Sorry to see that staff go some very good coaches at WIU....no idea what happens now but HC Bob Nielson leaves for South Dakota
Western Illinois is open....
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The current state of education and budgets in Illinois is hurting our state schools. There are 6 state schools. We have no money and I heard they weren't paying pensions for the coaches. South Dakota has two schools and are plugging way more money into their programs. They have better facilities as well. Sad to see him go because I love the staff and have had great interactions with them.
Supposedly the 2 Sabans are distant 2nd cousins (Wikipedia), but both of Croatian ancestry (I would have though it was a shortened Italian name, but oh well, I get thrown off if there is no "-ic", "-ich", or "-ak". ) Would have been naturals at MC or DLS.My alma mater...In the early 70's the "necks" were a national power under future Florida State coach Darrel Mudra. Back in the 50's Lou Saban (Nick's dad) was their coach. Great place to watch a game. Any alums out there remember the Peach Blossoms?
My alma mater...In the early 70's the "necks" were a national power under future Florida State coach Darrel Mudra. Back in the 50's Lou Saban (Nick's dad) was their coach. Great place to watch a game. Any alums out there remember the Peach Blossoms?
completely forgot about the Peach Blossoms! Great pull
Another relative Mike Saban played for Lyons Township and SIU in the 80's. I believe Lou was his uncleMy alma mater...In the early 70's the "necks" were a national power under future Florida State coach Darrel Mudra. Back in the 50's Lou Saban (Nick's dad) was their coach. Great place to watch a game. Any alums out there remember the Peach Blossoms?
Why have a national search...I love my alma mater, but they aren't pulling a great coach from a national power when they couldn't even outbid University of South Dakota for Nielsen. He's making 255 K up there compared to WIU's 206 K. No brainer as to why he left!
J
JCH---Did not know you are a "neck"! The Blossoms were great and who knows whatever happened to their ambulance! Loved my 4 years in Macomb and spent a lot of quality time "uptown" in those years as well!
I think you have to have a national search because occasionally you can catch lightning in a bottle. You have to start with the premise that college coaches are like sharks, if they stop moving they die. A good example of this is Dino Babers and his staff at EIU.
4 years ago Babers was hired at EIU, most everyone knows the rest of the story. More interesting is he hired Sterlin Gilbert and Matt Mattox as assistants. Gilbert was a high school coach out of Texas and Mattox was a JUCO position coach out of Kansas. Gilbert was fortunate enough to have a hand in developing Jimmy Garappolo (this is not meant to minimize Jeff Christensen's coaching Jimmy) Both followed Babers to Bowling Green, stayed a year, then went to Tulsa where they coached this year.
This week they were hired by UT head coach Charley Strong, Stelin Gilbert as offensive coordinator at $850,000.00 per year and Mattox at $550,000.00 per year.
As a footnote, Babers was at Baylor at the time of his hiring by EIU. I understand that he took a $225,000.00 cut in pay to take the head coaching job at EIU.
