(12-11-2022 11:00 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  Does the AD really think we are going to a bowl game next year in the AAC? I can't stop laughing.

In all likelihood, no.
But would the outcome in '23 be much different if we switched at this point?
Not seeing any available coaches that might make better use of the athletes on-hand (other than ruowls), and who can tell if the ones we'd prefer to keep would jump into the portal.
That, and paying the new one while paying off Bloomgren's final (assumed) year's contract - how does that fit in with the endowed coach thing?

(12-10-2022 11:36 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  Maybe he threatened to leave and JK panicked.

My response would have been, "Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out."

(12-11-2022 11:24 PM)Grungy Wrote:  Not seeing any available coaches that might make better use of the athletes on-hand (other than ruowls), and who can tell if the ones we'd prefer to keep would jump into the portal.

I think there are a lot of coaches that might make better use of the athletes.

I want to clarify my thinking about RUOwls. I've been on here for years, long before the RUOwls bandwagon got rolling, advocating a defense-minded head football coach instead of one more offensive guru. Those offensive gurus haven't done very well, while the defensive guys (primarily Fred and Bailiff) have been considerably more effective with wins and losses. It's been a bit difficult for my credibility to jump from saying defense, defense, defense to hugely on the bandwagon for RUOwls, even though I consider him a friend.

That being said, if Rice were to hire an offensive guy, RUOwls would be my first choice. If he could truly put together the prospective staff that he once showed me, then he would jump to #1 overall, because that staff could definitely handle recruiting and defense.

It wouldn't seem logical to me to have a head coach who's on his contract's final year. That fact could be used against Rice in recruiting ("you don't know who's going to be the coach after next season"). It is more likely that his extension is through 2024, which means he would get another "Mulligan" for the transition year in the AAC.

(12-12-2022 09:40 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  It wouldn't seem logical to me to have a head coach who's on his contract's final year. That fact could be used against Rice in recruiting ("you don't know who's going to be the coach after next season"). It is more likely that his extension is through 2024, which means he would get another "Mulligan" for the transition year in the AAC.

This is exactly what I was going to say. (Well, not exactly the last sentence.)

But that may have been why they were trying to hide his contract length, as they're hoping that the fact he's in his last year is hidden from the recruiting wars.

Is the department that strapped for buyout money that they don't just pull the cord now, if they're not willing to extend beyond next year? Or are they hoping he gets tired of Rice's BS and he jumps back to the NFL in January?

I think it is a combination of buyout and performance.

Rice was 3-3 in games decided by 7 points or less. So, with a different bounce of the ball or slip of the foot, we could have been anywhere from 2-10 to 8-4. I think they expect a more definitive result next next year, making it easy to either fire him or extend him further. In the meantime, some money and effort is saved.

Bloomgren is selfish. He should resign and give someone else a chance. He knows he's gone after next season.. We're being held hostage by this guy. What an A$$.

(12-11-2022 11:00 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  Does the AD really think we are going to a bowl game next year in the AAC? I can't stop laughing.

(12-11-2022 11:11 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Yeah it's a mess. Going to this bowl game at 5-7 has ruined everything as far as getting rid of Bloomgren is concerned, I don't care what they tell me about some 'Covid' extension back in 2020.

I am with you both. His 5-7 season isn't meaningfully better than his dumpster fire seasons in 2018, 2019, or 2021. Here are Rice's Sagarin and Massey Composite rankings under Bloomgren's leadership:
2018: 178 / 128
2019: 143 / 119
2020: 97 / 98 (Rice only played 5 games)
2021: 149 / 110
2022: 142 / 110

(12-12-2022 10:46 AM)gsloth Wrote:  

(12-12-2022 09:40 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  It wouldn't seem logical to me to have a head coach who's on his contract's final year. That fact could be used against Rice in recruiting ("you don't know who's going to be the coach after next season"). It is more likely that his extension is through 2024, which means he would get another "Mulligan" for the transition year in the AAC.

This is exactly what I was going to say. (Well, not exactly the last sentence.)

But that may have been why they were trying to hide his contract length, as they're hoping that the fact he's in his last year is hidden from the recruiting wars.

Is the department that strapped for buyout money that they don't just pull the cord now, if they're not willing to extend beyond next year? Or are they hoping he gets tired of Rice's BS and he jumps back to the NFL in January?

To pick on JK's quote about "college football has changed with transfer portal, NIL, etc.", this same "negative" effect also means that having an "extra" year on the contract is not quite as necessary as it was. The identity / certainty of a coach should mean less to a given player now that NIL dollars are publicly in play. Maybe not so much at Rice, but still less meaningful.

(12-12-2022 11:21 AM)mrbig Wrote:  

(12-11-2022 11:00 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  Does the AD really think we are going to a bowl game next year in the AAC? I can't stop laughing.

(12-11-2022 11:11 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Yeah it's a mess. Going to this bowl game at 5-7 has ruined everything as far as getting rid of Bloomgren is concerned, I don't care what they tell me about some 'Covid' extension back in 2020.

I am with you both. His 5-7 season isn't meaningfully better than his dumpster fire seasons in 2018, 2019, or 2021. Here are Rice's Sagarin and Massey Composite rankings under Bloomgren's leadership:
2018: 178 / 128
2019: 143 / 119
2020: 97 / 98 (Rice only played 5 games)
2021: 149 / 110
2022: 142 / 110

It definitely hasn't worked out, but still he remains...

I wonder if there isn't some chance we get rid of Karlgaard over the next eight months, and bring in a new AD.

(12-12-2022 11:21 AM)mrbig Wrote:  

(12-11-2022 11:00 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  Does the AD really think we are going to a bowl game next year in the AAC? I can't stop laughing.

(12-11-2022 11:11 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Yeah it's a mess. Going to this bowl game at 5-7 has ruined everything as far as getting rid of Bloomgren is concerned, I don't care what they tell me about some 'Covid' extension back in 2020.

I am with you both. His 5-7 season isn't meaningfully better than his dumpster fire seasons in 2018, 2019, or 2021. Here are Rice's Sagarin and Massey Composite rankings under Bloomgren's leadership:
2018: 178 / 128
2019: 143 / 119
2020: 97 / 98 (Rice only played 5 games)
2021: 149 / 110
2022: 142 / 110

I'm going to start with this...

We haven't seen the results we want. Period. It appears to me that the biggest difference in our record has been the quality/performance of our opponents... and the ratings above bear that out.

That said, as JK seems (for likely a variety of reasons) to be 'married' to him, plus having a new President... AND the APPEARANCE of improvement (though the stats all say better) AND the fact that this was not related to this season... this is the second or third best outcome.... though far from the best. The best would be that we hired a hands down upgrade. The one it may be 'tied' with is the more likely one, that we hired some hope and will wait 3 years to see. This gives Bloom one year to show if the improvement is real.... (and JK one year closer to revenue to fund it) with the risk being that he wins 3-4 and we excuse it. If we don't, we NEED (not should... but NEED/MUST) make a quick decision (before season's end) to part and an even quicker one to move forward otherwise.

We need to look closely at the RANKINGS of the teams we beat and lose to... and our own of course. NOT just the w/l record.

We beat the worst competition on our schedule, and actually lost to the worst team in the conference. FAU was a loss, and Louisiana Tech was almost a loss.

Agree that the AD will need to fire Bloomgren during next season to ensure we get the best candidate possible, who can then come in a recruit right away.

Karlgaard is spineless. He should have pulled the plug. Now we waste another year.

(12-12-2022 12:08 PM)Ourland Wrote:  I wonder if there isn't some chance we get rid of Karlgaard over the next eight months, and bring in a new AD.

I would assume not. His contract runs through June 2024. Playing the ball where it lies, my hope is that DesRoches makes a decision on Karlgaard 10-12 months from now (during/ immediately after the 2023 football season has ended) and, if necessary, brings in a new AD to hire a new football coach.

https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/stat...wsrc%5Etfw

(12-12-2022 12:50 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(12-12-2022 12:08 PM)Ourland Wrote:  I wonder if there isn't some chance we get rid of Karlgaard over the next eight months, and bring in a new AD.

I would assume not. His contract runs through June 2024. Playing the ball where it lies, my hope is that DesRoches makes a decision on Karlgaard 10-12 months from now (during/ immediately after the 2023 football season has ended) and, if necessary, brings in a new AD to hire a new football coach.

https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/stat...wsrc%5Etfw

That would just add to the disaster. If you wait until 10 mos. from now, you first have to find a new AD, then one might have grit your teeth on Bloomgren for another 8 mos to a year (will a new AD be quick to pull that pin, that is coming in after the FB season has ended and *immediately* firing, or do a wait and get stuff into order?)

Best time is to pull the pin on Kaarlgard is prior to the start of the next school year. Then the new AD has the time to and can act decisively on the FB program.

(12-12-2022 09:40 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  It wouldn't seem logical to me to have a head coach who's on his contract's final year. That fact could be used against Rice in recruiting ("you don't know who's going to be the coach after next season"). It is more likely that his extension is through 2024, which means he would get another "Mulligan" for the transition year in the AAC.

Correct although Bloomgren/his agent have been pushing for more. Remains to be seen if final extension will be through 2024 or 2025.

(12-12-2022 12:08 PM)Ourland Wrote:  I wonder if there isn't some chance we get rid of Karlgaard over the next eight months, and bring in a new AD.

That would be the sensible thing to do. But sadly doesn't seem to be in the cards.

(12-12-2022 01:20 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(12-12-2022 12:50 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(12-12-2022 12:08 PM)Ourland Wrote:  I wonder if there isn't some chance we get rid of Karlgaard over the next eight months, and bring in a new AD.

I would assume not. His contract runs through June 2024. Playing the ball where it lies, my hope is that DesRoches makes a decision on Karlgaard 10-12 months from now (during/ immediately after the 2023 football season has ended) and, if necessary, brings in a new AD to hire a new football coach.

https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/stat...wsrc%5Etfw

That would just add to the disaster. If you wait until 10 mos. from now, you first have to find a new AD, then one might have grit your teeth on Bloomgren for another 8 mos to a year (will a new AD be quick to pull that pin, that is coming in after the FB season has ended and *immediately* firing, or do a wait and get stuff into order?)

Best time is to pull the pin on Kaarlgard is prior to the start of the next school year. Then the new AD has the time to and can act decisively on the FB program.

Exactly right.

(12-12-2022 12:20 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  We need to look closely at the RANKINGS of the teams we beat and lose to... and our own of course. NOT just the w/l record.

My rating system takes that into account. Rice is #120 of 131 because, in great part, due to the poor level of competition.

Whenever you can lock up a complete dogshit HC for even more years, you GOTTA do it