(04-29-2021 01:40 PM)JoeJag Wrote:  

(04-28-2021 09:07 AM)AppinSC Wrote:  

(04-28-2021 06:34 AM)BamaCajun Wrote:  

(04-27-2021 10:20 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  

Western Carolina Hires Kerwin Bell

This seems like a home run hire for Western Carolina. As the head coach of the Jacksonville Dolphins he went 66-35 from 2007-2015 and at DII Valdosta State he went 27-7 from 2016-2018 with a 14-0 2018 season and a DII National Title.

I really didn't think the Western Carolina admin had enough in them to make this hire. The big question is will they give Bell the resources to be sucessful or will they expect results on a strapped shoestring budget like they have since the late 1980s.

I lived in western North Carolina for 13 years and went to many Western games. I also have friends in positions at the university and supported athletics financially over the years (not a graduate of the university, just friends with enough folks there). I personally met and became acquainted with the last two head football coaches there.

Coach Wagner had a real tough row to hoe due to having to step in when the previous coach had let discipline fall through the cracks in the floor. Dennis' approach to discipline was a complete 180 and the existing players never bought in. Dennis is a good guy, but his approach at the time was a little to dramatic for the players. He never gained confidence of the players, thus his early departure.

Mark was a bit more relaxed and has a better approach, but from my opinion, was not head coach material from the beginning. I met him probably a couple of weeks after he was hired and I was underwhelmed. I was actually more impressed with Dennis than Mark.

Your comment about the administration and support is probably spot on. The difference this time is there is a new AD who came on board last year and the chancellor came on board in 2019. So, there are changes in the university that brought this new approach. As for financial support from the alums and backers, this is a big problem. Having done so poorly in football for so long, only a handful of die hard backers are still around. And if one really likes college football, they drive two hours into Tennessee and watch the Vols play, or two hours south and watch Clemson play. A lot of the money people in that area of the state are not locals and not graduates of Western. These are folks who keep second (even third and fourth) homes in the mountains and spend winters in Florida. They may give some money to the University, but not enough to make a difference. Also, once most of the students graduate, there are skid marks on the pavement in front of the campus because they trying to get out so quickly.

Honestly, I hadn't heard Mr. Bell's name since he graduated Florida. I had no idea he put together such a resume. I like the hire, but what if he turns the program around quickly. Strong chance someone else will pick him up. But, turning this program around quickly is a tall order. Locally (within two to three hours), the area is not a hot bed for high level athletes, or many athletes at all for that matter. It's not a heavily populated area.

He will have to go the way of transfers and junior college players for a quick turnaround. Given the recent NCAA ruling of being able to transfer once without sitting a year, makes this tougher for FCS teams.

Like HerdZoned, I like the hire, but he is spot on about the financial support. That will be tough for the University.

In addition to all of that, they are the CANTAMOUNTS. They can't amount to anything.

That would be the “CATAMOUNTS”. So maybe they can amount to something. Time will tell.