What Makes a Great Coach?

[ShotgunDawg]

Say you had to rank the top 5 qualities of a great head coach. What would they be?

In order from strengths to weaknesses.

For me:

1. An anal desire for perfection
2. Organizational skills
3. Energy
4. Xs & Os/actual football knowledge
5. Motivational abilities

Don't say recruiting. I think recruiting comes with these traits.

Here are Joe's top qualities

1. Xs & Os ability
2. Mr Congeniality
3. Communication ability
4. Work ethic
5. Motivational abilities

What say you?

[Bothrops]

A real hardass, that's a workaholic and lands a job at blue blood program in the south. That has the makings of a great one.

[bluelightstar]

It sure isn’t being besties with the players

[Dawg2003]

You have to be able to hold your players accountable and not be their friend.

[shoeless joe]

I don’t agree with what you say his traits are. Not that I have a list tho.


I’ll try to explain my take on jomo: he thinks he’s a players coach. And he believes that he has the players respect because he’s a players coach. In reality this hurts him and the player. He’s also a justifier. He has to let everybody know what and why a mistake was done. He thinks he’s light years ahead of everyone and is such an innovator both on and off the field. But in the end he’s not. This is where the little coach speak sayings come from. And lastly he’s immature as a coach. And this is the big one. Watch him on the sideline, watch him interact. All the other things I’ve said go along with his immaturity as a coach. I’ll get some blow back on this but I’m telling you this is spot on. I’ve been around hundreds if not thousands of different coaches in different sports. And 99.9% of them can be put into a “type”. Jomo is no different. And it’s because of this that I’m so disappointed that Cohen was duped by his schtick.

At the time last year I appreciated his outburst after the egg bowl. But now looking back and having more info to go off of I feel like that was just another embarrassing moment that showed what we got with jomo.

[basedog]

Gotta have good assistants is the first thing a HC does when hired. Gotta recruit and of course you have to have the ability to motivate, discipline and adjust on the fly!

[msugolf]

I don’t agree with what you say his traits are. Not that I have a list tho.


I’ll try to explain my take on jomo: he thinks he’s a players coach. And he believes that he has the players respect because he’s a players coach. In reality this hurts him and the player. He’s also a justifier. He has to let everybody know what and why a mistake was done. He thinks he’s light years ahead of everyone and is such an innovator both on and off the field. But in the end he’s not. This is where the little coach speak sayings come from. And lastly he’s immature as a coach. And this is the big one. Watch him on the sideline, watch him interact. All the other things I’ve said go along with his immaturity as a coach. I’ll get some blow back on this but I’m telling you this is spot on. I’ve been around hundreds if not thousands of different coaches in different sports. And 99.9% of them can be put into a “type”. Jomo is no different. And it’s because of this that I’m so disappointed that Cohen was duped by his schtick.

At the time last year I appreciated his outburst after the egg bowl. But now looking back and having more info to go off of I feel like that was just another embarrassing moment that showed what we got with jomo.

Bingo

[smootness]

Attention to detail and the ability to hold your players accountable for making mistakes, no matter how small, are no doubt extremely important traits in a head coach. And I don't think Moorhead has either one. He is sinking and I don't even think he knows what the problem is.

I saw it in pregame warmups before the Florida game last year. Nobody cared about the details, the little things. The return men in warmups were goofing off, dropping balls, and not a single coach did anything about it or said a word. What happens when the game starts? Our return men are sloppy and can't catch the ball. That's one example and I'm sure they're everywhere.

Moorhead is not a head coach. He just isn't. The longer we wait to replace him, the worse off we'll be. I said it after Florida last year, and it remains true.

[MetEdDawg]

I don’t agree with what you say his traits are. Not that I have a list tho.


I’ll try to explain my take on jomo: he thinks he’s a players coach. And he believes that he has the players respect because he’s a players coach. In reality this hurts him and the player. He’s also a justifier. He has to let everybody know what and why a mistake was done. He thinks he’s light years ahead of everyone and is such an innovator both on and off the field. But in the end he’s not. This is where the little coach speak sayings come from. And lastly he’s immature as a coach. And this is the big one. Watch him on the sideline, watch him interact. All the other things I’ve said go along with his immaturity as a coach. I’ll get some blow back on this but I’m telling you this is spot on. I’ve been around hundreds if not thousands of different coaches in different sports. And 99.9% of them can be put into a “type”. Jomo is no different. And it’s because of this that I’m so disappointed that Cohen was duped by his schtick.

At the time last year I appreciated his outburst after the egg bowl. But now looking back and having more info to go off of I feel like that was just another embarrassing moment that showed what we got with jomo.

I guess I just don't get this take as Cohen falling for something. Guy was coordinator of the year in college football. He was primed for a good HC job and literally everyone vouched for the guy. He has the recruiting background. He didn't have as much P5 experience as I would have liked but he was very clearly qualified for the job.

I'll also add this. I think we were very unfortunate that there weren't some better coaches available during our search. Every single name mentioned was a risk. I thought Mullen wasn't much of a risk considering where we were coming from. But needing to find a coach at a university like ours that hadn't experienced that type of success in the era of modern college football and trying to keep it going at one of the 3 toughest jobs in the SEC? Or try and elevate us to a placevweve never been before?

That was going to be a hard job period for us to find the absolute right guy. I'm still not convinced Moorhead is the wrong guy. But you also can't convince me anyone knows who would have been a better hire.

[msugolf]

I guess I just don't get this take as Cohen falling for something. Guy was coordinator of the year in college football. He was primed for a good HC job and literally everyone vouched for the guy. He has the recruiting background. He didn't have as much P5 experience as I would have liked but he was very clearly qualified for the job.

I'll also add this. I think we were very unfortunate that there weren't some better coaches available during our search. Every single name mentioned was a risk. I thought Mullen wasn't much of a risk considering where we were coming from. But needing to find a coach at a university like ours that hadn't experienced that type of success in the era of modern college football and trying to keep it going at one of the 3 toughest jobs in the SEC? Or try and elevate us to a placevweve never been before?

That was going to be a hard job period for us to find the absolute right guy. I'm still not convinced Moorhead is the wrong guy. But you also can't convince me anyone knows who would have been a better hire.

If you're still not convinced that he's not the guy then I don't know what to tell ya.

He's a career coordinator. Blessed by a couple of years with unreal talent in a slow conference. More interested in X's and O's, getting the perfect play called, out scheming rather than leading players, simplifying the process to put his players in the best position, making sure everyone knows their roles and is held accountable.

He's process oriented rather than results oriented. The more time he spends on perfecting his offense is less time spent on doing the other things that needs to be done.

[Rex54]

I guess I just don't get this take as Cohen falling for something.

Not the resume, but the traits discussed in this thread that he simply doesn’t have. Coaching “southern football players” truly is a different task than Fordham or even Penn State. Cohen didn’t have the experience to make that judgement from the dugout.

I sure would’ve made Brent Venables tell me no though.

[Doggie_Style]

If you're still not convinced that he's not the guy then I don't know what to tell ya.

He's a career coordinator. Blessed by a couple of years with unreal talent in a slow conference. More interested in X's and O's, getting the perfect play called, out scheming rather than leading players, simplifying the process to put his players in the best position, making sure everyone knows their roles and is held accountable.
He's process oriented rather than results oriented. The more time he spends on perfecting his offense is less time spent on doing the other things that needs to be done.

I agree with this. I also think a great coach knows his limitations and finds and surrounds himself with the right people.

[Maroonthirteen]

I don?t agree with what you say his traits are. Not that I have a list tho.


I?ll try to explain my take on jomo: he thinks he?s a players coach. And he believes that he has the players respect because he?s a players coach. In reality this hurts him and the player. He?s also a justifier. He has to let everybody know what and why a mistake was done. He thinks he?s light years ahead of everyone and is such an innovator both on and off the field. But in the end he?s not. This is where the little coach speak sayings come from. And lastly he?s immature as a coach. And this is the big one. Watch him on the sideline, watch him interact. All the other things I?ve said go along with his immaturity as a coach. I?ll get some blow back on this but I?m telling you this is spot on. I?ve been around hundreds if not thousands of different coaches in different sports. And 99.9% of them can be put into a ?type?. Jomo is no different. And it?s because of this that I?m so disappointed that Cohen was duped by his schtick.

At the time last year I appreciated his outburst after the egg bowl. But now looking back and having more info to go off of I feel like that was just another embarrassing moment that showed what we got with jomo.

Man, I think you hit the nail on the head regarding Moorhead. Jackie said somebody has to be the son a b... sometimes. Moorhead doesn?t have that in him.

Cohen.... meh. I don?t know who was seriously considering the job. Who was the DC that turned us down prior to Moorhead? Maybe Cohen took the best of the available.

Post egg bowl 2018.... that just seemed like a natural reaction. Moorhead seemed to be caught off guard by a shitbird doing shitbird things. Moorhead watched the 2017 egg bowl. He should have known.

[ShotgunDawg]

I don't think Cohen made a bad hire with Moorhead and I don't think any reasonable person can blame Cohen for not picking up on Joe's deficiencies in an interview.

That being said, Joe attacks road games as if he's in awe of the venue, not as if he's the king.

I'm not sure if he can change that, but I do like his QB recruiting and that's usually a good start at MSU.

I'm not at all in favor of firing him, but there are legitimate issues with how sloppy his teams play.

[Maroonthirteen]

Moorhead doesn’t have the personality of a Jackie Sherrill. Which I believe a DC with s drill sergeants demeanor would be best for MSU. However I’m not sure a guy like that wanted the job.

Moorhead’s personality reminds me of Cuttcliff. Seems soft but a cerebral Guy. However Moorhead doesn’t have Cutcliffe ability to organize a full team. Moorhead needs to visit Duke in the off season.

[shoeless joe]

I guess I just don't get this take as Cohen falling for something. .

Here’s why I say that...I recognized it the very first time I heard him speak. And Cohen has been around many more high level coaches than myself. He should have recognized it. Maybe it was those coordinator of the yr awards that allowed him to get duped, I don’t know.

[shoeless joe]

I don't think Cohen made a bad hire with Moorhead and I don't think any reasonable person can blame Cohen for not picking up on Joe's deficiencies in an interview.

That being said, Joe attacks road games as if he's in awe of the venue, not as if he's the king.

I'm not sure if he can change that, but I do like his QB recruiting and that's usually a good start at MSU.

I'm not at all in favor of firing him, but there are legitimate issues with how sloppy his teams play.

Maybe I’m not reasonable...and maybe Cohen picked the best available...but he does deserve criticism at this point.

And I agree on recruiting which is why keeping him another year won’t set us back as some think. But I’ll throw a name out that if I felt we could get him I’d be all for giving jomo his walking papers. Greg Schiano...would be somewhat similar to when Jackie arrived. Flame away....

[dawgday166]

Attention to detail and the ability to hold your players accountable for making mistakes, no matter how small, are no doubt extremely important traits in a head coach. And I don't think Moorhead has either one. He is sinking and I don't even think he knows what the problem is.

I saw it in pregame warmups before the Florida game last year. Nobody cared about the details, the little things. The return men in warmups were goofing off, dropping balls, and not a single coach did anything about it or said a word. What happens when the game starts? Our return men are sloppy and can't catch the ball. That's one example and I'm sure they're everywhere.

Moorhead is not a head coach. He just isn't. The longer we wait to replace him, the worse off we'll be. I said it after Florida last year, and it remains true.

Wait a minute. Are you saying we're not playing with precision??? But that's what Joe coaches.

[IMissJack]

Say you had to rank the top 5 qualities of a great head coach. What would they be?

In order from strengths to weaknesses.

For me:

1. An anal desire for perfection
2. Organizational skills
3. Energy
4. Xs & Os/actual football knowledge
5. Motivational abilities

Don't say recruiting. I think recruiting comes with these traits.

Here are Joe's top qualities

1. Xs & Os ability
2. Mr Congeniality
3. Communication ability
4. Work ethic
5. Motivational abilities

What say you?

I think more than anything (even before they win) a great coach has to have respect earned from the players, fans, and opponents. Never again do we need to hire a newbie to the SEC. Love or hate Sherrill, he was tough as nails, played at bama, and could flash the NC ring when needed. Mullen had respect because he came from a super winning team at FL, and was following a complete disaster on the field, so anything he did was an improvement. Joe does not have anyone's respect other than lip service right now. Even when he started here there were big questions among the fans.

[Coursesuper]

Maybe I’m not reasonable...and maybe Cohen picked the best available...but he does deserve criticism at this point.

And I agree on recruiting which is why keeping him another year won’t set us back as some think. But I’ll throw a name out that if I felt we could get him I’d be all for giving jomo his walking papers. Greg Schiano...would be somewhat similar to when Jackie arrived. Flame away....

That would be a very reasonable hire, I'd like to entertain coaches that have worked in the south, I'm really not sure why Bill Clark didn't get a sniff from us this last time around?

[Dawgology]

Gotta have good assistants is the first thing a HC does when hired. Gotta recruit and of course you have to have the ability to motivate, discipline and adjust on the fly!

This...all...day. I think joe can be a great head coach but he HAS to get better assistant coaches and he needs to leave the play calling to an offensive coordinator. We are saving all kinds of money on a lower paid head coach this university needs to start dropping some money on great assistant coaches. Create more in-house assistants as well for game prep and film analysis.

[tcdog70]

When your best weapon is Hill but you continue to run the same play into the teeth on the best Dline in the SEC, you no longer can be called a Savant. A real Guru would figure out how to get Hill the ball in space. Why is a screen pass so hard to run? Have we tried a misdirection this year? Who else can sit on their couch and figure out our next play? The Check with Me Offense plays into the defense's hand. The bunch formation is trash. Let's bring the defense in close then run our best players into the teeth of the defense.

[parabrave]

I agree with this. I also think a great coach knows his limitations and finds and surrounds himself with the right people.

Eddie O agrees with this. Heck even Luke or someone else at OM realized this and went out and hired better assistants,

[shoeless joe]

That would be a very reasonable hire, I'd like to entertain coaches that have worked in the south, I'm really not sure why Bill Clark didn't get a sniff from us this last time around?

Yep. Another good name

[dawgday166]

Eddie O agrees with this. Heck even Luke or someone else at OM realized this and went out and hired better assistants,

I think the Ogre is getting it. I pulling for the guy. I'm becoming a closet LSU fan. ***

[robert]

Not the resume, but the traits discussed in this thread that he simply doesn?t have. Coaching ?southern football players? truly is a different task than Fordham or even Penn State. Cohen didn?t have the experience to make that judgement from the dugout.

I sure would?ve made Brent Venables tell me no though.

I agree....Joe may have never been south of the Mason Dixon Line before the hire. Dan was a Yankee, too, but he had several years of OJT at Florida. "Southern Football Players" come from different backgrounds than the prep school boys from up east. A good understanding of human psychology would be of real benefit to any coach involved with young athletes. JMHO

[MetEdDawg]

Nick Saban says hold my beer to all of you saying you have to have been to the south. He's from West Virginia. Went to Kent State.

Before LSU his entire football background was Kent State, Syracuse, West Virginia, Ohio State, Navy, Michigan State, Houston Oilers, Toledo, Cleveland Browns, Michigan State.

Or Les Miles. Born in Ohio. Went to Michigan. Coached at Michigan, then Colorado, Michigan, Oklahoma State, Dallas Cowboys, back to Oklahoma State. Then to LSU

[BrunswickDawg]

Nick Saban says hold my beer to all of you saying you have to have been to the south. He's from West Virginia. Went to Kent State.

Before LSU his entire football background was Kent State, Syracuse, West Virginia, Ohio State, Navy, Michigan State, Houston Oilers, Toledo, Cleveland Browns, Michigan State.

Or Les Miles. Born in Ohio. Went to Michigan. Coached at Michigan, then Colorado, Michigan, Oklahoma State, Dallas Cowboys, back to Oklahoma State. Then to LSU

Or Urban Meyer - from Ohio, went to Cincy, coached Ohio HS football, Ohio State, Illinois St., Colorado St., ND, Bowling Green, and Utah before UF.

[msstate7]

Or Urban Meyer - from Ohio, went to Cincy, coached Ohio HS football, Ohio State, Illinois St., Colorado St., ND, Bowling Green, and Utah before UF.

Awesome, hopefully Moorhead is a top 5 coach of all time like those 2**

[ShotgunDawg]

Nick Saban says hold my beer to all of you saying you have to have been to the south. He's from West Virginia. Went to Kent State.

Before LSU his entire football background was Kent State, Syracuse, West Virginia, Ohio State, Navy, Michigan State, Houston Oilers, Toledo, Cleveland Browns, Michigan State.

Or Les Miles. Born in Ohio. Went to Michigan. Coached at Michigan, then Colorado, Michigan, Oklahoma State, Dallas Cowboys, back to Oklahoma State. Then to LSU

I think different jobs require different types of fits.

I'm not honestly sure if where the coach is from matters all that much, but I could see a situation where for the blue bloods in which the school recruits itself & since they can recruit nationally, they can thrive with pretty much everyone. However, a school like MSU may need a more grassroots type approach since we can't recruit nationally & the school doesn't recruit itself

That's reasonable right?

More than anything though, my true belief is that as a society & fan base, we've got to stop the whole identity "politics" way of looking things & grouping people into certain buckets based on gender, race, height, weight, or where they are from. No coach or person is successful or unsuccessful based on what their resume says before they start the job or where they are from. It's about finding the RIGHT guy, not the best profile. It's about looking deeper than the resume & finding someone that has shown grit throughout their life & has knack for figuring it out.

Just so tired of people arguing about irrelevant things


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H14bBuluwB8

[Coursesuper]

Nick Saban says hold my beer to all of you saying you have to have been to the south. He's from West Virginia. Went to Kent State.

Before LSU his entire football background was Kent State, Syracuse, West Virginia, Ohio State, Navy, Michigan State, Houston Oilers, Toledo, Cleveland Browns, Michigan State.

Or Les Miles. Born in Ohio. Went to Michigan. Coached at Michigan, then Colorado, Michigan, Oklahoma State, Dallas Cowboys, back to Oklahoma State. Then to LSU

There is only one point I'd make to that, LSU and Fla both have advantages that State will never have.

[BrunswickDawg]

Awesome, hopefully Moorhead is a top 5 coach of all time like those 2**

Claimed absolutely no one in this thread....

Personally, I do think it is better if when we hire a coach without HC experience they have SEC experience because the SEC is different then the other conferences. However, as shown in 3 NC winning SEC HC's -its not a the only path to being successful in the SEC.

[Fader21]

Someone that reads Elitedawgs all week and during games to find out what Shotgun thinks he should do *

[Tbonewannabe]

I think we need a coach that:

1. Emphasizes outworking the opposition. You might not can outwork Bama but you better put in as much work to have a chance. (I am not sure if this is where Joe is right now)

2. Recruit his ass off. The bottom line is you can only play underdog so many times a year. You have to have the players to compete. With the saturation of recruiting sites and camps, it is a lot harder to find those diamonds in the rough that we excelled at under Mullen. (Joe has improved this area)

3. Be innovative. Mullen brought this to begin with but I think as time went on, he got less innovative. Mullen's first 2 years were probably his best as far as doing things outside of the box. Joe's Auburn gameplan last year was great but that was pretty much the only time we really tried something that you don't see repeatedly every Saturday. Now his normal offense did work in the other 7-8 games, Iowa being iffy, but in games like LSU and Bama, you have to be willing to throw a curveball and he didn't.

4. Have a team that doesn't beat itself. You can't have undisciplined players that give other teams second chances. It is one thing to get a personal foul because you hit the QB a half second too late, it is entirely different to drive your helmet in some guys chest 2 seconds after he dropped the ball.

Feel free to add to the list.