FB Coach Speculation

[CameronBornAndBred]

George Edwards, who currently serves as a senior defensive assistant for the Dallas Cowboys, has emerged as a lead candidate to take over for Cutcliff at Duke, sources tell CBS Sports. A former four-year letterman of the Blue Devils who later served as an assistant in 1996, the interest is likely mutual, but time will tell whether Duke can pry Edwards away from the pro ranks and a defense that is currently ranked among the top five in the NFL.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-fo...vid-cutcliffe/

[Chicago 1995]

https://www.cbssports.com/college-fo...vid-cutcliffe/

I get that he's an alum, and he's been a successful assistant in the pros, but he's not coached in college in almost 25 years and he's never been a head coach at any level. This seems incredibly risky with options available that are less risky. I wouldn't be thrilled with this hire. I think we can do better.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I get that he's an alum, and he's been a successful assistant in the pros, but he's not coached in college in almost 25 years and he's never been a head coach at any level. This seems incredibly risky with options available that are less risky. I wouldn't be thrilled with this hire. I think we can do better.

I can guarantee you that even if Nick Saban were to suddenly sign on at Duke, at least some healthy percentage of fans are not going to be thrilled with the hire. (This is proven by the MOTM polls, which show that unanimity is utterly impossible.)

[doctorhook]

What/where have you been hearing this? I actually haven't seen his name that much but am not as tuned in as others.

How many "Senior Defensive Assistants" are there for NFL teams? I certainly like his Duke ties and NFL experience. Has never been a HC certainly which is okay, seems like he's been a DC a few times. Hopped around a lot, which seems par for the course for NFL assistant coaches.

I have not heard this anywhere but he came to mind as I was thinking about recent success at North Carolina programs.

[polaremu]

I get that he's an alum, and he's been a successful assistant in the pros, but he's not coached in college in almost 25 years and he's never been a head coach at any level. This seems incredibly risky with options available that are less risky. I wouldn't be thrilled with this hire. I think we can do better.

Agree completely. This report also seems to confirm that the relative slowness of our hiring was not based on waiting for the conference championships to wrap up, which means we are either going slow or getting turned down by everyone, neither of which are good news and is unfortunate given the recruiting timing.

[CameronBornAndBred]

which means we are either going slow or getting turned down by everyone, neither of which are good news and is unfortunate given the recruiting timing.

Reminded me of this that I saw on FB earlier today.

NoCoach.jpg

[Chicago 1995]

I can guarantee you that even if Nick Saban were to suddenly sign on at Duke, at least some healthy percentage of fans are not going to be thrilled with the hire. (This is proven by the MOTM polls, which show that unanimity is utterly impossible.)

i don't know what that has to do with my post. Edwards hasn't coached -- or more importantly recruited -- in college in a quarter-century and he's never been a head coach. Were he not an alum, I suspect that there'd be something close to unanimity panning his candidacy. If this is the direction we're heading, either the job is far less attractive than most here thing, we're hiring on the cheap, or both. Nothing about that looks like good news.

[TywinBlue]

Agree completely. This report also seems to confirm that the relative slowness of our hiring was not based on waiting for the conference championships to wrap up, which means we are either going slow or getting turned down by everyone, neither of which are good news and is unfortunate given the recruiting timing.

So Duke's reported leading candidate for head football coach is an alumnus on the staff of an NFL team who has not been involved in college football recruiting in over 20 years ?

Doesn't that raise a red flag to anyone else ?

[arnie]

I get that he's an alum, and he's been a successful assistant in the pros, but he's not coached in college in almost 25 years and he's never been a head coach at any level. This seems incredibly risky with options available that are less risky. I wouldn't be thrilled with this hire. I think we can do better.

If Edwards is our guy; my “I told you so” bet with Budworm should be a lock. We surely wouldn’t need to pay him more than $2 mill if that.

[Chicago 1995]

If Edwards is our guy; my “I told you so” bet with Budworm should be a lock. We surely wouldn’t need to pay him more than $2 mill if that.

If that's all we're paying, we should have kept Cut or given up football. Either one would make more sense.

[polaremu]

I can guarantee you that even if Nick Saban were to suddenly sign on at Duke, at least some healthy percentage of fans are not going to be thrilled with the hire. (This is proven by the MOTM polls, which show that unanimity is utterly impossible.)

I think that's fair, there's likely to be some red flags for almost any hire (since we aren't likely going to go grab a similar programs successful head coach ala LSU or USC). I personally would prefer someone with head coaching experience, especially at a smaller program who understands the limitations, and/or someone who could bring in a talent upgrade quickly. I'm less enthused about hiring coordinators with no head coaching experience (because while they have been recruiting and have an inside view into how to run a program, most of what made them successful, they wouldn't be doing as a head coach) or pro coaches (who haven't been recruiting or developing young talent), so hiring a pro coordinator almost feels like the worst of both worlds. However, I see the argument in hiring someone like Edwards who given his Duke ties and his age, if he's successful, you could see sticking around through retirement instead of jumping to the next job in 3-4 years and we are right back in the same position.

[HoKogan]

i don't know what that has to do with my post. Edwards hasn't coached -- or more importantly recruited -- in college in a quarter-century and he's never been a head coach. Were he not an alum, I suspect that there'd be something close to unanimity panning his candidacy. If this is the direction we're heading, either the job is far less attractive than most here thing, we're hiring on the cheap, or both. Nothing about that looks like good news.

Could be that the previous candidates have either turned it down or were hired by someone else. There seems to be some strong evidence that Freeman was choice number one and that didn't fly. There is also a lot of competition and a lot of things in flux. I don't think Duke is phoning it in, I think plans A, B and C are no, no and no.

[wilson]

If Edwards is our guy; my “I told you so” bet with Budworm should be a lock. We surely wouldn’t need to pay him more than $2 mill if that.

What does budwom get if you spell their username correctly?
Screen Shot 2021-12-06 at 1.55.15 PM.png

[Chicago 1995]

Could be that the previous candidates have either turned it down or were hired by someone else. There seems to be some strong evidence that Freeman was choice number one and that didn't fly. There is also a lot of competition and a lot of things in flux. I don't think Duke is phoning it in, I think plans A, B and C are no, no and no.

Not that it matters, but I don't think Freeman was a realistic candidate even had Brian Kelly not suddenly developed southern roots and headed to Baton Rouge. He would have been in line for a much bigger job in the next 12 months. No issue in aiming that high. To a lesser extent, I think we'd have to combat that perception in convincing Josh Gattis or Mike Elko to come to Duke, but they weren't the same kind of star Freeman was.

But if plans B and C -- guys theoretically like Jeff Monken -- are turning us down, we're in deep, deep trouble.

[Acymetric]

So Duke's reported leading candidate for head football coach is an alumnus on the staff of an NFL team who has not been involved in college football recruiting in over 20 years ?

Doesn't that raise a red flag to anyone else ?

Only if you trust that it was reported correctly. I'm not convinced it is true just off of that one report, sounds like someone trying to make more out of simple mutual interest than is there.

[arnie]

What does budwom get if you spell their username correctly?
Screen Shot 2021-12-06 at 1.55.15 PM.png

😬😬😬. In the past, we’ve been the only ones on the Duke Football “fast” board during games. Stuck the worm in by accident.

[duke79]

i don't know what that has to do with my post. Edwards hasn't coached -- or more importantly recruited -- in college in a quarter-century and he's never been a head coach. Were he not an alum, I suspect that there'd be something close to unanimity panning his candidacy. If this is the direction we're heading, either the job is far less attractive than most here thing, we're hiring on the cheap, or both. Nothing about that looks like good news.

Could be that the previous candidates have either turned it down or were hired by someone else. There seems to be some strong evidence that Freeman was choice number one and that didn't fly. There is also a lot of competition and a lot of things in flux. I don't think Duke is phoning it in, I think plans A, B and C are no, no and no.

Yea, I know nothing about Edwards (and I'm sure he's a fine person and maybe a very good coach - I have no clue) but if it is true that he is now Duke's main target, then I smell a whiff of desperation in the air (but I'm the last person who should be advising Duke on whom to hire). IMHO, we need someone who can go out and sell Duke University and Duke football to a higher quality of recruit. After watching the Georgia-Alabama game last weekend, you realize that Duke is far, far, FAR behind the top schools in terms on on-field talent.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I was interested in Jim Knowles, given his Duke ties and his success with the defense at Oklahoma State. Then I saw he had "a losing record at Cornell." Lots of us have long memories here -- not to mention many decades on Earth. I don't see Duke going down the Tom Harp road again -- even if the circumstances are totally different, and Jim Knowles has learned a lot since he left Cornell (2009).

For those of less than Social Security age, Harp was the Cornell coach (19-23-3) hired in 1965 after the legendary Bill Murray (SEVEN conference championships) left to head the AFCA. He was part of the partial de-emphasis of football under Doug Knight.

First of all, the list of folks who remember Tom Harp is small and rapidly shrinking (no offense). So I don't think they need to make decisions based on that group and their memories from 55+ years ago. If Knowles had had the same experience at Dartmouth instead of Cornell would you feel better?

Second, it is a totally different situation. Harp came straight from Cornell where he had a losing record. Knowles is 12 years removed, with intermediate stops at Duke (so he knows the school and has seen success at the school) and as a very successful coordinator for a top 10 team. One of the most standard interview questions out there is "tell me about a time you failed." So Nina King and the rest of the committee asks Knowles "tell me about your experience at Cornell. What have you learned from that experience that would make you a better head coach now?" If he is not ready to answer that question, then move on to the next candidate. But I'm guessing he will be able to give a good answer.

Most of us have some bumps along the road. If someone's road is non-stop bumps, that is a problem. But if someone has had a great career with one bump (and it was not catastrophic) that they learned from, they are worth a conversation. I tend to dislike people who have never dealt with adversity. And this is particularly relevant here as the next few years are going to be rough regardless of the candidate - the cupboard is bare.

[sagegrouse]

First of all, the list of folks who remember Tom Harp is small and rapidly shrinking (no offense). So I don't think they need to make decisions based on that group and their memories from 55+ years ago. If Knowles had had the same experience at Dartmouth instead of Cornell would you feel better?

Second, it is a totally different situation. Harp came straight from Cornell where he had a losing record. Knowles is 12 years removed, with intermediate stops at Duke (so he knows the school and has seen success at the school) and as a very successful coordinator for a top 10 team. One of the most standard interview questions out there is "tell me about a time you failed." So Nina King and the rest of the committee asks Knowles "tell me about your experience at Cornell. What have you learned from that experience that would make you a better head coach now?" If he is not ready to answer that question, then move on to the next candidate. But I'm guessing he will be able to give a good answer.

Most of us have some bumps along the road. If someone's road is non-stop bumps, that is a problem. But if someone has had a great career with one bump (and it was not catastrophic) that they learned from, they are worth a conversation. I tend to dislike people who have never dealt with adversity. And this is particularly relevant here as the next few years are going to be rough regardless of the candidate - the cupboard is bare.

I didn't write that I was opposed to hiring Knowles, but that his losing record as a college coach made it unlikely. The fact that it was Cornell is just an eerie sidebar.

[Duke1994]

Yea, I know nothing about Edwards (and I'm sure he's a fine person and maybe a very good coach - I have no clue) but if it is true that he is now Duke's main target, then I smell a whiff of desperation in the air (but I'm the last person who should be advising Duke on whom to hire). IMHO, we need someone who can go out and sell Duke University and Duke football to a higher quality of recruit. After watching the Georgia-Alabama game last weekend, you realize that Duke is far, far, FAR behind the top schools in terms on on-field talent.

Is it possible that the George Edwards leak is intended to get the fan base more excited about someone like Tony Elliott rather than an actual sign that Edwards is close to becoming the hire?