Man this stuff kills me.
Why do the candidates always have to be someone with ties to Marshall. Here are the names that Landon says should be given interviews.
Brad Lambert, Ricky Brumfield, Ja'Juan Seider, Marty Biagi, Gerad Parker, Gunter Brewer, and Jay Hopson.
Would anyone be excited with any of these guys being name HC? I mean maybe Seider, but come on. Does not one think we can do better than this? Always have to be a homecoming retirement job for someone or someone's first gig. Why aren't we interviewing the top FCS coaches? Why are we not at least reaching out to the top OC's in the nation like Clemson's OC. I don't know his situation, but it seems that being the OC of Clemson the last six seasons could be a nice get for us. Their offense is exciting and you know he's going to have some nice recruiting ties.
But let's look at these names.
Brad Lambert.
Sure he's a nice guy and everyone loves him. He does a really good job with the defense, but he is a failed HC. Yes I know that Charlotte was in the birth and building process, but at any time when we played them (yes I know he beat us once) did anyone look at what they were doing and think he was a coach on the rise? Did anyone like what they saw out of Charlotte's offenses or their recruiting? I sure didn't. His in game coaching wasn't any better than Doc's and seeing how he's been here for two years and Doc brought him in you know he and Doc were on the same page with philosophy. So that isn't changing. He isn't going to bring a more aggressive offense in to Huntington. At best Lambert would be our Bill Stewart. The players pick. Sure his hire would probably allow us to stave of the mass exodus of transfers and the players would rally around him for next season, but as time wears on and the team takes on his fingerprints we'd slip backwards. Maybe stay the same, but we wanted Doc gone because his philosophy brought one title in 11 seasons and gave us a lot of heart breaking losses. Why continue that? Yes he's a nice guy, but if at the end of five seasons we maybe have one title are you going to be alright with that because Lambert is a "nicer" guy in the community.
Ricky Brumfield
Ricky is a career assistant coach and is currently serving as UVA's special teams coordinator and TE coach. That is all he's ever been. A special teams coordinator. From 2001-03 he was the STC/WR Coach at Union College, 2004-10 he was the STC/WR Coach at Fairmont State, 2011-12 STC/Safeties Coach at Nicholls State, 2013-15 he was the STC/CB coach at WKU, 2016-17 he was the STC/TE Coach at UTSA, 2018-19 he was the STC for UVA. Landon's reasoning? He is a young coach and has family in WV. Well whoopidy doo! That equals championships!
Marty Biagi
Why Biagi? He's a former Herd kicker who played from 2004-07. Currently he's the Special Teams Coordinator and Defensive Assistant at Purdue. Here are his other stops.
2011: Co-DC for Arkansas-Pinebluff
2012-14: STC/DB Coach at Southern
2015: DB coach at South Dakota
2016: Special Teams Analyst at Notre Dame
2017-19: STC at North Texas
Just don't get the draw with this one either. Not saying he couldn't be a HC, but I would think with where our team currently stands we could get someone more qualified and ready to hit the ground running.
Ju'Juan Seider
If I had to choose from this list I guess that Seider would be my choice. We know that he could recruit. I just don't know what type of HC he would be. He did take shots at the program on his way out on twitter. That makes you wonder what he actually thinks of us. Since leaving us in 2012 he went on to WVU and was their RB coach from 2013-16, then was the RB coach at Florida for 2017, and since 2018 he's been RB coach at PSU. You have to ask the question. If Seider is such a good coach why has he only been a RB coach or recruiting coordinator? Is he just not a younger version of Doc? Remember that was his big selling point was that he was a known recruiter. I know we'd have some talent come in here for sure if Seider was the coach and maybe he'd be more aggressive seeing how he is younger, but he's been in the college coaching ranks since 2008 and he's never made it past RB coach. Why does not one else see anything more from him? Some on here had said when he left he'd be an OC in no time and then we could bring him back after Doc left. Well according to his bio that never happened.
Gerad Parker
First off he's on this list because he coached WRs here from 2011-12 so he gets that big requirement checked off. After that why? He was OC at WVU this past season. Well did anyone watch WVU football this year? I know they were good statistically, but their offense looked an awful lot like ours at times and it was only one season. Is he ready to be a HC. Is he the guy to take Marshall football to the next level?
Gunter Brewer
Why does Landon want Brewer? Because he coached here from 1996-99. He's been at a lot of stops since here. UNC (2000-04, 2012-17), Oklahoma St (2008-10), Ole Miss (2011), Philadelphia Eagles(2018) , and Louisville(2019-present). Brewer is 57 years old and has only made it as high as co-OC in his career. Like Doc no one ever saw fit to give him a shot at being a HC? I mean he's been coaching in college since 1986. I mean 35 years in the coaching ranks and not one time was he a HC. Wasn't that the biggest gripe against Doc at the time he was hired and all through his tenure. That he was just a career assistant? I don't know. I just see an aging coach that's a nostalgic hire to give a buddy a retirement gig. Did we not just do that? Was everyone not happy with that?
Jay Hopson.
Why Jay Hopson? What on earth has he done to say he's the guy to take us to the top of the G5 ranks. He's the guy to win multiple championships. Oh wait. There it is. He coached DBs here from 1996 to 2000. There's the lone qualification someone needs to be our coach. Aside from Lambert, Hopson is the only name here that has actually been a HC and at both levels. We best know him for his lackluster stint at USM. So how did Hopson do as a HC. Well here are his records as a HC.
Alcorn State: 4-7, 9-3, 10-3 with a conference title, and 9-4 with a conference title.
USM: 7-6, 8-5, 6-5, 7-6, 0-1.
Hopson was ran out of Hattiesburg. Why? Because he's teams continued to look like hot garbage. Why do we want him? I know USM was in some bad ways when he got there, but he took over in 2016. He had 4 seasons to turn that program around and he wasn't doing it. They were at best the middle of the road team sharing 2nd place just once in 2018. His watermark was 3rd place. USM isn't a bad program either. They have a solid history and there is good recruiting down there in Mississippi. So why Jay? Does coaching at Marshall 21 years ago really outweigh the rest of his so-so career.
Remember we decided to move on from Doc because he could only win 8-10 games a season and only one championship in 11 seasons. Going to bowls and finishing 2nd and 3rd in the east every year was not good enough. So why aren't we going after higher profile candidates to do what we supposedly want? Why are we not banging down the doors and blowing up the phones of the top OCs and DCs in the nation or combing through the FCS ranks interviewing the Jim Donnan's and Bob Pruett's that are down there winning FCS National Championships? Why is our candidate list full of retreads, former MU position coaches, and buddy hires? I'm not saying they're all bad. Seider is intriguing. However please tell me why Marshall football, especially with where our team currently stands, had to be a primary school or retirement home for coaches with Marshall connections.
It just goes to show you why we don't win multiple championships anymore. Our administration doesn't think that highly of Marshall anymore. We used have a chip on our shoulder and were eager to prove ourselves. To play anyone anywhere and refused to settle for anything less than a championship. it had been that way since we got that taste in our first I-AA National Title appearance and definitely from the time Jim Donnan took the job in 1990. Then somehow about 2005 we lost that fire. We became a program that just does what it can with what it has. If we somehow win a championship great, but as long as we can make a bowl game we're doing alright. Our administration has lost its lust for excellence. It's why our AD went on national tv with a list of all-time great coaches that started with losing seasons trying to justify keeping Mark Snyder. Talk about horrible extensions. It's why we kept Doc for 11 seasons and his seat never really got that hot. It's why were looking for old pals to do us a solid and guide our little program.
Marshall fans want to know why Marshall hasn't been able to replicate the 90s. We want to know why we can't be Boise. Well there's why. Our administration doesn't believe we can and doesn't possess the desire to. It's proof in their practices. Remember guys wanting to have another 1997-2002 run is decades old thinking and CUSA is full of tough hungry opponents. Accept your lot guys. Evidently this is as good as it gets.
Hey maybe I look stupid in a week or two and we hire someone no one ever saw coming, but the list the list of names so far does nothing for me. None of the names are exciting.
Why do the candidates always have to be someone with ties to Marshall. Here are the names that Landon says should be given interviews.
Brad Lambert, Ricky Brumfield, Ja'Juan Seider, Marty Biagi, Gerad Parker, Gunter Brewer, and Jay Hopson.
Would anyone be excited with any of these guys being name HC? I mean maybe Seider, but come on. Does not one think we can do better than this? Always have to be a homecoming retirement job for someone or someone's first gig. Why aren't we interviewing the top FCS coaches? Why are we not at least reaching out to the top OC's in the nation like Clemson's OC. I don't know his situation, but it seems that being the OC of Clemson the last six seasons could be a nice get for us. Their offense is exciting and you know he's going to have some nice recruiting ties.
But let's look at these names.
Brad Lambert.
Sure he's a nice guy and everyone loves him. He does a really good job with the defense, but he is a failed HC. Yes I know that Charlotte was in the birth and building process, but at any time when we played them (yes I know he beat us once) did anyone look at what they were doing and think he was a coach on the rise? Did anyone like what they saw out of Charlotte's offenses or their recruiting? I sure didn't. His in game coaching wasn't any better than Doc's and seeing how he's been here for two years and Doc brought him in you know he and Doc were on the same page with philosophy. So that isn't changing. He isn't going to bring a more aggressive offense in to Huntington. At best Lambert would be our Bill Stewart. The players pick. Sure his hire would probably allow us to stave of the mass exodus of transfers and the players would rally around him for next season, but as time wears on and the team takes on his fingerprints we'd slip backwards. Maybe stay the same, but we wanted Doc gone because his philosophy brought one title in 11 seasons and gave us a lot of heart breaking losses. Why continue that? Yes he's a nice guy, but if at the end of five seasons we maybe have one title are you going to be alright with that because Lambert is a "nicer" guy in the community.
Ricky Brumfield
Ricky is a career assistant coach and is currently serving as UVA's special teams coordinator and TE coach. That is all he's ever been. A special teams coordinator. From 2001-03 he was the STC/WR Coach at Union College, 2004-10 he was the STC/WR Coach at Fairmont State, 2011-12 STC/Safeties Coach at Nicholls State, 2013-15 he was the STC/CB coach at WKU, 2016-17 he was the STC/TE Coach at UTSA, 2018-19 he was the STC for UVA. Landon's reasoning? He is a young coach and has family in WV. Well whoopidy doo! That equals championships!
Marty Biagi
Why Biagi? He's a former Herd kicker who played from 2004-07. Currently he's the Special Teams Coordinator and Defensive Assistant at Purdue. Here are his other stops.
2011: Co-DC for Arkansas-Pinebluff
2012-14: STC/DB Coach at Southern
2015: DB coach at South Dakota
2016: Special Teams Analyst at Notre Dame
2017-19: STC at North Texas
Just don't get the draw with this one either. Not saying he couldn't be a HC, but I would think with where our team currently stands we could get someone more qualified and ready to hit the ground running.
Ju'Juan Seider
If I had to choose from this list I guess that Seider would be my choice. We know that he could recruit. I just don't know what type of HC he would be. He did take shots at the program on his way out on twitter. That makes you wonder what he actually thinks of us. Since leaving us in 2012 he went on to WVU and was their RB coach from 2013-16, then was the RB coach at Florida for 2017, and since 2018 he's been RB coach at PSU. You have to ask the question. If Seider is such a good coach why has he only been a RB coach or recruiting coordinator? Is he just not a younger version of Doc? Remember that was his big selling point was that he was a known recruiter. I know we'd have some talent come in here for sure if Seider was the coach and maybe he'd be more aggressive seeing how he is younger, but he's been in the college coaching ranks since 2008 and he's never made it past RB coach. Why does not one else see anything more from him? Some on here had said when he left he'd be an OC in no time and then we could bring him back after Doc left. Well according to his bio that never happened.
Gerad Parker
First off he's on this list because he coached WRs here from 2011-12 so he gets that big requirement checked off. After that why? He was OC at WVU this past season. Well did anyone watch WVU football this year? I know they were good statistically, but their offense looked an awful lot like ours at times and it was only one season. Is he ready to be a HC. Is he the guy to take Marshall football to the next level?
Gunter Brewer
Why does Landon want Brewer? Because he coached here from 1996-99. He's been at a lot of stops since here. UNC (2000-04, 2012-17), Oklahoma St (2008-10), Ole Miss (2011), Philadelphia Eagles(2018) , and Louisville(2019-present). Brewer is 57 years old and has only made it as high as co-OC in his career. Like Doc no one ever saw fit to give him a shot at being a HC? I mean he's been coaching in college since 1986. I mean 35 years in the coaching ranks and not one time was he a HC. Wasn't that the biggest gripe against Doc at the time he was hired and all through his tenure. That he was just a career assistant? I don't know. I just see an aging coach that's a nostalgic hire to give a buddy a retirement gig. Did we not just do that? Was everyone not happy with that?
Jay Hopson.
Why Jay Hopson? What on earth has he done to say he's the guy to take us to the top of the G5 ranks. He's the guy to win multiple championships. Oh wait. There it is. He coached DBs here from 1996 to 2000. There's the lone qualification someone needs to be our coach. Aside from Lambert, Hopson is the only name here that has actually been a HC and at both levels. We best know him for his lackluster stint at USM. So how did Hopson do as a HC. Well here are his records as a HC.
Alcorn State: 4-7, 9-3, 10-3 with a conference title, and 9-4 with a conference title.
USM: 7-6, 8-5, 6-5, 7-6, 0-1.
Hopson was ran out of Hattiesburg. Why? Because he's teams continued to look like hot garbage. Why do we want him? I know USM was in some bad ways when he got there, but he took over in 2016. He had 4 seasons to turn that program around and he wasn't doing it. They were at best the middle of the road team sharing 2nd place just once in 2018. His watermark was 3rd place. USM isn't a bad program either. They have a solid history and there is good recruiting down there in Mississippi. So why Jay? Does coaching at Marshall 21 years ago really outweigh the rest of his so-so career.
Remember we decided to move on from Doc because he could only win 8-10 games a season and only one championship in 11 seasons. Going to bowls and finishing 2nd and 3rd in the east every year was not good enough. So why aren't we going after higher profile candidates to do what we supposedly want? Why are we not banging down the doors and blowing up the phones of the top OCs and DCs in the nation or combing through the FCS ranks interviewing the Jim Donnan's and Bob Pruett's that are down there winning FCS National Championships? Why is our candidate list full of retreads, former MU position coaches, and buddy hires? I'm not saying they're all bad. Seider is intriguing. However please tell me why Marshall football, especially with where our team currently stands, had to be a primary school or retirement home for coaches with Marshall connections.
It just goes to show you why we don't win multiple championships anymore. Our administration doesn't think that highly of Marshall anymore. We used have a chip on our shoulder and were eager to prove ourselves. To play anyone anywhere and refused to settle for anything less than a championship. it had been that way since we got that taste in our first I-AA National Title appearance and definitely from the time Jim Donnan took the job in 1990. Then somehow about 2005 we lost that fire. We became a program that just does what it can with what it has. If we somehow win a championship great, but as long as we can make a bowl game we're doing alright. Our administration has lost its lust for excellence. It's why our AD went on national tv with a list of all-time great coaches that started with losing seasons trying to justify keeping Mark Snyder. Talk about horrible extensions. It's why we kept Doc for 11 seasons and his seat never really got that hot. It's why were looking for old pals to do us a solid and guide our little program.
Marshall fans want to know why Marshall hasn't been able to replicate the 90s. We want to know why we can't be Boise. Well there's why. Our administration doesn't believe we can and doesn't possess the desire to. It's proof in their practices. Remember guys wanting to have another 1997-2002 run is decades old thinking and CUSA is full of tough hungry opponents. Accept your lot guys. Evidently this is as good as it gets.
Hey maybe I look stupid in a week or two and we hire someone no one ever saw coming, but the list the list of names so far does nothing for me. None of the names are exciting.