Staff Changes

[Todd4State]

Is Rhoads a 4 man front or a 3 man front coach traditionally?

Just trying to learn about his background.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Is Rhoads a 4 man front or a 3 man front coach traditionally?

Just trying to learn about his background.

He's a 3 man guy. Ran a 3-4 since around 2015.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Just to add, I text one of my buddies out here in Dallas who went to Iowa St for undergrad about the hire, he couldn't have had more praise for Rhoads. Said he's going to be a great guy to have in the building and has probably forgotten more about defense than most people have ever or will know. Said our building and staff got a lot better today with that hire.

[HancockCountyDog]

Where is Rhoads currently, is he at Boston College or is he back at Gulf Shores.

The guy was the head coach at Iowa State for like 7 years, so he definitely has experience.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Where is Rhoads currently, is he at Boston College or is he back at Gulf Shores.

The guy was the head coach at Iowa State for like 7 years, so he definitely has experience.

He's with Bill O'Brien at BC. That also should tell you how good of a football mind he is. O'Brien has assembled some really good staffs during his college coaching.

[Todd4State]

He's a 3 man guy. Ran a 3-4 since around 2015.

Awesome! Thanks! He sounds like a really good pick up. Wish we had him in 2024.

[msudawg1200]

He's with Bill O'Brien at BC. That also should tell you how good of a football mind he is. O'Brien has assembled some really good staffs during his college coaching.

He was at BC as OLB coach in 2023. When Jeff Hafley left to go be the Packers DC, Rhoads returned to Gulf Shores to be OLB coach after serving as DC in 2022. He was not on staff with BOB at BC.

[StarkVegasSteve]

He was at BC as OLB coach in 2023. When Jeff Hafley left to go be the Packers DC, Rhoads returned to Gulf Shores to be OLB coach after serving as DC in 2022. He was not on staff with BOB at BC.

Interesting. I thought he stayed on with them. Didn't know he went back to Gulf Shores with Mark.

[HancockCountyDog]

Interesting. I thought he stayed on with them. Didn't know he went back to Gulf Shores with Mark.

I have family in Mobile, they tell me that the Gulf Shores coaching staff has 5-6 former college coaches.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I have family in Mobile, they tell me that the Gulf Shores coaching staff has 5-6 former college coaches.

That's true. That is a big selling point for Mark to get players. He has A TON of former college coaches on his staff. That has become an extremely desirable job and location to coach in the last 3 or 4 years. I know AJ McCarron wants the head job BAD. He was hoping Hud would get the USM job and he could take the Gulf Shores job.

[HancockCountyDog]

That's true. That is a big selling point for Mark to get players. He has A TON of former college coaches on his staff. That has become an extremely desirable job and location to coach in the last 3 or 4 years. I know AJ McCarron wants the head job BAD. He was hoping Hud would get the USM job and he could take the Gulf Shores job.

Apparently they have a sizeable war chest for coaching staff. Not sure how, but that is why AJ probably wants the job. They are making 2 to 3 times more than the average coach down that way.

[msudawg1200]

I have family in Mobile, they tell me that the Gulf Shores coaching staff has 5-6 former college coaches.

Hud as HC, Brian VanGorder who has been DC at Auburn, Notre Dame, Georgia, and the Falcons among others, Mitch Rodrigue who has been an OL coach at Colorado, USM, and ULL, and of course, Rhoads.

[Lord McBuckethead]

He had terrible OL talent last year, and they ended up not being the worst thing in the world. I mean, they are bad, but not as bad as our 3rd down defense which may be the worst 3rd down defense in the entire history of the SEC.

[Really Clark?]

He had terrible OL talent last year, and they ended up not being the worst thing in the world. I mean, they are bad, but not as bad as our 3rd down defense which may be the worst 3rd down defense in the entire history of the SEC.

Vandy's 3rd down defense was worse than ours this season.

[KOdawg1]

A guy like Rhoads is what we should've already had this past year.

When you pair a first time HC with a first time DC, you see a lot of what we had this year. With Dancy and Rhoads, you've got two guys with HC experience (albeit, they sucked) that can help Lebby and Hutz. Need to add another experienced analyst or two.

[Coursesuper]

Vandy's 3rd down defense was worse than ours this season.

The problem there was we weren?t in a 3rd down situation very much. The opposing team was usually in a new set of downs in one or two plays.

[Really Clark?]

The problem there was we weren?t in a 3rd down situation very much. The opposing team was usually in a new set of downs in one or two plays.

There was some of that but it wasn't quite as bad as you would think at first glance. We were 5th and tied with South Carolina with actual 3rd down attempts. I mean we sucked ass by any stretch of the imagination but Vandy had 3 fewer attempts and a little worse conversion rate. Florida had an even worse rate in 2022. As bad as we were, it's not to the worse in recent years.

[StarkVegasSteve]

A guy like Rhoads is what we should've already had this past year.

When you pair a first time HC with a first time DC, you see a lot of what we had this year. With Dancy and Rhoads, you've got two guys with HC experience (albeit, they sucked) that can help Lebby and Hutz. Need to add another experienced analyst or two.

Ehh...the Iowa St guys I spoke with last night said Rhoads actually did good compared to historical norms with Iowa St. He just couldn't recruit well enough to stay up with the Big 12 at the time, and he lost some key assistants. I didn't realize he turned down Wisconsin when Bielema left for Arkansas.

[KOdawg1]

Ehh...the Iowa St guys I spoke with last night said Rhoads actually did good compared to historical norms with Iowa St. He just couldn't recruit well enough to stay up with the Big 12 at the time, and he lost some key assistants. I didn't realize he turned down Wisconsin when Bielema left for Arkansas.

He was 32-55. 1 winning season in 7 years. He wasn't a good head coach. No "ehh" to it. Doesn't mean his experience isn't valuable and he can't help us.

[StarkVegasSteve]

He was 32-55. 1 winning season in 7 years. He wasn't a good head coach. No "ehh" to it. Doesn't mean his experience isn't valuable and he can't help us.

Like I said, "compared to historical norms". Hell Chizik was 5-19 before him and got the Auburn job. He has like the 4th most wins in ISU history. Again, they didn't say he was a good head coach. They said he did good compared to historical norms. I mean Dan McCarney went 56-85 there. Campbell, who most would consider a HELL of a coach, is 57-48. Iowa St is a damn tough job. It's in the middle of nowhere Iowa. And we think recruiting to Starkville is hard.