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Posted on 10/26/12 at 5:06 pm to ThaKaptin
This post was edited on 2/10/13 at 9:21 pm
Posted on 10/26/12 at 5:07 pm to Volmanac
I'm ALWAYS wary of Saban defensive assistants because defense is the Nicktator's strong suit and his teams are always, always strong in this area. I had the same fear about Muschamp which is why I didn't want him when his name was originally mentioned, but he is now doing great work at Florida. The thing about Muschamp is that you could argue he had success elsewhere (outside of Saban's shadow), whereas you can't say the same about Kirby.
It's a gamble, as people in this thread have alluded to. Who knows, Smart could be a FANTASTIC head coach, but can Tennessee afford to take the risk that maybe he isn't that good?
It's a gamble, as people in this thread have alluded to. Who knows, Smart could be a FANTASTIC head coach, but can Tennessee afford to take the risk that maybe he isn't that good?
This post was edited on 10/26/12 at 5:08 pm
Posted on 10/26/12 at 5:08 pm to GoBigOrange86
quote:
I'm ALWAYS wary of Saban defensive assistants because defense is the Nicktator's strong suit and his teams are always, always strong in this area.
See my post on the previous page
Posted on 10/26/12 at 5:11 pm to ThaKaptin
quote:
See my post on the previous page
Yeah...that makes me feel a bit better, but you never know.
Some coordinators turn out to be fantastic (Bob Stoops comes immediately to mind), but I would guess plenty more flop. It just makes me nervous to go that route considering our last two hires have bombed (for different reasons...I think Kiffin is a good coach).
Posted on 10/26/12 at 5:12 pm to ThaKaptin
one can tell on the sidelines when the D is playing that it is all KS making the calls..NS is calmly listening..Now I am sure when they have a TO to discuss some things that he chimes in. He has publicly praised KS after a lot of games with his game plan and his calls.
Posted on 10/26/12 at 5:14 pm to GoBigOrange86
You guys are in the top 15 in all time wins...You should be able to garner an experience college HC..IF not then it speaks of the dumpster fire of the fulmer and kiffin mess that experienced guys may still see being around the program. You have an AD who has a ton of experience
Posted on 10/26/12 at 5:17 pm to mrbroker
This post was edited on 2/10/13 at 9:21 pm
Posted on 10/26/12 at 5:18 pm to mrbroker
quote:
You guys are in the top 15 in all time wins.
We're 9th (8th if you take away the vacated Penn State wins).
The thing is, sure Tennessee COULD attract a top-flight coach. However, it has rarely been the MO of our big money folks to try to break the bank with a hire. The one possible exception might be Johnny Majors, who was coming off winning a national title at Pittsburgh, but Fulmer was an assistant, Kiffin had been an NFL head coach but not a successful one (however, his staff demanded a fair bit of money), and Dooley was a mediocre LA Tech coach.
This is the issue: does Tennessee recognize that this kind of hiring strategy won't cut it anymore in today's college football world? If Tennessee goes cheap again, do they run the risk of alienating the fan base even further and seeing a drop in season ticket holders? If they do (and there is some evidence which suggests the boosters are ready to open up the wallets this time), then they have a chance to make a splash. If they insist on being as conservative as they usually are, then things may turn around slightly (and they should with better coaching), but Tennessee still won't be able to consistently compete with the best the SEC has to offer.
Posted on 10/26/12 at 5:20 pm to Volmanac
Kirby Smart is the #1 mystery man in the SEC. You have no idea what kind of coach he is, because he hasn't held a big time position outside of Saban.
This post was edited on 10/26/12 at 5:21 pm
Posted on 10/26/12 at 5:21 pm to JDM1992
quote:
The reason they couldn't get a coach in 2009 (at least one better than Dooley) was because of the countless rumors of Kiffin's violations. Coaches, especially older coaches, have a respect for Tennessee's program. You should be able to find an experienced coach.
The other thing is that Tennessee was a dumpster fire in terms of its roster. Will Muschamp took one look and said, "Uh...no thanks." He felt he wouldn't get enough time to rebuild.
That's part of the reason that a contract for a coach even of Dooley's caliber is very favorable -- Tennessee in early 2010 was a monster rebuilding job in far and away the best conference in the country. The Vols were playing the nation's best (and continue to do so), and that coupled with the terrible depth and talent issues made it a VERY unattractive job.
The thing is, if you bash Dooley for not winning (which is fair), he deserves a good deal of credit for stabilizing the roster and bringing in some talent. Tennessee has the players to compete for the East (maybe not win it, but certainly be in the discussion), but the wins aren't coming. So while some would look at Tennessee's won-loss record this year and conclude that it's the same dumpster fire it was in '10 and '11, that's a bit misleading. The team is considerably better than it was the last two years (this team would beat the 2010 or 2011 Vols by a couple of scores), but they aren't breaking through and getting the big wins. That, unfortunately, will be Dooley's downfall.
Posted on 10/26/12 at 5:23 pm to diddydirtyAubie
The thing that would concern me about Kirby is his lack of game management experience. He has never been responsible for clock management and that is crucial in big games.
Posted on 10/26/12 at 5:25 pm to diddydirtyAubie
quote:
Kirby Smart is the #1 mystery man in the SEC. You have no idea what kind of coach he is, because he hasn't held a big time position outside of Saban.
This is the gamble right here. You see potential, but you just dont know for sure. I personally lean on the side of giving him the benefit of the doubt. I'd love to have him at Bama after Saban retires, but I would like for him to get a few years under his belt at another school first. A lot of coaching is trial and error, not just in strategy, but also in management. It takes a little time to get that kind of stuff down before you are ready to compete on the big boy level like Alabama does.
Posted on 10/26/12 at 5:29 pm to GoBigOrange86
I will say this. Kirby Smart is fantastic at running and calling that defense. He knows what type of personnel it takes to run it.
That defense; however, is only a small part of Saban's success. It is the way he runs the program from top to bottom as a perfectionist emperor that causes the success. He is type A, OCD, and micromanages many facets of the program.
If Kirby has learned to do that, recruit, and hire great assistants, then he could be deadly. If all he knows how to do is build and run the defense, then he will never be on Saban's level.
That being said, no one has ever got to see if he knows how to do the other yet. So...Who knows?
That defense; however, is only a small part of Saban's success. It is the way he runs the program from top to bottom as a perfectionist emperor that causes the success. He is type A, OCD, and micromanages many facets of the program.
If Kirby has learned to do that, recruit, and hire great assistants, then he could be deadly. If all he knows how to do is build and run the defense, then he will never be on Saban's level.
That being said, no one has ever got to see if he knows how to do the other yet. So...Who knows?
Posted on 10/26/12 at 5:47 pm to GoBigOrange86
...logic says that tennessee is done for now with "up and comers." kiffin and dooley is probably enough of that stuff for the vols... look for tennessee to go after an experienced coach with a big checkbook, proven to win in a major conference.
arkansas on the other hand, may be the most willing to take the gamble with kirby smart.
auburn might also, but the perception there may be that kirby is a bama guy, and they may shy away on that pretense alone, even though, kirby has recruiting bases in the southeast, so i wouldn't rule it out.. auburn just doesn't seem like a fit for kirby.
one thing for sure, kirby will be entertaining offers at regular season's end. he is the hottest "new guy" out there.
arkansas on the other hand, may be the most willing to take the gamble with kirby smart.
auburn might also, but the perception there may be that kirby is a bama guy, and they may shy away on that pretense alone, even though, kirby has recruiting bases in the southeast, so i wouldn't rule it out.. auburn just doesn't seem like a fit for kirby.
one thing for sure, kirby will be entertaining offers at regular season's end. he is the hottest "new guy" out there.
Posted on 10/26/12 at 5:50 pm to Volmanac
He's ours; gtfo
Posted on 10/26/12 at 6:48 pm to TooMuchArkyInMe
Pete carroll's is your to lose
Posted on 10/26/12 at 7:08 pm to mrbroker
A gump calling a Vol a hillbilly? Wow I have seen it all
Posted on 10/26/12 at 7:11 pm to Volmanac
Haven't y'all been down the "SABAN TREE" before?
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