If Tony Dungy is so popular, why aren't people mentioning...

[BleedGopher]

This appears to be the criteria for the pipe dream of Dungy, which isn't going to happen. But from the many threads, it appears as if people like Dungy because:

- Big name
- Successful HC
- Super Bowl ring
- Has had success coaching O (Indy) and D (Tampa)
- Has ties to Minnesota
- Still in the game doing commentary (NBC) so his name is still fresh
- Mature enough, but not too old
- NFL playing experience

It seems to me like every single item above (including the one that Dungy doesn't have - his wife doesn't want to move up to the cold) could be had with Brian Billick.

- Big name - check
- Successful HC - check
- Super Bowl ring - check
- Has had success coaching O and/or D (both would be preferable) - Vikes O in 98, Balt D
- Has ties to Minnesota - check
- Still in the game doing commentary (CBS) so his name is still fresh - check
- Mature enough, but not too old - check (one year older than Dungy)
- NFL playing experience - check

Billick is a BYU college graduate and here is his coaching resume:

BYU - grad assistant
San Diego State - TE coach
Utah State - offensive coordinator
Stanford - assistant HC and TE coach
Vikings - offensive coordinator
Ravens - HC, won Super Bowl

The only thing on his resume that he doesn't have is that he isn't "one of us" (re: Gophers) but he did spend some good time in the Cities a lot more recently than Dungy.

Obviously I get the appeal of Dungy, but am realistic in that happening. So if the criteria for Dungy is correct above, then Billick should be on the list as well.*



*I'd still advocate for a successful BCS HC with a proven college track record, but throwing the Billick name out there as a more attainable version of Dungy.

Go Gophers!!

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

They could do a lot worse than Brian Billick. The appeal of Dungy is that it seems like he'd be in it because he wants to help the U build a highly-respected football program. Billick would be in it so he could work himself into another (better) head coaching gig. I still think Billick could work.

 

[FireCosgroveGuy]

I really like Billick when I hear him calling games and on KFAN (he calls in frequently on Barreiro's show) but I don't know how good he would be in college. How do you project him to recruiting and dealing with 18 year old kids? I think its pretty hard. I'd like to get a college coach if we could.

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

I really like Billick when I hear him calling games and on KFAN (he calls in frequently on Barreiro's show) but I don't know how good he would be in college. How do you project him to recruiting and dealing with 18 year old kids? I think its pretty hard. I'd like to get a college coach if we could.

I feel the same way about Billick as I do about Gruden. They're great coaches, but the kids that they are going to have to go out and recruit were about 7 years old the last time these guys were really relevant in coaching.

 

[howeda7]

I feel the same way about Billick as I do about Gruden. They're great coaches, but the kids that they are going to have to go out and recruit were about 7 years old the last time these guys were really relevant in coaching.

The recruiting is important but the 'relevant' aspect is over-rated. If the TE coach of the Broncos can recruit (supposedly) so can Brian Billick if he wants to. In truth he's not a bad idea. I always thought he was a bit of an arrogant prick (he is) but he can coach.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I feel the same way about Billick as I do about Gruden. They're great coaches, but the kids that they are going to have to go out and recruit were about 7 years old the last time these guys were really relevant in coaching.

I don't really like the idea of Billick or Gruden for a lot of reasons, but recruiting isn't one of them. Despite the fact that they haven't coached in awhile, more kids are still going to know who Gruden or Billick are than the average college coach. These are still relevant football minds who would have a lot of name familiarity who would walk into a HS kids house wearing a Super Bowl ring (for a teach they coached), and they could talk about coaching Randy Moss, Ray Lewis, Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, etc.

I really like the idea of Al Golden as a coach, but which do you think is more compelling to a lot of 17/18 yr old kids...

#1: "Hey, I turned around Temple and brought them to the Eagle Bank Bowl two years ago"

or

#2: "I've won a Super Bowl, I've coached Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, and Jon Ogden, etc."

NOTE: I'd rather have Golden than Billick, but I don't think recruiting would be a gigantic problem.

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

You're right. I've overlooked a giant piece of recruiting. In a lot of cases, you're not selling your program to the kid, you're selling it to his parents too. Major pull for a Super Bowl winning coach.

 

[Section2]

I feel the same way about Billick as I do about Gruden. They're great coaches, but the kids that they are going to have to go out and recruit were about 7 years old the last time these guys were really relevant in coaching.

Gruden is still relevant because he's on Monday Night Football. He coached in Florida. He has the perfect personality for a recruiter and college coach. Billick is old and like your 11th grade math teacher. I wouldn't compare the two at all.

 

[DarrenTheGreek]

Billick > Sherman. Sherman has been mediocre at TAM but if a program like the Aggies thinks Sherman can make the transition to the college game then a program like the Gophers should have no problem offering a guy like Billick. He'd probably have no interest but I agree with the person who said we could do a LOT worse than Brian Billick.

 

[Maverick]

So what if Brian Billick uses Mn as a stepping stone for "better things". Let's take a professional and pragmatic approach to this and tell Brian to hire as his OC or DC his protege' and future head coach of the gophers.... 3-6 years later wala!

 

[dpodoll68]

I think its pretty hard.

but he did spend some good time in the Cities a lot more recently than Dungy

Dungy left in 1996. Billick left in 1999. I don't think it's relevant, because most local kids coming up probably wouldn't remember either coach in their Vikings incarnation, as they would've been 6 years old at most.

But the rest of your post was spot on!

 

[ruralgopher]

I'd be happy with Billick. Hopefully he could do here what Wandstedt has done at Pitt.

I'm not so concerned about the stepping stone thing as my dream would be to get sombody in here for 5+ years and re-establish the program, and hopefully in that time Sauter establishes himself as a legit coach and we can hire him to be our coach for the next 20 years and not have to worry about 'stepping stone' coaches anymore.

 

[at the bar]

Billick has a cabin on Lake Vermillion and spends a lot of time in the summer up there. He obviously still really likes MN.

 

[Law_Abiding_Gopher]

I'd be happy with Billick. Hopefully he could do here what Wandstedt has done at Pitt.

Wandstedt took a team with winning records every year from 2000 - 2005 and did the following.

Pittsburgh Panthers (Big East Conference) (2005–Present)
2005 Pittsburgh 5–6 4–3
2006 Pittsburgh 6–6 2–5
2007 Pittsburgh 5–7 3–4
2008 Pittsburgh 9–4 5–2
2009 Pittsburgh 10–3 5–2
2010 Pittsburgh 2–2 0–0
Total: 37–27

We had Wandstedt with Mason. I'm not saying Billick and possible Billick success has anything to do with Wandstedt's record at Pitt, I'm simply saying, don't compare Wandstedt to Billick ever again. Billick was a better pro coach by far.

 

[ruralgopher]

We had Wandstedt with Mason. I'm not saying Billick and possible Billick success has anything to do with Wandstedt's record at Pitt, I'm simply saying, don't compare Wandstedt to Billick ever again.

In 5 completed seasons at Pitt he has 2 2nd place conf. finishes and 2 3rd place conf finishes. I'd take that.

 

[dpodoll68]

We had Wandstedt with Mason.

I don't think so Tim. Mason went .500+ twice in 10 years. Wannstedt has done so thrice in 5 years.

 

[Law_Abiding_Gopher]

the big east is a crap conference.

 

[mom8pop]

Living in Pittsburgh, I have not been impressed with Wannstedt. He has very good talent and manages to lose games he shouldn't every year. And to LAG's point; playing in the Big East pads the schedule quite a bit. His results this year mirror his career - losing to a Utah team in OT and getting blown out by a good team (vs. Miami). He's not terrible, but he's not a star either.

My friends who went to West Virginia were glad he got an extension because they know Pitt will never be an upper-echelon team with him coaching.

Of course, he has managed to surprise WVU a few times and that's likely why he got the extension.

 

[gopherdudepart2]

I would take Brian Billick in a heart beat

He cut his teeth in college coaching. Smart guy and a whiz on understanding what the other team is trying to do. Even though he is an offensive guy he understands that defense wins championships. Billick would need to find some established college coaches with recruiting connections and hire a Brewster charismatic type recruiter for the staff. Billick has credibility as a coach and he seemed to enjoy his time in Minnesota.

No idea if he would even want the job but he would be somebody I would approach if this opportunity arrises. Good football coach.

 

[RodentRampage]

I'd be happy with Billick. Hopefully he could do here what Wandstedt has done at Pitt.

I'm not so concerned about the stepping stone thing as my dream would be to get sombody in here for 5+ years and re-establish the program, and hopefully in that time Sauter establishes himself as a legit coach and we can hire him to be our coach for the next 20 years and not have to worry about 'stepping stone' coaches anymore.

I wish Sauter well, it would be great if he can move up the ranks. If he does well, maybe he could be brought on the staff in a few years. Groom him for when the next coach retires. It would be great to have a coach who is both good and wouldn't ever want to leave. Hiring an alumni gives you the latter, however, it's not much good without the former.

 

[MNfootballfan]

This appears to be the criteria for the pipe dream of Dungy, which isn't going to happen. But from the many threads, it appears as if people like Dungy because:

- Big name
- Successful HC
- Super Bowl ring
- Has had success coaching O (Indy) and D (Tampa)
- Has ties to Minnesota
- Still in the game doing commentary (NBC) so his name is still fresh
- Mature enough, but not too old
- NFL playing experience

It seems to me like every single item above (including the one that Dungy doesn't have - his wife doesn't want to move up to the cold) could be had with Brian Billick.

- Big name - check
- Successful HC - check
- Super Bowl ring - check
- Has had success coaching O and/or D (both would be preferable) - Vikes O in 98, Balt D
- Has ties to Minnesota - check
- Still in the game doing commentary (CBS) so his name is still fresh - check
- Mature enough, but not too old - check (one year older than Dungy)
- NFL playing experience - check

Billick is a BYU college graduate and here is his coaching resume:

BYU - grad assistant
San Diego State - TE coach
Utah State - offensive coordinator
Stanford - assistant HC and TE coach
Vikings - offensive coordinator
Ravens - HC, won Super Bowl

The only thing on his resume that he doesn't have is that he isn't "one of us" (re: Gophers) but he did spend some good time in the Cities a lot more recently than Dungy.

Obviously I get the appeal of Dungy, but am realistic in that happening. So if the criteria for Dungy is correct above, then Billick should be on the list as well.*



*I'd still advocate for a successful BCS HC with a proven college track record, but throwing the Billick name out there as a more attainable version of Dungy.

Go Gophers!!

I would be happy with Brian Billick as our head coach. I would be fine with anyone using us as a stepping stone. That would mean that we had some great years. I don't really think Cincinnati regrets ever hiring Brian Kelly, they may be mad he left, but I don't think they regret hiring him.

I can't believe no one commented on his resume's two biggest bulletpoints! He has twice been a TE coach!!!!!

 

[dpodoll68]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtowYApQNnE

Anyone who appeared on Match Game is fine by me.

 

[Ole]

I think the problem with alot of these names currently in media is that they are VERY comfortable in media, they make alot of money to shoot their mouths off and discuss their opinions, then they go home for a few days and show up again on gameday. Billick would be a great hire, but he would need to be itching to coach again, I don't see it.

 

[Law_Abiding_Gopher]

CNR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtowYApQNnE

Anyone who appeared on Match Game is fine by me.

Good point, I only see one valid candidate for Golden Gopher Football Savior - Charles Nelson Reilly

 

[RodentRampage]

Charles Nelson Reilly did die a few years ago, but at this point I would consider hiring him if we was willing to come back. He does carry some baggage, such as eating brains. This can be overlooked, just so long as he doesn't eat the brains of anyone wearing Maroon and Gold.