I wouldn't put too much thought into the statement. I think it would be foolish to firmly plant yourself on either side of it. I truly believe him in that I don't think he's going to be like Huff and actively looking for other jobs. That if this was his last job before retirement, that he'd be content.
However. I do not believe for a second that if he gets us rolling and a couple of the more reputable P4s come calling that he wouldn't answer.
As long as he's not looking past us, then I'm happy.
While I agree with your first statement, that he wouldn't look past MU, initially, I'm not comfortable he's locked in for 5 years with the highest contract we've ever paid a HC as far as I know.
The biggest complaint has always been, "We never hire a guy with previous HC experience" and this guy is basically giving me Mark Snyder vibes. He's had defenses that weren't the greatest minus a few years here and there, riding the coat tails of the more notable head coach (Tressel for Snyder, Rich Rod for Gibson).
I feel he was a panic hire because MU and their fans were so shocked a young HC, with no connections to MU, would ever leave after such a season (regardless of where).
They had to find someone with some sort of ties to either WV or MU and found Gibson as a means to make themselves (and fans) believe that, "if he's from WV or an MU guy he will remain loyal to the program."
Which is a double edged sword:
For one thing, it went against a huge complaint from fans, "we gotta stop hiring within MU or WV, find ourselves a good motivated guy who'll use MU to elevate his career and leave."
Huff was EXACTLY that...
Now, with the portal, NIL, and the painful reality that MU is NOT a destination for head coaches...MU and the fans are seeing just how vulnerable everything is.
When Huff left, we saw how little MU as a football program means to anyone outside of it.
The other part, is you're going to get someone who may/may not turn out to be successful...the last guys MU hired with any connections to MU or WV, didn't set the world on fire with the fans and didn't win as much as the fans expected (even if some were irrational).
MU may be stuck with a high buyout and 5 win seasons because they decided to give the guy from WV a chance...something they absolutely were tired of a hire or two ago.
Even if Gibson is successful, there's still the issue of losing him to a higher bidder regardless.
But the fans will have to stomach the potential lie he told at his presser about it "being his last stop" which, after seeing how many players and coaches have said similar comments and then bolted on their programs, are somehow legitimately believing it wouldn't happen here?
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