Assuming we did have a football head coaching vacancy....

[AtlasShrugged]

Assuming we did have a head coaching vacancy, who might you be interested in having lead us? Next time around, we have to try something that we have not done since Sparky Woods. A young up and coming head coach. We cannot go the coordinator route, nor should we go the elderly former legend. A handful of names are below:

https://sports.yahoo.com/coaching-c...s-to-watch-in-college-football-135310081.html

 

[JComp]

We also tried the young up-and-comer with Brad Scott.

If you want a guarantee to win, there's one name out there to get you that: Urban Meyer. Setting aside whatever we think about the man, he does one thing every single place he goes: win. Urban would get us an SEC title. Every other move is a gamble. Urban is a flat-out guarantee.

 

[DeBoer31]

I would love UM...but the SEC East already chewed him up and spit him out. He doesn't want anymore...especially at his age now vs. when he had more energy and whole lot more to prove.

I'm the idiot who has beaten this drum .... and will never stop. I think at ALL costs, despite the new contract given last year and all the other reasons why he "won't" consider USC.....we GO GET PJ Fleck.
A guy who thrives on challenges, a guy who can out-sell and coach Dabo....and a guy that isn't tied to a particular area or University. I think his current status/platform is a little past taking the NIU job. If you say he's partial to the Big Ten region...well OSU and PSU have young coaches that will likely be there a while should things continue like they've been going.

This is like UF going after SOS in '90. Similiarly with SOS.... whatever questions people had... whether he was a one or two hit wonder, etc....He's a proven he can QUICKLY turn programs around and compete at the highest levels with LESS. I think he would come in and make Carolina a 10 win program in the first year....and I do know how tough that is to do. Another couple 10 plus win seasons at Minnesota and he will be leaving for his next destination job and never leave (like that POS Dabo Swinney). I dont think that will be the NFL either. With the current climate and setup....he's a college guy 100%. His buy-in to the kids, the community involvement...he's 100% college coach material for his career. You have to match coaching/ person talent with it's match. We need it for conference play...and for our rival who happened to fall backwards into a pot of gold. Every day we don't have him is a day wasted, and a day another university is figuring a financial road to getting him.

There is no other guy. He is like Joe Morrison....except more dynamic and definitely a 2.0 version of the new coaching style that must have ASAP.

 

[gamecock stock]

If we have an opening (hopefully Muschamp will hit it out of the park this season to make that question moot), we need a young (45 years-old or younger coach with a winning track record as a college Head Coach). He needs to have demonstrated good recruiting against programs with similar resources that he has at his current school. He needs to be offensive-minded in this era of college football in which offense wins championships. By the way, option-type offenses that the military academies run, would not be the way to go. You can't recruit the type of athlete needed to compete in the SEC with that type of offense. Also, it would be good if that coach has been successful against his current school's rival.

There are two coaches on that list who fit that criteria:
1. Josh Heupel
2. Billy Napier.

Those two would be the top guys on my list, in that order. BUT, I'm pulling for Will Muschamp this year to make that speculation irrelevant.

 

[JComp]

Fleck is promising...need to see a couple more good seasons from him at the P5 level.

 

[Horseshoe 04]

Erik Kimrey

 

[redrogers]

Erik Kimrey

I like him as a coordinator, but I’m all in for Heuple. Sadly, I think he’s gone from UCF after this season. If there’s another 3 win season though, we could probably get him at a reasonable price.

 

[JComp]

We won't be in the market for a coach until at least 2023.

Coaches aren't gonna get fired this year. Bad optics all the way around. Athletic departments are taking a financial beating, so there's no way to justify multi-million dollar buyouts.

And Champ got his job security with Gunner Stockton coming in 2022.

Everyone basically gets a pass this year b/c of the weirdness of the season. If next year is a bust, Champ can sell Tanner on the fact that he's got Gunner coming in 2022.

The coaching landscape changes so rapidly that today's up-and-comers will have been snatched up by then.

 

[USCBruce]

We won't be in the market for a coach until at least 2023.

Coaches aren't gonna get fired this year. Bad optics all the way around. Athletic departments are taking a financial beating, so there's no way to justify multi-million dollar buyouts.

And Champ got his job security with Gunner Stockton coming in 2022.

Everyone basically gets a pass this year b/c of the weirdness of the season. If next year is a bust, Champ can sell Tanner on the fact that he's got Gunner coming in 2022.

The coaching landscape changes so rapidly that today's up-and-comers will have been snatched up by then.

And then Ray Tanner attempts to sell the fact that Muschamp has Gunner coming in 2022 to the fans and donors!

 

[OldWiseCock]

I agree that no one will be fired this year. It will be after the 2021 season before SC will make a change and it might be after the 2022 season just so we will have 2 years in the black to make up for 2020.

But, having said that, these are my favorites:

PJ Fleck
Josh Heupel
Billy Napier
Shawn Elliott
Neal Brown
Mike Houston
Will Healy

Shawn Elliott and Will Healy are the two most interesting guys on the list. Will Healy is young but only has experience at smaller schools. Could he handle a high profile job?

Shawn Elliott has big school experience and has done okay at Georgia State. He has not had a signature win yet. He did take Billy Napier's squad to OT last week but lost by a FG.

Mike Houston was the head coach at the Citadel in 2015 when they beat us in Columbia. He has won everywhere and is now HC at East Carolina. Last year they were 4-8, but he bears watching.

Neal Brown is the HC at West Virginia after previously coaching at Troy. While at Troy they beat LSU in Baton Rouge. Also one to watch.

PJ Fleck would be my first choice followed by Josh Heupel - although Heupel might have better recruiting ties to the SE. I'd be happy with either one.

 

[JComp]

And then Ray Tanner attempts to sell the fact that Muschamp has Gunner coming in 2022 to the fans and donors!

Hard choice.

Would you keep Champ in order to get our highest rated QB recruit ever?

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

I would love UM...but the SEC East already chewed him up and spit him out. He doesn't want anymore...especially at his age now vs. when he had more energy and whole lot more to prove.

I'm the idiot who has beaten this drum .... and will never stop. I think at ALL costs, despite the new contract given last year and all the other reasons why he "won't" consider USC.....we GO GET PJ Fleck.
A guy who thrives on challenges, a guy who can out-sell and coach Dabo....and a guy that isn't tied to a particular area or University. I think his current status/platform is a little past taking the NIU job. If you say he's partial to the Big Ten region...well OSU and PSU have young coaches that will likely be there a while should things continue like they've been going.

This is like UF going after SOS in '90. Similiarly with SOS.... whatever questions people had... whether he was a one or two hit wonder, etc....He's a proven he can QUICKLY turn programs around and compete at the highest levels with LESS. I think he would come in and make Carolina a 10 win program in the first year....and I do know how tough that is to do. Another couple 10 plus win seasons at Minnesota and he will be leaving for his next destination job and never leave (like that POS Dabo Swinney). I dont think that will be the NFL either. With the current climate and setup....he's a college guy 100%. His buy-in to the kids, the community involvement...he's 100% college coach material for his career. You have to match coaching/ person talent with it's match. We need it for conference play...and for our rival who happened to fall backwards into a pot of gold. Every day we don't have him is a day wasted, and a day another university is figuring a financial road to getting him.

There is no other guy. He is like Joe Morrison....except more dynamic and definitely a 2.0 version of the new coaching style that must have ASAP.

I agree with everything you said about PJ Fleck, but I don't see why he would consider taking this job at this particular time. The honest brutal truth is that should USC end up at 3-7 at the conclusion of this season, it would look like a step down.
Our best option is to consider up and coming coaches who are looking to make their mark in a P5 program. Whether that will happen remains to be seen.

 

[redrogers]

We won't be in the market for a coach until at least 2023.

Coaches aren't gonna get fired this year. Bad optics all the way around. Athletic departments are taking a financial beating, so there's no way to justify multi-million dollar buyouts.

And Champ got his job security with Gunner Stockton coming in 2022.

Everyone basically gets a pass this year b/c of the weirdness of the season. If next year is a bust, Champ can sell Tanner on the fact that he's got Gunner coming in 2022.

The coaching landscape changes so rapidly that today's up-and-comers will have been snatched up by then.

While I see your point, if we collapse Tanner will be inundated with calls for WM head on a platter for a second straight season.One can only hope WM will step down in that case. I know he’s making millions, but if Shaw is still here, Stockton would probably hold firm to his pledge.
While I’m excited we are 4 days away from kickoff, I’m approaching this season with guarded optimism. I’m hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. I like WM as a dude, but the jury is in deliberation asto whether he can elevate our program.
In the end, it all comes back to his rapid extension by RT.

 

[uscg1984]

We also tried the young up-and-comer with Brad Scott.

Scott was a coordinator, which, as the OP correctly pointed out, is not the way we should go this time around. A coach needs to have proven himself as a head coach somewhere before taking over an SEC program. There are exceptions, obviously, but if a good coordinator has never been THE MAN anywhere, it's a crap-shoot.

Having said that, I dont think Muschamp will get fired in this climate.

 

[Creek Snake]

Mike Houston played for The National Championship at D II Lenoir Rhyne.
Mike Houston led the Citadel to a SoCon championship and beat Carolina.
Mike Houston lead James Madison to FCS National championship.
East Carolina is on the way up and soon.

He would be my guy.

 

[JComp]

Scott was a coordinator, which, as the OP correctly pointed out, is not the way we should go this time around. A coach needs to have proven himself as a head coach somewhere before taking over an SEC program. There are exceptions, obviously, but if a good coordinator has never been THE MAN anywhere, it's a crap-shoot.

Having said that, I dont think Muschamp will get fired in this climate.

Well, yeah, but he only applied the "no coordinator" caveat to the moves going forward. He IDd Woods as our only previous up-and-comer coach, but that wasn't accurate. Scott was also.

But, yes, I agree with the general premise of his post.

But then what do you do about someone like Lincoln Riley?

 

[JComp]

Mike Houston played for The National Championship at D II Lenoir Rhyne.
Mike Houston led the Citadel to a SoCon championship and beat Carolina.
Mike Houston lead James Madison to FCS National championship.
East Carolina is on the way up and soon.

He would be my guy.

Too soon to tell. Only season at ECU was 4-8.

 

[Creek Snake]

I've met him several times.I can tell.The question is would he take the Carolina job.

 

[OldWiseCock]

I agree with everything you said about PJ Fleck, but I don't see why he would consider taking this job at this particular time. The honest brutal truth is that should USC end up at 3-7 at the conclusion of this season, it would look like a step down.
Our best option is to consider up and coming coaches who are looking to make their mark in a P5 program. Whether that will happen remains to be seen.

We have more talent up and down the roster than we did in 2015 when Tom Herman used the Citadel loss as a reason to back out of contract negotiations. (If that was truly the reason.) What we lack are skill players on offense. That could be fixed in one recruiting season.

The way to get PJ is to hire Mark Coyle from Minnesota first to replace Tanner. Then let him talk PJ into coming down here. Right now, a very good football coach probably sees our AD as amateurish.

 

[SOSUSC]

I would love UM...but the SEC East already chewed him up and spit him out. He doesn't want anymore...especially at his age now vs. when he had more energy and whole lot more to prove.

I'm the idiot who has beaten this drum .... and will never stop. I think at ALL costs, despite the new contract given last year and all the other reasons why he "won't" consider USC.....we GO GET PJ Fleck.
A guy who thrives on challenges, a guy who can out-sell and coach Dabo....and a guy that isn't tied to a particular area or University. I think his current status/platform is a little past taking the NIU job. If you say he's partial to the Big Ten region...well OSU and PSU have young coaches that will likely be there a while should things continue like they've been going.

This is like UF going after SOS in '90. Similiarly with SOS.... whatever questions people had... whether he was a one or two hit wonder, etc....He's a proven he can QUICKLY turn programs around and compete at the highest levels with LESS. I think he would come in and make Carolina a 10 win program in the first year....and I do know how tough that is to do. Another couple 10 plus win seasons at Minnesota and he will be leaving for his next destination job and never leave (like that POS Dabo Swinney). I dont think that will be the NFL either. With the current climate and setup....he's a college guy 100%. His buy-in to the kids, the community involvement...he's 100% college coach material for his career. You have to match coaching/ person talent with it's match. We need it for conference play...and for our rival who happened to fall backwards into a pot of gold. Every day we don't have him is a day wasted, and a day another university is figuring a financial road to getting him.

There is no other guy. He is like Joe Morrison....except more dynamic and definitely a 2.0 version of the new coaching style that must have ASAP.

I wanted Fleck when we hired WM. He will get it done here, but then we have a clueless AD...

 

[SOSUSC]

We won't be in the market for a coach until at least 2023.

Coaches aren't gonna get fired this year. Bad optics all the way around. Athletic departments are taking a financial beating, so there's no way to justify multi-million dollar buyouts.

And Champ got his job security with Gunner Stockton coming in 2022.

Everyone basically gets a pass this year b/c of the weirdness of the season. If next year is a bust, Champ can sell Tanner on the fact that he's got Gunner coming in 2022.

The coaching landscape changes so rapidly that today's up-and-comers will have been snatched up by then.

WM should have no job security if Tom Brady was coming in.

 

[JComp]

WM should have no job security if Tom Brady was coming in.

Shouldn't. If Champ can capitalize on Gunner's commitment and build that class, it could save his hide.

 

[psmith5532]

Give Deon Sanders a couple of years to prove himself and then jump on him

 

[BobbyBReloaded1975]

Hard choice.

Would you keep Champ in order to get our highest rated QB recruit ever?

Hell no . If Champ has proven anything in his career it’s the fact he’s QB Kryptonite. We thought both Bentley and Hillinski were the saviors of Carolina football and now we are doing the same thing with Stockton . It doesn’t matter how good he is , he will not succeed under Champ . if the decision comes down to losing a recruit whose never taken a college snap over getting rid of a failing head coach then I’m cool with Stockton going else where .

 

[JComp]

Hell no . If Champ has proven anything in his career it’s the fact he’s QB Kryptonite. We thought both Bentley and Hillinski were the saviors of Carolina football and now we are doing the same thing with Stockton . It doesn’t matter how good he is , he will not succeed under Champ . if the decision comes down to losing a recruit whose never taken a college snap over getting rid of a failing head coach then I’m cool with Stockton going else where .

Makes you wonder how he keeps getting highly rated QB commits. How the heck has he outrecruited SOS at the QB position? I suppose b/c it was scary to come and play for a QB legend who was notoriously hard on QBs. Obviously we're getting Gunner b/c of the Bobo/Shaw connection. Nothing to do with Champ.

 

[Dizzy01]

Hard choice.

Would you keep Champ in order to get our highest rated QB recruit ever?

Depends on who the offensive coordinator is that will be coming on at that time to “finally” be the guy to solve the Muschamp Effect.

 

[JComp]

Depends on who the offensive coordinator is that will be coming on at that time to “finally” be the guy to solve the Muschamp Effect.

You know what they say...7th time's a charm. (or whatever the number is for Champ)

 

[Lurker123]

Hard choice.

Would you keep Champ in order to get our highest rated QB recruit ever?

No.

One recruit isnt worth it. Especially considering WM would be a lame duck for almost 2 full years, the other recruiting would probably suffer.

And the minute WM was let go, the new transfer portal doesn't give the next coach much of a chance of retaining the qb.

 

[Gamecock Lifer]

I agree that no one will be fired this year. It will be after the 2021 season before SC will make a change and it might be after the 2022 season just so we will have 2 years in the black to make up for 2020.

But, having said that, these are my favorites:

PJ Fleck
Josh Heupel
Billy Napier
Shawn Elliott
Neal Brown
Mike Houston
Will Healy

Shawn Elliott and Will Healy are the two most interesting guys on the list. Will Healy is young but only has experience at smaller schools. Could he handle a high profile job?

Shawn Elliott has big school experience and has done okay at Georgia State. He has not had a signature win yet. He did take Billy Napier's squad to OT last week but lost by a FG.

Mike Houston was the head coach at the Citadel in 2015 when they beat us in Columbia. He has won everywhere and is now HC at East Carolina. Last year they were 4-8, but he bears watching.

Neal Brown is the HC at West Virginia after previously coaching at Troy. While at Troy they beat LSU in Baton Rouge. Also one to watch.

PJ Fleck would be my first choice followed by Josh Heupel - although Heupel might have better recruiting ties to the SE. I'd be happy with either one.

No thanks on Sean Elliott. Been there, done that.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

What is getting lost in the PJ Fleck conversation is that he just signed a 7 year extension in November. So if the rumors are to be believed that the athletic department is low on funds, then this would put Fleck completely out of reach.

 

[gamecock-a-mania]

Aging legend. Only sustained success we have ever had.

 

[Gamecock Lifer]

What is getting lost in the PJ Fleck conversation is that he just signed a 7 year extension in November. So if the rumors are to be believed that the athletic department is low on funds, then this would put Fleck completely out of reach.

Everyone is out of reach. We are losing about $50 million in revenue this year. We cannot afford to fire a coach let alone hire a new one.

 

[fowl_mood]

Tony Elliott. What is not to like? He's a hot prospect, an African American hire, which is right on many levels, including our AD's legacy, which he is surely thinking about now. Ray can certainly not be accused of hiring a loser as HC. And flipping a Clemson guy to USC would be something.

Elliott knows offense. We don't. He is a winner. He can recruit this area. He knows how to beat Clemson. Removing him from Tigertown helps destabilize that program. He gets out of Dabo's shadow in the best way possible.....beating him eventually. He has seen how it is done in the most successful program in recent years.

 

[JComp]

Tony Elliott. What is not to like? He's a hot prospect, an African American hire, which is right on many levels, including our AD's legacy, which he is surely thinking about now. Ray can certainly not be accused of hiring a loser as HC. And flipping a Clemson guy to USC would be something.

Elliott knows offense. We don't. He is a winner. He can recruit this area. He knows how to beat Clemson. Removing him from Tigertown helps destabilize that program. He gets out of Dabo's shadow in the best way possible.....beating him eventually. He has seen how it is done in the most successful program in recent years.

No way. Played at Clemson. Coaching at Clemson. He would never come here.

 

[FrankiegoestoDollywood]

Scott Satterfield would be my choice.

 

[Harvard Gamecock]

Everyone is out of reach. We are losing about $50 million in revenue this year. We cannot afford to fire a coach let alone hire a new one.

Not doubting you, but if this is the case then this whole thread is an exercise in futility.

 

[Gamechamp]

Pretty much.

 

[USCBruce]

$58 million revenue loss
Read it here

 

[duckcock2.0.0]

Hoping we have an AD vacancy first.

 

[vidaliagamecock]

We also tried the young up-and-comer with Brad Scott.

If you want a guarantee to win, there's one name out there to get you that: Urban Meyer. Setting aside whatever we think about the man, he does one thing every single place he goes: win. Urban would get us an SEC title. Every other move is a gamble. Urban is a flat-out guarantee.

Urban Meyer would never come here. If he goes anywhere it is to USC. Clay Helton's seat is just as warm. It is perfect for Meyer since he can recruit and win instantly. He doesn't want a rebuild and never has.