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Porkins

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The Top 5 Coaching Hires for the 2008 College Football season

Mike4redsox: GO BIG RED! said 06/18, 11:21 AM
1. June Jones (SMU)-After reinstating Hawaii into the football world with his high powered offenses and strong-armed quaterbacks, Jones looks to restore SMU back to its winning ways.

2. Rick Neuheisel (UCLA)- I think this was one of the best hires of the '08 Coaching Carousel. Neuheisel was one of the most underrated coaches at Colorado and Washington. He actually only had one losing season in 8 years with both of those teams. UCLA was a solid team without Neuheisel coaching, and he will make them a great team.

3. David Cutcliffe (Duke)-He was coached and he learned from one of the best coaches in Paul "Bear" Bryant. I still don't know why he was fired from Ole Miss, anyone know? He went 44-29 when coaching at Oxford, and took them to 5 bowls in 6 seasons. Duke should be a 4-7 win team in the next few years.

4. Bobby Petrino (Arkansas)-Petrino installed one of the best offenses in the college game at Louisville a couple years ago. He's back in the NCF to do the same to Arkansas, who doesn't have that much of offensive talent.

5. Bo Pelini (Nebraska)-If you didn't know, BO coached at UNL a couple years ago, made the Blackshirts. This team had no defense last year.

Porkins said 06/18, 11:50 AM
1. Jones
2. Neuheisel
3. Rich Rodriguez
4. Cutcliffe
5. Pelini

Rich Rodriguez belongs on this list. Carr's retirement afforded UM the chance to find a coach that could lead them back to prominence as an elite program.

Michigan is the all-time winningest division 1-A school but has not been living up to that standard in recent years. Losses to rival Ohio State and some embarrassing performances (Appy) have cast a pall over Ann Arbor.

So why was Rodriguez a good hire?

The past two seasons have seen a Big Ten team work its way to the national title only to get destroyed by quicker, more adapatable teams in the SEC. The conservative pro-style offense eployed by the Big Ten is clearly not competing well with offensive scheme like the spread.

If Michigan wants to win at the highest level, it has to change and adapt.

Enter Rodriguez. Here's a guy who took a no-name school in a nothing conference and turned it into a BCS contender and offensive powerhouse.

The offense he developed at WVU employs the speed and style that can compete with teams from the SEC (see '05 Sugar Bowl).

Bringing him to Michigan will help the Wolverines make the changes they need.

Mike4redsox: GO BIG RED! said 06/19, 08:44 AM
Bobby Petrino pretty much did the same thing at Lousiville that Rodriguez did at WV. Here's a no name team, stuck in the nothing Conference USA and then pulls off a couple 9-10 win seasons with their high passing offense, and gets called up to the Big East for football. So these guys have something in common, both taking no name teams and establishing greatness. I think if Petrino stayed at Lousiville last year, they would've at least got 9 wins.

Here's another thing they have in common, both are starting with pretty much nothing at their new schools besides great recruiting classes. Michigan has to install this brand new offense with no scrambling quaterback, and I can't see Rodriguez's offense working without a great quaterback and a strong running back, both of which they lost last year. Michigan's not going to be as great as they usually are for the next couple years. And I hope R-Rod knows that.

Arkansas lost two of their best offensive players last year. And basicallly what they have this year is Ryan Mallet, and their defense. I think it will take a couple years for Ark. to get back on track. But at least they have Mallet, who could be a pro at running this offense.

Porkins said 06/19, 09:11 AM
BUT...Petrino was NOT responsible for Louisville's rise. That credit goes to his predecessor John L. Smith. Prior to Smith, the previous FIVE coaches dating back to 1973 had overall LOSING records.

Enter Smith. He took UL big-time, winning 2/3 of his games, going to 5 straight bowls, and winning back to back CUSA titles.

Petrino inherited an already successful program, and though he built on that success, his legacy is one of abandonment.

This guy jumps ship like a frightened pirate leaving all kinds of trouble in his wake. He's already coached 11 different teams, been from college to the NFL to college again to the NFL again and back to college AGAIN.

He has ZERO loyalty and contrary to your argument did not build Louisville into a powerhouse.

Rodriguez inherited a team barely over .500. WVU didn't even approach the level of competition they now play and BEAT. 3 straight 11-win seasons, 2 BCS berths and WINS, 6 straight bowls, & Big East dominance.

Rodriguez deserves the credit for WVU's success. But more important to this TD is the offensive strategy he brings to UM. His wide open offenses are going to change Big Ten football and improve UM's chances

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I dont think I could disagree with any of those signings. I would put Neuheisel at the top though. I think he will turn UCLA into a power house dynasty

Gsnyder12 | 06/18/08, 11:30 AM

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The Top 5 Coaching Hires for the 2008 College Football season

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