[chris leedlelee]

My understanding is we may have been most worried about Memphis coming after him. If there were a legitimate job for him to leave for this year, that would've been it. I don't think he was a real contender for the P5 jobs, but Memphis being home and what they're willing to pay, it would've been awfully appealing.

I personally don't think Hugh would leave for anything other than a P5 job. His name is too big and he is too comfortable now to leave for a non-P5 school. Ideally, I know he would like to be in the SEC again. You can tell by the way he talks.

[jinxy]

We were going to have to pay 2.5 ish keep him eventually anyway. Might as well be proactive before someone has that chance. Theres a real chance we take a slight step back next year with a tougher schedule no agg no lemonier and new qb . Most of the seniors this year were solid contributors. Depth wise we will be better and guys will step up but next year 7 and 5 would be much more impressive than this year.

Lots of different ways you can look at this.

[R i]

Wonder if Ian knows we are planning on offering Hugh and extension ?

[ANorris]

My understanding is we may have been most worried about Memphis coming after him. If there were a legitimate job for him to leave for this year, that would've been it. I don't think he was a real contender for the P5 jobs, but Memphis being home and what they're willing to pay, it would've been awfully appealing.

That's the only non-P5 job that I worry about. Considering that it is home, pays well, and the program is in good shape.

[ballcoach15]

We were going to have to pay 2.5 ish keep him eventually anyway. Might as well be proactive before someone has that chance. Theres a real chance we take a slight step back next year with a tougher schedule no agg no lemonier and new qb . Most of the seniors this year were solid contributors. Depth wise we will be better and guys will step up but next year 7 and 5 would be much more impressive than this year.

Lots of different ways you can look at this.

I think we will be better next season.

[R i]

Memphis isn't home. He went to high school and was raised in Mississippi. He did live in Memphis from 92-2002 while working and coaching at a high school. So there is a connection. But its not HOME.

Memphis pays decent, but they would need to eat 4 years worth of buy out. Can an AAC school in Memphis afford that ? Looking at their hiring track record, no. I am not worried about Memphis.

[SoD BAS]

LOL he’s not going to Memphis

[BlueBlood]

Memphis isn't home. He went to high school and was raised in Mississippi. He did live in Memphis from 92-2002 while working and coaching at a high school. So there is a connection. But its not HOME.

State lines can mess with perception but don't actually add distance.

[olldflame]

Memphis isn't home. He went to high school and was raised in Mississippi. He did live in Memphis from 92-2002 while working and coaching at a high school. So there is a connection. But its not HOME.

State lines can mess with perception but don't actually add distance.

Exactly. Memphis is only 85 miles from Oxford, where HF was born and raised, and It's by far the largest city in the region.

[Cider Jim]

Memphis isn't home.

The southern novelist William Faulkner (also from Oxford) once said that Mississippi's borders were Memphis to the north and New Orleans to the south.

[R i]

I guess. Still dont see Memphis being his destination or next step.

[Logic]

Memphis is a lateral move. Prove me wrong.

[SumItUp]

Memphis is a lateral move. Prove me wrong.

[BlueBlood]

It’s a better job for now, but it’s an unnecessary extra step. He can go straight from LU to the SEC when the time comes.

[TH Spangler]

My guess is he will stay and try to get us to P5 and make his money here.

[Jonathan Carone]

Memphis is a lateral move. Prove me wrong.

Memphis challenges for the Cotton Bowl.

Liberty challenges for the Cure Bowl.

I rest my case.

[cruzan_flame13]

Sounds nice for short term, but how about long term? Will Memphis continue what they've done this year?

[Jonathan Carone]

Any coach going there would assume he could build on the foundation that’s there now.

We’re a good job, don’t get me wrong. But we are currently on the level of a Sun Belt or CUSA team. The top half of the AAC is clearly better than where we are currently.

[ballcoach15]

Considering we are a first year full FBS team, with mostly FCS recruited players, we are ahead of Memphis. In case anyone didn't know it, Memphis is a "basketball" school.

[thepostman]

We aren't ahead of Memphis. Put your pipe down @ballcoach15.

We may be in the future but we aren't right now. In fact you pretty said so in your comment without realizing it.

[TH Spangler]

If he can take us to P5 and make us a top 25 team, we can't be out bid. Plus I have a feeling his wife is going to like Liberty alot.

[FlamesHighontheTide]

There is something to say about what the wife wants. Many of us who are married can speak to that

[tyndal23]

My guess is he will stay and try to get us to P5 and make his money here.

Don’t get sucked in to that P5 thinking - I am the only one beating that drum - Until we hear it come from Jerry or Ian along with a scheduling plan then we are going to try and be a top level G5 school ( except we don’t get a NY6 bowl ). In which case we will be hiring and losing coaches every 2-3 years just like all the other good G5 schools.

[alabama24]

Memphis is a lateral move. Prove me wrong.

Memphis challenges for the Cotton Bowl.

Liberty challenges for the Cure Bowl.

I rest my case.

I concur, but Liberty has more potential.

[Logic]

Exactly. The potential is all here, not in Memphis.