Favorite candidate not named Napier

[deadheaddawg]

I realize they haven't pried Napier from the cold dead hands of some of you, but just for conversation sake.....who is your favorite other guy.

I personally wouldn't go judge, but I can see the reasoning and could get behind it.

I sorta am warming up to Calhoun if he will get away from the triple option

I think these are my 2 favorite ones

[Dawgtini]

Calhoun
Grantham
Hud

[hacker]

Fickell or Hud if they were actual candidates

[deadheaddawg]

If fickle did come, I wouldn't be surprised if it is his last stop until (if) he got the OSU job ....or got fired

[Irondawg]

I'm guessing Aranada and Venables have said no thanks? I know neither probably wants to even talk until after the game but their names haven't been mentioned at all.

[Irondawg]

Honestly none of the candidates mentioned thus far has me really, really intrigued. I'd be curious who Grantham would bring as staff to complement him but nobody else is really firing me up.

I need to see somebody that is creatively finding way to punch up when playing more talent. I don't care if it's a sitting head coach or a OC/DC

I'm almost more curious as to who has declined to interview at this point.

I'd throw the bank at Utah's Whittingham and make him say no a few times. I know we've said that door is closed but I'd still try.

[deadheaddawg]

Honestly none of the candidates mentioned thus far has me really, really intrigued. I'd be curious who Grantham would bring as staff to complement him but nobody else is really firing me up.


I think that might be why you are seeing so many people still clinging to naiper being the guy. Nobody else really excites anyone.

If you need hope, Cohen does have a track record of complety surprising everyone and pulling someone from left field.

So if you are having trouble falling asleep let your imagination run wild.

[KOdawg1]

I'd kick the tires on Dave Clawson, Bryan Harsin, and Luke Fickell. I think hiring a successful sitting HC is important bc JC can't mess this hire up. You can't gamble two times in a row. That's how you tank a program.

[THE Bruce Dickinson]

Out of left field name:

Ken Wisenhunt.

Recently was let go from the chargers. Head coach of the cardinals when they went to the super bowl. Georgia tech grad. Id at least see what he’s up to.

[Irondawg]

I do like Fickell and Hardin but zero ties to the south

[yjnkdawg]

With the ones that have been interviewed or supposed to be interviewed, I would choose Calhoun or Judge. Not sure which order. Now if anybody else is added then that may change. Calhoun may be more interesting than I originally thought

[deadheaddawg]

So with Calhoun, does anyone know if his name has been rumored for other jobs lately? He played at air force and he has coached there for 12 or 13 years. Why would he leave now? Has his show interest in other jobs over the years and just not gotten hired? I personally haven't seen his named tied to other searches, but I dont keep up very closely with other school searches

[yjnkdawg]

So with Calhoun, does anyone know if his name has been rumored for other jobs lately? He played at air force and he has coached there for 12 or 13 years. Why would he leave now? Has his show interest in other jobs over the years and just not gotten hired? I personally haven't seen his named tied to other searches, but I dont keep up very closely with other school searches


I heard he has interviewed for a few P5 vacancies, and also turned one or two down. Actually one he turned down was TN when Kiffin left for USC. Now lately I'm not sure. I heard he can run different types of offenses to fit the players he has. So he doesn't have to run what AF is running now. He can run spread, no huddle, high tempo or whatever from what I have heard.

[deadheaddawg]

I could be sold on Calhoun the more I read about him and consider it.

If fickle really is a possible candidate he really looks interesting the more I read.

Honestly I could probably get almost as excited about Fickle or Calhoun as I could Naiper. Almost.

As of now, for the names I've seen, I'm leaning

1) Fickle
2) Calhoun

Drop off

3) judge
4) Grantham

Big drop off for the others

[spudd21]

Calhoun and Fickle. No particular order. Then maybe Judge. Then Grantham, I just don’t think he’s who we need as our next head coach. Saying that, I know Judge is interviewing for the NYG job he still worries me as not quite ready yet.

[msstate7]

Clawson

[Sienfield]

Chris Klieman, but probably not a chance.

[Dawgfan77]

Fickle number 1 followed by Calhoun

The deal with Calhoun has to be no triple option

[Madisonmd]

Talked with a retired AD. He says Fickell and Judge are HR hires,fwiw.

[HaggardDawg]

Clawson

I've heard he has ZERO personality and would t not recruit very well here at all

[Tbonewannabe]

The recruiting angle is the only one I worry about with the candidates not named Napier. Even with Napier, he has done well recruiting in the Sunbelt but it is still a guessing game whether he will do well in the SEC. Saying that, I have warmed up to Joe Judge. I think he would do well as a CEO type of coach with an emphasis on details and hard work. I would think he would be adaptable also since he isn't married to a system like Moorhead.

My other favorite is Fickell. I just don't know about Calhoun especially since he has been at Air Force for so long. Not against him but he would be further down the list for me along with Hud.

[PMDawg]

I'd kick the tires on Dave Clawson, Bryan Harsin, and Luke Fickell. I think hiring a successful sitting HC is important bc JC can't mess this hire up. You can't gamble two times in a row. That's how you tank a program.

This is pretty much my list as well.

[Irondawg]

I wonder if we're just courtesy interviewing B candidates as a favor to agents while we wait out Napier. You haven't heard a peep about us even trying to with guys like Satterfied or Whittingham so I wonder if Billy does pass after his game today if we'll start to hear about chasing some higher quality candidates.

Maybe we have and they've all said no, but there are about 10 guys worth kicking the tires on and seeing if you could convince him and there might be a few you go back and try to convince multiple times before you give up.

[Really Clark?]

I wonder if we're just courtesy interviewing B candidates as a favor to agents while we wait out Napier. You haven't heard a peep about us even trying to with guys like Satterfied or Whittingham so I wonder if Billy does pass after his game today if we'll start to hear about chasing some higher quality candidates.

Maybe we have and they've all said no, but there are about 10 guys worth kicking the tires on and seeing if you could convince him and there might be a few you go back and try to convince multiple times before you give up.

We absolutely are interviewing guys for agents, back up plans, etc. You have to do that. It also gives you cover as well but you have to do those things. But Satterfield and Whit are not on the board. Satterfield is not leaving a P5 school with a higher budget, easier road to wins, especially after just one season and kicking our rear in the bowl game. That’s not happening.

[PGHBulldogBG]

Clawson, Hud, Napier, Clark in that order

[Technetium]

Honestly, I could get behind most (not all) of the candidates mentioned, provided one thing: we see Cohen/MSU finally open up the checkbook and commit to hiring one of the best staffs in the country. We might not be able to attract known commodity HCs like the blue bloods of the world, but we should be able to have stellar assistants by paying like a blue blood and giving them a chance to show their value with SEC-caliber athletes against SEC competition. If we aren't willing to put in the money to have a top staff, not just HC, then we'll forever experience this ebb-and-flow of coaching changes and potential setbacks when we miss on a HC hire. A great staff can help offset the learning curve for young or inexperienced coaches.

[deadheaddawg]

Honestly, I could get behind most (not all) of the candidates mentioned, provided one thing: we see Cohen/MSU finally open up the checkbook and commit to hiring one of the best staffs in the country. We might not be able to attract known commodity HCs like the blue bloods of the world, but we should be able to have stellar assistants by paying like a blue blood and giving them a chance to show their value with SEC-caliber athletes against SEC competition. If we aren't willing to put in the money to have a top staff, not just HC, then we'll forever experience this ebb-and-flow of coaching changes and potential setbacks when we miss on a HC hire. A great staff can help offset the learning curve for young or inexperienced coaches.

I agree.

For a non blue blood program like us I think we HAVE to really open the checkbook up on assistant coaches to help level the playing field.

If we are not willing to spend money like a big program, then we are not really serious about becoming one