What our new staff should look like

I don’t think Mack is thinking about long term. He wants to fix it NOW. That means some quick, splashy (or splashyish) hires to hold things together for the recruiting. Keeping Major is not a top priority for him if he can get the big name OC. I sure hope he can get Shannon on board fast. That’s the kind of PR buzz we need right now. If he does that, the OC search can be a little slower and more deliberate.

I don’t know how Will will be as a HC but I know he’s gonna work and recruit his ass off and hire guys that are gonna do the same. Not sure I can say the same for Mack at this point.

What I saw mostly from Muschamp was a 4 man under front where he uses a hybrid LB/DE as one of the ends (we know this position as the “Buck”). Behind that front, we were typically playing with only 2 LBs and 5 DB due to the spread offenses forcing our hand. I have a hard time seeing how any D coordinator could scout our opponents in this league and not come up with a nickel package. The alternative is forcing your linebacker into coverage for 50 snaps a game. Having said that, I guess we saw it though in 2006 with Chizik. Surely Shannon is smarter than that right?

For those pining for Harson, here is some required reading so you know what you’re getting into:

http://smartfootball.com/gameplanning/breaking-down-boise-how-the-broncos-use-leverage-numbers-and-grass-to-gash-the-opposition

It is difficult to talk too much about this offenes without getting long winded, but there are some constants. It is a zone-style running game, where the back has to make reads and choose the avenue with the greatest success potential. It is a zone blocking offensive line that has to make a lot of reads and adjustments on their own. It is a passing game where every receiver has at least two, soemtimes three options based on what the secondary is showing and he has to make the best read. And the QB has to read it all – and quickly.

In short, it is an offense based on all 11 guys being pretty smart and being able to make the right adjustments on every single play and do so quickly. Hence, it is an offense in which you don’t always pick the very best QB, RB, OL, or WR – you pick the best one that is also smart.

If this is where you want to go, good luck. I think it will take a minimum of 3-4 years to fully impliment this offense at Texas.

Harsin – fml.

FOr the people I’ve seen doubting if Muschamp will be successful, I think we can assume Muschamp is going to get a young, energetic, hungry staff.

That + Recruiting hotbed + Perennial power = Success.

I’m not up on all my internet acronyms. What is “fml”?

F**k my life – when generic badness field up in your face.

fuck me later?

I hope MA stays. He has always been a crowd favorite and he is one of our own. I will leave it to MB to provide his job description. I also think that MA should always be open to better opportunities elsewhere as “growing our own” is not currently the way things work at the college level.

I somewhat concerned that with GDGD’s departure the tone has grown increasingly anti-MB here at BC. I am not sure that kind of thing is constructive at this time and was glad to see the EOT article removed.

As for WM at Florida, it is difficult for me to imagine that he will not be successful and I wish him well.

Anyway, while the risks for Shannon are a drop off in defensive performance, I would think he’d bring recruiting advantages that could more than make up for that. As to Major, sure his loss would be a recruiting hit, but wouldn’t we get the same but worse if he can’t produce a winning offense? Nothing scares off recruits faster than losing. Hence going with a proven winner for OC, even if short-term, would be my choice. That may sound like a contradictory application of logic, but the defense can afford a bit of drop off, while the offense has to see huge improvement.

i like L = long

So you are saying our assistant coaches should look like Tiger Woods, but bring the intellect and social awareness of Malcolm Gladwell .

Other than recruiting how is Major to OC not the same as Akina to DC was? We can go get pretty much who we want and we’re going to settle with Major? Co-OC’s is the only way I’d be down with that.

Agree that we need a new head coach.

I believe any DC will have some level of exposure when playing spread offenses week in and week out. WM got handed his ass on some occasions – Tech in 2009 (yes, I know we won), Iowa State (maybe execution vs scheme), A&M in 2009 (thanks Colt and Marquis!) – but that’s to be expected. A good TEAM will pull them out – see the Tech, A&M games.

Shannon brings similar leadership to WM. Maybe different tempo – but the accountability factor and ‘manliness’ can’t be questioned (if I am to believe the myth of The U from back in the day). I seem to recall a lot of smallish LBs making hay at Miami – being able to cover and attack the run.

I think WM was much more of a bend-don’t-break guy than people think. But he had the luxury of Colt and Ship putting points on the board in 2008, 2009 to make his job less unforgiving. Taking nothing away from WM, I don’t think he was the Ra/Odin/Ganesh some likened him to.

Major would be smart to stay at Texas regardless of who we hire as Offensive Coordinator.

1.) Splash hire probably won’t be hear more than 2 years.

2.) Mack Brown wants to retire sooner rather than later

3.) If the offense is successful, Major will be in a prime position to take over sole OC duties when splash hire gets HC gig.

4.) Mack retires, Major has a great deal of support already established for one of the top coaching jobs in all of college football.

That said, I still think the best option now is to hire Major an OC and hire a O-line guru as co-OC/run game coordinator.

Sorry, but I think it’s nuts to expect an OC that’s going to be around for a while. You know what you get when you look for someone like that? You get a Greg Davis. I want a guy who a) wants to be a HC himself and is going to call plays like he’s impressing some other AD out there, and b) who’s name is regularly bandied about in other programs as HC material.

Sorry to say this, and I know it’s going to make your eyes bleed, but you’ve got to look at a model like the one Stoops has employed. He’s about to be on his fifth OC in 12 years with the previous four getting HC gigs and while they all ran something slightly different, philosophically it’s all similar enough that there’s not some big learning curve for the players. Besides, even if you have the same OC over that time span your offense had better be making some slight adjustments and adaptations here and there or you’re just going to get figured out and shut down eventually. Does any of this sound familiar?

But he feeds the program from within to make all of that happen. Every one of his OC’s (except the first one – Leach) came from within the program and got promoted up when the previous guy was hired away as an HC.

If you want some guy that’s going to be around for a decade then get ready for a carbon copy of what we’ve all seen for the past 13 years.

Man under cover 2 would have been a nice change of pace this year in 3rd and long…where we were HORRIBLE.

We can sing Muschamp’s praises all day and night, but when our defense should have been at it’s best, we were often at our worst. I like the guy, and wish him the best. Pardon me if I don’t feel like we lost a young Bill Belichick. I just don’t feel that way.

I agree. We need a new HC. I suggest the following as candidates:

Fred Akers
David McWilliams
John Mackovic
Dennis Franchione
Greg Robinson

Co-opting from Matthew 22:14: Many are called (see above) but few are chosen (see the name that precedes “Texas Football” on UT’s website).

The best "fit" for Texas may not really be guy like Harsin, who is a byproduct of an integrated system (ditto Chryst).

A guy like Chad Morris or Mick McCall (Meyer protégé) would probably make a more seamless transition.

“To those who claim that Muschamp was a wildcard and that Mack is a known commodity, you are beliving lies. You don’t know that Mack has the drive or the abilities at this point in his career to steer Texas in the right direction before he departs. He’s ability to perform in that role is every bit the same unknown commodity that Muschamp was.” — Nickel Rover

No, Mack’s ability to turn a program around is not the “same unknown quanity” that Muschamp’s is because Mack’s done it before. He has, as they say, skins on the wall.

Mack turned North Carolina into a top ten program. He resurrected Texas from the dead. He’s won a national championship as a head coach. He had, I believe, the second-best winning percentage among all college coaches in the entire first decade of this century. You might blow all that off as irrelevant, but not me. I think it’s damned impressive.

Or what you might be saying is that the past is no indicator of the future, If that’s what you’re saying then all bets are off. And I mean all bets. If that’s the case then we may as well bring back Gary Darnell as DC and talk Fred Akers into becoming our new OC.

Or maybe you’re saying that that’s all ancient history and now Mack’s an old man.

Trouble with that is that Mack is only 59, not 159.

For comparision’s sake, before he turned 59, Bobby Bowden had exactly one top-five finish and no national championships.

After turning 59, Bowden finished in the top five 13 times and won 2 national championships.

59 is not old for a charismatic, CEO-style, “big picture” kind of coach, which Bowden was and Brown is.

It is just plain silly for anyone to say that he knows Will Muschamp will be as good a head coach much less a better head coach at any point in the future as Mack Brown is today. Maybe he will be, but if history is any guide, probably he won’t be. For every Bob Stoops hired, there were three or four Ron Zooks. The odds say that Muschamp will be a Zook. Whether that actually occurs or not, only time will tell.

@Savage: as I understand it…from a schematic perspective, MA is thought to be quite advanced. I’m not sure that was ever Akina’s strongsuit.

it’s one thing to let WM walk and have to watch him do well. it would be a different thing to watch MA do the same. while the experience isn’t there, he is, by all accounts, “the guy” in terms of recruiting on the offensive side of the ball. I think retaining him as playcalling Co-OC is something that all Texas fans can understand. it’s taking a chance, but at this point, it seems like it might be one that we have to take.

at this point, priority needs to be making prompt, logical decisions that make sense for both now and the immediate future.

@jpsantini,

Word.

I agree we NEED Major to stay on the staff. I’m just not sure we should do anything and everything to keep him.

I would like to see what a Chad Morris/Major Applewhite combo could pull off.

When Major was our QB many people, including myself, speculated that he would one day be our HC.

He’s 32 years old now. If he stays and UT does well over the next few years, then I think that will happen as soon as 5 to 6 years from now. Mack might be willing to hang out for that long, maybe even let Major run the show as de facto head coach one year, then make it official the following year.

I’m sure that’s one scenario that Mack is mulling over in his noggin over the last 48 hours.

Does Major have a better shot of being the head man here if he goes to Florida or if he stays as Co-OC (non playcalling)? Muschamp leaving opened the damn door for Major to be the next head coach at UT, especially if they are looking to groom an offensive person for the job.

I’m having a real hard time when people use the word “fix” and Mack Brown in the same sentence for a couple reasons.

1.) After 13 years as the head coach the program shouldn’t be in a position to be “fixed”. If you’re the head coach that long and you “broke” the program then you shouldn’t be the head coach.

2.) We absolutely know at this point what Mack Brown is and is not. He’s a good coach but he’s not going to optimize Texas football. He’ll compete for a Conference Championship every 4 or 5 years. He’s average against Top 25 teams and below average against Top 10 teams. So my question is when he “fixes” this what do we look like? Based on his history we look like a 10 win a year team that is below the standard of Texas Football. That’s not the “fix” I want.

If Mack won’t go, let’s at least keep Major. I have no problem with him at OC.

I am not sure that Harsin is a big enough splash to warrant the possible defection of Major. I like BSU’s offense, but I am not sure if it would be easily implemented nor if it is entirely Harsin’s doing. What does Harsin bring as a recruiter? Holgorsen would probably be the only guy I would take over Major at this point. He runs a multiple offense and has strong recruiting ties in-state. I am guessing even if the powers that be changed their minds on him, he might well be an HC before next year starts.

Holgorsen is getting strong consideration at Pitt.

jpsantini—I’d jump on board in a heart beat with you brotha, but Mack has shown his hand. Age isn’t the issue, time in the position is.

By handpicking a successor, that tells the world you are ready to step out soon as long as some unrevealed requirements are met.

Mack wanted to retire. He is approaching 15 years at the program. He was winding it down and turning over the reigns.

He can’t sell the “I’m new fresh, invigorated and ready to get back to the MNC with some quality people”. It is what it is. He’s sticking around so that he doesn’t leave on a losing season sour note. That’s a far cry from building a program that was to be a Dynasty.

It is a huge blow to the program when the hand picked heir, (not just the DC) up and leaves within 3 hours after a phone call.

Couple that with all the old guard quitting, and the reflection on your abilities after a losing season, looks much less powerful and inspiring than it did before you named your successor.

That’s MB’s latest skin on the wall.

Does he still have something in the basement? We’ll see, but the indicators of the last few years don’t indicate that. No one can estimate the shear weight of what it takes to run a program like Texas and satisfy a fickle demanding fan base like ours.

Against my current feelings, we still owe him 2 years to fix this. With Muschamp gone, we now teeter on the edge of the abyss of mediocrity. There are 5 other Big 12 teams on the rise right now and we aren’t in that pack.

Those teams are not built on a 2-3 year exit strategy.

We were playing for the National Title less than a year ago with Mack as the HC. Some people’s memories are fucking short…

Don’t assume that Mack is able (or willing) to fix what is wrong with the Texas program now. There are a completely different set of probems facing the program now than there were 13 years ago. Mack built his reputation here largly by fixing someone else’s problems – now, he has to identify and address problems that have developed under his watch.

While he’s fixed some clear problems that emerged under his tenure, he also has demonstrated massive blind spots and unyielding stubborness where deficiencies on his staff are concerned. Let’s not pretend otherwise.

It’s very difficult to be able to identify and address problems of your own making – 13 years of doing things a certain way provides for deeply engrained habits that will be very difficult to break. I think Mack deserves a shot at making this right, but I’m not convinced that he can do it and I don’t believe he’s earned a blank check or a long timeline to make it happen.

We need: major OC, smart DC, and Mofit S&C. Throw money at the problem Deloss and pull your head out before it’s too late.

I believe (hope) that MB is up to the job of fixing Texas football again. My reasoning is thus:

Texas has seen multiple DC come and go on to HC jobs. Some of the DC’s were better than others but certainly that last 2 were deemed successful and now are head coaches in the SEC.

Our problems were more related to coaches who were lifers with MB. They were not going anywhere and were satisfied with the job they had. Now that these coaches are no longer with the program, we can now start the process of bringing in new coaches that are looking for advancement. Some of these hires will be successful and some won’t. But there won’t be the long term loyalty issue we had with the former coaches. The new coaches will be looking for advancement and will do their best to make Texas football the best. Yes, this will be to advance their careers but why should I care?

I see zero downside in this wholesale replacement of our former staff. I only see upside…and I am assuming that MB is up to the task of identifying good hires. At least we know that money will not be the issue.

Let the fun begin.

Texoz, ultralight

That’s exactly what I am thinking

@Levander Williams

Don’t you think Mack is getting help with these fixes. I’m sure he has the final say but am just as sure that he has some pretty solid resources.

Have any of the positions been posted yet? I was talking to a former SID of a state school. He said that posting the position requires all candidates to go through the interview process and that something like at least 3 candidates had to be interviewed. If the OC position is not posted yet, I would take that as a strong sign that Major is in the lead for that position. He could be promoted from within immediately, as long as the position has not been posted. That said, if he’s not the one, I don’t understand why none of these positions have been posted yet. Let’s get the 10 day clock running as the posting has to be open for 10 days.

I’m def not part of the “support MB ’til death faction,” but didn’t Mack “fix” the DC issues three years ago to the extent that a significant portion of our fanbase has gone myopic over WM?

moreover, he’s removed GD…which is rather convincing evidence that he IS up to the task of fixing the problem.

with the hire of Shannon — or someone of similar ilk — and some competent offensive coaches, we still come out in a better position than we were in when judging the overall picture. changes need to be made across the board, but I’m conviced that Mack gets this.

@sa

more or less what I was saying. I have to agree with your entire thought process although I think we would both have felt better if it hadn’t taken 13 years for GD to go. That curtain had been pulled back for years.

when mack ousts fat dog i’ll start to think he gets it.

Fastbreak ~ “We were playing for the National Title less than a year ago with Mack as the HC. Some people’s memories are fucking short…”

Ahhh. In addition we are three weeks removed from a (5-7) season of which our HC claimed he ‘never saw it coming.’ I’m not sure how you find it reassuring.

he claimed he never saw it coming and then changed that to entitlement and a NC hangover he saw in the first scrimmage. he’s treading water and better make some good decisions in the next few weeks.

texasmagic -

My personal view (worth the paper it’s written on) is that because Mack is a results-oriented guy, as opposed to a process-oriented guy, it will be a challenge for him to recognize the need to bring in young, innovative and aggressive assistants. Though he did well hiring Muschamp at DC, his other hires at the position are a hodge-podge of styles and philosophies. This communicates to me that Mack doesn’t fully understand how to translate what he wants in a coach into what he needs to look for in coaching candidates.

Frankly, I think he’s just as likely to hit the lottery on the new coaches as he is to hire all the wrong types. Even more likely, he’ll end up with a mix of good and bad hires that don’t necessarily compliment each other. And he won’t have any idea why.

Re: Mack wanted to retire. He is approaching 15 years at the program. He was winding it down and turning over the reigns.

Is this fact or wishful belief ? Can I get a link or something? It seems that this falls into the category of “if you repeat it enough times, it becomes true.” To my knowledge there has never been any public statement remotely indicating this. On the contrary, I recall last year Mack saying on national tv that he was at a point of enjoying coaching football at Texas as much as at any time. Since then, major blind spots have been exposed, but the point of reference for these questionable claims of him being ready to retire pre-date this season.

I can see where Davis being forced out a couple weeks ago represented a critical career game changer that could have been enough to cause Mack to reconsider continuing, but that clearly isn’t happening.

Hiring Shannon and keeping Mack Brown is a huge mistake.

I’ll save this post and be back in two years.

This is setting the program back years.

A&M and OU should be very pleased.

I can’t believe the stupidity that has overtaken the football program.

Mack is almost 60 – TOO OLD.

Maybe akina can throw him some advice to Shannon on the spread. I know he wasn’t a good DC but he’s been under muschamp and is a secondary genius.

“jpsantini–I’d jump on board in a heart beat with you brotha, but Mack has shown his hand. Age isn’t the issue, time in the position is.

By handpicking a successor, that tells the world you are ready to step out soon as long as some unrevealed requirements are met." — Saltshaker

I agree. But what if the requirement is that you will step down as soon as you grow tired of coaching and, at present, you are nowhere near tired of coaching?

Mack clearly isn’t anywhere close to being tired of coaching. If he were he wouldn’t have signed the last contract extension he signed.

I think our disagreement about the HCIW thing lies in what the goal of naming Muschamp the HCIW was to begin with. Some people believe that it was done primarily as Brown’s way of structuring an orderly transition of power from his regime to the next.

However, I think most people now realize this was never the case. The primary, secondary, and tertiary goal in naming Muschamp the HCIW was to keep Muschamp on the staff as DC. Period.

If Mack were killed or taken hostage by terrorists or actually at some point did become burned out and retired, then, great, we had our replacement right here already on campus. But that was never the objective from Texas’ (Mack’s) viewpoint of doing the HCIW thing. It was done purely and simply to retain the services of a very good young DC for as long as possible.

Think back to what was happening when that deal was done. The same thing was happening then that had happened in two of the three previous years. Our DC was about to jump ship to take a head coaching job elsewhere.

About the only way to keep him was to double his salary and to use the HCIW thing, a fairly recent development in college football at the time, in an entirely novel way. Texas used it, not to ensure an orderly transition of power, but as an incentive for a highly thought of assistant coach to turn down the North Carolinas, the Georgia Techs, and even, as it turned out, the Tennessees of the college football world for the eventual opportunity to land one of the top three college coaching jobs in the land.

And it worked.

It worked right up until one of the other top three college coaching destinations stunningly offered Muschamp their head job immediately. No one could have foreseen that development coming. (Especially coming from a place like Florida, which was burned rather badly by the promotion of a DC to the head coaching position only about a decade ago. Foley better hope like hell this hire doesn’t turn out like his last DC-to-head-coach hire turned out because if it does it will be the last hire he makes as AD at Florida.)

I’ve wandered way off track here, but what I’m saying here is that Mack’s naming Will as the HCIW was not because Mack was burned out and planning his exit. Far from it. It was to delay for as long as possible Will’s planning his exit.

@texasmagic,

I see zero downside in this wholesale replacement of our former staff. I only see upside…

The downside is that, whether true or not, the program appears to be in chaos. That, in fact, is what is being reported in the newspapers and on the sports programs of a number of our close rivals. Worst-case scenario is that it’s true. Present reality is that there are reports that a number of quality recruits are reconsidering their commitments. Texas just suffered a 5-7 season without recruiting hurdles to jump. How do you suppose that’ll look three years down the road when this upcoming recruiting class is what’s being put on the field?

Nobody else apply!

Defensive Coordinator Job Posting

Check out the required qualifications. Sounds like it was written specifically for Shannon. The NFL coaching experience requirement narrows it down considerably.

Required qualifications: Bachelor’s degree. Successful experience as an assistant football coach at an elite level. Experience coaching in the NFL. Ability to project the image of the University of Texas and the UT Men’s athletics Department with dignity and grace regardless of circumstances and environments. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Professional demeanor.

Websites are reporting Jim McElwain from Alabama as an OC candidate. Anybody hear any word on this?

 If so, feelings on how that would affect this class and how he would do?

http://utdirect.utexas.edu/pnjobs/pnjobsvw.WBX?job_nbr=10-12-13-01-0807

Can someone get Scipio to send in a resume?

Jim McElwain – 1 year coaching in the NFL.

Of course those minimums could just be a fake out. But Withers did spend 3 years coaching for Mack here.

Oops, Austin Peay isn’t I-A. So Everett Withers has 13 years of I-A coaching experience and 7 years of NFL coaching experience.

Hmm, wonder why the OC job hasn’t been posted? Does that mean the hire will be internal (Major)?

Ketchum is tracking a private plane from Austin to Miami FWIW.

Looks like the DC job posting was hastily written, in the qualifications they forgot to add:

Minimum 3 forced turnovers per game.

@Hmmm

Giggle.

Looks like the DC job posting was hastily written, in the qualifications they forgot to add: Minimum 3 forced turnovers per game.

Hmmm is today’s winner.

Explosively funny hmm.

So they post a position for the DC, but not the OC position? GDGD offciially resigned last Monday and no posting. Muschamp quit last Thursday, according to other reports, and the posting is up today. What gives? Does this mean they’re promoting Applewhite to the OC position? Or is there an OC posting that was missed?

How good of a recruiter is Withers?

The delay on the OC posting could point to MA as Co-OC and post the other half of the ‘Co’ until suitable for the desired candidate, i.e. after bowl game. Harsin?

That private plane from Austin to Miami has nothing at all to do with football so ketchum is wasting his time.

But shaggybevo investigators have already uncovered that it is registered to a firm that has two Longhorn alumni on the payroll and are related to the person whose name is on the registration (all Youngbloods).

Not to mention, they’ve already met me at the airport!

Job looks written more for Teryl Austin, current Florida DC.

This is all a practical joke by Mack and Will. Switch-em change-o.

Ok, I ’ll start looking for an airplane tracking from Miami to Gainesville.

Sure would like to take a run at Bud Foster from Virginia Tech. If nothing else, because we can.

“He’s average against Top 25 teams and below average against Top 10 teams. "

Um, most teams LOSE BIG TIME against top-ten teams, so “average against Top 10 teams” is blown out by 50 points.

Sheesh.

“The delay on the OC posting could point to MA as Co-OC and post the other half of the ‘Co’ until suitable for the desired candidate, i.e. after bowl game.”

Buy.

Jay Norvell and Josh Heupel just named Co-OCs at OU. Heupel will call the plays.

“Jay Norvell and Josh Heupel just named Co-OCs at OU. Heupel will call the plays.”

You’d have to be CWAZIE to hire your former QB as co-OC.

Another Fire Mack Brown post from Barking Carnival disguised as something more thoughtful.

Malzahn staying at Auburn and not accepting Vandy job.

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/12/auburns_gus_malzahn_turns_down.html

Bob Stoops announced that Josh Heupel will be calling plays for Fiesta Bowl and going forward.

“Another Fire Mack Brown post from… "

Wait a few and you’ll see the inevitable “Belmont will be SO PISSED when they read this” fanboy comment.

I know manual dexterity will be a key requirement as is use of a keyboard. Other than that, I don’t have much in-site. Must be able to climb ladders and do some lifting.

Good gosh, not Carl Pelini. If Mack stoops that low, then might as well take Leach, too.

“Malzahn staying at Auburn and not accepting Vandy job.”

Vandy is obviously not his dream job. Prolly would have jumped at Florida if they had not asked Muschamp first. Muschamp should be thankful for being named HCIW, otherwise he might be coaching at Tennessee today.

“Good gosh, not Carl Pelini.”

Did I see “experienced Aggie-puncher” on that job posting?

i’d bet money on shannon or austin in that order.

No announcment today per Alan Trubow after speaking with Bianco.

“Jay Norvell and Josh Heupel just named Co-OCs at OU. Heupel will call the plays.”

This is good news for the Horns, was getting worried that OU may hire Leach again as an OC for a few seasons.

Colorado should just hire this staff:

HC: Mike Leach
OC: Mike Mangino
D-Line/Co-DC: Ed Olgeron
DB’s/Co-DC: Carl Pelini

Add in the former USF coach and let the chips fall where they may.

“Judging from the lists of defensive coordinators going traveling the rumour mill you might guess that "African American" is a qualifier for the next defensive coordinator.”

Brilliant. We are gasping for our last breath of life and we decide now is the time to apply affirmative action to our coaching staff.

Let’s find the very best DC and OC we possibly can find. If the best DC out there is Shannon, then get the guy hired today. Nonetheless, please make this a color-blind hire of the best coach. Of all times in the history of this program, now is not the time for a social experiment.

What would the program look like in 2012 with Patterson or Peterson at the helm? Would either know how to coach a 5 star athlete, or would they just sit and gaze at these mystical creatures like cavemen first being introduced to fire. I’m not advocating running Mack out of town on a rail. I’m simply asking, why would a university with seemingly limitless resourses not explore each and every viable option?
No single person is bigger than the program.

Not unlike the great Ron Burgundy, I hate question marks. Sometimes I refuse to use them at all…

jpsantini: Good thoughts, but I think you are being naive if you believe that Mack’s ability to rebuild Texas in 1998 is a better indication of whether he can do so in 2011 than Muschamp’s resume is as an indicator of whether he will be successful at Florida.

This is the same kind of thinking that lands people like Norv Turner or Mike Shanahan job after job after job. In many fields, a man’s greatest contribution comes in his late 20s. I don’t think that’s the case in football but the correct answer is definitely not 60 years old. How many 60 year olds do you know?

Ag in TX: Greg Davis’ scheme actually required a lot of the same adjustment from OL, QB and WR in accordance to what they saw on the field. I think the real adjustment for us in switching to their scheme is in getting TE/HB guys that can handle all of Harsin’s pre-snap motion and his blocking assignments. Our guys have barely handled even blocking, much less having to think or move before doing so.

Apologies to all for not using an image of Opie as a lead image. Obvious oversight, won’t happen again.

You don’t know what the damn question is much less the definitive correct answer, Nickel. Will Muschamp can’t hold Mack Brown’s fucking jockstrap. At any age.

Are you a joke?

Since I can’t get back the time I spent reading that clumsy post, I’m left sad. Sad that I am no longer in my 20’s climbing to the top of the many fields where man’s greatest contributions are born. The best thing about your post was your willingness to freely admit when you were talking about things you didn’t know anything about. Let’s not lose that quality now. The best thing about people in their 20’s is how easy they are to fuck with and how great they look while we’re fucking with them. You must think that the people hiring Turner and Shanahan don’t know what they’re doing. And by your logic, you would be right. Because they are all, everyone of them, not in their 20’s.

CasualObserver- really weak. It’s pretty clear you didn’t understand the post.

CasualObserver, I predict that your prostate gland will reach critical mass before any OC/DC hiring announcement, thus rendering your manliness as impotent as your posts.

The name is Mark …not Mike