to disappear.  Maybe those paying the coaching alimony will finally decide to get a better bang for their buck next time, and with HF at the helm, that might be in the near future.  Old habits die hard.

[Hank2020 3,204]

15 minutes ago, Elephant Tipper said:

Excellent post !  I'll add one more comment, not about HF though.  AU ptb and fans seem to just not think that AU is an elite program and are willing to accept these mediocre hires by searching for the next up and comer instead of hiring proven talent.  My preference had been that we should have pursued Urban Meyer, not HF.  Whatever fans may think of him, UM has the bona fides and would have been a major game changer for AU, instead, we hired a creepy coach that tanked his UM program which the NCAA sanctioned, who, when hired, had his daughter become his morality overseer.  AU has certainly paid enormous sums of money to make bad talent go away, instead that money should have been used to retain stellar talent.  AU ptb paid out over the equivalent of $10 million/year for Gus and Harsin to disappear.  Maybe those paying the coaching alimony will finally decide to get a better bang for their buck next time, and with HF at the helm, that might be in the near future.  Old habits die hard.

What you say is certainly true of Old Meyer. New Meyer is just as creepy (your terminology not mine) as Old Freeze. And recent failures prove him to be much more of a risk than Freeze IMO. From a moral standpoint and football standpoint both.

[e808 3,028]

Unpopular opinion. Firing Gus during a Covid season is the gift that keeps on giving.  If there wasn’t any sure fire candidate lined up l give him another season when u are able to conduct business without restrictions. Tell Gus thank u for services and Auburn has more money to offer for a new coach to come in. About to be 4 seasons removed and still stuck at phase 1.

Edited January 6 by e808

[Gowebb11 9,328]

40 minutes ago, Elephant Tipper said:

AU ptb and fans seem to just not think that AU is an elite program and are willing to accept these mediocre hires by searching for the next up and comer instead of hiring proven talent. 

Count me in as a fan who doesn’t consider us an elite program. Top 15 maybe. We’re a very solid program with an occasional elite season. That’s what the facts support. I wish we were elite though, and hope in my lifetime that happens. 

[Elephant Tipper 430]

13 minutes ago, Hank2020 said:

What you say is certainly true of Old Meyer. New Meyer is just as creepy (your terminology not mine) as Old Freeze. And recent failures prove him to be much more of a risk than Freeze IMO. From a moral standpoint and football standpoint both.

Some of UM's behavior (he touched a woman inappropriately, ONCE) was certainly bad, but his actions and HF's are not even in the same ballpark.  HF's hooker transgressions were over a continuous 3-year period (at minimum) which eventually helped cause his program to implode and be sanctioned for 4 seasons.  HF has habitual boundary and ethical issues.  Even at Liberty he was reprimanded for his inappropriate contact.  If a father must have his daughter be his morality overseer, then he is a weak man. 

[jknighton 310]

29 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

Count me in as a fan who doesn’t consider us an elite program. Top 15 maybe. We’re a very solid program with an occasional elite season. That’s what the facts support. I wish we were elite though, and hope in my lifetime that happens. 

Same. Maybe I'm a pessimist, but I don't get the "we should've hired Urban Meyer, Bob Stoops, Jon Gruden, etc". I highly doubt that our administration would shoot down Sexton if he called informing that said clients were interested.

[woodford 3,659]

59 minutes ago, e808 said:

Unpopular opinion. Firing Gus during a Covid season is the gift that keeps on giving.  If there wasn’t any sure fire candidate lined up l give him another season when u are able to conduct business without restrictions. Tell Gus thank u for services and Auburn has more money to offer for a new coach to come in. About to be 4 seasons removed and still stuck at phase 1.

I’m with you on firing during Covid, but it was way past time for CGM. 
 

The issue wasn’t firing CGM at the end of the Covid season, it was hiring Bryan Harsin.