This opinion is with probably 10% of the research of the rest of y'all, but I'll vote for Todd Monken.
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This opinion is with probably 10% of the research of the rest of y'all, but I'll vote for Todd Monken.
At least Oklahoma is out of the CFP discussion entirely. Notre Dame still has a shot at being in the CFP, depending on what happens in games this weekend. Given that fact, I think it would be more aptly referred to as 'pulling a Kelly'.
Technically, the date wasn't moved. They just added an early signing period back in 2017. National signing day for football is still in early February, but most recruits [and surely coaches] just want to get it done before the holidays, so the bulk of commitments now seem to be made on early signing day in mid-December. Some of the top rated guys will wait until February, so they can bask in the spotlights and make their announcement on ESPN, but the foundation of most classes will be in place by mid-December.
Also... some solid names being tossed out there in this thread. I'd be ecstatic if Nina is able to land a top coordinator from one of the teams still playing or waiting for a spot in the CFP.
I agree with this. I have tried to keep up with this thread, but I easiy may have missed this part. I'm primarily concerned with trying t get a coach who has a chance of improving our recruiting. Any system will run better with better players. Even with our self-imposed limitations I feel we have under recruited the past few years. Monken is a well known commodity in the Southeast. He certainly won't hurt recruiting and could very well improve it significantly. That includes assistants he will be able to attract.
It may be that some coaches on our short list are involved in playoffs/bowl games and are tied up at the moment (as others have mentioned), and have not had an opportunity to have an all important face-to-face with Ms. King*. Zoom meetings probably don't cut it for a hiring of this magnitude. If we are waiting to have in-person meetings, we might not know for another week who we are hiring (or at least trying to hire).
Speaking of potential Duke coaches, has anyone considered Shawn Clark from App State? He is a proven winner there, with lower rated recruits than Duke (some transfers may have helped improve their overall talent). He also took an under-performing transfer QB from Duke, and seems to have turned him around. Brice this year at App State is 215 of 337 passing for 2901 yards, with 22 TD's and 10 Interceptions.
*It bothers me a little that our Athletic director is referred to frequently as "Nina". Admittedly, I may have also been guilty of this. We don't refer to our previous AD as "Kevin", or our basketball coach as "Mike".
Given this seems to be a logical conclusion one might draw, perhaps we should take a look at the list of coordinators playing in today's games and those from teams waiting in the wings on results that might benefit their prospects for receiving a CFP invite tomorrow?
Big 12
Baylor—Jeff Grimes (OC), Ron Roberts (DC)
Oklahoma St—Kasey Dunn (OC), Jim Knowles (DC)
SEC
Georgia—Todd Monken (OC), Dan Lanning (co-DC), Glenn Schumann (co-DC)
Alabama—Bill O’Brien (OC), Pete Golding (DC)
Big-10
Michigan—Josh Gattis (OC), Mike MacDonald (DC)
Iowa—Brian Ferentz (OC), Phil Parker (DC)
AAC
Houston—Shannon Dawson (co-OC), Brandon Jones (co-OC), Doug Belk (DC)
Cincinatti—Mike Denbrock (OC), Mike Tressel (DC)
ACC
Pitt—Mark Whipple (OC), Randy Bates (DC)
Wake—Warren Ruggiero (OC), Lyle Hemphill (DC)
Waiting in the wings
Notre Dame—Tom Rees (OC), Mike Elston (DC)
Ohio State—Kevin Wilson (OC), Kerry Coombs (DC), Tony Alford (Asst. HC Offense)
Knowles is italicized due to the direct connection to Duke (former member of Cut's staff). There are a lot of good names on this list. I'd be please if Nina King were able to pull of a hire from among this group.
As an undergrad App alum and Yosef Club member Coach Clark is most likely staying put. He's a lifer (loves Boone, is an alum, knew the program inside an out prior to being promoted). He's just the stabilizing presence App needed after the quick turnarounds with Satterfield (Louisville) and Drinkwitz (Missouri).
It must just be me, then. Maybe I’ll change once she invites me over for a pig picken’ and a few beers. I’m expecting that call any day now.
Until that happens, I’ll probably skip the first name basis. Because, where I’m from, we say grace and we say ma’am. If you ain’t into that . . .
😇
let's find yet another non thing to get aggrieved about. The University president was referred to as "Nan" for a decade or so, don't recall anyone finding that odd or disrespectful. One of her predecessors fondly referred to as Terry.