Here's why I think Derek Mason was a bad hire..

[57stratdawg]

Because on the West Coast, there are quality athletes that are looking for a life and education after football. You can sell them on athletics, getting a world class degree, and then going on the change the world. But, that's not how it is down here. No one gives a **** about Wall-Street in the Southeast.

I understand Franklin had some success, but the level of execution required to move the ball in his offense is so much lower than in the one I saw last night. You combine that offense with Vandy's level of talent, and you get the 100 years of Vanderbilt offense prior to the arrival of James Franklin. Why would you do that?

It was a very shortsighted hire by the Vandy athletic administration because they saw Academic Institution vs. Academic Institution. I think he can build a good D, but they will struggle to move the ball if that's how they want to go about it.

 

[esplanade91]

Vanderbilt FOR SURE hired him because he was at Stanford, but I can't say that it was a bad idea. Stanford is the only school of that caliber competing in D1 (world university rankings this year has them as the #2 best school in the world........ the world). If I were from Vandy I'd be all about bringing in someone who solved the riddle.

But it is very arrogant to assume you can do at Vanderbilt what you did at Stanford. Most high school valedictorians in the south would rather just take a scholarship from their parents' alma mater than go to Vandy, which I agree is crazy... but it's the truth.

 

[FlotownDawg]

The only way schools like Vandy that don't get the most talented athletes can compete is to hire a coach that has some sort of gimmicky offense, like what Mike Leach did at Texas Tech. Vandy is not going to beat SEC teams just lining up and running out of the I formation because they don't have the athletes to do that. Get some small fast guys and spread the defense all over the field. For some reason, defensive coordinators don't seem to have the same kind of success as head coaches that offensive coordinators do. There are a few exceptions, like Bob Stoops, but for the most part all the top head coaches or great up and coming coaches are all offensive guys. That's the way it works in today's football.

 

[57stratdawg]

Yeah, exactly. If the next coach at MSU is a ProStyle Power I coach, someone needs to lose their job in the AD.

 

[esplanade91]

Yeah, exactly. If the next coach at MSU is a ProStyle Power I coach, someone needs to lose their job in the AD.

Dual threats disguise so much, it's really the best option for a school like MSU.

 

[Hammer Down]

Because on the West Coast, there are quality athletes that are looking for a life and education after football. You can sell them on athletics, getting a world class degree, and then going on the change the world. But, that's not how it is down here. No one gives a **** about Wall-Street in the Southeast.

It is awfully easy to make this post today. What was your opinion of the hire yesterday morning?

Good points on the offense, but you are acting like you knew it would happen before the game. I would have framed it as a critique of Mason, instead of claiming that VU administration would/shoulda/coulda.

My $0.02.

 

[PiedmontDawg]

Well then Stanford's really going to suck, right? Didn't Mason say Vandy had more talent? Sure looked like the Gulf Coast offense to me last night.

 

[57stratdawg]

I understand why you would say that, but I've been very down on Vandy ever since they made the hire. Anytime we discussed that game on MSU's schedule, I've said they wouldn't be competitive this year and it would be an easy automatic win.

Look how much Arkansas and Florida struggled last year. I don't know why you would want to do that to yourself.

 

[HD6]

Is that why you bet Clay Travis 10K?

Coach should really try to collect that when it's time. I'm actually pulling for him to do so.

 

[patdog]

My opinion was that it was a mediocre hire at best and that Vandy would suck balls this fall, pretty much no matter who they hired or if Franklin had stayed.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

Coach should really try to collect that when it's time. I'm actually pulling for him to do so.

Stop it.

 

[johnson86-1]

Most high school valedictorians in the south would rather just take a scholarship from their parents' alma mater than go to Vandy, which I agree is crazy... but it's the truth.

Vandy is not Stanford and it's not crazy that most high school valedictorians would prefer their alma mater over vandy. Vandy probably has the worst roi of any sec school.

 

[BulldogVetRep]

So I guess we can all agree Vandy is back to Vandy..doormat of the SEC

 

[GloryDawg]

Seems everyone is forgetting that Frankling had a really good QB and WR. I think the talent level is way down from the last three seasons. How many did they sign last year?

 

[BulldogVetRep]

Seems everyone is forgetting that Frankling had a really good QB and WR. I think the talent level is way down from the last three seasons. How many did they sign last year?

I know they lost some of the class to Penn st. They took a hit

 

[thf24]

Not the OP, but I personally have 1.) thought that Vandy would be terrible this year no matter who coached them due to the mass defection of a good number of players and most of their recruiting class after Franklin left, and 2.) been convinced that Mason is in over his head ever since Media Days. I don't think either was much of a stretch prior to last night.

 

[was21]

Franklin is a very charismatic coach. I believe that Vandy fed off his personality. This new dude seems to be 180 degrees from him personality wise. That may seem like it has nothing to do with football but in their case it might. Franklin simply had them believing and that's what they needed after all the years of not doing much. Having said that, Derek may turn out to be a good corch.