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Some concerns...
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flushtheherd Offline
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Post: #1
Some concerns...
I have had some time to stew a bit over this hire and in looking back at what made PJ Fleck successful here at WMU and how Tim Lester can keep up the momentum... I keep coming back to the same concerns I have about this hire...

I hope that Tim Lester intends to keep with the concept of having an actual "recruiting coordinator" on staff. This concept was brought to WMU by PJ Fleck when he first arrived. PJ came in hot and never stopped until the day he left for Minnesota... I have watched WMU hire Tim Lester and here we sit two days later and the only word we have heard was that he was turned down by his first choice for QB Coach/OC... I would hope that as the week progresses he puts together a solid set of assistants and holds on to as much of our current 2017 committed class as possible...

PJ Fleck worked under head coaches Tressell, Novack, Schiano.... and Jerry Kill. Thats quite a coaching tree to work with. Tim Lester has worked with head coaches Bill Cubit, Scott Schafer and Darrell Hazell...(all of them fired for not producing on the field) not an entirely successful group right there... and based on this alone its scary to think that the coaching tree might dictate the success of the later... PJ also seemed to have absolutely enormous in-roads with many other successful coaches who pointed him towards some of the great hires that he made while here at WMU... I don't know that Tim has that same rolodex handy...

I have concerns... and until I start to see some momentum out of this program again... I will continue to worry about the success that PJ left us with... These kids are used to going 1000 mph every day and harnessing that excitement and rah rah rah that PJ so easily portrayed day in and day out... getting these kids ready to run through walls... Lester? Not so sure he will come off with that same intensity... and I worry that the current "culture" wont hold up under this new course...

I hope Tim proves me wrong...
(This post was last modified: 01-16-2017 08:58 AM by flushtheherd.)
01-16-2017 08:57 AM
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MajorHoople Offline
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Post: #2
RE: Some concerns...
Lester also has five years' successful head coaching experience and a genuine love of the program-university.
01-16-2017 09:13 AM
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broncos1123 Offline
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Post: #3
RE: Some concerns...
Lester was a recruiting coordinator at Syracuse. I don't have any concern in that department, I think having been one himself, he knows better than most the importance of having one.
01-16-2017 09:22 AM
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okgc Offline
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Post: #4
RE: Some concerns...
Tim Lester's #1 goal over the weekend had to be to sell himself & WMU to the group of recruits visiting campus.
This week will be quite interesting as Lester builds his staff.
01-16-2017 09:28 AM
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flushtheherd Offline
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RE: Some concerns...
(01-16-2017 09:22 AM)broncos1123 Wrote:  Lester was a recruiting coordinator at Syracuse. I don't have any concern in that department, I think having been one himself, he knows better than most the importance of having one.

Didn't Lester split duties between OC/Recruiting Coord? I think the recruiting coordinator at WMU was a dedicated position. Not sure... I will have to research that a bit.

I understand that Lester has HC experience... thats definitely a plus, but I have concerns that his in-roads at Div1 level with regard to successful coaches he's made connections with... I don't know how deep that goes. We realized pretty quickly that PJ had a huge network in place when he arrived and it allowed him to fill out his staff quickly... and when a coach left another was in place near immediately... No loss of momentum...
01-16-2017 09:29 AM
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goldsworth Offline
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Post: #6
RE: Some concerns...
(01-16-2017 09:13 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Lester also has five years' successful head coaching experience and a genuine love of the program-university.

Believe me no one will put more pressure on himself than Lester. Remember he is an athlete and used to competing at a high level he was very sucessful as a Quaterback at WMU and that was because of his competiveness and drive.It may not be as evident to the fan base as his predecessor but I've got to believe Tim knows what time it is and will rise to the occasion . I'm willing to give it a good 2 years to evaluate his work.
(This post was last modified: 01-16-2017 09:31 AM by goldsworth.)
01-16-2017 09:30 AM
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CincoDosAdios Offline
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Post: #7
RE: Some concerns...
(01-16-2017 09:29 AM)flushtheherd Wrote:  
(01-16-2017 09:22 AM)broncos1123 Wrote:  Lester was a recruiting coordinator at Syracuse. I don't have any concern in that department, I think having been one himself, he knows better than most the importance of having one.

Didn't Lester split duties between OC/Recruiting Coord? I think the recruiting coordinator at WMU was a dedicated position. Not sure... I will have to research that a bit.

I understand that Lester has HC experience... thats definitely a plus, but I have concerns that his in-roads at Div1 level with regard to successful coaches he's made connections with... I don't know how deep that goes. We realized pretty quickly that PJ had a huge network in place when he arrived and it allowed him to fill out his staff quickly... and when a coach left another was in place near immediately... No loss of momentum...

You worry a lot. Mom?
01-16-2017 09:31 AM
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flushtheherd Offline
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RE: Some concerns...
(01-16-2017 09:31 AM)CincoDosAdios Wrote:  
(01-16-2017 09:29 AM)flushtheherd Wrote:  
(01-16-2017 09:22 AM)broncos1123 Wrote:  Lester was a recruiting coordinator at Syracuse. I don't have any concern in that department, I think having been one himself, he knows better than most the importance of having one.

Didn't Lester split duties between OC/Recruiting Coord? I think the recruiting coordinator at WMU was a dedicated position. Not sure... I will have to research that a bit.

I understand that Lester has HC experience... thats definitely a plus, but I have concerns that his in-roads at Div1 level with regard to successful coaches he's made connections with... I don't know how deep that goes. We realized pretty quickly that PJ had a huge network in place when he arrived and it allowed him to fill out his staff quickly... and when a coach left another was in place near immediately... No loss of momentum...

You worry a lot. Mom?

I do worry right now... I worry that we are going to slip back into the end of the Cubit years... I hope that does NOT happen. I think that Tim will do quite a bit in the coming weeks/months to dispel this fear, but right now its hard to be completely positive when there isn't a staff in place, we've lost nearly half of our 2017 class, the first coordinator he tried to hire didn't want the job...

These things take time and I understand Lester's need to get the hires right may mean it moves a little slower... but in this time of transition it helps to keep conversation going here on this board...
01-16-2017 09:38 AM
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MajorHoople Offline
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Post: #9
RE: Some concerns...
I may be remembering incorrectly but I thought Rob Wenger was Recruiting Coordinator (in addition to STs Coordinator).
01-16-2017 09:39 AM
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ColinApocalypse Offline
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Post: #10
RE: Some concerns...
Lester was successful at non-powerhouse schools at the lower levels. His results at the FBS level is less impressive, but it might be that he hitched his wagon to the wrong horses. Schafer and Hazell? Syracuse and Purdue? Those are career killers lately. I like what Lester has done at the lower level as a HC and I'm going to remain positive because of that.

He loves WMU. He wants to be here. His loyalty and integrity will not be in question. He has recruiting experience. He knows the MAC and the Midwest. If he retains some of the current staff, it will help with continuity and momentum, perhaps prevent transfers. It really hinges on who he brings in as OC though.
(This post was last modified: 01-16-2017 09:46 AM by ColinApocalypse.)
01-16-2017 09:44 AM
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flushtheherd Offline
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RE: Some concerns...
(01-16-2017 09:39 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  I may be remembering incorrectly but I thought Rob Wenger was Recruiting Coordinator (in addition to STs Coordinator).

I believe John Kuceyeski was hired in 2013 to be director of player personnel and handle recruiting efforts. Same time Jessica Larmony was brought in to be director of internal football operations... It was PJ's first effort to increase the staff budget and he was able to add these two new positions...

PJ had $805k to use on assistants that first year... Lester has $1.1M. I would hope that we can bring in similar staffing to what we had last year...
01-16-2017 09:48 AM
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BroncoPhilly Offline
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Post: #12
RE: Some concerns...
Tim Lester has watched Western over the last few seasons, he knows how things were done and what our 'model' is that he will be judged by.

There is no one path to winning, to creating a winning culture. I'm less interested in the process than the results.

The ONE piece of news that is not appealing was that he was turned down for an OC offer. Do we have any corroboration on that report? Seems sketchy to me-in this business and at this level you don't make an offer unless somebody is interested already. You feel them out first, see if there is interest and get them 'wet' with the upside-then, if you're 90% certain they are interested you make an offer.

So, I find that piece of 'news' questionable. Until it's verified I'm suspicious.

Were I in Tim's spot the first thing I would do is secure the current DC and his staff to get positive momentum going, then go out after an OC.
01-16-2017 10:00 AM
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ejd_5277 Offline
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Post: #13
RE: Some concerns...
(01-16-2017 08:57 AM)flushtheherd Wrote:  I have had some time to stew a bit over this hire and in looking back at what made PJ Fleck successful here at WMU and how Tim Lester can keep up the momentum... I keep coming back to the same concerns I have about this hire...

I hope that Tim Lester intends to keep with the concept of having an actual "recruiting coordinator" on staff. This concept was brought to WMU by PJ Fleck when he first arrived. PJ came in hot and never stopped until the day he left for Minnesota... I have watched WMU hire Tim Lester and here we sit two days later and the only word we have heard was that he was turned down by his first choice for QB Coach/OC... I would hope that as the week progresses he puts together a solid set of assistants and holds on to as much of our current 2017 committed class as possible...

PJ Fleck worked under head coaches Tressell, Novack, Schiano.... and Jerry Kill. Thats quite a coaching tree to work with. Tim Lester has worked with head coaches Bill Cubit, Scott Schafer and Darrell Hazell...(all of them fired for not producing on the field) not an entirely successful group right there... and based on this alone its scary to think that the coaching tree might dictate the success of the later... PJ also seemed to have absolutely enormous in-roads with many other successful coaches who pointed him towards some of the great hires that he made while here at WMU... I don't know that Tim has that same rolodex handy...

I have concerns... and until I start to see some momentum out of this program again... I will continue to worry about the success that PJ left us with... These kids are used to going 1000 mph every day and harnessing that excitement and rah rah rah that PJ so easily portrayed day in and day out... getting these kids ready to run through walls... Lester? Not so sure he will come off with that same intensity... and I worry that the current "culture" wont hold up under this new course...

I hope Tim proves me wrong...

As long as you insist on comparing Tim Lester to PJ Fleck, you're going to continue to drive yourself insane with worry. The two men couldn't be more different personality-wise.

Doesn't make one a better football coach than the other.
01-16-2017 11:07 AM
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NYbronco Offline
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Post: #14
RE: Some concerns...
I think the "turned down" the OC position may be a little of a stretch, I would think he may have asked the North Central coach (Very successful at the D3 level) if he would be interested in the job and due to whatever circumstances (Stability, Children, late in the season, Loyalty, etc.) he chose to stay. Division 3 recruiting may be more difficult then D1 at times because sometimes you loose kids because they decide they don't want to play football and would rather go to be a student someplace else rather then pay a lot to play at a private school. Regardless the coach likely needed to make a comment publicly that he was not going to leave after his name was brought up to continue to secure recruits and the community.
01-16-2017 01:57 PM
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toddjnsn Offline
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Post: #15
RE: Some concerns...
I agree with both ends of the argument... there is reason to worry, and there is also reason for it to be Fine at the end of the day.

It's a Wait and See. It sucks. It's nerve-wracking. It's like sending a text to a hot girl, asking her out... and tick tock, tick tock, you're waiting for a reply and she's not responding swiftly at all. Except this is Much longer, and has Much more weight and consequences.

We'll get a little peak around Spring Ball, and as OOC play is winding down in mid to later Sept, we'll really know where we're at. Only 8 more months 'till we really know! That's less than a pregnancy! :)
01-16-2017 02:13 PM
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broncods5 Offline
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Post: #16
RE: Some concerns...
(01-16-2017 09:48 AM)flushtheherd Wrote:  
(01-16-2017 09:39 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  I may be remembering incorrectly but I thought Rob Wenger was Recruiting Coordinator (in addition to STs Coordinator).

I believe John Kuceyeski was hired in 2013 to be director of player personnel and handle recruiting efforts. Same time Jessica Larmony was brought in to be director of internal football operations... It was PJ's first effort to increase the staff budget and he was able to add these two new positions...

PJ had $805k to use on assistants that first year... Lester has $1.1M. I would hope that we can bring in similar staffing to what we had last year...

You are correct. Can't quite remember exactly when, but Kuceyeski eventually left/was fired and ended up spending the next few seasons at Toledo. Tyler Scudder was the director of player personnel in the 2013 season, followed by Steve Shimko in 2014, Andy Howell in 2015, and Gerrit Chernoff this past season.
01-16-2017 06:07 PM
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Nacho Offline
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Post: #17
RE: Some concerns...
Wow what a first post.
01-16-2017 08:14 PM
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toddjnsn Offline
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Post: #18
RE: Some concerns...
Quote:I hope Tim proves me wrong...

Tim-Tim-Timm-ay?

[Image: timmy_wallpaper_by_danielle_15.jpg]
01-16-2017 08:16 PM
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