What if Casteel becomes available?
To the surprise of absolutely no one outside of Morgantown it's looking more and more like the Uncle Opie experiment is failing badly which could lead to Casteel becoming available at the end of the season. Does RichRod go get him? He allegedly turned it down the DC initially because he didn't want to uproot his family plus he had a job but if Stewart gets smoked as expected that will probably not be the case anymore. And it would surprise me at least to see West Virginia stay inside the Rodriguez family tree and promote Casteel despite their defense being ranked 7th in the nation going into last night's game. I'm not a Gerg hater by any means (the man doesn't exactly have the 86 Bears personnel to work with) but if Casteel became available at the end of the season I think Rich would try and get him.
What do you guys think?
October 30th, 2010 at 8:31 AM ^
Interesting thought.
I can't believe that a team from the Big East is going to be playing in a BCS bowl.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:34 AM ^
to make Casteel head coach.
October 30th, 2010 at 1:27 PM ^
Never been a HC before.
October 30th, 2010 at 3:27 PM ^
October 30th, 2010 at 8:34 AM ^
for a head coaching job. Not sure if he would move to be a DC again.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:37 AM ^
does he run the 3-3-5 at WVU?
October 30th, 2010 at 8:37 AM ^
He turned down a DQ position? He doesn't like making blizzards?
October 30th, 2010 at 8:42 AM ^
did not like the way he looked in the pointy white DQ cap.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:42 AM ^
I remember him saying something along the lines of Baskin Robbins having more flavors to work with. If Stewart was let go, I'd imagine that would be his next move.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:50 AM ^
be holding out for Ben & Jerry's.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:51 AM ^
October 30th, 2010 at 8:51 AM ^
I don't know why I always refer to that job as "DQ" instead of 'DC" as it should be. Thanks for proper admonishment - it's fixed now.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:50 AM ^
Maybe it's just really early but you totally botched this post.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:58 AM ^
Mea culpa. I upvoted everyone who called me out on it. I do think it's a valid question though.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:06 AM ^
It is. I've been a total prick on MGoBlog lately so apologies to all. To your question, I think that if given the chance Rich should bring Casteel in. People will point to the revolving door known as DC for Michigan but I see things differently in this instance. Casteel has many things that will make this different than the other switches. First, he has total respect from Rich and with that he is free to do whatever he wishes with the defense. Second, he meshes with all of the assistants more so than Shafer and Robinson because of familiarity from there time together. Third, he knows the 3-3-5 better than most and if that is the defense Rich wants in place regardless of DC then why not take someone with his knowledge and pedigree with it?
October 30th, 2010 at 10:58 AM ^
an experienced and successful recruiter. Recruiting is obviously a key component to an assistant's job, and any assistant looking to be a HC somewhere must be a successful recruiter. You never see GERG's name attached to any key recruiting activities.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:16 AM ^
Clearly changing the defensive scheme and the coordinators on a yearly basis will not allow the players to progress as well. However the same can be said for having the players switch positions constantly including the middle of the season. My concern is that the D has been so terrible this year that I feel that someone will have to answer for it, much like Shafer did previously. If Casteel is available and the defense has shown no progress throughout the year, I'm sure they would consider it. He already plays the scheme that RR and much of his staff is used to playing and has had a solid record of success.
Completely valid question. Also, not sure why you upvoted the guys hazing your post. The first DQ joke was funny, but it fell off pretty quickly after that.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:56 AM ^
Ron English
Scott Shafer
GERG
and than Casteel. I'm not sure that would be good for the D
Give Gerg one more year, with a more experienced D next year
October 30th, 2010 at 9:02 AM ^
I have thought that too for some time but I can't help but wonder if he could get Casteel would he make the change. And Casteel won't be available the year after next - he's too good.
I hate the revolving door too but if Rich could get his guy I think he'd make the move. But I agree that it's hard to make progress when you're always changing leaders.
October 30th, 2010 at 2:16 PM ^
By next year, there will be no one left who played for English, and basically no one left who played under Shafer. So it's more like two DCs in three years, which is not out of the ordinary.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:01 AM ^
comments like that add so much to threads.
I think that personally (pending some drastic change) that it would be a very smart move to snatch him up. However, I'm not sure that is going to be feasible with RR still in semi - hot water (cross your fingers about Penn State). If the season goes as we all hope and there is some definite stability in RR job, then I think he may consider coming to Mich. JMO.
October 30th, 2010 at 12:14 PM ^
well, youve convinced me
October 30th, 2010 at 9:20 AM ^
Unfortunate, but I think the window for Michigan to get him opened and then shut pretty quick.
I think GERG will be DC one more year for UM.
October 30th, 2010 at 1:43 PM ^
I think you are correct; he will probably be a HC next year at a MAC or MAC level school. For him, its time to step up, if that is what he wants. GERG gets one more year to finish the job he started. I don't think that anyone could have done much better with the talent that he has available today. Not enough bodies w/experiences right now.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:39 AM ^
GERG will look a whole heck of a lot better when he has a roster with experienced guys and where his best db isn't a walk-on.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:04 AM ^
But wouldn't any DC look better with more experienced guys?
I am by no means a GERG hater, but I do think that Casteel definitely knows his stuff. The question we should be asking is, "could another DC (** Castell) have done a better job with what we have now?
Obviously you don't get a Super Bowl ring on sheer luck, but there have been a lot of questionable calls by GERG... I think that is a fair assumption.
October 30th, 2010 at 2:45 PM ^
http://mgoblog.com/content/unverified-voracity-finds-comparison
http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/monte-kiffin-unacceptable
If you don't want to click, what they say in short is that even with a VERY talented team, if you don't have experience and consistency at DQ/DC you will not be very good.
October 30th, 2010 at 3:40 PM ^
Hiring Casteel would be a little different than hiring some random outsider. RR, Tall and Gibson have worked with him for years, and he favors the 3-3-5. We wouldn't be looking at schematic changes, and we know that he can work with the staff. This is a move that I think would be worth it.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:42 AM ^
I think that RR will certainly pull the trigger on this if the opportunity arrises. Another DC would look as if theres instability but the first 2 DCs RR has picked were not his first choice. If he sees Casteel as a long term solution and "his" guy, then I can see this happening.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:12 AM ^
that Casteel wouldn't be a candidate for the HC position? I mean, there are no big names left for them to look at...I don't know.
In either case, I doubt he will come to Michigan.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:15 AM ^
As much as I would like Casteel and think he is a good coach, due to the fact that GERG has had very little talent to work with and has had to dumb his system down to the point where its not really his system, we have to keep GERG. GERG like RR needs to be judged with a full roster of his own players when the bulk of the starters are Seniors and Juniors.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:20 AM ^
He either gets the WVU job (most likely) or one somewhere else. I don't think he goes to AA to be DC.
As far as changing DC again...If Casteel did come in, he wouldn't be running a different system. He uses the 3-3-5 that RR has forced on GERG and Shafer. I think it would be a non-issue this time.
Edit: Maybe Casteel winds up in South Bend after this season when they look at their coach risking kids' health/safety and contributing to the death of another while having a losing season?
October 30th, 2010 at 11:44 AM ^
October 30th, 2010 at 10:43 AM ^
If Casteel is willing to be a DC, then I'd be surprised if RR didn't make the move. I understand that GERG was put in a bad spot, but if RR is sold on running the 3-3-5 he might as well get the guy who knows how to run it expertly. I would feel bad for GERG, but I also want to see a UM defense that is above the mendoza line nationally.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:57 AM ^
Like the thought, but that revolving door has to stop so GERG it is. Casteel will most likely end up at a MAC/CUSA/Sun Belt school as HC. I highly doubt the WVU athletic department is willing to stay with a RR man. (again).
October 30th, 2010 at 11:02 AM ^
There are two reasons to replace a particular person who holds a position in an organization. The first is to get a better worker to hold that position. The second is more punitive and involves a change being made to get rid of the worker who currently holds that position. The position in question here (defensive coordinator) is of a kind where stability is highly desirable, which means in my eyes that the decision you make needs to be of a highly amplified sort; that is, you only replace the DC if there's a coordinator available who's way better or if the DC you have is really abysmal.
While Robinson's performance has been abysmal, it might not be his fault for reasons that have been expressed ad infinitum on this board. Casteel, however, MIGHT qualify as such a major upgrade that making a move is justified for the "first reason" of replacement described above.
I think it's close, but I do think that Casteel qualifies as being "way better" than Robinson. For that reason, I make the move. The risk is that you get a negative recruiting point out of the transaction - other coaches are able to say that Michigan is in a state of upheaval and doesn't know what they're doing - but I think you can mitigate that risk by saying that you got a blue chip defensive coordinator who runs the same system. I think it's an inherently understandible move that requires little explanation.
All of the above considered, I would say if Casteel is available you replace Robinson.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:14 AM ^
Casteel to Minnesota
October 30th, 2010 at 11:56 AM ^
Even though the WV natives may be getting restless is Stewart's job really under fire? This season hasn't been fantastic but they will still make a bowl game and he has two 9-4 seasons under his belt in Morgantown. I don't have any inside info or know anything about WV's athletic department but I would be surprised if he is canned after three years. It's not like WVU has been traditionally putting up 10 win seasons and competing for national titles (except under Rodriguez).
So to anwer your question I don't think Casteel is going to become available, but if he does I think he's a no-brainer hire (if he wants to stay a DC and will finally move from WV).
October 30th, 2010 at 12:04 PM ^
i just keep going back to the fact that he already chose stability for his job and family by staying in WV once versus another DC job. his decision speaks to something of the effect of "im not uprooting my family unless the job is really worth it (eg HC)."
if this is indeed the case, why would he come to michigan? while not a guarentee, its highly likely RR coaches umich in 2011. but we have no idea what may happen in 2011 and who will be the coach in 2012. put another way - why uproot the fam for another DC job when RR **might** get canned at the end of the 2011 season and you have to move again?
October 30th, 2010 at 3:44 PM ^
Upgraded defense = National Championships in 2012 & beyond = RR retires Blue
October 30th, 2010 at 1:26 PM ^
I think he stayed mainly in the hopes that Stewart would flame out and he'd be the next Head Coach. I think he has head coaching aspirations. However, if he doesn't get the WV HC job and isn't hired elsewhere, Rrod might be tempted to take a run at him.
I'm of the opinion that we need some continuity, and GERG doesn't have optimal/desired talent, depth or experience to be working with here. We need to give him that, hopefully next year, and see what he does with it. I believe he's a good defensive coach, but we need to see improvement steadily over the rest of the big ten season. Then give hiim a shot at next year with more talent/depth/experience/hopefully key players at key positions stay healthy...
All that being said, IF Rrod hires someone else, Casteel is probably my #1 choice outside of GERG, especially if Rrod still intends/desires to run 3-3-5/4-2-5 in any capacity.
October 30th, 2010 at 1:34 PM ^
He has never been a HC before, at any level. If he's a HC, he'll probably start out at a non-AQ school. He won't be HC at WVU, Minnesota, ND, etc. If he is, whichever school that makes that move is rolling some serious dice.
That said, I think it makes perfect sense for Coach Rod to bring on Casteel, despite Coach Robinson's continuity, expertise, etc. It is plainly obvious that whoever is the DC is being forced to use the 3-3-5 and the WVU terminology. IME, this is poor management on the part of Rich, but if he's going to insist, he might as well go get his guy.
October 30th, 2010 at 2:08 PM ^
Love debating coaching changes for other teams. We've got no skin in the game.
There's plenty of coaches that have zero or very thin head coach experience, especially in Big East. Shiano was previously a DC, Charlie Strong had the "assistant HC" label a few times, and Bill Stewart's only HC experience was a short stint at VMI (8-25).
In the pro's Mike Tomlin got a HC gig without any previous experience as well. Gruden at Raiders. Both of them have rings.
IMHO, it;s better to get a candidate that fits an opening rather than recycle the same guys because they have a resume'.
October 30th, 2010 at 3:42 PM ^
But maybe RR insisted on moving to 3-3-5 with this move in mind at some point. Say, if Casteel got in his ear and told him the Stewie experiment wasn't all grits and gravy.
October 30th, 2010 at 4:07 PM ^
Not Michigan, or USC, or such. They can go out and get other head coaches. Though they don't always. Heck, Rich had only been a head coach at Tiny schools before getting the job, and I'd contend being head coach there where you're painting the hash marks yourself is a lot less like being a head coach at a major program than being a Coordinator for one is. And before Rich, they hired a Bo assistant. It's not like the next Urban Meyer is holding out for the WV job.
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<br>If you want to question why a school firing a coaching staff would want one of the assistants to take over, that's fine. But HC experience is hardly a prerequisite for coaching a team at that level.
October 30th, 2010 at 4:29 PM ^
But HC experience is hardly a prerequisite for coaching a team at that level.
Tell that to the domers after their Weis experience.
By the way, Rich was a WVU alum, which helps with the HC experience somewhat.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:04 PM ^
Lloyd Carr's head coaching experience before Michigan came at John Glenn High School in Westland, Michigan from 1973 - 1975. I think that worked out well for Michigan. Carr may get complained about, but I have nothing but respect for him.
Jeff Castell was an assistant coach at the college level (Shepherd College from 1988 to 1990). That could be seen as equivalent to high scholl head coach.