Offensive Coordinator Candidates

[MrMustang1965]

Originally posted by Johnny Rock:
Isn't it funny that both Ohio St. and Houston have extremely different athletic models than SMU? My point is this...SMU can hire Jesus Christ as an offensive coordinator and it will not matter. Until SMU changes its model then success will always one step away.

JR, JR, JR! I think you should give JC a HELLUVA lot more credit!

[Stallion]

I'm not trying to be a smart-ass but really can anyone else remember a single instance of a High School Coach being named a coordinator without prior college experience at another Division 1A school in the State of Texas over the last 30 years or so. Surely there has to be some precedent but I've been trying to jog my memory and can't come up with a single example. I'll give you the possibility to he could be a great coach someday if some of you admit its a HUGE GAMBLE born of financial penny-pinching.

[GoRedGoBlue]

Originally posted by Stallion:
well if he is the choice, while I'll give him my support because he is a bright young prospect, I think its worth noting the school that talks about a COMMITMENT has basically taken the cheapest alternative and a huge gamble on a high school coach without strong Division 1A coaching or coordinating credentials. Guess we're just hoping to catch Lightening in a Bottle one of these years.

I agree with Stallion? Well, I would hope for a proven Div1A O.C. or former H.C. over a HS coach, UNLESS this guy delivers say 1-2 state 100s and a ton of recruiting ties...

[cowboypony]

Conventionally speaking, I agree that if a "proven" D1 college coordinator is a possibility then he should be pursued over the more risky hire in Todd Dodge. My guess is, however, that an 0-12 SMU team that has a black cloud over it for the past 15 years might not attract such a candidate. Moreover, if our choices are the typical coordinator that has floated around the mid to lower level D1 programs over the past 15-25 years, then NO THANK YOU.

Hiring the likes of Dodge is more risky; on the other hand, just b/c someone has been a "coordinator" does not give them a right of passage to success. What SMU should look for is a coach who has created success. As I've stated, I'm very intrigued by the possibility of someone young and creative like Dodge who has clearly proven to be able to create and maintain a winner.

Again, it all boils down to who we're interviewing. I'm just somewhat tired of the same old hire that comes from a mediocre mid to lower level D1 programs.

As for Dodge being a "cheap" hire, I have no reason to think that's the case.

[sam]

Bergermiester,can you tell me why Todd would come to the worst Div 1 school in America as an OC and have to take a hugh pay cut to do so. SLC will match or better any offer that SMU puts on the board. I may be wrong but I don't think he's coming.

[No Quarter]

"I'm not trying to be a smart-ass but really can anyone else remember a single instance of a High School Coach being named a coordinator without prior college experience at another Division 1A school in the State of Texas over the last 30 years or so. Surely there has to be some precedent but I've been trying to jog my memory and can't come up with a single example. I'll give you the possibility to he could be a great coach someday if some of you admit its a HUGE GAMBLE born of financial penny-pinching."

Well, a little more than thirty years ago, Emory Bellard's San Angelo team won state in 1966 and in 1968 UT went to the wishbone with Bellard directing and that seems pretty close to going from HS to OC.

Having said that, I hope SMU finds a proven OC. Its too late to mess around more.

[sam]

I think someone already reported this but Alan Gooch is reported as the front runner and will probably be finalized this week if details($) can be worked out.
And No I cannot think of one either.

<small>[ 12-15-2003, 04:59 PM: Message edited by: sam ]</small>

[cowboypony]

I can assure you that Dodge would not take a pay cut to come here. Remember, Dodge's salary is set by the Carroll School Board and it does not exceed the Superintendent or, for that matter, the Principal at the High School. I read in the Star Telegram last year, I believe, what they gave him as a salary increase and his overall package is not nearly as much as you might think. I remember thinking to myself that "wow, he'll be gone soon if that's the most they can pay." He is a public employee and there is only so much he can make in the high school arena. For someone studious, look his salary b/c it's a public record.

[No Cal Pony]

Sam, haven't heard Gooch's name mentioned, but I am wary of him. ucf wasn't exactly burning it up on offense. Is SMU not serious about "The Commitment?" Stallion, CP, guys, any thoughts? I don't know if SMU (or myself) can take much more. I pray for us to move forward and upward.

Go Ponies!

[Buddha]

What kind of numbers did the UCF offense have this year?

[Buddha]

Originally posted by Football Fan:
FOOTBALLSCOOP is reporting that Alan Gooch from UCF is the leading candidate for the OC job at SMU.

Not to split hairs here, but the site reports that Gooch is A leading candidate for the job, not THE leading candidate .... meaning there still might be several on Coach Bennett's short list.

[Dooby]

Originally posted by Stallion:
I'm not trying to be a smart-ass but really can anyone else remember a single instance of a High School Coach being named a coordinator without prior college experience at another Division 1A school in the State of Texas over the last 30 years or so. Surely there has to be some precedent but I've been trying to jog my memory and can't come up with a single example. I'll give you the possibility to he could be a great coach someday if some of you admit its a HUGE GAMBLE born of financial penny-pinching.

I guess this is directed at me. I ripped the guy suggesting Dodge a couple of weeks ago. If he's the choice, I was just pointing out the possible advantages in recruiting. We don't know what the guy is getting paid; for all we know it is comparable to other Div.1 OC's. Even if he is paid less, it doesn't mean he was selected for this reason. To assume the decision was made (if it has been made) for financial reasons is premature.

I can't think of a HS Coach that has gone straight to Div. 1 and been successful as a coordinator, but I can't think of any failures, either. I cited two examples of coaches being selected from odd places that worked. One of whom had been a HS coach 3 years before being a head coach. I guess the lesson Stallion wants us to learn is that a coordinator must have Div. 1 or pro coaching experience, if only for a year or so. Fine.

As for the money thing; I know SMU is cheap when it comes to the athletic department. I also know SMU is not as cheap as it once was, too. I'd rather concentrate on changing the non-monetary problems that some have already documented so well, which I totally agree with but somehow keep getting ripped by. Then, once those problems are solved, we have only ourselves to blame ourselves for not giving enough money every year.

This decision (if it has been made) may work out or it may not. I don't feel much better about an OC from UCF whose offense didn't exactly set the world on fire.

[Higher Authority]

Hopefully with Romo on board, the OC will be hired quickly. Nothing like picking up a little momentum.

[Charleston Pony]

SMU's "commitment" to athletics was not that we would compete with BCS schools budget wise. Coordinators at the upper echelon BCS schools earn between $150-200k and SMU doesn't have that kind of budget, so I would look for someone coming from a position [deleted]'t job or if Bennett has an experienced coordinator lined up, don't bet on his having worked at that position with a very strong program.

Just for comparison purposes, Miss St just lured Ellis Johnson away from his head coaching job at Citadel (where he made $100k) and will pay him $180 as their defensive coordinator. My guess is we might pay a little over 100k for the right guy?

[McAndless]

Although it is highly doubtful and unlikely, why not throw Randy Allen's name into the mix if you're looking for high school coaches. It seems as if Highland Park has improved since he was hired, and he enjoyed success at Abilene Cooper.

Personally, I don't care where he comes from as long as the guy can implement a system, maintain any momentum that we may gain, and most importantly, apply schemes that fit players' strengths.

For what it's worth, I had the opportunity to watch Art Briles and Todd Dodge both coach high school games. Briles' offenses were light years ahead of Dodge's. I'm not really into explaining this, but anyone that watched both may be able to agree. Dodge runs a very basic "spread" offense that has become pretty successful around the state of Texas lately...but they depend on solid quarterbacks being able to run as effectively as they can pass, ala Chase Daniels. I would like to think my eye for talent is pretty decent, and after watching him play, he is a thrower, not a quarterback, but he's a very solid athlete, much better than Wasson was last year. But at this stage, I don't think he is a Division 1 QB. Hopefully he will prove me wrong and be great, but the kid at HP is a better QB prospect. As for Briles' high school offenses, they were not a "spread" per se, but a complete run and gun system that literally changed from week to week depending upon whom they played. They were predicated on matchups, which in my opinion makes his coaching mind more valuable.

This is basically pointless rambling, but my only point is Todd Dodge is NOT the answer to the problems we are faced with. While Briles won everywhere he was with consistency, Dodge never coached teams as successful as they are at SLC, proving, to me, that SLC's longstanding tradition, unlimited resources, great school district, number of students playing sports, etc has more to do with their latest success than Dodge's offensive coordinating abilities.