[Sly Fox]

Let's keep the speculation on the ECU opening to this thread in regard to our coach.

Published: 07:07 AM, Fri Jan 15, 2010
Candidates for East Carolina football job
Where should ECU look?

ECU head coach Skip Holtz announced Thursday he's leaving the Pirates to take a job at South Florida. Here are some potential candidates to replace him in Greenville.

They list seven potential candidates and the last one is very familiar ...

Danny Rocco, Liberty head coach - Rocco has built the Flames from a 1-10 in the season prior to his arrival to 8-3 this season. He's been named Big South Conference Coach of the Year for three years running.

Click Here for Full Story


And his name is starting to pop up on the Rivals board as well.

[ToTheLeft]

I think a lot has to go wrong for Danny to be the guy. They have enough cash there to get who they want, and while Danny might be a favorite of the AD, the boosters aren't gonna be crazy about Danny if guys like Golden and Foster are out there.

That being said, if things fall apart for the other candidates, Danny would probably jump at the pay raise they'd give him, and I couldn't blame him. That would be a great job for him.

[jcmanson]

I don't think Golden will make the move.

I don't think Foster will make the move.

[olldflame]

Another thing to consider is that ECU does not look to me to be a great fit for Rocco as a person. Football wise it might be fine, but we're talking about going from LU to one of the notorious party schools in the country. It would be a major culture/environment change for him and his family.

[olldflame]

I don't think Golden will make the move.

I don't think Foster will make the move.

I tend to agree on Foster. He just doesn't seem to really want to be a head coach.

I see absolutely no reason why Golden wouldn't. Read Smoothie's posts on the subject. Temple is a HORRIBLE football school, and what he has done there borders on miraculous. ECU would be a huge step up.

[Rooster Cogburn]

But Bud Foster is the ideal coach.

Teel is a wise man: http://tinyurl.com/yemc3p9

Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster has been an assistant coach for 29 seasons, and if he truly aspires to wear the big whistle, East Carolina is an ideal opportunity.

[jcmanson]

I don't think Golden will make the move.

I don't think Foster will make the move.

I tend to agree on Foster. He just doesn't seem to really want to be a head coach.

I see absolutely no reason why Golden wouldn't. Read Smoothie's posts on the subject. Temple is a HORRIBLE football school, and what he has done there borders on miraculous. ECU would be a huge step up.

If I'm Golden, my next step would be a low BCS not from MAC to CUSA.

[olldflame]

Golden is only 40. Plenty of time to make the big time, and ECU would be a big step in that direction, and more importantly get him out of Temple. It really is that bad.

[Rooster Cogburn]

Would Wachenheim be a viable head coach for us?

NO!

[jcmanson]

Hopefully we don't need another coach for a couple more years because the guy I'd like to be our next coach isn't quite ready.

[Chris Lang]

Smooth is right on Temple. That is not a good job long term. East Carolina can be a tremendous job. It pays well, the school puts money into the sport, there's fan support, and ECU plays the sort of schedule that can get it in the BCS conversation if it can win some games. You can't just look at this as "a Conference USA" job. Some schools are better than others in that league -- ECU, Southern Miss, Houston especially. Would Boise State be just "a WAC job?" There's a difference in prestige between Boise State and San Jose State.

You're not moving up from Temple to any BCS-level school, unless it's one of the lesser Big East jobs like Syracuse. ECU would be a giant step up from Temple.

[ToTheLeft]

Hopefully we don't need another coach for a couple more years because the guy I'd like to be our next coach isn't quite ready.

Or is he?

He's into his 30's, has been coaching since '02, here since '06, that's pretty good experience. I assume we're thinking of the same guy, right?

[olldflame]

Lang is right on target. Despite their record in the last couple of years under Golden, as an overall program (facilities, fan support, etc.) Temple is in the sub-basement of the MAC. ECU on the other hand is in almost a dominant position in C-USA.

[jcmanson]

Hopefully we don't need another coach for a couple more years because the guy I'd like to be our next coach isn't quite ready.

Or is he?

He's into his 30's, has been coaching since '02, here since '06, that's pretty good experience. I assume we're thinking of the same guy, right?

yep

[olldflame]

If Rocco left now, I think he should be on the list of candidates. If he were to leave in a couple of more years, I'm thinking he would be at the top of it.

I assume you are talking about Brandon Streeter.

[flames1971]

Hopefully we don't need another coach for a couple more years because the guy I'd like to be our next coach isn't quite ready.

Or is he?

He's into his 30's, has been coaching since '02, here since '06, that's pretty good experience. I assume we're thinking of the same guy, right?

yep

Brandon Streeter?

[ToTheLeft]

Yes, we're thinking of Brandon Streeter. And if Rocco is here until 2012 or beyond, I think Streeter would be the #1 guy for the job, assuming he stays.

[Rooster Cogburn]

I still have to go with my gut and say Coach Rocco is not going anywhere this year. I just don't think he will leave having not yet fulfilled his stated goal of making the playoffs. I also think several big names would have to fall through before he even gets a call.

[flamesfan30]

if he stays here for even 2 or three more years i think he'll be in serious contention for some low to mid level BCS jobs. its in his best interest to stay here and bide his time.

[bigsmooth]

thank you mr. lang for furthering my point on Golden. I must admit that Tommy Bowden would be a good hire for them, but again, im not sure that would be a Holland type of coach. i like our chances of keeping Rocco.

[JK37]

if he stays here for even 2 or three more years i think he'll be in serious contention for some low to mid level BCS jobs. its in his best interest to stay here and bide his time.

He'd better not only get to the playoffs, but win in them.

[Chris Lang]

I'm hearing Rick Stockstill, the Middle Tennessee coach, is going to ECU.

[jmdickens]

Another thing to consider is that ECU does not look to me to be a great fit for Rocco as a person. Football wise it might be fine, but we're talking about going from LU to one of the notorious party schools in the country. It would be a major culture/environment change for him and his family.

i have been to ecu before and now after moving to Texas.....ECU is the same as every other state school.

[LUconn]

I'm hearing Rick Stockstill, the Middle Tennessee coach, is going to ECU.

Like, to interview or to coach? I've been wondering when the coach at Middle Tennessee (I honestly didn't know who it was until your post) was going to get noticed for a new gig. They've been pretty decent for a few years now.

[Chris Lang]

To coach, but I can't seem to find any confirmation.