(12-26-2013 02:01 PM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  

(12-26-2013 12:58 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  Have no issues with CM, but view this as an exciting time. See the Carr Consulting has been hired and hope there is a short list for possible coaches. Several years ago everyone on our A list turned us down. Hoping for good things and feel bad for CM and hope he does fine.

Steve, whats your take on this. They should have did this a month ago so they didn't lose a leg up in recruiting and coaching search. Why now? What has changed over the last month?.

You're like the town crier Hear ye hear ye. Just be optimistic.

There are lots of reactions and articles. Seems like everyone is on the same page.

Several article on MassLive - here is one.

Quote:What is startling is that UMass would pay a reported $836,000 of buyout money to jettison a coach of any sport. Mark down Dec. 26, 2013 as the real date the history of FBS football at UMass began.

At other universities, pompous millionaire alums normally pool their riches, call the athletic director and say they'll pay to buy out a losing coach. UMass alums have been known to make such demands, especially in basketball, and then expect the university or the state's taxpayers to foot the cost.

This time, UMass AD John McCutcheon said the buyout will be paid by "external'' sources. It's not clear what that means, though it's being interpreted in some quarters to suggest UMass might have some of those deep-pocketed alums as well.

^^. Yeah i was just pointing out that Molnar was a Brian Kelly guy and had always been involved with some sort of hybrid spread offense so why would McCutcheon think he would run an offense all of a sudden that he had little experience in (pro)?

(12-26-2013 04:11 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  

(12-26-2013 02:01 PM)Miami (Oh) Yeah ! Wrote:  

(12-26-2013 12:58 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  Have no issues with CM, but view this as an exciting time. See the Carr Consulting has been hired and hope there is a short list for possible coaches. Several years ago everyone on our A list turned us down. Hoping for good things and feel bad for CM and hope he does fine.

Steve, whats your take on this. They should have did this a month ago so they didn't lose a leg up in recruiting and coaching search. Why now? What has changed over the last month?.

You're like the town crier Hear ye hear ye. Just be optimistic.

There are lots of reactions and articles. Seems like everyone is on the same page.

Everybody has their calling. :) Paul Revere.

At this point UMass would be better served joining the Sun Belt where they can play other FBS noobs like Ga State, Ga Southern and App State.

I think too many people at UMass thought the transition from FCS to the MAC would be an easier one and that UMass would compete with the bottom half of the conference right away. Unfortunately for them, teams like Akron, Buffalo and Kent State have made big strides forward in the last two years and UMass has not.

Update my post, take care.

(12-26-2013 04:25 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  Update my post, take care.

No dont leave. Just kidding around.

(12-26-2013 04:24 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  At this point UMass would be better served joining the Sun Belt where they can play other FBS noobs like Ga State, Ga Southern and App State.

I think too many people at UMass thought the transition from FCS to the MAC would be an easier one and that UMass would compete with the bottom half of the conference right away. Unfortunately for them, teams like Akron, Buffalo and Kent State have made big strides forward in the last two years and UMass has not.

MAC is a way better place than the Belt. They need to make the right hire. Look where Akron was 2 years ago and how much better they are now, after hiring Bowden. Look at WMU and where they were 2 years ago and where they are now, or Miami for that matter.

Hiring the right coach makes a big difference, both positive and/or negative. Looking around the MAC I would say that the most successful hires have been FCS head coaches that were successful at the FCS ranks. The worst ones have been BCS assistants. NOTE: There are outliers - nothing is foolproof.

(12-26-2013 04:24 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  At this point UMass would be better served joining the Sun Belt where they can play other FBS noobs like Ga State, Ga Southern and App State.

I think too many people at UMass thought the transition from FCS to the MAC would be an easier one and that UMass would compete with the bottom half of the conference right away. Unfortunately for them, teams like Akron, Buffalo and Kent State have made big strides forward in the last two years and UMass has not.

While I wouldn't mind beating Georgia Southern again nor getting some payback against App State, I want UMass to stay in the MAC.

I think the other thing that can't be overlooked is how much worse UMass was from 2009-2011 (16-17... a losing record... WTF!?!?!) when compared to 1998-2008 (92-45, 5 conference championships, one national title, 8-4 in the playoffs). It's been a rough few years,

(12-26-2013 04:35 PM)Crebman Wrote:  

(12-26-2013 04:24 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  At this point UMass would be better served joining the Sun Belt where they can play other FBS noobs like Ga State, Ga Southern and App State.

I think too many people at UMass thought the transition from FCS to the MAC would be an easier one and that UMass would compete with the bottom half of the conference right away. Unfortunately for them, teams like Akron, Buffalo and Kent State have made big strides forward in the last two years and UMass has not.

MAC is a way better place than the Belt. They need to make the right hire.

Who's the right hire?

I said a few years ago they'd do well just to hire Belichik as a consultant!

(12-26-2013 04:48 PM)jjmc85 Wrote:  I think the other thing that can't be overlooked is how much worse UMass was from 2009-2011 (16-17... a losing record... WTF!?!?!) when compared to 1998-2008 (92-45, 5 conference championships, one national title, 8-4 in the playoffs). It's been a rough few years,

Miami fans can relate to a tough few years. Its no fun. Winning cures all.

(12-26-2013 04:35 PM)Crebman Wrote:  

(12-26-2013 04:24 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  At this point UMass would be better served joining the Sun Belt where they can play other FBS noobs like Ga State, Ga Southern and App State.

I think too many people at UMass thought the transition from FCS to the MAC would be an easier one and that UMass would compete with the bottom half of the conference right away. Unfortunately for them, teams like Akron, Buffalo and Kent State have made big strides forward in the last two years and UMass has not.

MAC is a way better place than the Belt. They need to make the right hire. Look where Akron was 2 years ago and how much better they are now, after hiring Bowden. Look at WMU and where they were 2 years ago and where they are now, or Miami for that matter.

Hiring the right coach makes a big difference, both positive and/or negative. Looking around the MAC I would say that the most successful hires have been FCS head coaches that were successful at the FCS ranks. The worst ones have been BCS assistants. NOTE: There are outliers - nothing is foolproof.

Obviously the MAC is better, which makes it harder for UMass. You can't compare other MAC schools because they have the facilities and the D1 scholarship athletes already in place. UMass has bigger challenges beyond just making the right hire at Coach.

Most people would approve of Mark Whipple, who was our FCS HC and left when FBS was not in the cards to be an NFL QB coach. He missed out on the UConn for the HC by some accounts wanting too much money for his assistant coaches. Mark Whipple and by some accounts Don Brown have expressed interests in the job.

Whipple Wiki Page

Quote:Former University of Miami offensive coordinator Mark Whipple was the leading candidate for the job earlier this week, but as Hathaway negotiated with Whipple and interviewed other candidates, he stayed in contact with former Syracuse athletic director Jake Crout...

UConn HC 2011 hire article

Strange timing, though it sounds like they needed to gather the money before they pulled the trigger. Feel kinda bad for him, he seemed like a nice guy and no one should have to get a pink slip in their stocking. Unfortunately, it looks like this might be the right choice for UMass, the more I read about this the more problems I'm hearing about the state of the football program as a whole (Hustle Belt says there were some academic issues on the team).

Whipple sounds like a great choice, just hope that whoever they hire is pretty good. With Akron on the upswing and Martin in at Miami, it looks like the bottom of the MAC East is going to rise up a bit in the coming years.

Interesting that UMass has hired the same consultant that JMU hired to find their next coach. Expect some overlap in the poll of candidates.

(12-26-2013 07:39 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  ... Feel kinda bad for him, he seemed like a nice guy and no one should have to get a pink slip in their stocking....

I'll take a pink slip with a $836,000 contract buyout any day. Let's save our sympathies for people who really need it.

Forget were it was posted, perhaps twitter, but Don Brown turn down the JMU job. He was our HC and before that HC Northeastern and then before that our DC. He is now DC at Boston College.

(12-26-2013 07:45 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  

(12-26-2013 07:39 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  ... Feel kinda bad for him, he seemed like a nice guy and no one should have to get a pink slip in their stocking....

I'll take a pink slip with a $836,000 contract buyout any day. Let's save our sympathies for people who really need it.

Well as sympathy for college football coaches goes...

(12-26-2013 07:41 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  Interesting that UMass has hired the same consultant that JMU hired to find their next coach. Expect some overlap in the poll of candidates.

ding ding ding

(12-26-2013 07:51 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  Forget were it was posted, perhaps twitter, but Don Brown turn down the JMU job. He was our HC and before that HC Northeastern and then before that our DC. He is now DC at Boston College.

Got a link to that? He was never mentioned by anyone connected to JMU....and our board outed the Withers hire well before the press even mentioned him as a candidate. Good connections.

edit: Found the tweet. He "poked" around the JMU job.

"Bob McGovern ‏@BobMcGovernJr44m
Just heard that Don Brown turned down URI and poked around JMU. Zero indication that he has talked to UMass, but he's looking.
"

He was not offered an interview at JMU. Maybe his choice...but not a serious candidate.

Sorry was watching BG and then had to run out. Stop at the Elks and drop off my car for some repair work. Glad you found it. Would have correct the 'were' to 'where' and check the quote but it's a busy night. In reading your board and seeing your stadium, can see you guys are ready to make the jump. (It was fun watching/reading your thread when you got to choice your seats.) Take care and best wishes.