Western Michigan Coach

[BlueBloodForLife]

The more I look into him, the more I like him. He inherited a young and inexperienced team, so there is no saying that the talent was already there. In year one, because of the inexperience, they went 1-11. The very next season, they went 8-5. They maintained that the next year going 8-5 again- winning their first bowl game in school history. This year, they're undefeated at 5-0 and knocking on the doors of being ranked in the top 25. You have to understand just how bad this team was to appreciate how far he has taken them.

He's young, confident, and an offensive-minded former NFL wide receiver. Things like this have made him an excellent recruiter. In his short time being at WMU, he's brought in the highest ranked recruiting classes in school and conference history. No, this isn't a power five school or a power five conference, but everybody has to start somewhere- look at Butch Jones coming from Central Michigan.

His current salary, and don't quote me, is around 800-900k per year, which means we could get him fairly cheap. If it doesn't work out, the buyout wouldn't be ungodly like it is with Stoops. However, I have the oddest feeling that we won't be wanting to buy this guy's contract out.

Not only that, he seems to be a good guy- doing several fundraisers for sick and underprivileged children.

Check him out. While he might not be that "homerun hire," you can't deny he doesn't have a ton of potential.

 

[1Blouman]

Sounds good but with Barney here his buyout might be just as ungodly as Stoops'.
We need to get an AD here that can make a hire.

 

[BlueBloodForLife]

 

[BlueBloodForLife]

He seems really confident and agressive. I think that'll go a long way with players. Stoops just seems so passive and unsure of himself.

 

[magic8ball]

He has shown steady progress.

 

[NavyCat88]

I thought it 10 years of OJT for a new coach to win 8 games.....they must not run a "clean" program.

 

[ulismyman]

They arent playing georgia, florida tennesee bama week in week out

 

[Cats_2010]

They arent playing georgia, florida tennesee bama week in week out

Wasn't really the point.

 

[ukalum1988]

I fully expect Purdue to make a run at Fleck after Hazell gets fired. Probably other schools will too. If I'm the WMU AD, I would be getting my ducks in a row to start vetting a replacement for Fleck.

 

[Fresh Fish]

I fully expect Purdue to make a run at Fleck after Hazell gets fired. Probably other schools will too. If I'm the WMU AD, I would be getting my ducks in a row to start vetting a replacement for Fleck.

Hazell came from Kent State, so I'm not sure Purdue will hire two MAC coaches in a row, especially when the first has failed. Fleck can coach, but he's from Chicagoland and has never left that part of the country, other than one year as WR coach with the Tampa Bay Bucs. I'm unsure of any recruiting ties that could help him here.

 

[BlueRaider22]

The directional Michigan schools have been hitting coaches a lot in recent past. Brian Kelly, Butch Jones, PJ Fleck, and even the guy currently at CMU (Bonabon? Sp?). Fleck would be a good hire.

 

[bthaunert]

Some of us have been on the Fleck bandwagon for a little bit now. He is going to be a hell of a coach. He has Big10 written all over him.

 

[BlueRaider22]

^Hard to say. Butch Jones went from CMU to Cincy to UT. Brian Kelly went CMU to Cincy to ND.

 

[Stenchymouse]

By the time we get a new coach, Fleck will already have a P5 job...

None of the current up and comers will be on the list by the time that Barnhardt hires a new coach.

 

[BlueRaider22]

By the time we get a new coach, Fleck will already have a P5 job...

None of the current up and comers will be on the list by the time that Barnhardt hires a new coach.

Agreed. Neal Brown and Mike McIntyre align with the timeline though. I know there was talk about McIntyre being considered after Joker....so I imagine he's still on Mitch's radar.

 

[Fresh Fish]

Agreed. Neal Brown and Mike McIntyre align with the timeline though. I know there was talk about McIntyre being considered after Joker....so I imagine he's still on Mitch's radar.

MacIntyre has been out west for years now. He has Colorado back on the radar, so not sure he'd bolt for another rebuilding job.

 

[BlueRaider22]

MacIntyre has been out west for years now. He has Colorado back on the radar, so not sure he'd bolt for another rebuilding job.

I don't know if he would or not. I just remember the rumors flying how he was on Mitch's radar last time. So it's logical to assume that if those rumors were true that he'd be on his radar this time. Especially considering how the timelines would match up. According to Wiki he's a Florida born kid who played at Vandy and Georgia Tech......and also coached at Ole Miss and Duke. So, he must have a soft spot for the South to some degree.

Now I'm not 100% sold on him just yet....I like a few other guys out there better but if he has a good yr at Colorado this yr that means that he has talen both San Diego St and Coloradoo to winning records....that's not too shabby.

 

[JDHoss]

I don't know if he would or not. I just remember the rumors flying how he was on Mitch's radar last time. So it's logical to assume that if those rumors were true that he'd be on his radar this time. Especially considering how the timelines would match up. According to Wiki he's a Florida born kid who played at Vandy and Georgia Tech......and also coached at Ole Miss and Duke. So, he must have a soft spot for the South to some degree.

Now I'm not 100% sold on him just yet....I like a few other guys out there better but if he has a good yr at Colorado this yr that means that he has talen both San Diego St and Coloradoo to winning records....that's not too shabby.

He was at San Jose St, not San Diego St. When he came to SJSU, they were on the verge of dropping down or dropping football altogether. He went 1-11 in year 1 to 5-7 to 11-2. Colorado was every bit the rebuilding job that UK was, and in year 4, he has them poised for a really nice season.

 

[truebluewildcat_rivals34254]

In today's game it is relatively easy for an offensive guy to do well in the lower ranks like the MAC where there isn't a huge disparity in talent between teams like Western Michigan and all the other programs they play on a regular basis.

Also, the coaching isn't on the same level as in the P5 ranks. Fleck may very well be the best coach in his conference.

It is hard for these types of guys to have great success at their first P5 at bottom feeders like UK because they will be out gunned on the field and sideline 9 games a year.

The recruiting trail is a lot different as well. Instead saying hey come to western michigan over kent state you have to pitch UK over programs from 3 P5 conferences. You have to try and beat out coaches at every turn who are household names.

Same goes for Neal Brown, it's young coaches like he and Fleck who we really need see in P5 setting. They're both no doubt good coaches with a potentially bright future, but that future can dim quickly in the big boy leagues. They're the type of coaches you want to get a little more film on so to speak. Let's see how they do at a lower tier P5 when they are out matched in all aspects more often than not.

Don't have a problem with both being on the list, but they need to be down the list after a half dozen other names.

 

[Big John Stud]

They arent playing georgia, florida tennesee bama week in week out

We lost to Southern Miss week 1.

 

[Vonburns1]

OP - please tell me you've emailed Mitch the same info you posted above on a FYI only and just in case basis.

 

[Tskware]

Urban Meyer was coach at Bowling Green. Utah hired him at the same time Mitch hired Brooks. Meyer has done pretty well at three different P5 schools, Utah wasn't even in a P5 conference at the time and he won the Fiesta Bowl with them when Alex Smith was the QB

 

[NavyCat88]

They arent playing georgia, florida tennesee bama week in week out

--First: We've been losing to So Miss & WKU recently...struggling with in-state FCS (EKU)--not exactly SEC. We're "s'pose to be SEC" right?
--Second: If you look at the W/L column, obscene losing streaks, and score imbalance over time, one could argue we're not "playing georgia, florida, tennessee, and bama week in/week out" either. "Kentucky Week" is a no-threat environment for mid-to-upper echelon SEC.
Finally: Talent and competition are all relative--WMU's talent is not P5 but is in keeping with their conference, so he has been winning by making the best use of his players and moving up the ladder against conference rivals (I wish we could do that).

Translation: WMU HC is in the business of winning FB games and business is good.

 

[irishcat1965]

I think he would be an outstanding selection to replace Stoops.

 

[ukalum1988]

I don't know if he would or not. I just remember the rumors flying how he was on Mitch's radar last time. So it's logical to assume that if those rumors were true that he'd be on his radar this time. Especially considering how the timelines would match up. According to Wiki he's a Florida born kid who played at Vandy and Georgia Tech......and also coached at Ole Miss and Duke. So, he must have a soft spot for the South to some degree.

Now I'm not 100% sold on him just yet....I like a few other guys out there better but if he has a good yr at Colorado this yr that means that he has talen both San Diego St and Coloradoo to winning records....that's not too shabby.

IIRC, McIntyre's dad was a former Vandy HC.

 

[lex cath]

No and hell no, Art Briles only

 

[CatsCats78]

My number 1 candidate (that's actually plausible). Hopefully he's on MB's short list. The point made about him being able to out recruit and out coach his conference easily is a fair point. But we don't have the luxury to hire an elite, proven HC like some schools. We'll have to hire a big potential up and comer and roll with it. Maybe we get the next Saban or Meyer, who knows. All I know is Fleck took a 1-11 team to back to back bowl games (and won one) in just three seasons. That speaks for itself.

 

[BigBlueTuckian]

Western Michigan has a decent history. Turn around Eastern Michigan then I'll consider a coach from that level of schools.

 

[CatsCats78]

I mean they were 1-11 his first season. You can't get a much bigger turnaround than that lol.

 

[JHB4UK]

But we don't have the luxury to hire an elite, proven HC like some schools.

why not? not only is possible, the track record proves in this difficult job hiring a veteran coach is an absolute necessity (Claiborn, Brooks) while young up & commers have a dire outcome (Mumme, Joker, Stoops thus far).

We'll have to hire a big potential up and comer and roll with it.

or, be smart & hire a veteran who knows how to build a damn program in a P5 conference like Butch Davis. or Jim Tressel.

 

[Tskware]

why not? not only is possible, the track record proves in this difficult job hiring a veteran coach is an absolute necessity (Claiborn, Brooks) while young up & commers have a dire outcome (Mumme, Joker, Stoops thus far).

or, be smart & hire a veteran who knows how to build a damn program in a P5 conference like Butch Davis. or Jim Tressel.

Or Bill Curry, or Rich Rodriguez (Michigan). Fact is, there is no guarantee perfect hire.

 

[catfando]

they beat Illinois and Northwestern this year. Not bad wins for a small school. Heck, they'd probably beat us. Glad we didn't schedule them.

 

[Mojocat_rivals48469]

SI says plenty of big time jobs will be open, and Fleck is near the top of the list of up and comers who will be in demand.

So, remind me why he'd come to UK again?

 

[stuway]

He has been there 4 years this year....but but you cant turnaround a program in only 4 years

 

[BlueBloodForLife]

No and hell no, Art Briles only

I wanted that, too; but I've let that ship come and sail away. Not only would he not come here, we won't hire him. I hope I get to eat my words, though. That's who I really want.

 

[BlueBloodForLife]

At least this guy has had head coaching experience (assembling a staff, having assistants buy in to your program, managing a team, etc.). More than can be said of Stoops and Phillips. I like him. A lot.