Bear Down Wildcats

OSUCat wrote:If anything RR will use this to get more money for his coaches to stay at Arizona.

Merkin wrote:

OSUCat wrote:If anything RR will use this to get more money for his coaches to stay at Arizona.

Is Casteel on anyone's short list? Perhaps Rod Smith if he develops Anu.

azpenguin wrote:

Merkin wrote:

OSUCat wrote: It's not so much about keeping the assistants here, it's that RR wants to take care of his assistants. That's been a recurring theme for him over his career because he likes working with these guys and they all work well together. Which also brings to mind - think Jeremy Foley could sell UF's big boosters on the 3-3-5 in the SEC? Kinda doubt that and I doubt RR would go anywhere without Casteel, especially after what happened at Michigan.

Salty wrote:I would bet my left nut that RR does not leave Tucson for Florida.

Lack of interest on both sides.

How good is the job?


On a scale from 1-10, Florida is pushing a 9. It’s widely considered a top-10 job in the country. That’s based on the success the program has had since Spurrier elevated it in the 1990s -- and also its location in talent-rich Florida.

Will Muschamp went 27-20, including a 17-15 SEC record, in four seasons.
As one SEC coach told me recently, “We recruit Florida, get a player here and there, but we aren't the University of Florida.”

It's an inherent recruiting advantage, without a doubt.

But some coaches I've recently spoken with have pointed out that the facilities aren't what you'd necessarily expect.

“The football office is underneath the stadium, and they don't have an indoor [facility],” one said. “Our facilities are better.”

It’s obviously a place where you can win and win big, as Meyer showed. Meyer also illustrated how difficult it is to sustain success. At a place like Florida, with the resources and recruiting base, you've got as much of a shot to be perennially good as you do anywhere.

Who is the hire?

Who should be on Foley's must-call list? Here's a prioritized look at possible candidates:

1. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma

Steve Spurrier and his former assistant, Bob Stoops, have remained very close, and "Stoopsy" still gets plenty of advice.

Foley should start by checking Stoops’ temperature. He has passed on UF before, but things change and Stoops has been at OU for a decade and a half.

If there’s an air of staleness -- and the disappointment of three losses this season seems to indicate that there is -- it might be the ideal time for Stoops to make a move to where he excelled from 1996 to '98 as Spurrier’s defensive coordinator.

Imagine a scenario in which Stoops is the head coach and Spurrier, once he retires in Crescent Beach, comes over to hang around at practice -- the way that Barry Switzer does now at OU. That would be a pretty strong play from Florida.

A wrench in this fantasy: Stoops now makes more than $5 million a year. It would take some serious accounting from UF. That’s a lot for anyone to match, and offering an armored truck hasn't typically been Florida's play. Even Meyer was coming from Utah (when it was still in the Mountain West).

Foley likes his up-and-comers, though that hasn't always worked out. Stoops would be as much of a sure thing as Florida could get.

2. Rich Rodriguez, Arizona
Florida needs a proven winner as a head coach, and Rodriguez is 97-59 in his three major stops. He’s charismatic, which plays well with recruits, fans and reporters. His offenses at Clemson, West Virginia and Arizona have been consistently strong.

One coach wondered whether Rodriguez had enough “polish” for Florida. He might come off a little folksy, but I think that’s part of the arsenal. He’s a pretty sharp guy. Rodriguez would have more shine to him than either Muschamp or former coach Ron Zook, if for no other reason than he’s been a head guy for so long.

It obviously didn't go well at Michigan (15-22), but if he was good before and after that stop, that suggests more about Michigan than Rodriguez. To me, the question is whether Rodriguez likes the way things are set up at Arizona. He has a great, young AD in Greg Byrne and, generally, a lower stress level.

Then again, he makes a little more than $2 million. And maybe he does want another big-brand job to further erase the Michigan stain on his rep. As one SEC coach reminded me last year, money and ego drive coaches more than anything.

3. Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss
If Foley calls, Freeze will surely listen. He recognizes the resource gap between the schools, and recruiting classes like his ballyhooed bunch in 2013 would be the norm at Florida rather than the exception.

Freeze is from Oxford, so it would take a big job to pull him away from home. Well, Florida is a big job. Even so, Freeze’s gem of a class will be in its third year in 2015. It could be his best chance at an SEC title -- and playoff berth -- at Ole Miss.

Foley has no doubt been monitoring the prodigious season at Ole Miss -- and the one at Mississippi State, too -- to see how those schools, and their coaches, handle success and finish the fall.

4. Dan Mullen, Mississippi State
The most obvious name is often the least realistic name, a coach reminded me recently. Mullen is obvious because he ran Meyer's offense for Florida teams that won championships. And now he's proving at Mississippi State that he can win big as a head coach.

There's talk of friction with administrators from his time at UF, though that stuff tends to get overblown. More important, Mullen has worked to get out of Meyer's shadow. Going to UF would force him further into it. I could see Mullen trying to beat Meyer in the Big Ten before I could see him chasing his legacy at UF.

Mullen seems to really enjoy what he has built in Starkville, but like Freeze, he understands the challenges relative to those programs with bigger budgets and more fertile recruiting grounds.

5. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
Gundy's credentials at Oklahoma State, where he played quarterback, are very strong. He has won 82 games since taking over for Les Miles in 2005, and his offenses are third in the country and eighth in yards in that span. There could be some hesitation by Foley, or other potential employers, because it would be a departure from his comfort zone. Is he a lock to win somewhere other than the familiar turf of his alma mater?

On the other side of that, it’s conceivable that Gundy and his staff would be stronger with Florida’s recruiting base and resources. Gainesville is only a bit larger than Stillwater, but the UF brand is much stronger. It wouldn't require as much of a sales pitch. The Pokes are on a four-game losing streak and rifts with administration in recent years led to flirtations with Arkansas and Tennessee. Would the tension be enough for him to not only listen to Florida but actually go? It wouldn't necessarily be an exit for a money grab; T. Boone Pickens helps to make OSU close to a top-tier-salary job.

6. Charlie Strong, Texas
A year ago, Strong, another former UF defensive assistant, would have been in the heart of this conversation. Now? He has a job, one he's unlikely to leave. Put simply, Texas is a better job -- even if Florida is a very good one. Additionally, Strong has put a lot of work into overhauling UT's personnel and persona. And he's going to leave after all that labor, just to do it somewhere else? Unlikely.

It's worth keeping Strong on the list, however, just because of how well he has recruited the state. He built Louisville with Miami-area players. Imagine what he could do at Florida with Miami-area players. One thing wouldn’t be an issue: There wouldn't be much of a buyout because no one at Texas ever expects a coach to leave Texas (on his terms). However, as is the case with Stoops, Strong makes a not-so-small fortune each year.

7. Jim McElwain, Colorado State
Another coach brought up McElwain's name in conversation. This is the type of hire Foley has made in the past, someone at this stage of his career. Again, it's been a mixed bag, but Zook and Muschamp weren’t sitting head coaches. Meyer was. McElwain is, and he has Colorado State 7-1. He also has an offensive background. Would Foley pull the trigger on another former Saban assistant?

8. Steve Spurrier, South Carolina
The man has a statue outside The Swamp and his name's in the Ring of Honor. It's logical why his name would come up -- but it's pure fantasy. Spurrier's a young 69, but he's still 69. Is he up for rebuilding any program, let alone the one he built 25 years ago? I doubt it. And wouldn't that unnecessarily open him up to failure? Plus, if you're Florida, is a three- to five-year bandage what you're seeking before you're again searching for a coach?

azcat49 wrote:I have heard if Lester goes to Michigan that Grundy wants LSU. Maybe Florida would be a nice consolation prize.