Gambling on a Basketball Coach vs. Football Coach

[GrayShouldPlayReceiver]

I understand that head coaching experience does not guarantee future success, but when Maturi swung and missed with Brewster he essentially set the program back at least 8 years. If you gamble with a basketball coach it is much easier to improve. We were fortunate in landing Tubby, but in reality we would have been much better off landing a proven football coach and gamble with the basketball side of things. Yes, hindsight is perfect, but this is where Maturi failed the fans and University.

 

[jovs]

The selection of a football coach has huge finanicial impacts to a University and its athletic department. Basketball is important but not nearly at the level of the football coach. Couple that with the opening of the new stadium, that makes this hire the most important one the Athletic department has had in the last 30 years or so. Maturi made a very risky hire in those circumstances and it failed.

 

[eker0016]

I understand that head coaching experience does not guarantee future success, but when Maturi swung and missed with Brewster he essentially set the program back at least 8 years. If you gamble with a basketball coach it is much easier to improve. We were fortunate in landing Tubby, but in reality we would have been much better off landing a proven football coach and gamble with the basketball side of things. Yes, hindsight is perfect, but this is where Maturi failed the fans and University.

I don't know about 8 years, but I agree that it is easier to take a risk on a basketball coach. With football, you need to implement a system and recruit your guys for that system. Underclassmen can rarely make a positive impact on the field for Big Ten teams. Basketball, you can change styles a lot more easily and freshman and sophomores can make huge impacts on the court.

That said, I like that Brewster was going with a Pro-Style power running game. I hope the next coach continues that mentality. I just wish Brew would have identified that style when he first arrived -- he had a solid RB in Pinnix and a great FB in Valentine...but eschewed that for a finesse game that his players just weren't ready for...and then switched to a different offense once they were becoming accustomed to that. I hope the offensive system and identity stay, but the coaching decisions/playcalling/team management improve under our next coach.

 

[gophmeister]

I too hope we stick with the new offensive philosophy. That's why we should get David Shaw, the offensive coordinator at Stanford. They beat up on Notre Dame's defense all day yesterday. The other thing I liked was ND players were taunting them early on and there was zero reaction from the Standford guys. They just went to work dismantling them. Love the Stanford fullback MAscic, who also plays linebacker.