After careful consideration, I'v narrowed my choice for head coach...

[U2Gopher]

...down to three. This is of course assuming that Peterson, Belloti and Patterson have all said no. In order my three are..

1. Troy Calhoun
2. Ken Niumatalolo
3. Brady Hoke

I kind of like the idea of the option. I know it can be a problem if you fall behind early in games, but it definitely gives you the ability to recruit the ABSOLUTE BEST kids in the country at this style of play. You'll just be one of a handful of teams to run this style. It also presents a look that that the confrence opponents rarely see. I like Calhoun over Niumatalolo because I think given his background, he'll be able to more readily adjust his option offense on the fly to better accomondate the pass if needed. Plus, his level of competition at Air Force has been more difficult than what Navy faces and Calhoun's been successful each year. Air Force also seems to play better defense than Navy, against stiffer competition. So, I'm all in for Calhoun.

On Hoke, I like him only because of his mid-west ties.

Please, no Sumlin, Edsall, Golden or Schiano. I'd rather hire an assistant from a top program over that group.

 

[MNfootballfan]

My top 3:
1) Jim Harbough
2) Gus Malzahn
3) Dan Mullen

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Out of curiousity, why Hoke over Sumlin? They both have the midwest ties...

 

[Seany]

1. Gary Patterson
2. Jerry Kill
3. Troy Calhoun

Kill has currently got his team at 9-2 and on the verge of being nationally ranked. Looking at his history, the guy can just straight-up coach, and has also shown the ability to turn things around very quickly, and it seems like his coaching skills would translate to anywhere. He would be a very solid pick I think.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Seany ~

I think those would be mine as well except i'd probably put a tie for third with Golden, Sumlin and Calhoun.

 

[MSGopher]

My top 3

Of all candidates:

1) Jim Harbaugh;
2) Gary Patterson;
3) Dan Mullen.

Of realistic candidates:

1) Dan Mullen;
2) Brady Hoke;
3) Mike Stoops.

I do not understand the Chris Peterson thing. I know Boise State has been great, but didn't Colorado just try and fail that option with Dan Hawkins?

 

[Wheaton]

Of all candidates:

1) Jim Harbaugh;
2) Gary Patterson;
3) Dan Mullen.

Of realistic candidates:

1) Dan Mullen;
2) Brady Hoke;
3) Mike Stoops.

I do not understand the Chris Peterson thing. I know Boise State has been great, but didn't Colorado just try and fail that option with Dan Hawkins?

Are they going after Petersen? I have heard nothing about that. I can't imagine they have the money to offer Petersen which would allow him to leave. Not only would his salary have to be 2 to 2.5 million, but they would also have to pay his buyout.

 

[U2Gopher]

Out of curiousity, why Hoke over Sumlin? They both have the midwest ties...

The main problem I have with Sumlin is that his teams play NO defense. In his two plus years in Houston his teams are giving up about 30 points per game. I have no desire to watch that every Saturday. San Diego State also like to throw it around a bit but they play much, much better defense in a better league.

 

[gophmeister]

1. Brady Hoke
2. Dan Mullen
3. Troy Calhoun
4. Kevin Sumlin

 

[MSGopher]

Are they going after Petersen? I have heard nothing about that. I can't imagine they have the money to offer Petersen which would allow him to leave. Not only would his salary have to be 2 to 2.5 million, but they would also have to pay his buyout.

I don't know if they are going after Peterson or not. I was just referring to the fact that several on this board have put him high on their wish list.

 

[Bayfieldgopher]

Hands down Kill, assuming the big names turn us down.

 

[Wheaton]

I don't know if they are going after Peterson or not. I was just referring to the fact that several on this board have put him high on their wish list.

Well supposedly football minds across the nation believe that Petersen was the brain child behind Hawkins success.

However, Hawkins was winning back when Boise State was a gimick. Now they are serious contenders playing top-tier teams (When they will play them) and are no longer just a team succeeding in the WAC.

 

[Plinnius]

San Diego State also like to throw it around a bit but they play much, much better defense in a better league.

His Ball State teams never played great defense. And San Diego State runs a 3-3-5 defense, the same scheme that Michigan currently runs. How would the 3-3-5 work against power running teams like Wisconsin?

 

[U2Gopher]

His Ball State teams never played great defense. And San Diego State runs a 3-3-5 defense, the same scheme that Michigan currently runs. How would the 3-3-5 work against power running teams like Wisconsin?

Probably not too good, which is why he's third at best on my list. Still prefer him to Sumlin. Assuming no "huge" name coach steps up, which I doubt, I'm a Calhoun backer!

 

[nemosgold]

I'm still hoping there is someone out there not on a list interested in this job.

 

[loki]

We need a guy who can do more with less, is tough and disciplined, who is willing to run first and play good defense therefore if we cant get a big name I would go with Calhoun as well. It will probably be someone we haven't been talking about

 

[howeda7]

If Bellotti and Richt are both out (I'm not convinced yet on Richt (Go GT!)) and Harbough, Petersen and Patterson were never in, then my current tiers are:

-Hoke (he's growing on me)
-Golden-only second because of the PSU elephant that would be in the room.

-Fulmer
-T. Bowden

-Calhoun
-Kill

-Edsall
-Sumlin

 

[Silvio]

For those of you that like Kill please explain how your line of thinking isn't Dan Monson syndrome?

 

[Bayfieldgopher]

For those of you that like Kill please explain how your line of thinking isn't Dan Monson syndrome?

Take a look at his career record and then add in 9-2 at this point with NIU.
http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_year_by_year.php?coachid=2781

Plus his current squad ranks high in both offense and defense. Not sure about Special Teams.
http://web1.ncaa.org/football/exec/rankingSummary?year=2010&org=503

IMO, he has proved that he can develop a program. Not sure about his recruiting history and where he gets the majority of his players.

 

[Silvio]

Take a look at his career record and then add in 9-2 at this point with NIU.
http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_year_by_year.php?coachid=2781

Plus his current squad ranks high in both offense and defense. Not sure about Special Teams.
http://web1.ncaa.org/football/exec/rankingSummary?year=2010&org=503

IMO, he has proved that he can develop a program. Not sure about his recruiting history and where he gets the majority of his players.

All those same things are true for Dan Monson. They question becomes for Kill will he be a fit and continue to due those things in a Major Conference where he has no experience. He will no be success here recruiting the same types of players he has in the past, will he be able to adjust.

RichRod is a perfect example. For his first couple of years he has been recruiting defensive players like he was still at WV, and figuring he could outscore people and win.

My opinion is that while he would be a good candidate and someone to consider, the gophers need a coach who has more experience in the "big" conferences.

 

[Brick House]

All those same things are true for Dan Monson. They question becomes for Kill will he be a fit and continue to due those things in a Major Conference where he has no experience. He will no be success here recruiting the same types of players he has in the past, will he be able to adjust.

RichRod is a perfect example. For his first couple of years he has been recruiting defensive players like he was still at WV, and figuring he could outscore people and win.

My opinion is that while he would be a good candidate and someone to consider, the gophers need a coach who has more experience in the "big" conferences.

Monson was at Gonzaga for two years, Kill has been successfull for many years. He has had the same staff for about 9 years, which would add stability to the program. Kill has been doing more with less, I think you could do well at the U.

My top three
Mike Stoops
Troy Calhoun
Jerry Kill

 

[Go Gophers Rah]

A lot of good (and realistic) names on this list.

My top 3:
1) Stoops
2) Mullen
3) O'Brien

followed by: Hoke/Sumlin/Calhoun in no particular order.

 

[Seany]

All those same things are true for Dan Monson. They question becomes for Kill will he be a fit and continue to due those things in a Major Conference where he has no experience. He will no be success here recruiting the same types of players he has in the past, will he be able to adjust.

RichRod is a perfect example. For his first couple of years he has been recruiting defensive players like he was still at WV, and figuring he could outscore people and win.

My opinion is that while he would be a good candidate and someone to consider, the gophers need a coach who has more experience in the "big" conferences.

Kill's career has been a steady upward progression, from high school coach to NAIA to FCS to FBS, and he's been highly successful at every step upward (and those steps usually involved turning around downtrodden programs), so I don't see why he couldn't make the leap from FBS to BCS conference school like Minnesota just as well.

And you stated earlier that no one would even be talking about him if he hadn't beaten us earlier this season, and I would strongly disagree with that. Al Golden is on many peoples favorites list, but Kill beat Golden's team earlier this season too. The guy can coach. The reason I like him and the reason he's being mentioned in my opinion is because he's got a very long, successful and proven record as a head coach, albeit all of that at a lower level, but there's no reason why his coaching skills shouldn't translate to this level. Solid, fundamentally strong and sound football works at any level.



http://www.huskiewire.com/multimedia/videos/?id=92

There are some great video links of him there. He's a really smart football guy, and I like what he has to say.