Michigan assistant Mike Hart and Cincinnati OC Gino Guidugli are also reportedly finalists.

https://footballscoop.com/news/sources-w...ges-in-mix

Mike Hart has backed out.

No name I’ve seen is blowing me out. Even out-of-left-field-hire PJ Fleck had a nice mix of Power 5, NFL, & MAC experience.
I’ll never understand why WMU is so afraid of ever hiring away FCS or D2 coaches.
Appears more & more Lester’s firing was a reactionary move. Disappointed our AD made the move w/out a replacement in the works. Our donors also want to step up but the names on paper don’t seem any different than Tim Lester.

Of names listed, I'd have been most interested in Mike Hart. The other 2, flip a coin.

A good AD should have 3-5 names in his pocket ready to go at a moments notice.

Yuck!!! None of those guys sound appealing at all!!! There has to be someone to bring in who can make a splash right away. Scott Frost seems like a better bet than any of the current candidates.

Pete Thamel checks in:

https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/16...rLzLYsAAAA

https://www.espn.com/college-football/st...head-coach

Glad they’re picking the guy with the “highest energy”.

Are they hiring a personal trainer or a football coach?

It's official. I like the NFL experience but would've preferred someone w/ more XP at the G5 level & Midwest.

I did find this article from July: https://www.si.com/college/stanford/foot...aching-job Pegged as a rising star, so that's what you like to see.

I'm not terribly enthusiastic, but am excited to see how he does & ready for kickoff! He needs to hold onto our strong 2023 recruiting class, work the transfer portal, & get Kalamazoo pumped. Will be a tough schedule w/ 3 strong P5 teams to start off, plus Toledo & Eastern on the road.

Underwhelming hire for WMU!

(12-08-2022 12:27 PM)Bronco14 Wrote:  It's official. I like the NFL experience but would've preferred someone w/ more XP at the G5 level & Midwest.

I did find this article from July: https://www.si.com/college/stanford/foot...aching-job Pegged as a rising star, so that's what you like to see.

I'm not terribly enthusiastic, but am excited to see how he does & ready for kickoff! He needs to hold onto our strong 2023 recruiting class, work the transfer portal, & get Kalamazoo pumped. Will be a tough schedule w/ 3 strong P5 teams to start off, plus Toledo & Eastern on the road.

Good hire. Congrats.

(12-06-2022 01:14 PM)utpotts Wrote:  Mike Hart has backed out.

He doesn't seem to want to be a head coach. Feel like he's been an assistant for quite some time now but maybe I'm thinking of someone else.

Talking to fellow alumni (personal friends & family), they are very excited about this hire, certainly more than the last one, & that makes me happy. They are all very impressed w/ his resume & at the results he's had (had success everywhere he's gone)

Time will tell.

Introductory press conference underwhelming, but a few clips of his 'meet the team' speech very impressive.........He might be going places.

Dear Bronco'14,
He made the standard rah, rah, type comments of any new head coach. I was more interested in your comment that, "He might be going places". Do you mean he won't be around very long if he is successful at winning with Western? If, that is the case, then aren't the Western fans going to be disappointed?

(12-10-2022 10:57 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear Bronco'14,
He made the standard rah, rah, type comments of any new head coach. I was more interested in your comment that, "He might be going places". Do you mean he won't be around very long if he is successful at winning with Western? If, that is the case, then aren't the Western fans going to be disappointed?

I just hope he gives you hell.

Dear Hiller4Hyz09,
Time will tell, but if he doesn't, that will be five years in a row for Eastern.

Bowl eligibility is the goal in year 1. He shouldn't have to clean house (what's left), as the talent composite still has WMU as a top half team. There are some bad coaches in this league, so it's not like anyone will be able to just beat Western sleepwalking. Toledo couldn't with 2 unhealthy QBs. 20-14 is a win no matter how its drawn up.

(12-11-2022 11:51 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Bowl eligibility is the goal in year 1. He shouldn't have to clean house (what's left), as the talent composite still has WMU as a top half team. There are some bad coaches in this league, so it's not like anyone will be able to just beat Western sleepwalking. Toledo couldn't with 2 unhealthy QBs. 20-14 is a win no matter how its drawn up.

Agreed, if he does the tear it down to shreds method like PJ did I do not think it will be well received. With the portal and our resources there is no excuse to have a 1 or 2 win season. It's bowl or bust.

I'm worried this might be our Matt Patricia hire, firing a coach who couldn't get over the hump with the hopes of taking it to the next level but instead taking a huge step back.