Disclaimer, I've been in the Fuente camp from the outset but the questions I ask below need to be asked and answered.
Many on this site want Smart hired based on his coaching at Bama, contacts with high school coaches in the Southeast, and the belief that he would attract a top rate staff. Others point to his learning under Saban and how this would carry over were he to coach Carolina. I'm skeptical of all of these.
1. I'm still not sure how much he truly runs the defense at Bama, we all see how involved and hands on Saban is with the defense.
2. It is Bama, they recruit just being who they are.
3. He's never run a program as the head coach and all of the demands that role requires.
4. How do we know he will attract great assistants? I know Tanner will ask for names etc., but do we really expect the staff at Bama to jump ship and come here? Some have noted the "coaching tree" of Saban. I really question this thinking. Muschamp, Dantonio, Fisher, Dooley, McElwain are well known. But look at each individually.
a. Muschamp did become the coach at Florida, but he left Saban at LSU for Texas not Florida.
b. Dantonio has done very well at Michigan State.
c. McElwain is doing well at Florida, but he came to Florida from Colorado State, not directly from Bama.
d. Dooley coached Tenn but he came from La Tech after coaching at LSU and in the NFL, not Bama directly.
e. Fisher has done well at Florida State, but he came to FSU from LSU.
My point is none of the above left Saban's staff to go to a school competing directly with Bama for conference wins and championships. How do we know Saban will not take major steps to prevent his current staff from following Smart? We know Spurrier was competitive earlier in his carer, but as best I can tell Saban is every bit as competitive now. I can't see him standing by and allowing his staff to follow Smart to Carolina without a challenge.
Fuente could likely bring much of if not all of his current staff to Carolina allowing a seamless transition as far as staff and processes. I'll support whomever they hire (well not if they hire Ward or retain him in any capacity) but the new coach and staff must hit the ground running to make the most of this incoming class and lay the groundwork for future classes.
Many on this site want Smart hired based on his coaching at Bama, contacts with high school coaches in the Southeast, and the belief that he would attract a top rate staff. Others point to his learning under Saban and how this would carry over were he to coach Carolina. I'm skeptical of all of these.
1. I'm still not sure how much he truly runs the defense at Bama, we all see how involved and hands on Saban is with the defense.
2. It is Bama, they recruit just being who they are.
3. He's never run a program as the head coach and all of the demands that role requires.
4. How do we know he will attract great assistants? I know Tanner will ask for names etc., but do we really expect the staff at Bama to jump ship and come here? Some have noted the "coaching tree" of Saban. I really question this thinking. Muschamp, Dantonio, Fisher, Dooley, McElwain are well known. But look at each individually.
a. Muschamp did become the coach at Florida, but he left Saban at LSU for Texas not Florida.
b. Dantonio has done very well at Michigan State.
c. McElwain is doing well at Florida, but he came to Florida from Colorado State, not directly from Bama.
d. Dooley coached Tenn but he came from La Tech after coaching at LSU and in the NFL, not Bama directly.
e. Fisher has done well at Florida State, but he came to FSU from LSU.
My point is none of the above left Saban's staff to go to a school competing directly with Bama for conference wins and championships. How do we know Saban will not take major steps to prevent his current staff from following Smart? We know Spurrier was competitive earlier in his carer, but as best I can tell Saban is every bit as competitive now. I can't see him standing by and allowing his staff to follow Smart to Carolina without a challenge.
Fuente could likely bring much of if not all of his current staff to Carolina allowing a seamless transition as far as staff and processes. I'll support whomever they hire (well not if they hire Ward or retain him in any capacity) but the new coach and staff must hit the ground running to make the most of this incoming class and lay the groundwork for future classes.
