Arizona Coaching Search

[ramcat]

Why... Why is this a thing. No to Yates.

Why not Yates? I like how the D is trending. That's all on him.

I am tired of triple digit undersized defenses. Plus, I agree with Chief that we need to spark attendance. Yates doesn't do that.

Sione 330lbs, PJ 320, Mykee and Boles go 305, so assuming they stay there is plenty of size finally on dline.

Yates defenses at Boise St. were Excellent! Think of what he came in and had to work with Zellers 250lbs, Banda and Belthap also in 250lb range, and then playing opposite of RR's offense, where defense needs to be on the field for 2/3's of the game or more. 5 freshman started this year due to lack of depth and talent.

Yates, a Los Angeles native, led the Broncos to No. 20 in the country in yards-per-play allowed (4.86) while their opponents’ third-down rate was at 30.9 percent — 10th in the nation. This season Boise State also ranked No. 5 in both forced turnovers (31) and rushing defense.

The former Bronco came back to Boise in 2014 to take over the BSU defense after working as a co-DC at Texas A&M. Boise State ranked No. 12 in the country in total defense, No. 19 in tackles for loss, No. 11 in red-zone defense and No. 31 in sacks.

In 2014, Boise led the Mountain West with the lowest opponents’ third-down conversion rate (34.67 percent) and in turnovers forced (31), and they ranked No. 39 in the country in yards per play.

The Broncos are the only team in the country to rank in the top 10 in turnovers forced in each of the past two seasons.

Oh, and the last year at Boise St., the Broncos played 8 ranked teams.

[Merkin]

Why... Why is this a thing. No to Yates.

Why not Yates? I like how the D is trending. That's all on him.

I am tired of triple digit undersized defenses. Plus, I agree with Chief that we need to spark attendance. Yates doesn't do that.

Agree 100%. Yates' defense may look better at the eye test, but the stats show the same old shitty bottom 20 defense.

UA has had no NFL draft picks for 2 years the last few years, in 2013 and 2015. None.

Les Miles had no years without any NFL draft picks while at LSU.

If you want to get the blue hairs into the football stands like they do in basketball, get a coach every middle aged football fan knows about.

Not saying Les Miles is the perfect choice, but you will win the presser with his name, and Heeke has made it very clear attendance is important.

Bring in Miles, with a hot young OC, and see what happens. If it doesn't work out, well Miles is 64 and will be collecting social security next year.

I have no problem keeping Yates as DC though. As stated many times above, the players love him.

[Merkin]

Deserves a hard look. Young, good recruiter, poly pipeline, defensive minded, alumni, might stick around a while longer than the other mercenaries mentioned so far.

Never even a DC, always a position coach although AHC whatever that entails, not call plays. Seems like another Cecil and Hunley. That would be a huge promotion.

Give him a year at DC, although getting rid of Yates is not ideal.

If he is a good DC, then let him take over when Miles retires.

[azgreg]

[btfd16]

In the SEC West

[UALoco]

I like the idea of Sumlin and Miles, not sure we can afford them.

[ChooChooCat]

In the SEC West

Landing 4 and 5 star players that he didn't have to work half as much for as he would at Arizona.

[PHXCATS]

Still fully on the Lane Train but I am really liking keeping most of the defensive staff as is, Les as HC, a young OC (although Hugh Freeze would bring us to the Rose Bowl) and some of our current offensive staff with some guys the new OC knows. Yes recruting to UA will be much harder than LSU but Les has the name and experience to get good guys to come here and Yates and staff will b e able to recruit much better with their areas.

[Carcassdragger]

Please don't let Lane Kiffin within 1000 miles of here. Guy is a dick.

[azpenguin]

Lane Kiffin brings you a media circus. Do not want.

[AZarchery]

Norvell is my #1 but the more I think about joe, the more I like the idea. Give him a shot and you know he will come in full of passion because he genuinely cares about the university. Make him head coach for cheap, keep Yates as DC, think of how stacked our d line and o line would be! I’d it doesn’t work out, well at least we saved money for a few years while the rr stuff blows over. You know joe is gonna recruit and coach his ass off though.

[ghostwhitehorse]

https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/ ... line-samoa" target="_blank

Joe Salave'a. . .

Rationally. .. ummm. . .

Emotionally. . .I still have visions of him lauching scumdevil O-line man into orbit.

HELP!?!

[Merkin]

Someone posted that the recruits don't know the name Les Miles. One thing we don know, is that their dads will.

In this era of helicopter parents (see Gronk) that has to be a great selling point.

[btfd16]

Someone posted that the recruits don't know the name Les Miles. One thing we don know, is that their dads will.

In this era of helicopter parents (see Gronk) that has to be a great selling point.

Les Miles has been out of coaching for one year. Recruits know who he is. The Natty year just might not hold as much weight to the recruits.

[AZarchery]

https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/ ... line-samoa

Joe Salave'a. . .

Rationally. .. ummm. . .

Emotionally. . .I still have visions of him lauching scumdevil O-line man into orbit.

HELP!?!

I’m all in on joe. He won’t embarrass the program, mediocre is the worst outcome. If it works? Think tcu, vt, FSU Bowden. Super stable coach who loves where he is at and will retire there? It’s worth the gamble in my eyes.

[azgreg]

[prh]

Lane Kiffin brings you a media circus. Do not want.

Which would give Arizona huge national attention and put people in the seats. And every recruit knows who he is and how much fun his teams play with. What are the biggest objectives in this search again?

[tgrumpy2]

Deserves a hard look. Young, good recruiter, poly pipeline, defensive minded, alumni, might stick around a while longer than the other mercenaries mentioned so far.

Never even a DC, always a position coach although AHC whatever that entails, not call plays. Seems like another Cecil and Hunley. That would be a huge promotion.

Give him a year at DC, although getting rid of Yates is not ideal.

If he is a good DC, then let him take over when Miles retires.

I know Joe hasn't had any HC experience but I still wouldn't mind him being hired. I know how hard he would work to be successful and if he hired really good offensive coaches that can recruit that side of the ball I'd be okay with it. I think one positive thing is Joe is so defensive minded he wouldn't be spending time micromanaging the offense.

[Merkin]

Has there been many position coaches who have jumped to HC without any DC/OC experience and been successful?

Must be some.

I don't have a broad knowledge of other college coaches.

[In re UofA]

Lane Kiffin would kill it here. He’s not the altar boy type that old school fans prefer, but I find his candor refreshing. I’m not sure Miles could recruit here like he did in BR. Same with Sumlin. Kiffin’s last few years have shown he can get talent to a lesser program.

[btfd16]

I wish Mike Yurcich had West Coast ties.

[OSUCat]

Has there been many position coaches who have jumped to HC without any DC/OC experience and been successful?

Must be some.

I don't have a broad knowledge of other college coaches.

Hmm. Dabo Swinney was only a OC for one year before being named head coach. Wiki says Dabo first action as interim Head Coach was to fire the OC. So, maybe he counts?

Kind of the reason I like Frank Wilson as a potential HC. Really focus on that recruiting aspect.

[ASUHATER!]

No Kiffin, no Yates, no Cecil, no Hunley. Almost anything else is good.

[Gladiator Cat]

Basically after damn near a century of fielding a football team with many more lows than highs, I say there should be nothing that's not on the table. Literally at this point in time there is nothing of a legacy to be worried about or protect.

We've never had a historical component to our football program outside of the two to three years of possibly the best damn defense in the history of college football back in Desert Swarm days. other than that we've been a breathtaking after-thought.

I simply don't understand the contempt and hatred for seriously entertaining the concept of bringing back some former great alums that bleed red and blue and would die to coach here. Every MF'r in the history of all sports at one time in their life who choose to become a head coach had to get hired by someone for the first time.

I would be willing to bet a large chunk of change that all the so called big names being slobbered all over and fantasized about wouldn't do a damn bit better than some of the legacy Arizona football alums if given the opportunity.

As a program we have got to turn over all the rocks and break the mold, whatever that is. All I know is hiring another old fired reject that sounds pretty on paper hasn't worked out for our school. We need an edge that can only be derived from real love and loyalty to the school. I'm utterly sick of freaking east coast used car salesmen that come here for a coaching pit-stop.

How long are we going to continue this abject clusterfuck as the retread coaching failure factory in the desert that never succeeds and just maybe take a chance on the former family member that would run through a freaking brick wall for this school and program and likely stay here forever if successful.

Our historical mediocrity label and in actuality as a program has nothing to lose by breaking its own regressive roadblocks of not considering a few former greats that may be worthy of the HC position and coordinator positions.

In closing I'm fully aware that our sample size of eligible contenders are small indeed, but Tucson is desperately in need of sometime different, and it may reside within the Arizona football family.

I'm telling you all now. These fancy big-time, well known names if they actually came here would get a freaking big ass slap in the face wake-up call in short order here in Tucson. Stars in your eyes thinking truckloads of *4* and *5* star players will start rolling into Tucson because of someone like Sumlin or Miles..........don't kid yourselves.

[btfd16]

Every MF'r in the history of all sports at one time in their life who choose to become a head coach had to get hired by someone for the first time.

I agree and would like an alum eventually, but how many of these were never a successful coordinator first? Cecil was a DC for Tennessee in 09-10 but they were nothing to write home about. If we can get a high profile name willing to hire some alum such as Hunley/Salavea (DL/DC) and Cecil (Secondary) why wouldn't we go that route first? Let them prove themselves because they haven't yet.

As much shit as I give Chief, he knows how much names matter to recruits.

[Gladiator Cat]

Every MF'r in the history of all sports at one time in their life who choose to become a head coach had to get hired by someone for the first time.

I agree and would like an alum eventually, but how many of these were never a successful coordinator first? Cecil was a DC for Tennessee in 09-10 but they were nothing to write home about. If we can get a high profile name willing to hire some alum such as Hunley/Salavea (DL/DC) and Cecil (Secondary) why wouldn't we go that route first? Let them prove themselves because they haven't yet.

As much shit as I give Chief, he knows how much names matter to recruits.

btfd16,

I understand my position is quite different from most here. Most here just cringe at the thought of a legacy wildcat running the show...........are you freaking kidding me. I would be beyond pleased if we had some wildcat greats roaming the sidelines and finding success in Tucson.

Here's the issue for me, we just don't know because we've never had the collective balls to pull the trigger and hire from our own family. If they don't workout, we do what everyone always does.........we move on to the next guy or gal.

If people are going to try and tell me that a few former great wildcats can't coach, teach and develop players and field a proud and good football team but everyone else in the country can can. I call complete BS!

[SCCats]

As a program we have got to turn over all the rocks and break the mold, whatever that is.

Agree, but I'd probably even take it a step further than you might consider. If we're just playing the game of hoping we hire a good head coach we've probably already lost because we can't offer what great coaches want (huge money and/or former prestige and/or super fertile recruiting grounds).

That game is basically a game we can't win. Yet hope will spring anew that we can win the traditional way and people will hope we can "just hire a good head coach" that will lead us to 15 years of sustained, high level success.

[Gladiator Cat]

SCCats yes, We as a program are going to have to deal with our inherent limitations. We simply can't wish them away.

That's why a former wildcat great at the helm could be a superb success here if surrounded with excellent position coaches. This program desperately needs some stability.

Good stuff.

[OSUCat]

Except when the coaching doesn't work out, the fans turn on them, and suddenly those Alum want nothing to do with Arizona. and everyone loses.

[PHXCATS]

Except when the coaching doesn't work out, the fans turn on them, and suddenly those Alum want nothing to do with Arizona. and everyone loses.

It is great to hire an alumn but you can't hire an alumn that no other program of your level or higher would hire.

[TheBuffet]

Stars in your eyes thinking truckloads of *4* and *5* star players will start rolling into Tucson because of someone like Sumlin or Miles..........don't kid yourselves.

And yet there's basketball.

[btfd16]

Except when the coaching doesn't work out, the fans turn on them, and suddenly those Alum want nothing to do with Arizona. and everyone loses.

It is great to hire an alumn but you can't hire an alumn that no other program of your level or higher would hire.

Nebraska wasn't ready to hire Frost when they hired Riley. He had to prove himself

[ChooChooCat]

If you hire an alumni and he doesn't work out you run the risk of pissing off your football alumni. The very same thing happened to Colorado with Jon Embree and the extended football alumni there. If you have an alum who is qualified and ready for the job fantastic, awesome, bring it on, Arizona does not have that though. Stop trying to make a round peg fit into a square hole. Fetch is never going to happen.

[TheBuffet]

If we're just playing the game of hoping we hire a good head coach we've probably already lost because we can't offer what great coaches want (huge money and/or former prestige and/or super fertile recruiting grounds).

Typical Arizona football fan defeatist attitude, hate to sound like Todd Graham, but you can't be a champion if you don't believe you can be a champion.

[SCCats]

If we're just playing the game of hoping we hire a good head coach we've probably already lost because we can't offer what great coaches want (huge money and/or former prestige and/or super fertile recruiting grounds).

Typical Arizona football fan defeatist attitude, hate to sound like Todd Graham, but you can't be a champion if you don't believe you can be a champion.

I believe we could be a fringe top ten program year in and year out. I think there's a path.

I just don't think we can do it the traditional way. (By that I mean hire some expensive HCing retred and hope)

[MrBug708]

Lane Kiffin brings you a media circus. Do not want.

Which would give Arizona huge national attention and put people in the seats. And every recruit knows who he is and how much fun his teams play with. What are the biggest objectives in this search again?

Kendal Briles gets the job after Kiff leaves

[TheGreatCatsby]

That's why I think the next coach should make it a priority to really really recruit Polynesia hard again, get us a Marcus Mariota 2.0. Takes advantage of our West location. You know Chip Kelly at UCLA is going to be.

[zonagrad]

Arizona's athletic program is dealing with a lawsuit involving a track & field coach, the FBI investigation that implicated Book Richardson, and now the scandal involving RR and his subsequent hiring.

The last thing any AD wants right now is ANY whiff of controversy. Hugh Freeze, Lane Kiffin, etc... these guys have too many skeletons in the closet. It's not worth the trouble.

Arizona fans are a fickle bunch. But one thing is for sure, they don't like assholes leading the team. So many fans grew tired of Stoops and his antics. He never embraced the community. He was always just a hired gun and behaved like one. And RR was no different. He was never invested in the community. His sideline antics were just affirmation to many about how he treated people within the program. What Arizona fans want, whether they'll admit it or not, is a Dick Tomey type coach.

This hire doesn't have to win the press conference. But it does have to deliver an upswing in recruiting and better performance on the field. Once that happens, the fans will show up in droves if the coach is appreciative, humble and engaging with the community. Baseball coach Jay Johnson is a perfect example. Jerry Kindall was a perfect example. This is what Tucson wants.

Hiring Les Miles is an act of desperation and won't go over well. He's certainly qualified. But he's not what we need. Get a young coach excited for the opportunity and who is "all in" for everything Arizona (the program, the community, the players, the alumni). Whether that's a former player or an obscure assistant somewhere it doesn't matter. We need a coach who has his shit together from a standpoint that he's not gonna be cheating on his wife, not gonna be acting like an ass on the sideline after every missed call or blown tackle or play call.

[btfd16]

Just trying to think out loud of what other Pac schools have done.

ASU - the retread of all retreads
Cal - coordinator from P5
Colorado - Group of 5 up and comer
Oregon - coordinator from within
OSU - coordinator from P5
Stanford - coordinator from within
Utah - coordinator from within
UCLA - successful CFB NFL 2nd chancer
USC - coordinator from within
UW - best Group of 5 up and comer possibly ever
WSU - retread

Unlike we have yet to seen with Yates, all of the coordinators from within had great success. With this laid out, who who be your top choice retread, P5 coordinator, and up and comer. Mine would be Sumlin, Tee Martin, and Major Applewhite (or Bryan Harsin)

[ChooChooCat]

Arizona's athletic program is dealing with a lawsuit involving a track & field coach, the FBI investigation that implicated Book Richardson, and now the scandal involving RR and his subsequent hiring.

The last thing any AD wants right now is ANY whiff of controversy. Hugh Freeze, Lane Kiffin, etc... these guys have too many skeletons in the closet. It's not worth the trouble.

Arizona fans are a fickle bunch. But one thing is for sure, they don't like assholes leading the team. So many fans grew tired of Stoops and his antics. He never embraced the community. He was always just a hired gun and behaved like one. And RR was no different. He was never invested in the community. His sideline antics were just affirmation to many about how he treated people within the program. What Arizona fans want, whether they'll admit it or not, is a Dick Tomey type coach.

This hire doesn't have to win the press conference. But it does have to deliver an upswing in recruiting and better performance on the field. Once that happens, the fans will show up in droves if the coach is appreciative, humble and engaging with the community. Baseball coach Jay Johnson is a perfect example. Jerry Kindall was a perfect example. This is what Tucson wants.

Hiring Les Miles is an act of desperation and won't go over well. He's certainly qualified. But he's not what we need. Get a young coach excited for the opportunity and who is "all in" for everything Arizona (the program, the community, the players, the alumni). Whether that's a former player or an obscure assistant somewhere it doesn't matter. We need a coach who has his shit together from a standpoint that he's not gonna be cheating on his wife, not gonna be acting like an ass on the sideline after every missed call or blown tackle or play call.

I couldn't agree with you more. Arizona needs a young, hungry, up and comer who can recruit. Les Miles is the complete opposite of all those things.

[Sid]

I’m starting to think Clancy would be a great choice. Great recruiter, NFL experience, Arizona Alum...

[RondaeShimmy]

1. Kevin Sumlin
2. Mark Helfrich
3. Butch Jones

Better be Sumlin if these are guys are in the final running

[btfd16]

1. Kevin Sumlin
2. Mark Helfrich
3. Butch Jones

Better be Sumlin if these are guys are in the final running

Don't think Butch is in the running. But yes. Even if it were those three, better be KS

[BBQ wildcat]

Ugh! None of those, please.

[OSUCat]

Helfrich should think about trying it at a mid-major first before jumping at another big-5 conference school. The way Oregon went is not aspiring...

[RondaeShimmy]

[DrWildcat]

Helfrich should think about trying it at a mid-major first before jumping at another big-5 conference school. The way Oregon went is not aspiring...

I would be surprised if a Power 5 school actually wanted him to be their HC. I really hope we don't.

[btfd16]

I can see how some would want other choices before Kevin Sumlin, but don't understand why people would be actually upset at the hire.

[Spaceman Spiff]

1. Kevin Sumlin
2. Mark Helfrich
3. Butch Jones

Better be Sumlin if these are guys are in the final running

I mean, I've been critical of Sumlin for being likely to extend a mediocre streak, but he clearly beats out Helfrich and Jones. Helfrich burned Oregon to the ground and Jones constantly underperformed, had off the field scandals and made people carry around a personified trash can on the sidelines to throw balls into in celebration.

[Gilbertcat]

It would create buzz. I think recruiting would improve. Tempe would be scared. It either works and he is trying to upgrade in a few years or it doesnt. I cant image he will get a big contract to start with so that might be a factor. I want Sumlin. Lane is interesting but then I remember how much I didnt like him and want Sumlin more

Just no to Les. Doesnt excite me.