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(10-09-2018 01:38 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(10-09-2018 12:42 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  

(10-08-2018 10:50 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(10-08-2018 09:36 AM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Not giving a second thought to whether or not Fickell leaves. Most with a high level of success move on...this is true at nearly every school including historical schools like Florida and USC. Enjoy the ride and hope for the best.

What Mark said. Oregon lost a successful head coach to the NFL and lost Willie Taggart to FSU after one season.

When we take the NFL into account as we should, every school is a stepping stone to somewhere. It's not about G5 or P5. If you win enough, somebody is going to offer you a lot of money to come there.

I'm about as cynical as anybody that coaches are hired guns and are going to chase every dollar. But I honestly doubt that any school has 2 BB and FB coaches more likely to resist that maxim than us. Flirtation with UNLV aside, I'm not sure any coach his age is as likely to stay at their current job possibly until retirement as Mick. And I may be naive, but I doubt Luke's potential jump list is much larger than ND and OSU. He certainly painted himself that way during and after the hiring process. Maybe down the road that list expands if UC no longer has the resources/commitment necessary to compete, but I'd be quite surprised if he jumps after he puts together his first double digit win season or two.

Believe me, I want BDF here as long as he wants to be here. It's really a win-win either way. I hope you're right about his P5 wish list because I guarantee he will get a look from someone if he finishes strong and especially if he wins a bowl game. I know he took some heat (I did not agree with FWIW) that he wasn't that successful during the Tressel interim gig but he's coached in a big time program under two very successful (albeit scandalous) head coaches.

Upon further reflection, the one BB coach roughly Mick's age (so not counting guys like Coach K or Roy Williams) who I could see staying where he is possibly until retirement even if he wins a ton is Chris Mack. I doubt there were many schools he'd had left XU for, but obviously UL was one and I'm sure his wife was a factor there. Maybe he'd consider a Duke, UK or NC if they opened up (maybe Mick would too as his daughter gets older) or even the NBA, but I bet it's a very small list he'd even consider. And of course that all assumes he wins big there which he obviously still has to prove.

Along those lines, I hope we don't get too far ahead of ourselves with Fickel. I'm extremely pleased with him so far, but let's see how we finish out the season at least before we start anointing him the next BK or Gillman.