Athlon: 6 Coaching Candidates to Replace Tracy Claeys at Minnesota

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Assuming he does want to stay in the Midwest, what better jobs are likely to open in the next couple of years? Notre Dame is obviously a possibility, but they have their own set of unique criteria. Most of the other jobs that are clearly better than the Gophers would probably require the current coach to leave on their own instead of getting fired.
 

There is no good reason the Gophers can't at least be a middle of the pack Big Ten team in terms of recruiting. Recruiting was never a strong point for Kill and there's little reason to think Claeys was going to be better.
 

Are there any under the radar guys that aren't the usual names being thrown out?

Any coordinators perhaps? Brent Venables? Aranda? Could someone like a Pat Narduzzi possibly be lured away for the right amount of money?

More just throwing this out for discussion....
 

FireDaveLee said:
Are there any under the radar guys that aren't the usual names being thrown out?

Any coordinators perhaps? Brent Venables? Aranda? Could someone like a Pat Narduzzi possibly be lured away for the right amount of money?

More just throwing this out for discussion....
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Mike Norvell of Memphis
 

Klieman is exceptional at relating to players and building a winning culture. He had a strong influence in this area even as a DC under Bohl. Fleck is obviously also very strong as a leader in relating to players and driving a successful culture.

A key difference from my observations . . . Fleck has a massive ego, and Klieman has very little ego. Fleck enjoys and absorb the spotlight, while Klieman will deflect it to his players. MN is a different animal than both WMU and Ndsu however, in a lot of different areas.
 


That is why I think Klieman would be a very good fit for you guys. Sure on the surface the connections to your athletic director is huge but there are a lot of other fits that makes sense for the job as well. Again not trying to wish you guys not getting a bigger name but just being logical.
 

Herd said:
Klieman is exceptional at relating to players and building a winning culture. He had a strong influence in this area even as a DC under Bohl. Fleck is obviously also very strong as a leader in relating to players and driving a successful culture.

A key difference from my observations . . . Fleck has a massive ego, and Klieman has very little ego. Fleck enjoys and absorb the spotlight, while Klieman will deflect it to his players. MN is a different animal than both WMU and Ndsu however, in a lot of different areas.
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Klieman's resume is basically.... road Bohl's coatstrings.

He might be the next Saban but that resume is not a lot....
 





Better recruiter? Half these recruits are gang banging in HS. Why come here to get expelled? A NDSU coach come here? Move to a worse fan base?
 







We have no QB/WR play and a stable of running backs. We need a Calhoun, Paul Johnson type system.
 


Fleck is lose-lose. Either he sucks or he wins and bolts.

From that list Bohl is best and the guy from NDSU would be ok.

Honestly, best hope is for Les Miles. Demographically a good fit- 61 so five years and retire with a program built if successful).
 


Bohl's $6.5 million buy-out is not something I would assume your administration would want to deal with at this moment. Would be a great fit but just bad timing.
 

Herd said:
Klieman is exceptional at relating to players and building a winning culture. He had a strong influence in this area even as a DC under Bohl. Fleck is obviously also very strong as a leader in relating to players and driving a successful culture.

A key difference from my observations . . . Fleck has a massive ego, and Klieman has very little ego. Fleck enjoys and absorb the spotlight, while Klieman will deflect it to his players. MN is a different animal than both WMU and Ndsu however, in a lot of different areas.
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Klieman does not put up with his players getting in trouble. Its funny how we never heard about 2 players (one starter , i don;t know about the other) that tested positive before their semi final playoff game and were suspended. I've heard Klieman told them they likely could find a way to be back next year, but he has enough guys waiting in line to be on the football team that they can just hang up their jersey.
 

I don't post here much, but I will throw this in the pot to see thoughts on it...

Ken Niumatalolo, Navy.

Runs a clean program, strong on both sides of the ball, recruits well to Navy, continues the Paul Johnson approach that has been successful at Georgia Tech.
 


SkiUMahLaw said:
I don't post here much, but I will throw this in the pot to see thoughts on it...

Ken Niumatalolo, Navy.

Runs a clean program, strong on both sides of the ball, recruits well to Navy, continues the Paul Johnson approach that has been successful at Georgia Tech.
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I want a coach who will continue to build our "brand" -- to the extent that we have one -- of running the ball and playing defense. But no thanks to some of the coaches mentioned who run the wishbone the entire game. I love watching it when it's on, but that's not a long-term path to success.
 

Winnipegopher said:
Fleck is lose-lose. Either he sucks or he wins and bolts.

From that list Bohl is best and the guy from NDSU would be ok.

Honestly, best hope is for Les Miles. Demographically a good fit- 61 so five years and retire with a program built if successful).
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A coach that left on his own terms because he won at a higher level than any coach in the past 50 years. That'd be nice.
 



GopherWeatherGuy said:
Winning Big Ten coaches almost never leave. Especially after only a 5, 6, 7, 8 win season.
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He is a hustler, Fleck could likely spin a mediocre season into looking better than it was, just as Claeys was somehow able to do the opposite.

FWIW, I was probably too negative on Fleck. I don't think he is the answer but if he came here, it would at least be proof that the administration wants to try to be successful. That would be a positive sign at a time with very few positives.

Since "row the boat" can't move with him, I offer PJ the new mantra of "rock and roll, pound some hole".
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
Klieman's resume is basically.... road Bohl's coatstrings.

He might be the next Saban but that resume is not a lot....
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Unless you understand that Klieman was the defensive architect under Bohl, and the key X&O's guys. When your coach leaves with most of the assistants and there is zero dropoff, that says a lot about Klieman and his role and relationship with the players before coming the HC.
 

KU4LIFE said:
That is why I think Klieman would be a very good fit for you guys. Sure on the surface the connections to your athletic director is huge but there are a lot of other fits that makes sense for the job as well. Again not trying to wish you guys not getting a bigger name but just being logical.
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You see what I see, Kleimen did not ride Bohl's coat strings and he certainly did not just luck into his position. He as much built that NDSU dynasty as Bohl did with his ability to recruit and to relate to his players. In a match up 9 out of 10 times I would be willing to bet that Kleimen would outwit and beat Fleck that many times. I'm not afraid to even admit I am jealous of what NDSU has in their fan base, I wish the Minnesota fan base had a tenth of the passion the Bison fans do for that squad. He has developed and been apart of a winning culture, and like KU4LIFE indicates he puts the spotlight on his players not himself.
To me he is our best chance at rising up a level, and understands Midwest and Big 10 level of football. He beat the Hawkeyes the Gophers didn't with supposedly less talented players in Kinnick. That is audacious, that he went into Kinnick stadium and had his team hand the Hawks their behinds.
I like that, and it will show if we are lucky to get him as our coach. Many will say this is not a Big enough time, if your going to gamble, let's gamble on someone that knows how to win at a school that is similar to ours. After a lot of thought and reflection, this is the guy I think we really need.
 


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