Anything and everything about Liberty Flames football. Your comments on games, recruiting and the direction of the program as we move into new era.

Moderators: jcmanson, Sly Fox, BuryYourDuke, Class of 20Something

Who would you target?

Current P5 Head Coach
3
6%
Current G5 Head Coach
12
24%
P5 Coordinator
12
24%
G5 Coordinator
2
4%
P5 Assistant Coach
10
20%
G5 Assistant Coach
1
2%
Current FCS Head Coach
7
14%
Retired/fired FBS/NFL Head Coach
3
6%
User avatar
By R i
Registration Days Posts
#539167
G5 Head coach. I agree with all the sentiment of being hungry for an opportunity, but also feel like LU needs someone that has handled the resources and pressure of the resources well. App State head coach comes to mind. We can pay him more money, and put him in a bigger light to shine. Hiring FCS head coach, or G5 coordinator would be taking a risk that they can handle the pressures that come with being in a highly resourced program. Hiring a former P5 or NFL coach would be taking a risk that they learned from their mistakes.

G5 Head coach is the only one that makes sense to me.
User avatar
By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#539171
Just because someone was let go at a prior job, it does not mean that they aren't a good coach. Many times they were successful and simply had a down year or two. I know it rolls eyes on here, but having a brand name coach does bring some legitimacy to our program and open up opportunities getting into living rooms to close deals.
User avatar
By R i
Registration Days Posts
#539172
I agree, it is just a little harder to trust that philosophy considering Gill is the prototype for that type of hire and it has not panned out.

Ian's track record in hiring coaches shows a different philosophy as well.
User avatar
By VAGolf
Registration Days Posts
#539174
Sly Fox wrote:Just because someone was let go at a prior job, it does not mean that they aren't a good coach. Many times they were successful and simply had a down year or two. I know it rolls eyes on here, but having a brand name coach does bring some legitimacy to our program and open up opportunities getting into living rooms to close deals.

I'm sort of in agreement with Sly here. Our focus needs to be on the next five years and ensuring we have a smooth transition. It's one thing to play Baylor or Wake Forest at the start of the season. It's quite another playing 4+ FBS programs, where one win doesn't get you a week of huge momentum. The recruiting game is also quite different with the added # of scholarships.
By JK37
Registration Days Posts
#539179
Sly’s angle would also lend legitimacy specifically to the FBS Indy move. If a name brand coach joined up, placing his faith it the transition and his career on the line, people will take more notice.

Which I think is kind of why LU has often tried to go with the recognizable name. We keep trying to prove we belong, thenlittle kid at the big kids’ table.
User avatar
By Jonathan Carone
Posts
#539189
JK37 wrote:Sly’s angle would also lend legitimacy specifically to the FBS Indy move. If a name brand coach joined up, placing his faith it the transition and his career on the line, people will take more notice.
Because that worked great for Georgia State.
User avatar
By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#539196
You could argue that Curry helped pave the path for their stadium situation. But obviously wins and losses weren't in his favor. I am not at all opposed to going with young & hungry talent for our next leader. But I also recognize we have a very unique circumstance working around us.
User avatar
By TallyW
Registration Days Posts
#539199
To me, we have a two-part transition here. We have the 5-year window and then the long-term window.

In the 5-year window we need:
- Someone who knows how to win.
- Someone who inspires recruits to come to this situation.
- Someone who has 'been there' in terms of designing a top-flight organizational structure.
- Someone who carries enough weight to have JR believe in him in year 3 when the wins may be tough.
- Someone who gives LU credibility on the national stage so that we are perceived as a 'serious' program... not simply a mid-major with money. We have an opportunity to create distance between ourselves and others like App St, GA St, UTSA, etc. Our goal shouldn't be to have them as our peers.
- Basically, this person comes in to set us up as a legit indy. If they stay longer, fine... but they need to be the adult in the room while we make this transition.

A "name" (established winner) could get recruits out of JUCO tomorrow. An unknown hopeful wouldn't have enough credibility to do so. My thought would be to get the strong name with a reputation now so we can stock the cupboard and get our feet under us.

In the long-term (after the transition)we need:
The young X's & O's guy. My opinion is that a great X's & O's guy who gets beat up for 3 years will not inspire confidence in recruits. A "name" would. A "name" would get a pass for a few years because they'd have a track record on ESPN to sell.

If this combo exists in both the short & long term... (Streeter?) great. If not, go get the stable and strong leader first. They can get recruits and inspire the fan base during these transitional years.
User avatar
By lawrenceq
Registration Days Posts
#539209
I'd hire a FCS Rockstar. A G5 head coach is probably looking to move up to a P5 job. A P5 coordinator probably looking for a G5 job or a bottom of the barrel P5 job they can use to get a top tier P5 job. I'd look at programs like Jacksonville State or JMU for my next head coach.
By ATrain
Registration Days Posts
#539213
Sly Fox wrote:Just because someone was let go at a prior job, it does not mean that they aren't a good coach. Many times they were successful and simply had a down year or two. I know it rolls eyes on here, but having a brand name coach does bring some legitimacy to our program and open up opportunities getting into living rooms to close deals.
So what you're saying is, we should bring Bobby Bowden out of retirement???
User avatar
By Purple Haize
Registration Days Posts
#539222
ATrain wrote:
Sly Fox wrote:Just because someone was let go at a prior job, it does not mean that they aren't a good coach. Many times they were successful and simply had a down year or two. I know it rolls eyes on here, but having a brand name coach does bring some legitimacy to our program and open up opportunities getting into living rooms to close deals.
So what you're saying is, we should bring Bobby Bowden out of retirement???
He has sons
User avatar
By Jonathan Carone
Posts
#539293
They’re both great coaches but they’ve been out of the game for too long. It’s less about x’s and o’s and more about relating to players.
By JK37
Registration Days Posts
#539315
You think Jim Grobe or some other seasoned vet to give us 4-5 transition years is going to be sharing tunes and life advice with youngsters? HC’s here young assistants for that. Surely these kinds of guys would have that kind of self awareness.
User avatar
By Jonathan Carone
Posts
#539317
Music? No. Life advice? Hopefully.

Even while you have assistants who do the large amount of communicating with the players, if the head coach doesn’t understand their make up and know how to communicate with them, it’s not going to be successful. Look no further than our women’s basketball program.
By ballcoach15
Registration Days Posts
#539323
Jonathan Carone wrote:They’re both great coaches but they’ve been out of the game for too long. It’s less about x’s and o’s and more about relating to players.
I agree 100%.
By JK37
Registration Days Posts
#539356
I still think those guys can relate to players. I’m not advocating hard for either one. But ten years out of coaching doesn’t mean they can’t connect. That’s a life skill, and those guys are still living. They may not be Dabo or Pete Carroll.

I just heard Tommy speak at a clinic last year. Dude sounded like he was ready to put on a whistle again that day.
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