We’ve got our DC!

[btowngopher]

Look it up. It's been posted here at least a half dozen times. Fleck left $700k unspent this season.

So why would he do that? If he’s given that budget I don’t get why he wouldn’t give it to his coaches regardless of their merits. It’s not like he gets it if his assistants don’t.

 

[SHGopher]

The new DC hire isn't a big name, but good talent rises up from obscurity all the time. The nation is built on that promise.

The only thing going for the Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker was that he was a position coach in a good system, Iowa, for years.

People talk about how good Phil Parker is. Well, people were scratching their heads when he was promoted from DB coach to DC.

We really don't know how the new Gophers DC will do. I don't know. He's not a splashy name, and who cares. Let's see what he can do. He's coming from a system that is similar to Minnesota -- the one people have said is good the last few years at Minnesota. You'll let Minnesota know if you don't approve of the results -- or do.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

So why would he do that? If he’s given that budget I don’t get why he wouldn’t give it to his coaches regardless of their merits. It’s not like he gets it if his assistants don’t.

Maybe that pool of money is available for raises or bonuses or hiring someone if people move on?

 

[MplsGopher]

Did someone from South Dakota

or the NFL turn him down?

Probably.

Fleck claimed he had to focus on recruiting and thus refused to lift even a finger to consider replacing the DC.

Sure. We definitely believe that used car salesman talk.

 

[MplsGopher]

Only been with him for two years.

Uhhhhh.... that means he's a Schiano guy.

Literally Schiano hired him.


You get the cow brand on your back when you join that blood oath fraternity.

Fleck, Ciarrocca, Robb Smith, Rossi, Harasymiak, Heatherman .... they all have the brand scarred into their backs and know the knock to get the back alley door open at the Rutgers practice facility.

 

[MplsGopher]

Interesting.

Agree it is interesting.

Lujan has more coaching experience than SDSU's DC, so it makes more sense.

Especially moreso if he gets to grad transfer their QB over. Will be interesting to see how they do.
He's from the suburbs of Chicago (https://gojacks.com/sports/football/roster/mark-gronowski/12203), class of 2019. Interesting to compare him to AK, younger but there was no high school football in 2020 in Illinois. They did not play each other as MG's high school is Illinois class 8A while AK's was class 6A.

 

[Word]

Maybe that pool of money is available for raises or bonuses or hiring someone if people move on?

I was thinking the same thing...if you spend it all now and then in a year you want to give someone a raise, you've got nothing.

 

[MplsGopher]

Rutgers fans are not happy so I’m chalking this up as a win.

Really? Based on what?

I have never heard a fanbase say "Oh man!! Not our Linebackers coach!! Dangit! He had those guys tackling so good!"

 

[MplsGopher]

the James Madison head coach didn't come grab him when he was named the Indiana head coach and instead brought his most recent JMU dc with him.

That is interesting!

Could be more a loyalty thing, liked the guy who he hired after to be the DC better.

 

[MplsGopher]

Not a "meh" to me at all. FCS assistant coach of the year is a pretty damn good signal. I love to see coaches that climb the ranks. There's a staff of former NAIA coaches in the championship game tonight.

But it's not like Washington hired them right out of the U of Sioux Falls though ....

Not saying you said that. You did not.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Uhhhhh.... that means he's a Schiano guy.

Literally Schiano hired him.


You get the cow brand on your back when you join that blood oath fraternity.

Fleck, Ciarrocca, Robb Smith, Rossi, Harasymiak, Heatherman .... they all have the brand scarred into their backs and know the knock to get the back alley door open at the Rutgers practice facility.

I would interpret “being a Schiano guy” as being a guy that worked under him for a bulk of his career. But that’s just me.

 

[MplsGopher]

I would interpret “being a Schiano guy” as being a guy that worked under him for a bulk of his career. But that’s just me.

Literally none of the guys I've listed have done that.

Disagree that is the valid definition. If Schiano likes you and thinks you'd be a good fit for the Rutgers program, you're a Schiano guy and you get branded if you accept.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I was thinking the same thing...if you spend it all now and then in a year you want to give someone a raise, you've got nothing.

And why pay more than market rate?

 

[TNGophfan]

According to an article in USA Today dated November of 2023, he’s making $1.4M. I think Rossi was making what, $1.1??? That isn’t a huge discrepancy, but it is total staff compensation where the Gophers lag so far behind, and that is the problem. Let’s assume for just a second that you knew you could get Parker from Iowa, but he wanted a $400K raise over what he makes at Iowa to come here. Now, when you look at what the elite schools around the country are paying top coordinators, Parker is probably worth that $1.8M and underpaid at his $1.4M current salary. If Ryan Burns is correct and Fleck had an extra $700K he could spend, then I guess you could get potentially get a bigger name to satisfy some on this board, but your still paying the OC and the rest of the staff peanuts compared to your rivals. Overpaying for one coordinator isn’t going to fix the Gophers issue I don’t think.

The Gophers at this point just haven’t decided to go all in where this part of the equation is concerned.

Well said.

 

[btowngopher]

Really? Based on what?

I have never heard a fanbase say "Oh man!! Not our Linebackers coach!! Dangit! He had those guys tackling so good!"

You never heard a fanbase upset about losing a position coach? You didn’t mind losing Harasymiak? I remember some hand wringing when we lost Linguist as well.

 

[upnorthkid]

I know some GH’ers think of me as a troll. I will gladly match my Gopher ticket stubs against anyone reading this post. As such, my question to you is, do you think that tOHS or Mich. or Penn State or even Ia. Or Bucky would hire the linebacker coach from Rutgers to be their DC? Didn’t think so.

Michigan hired a DC from Vanderbilt who gave up 35.8 PPG, had 9 sacks, generated 15 turnovers, and went 2-10 overall and he just led them to a National Title with an absolutely suffocating defense.

 

[Gopherchase]

And why pay more than market rate?

That’s an issue market rate for our knuckleheads is too low for a BG10 staff. It’s a subpar group.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Michigan hired a DC from Vanderbilt who gave up 35.8 PPG, had 9 sacks, generated 15 turnovers, and went 2-10 overall and he just led them to a National Title with an absolutely suffocating defense.

Meanwhile plenty of blue bloods spending a TON of money on coaches have fired those coaches this year ... like every year.

Scott Frost was a big time hire, he took a below .500 team and went undefeated, pretty sure he got paid more than PJ ... not a good choice in the end.

People wanting to piss and moan (go to the crying room please) because some magic $ amount metric wasn't hit aren't watching the game closely.

 

[upnorthkid]

Meanwhile plenty of blue bloods spending a TON of money on coaches have fired those coaches this year ... like every year.

precisely. evaluate based on merits, how they coach, etc. and not just where they've been. we all start somewhere. I do like that he's known for more pressure. Seems like this is the way that football is going in that you will get scorched at times but turnovers and sacks kill drives rather than having to be sound play after play after play waiting for the other team to make a mistake like we have been doing. Name isn't splashy, but like the concept change.

 

[Out State Gopher]

I am looking forward to how the new DC does with recruiting, retaining, developing, coaching, game day adjustments & turnovers.

 

[Scottsdale Gopher]

Meanwhile plenty of blue bloods spending a TON of money on coaches have fired those coaches this year ... like every year.

Scott Frost was a big time hire, he took a below .500 team and went undefeated, pretty sure he got paid more than PJ ... not a good choice in the end.

I think this board would have been split (at best) if the Gophers had hired Kalen DeBoer with his pre-UW resume to be the HC. When UW hired him he had one full season and one Covid season as HC at the NCAA level and was OC for just one season at the P5 level.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I think this board would have been split (at best) if the Gophers had hired Kalen DeBoer with his pre-UW resume to be the HC. When UW hired him he had one full season and one Covid season as HC at the NCAA level and was OC for just one season at the P5 level.

Agreed. It's so hard to tell because parity at the lower levels is much closer, or at least more achievable, I suspect recruiting is way different. So you get a guy who maybe is a good coach when teams are closer to 1:1 and that's great... but that's not the game at the upper levels.

You hire that guy and yeah he's a good coach, but is he a good coach at that level? Hell if anyone knows.

 

[CentralGopher]

I know some GH’ers think of me as a troll. I will gladly match my Gopher ticket stubs against anyone reading this post. As such, my question to you is, do you think that tOHS or Mich. or Penn State or even Ia. Or Bucky would hire the linebacker coach from Rutgers to be their DC? Didn’t think so.

Well Michigan elevated their te coach to oc so it’s obvious even helmet schools target position coaches for their coordinator jobs. Try again troll.

 

[btowngopher]

I like the hire. It’s not like Leonard level, but how long would a guy like that stick anyways? I don’t think anyone in house was ready. This guy has experience and a solid track record. He has worked with guys who were successful here in the past and his system doesn’t seem too different so a complete overhaul of the roster shouldn’t be necessary.

 

[MplsGopher]

You never heard a fanbase upset about losing a position coach? You didn’t mind losing Harasymiak? I remember some hand wringing when we lost Linguist as well.

Good position coaches leave every program every year, to try being a coordinator.

It is the natural way in college football.

You can find position coaches all over the place. So no, it was not a big worry for me.

 

[MplsGopher]

Michigan hired a DC from Vanderbilt who gave up 35.8 PPG, had 9 sacks, generated 15 turnovers, and went 2-10 overall and he just led them to a National Title with an absolutely suffocating defense.

Jimmies and Joes matter more than X’s and O’s.

My grandma could have guided that defense to those numbers. With or without Stallions.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I like the hire. It’s not like Leonard level, but how long would a guy like that stick anyways? I don’t think anyone in house was ready. This guy has experience and a solid track record. He has worked with guys who were successful here in the past and his system doesn’t seem too different so a complete overhaul of the roster shouldn’t be necessary.

What would be leonard level? That dude has a short resume ... good candidate still but he would be more of a speculative hire.

Dude we hired has a hell of a lot more experience.

 

[WashedGoph]

I think if we had hired this guy to be DC two years ago (in a world where Rossi leaves earlier) straight out of JMU there’d be much less complaining. For some reason people seem really bent out of shape that this guy spent two years as the LINEBACKERS COACH at RUTGERS, as if that somehow cancels out the rest of his resume.

 

[btowngopher]

What would be leonard level? That dude has a short resume ... good candidate still but he would be more of a speculative hire.

Dude we hired has a hell of a lot more experience.

Someone who ran a very good defense at a similar level of program with similar levels of talent. Guys that could likely be HCs at P5 programs.

 

[watertown 1987 guy n]

Guessing it will be pretty difficult to evaluate his D coaching skills over one year - so much depending on the talent - just look at Rossis results this year. If it was his first year here at MN we’d have questioned his coaching.

There was a time not too many years ago we had a defense with players that didn’t know how to tackle. So, not being a defensive guru how do we evaluate his defensive coaching beyond the skills of the players (beside, can they tackle)?