With Mike Leach Heading To Washington State, What's Next For Kansas?
by Owen on Nov 30, 2011 4:16 PM CST
in Kansas Jayhawk Football 2011
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PrintNot that this was a huge surprise, but it does appear that Mike Leach is not coming to Kansas. In all reality this was probably a bit of a long shot considering some of the jobs that opened up and what many believed Leach would look for. Either way Washington State does come as a bit of a surprise even if Kansas wasn't the answer. UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State and a host of other schools probably targeted Leach, but Washington State seems to have swooped in with a nice offer and the right situation for Leach to return to coaching.
If you step back and look at the landscape, Kansas probably does look like a pretty tough place to step in and win right now. You have a program that finished 2-10 and rarely looked competitive in two seasons under Gill. We play Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and others EVERY year in the conference meaning we have just THREE non conference games.
Contrast that with a 5-7 Washington State program in what might be considered a slightly down Pac 12 and it might pave the way more rapid success. The fact is, Leach has been successful in Lubbock so he probably feels pretty confident in his ability to be successful anywhere and the jobs that were on the table clearly looked more attractive than Kansas.
So what's next for Kansas? It's pretty obvious based on the way that today played out, we've already moved on. Or at least Sheahon Zenger has moved on. Without a doubt Mike Leach offered a proven track record that was second to none this year, but that isn't to say we don't have options.
Checking out the coaching rumor mill Kansas seems to have a handful of solid potential coaches on their list. Larry Fedora, Mark Stoops, Brent Venables, Sonny Dykes and Dave Doeren seem to be the most common names.
Dominoes will continue to fall as the week comes to a close and we're likely going to see other coaches on our theoretical list fall off, but at the end of the day we have to keep in mind that a new direction was necessary and it's not as if we fired a sure thing and missed on the next big thing in the process. Zenger is going to be looking for the right fit, a longterm fit and at the end of the day whoever that is also has to believe Kansas is the right fit or it isn't going to work anyway.
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i think it HAS TO BE Fedora
he has been great everywhere he has been OC at OSU and UF and at SO Miss. i think he is a very smart and worthy candidate. plus he has some fire in him. check this out and tell me you don’t like him
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqAGaxvD6o8
has necver had a losing season as a HC
I've been pulling for Fedora
since 2009…
The name of that song played at KC Comets games in the '80's was Giorgio Moroder's "The Chase." Now you know.
Fedora is the only
other guy that instantly fires up the fan base. Mark Stoops might prove to be a great coach but Fedora is probably better for Kansas right now.
He's got some credentials...
I’m having a lot of trouble getting past his visor though.
by hiphopopotamus on Dec 1, 2011 9:51 AM CST up reply actions
I don't understand....
….why Fulmer’s name has been completely absent from this conversation. Sure, there’s the “Fulmer Cup” issue, but he had an incredible run at UT, has a national friggin’ championship ring and apparently impressed the hell out of people with his presentation 2 years ago.
- Track record? Check
- Success? Check
- Hungry? Check
- Wants (or wanted) to be at KU? Check
How is he not at the top of the heap?
The poster formerly known as DCJayhawk0208
He's old?
Can he really build something here? Do we want someone younger for that?
Just spitballin’.
well if we aren't blown away by any of the younger guys
nothing wrong with having fulmer come in for a handful of years to steady the ship
I write everywhere. You're probably better off following me on twitter
He's only 61
There’s no reason he wouldn’t coach for another 10 years.
The poster formerly known as DCJayhawk0208
Just because he hasn't been mentioned
Doesn’t mean he’s not being considered. But it will likely take some $$ to lure him out of retirement, and KU may not be guaranteeing $10 million this time around.
I REALLY wanted Fulmer last year
Last time I posted on him, I said my current top three was Leach, Fulmer and Fedora. Obviously I’m still high on him, although I might bump Fedora over him on my wish list.
Shit happens when you win championships
by Andrew Clark on Nov 30, 2011 6:57 PM CST up reply actions
reading some KC area media guys' twitter feeds
and it sounds like the pending lawsuits were a big roadblock for leach to ku
I write everywhere. You're probably better off following me on twitter
I think Doren is your guy
Pay him $1.2 mill, rebuild your checking account. The guy is young and a darn good coach. He grew up in Johnson County. If he works out, you could have a program builder for 25 years. He won’t want to job hop.
oh hail the Purple and White
yeah we should definitely go with a young MAC coach I hear those are foolproof
I write everywhere. You're probably better off following me on twitter
Urban Meyer
was a young MAC coach. Pinkel came from the MAC. Those two ended up okay. Couldn’t tell if that was serious or sarcasim.
oh hail the Purple and White
It was sarcasm
Our last coach, the last one we fired, was a MAC coach. I think we want to stay away from the MAC with our track record.
What? A girl who likes sports...INCONCEIVABLE!
Forgot about the Buffalo connection
I think the biggest problem with Gill (aside from the many) was Perkins overpaid him. Grossly. When that salary was announced I was flabergasted. Ouch. $6 mill to fail. Nice gig. Where do I sign up?
oh hail the Purple and White
Try 10 million to fail.
6 million to do nothing.
Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.
Rock Chalk Talk
Exactly. Sometimes you try and things don’t work. Gill didn’t but that doesn’t mean Doeren won’t. Kansas is a job he would consider more than a stepping stone. Doesn’t mean he wouldn’t leave if he was wildly successful but I could see him making Kansas a long stop.
Questions, Comments? email me at denverjhawk@hotmail.com
by Owen on Nov 30, 2011 6:38 PM CST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
That move would cost far more than
what it would save in salary. I also don’t think money is an issue for the right guy.
If I was Texas Tech, I'd be pissed if Kansas hired Leach
As much as it sucks, I think part of being in a conference is not hiring coaches that have pending lawsuits against your conference brethren.
I don't know
The Tech admins screwed Leach royally and then tried to hide behind sovereign immunity. How does that fit into a conference mentality? Not that the Tech admins wouldn’t hate to see him come school that doofus replacement they hired.
"I’ve established a reputation for integrity. I have maintained those high standards" - Craig James
I'm not defending Tech
I’m just saying that part of being in a conference is not actively opposing your conference mates outside the playing field (I’m looking at you, Texas Nebraska and A&M). Hiring Leach and having to address the suits may have been a bridge too far for a conference mate of TT.
I really think Christensen would be a great snag for you guys.
Doing a lot with nothing at Wyoming, did some amazing things for Mizzou’s offense in our top 5 ranking years.
I like Christensen myself. Not sure he is my top pick but living in Denver I pay attention to Wyoming and he has turned some heads and generated some excitement about the Cowboys.
Questions, Comments? email me at denverjhawk@hotmail.com
by Owen on Nov 30, 2011 6:35 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
I'm cool with not getting Leach
Yeah, he had a lot of positives, and the three most important things on my list: runs the spread/knows the Big 12, proven success, and can recruit in Texas. But there are so many positions available, and last time this happened (2 years ago), there seemed to be a greater amount of available candidates.
I’m a fan of Fedora, but I wish another name was being mentioned: Todd Monken, Oklahoma State OC
Granted, there’s the fact that their season isn’t over and obviously the concern of not wanting to step on Gundy’s toes in recruiting, but we’ve already got one very successful OSU product coaching for us- why not try another?
by mikedrawjayhawk on Nov 30, 2011 6:45 PM CST reply actions
I'm gonna draw a lot of flak for this...
Charlie Weis ?
He wants to be a college head coach, he knows the area well and he has assistants who still live here.
Just saying… If he got a top notch D coordinator…
I know he flamed out at Notre Dame, but it takes a beast of a coach to succeed there. I’m just trying to stir the pot.
Shit happens when you win championships
He'd recruit well at QB and WR, and we already have good depth at OL and RB.
The defense is obviously the concern, but I’d think a guy with his rep and stature could lure a very good D Coordinator. Like… Herm Edwards! CHIEFFSSSsssss yeah maybe not.
Shit happens when you win championships
by Andrew Clark on Nov 30, 2011 7:00 PM CST up reply actions
His offense is too complex for college guys
Kids at this level don’t have time to learn a 400 page play book and the associated nuances that go with his offense.
What he’s done with Florida this year should be a red flag.
Exactly what I was going to say
I think he’s great as an NFL OC, but doesn’t seem willing to adapt to college level play.
by mikedrawjayhawk on Nov 30, 2011 8:20 PM CST up reply actions
i am disappointed that leach
didn’t work out for us…one nagging thought in my mind, however is the groupthink (not just here by any means) that it HAS to be leach…he has the track record, no doubt, but he’s also flaky and seemingly difficult to get along with…i think it is much more important to find the right “fit” for us…Mangino was a great fit for us, Gill was not…i just wish doeren had more of a track record because i think he’s the guy but we’d be taking a big risk, and i don’t know if we can afford that much of a risk…it may come down to that anyway, if everyone else bails on us.
Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts."
--Albert Einstein
by Home Run Tony Cogan on Nov 30, 2011 9:38 PM CST reply actions
So does Leach
Hire Mangino as his OC and Leavitt as his DC?
I have to believe that he agreed to the WSU on one major condition: I run the show…..leave me the f*ck alone. He didn’t necessarily get that at TT and that’s where the problems started.
If he has free reign (like I bet he demanded and received), I’ll be curious to see what staff he brings in. I doubt it will be Mangino and Leavitt since both of those dudes probably want HC gigs and/or may just enjoy being consultants. But stranger things have happend….
"No time for questions. No time for games. Start kickin' ass and takin' down the names." - Dave Mustaine.
I would become a WSU fan pretty quick
The name of that song played at KC Comets games in the '80's was Giorgio Moroder's "The Chase." Now you know.
fedora seems like a good choice
but something has told me that anything short of a big name will equal more of the same. mediocrity, or worse.
Just like novocaine. give it time; always works..
The greater the fall, the grander the ascention..
what big name is left
that we’d want to hire? Fulmer? Nutt? Tressel? Petino?
The name of that song played at KC Comets games in the '80's was Giorgio Moroder's "The Chase." Now you know.
Mediocrity would be a vast improvement
More of the same is almost impossible. I think Gill is at least a couple standard deviations below the mean. There just aren’t that many guys as bad as him.
Agreed
And I also think you, and many other Jayhawks, are forgetting: the bank account is empty. We may only be able to afford a Texas high school football coach. Which would still be an improvement over Gill.
"No time for questions. No time for games. Start kickin' ass and takin' down the names." - Dave Mustaine.
I'm not forgetting that
That’s one reason I’m not getting my hopes up for any particular coach. I trust Zenger to make the best decision with the resources he has. And I sort of expect that means a name that’s not on any of our lists.
There’s a wide variance in football coaching ability at the college level, and Gill was near the bottom of that distribution. Even if we chose blindly, there’d be a very good chance for substantial improvement. I hope that with Zenger picking our chances are even better than that.
I think we have more money available than people realize
one guy ponied up 750k of Gill’s buyout. Boosters wouldn’t be all over Zenger to buy Gill out and hire a new guy if they weren’t willing to go after someone.
I’m not saying that means we’re gonna pay 2 million a year for some guy, but it’s most likely not going to be some no namer either.
I write everywhere. You're probably better off following me on twitter
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