(10-06-2020 09:00 AM)JMURocks Wrote:  

(10-06-2020 07:45 AM)JMad03 Wrote:  

(10-05-2020 08:08 PM)Purple Wrote:  

(10-05-2020 08:02 PM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  To me you leave for more money when you don’t have confidence you can keep it going where you are or that you will have better opportunities to move in the future. Houston struck me as a very confident guy and coach so to make that move when he did was I think a dumb move and I felt that way at the time. Withers I could see - get out before you are exposed Houston should have stayed put won more and he could have gotten a lower level Acc job the way Klieman nabbed a lower level Big 12 job. Ecu is a bad job- non competitive in a tough league with a fan base/boosters that have unrealistic expectations.

I think Mikey was just like Withers. He saw his cushy job crumbling (embarrassing losses to Elon, UNH, and Colgate) and bailed while he could. Only he did it in a way that still pisses me off.

I always thought he would leave eventually, but never thought it would happen that poorly.
I think what really changed his feelings towards JMU when UNC didn't even give him a glance when there was an opening. I don't think he was expecting to get the job, but it was a wake up call for him that he would have to go somewhere else to get a shot at a program like UNC.
I really liked the guy and thought he would live up to the contract he had just signed. I was very wrong and felt very foolish believing the guy.
I have no doubt he's a good person, but when it comes to coaches... he no different than any other up and coming coach- no loyalty. When a better school comes after Houston, I have no doubt he'll jump at the opportunity.

Theres close to 50-50 odds at this point he doesn't last at ECU and will have to go back to FCS or become a coordinator somewhere. His stock isn't rising at the moment. Solid coaching ability, but got in over his head there. Unless ECU boosters are more patient than I think, he may be done this year or next. Dumping Trott suggests they won't accept too many more losing seasons.

Edit - reading their board suggests they want him gone, but won't be able to afford it now. So likely MH has some more time, but may be told to keep replacing coordinators ...

I read their board "Hoist the Colors" from time to time to gauge how Houston is doing. I did not get the sense that they, as a majority, want him gone. (The more reactionary board, Boneyard Banter, may however). Sure, that sentiment does exist from some fans, but I found there was a healthy portion of posters who recognize the dumpster fire he walked into and that it's going to be a 4-5 year process. The previous coach left quite a hole. They have little in the way of upper classmen.

What I have noticed is that many of the posters feel that Houston is trying to pound a round peg into a square hole...and just doesn't have the pieces to make it work and seems unwilling to adjust to what he does have. I also noticed their depth chart for their USF game, which was released recently. Their starting units strike me as undersized for AAC competition and extremely young. Both starting lines, LBs, DBs and WRs are FCS size. I believe I counted 14 Fr/So as starters or co-starters. They are playing Rico Abreu as a 253 lb DT. They also have a 257 lb starting RT. The cupboard was really empty there.

Don't know if Houston will turn them around. Jury is still out for me. Seemed like they made some decent progress offensively late last season. But this years' start has been pretty bad.