Bear Down Wildcats

We got all the pieces of the puzzle in place....except...

If we could find a recruiting hot shot for the state of Texas who is a capable coach to complete the staff, that would be ideal in my opinion.

Scheer tweeted that we would likely be surprised by the hire. Lev said he's heard some names bandied about but it's still wide open.

What about Hunley here?

TuiTouchdown wrote:What about Hunley here?

I would love a Hunley (or Cecil) hire as a position coach.

However, he is in his 50s, and would go against the current 38 and and under crowd.

Does he still have the energy to recruit?

It's not Hunley, Amey or Lupoi.

chiefzona wrote:It's not Hunley, Amey or Lupoi.

What's your prediction?

Mighty Joe would be another home run but I think that's one hell of a long shot. My thoughts are going to the DL coach at San Diego State. Older than Hunley but a proven coach and west coast recruiter that is from Tucson and has expressed a desire to come home.

From what I've heard RR wanted Yates' input on the DL coach. Hopefully now that the Yates hiring is official, a hire will be made in the near future.

Would Oscar Giles be to big of a stretch?

I would be happy with Osia Lewis.

Mike Tuiasosopo isn't getting the USC DL job as some expected. I would hope they're getting him on the phone pronto.

I know there are better candidates but the homer in me would have loved to see an Ol' Wildcat do good.

azpenguin wrote:Mike Tuiasosopo isn't getting the USC DL job as some expected. I would hope they're getting him on the phone pronto.

Isn't he employed by UCLA? Modster just listed him as one of the reasons he is going to UCLA in an interview two days ago.

gronk4heisman wrote:

azpenguin wrote:Mike Tuiasosopo isn't getting the USC DL job as some expected. I would hope they're getting him on the phone pronto.

Isn't he employed by UCLA? Modster just listed him as one of the reasons he is going to UCLA in an interview two days ago.

I could be wrong but I think that's Marques Tuisasosopo. He's a QB coach at UCLA and Mike's cousin. Mike was fired from UCLA last year and worked with USC on a volunteer basis some last year. I'm sure Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore would approve of the hire.

azpenguin wrote:

gronk4heisman wrote:

azpenguin wrote:Mike Tuiasosopo isn't getting the USC DL job as some expected. I would hope they're getting him on the phone pronto.

Isn't he employed by UCLA? Modster just listed him as one of the reasons he is going to UCLA in an interview two days ago.

I could be wrong but I think that's Marques Tuisasosopo. He's a QB coach at UCLA and Mike's cousin. Mike was fired from UCLA last year and worked with USC on a volunteer basis some last year. I'm sure Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore would approve of the hire.

Yeah you're right, my mistake. Should we be worried that apparently no one want Tui, I liked him when he was here the first time around but if no one wants him he must not be that much of an addition.

Mike was fired from UCLA as a linebackers coach. His specialty is coaching DL. I'm not terribly concerned that he hasn't been hired yet.

UALoco wrote:I know there are better candidates but the homer in me would have loved to see an Ol' Wildcat do good.

I don't mean to pick and nag here but was Greg Hansen even in Tucson when Hunley played for Arizona?

tgrumpy2 wrote:

UALoco wrote:I know there are better candidates but the homer in me would have loved to see an Ol' Wildcat do good.

I don't mean to pick and nag here but was Greg Hansen even in Tucson when Hunley played for Arizona?

I believe so. I was there when Ricky played. I don't remember anyone other than Hansen and Corky Simpson from back in the day, but I could be wrong.

Hansen was around when Hunley here. Just started. Hunley was on team as Hansen first started in Tucson.

I know Hansen is Crotchety (and wrong sometimes), but he's one of the few NON "homer" writers around still covering AZ. As some have noted (and my opinion), most of the coverage for AZ is by Homers. They put food on their plate or keep their internship roles by covering AZ and assume they feel they should put good spin on or at least not get burnt on their access to the program. Keep access to sources. Compromised in coverage.

Like their coverage of the Defense this past season. After RR came out and defended the scheme and said everything would be analyzed, most of the media coverage turned to explaining out all the injuries the defense had. Deep analysis of why is was the major factor. Recruiting was 'OK". Some defended the scheme along with RR. Or the "Casteel defense would head in the right direction" column. (yes, I know some read this forum. Just My opinion)

Hansen at this point, doesn't seem to care or acts like he doesn't need that full VIP access, sources or even need the AZ program as much as he did years ago.

So, every once in awhile he gives the non-filtered point of view. Not defending Hansen, but we could use some critical balance...

There's a person on this board who personally knows Hansen and tells me that he is really a very nice dude. Just saying.

Hansen is a Homer if you are his buddy. Rosborough and Greg used to be tennis buddies.

Tomey and Hansen also had some sort of relationship too forgot what it was.

Lute and Hansen never did and it showed in his columns. Their relationship or lack there of was well displayed in one of lute's last interviews as head coach. That was the same interview lute called Pascoe "Columbo". This was post stroke bur before he was diagnosed.

tgrumpy2 wrote:I don't mean to pick and nag here but was Greg Hansen even in Tucson when Hunley played for Arizona?

Hansen has been covering Arizona since 1981. Hunley was at Arizona from 1980 to 1983.

azgreg wrote:

tgrumpy2 wrote:I don't mean to pick and nag here but was Greg Hansen even in Tucson when Hunley played for Arizona?

Hansen has been covering Arizona since 1981. Hunley was at Arizona from 1980 to 1983.

Thank you all. 1980 was right about when I left Tucson and still regret it to this day. I always followed the wildcats but honestly never paid a lot of attention to who was writing the article.

I'm cool with Yates and RR making another great hire.

UALoco wrote:I know there are better candidates but the homer in me would have loved to see an Ol' Wildcat do good.

He was probably never going to get the job anyway.

He has chapped too many of the cigar's asses to ever be hired here.

I don't mind objective reporting. Hansen just seems to have a habit of looking for the negative and taking that angle when it comes to U of A football. He writes positive things after a win but after a loss the sky is falling, and every single setback is a sign that the program is in trouble. After the Stanford loss, he openly opined that Arizona might not win another game this year. I don't feel he takes a big picture view of the Wildcat football program like he does with other local sports.

Being a homer in Phoenix, I don't mind some optimistic views of the Football program...I tend to hear negative stuff if I hear anything at all. I got it, we got issues, tell me what is working so I can focus on that for a little while before reality hits me.

Hansen's best stuff is his historical pieces. I used to really enjoy his Sunday piece when I got the paper down there.

From Greg Byrne's weekly email yesterday:

If you recall from the summer, we discussed our process for hiring head coaches, but the process of hiring assistant coaches is a bit different. While I’m obviously active in the process of hiring a head coach, I prefer to leave the hiring of assistant coaches up to the head coach of that program. I firmly believe that our head coaches should have autonomy when building their staffs. What I try to do is offer support and be there throughout the process in case I can be of assistance.

I think Byrne was not involved at all for the assistant coaches outside of being there to say if a guy is a no go for some reason random example an assistant is coming from Mississippi State where he used to be AD and he knew that assistant to be shady.

Now he might have put pressure on Rich Rod to make some changes but honestly I have a feeling Rich Rod was pro-active doing this and felt he needed to make changes as he wants to win badly. I think Rich Rod feels like I have felt in that our recruiting was lagging and a major reason is our DC and Dline coach didnt recruit and I never heard Lockwood's name much when it came to recruits either. You typically hear Magee, Dews, Smith, or Ragle's names come up. Honestly felt like our entire defense staff never was recruiting much. That is a problem that Rich Rod fixed in a major way.

I think Greg supported it and that guy is too busy to get involved with hiring assistants.

As far as Hansen is concerned, I usually like him and have for the most part agreed with him on Arizona football but he definitely takes the Glass is not only half empty but completely broken view of the program. He did not like these hires on defense which I think is way too negative of an attitude to have. Literally I think only one person on this board did not approve of bringing on board Yates as our DC and most thought it was a home run hire. Time will tell but think Hansen is being way too negative on it today as it was 100% the right move to make.

Merkin wrote:From Greg Byrne's weekly email yesterday:

If you recall from the summer, we discussed our process for hiring head coaches, but the process of hiring assistant coaches is a bit different. While I’m obviously active in the process of hiring a head coach, I prefer to leave the hiring of assistant coaches up to the head coach of that program. I firmly believe that our head coaches should have autonomy when building their staffs. What I try to do is offer support and be there throughout the process in case I can be of assistance.

No doubt Byrne allowed RR to go after the coaches he wanted to pursue. Also no doubt he helped with the process, as it seems no one knows the process better than Mr. GB! Frickin' Ninja Extraordinaire!

Go Cats!!

Kish

All is quiet on the western front on filling this position so far.

Scheer said he didn't see them hiring Tuiasosopo, so that name may be out. Salavea wouldn't be easy to poach. Wonder if they'd go after Lewis and finish the Mountain West trifecta.

Can somebody explain what is taking so effing long to hire the DL coach? Is it because Yates is so busy recruiting that he hasn't had time to interview? We've made two goals and I want to see the hat trick.

UALoco wrote:Can somebody explain what is taking so effing long to hire the DL coach? Is it because Yates is so busy recruiting that he hasn't had time to interview? We've made two goals and I want to see the hat trick.

After watching this D line over the last couple of years would you want to coach it?

azgreg wrote:

UALoco wrote:Can somebody explain what is taking so effing long to hire the DL coach? Is it because Yates is so busy recruiting that he hasn't had time to interview? We've made two goals and I want to see the hat trick.

After watching this D line over the last couple of years would you want to coach it?

Can't go anywhere but up, right? It would look great on a resume if you could turn that around. Don't see why we can't find a hungry DL coach in non-P5 looking to make their bones.

Lewis SDst

Dkenner wrote:Lewis SDst

Not sure how much of a recruiter he is, but he fits the bill in experience that's for sure.

The only thing I can think of for the delay is if Matty is out on the trail and they want to wait until he's finished.

I would be happy with Lewis, but still think we should take this chance to get someone that can expand our recruiting zone back into Texas. It's a mistake to ignore arguable the best and at worst third best state for talent when it is only two states away. The 85th best recruit in the state of Texas is rated higher than our 4th highest rated recruit in this class, you have to think with a great recruiter in the area we would be able to at least recruit a couple of the top 100 out of the state.

Didn't Yates coach at A&M for a couple years? I know his strength is Cali but imagine he must have made some connections in Texas while there. At this point, I think they need to get the best available, and ASAP. Hopefully they will have some recruiting chops too. Don't imagine this is helping secure dline recruits that are critical due to defections.

ramcat wrote:Didn't Yates coach at A&M for a couple years? I know his strength is Cali but imagine he must have made some connections in Texas while there. At this point, I think they need to get the best available, and ASAP. Hopefully they will have some recruiting chops too. Don't imagine this is helping secure dline recruits that are critical due to defections.

He may have coached in Texas for two years, but he has said his ability to recruit and preference of where to recruit is on the West Coast where he was born and raised. He actually said more or less that Texas is not a good fit for him, so I doubt he will be doing much recruiting there if any.

gronk4heisman wrote:

ramcat wrote:Didn't Yates coach at A&M for a couple years? I know his strength is Cali but imagine he must have made some connections in Texas while there. At this point, I think they need to get the best available, and ASAP. Hopefully they will have some recruiting chops too. Don't imagine this is helping secure dline recruits that are critical due to defections.

He may have coached in Texas for two years, but he has said his ability to recruit and preference of where to recruit is on the West Coast where he was born and raised. He actually said more or less that Texas is not a good fit for him, so I doubt he will be doing much recruiting there if any.

Didn't know he said that but you will see from the below, he has indeed done well there. His top rated recruit by 247 was from there, 3 of his top 6, and 7 of his top 16.



http://www.obnug.com/2014/1/22/5327288/ ... er-gardner" target="_blank

http://247sports.com/Coach/Marcel-Yates ... meRecruits" target="_blank

Anyone? Anything?

Dkenner wrote:Anyone? Anything?

Literally crickets. Then again our hiring of Williams was all done underground with no rumors until the day before it officially happened, so I imagine the DL hire will be one in the same.

One position open right? Could be nobody in line until after signing day, giving Matty D a chance to recruit on the road

Not worried about it at all. Like everyone says. It let's our best recruiter get out on the road and press some flesh.