This is probably the most comprehensive breakdown of the coaching search that I've seen to date. My views have been expanded beyond the articles and resumes I've read prior to your review.
Prior to your review, I thought Aranda, Chadwell and Rhule were our best options. I've never though Fickell would consider us. I wasn't much of a Matt Campbell fan, but I can see the positive aspects of him as our new coach.
Thank you for this review; it is truly appreciated.
You're correct that resurrecting a bad program isn't always an indicator someone will do well with a bigger program, so it's not a guarantee. But I would say Campbell has had more consistent success than Riley (a lot of those Riley Oregon State teams sucked, but he would pull out a good season every handful of seasons; Campbell has had Toledo and ISU punching above their weight almost every year) and age (Riley seemed pretty checked out by the time he got to NU.)
I also just think people are getting too caught up in the archetypes -- just because one smaller-school coach didn't work doesn't mean hiring another is doomed to fail. These candidates are going to fail or succeed on their own from a variety of factors after their hired; I just think, "Did you do a good job at a smaller school" is about as good an indicator of future success as we have.
I hadn't seen Kiffin mentioned so I didn't include him, but I probably just missed it. Ole Miss has some money and is in the SEC, so I don't know if I think he'd be an easy pry. I agree Fickell isn't leaving Ohio, but I'd still at least try to back the money truck up to him.
I've seen Kiffin mentioned in a couple places. He has been vocal about the lack of fan support at Ole Miss. Maybe this is because he has his eyes on the Auburn job. But we can entertain ourselves with the idea that he might be open to a return to the city of his birth, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Lane Kiffin would instantly put national attention on the Husker program. He had recruited out west and in the south.
This is probably the most comprehensive breakdown of the coaching search that I've seen to date. My views have been expanded beyond the articles and resumes I've read prior to your review.
Prior to your review, I thought Aranda, Chadwell and Rhule were our best options. I've never though Fickell would consider us. I wasn't much of a Matt Campbell fan, but I can see the positive aspects of him as our new coach.
Thank you for this review; it is truly appreciated.
I think everyone you mentioned would be a pretty good hire I could understand, at least in some regard. Thanks for reading!
I would really like to see these judgments applied to Nebraska's last few head coaching hires. Mike Riley in particular.
Matt Campbell doesn't seem very different from 2014 Mike Riley from a resume standpoint.
No mention of Lane Kiffin? I think he would be easier to dislodge him from Ole Miss than it would be to get Fickell to leave the state of Ohio.
You're correct that resurrecting a bad program isn't always an indicator someone will do well with a bigger program, so it's not a guarantee. But I would say Campbell has had more consistent success than Riley (a lot of those Riley Oregon State teams sucked, but he would pull out a good season every handful of seasons; Campbell has had Toledo and ISU punching above their weight almost every year) and age (Riley seemed pretty checked out by the time he got to NU.)
I also just think people are getting too caught up in the archetypes -- just because one smaller-school coach didn't work doesn't mean hiring another is doomed to fail. These candidates are going to fail or succeed on their own from a variety of factors after their hired; I just think, "Did you do a good job at a smaller school" is about as good an indicator of future success as we have.
I hadn't seen Kiffin mentioned so I didn't include him, but I probably just missed it. Ole Miss has some money and is in the SEC, so I don't know if I think he'd be an easy pry. I agree Fickell isn't leaving Ohio, but I'd still at least try to back the money truck up to him.
I've seen Kiffin mentioned in a couple places. He has been vocal about the lack of fan support at Ole Miss. Maybe this is because he has his eyes on the Auburn job. But we can entertain ourselves with the idea that he might be open to a return to the city of his birth, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Lane Kiffin would instantly put national attention on the Husker program. He had recruited out west and in the south.