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GopherLady

GopherLady

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Let me preface this by saying, I haven't read one thread on GH since Sunday, as I've been out of the country. I have a dial-up like internet connection (forgot how it was in the olden days, haha), so if this has been posted I apologize.

Anyways, I heard from an extremely reliable source that these look to be the front runners:

Mike Leach
Mike Stoops
Tommy Tubberville
Kevin Sumlin

Stoops is a Big Ten guy at heart and I'm wondering how happy he is out west? What is everyone thoughts on him?

Honestly, I can't see Maturi hiring Leach...but that's just my thoughts.
 

That is an awfully depressing list, GopherLady. :(

Sumlin's a pretty good coach but a little bit of a gamble at this point. The rest depresses me too much to discuss in depth. Naudhubillah.
 

Interesting list GopherLady, thanks for sharing. I feel like your list further confirms what President Bruininks has been suggesting...that the Gophers will likely hire a sitting head coach at another University.
 

My Auburn friends have been saying for weeks "Hire Tommy Tubberville!" through snickers.
 

I can't see Maturi hiring Leach either. I think Prexy B based on the article in the Strib today seemed against Leach or McCarney. I think Leach could be good. People seem to think he couldn't recruit spread players up here but I think he is a big enough name nationally where kids from all over know who he is and would take that leap to come here.

I wouldn't mind Stoops or Sumlin at all. Tubberville doesn't excite me.

Perhaps Maturi is so enamored with Tubby that he will hire Tubberville in the faint hope that name similarity alone will equate to success.
 


I've gotten a look at Stoops up close and personal here in Arizona and the guy seems like all hat and no cattle. I'd want a guy like that to have some prolonged success before I really start to buy into him.
 

I would take Sumlin, I think he is on the way up.
 

Khaliq said:
My Auburn friends have been saying for weeks "Hire Tommy Tubberville!" through snickers.
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A 52-30 record in the SEC wasn't good enough for them? How about 6 consecutive wins against Alabama? How about 13-0 in 2004?

It's Tuberville, btw.
 

I repeated GL's typo I guess. Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un!
 



I know college coaches aren't the most loyal individuals, but would Tuberville really bail on Texas Tech after one season?
 

If those are indeed the frontrunners, I'm fine with any of those guys. Leach, the fan favorite is on the list and Trestman, widely regarded on here as the worst option from most of us, is absent. It sure doesn't seem like Leach would be Maturi's top choice, but I look at Maturi's tenure like a day at the races. He's hit on a couple of winners, but he put a lot of his bankroll on a longshot that didn't pan out. He's got one more shot. Will he throw his last $20 at a safer pick, or will he hitch his wagon to Leach who's paying about 25-1?
 

GopherLady said:
Let me preface this by saying, I haven't read one thread on GH since Sunday, as I've been out of the country. I have a dial-up like internet connection (forgot how it was in the olden days, haha), so if this has been posted I apologize.

Anyways, I heard from an extremely reliable source that these look to be the front runners:

Mike Leach
Mike Stoops
Tommy Tubberville
Kevin Sumlin

Stoops is a Big Ten guy at heart and I'm wondering how happy he is out west? What is everyone thoughts on him?

Honestly, I can't see Maturi hiring Leach...but that's just my thoughts.
Click to expand...

I'd love to know who your source is, because I can't see more than two of those guys even garnering an interview.

Mike Stoops would be a terrible fit here. He is a macho, hyperactive loose cannon. He'd alienate people more than Brewster did. I can't see Maturi giving him the time of day. Plus, his Arizona tenure has been mediocre at best (he was on the hot seat to start this season). That'd be a bad hire, in my opinion. I can't see Maturi meshing with Stoops in any way, shape or form.

Tommy Tubberville does nothing for me. He's struggling at Texas Tech right now.

Leach, if Maturi decides to go that way, would be fine and certainly there would seem to be some interest on Leach's part. But, as indicated, Bruininks has said he'd prefer to steer clear of "baggage."

Sumlin will likely get looked at, be interested, and could be in play.

Not sure who your source is, but I find it very hard to believe that those four are the front runners. (Not doubting you GL, just doubting your source.)
 

tjgopher said:
I'd love to know who your source is, because I can't see more than two of those guys even garnering an interview.

Mike Stoops would be a terrible fit here. He is a macho, hyperactive loose cannon. He'd alienate people more than Brewster did. I can't see Maturi giving him the time of day. Plus, his Arizona tenure has been mediocre at best (he was on the hot seat to start this season). That'd be a bad hire, in my opinion. I can't see Maturi meshing with Stoops in any way, shape or form.

Tommy Tubberville does nothing for me. He's struggling at Texas Tech right now.

Leach, if Maturi decides to go that way, would be fine and certainly there would seem to be some interest on Leach's part. But, as indicated, Bruininks has said he'd prefer to steer clear of "baggage."

Sumlin will likely get looked at, be interested, and could be in play.

Not sure who your source is, but I find it very hard to believe that those four are the front runners. (Not doubting you GL, just doubting your source.)
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Agree with tj here. I will add that I don't think the U will go anywhere near Leach.


GL: You should not be leaving the country at times like this...........Gopher Hole suffers in your absence. Not sure how much you have caught up on but check out Bleed's threads on Shama and Prez B's Q & A,....... good reads.
 



Sumlin would be a lot like many past gopher coaches, all offense and no defense. Why would you want to go through that again? In addition, many of their fans say Sumlin's teams have given up in games when they get down. Minnesota is at the point where they have to get it right this time and Sumlin does not give the U a 50/50 shot of being right.
 


Khaliq said:
That is an awfully depressing list, GopherLady. :(

Sumlin's a pretty good coach but a little bit of a gamble at this point. The rest depresses me too much to discuss in depth. Naudhubillah.
Click to expand...

Fail. This is a fantastic list. Stoops is my #1 pick at this point.
 

GopherLady said:
Let me preface this by saying, I haven't read one thread on GH since Sunday, as I've been out of the country. I have a dial-up like internet connection (forgot how it was in the olden days, haha), so if this has been posted I apologize.

Anyways, I heard from an extremely reliable source that these look to be the front runners:

Mike Leach
Mike Stoops
Tommy Tubberville
Kevin Sumlin

Stoops is a Big Ten guy at heart and I'm wondering how happy he is out west? What is everyone thoughts on him?

Honestly, I can't see Maturi hiring Leach...but that's just my thoughts.
Click to expand...


Well, Marc Trestman's name is nowhere to be found, so there must be a God.

Mike Leach is the only one I'd be absolutely thrilled about. Kevin Sumlin strikes me as something of a gamble at this stage, but I wouldn't pull my hair out if he got the job.

I'd pass on Stoops and I really don't think Tuberville would take the job, to be honest.

But again: NO TRESTMAN.
 


I agree with Handsome. Of that list, I would prefer Stoops. Midwest guy. I agree that the Stoops clan was born to strut, but nothing wrong with a little energy and posture on the sidelines. Maybe he could bring his brother who is at Florida State in to run the defense.

I understand the allure of Leach, but I guess the personality and the baggage put me (And let me stress the "me" in that sentence. I realize I may be the one out-of-step.) off more than a bit.

Is Sumlin our "Rooney (or should I re-phrase that to "Dungy?") Rule" guy?

PS--Agree that the absence of Trestman is a plus. I've got nothing against Marc, who I chatted with once many, many years ago and is a really great guy, but no more shots in the dark please.

I don't know what Arizona is paying Stoops and my guess is there would be a bidding war if we zero in on him.
 

Off this list I prefer Stoops. He is slowly turned around the Arizona program. I believe he would good connections to bring a strong and stable group of assistant coaches.
 

I would love the Stoops hire and would be ok with Sumlin. The others don't excite me.

Kind of ironic that we're mentioning Stopps. A friend and I were talking last night and he told me that back in 1996, after Wacker resigned, Bob Stoops who was the defensive coordinator under Spurrier at Florida, had interviewed for the MN job but then withdrew his name from consideration and then we hired Mason.

Just kind of interesting since now we may potentially be going after his brother.
 

Buttcheeks McGaffigan said:
I know college coaches aren't the most loyal individuals, but would Tuberville really bail on Texas Tech after one season?
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Tuberville probably learned in that first season that his program is being held hostage by the whims of Texas. The Big Ten offers much more stability than Lubbock at this point in time. How much his buyout would be after 1 season is a mystery though.

I don't view Tuberville's slow start at Tech to be alaraming. Most of these guys were recruited for a vastly different system. In Tuberville's 10 years at Auburn only twice (1st and 10th year) did he NOT go above .500 in conference play. The guy won/shared 5 SEC West titles in 10 years and earned 6 top 25 rankings (5 of 6 years he was in top 15).

I would endorse a Tommy Tuberville hire.
 

Not a bad list. I do think that we may be over estimating Bruininks response to the question "How do you feel about a little bit of a checkered background?

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/105398728.html?elr=KArksUUUycaEacyU

"Q Some [potential candidates] have had a lot of success, but they have some things in their background that would make them a risk. A Mike Leach leaves Texas Tech, and Dan McCarney has had some things in his personal background [domestic abuse]. How do you feel about a little bit of a checkered background?

A I don't think we need a checkered background. We're going to look for academic integrity and integrity in recruiting. We don't want to bring someone in here who has skated close to the edge on the rules. ... But if there's a reasonable explanation ... there can be a lot of things that are extenuating circumstances that don't, in my way, compromise a person's integrity or commitment to ethical practice."

A pretty reasonable response. It certainly doesn't eliminate Leach who had a strong graduation rate at Texas Tech and didn't get in any trouble with recruiting violations or allegations did he? It sounds more like an early defense for hiring, not a dismissal.
 

Iceland12 said:
Not a bad list. I do think that we may be over estimating Bruininks response to the question "How do you feel about a little bit of a checkered background?

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/105398728.html?elr=KArksUUUycaEacyU

"Q Some [potential candidates] have had a lot of success, but they have some things in their background that would make them a risk. A Mike Leach leaves Texas Tech, and Dan McCarney has had some things in his personal background [domestic abuse]. How do you feel about a little bit of a checkered background?

A I don't think we need a checkered background. We're going to look for academic integrity and integrity in recruiting. We don't want to bring someone in here who has skated close to the edge on the rules. ... But if there's a reasonable explanation ... there can be a lot of things that are extenuating circumstances that don't, in my way, compromise a person's integrity or commitment to ethical practice."

A pretty reasonable response. It certainly doesn't eliminate Leach who had a strong graduation rate at Texas Tech and didn't get in any trouble with recruiting violations or allegations did he? It sounds more like an early defense for hiring, not a dismissal.
Click to expand...

That's sort of the impression I got as well.
 

Iceland12 said:
Not a bad list. I do think that we may be over estimating Bruininks response to the question "How do you feel about a little bit of a checkered background?

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/105398728.html?elr=KArksUUUycaEacyU

"Q Some [potential candidates] have had a lot of success, but they have some things in their background that would make them a risk. A Mike Leach leaves Texas Tech, and Dan McCarney has had some things in his personal background [domestic abuse]. How do you feel about a little bit of a checkered background?

A I don't think we need a checkered background. We're going to look for academic integrity and integrity in recruiting. We don't want to bring someone in here who has skated close to the edge on the rules. ... But if there's a reasonable explanation ... there can be a lot of things that are extenuating circumstances that don't, in my way, compromise a person's integrity or commitment to ethical practice."

A pretty reasonable response. It certainly doesn't eliminate Leach who had a strong graduation rate at Texas Tech and didn't get in any trouble with recruiting violations or allegations did he? It sounds more like an early defense for hiring, not a dismissal.
Click to expand...

+1

I noticed the exact quote, and agree with you 100%

That said, I would really like Stoops, I would like Leach, Tuberville and Sumlin don't do anything for me (google Tuberville and check out what TT fans are saying about him already - he's getting hammered for apparently blaming the wind(?) for their poor offense thus far).

If we got Stoops, Leach, Golden, or Belotti, I would be pretty excited.

Note - For those who complain about Leach's defenses, he was going against some pretty good offenses: Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State - and at a time when those programs were very much "up".
 

josh087 said:
I can't see Maturi hiring Leach either. I think Prexy B based on the article in the Strib today seemed against Leach or McCarney. I think Leach could be good. People seem to think he couldn't recruit spread players up here but I think he is a big enough name nationally where kids from all over know who he is and would take that leap to come here.
Click to expand...

RBtL of that question in the BB interview, I think he left the door open on Leach:

Q Some [potential candidates] have had a lot of success, but they have some things in their background that would make them a risk. A Mike Leach leaves Texas Tech, and Dan McCarney has had some things in his personal background [domestic abuse]. How do you feel about a little bit of a checkered background?

A I don't think we need a checkered background. We're going to look for academic integrity and integrity in recruiting. We don't want to bring someone in here who has skated close to the edge on the rules. ... But if there's a reasonable explanation ... there can be a lot of things that are extenuating circumstances that don't, in my way, compromise a person's integrity or commitment to ethical practice.

The whole thing with Leach was a he said, she said, and if that kid's dad wasn't an azzclown talking head on ESPN Leach would still be coaching in Lubbock. Also, Leach has a solid reputation for running a clean program, and has a damn good graduation rate. A bigger worry for Bruininks would be Leach's reputation for being high maintenance. Would he want to stick his successor with a potentially PitA football coach?
 


I believe Leach is interested. First off, listening to his interview on 'CCO, he led in with his mother living up here. This coming directly after Maturi saying he preferred someone that understands and/or has Minnesota ties. These guys are masters of PR. You always lead with one of your more compelling assets and you always want to close with something that keeps "the door open" and provokes another meeting. Leach's response: "Call me anytime" was his closer.

Sure I'm looking deep into what he's saying, but at this point in the game, you're only going to get vague generalities until someone is hired. We will be hearing much more before this process is done from Mr. Leach.
 

Leach couldn't get past Texas or Oklahoma in the Big 12 South while Tuberville was able to get past Alabama, LSU and Arkansas in the SEC West. It's unfair to judge Tuberville's job at Texas Tech after just 6 games. Remember he was brought in last January and didn't have any time to recruit his own players.
 


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