My theory (Long Message)!

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By "it" I didn't mean to draw a comparison between Maturi and Steve Jobs, I was drawing a comparison between the stealth of the two institutions in the case of this hiring. Clearly everyone in the Athletic Department is under the death penalty if they release any info on the hiring process.

I'm a long term investor in Apple and a life long fan of the Gophers. I clearly understand the competence gap between Joel and Steve. One has made me significant cash the other has broken my heart.
 

balds said:
He was won in one D1 spot for what, three years, with a future number one pick playing QB.

Tubby took Tulsa to two sweet 16's. He won 20 games every year at Georgia and went to a sweet 16. He won a national championship at Kentucky and went 263-83 while there. He went from 9-22 to 20 wins with basically the same roster at Minnesota and has won 20 games three times.

I'm not sure there is a football equal to Tubby that we would have any chance of getting (Urban Meyer, etc.). Dumb statement by Maturi
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You're right, I stand corrected.

Harbaugh would be a GREAT hire, but not Tubbyesque.

That would require a Stoops, Meyer, Saban, et al.

There is something about this search that just feels out of sync. While Joel may regret using the term "Tubby like" in his presser, I am not so sure that wasn't his intent. I don't recall what interview/release the " I can't believe he is interested" comment was originally culled from, but it may have more merit than we've given it.

If it was a monster name, somebody beyond approach in our eyes, this whole smoke and mirrors process starts to make sense. To have that caliber of coach in discussions, the last thing you would want to do is spook them and/or undermine the process by turning it into a media frenzy.

Balds makes a great point, we have no idea what any potential candidates motives are for putting their toe in the water. Maybe the Big12 becoming the 9+1 with the store being given away to Texas is playing out much bigger with Stoops than we know. Maybe Meyer does want to pull a Tubby and drop his stress level a few notches.

I think Joel had his guy early on and has merely been protecting his triumph from disaster.

Somewhere inside of me there is a belief that Joel is going to get this right. I think he views this as his legacy and he is going to pull, cajole, schmooze whoever is necessary to get it right. I think when it is all said and done, we will look back at this process, as it has played out, and realize what an incredible and beautifully crafted subterfuge it really was.

Call me naive if you want, it's part of what makes me a Gopher.

ArmyGopher- great post and analysis.
 

Good analysis

I like your logic. Some are attacking your statements as preposterous, but I don't think you were saying that Bob Stoops was likely. I think you were just saying what was possible based on what has or hasn't transpired. As much as I think Maturi has made mistakes, I don't think he is alone on this and the U knows it has to do this one right. If Maturi had really screwed this up, I think he would be out of a job or at least out of the search.
 

I don't dismiss Stoops deciding he's had enough 'Big Game Bob' abuse, talking to Tubby and deciding he'd like to get out of the frying pan. Miami's a better job, but it's only about 10 degrees cooler then the pan he's already in.

That said, I fully expect Joel to F this up royally and hire either Trestman or Chryst.
 

balds said:
That's why nothing will surprise me and won't rule out a guy like Bob Stoops. The opposite can be good too. Remember what Iowa and Auburn fans were saying when Ferentz and Chizek were hired. You never know who will succeed where.
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When Stoops interviewed here before Mason got the job, the word was that his wife couldn't fathom living here... is he still married? If so, can't see Bob Stoops here unless wifey has a massive change of heart.
 


Doogie said:
When Stoops interviewed here before Mason got the job, the word was that his wife couldn't fathom living here... is he still married? If so, can't see Bob Stoops here unless wifey has a massive change of heart.
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Doogie weren't you the one saying a big reason Tubby would leave because Donna hates it here? Honestly, how often do you think coaches turn down jobs because a coach's wife doesn't like the weather. Terry Holland did. But it's not common. And Norman Oklahoma isn't exactly paradise.
 

howeda7 said:
And Norman Oklahoma isn't exactly paradise.
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As a matter of fact I would think Minneapolis wouldn't be a bad place at all in the eyes of many coaches wives. Ever been to Gainesville, FL? How about Lincoln, Nebraska? Most "college towns" are just that. Depends on your personality I know but just sayin.
 

I do agree with the intial post that Maturi has someone lined up for a while now but has to wait in announcing a coach until the bowl schedule is announced. Obviously he's still looking at other canidates if plan A fails. There is no way he's taking this long still trying to figure out the right coach. Other schools in this process have already found their coach and pretty quickly. No way it would take this long unless Maturi was waiting for a coaches season to end. I would be suprised if the coach is someone not coaching now or a coach who didn't make it to a bowl game.
 

howeda7 said:
Doogie weren't you the one saying a big reason Tubby would leave because Donna hates it here? Honestly, how often do you think coaches turn down jobs because a coach's wife doesn't like the weather. Terry Holland did. But it's not common. And Norman Oklahoma isn't exactly paradise.
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Correct... ok, Stoops' wife aside (it's possible she would have a change of heart after 13-years)... in any way, does Bob Stoops leaving Okl. for MN pass the sniff test? It makes zero sense, and before you cite Tubby leaving Kentucky for MN, a credit to him and his representative for keeping everything quiet, but they were calling around for weeks beforehand... there are no signs that Neil Conrich, Stoops' agent, is calling around... and if he were, he'd be Miami-bound. Would love to see it, but I think there's a better chance that Megan Fox is my next wife.
 



stevedave23 said:
As a matter of fact I would think Minneapolis wouldn't be a bad place at all in the eyes of many coaches wives. Ever been to Gainesville, FL? How about Lincoln, Nebraska? Most "college towns" are just that. Depends on your personality I know but just sayin.
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I've been to Gainesville. It's an OK town, but in August it feels like you've landed on the surface of the sun. It's worse then -10 in my book. But we're not all the same.
 

Stoops is way more likely to be our coach than fox being your wife! Stoops is still a pretty remote chance.
 

Doogie said:
Correct... ok, Stoops' wife aside (it's possible she would have a change of heart after 13-years)... in any way, does Bob Stoops leaving Okl. for MN pass the sniff test? It makes zero sense, and before you cite Tubby leaving Kentucky for MN, a credit to him and his representative for keeping everything quiet, but they were calling around for weeks beforehand... there are no signs that Neil Conrich, Stoops' agent, is calling around... and if he were, he'd be Miami-bound. Would love to see it, but I think there's a better chance that Megan Fox is my next wife.
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I don't think it's likely, I only said it was possible. Put it this way, it makes a lot more sense then Mike Riley, for example, who's older and an Oregon State lifer. It only makes sense if he wants an easier, less-stressful job to take him into retirement. His dad died at a fairly young age while coaching a game, and perhaps that enters into his thinking. What is the point of leaving Oklahoma for Miami? Same pressure, more difficult job and probably less money. Minnesota will be less money too, but far less pressure, and no more derisive 'Big Game Bob' mocking from the fan base (at least not for a while.)
 

I don't make a habit of agreeing with Doogie(just kidding...I usually enjoy your contributions), but he's spot on about Stoops. There's no chance. I think Stoops is the most ridiculous name being thrown out there...Tom Landry is more likely (wasn't there rumors of a fedora sighting in town?).
 



GopherHomer said:
I don't make a habit of agreeing with Doogie(just kidding...I usually enjoy your contributions), but he's spot on about Stoops. There's no chance. I think Stoops is the most ridiculous name being thrown out there...Tom Landry is more likely (wasn't there rumors of a fedora sighting in town?).
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It's less then 1% chance, I'm sure. But more likely then Lou Holtz, Mike Riley and some of the other names being tossed around. Heck the OP of this thread included Chip Kelly, Gene Chizik and Frank Beamer. So we're narrowing it down from the absurd to slightly absurd.
 

Howeda7, I'll give you Holtz...Ol' Mushmouth will not be hired again that's for sure. I would say, though, that Riley is more likely than Stoops for no other reason than Riley would not be leaving a top 5 program in the country to come here.
 

Maybe it isn't Stoops. Maybe it is. Stoops isn't the point.

What about Steve Spurrier? Youngest son gradded last year, I believe. Maybe he wants out of South Carolina. Maybe he was vacationing on the Whitefish chain and the lovely Mrs. said "Steveyboy, If you ever want to get into my pants again, this is where I want to live". Steve himself may have found that taste of fresh walleye really agreed with him. Perhaps the thought of celibacy didn't.

We don't know. Doesn't matter.

He would still be one hell of a hire.

Doogie- does the current wife know you have Megan waiting in the wings?
 

Finally back on line this morning after being on the plane that ran off the taxi-way at MSP airport last night. Spent the time while the plane was being "unstuck" by reading Goperhole. So thanks for unknowingly helping me pass the time.

Anyway - after reading all the repsonses to this thread, I think we might be playing with semantics here. I knew my original post would generate many "have you lost your mind" comments. And I agree that there is a very, very remote possibility that some of those names would come here. But I have to ask... by defintion, isn't that what a big name is? Someone who would make you say "Holy $%^&! No way this guy is coming here!" That's the crux of the whole concept. The only that makes any sense, and why the search has taken so long, is that we have a big name.... or it's one of the initial targets I mentioned.

So the only way you narrow it from that initial list is to give it the 'sniff test' on the big names. And I think everyone's sniff test would be different. I guess if started removing big names from the list at the top of this thread, based on probability of taking the job, I'd take out Stoops, Beamer, and Chizik.

So that leaves you with seven. Edsall, Ken N, Greg S., Kill, Peterson, Riley and Kelly.

From that list, the next least likely candidate, IMHO, is Chip Kelly. You generally don't play for a National title then bail out.

Next one I'd scratch is Greg S. from Rutgers. Good coach, but would excite the fan base less than anyone else on that list. And I think JM would know that.

As for the rest of them, I don't feel comfortable eliminating any one of them. So... I guess that's Army Goph's watered down guess at the five finalists: Edsall, Ken N., Kill, Peterson, Riley.

Beat Iowa. Beat Wisconsin. Beat Navy.
 

Army Gopher said:
1) Length of the search. If our new coach were currently unemployed, we would have had this wrapped up by now. So it won’t be Leach, Bellotti, Fullmer or anyone in that situation.
2) Games this weekend. We also could have wrapped up any coach whose regular season has ended. A bowl game or a buyout would not prevent an announcement. That eliminates the following coaches, among others... Golden, Calhoun, Hoke, Mullen, Fedora, Chryst, Patterson, Meyer, and Mike Stoops. Applies to Trestman too.

So there you have it, as listed above. Barring a complete collapse in negotiations, the coach will be taken from my list of ten.

OK. Tear into it! And let me know if I missed someone who meets the criteria!
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You are way to logical to be posting here. I like your other points but I'll just comment on above:

No one is going to name a coach before the season ends or bowl games are announced. Our season ended a week ago, but there are 18 games to be played and 95% of bowl match-ups to be determined. No coach is going to leave his current team until those things are resolved. No coach I would want here, anyway. Therefore, your #2 could be trumped by the wait for bowl match-ups.

The supreme illogic of most of the impatient children on this board maddens and amuses me at times. The coach will be named this next week.
 

Very good point on bowl announcements. You are probably correct about that. And I was so certain too. Damn you.
 

GopherHomer said:
Howeda7, I'll give you Holtz...Ol' Mushmouth will not be hired again that's for sure. I would say, though, that Riley is more likely than Stoops for no other reason than Riley would not be leaving a top 5 program in the country to come here.
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Maybe, but Stoops isn't 57 and a native of Norman in the middle of his second stint. I frankly don't understand the Riley rumors at all.
 

Again, Howeda, fair point. I'll amend my statement that Stoops might not be the biggest long shot, because there are plenty of other candidates that have zero chance of coming here.
 

The difference between Stoops and Tubby is the fan base in KY was getting fed up with Tubby. He hadn't gone past the first round in the NCAA for quite a few years and they felt he wasn't recruiting adequately. Most fans in KY said "good" when Tubby left. Seriously. I traveled down there extensively around that time and you would have thought they won the lottery by getting rid of him. Obviously it didn't work out so well for them with Billy Gillespie...

I don't have any sense of that in OK. He's back in the championship game and if he wins they're BCS bound. No way does Bob Stoops come here.
 

stevedave23 said:
...oh and don't count out guys like Bob Stoops. If Tubby to MN had leaked people who have called you crazy. Why would Tubby leave Kentucky??? Is what they would have said.
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Tubby came here because he was about to be fired in Kentucky. They weren't enamored with who they had begun calling "10 loss Tubby."

Their misinformed loss was of course our gain.

There is no way Bob Stoops would leave Oklahoma for here.
 

A couple points on Tubby/Stoops: First the statement that Tubby hadn't been past the 1st round of the NCAA's for 'several years' is flat out wrong. In fact, he made it past the first round in his final season, 2007 and every other year, I believe. Second, he wasn't going to be fired in 2007, but he probably needed to make the Final Four in 2008 to keep his job.

As for Stoops, the angst at him is not at Tubby levels and is a lot lower now then it was 2-3 weeks ago. But there still are fans frustrated with him, and it's simply not out of the question he could feel now like Tubby did in 2007. Unlikely? Very. Impossible? No.
 

Army Gopher said:
Finally back on line this morning after being on the plane that ran off the taxi-way at MSP airport last night. Spent the time while the plane was being "unstuck" by reading Goperhole. So thanks for unknowingly helping me pass the time.

Anyway - after reading all the repsonses to this thread, I think we might be playing with semantics here. I knew my original post would generate many "have you lost your mind" comments. And I agree that there is a very, very remote possibility that some of those names would come here. But I have to ask... by defintion, isn't that what a big name is? Someone who would make you say "Holy $%^&! No way this guy is coming here!" That's the crux of the whole concept. The only that makes any sense, and why the search has taken so long, is that we have a big name.... or it's one of the initial targets I mentioned.

So the only way you narrow it from that initial list is to give it the 'sniff test' on the big names. And I think everyone's sniff test would be different. I guess if started removing big names from the list at the top of this thread, based on probability of taking the job, I'd take out Stoops, Beamer, and Chizik.

So that leaves you with seven. Edsall, Ken N, Greg S., Kill, Peterson, Riley and Kelly.

From that list, the next least likely candidate, IMHO, is Chip Kelly. You generally don't play for a National title then bail out.

Next one I'd scratch is Greg S. from Rutgers. Good coach, but would excite the fan base less than anyone else on that list. And I think JM would know that.

As for the rest of them, I don't feel comfortable eliminating any one of them. So... I guess that's Army Goph's watered down guess at the five finalists: Edsall, Ken N., Kill, Peterson, Riley.

Beat Iowa. Beat Wisconsin. Beat Navy.
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Valid points. It's looking like it's Edsall to me, so your list likely contained the winner. I'm guessing you're all about Ken N. getting the job? ;-)
 

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