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IF Dawson IS gone - new OC hire will make/break the Stoops era

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JW PRPcoach

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Will be, perhaps, the most important non-HC hire in UK football history.
He must get an offensive staff in place that can move the ball and, more importantly, score points, even when the talent gap favors the D.
If coach Stoops flames out again with this hire, it will most likely mean curtains for his tenure in Lexington.
Then we are starting over, yet again
 
Rhavic

Rhavic

Heisman
Dec 15, 2014
33,214
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Have to agree that the hire will make or break Stoops' HC job here. It needs to be treated with such seriousness. That means, shell out a lot of money for a big-time, proven OC.
 
C

Cawood86_rivals

Heisman
Feb 20, 2005
36,711
64,713
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Dawson was not ready but neither is Eliot imo. Defense looked completely lost on several occasions. Stoops cut ties with guy he knows he least. How about the guy who gave up 30 plus to EKU and ULL?
 
M

Mr Schwump

Heisman
Nov 4, 2006
29,563
23,097
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Probably true. This will be what...UK's 4th OC in 5 years? Not all on Stoops but this is hardly conducive to building a successful program. He better get this right.

UK football continues to depress.
 
B

Bluetick2100

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Apr 15, 2007
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Rhavicc said:
Have to agree that the hire will make or break Stoops' HC job here. It needs to be treated with such seriousness. That means, shell out a lot of money for a big-time, proven OC.
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Think they already have someone in mind?
All the good ones are gone.
 
S

Saguaro Cat

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Apr 27, 2008
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Smashcat said:
I think it's a pipe dream to believe the good ones would be flocking here anyway knowing Stoops is all but a lame duck.
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We're not going to get another Riley. I could see the need to look at D1-AA or someone looking at a bounceback.
 
J

JW PRPcoach

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I have zero info to back this up, but one would infer that Stoops has to have someone, at minimum, already in mind to take over.
Otherwise he hopefully would have never axed the guy before not knowing who else is available.
 
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J

JHB4UK

Heisman
May 29, 2001
31,836
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gossie21 said:
What about Tyson Helton at WKU?
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awesome, another OC in name only who sits on their *** listening to the head coach/true OC call plays and takes credit for a productive system. worked great last time, lets do it again!!

Stoops should fire the O line coach, receiver coach, and RB coach as well. Those were all guys brought in here by Neal Brown! Probably part of the offensive mess was Dawson trying to organize a system with position coaches he has never worked with before. Please PLEASE hire a veteran OC and then Stoops AND the OC assemble his assistants under him.
 
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truebluewildcat_rivals34254

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Feb 21, 2006
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agree...CMS really has to do his homework and knock this hire out of the park...

he's got a couple of options...

--a prolific offensive system hire...Helton at WKU...a Baylor, TCU, or Oregon guy...

--an experienced coach...older guy with coordinator and/or HC experience...Norm Chow...June Jones...

--or CMS can do what Franklin at PSU did...go to the FCS ranks and find a really good HC who's had success at building a program...
 
J

JW PRPcoach

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Nov 20, 2006
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JHB4UK said:
Stoops should fire the O line coach, receiver coach, and RB coach as well. Those were all guys brought in here by Neal Brown! Probably part of the offensive mess was Dawson trying to organize a system with position coaches he has never worked with before. Please PLEASE hire a veteran OC and then Stoops AND the OC assemble his assistants under him.
Click to expand...

Makes sense, and you have to wonder if that did cause some issues.
If I'm Mainord, Schlarman, etc., I'm going to be chewing my nails for a few days.
Sync between the asst.'s is huge
 
Snowcats86

Snowcats86

Heisman
Dec 17, 2010
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Easily my top pick of realistic choices would be Eddie Gran at UC. He fits everything we need in an experienced offensive coordinator who is not afraid to throw the ball but also use an effective run game. He has almost 30 years of coaching experience including 15 years in the SEC with stops at Auburn, Tennessee and Ole Miss. He set UC's offensive record in 2013 averaging over 470 yards per game. Stoops also would be very familiar with him as he was the associate head coach, rb coach and special teams coordinator at Florida State from 2010-2012. He currently makes $350,000 at UC ($200k less than Dawson at UK) so UK can easily offer him ~600k.

Also would give us more recruiting prowess in Cincinnati. Would be a home run hire!!!
 
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frost1

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Dec 21, 2001
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Eddie Gran, If he would leave Cincy. We could pay him more money than he is making at Cincy. He is a proven OC & good recruiter.
 
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BlueRaider22

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Sep 24, 2003
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One thing that works in the Stoops/OC favor, is that whomever he brings in they will have at least 2 yrs to get the train going. Stoops' contract kinda locks that in.

Not to mention that the personnel is just now starting to mature. And, right now, the offensive productivity bar is set pretty darn low.......
 
G

gobigblue812_rivals29381

Heisman
Jun 11, 2012
15,051
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No OC from Baylor, TCU, Oregon, etc from a power program is coming here. They already have a good job and would be looking for a HC position anyway. I'm sure Stoops has somebody in mind.
 
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bthaunert

Heisman
Apr 4, 2007
29,518
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I think people are on the money with Eddie Gran. IMO, he would be a great pick-up. If any of the rumblings about Stoops putting handcuffs on Dawson, someone like Gran, who has been coaching for 25+ years and has a previous relationship with Stoops will most likely be up front about what he wants. This could 100% be the guy Stoops has in mind.
 
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bthaunert

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Apr 4, 2007
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gobigblue812 said:
No OC from Baylor, TCU, Oregon, etc from a power program is coming here. They already have a good job and would be looking for a HC position anyway. I'm sure Stoops has somebody in mind.
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We know for a fact that Baylor's OC isn't coming bc his dad is the head coach. Oregon just hired their new OC, but TCU is a possibility because they have Co Offensive Coordinators. Not saying it will happen, but if you can find a program where they have Co-OC's, it could be a possibility.
 
K

konnor

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Apr 10, 2007
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I think at this point a "Air Raid" guy will be out of the question. With Dawson saying the didn't agree on the same style of offense, and implementing an "I" formation at the end of the year. Thats all we need to know.
 
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J

JHB4UK

Heisman
May 29, 2001
31,836
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bthaunert said:
but TCU is a possibility because they have Co Offensive Coordinators. Not saying it will happen, but if you can find a program where they have Co-OC's, it could be a possibility.
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Cholly Strong & Texas just struck out trying to hire one of those TCU co-OC's

soooooo, doubt UK would have much better luck
 
B

bthaunert

Heisman
Apr 4, 2007
29,518
21,619
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JHB4UK said:
Cholly Strong & Texas just struck out trying to hire one of those TCU co-OC's

soooooo, doubt UK would have much better luck
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I agree with you. Didn't mean to say we could get one of them. Just meant that if there was an option for anyone at a school like those, TCU is the one.
 
Rockford

Rockford

Heisman
Jun 28, 2001
21,849
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Stoops will sink or swim with this hire.

The new OC must realize that this is year 4 for him not year 1

Therefore the new OC must/will be:
  • Someone who Stoops knows and trusts
  • Probably someone who has coached with Stoops
  • Someone who knows the SEC and the type of DL faced week in and week out (that we can't match up to)
  • Very experienced OC (it's year 4 not year 1) who can hit the ground running
  • An OC that can take an OL that gave up 40 sacks and 84 TFL and win in the SEC
  • Be very, very expensive
  • Be damn good
Is there such a person? Is it Eddie "Superman" Gran?
 
U

UKfan2151

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Oct 1, 2003
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Eddie Gran is by far the most logical choice given the circumstances. He's experienced, proven and someone Stoops is familiar with. I just hope Stoops doesn't try to go after Coley...another guy he apparently likes considerably and is familiar with. I think he would be a complete disaster at UK. Heck, the guy couldn't score against ACC defenses with Miami talent. He sure as hell couldn't score against SEC defenses with Kentucky talent.
 
C

carolinacat

All-Conference
Nov 7, 2007
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This is the profile of a guy who I would want. Someone who has exceeded expectations at a low profile school...i.e. who has taken an underdog type program and proven he can punch above his weight. What I don't want is someone who's been successful at a high profile program (which we ain't) by merely crushing overmatched opponents. Who that guy is , I have no idea....but he's out there.
 
S

Shavers48

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bthaunert said:
We know for a fact that Baylor's OC isn't coming bc his dad is the head coach. Oregon just hired their new OC, but TCU is a possibility because they have Co Offensive Coordinators. Not saying it will happen, but if you can find a program where they have Co-OC's, it could be a possibility.
Click to expand...
Cumbie turned down Texas so I can't see him saying yes to here.
 
yoshukai

yoshukai

Heisman
Dec 21, 2002
26,786
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UKfan215 said:
Eddie Gran is by far the most logical choice given the circumstances. He's experienced, proven and someone Stoops is familiar with. I just hope Stoops doesn't try to go after Coley...another guy he apparently likes considerably and is familiar with. I think he would be a complete disaster at UK. Heck, the guy couldn't score against ACC defenses with Miami talent. He sure as hell couldn't score against SEC defenses with Kentucky talent.
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What is the connection between Gran and Stoops?
 
A

AirRaidFan_rivals164446

Sophomore
Mar 13, 2002
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All this speculation implies that the experienced people mentioned would even be interested in this graveyard. I think it's gonna be someone not mentioned here, never heard of.
 
A

Anon1639625937

All-Conference
Jan 5, 2003
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PRPcoach said:
Will be, perhaps, the most important non-HC hire in UK football history.
He must get an offensive staff in place that can move the ball and, more importantly, score points, even when the talent gap favors the D.
If coach Stoops flames out again with this hire, it will most likely mean curtains for his tenure in Lexington.
Then we are starting over, yet again
Click to expand...

I would agree that your comments have a certain of thought and truth.
 
G

Grumpyolddawg

Heisman
Jun 11, 2001
28,354
37,077
113
PRPcoach said:
Will be, perhaps, the most important non-HC hire in UK football history.
He must get an offensive staff in place that can move the ball and, more importantly, score points, even when the talent gap favors the D.
If coach Stoops flames out again with this hire, it will most likely mean curtains for his tenure in Lexington.
Then we are starting over, yet again
Click to expand...

As most of you probably know, UGA just hired an OC that wasn't on everyone's mind. I don't think he was the first, maybe not in top 3. Tyson Helton was who many thought, well actually Clay but he got the head job at SoCal, but the word we got was Tyson was going to SoCal with his brother. Like someone posted, he wasn't WKU's play caller and while a hot young name I am glad we didn't get him for that reason. Smart like Stoops will be at his first head coaching job and is a defensive coach, I think we made a good hire by hiring an older OC, who can run a pro set or a spread, and a 3000k yard passer and a 1200 yard rusher last year. He certainly wasn't the hot sexy hire many wanted but one I think Smart needed to say "here run the offense and I am coaching the D". I think we hire a young guy as DC, if Smart is successful, will mentor him like Saban did for Smart for multiple years. But in hiring our OC, we also got one of if not the best OL coach in the country from Arkansas. We still have 2, maybe 3 offensive positions to fill and 2 and maybe 3 defensive positions to fill including DC. Some names floating around, but our athletic departmen is shut down, nothing is coming out about names we are trying to get.
 
CB3UK

CB3UK

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bthaunert said:
I think people are on the money with Eddie Gran. IMO, he would be a great pick-up. If any of the rumblings about Stoops putting handcuffs on Dawson, someone like Gran, who has been coaching for 25+ years and has a previous relationship with Stoops will most likely be up front about what he wants. This could 100% be the guy Stoops has in mind.
Click to expand...
Bingo. I think having a prior relationship would help Stoops to ease back and give him latitude as well. Brown was as experienced as Stoops, he didn't need guidance and Stoops was probably a bit unsure of himself as a first time HC. With Dawson, Stoops probably felt a lot more comfortable vocalizing what he expected, and overreached on someone he felt he could control due to inexperience.
 
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