CycloneNotables: Coaching Search Update - 11/17

[CY ST8T]

Regarding Pollard and donors, that is the way it used to be. Under our past administration they would develop a group or board of donors, the president and the AD and took there time and voted to get there guy and donors did have a big say. Now we have an Athletic Director who knows that if the hires do not work out, it will not be the group on the chopping block. So I am sure he is taking advice and information from big donors, but yes the ultimate choice will be Pollard's decision alone as it is his fate. But I have extreme faith in his decision as you could not have a better coaching lineup then GMAC, Sanderson, Finnelly and then who his choice is for football.

[JokersWild]

Except Sanderson was a no brainer and GMAC wasn't much of a stretch. Plus, he didn't hire Fennely.

[cycloneworld]

Originally Posted by mt85

Harbaugh has expressed his desire to coach in the NFL, so it may be deja vu (i.e. Tim Floyd).

If Harbaugh makes the jump from Iowa State University to the Chicago Bears then that means we were in for some good years...I will take that in a second.

I don't understand why some are dead set against a "stepping stone" coach. If he leaves the program in a lot better shape...hiring another good coach won't be as difficult as you'd think.

[B Clone]

Pollard does talk to donors and they have to help in the decisions if J.P. wants to keep increasing the Athletic Departments budget. With Jim Harbaugh you are getting a midwest guy (grew up in Ill.) whom would have many connections through out the states. His upside is unlimited. Sure, he may coach at Div. 1AA school but he has head coaching experience unlike Brewster. If talks would break down between ISU and Harbaugh, I think Kelly's past would be another good choice. You also have to look at the ISU rep. nation wide, if you go on Central Michigan boards their fans think that the Central job is better than ISU!!! Let's just hope it happens soon and ISU can start moving on.

[cyflyer]

The big donors are also business men and they know that you don't tell someone else who to hire. I doubt they ask their stock holders who to hire for running parts of their company. Do they give advice if asked, yes. Gary Thompson is a lot of things to ISU, including a Donor and advisor but he didn't have the final say in who JP hired.

[mt85]

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

If Harbaugh makes the jump from Iowa State University to the Chicago Bears then that means we were in for some good years...I will take that in a second.

I don't understand why some are dead set against a "stepping stone" coach. If he leaves the program in a lot better shape...hiring another good coach won't be as difficult as you'd think.

Here's the reason. Football unlike basketball is much more sensitive to continuity. Bringing in 25 athletes on an annual basis takes a tremendous amount of evaluation and relationship building. Every time you turnover your coach you virtually sacrifice that years recruiting. Losing a year in the recruiting process can take a long time to recover from because you are limited to 25 new scholarships on an annual basis. Therefore, although there is no guarantee that any coach will stick around, a coach that is more likely to stick around does have value.

[nj829]

I am fine with a coach that leaves us for greener pastures if it means we are in good shape. I wouldn't mind then going after Loney who may regard this as his dream job and wouldn't leave unless forced out due to performance.

[Wesley]

Maybe our new coach could hire the Butler Community College coach as a tight ends assistant to get some top players into our system in week two after next week's announcement. That is how they do it in bball by hiring amateur coaches to bring players into the fold.

[SpokaneCY]

Absolutely not! The articles written on Harbaugh have me excited. He's a winner throughout his career, he seems to have a leadership quality, he's got a little swagger... big shot of energy... I like the guy and think he'd make a great splash here. Oh, and I used to watch him when I had COlts tickets and but for a dropped INT by Quentin Coryatt against Pittsburgh they'd have beenin the SBowl....

[Stormin]

Harbaugh's Dad was once an assistant at University of Iowa, and Jim lived in the Midwest growing up. College ball at Michigan and then pros at Chicago, Indianapolis.

Deace pointed out that ISU needs to get a coach who can recruit. I think we get that in both Harbaugh and Brewster. Brewster is an ace recruiter with NO Head Coaching experience. Harbaugh has had recruiting experience with his Dad's program and some limited recruiting at San Diego and does have Head Coaching experience and the experience of organizing a staff and a full program (very small program, ultra successful one though).

Deace also pointed out that he thought Mac actually wasn't that bad of a coach, but that he was coaching recruiting classes that ranked usually tenth or lower in the Big XII. That ISU is in the middle of a "No Man's Land". That the next coach is going to have to be able to recruit Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit, and the Midwest in addition to talent rich Texas, Florida, etc.

Which is why I think Pollard might be pointing to Harbaugh. Chicago? Played there. Detroit? College in Michigan. Midwest? Heart of Big Ten country. (I remember Earle Bruce had a pipeline to Ohio like you couldn't believe. Also Chicago. (Did somebody say Boskey brothers?) Assistants could help him in Texas and Florida. And Harbaugh would probably be able to recruit talent rich California.

As mentioned earlier, I think all of the candidates are pretty good. Just that Harbaugh is the "sexy" hire that comes with probably greatest risk. So it's 4th and One. What do we do? Play safe....or go for it.

[ISUFan22]

Originally Posted by Stormin

Harbaugh's Dad was once an assistant at University of Iowa, and Jim lived in the Midwest growing up. College ball at Michigan and then pros at Chicago, Indianapolis.

Deace pointed out that ISU needs to get a coach who can recruit. I think we get that in both Harbaugh and Brewster. Brewster is an ace recruiter with NO Head Coaching experience. Harbaugh has had recruiting experience with his Dad's program and some limited recruiting at San Diego and does have Head Coaching experience and the experience of organizing a staff and a full program (very small program, ultra successful one though).

Deace also pointed out that he thought Mac actually wasn't that bad of a coach, but that he was coaching recruiting classes that ranked usually tenth or lower in the Big XII. That ISU is in the middle of a "No Man's Land". That the next coach is going to have to be able to recruit Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit, and the Midwest in addition to talent rich Texas, Florida, etc.

Which is why I think Pollard might be pointing to Harbaugh. Chicago? Played there. Detroit? College in Michigan. Midwest? Heart of Big Ten country. (I remember Earle Bruce had a pipeline to Ohio like you couldn't believe. Also Chicago. (Did somebody say Boskey brothers?) Assistants could help him in Texas and Florida. And Harbaugh would probably be able to recruit talent rich California.

As mentioned earlier, I think all of the candidates are pretty good. Just that Harbaugh is the "sexy" hire that comes with probably greatest risk. So it's 4th and One. What do we do? Play safe....or go for it.

Dude, loved the post. Pollard is a go-for-it type of a guy. That's why he's here and that's why the fans love him. Excellent points.

[JCloned]

Originally Posted by cyflyer

The ONLY reason people like Harbaugh if they'd admit it is because of his name. Let him keep everything he has done as a coach at a Div 1AA Non-scholly team, but take away his name and people are NOT excited about him. That's scary for people to think that way and that's what I believe. There is nothing to get excited about a Div1AA non-scholly coach. A lower Div 1A school would for sure take a chance on him, but we are not lower Div 1A, we are in a BCS conference and trying to take a step out of average.

We need a guy that can take average talent, develop it and win. I think that's what's been lacking most with the ex-staff and why a change had to be made. Mac has shown winning can happen at ISU, what he didn't show was consitency.

Taking a chance on Harbaugh because HE might have these great coaching ties is a big risk and not something I think we can afford to do. There's also a difference between having ties and convincing talented asst. coaches to come to ISU and again we are not in a position to be experimenting. We need somebody with a proven track record. Kelly and Kragthorpe have that.

Sorry, but you don't get it. I was one of the first ones pumping Harbaugh and I don't give a rats behind about his name. Change his name to tweedle dee and he is still my leader. I like that he grew up "coaching" football. I like that he played at highest levels of college football. I like that he played in NFL under several great coaches and schemes. I like his experience recruiting when he was assistant coach. I like that he has been a head coach and has had success as a head coach. Most of all I like that he has these things and he is exceptionally driven, passionate and dedicated. The name its a bonus for recruiting, but I wouldn't hire a name.

[mt85]

Originally Posted by Stormin

As mentioned earlier, I think all of the candidates are pretty good. Just that Harbaugh is the "sexy" hire that comes with probably greatest risk. So it's 4th and One. What do we do? Play safe....or go for it.

I'm not an anti-Harbaugh guy, but from JP's comments it is clear that he feels the pressure to get this hire right. Based on that my gut tells me that JH's profile is riskier than JP prefers. I definitely think he's in the mix and he may well be the guy. It definitely wouldn't surprise me though if JP can pull Kragthorpe out of Tulsa that he might be his top choice. Time will tell, but it is fun to speculate.

[tellmac]

Been out of the mix for a while. Where are Jeter and Kragthorpe from?
Thanks.

[ljs6756]

From my understanding he is in Dallas conducting interviews, Why Texas. Where are all these canadates located???