Bill Stewart to resign following bowl

Submitted by dakotapalm on

According to the Smoking Musket (WVU blog) Bill Stewart will resign after the Mountaineers' bowl game. I'd seen several reports throughout the day that hinted at this, but this is the first concrete statment about the situation.

Oklahoma St OC Dana Holgorsen is expected to replace Steward. Interestingly enough, Holgorsen had recently declined to seek the Pittsburgh opening.

Link: http://www.smokingmusket.com/2010/12/13/1874910/breaking-bill-stewart-t…

goblue@pitt-pa

December 14th, 2010 at 1:21 AM ^

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I laughed so hard at this man.  Word's can't even begin to desribe my laughter (did all the haha's suffice?).  I think the time 1:20 AM and the fact I just finished my Political Science final atrributed to this, but still man kudos to you hahaha plus 1 you to sir, oh wait, are we the only one's who do that hahaha.

lexus larry

December 14th, 2010 at 8:51 AM ^

So, Magnus...

Who IS coordinating the D?  When Michigan brought the house against the Illini in the 3rd OT, Rich Rodriguez commented that both Tony Gibson and GERG told him the blitz was coming.  TG is upstairs, GERG on the field.  So who's calling the plays?  (Why would TG be in Rich's ear, telling him that, unless it was he who called it?)

(Wanted to start a separate thread for this particular question a while back...now seems as good a time as any.)

Also, could it be that Rich is grooming TG for the DC role, for some far off day in the future?

Thoughts?  Comments?

bluenyc

December 14th, 2010 at 9:42 AM ^

You might be on to something.  The D is just an interesting dynamic.  I would think GERG is telling RR what is going on and not Gibson.  Gibson has enough on his plate with the DB's and special teams. 

Blue in Seattle

December 14th, 2010 at 10:40 AM ^

You can hear everyone on the head phones, it's an open circuit in that sense.

Now as far as Casteel goes, when I went back into  the coach hiring articles it was initially assumed he would leave WVU with Rich Rodriguez and then he changed his mind.  So I take it as a very good sign for us if the do NOT hire him as the HC at WVU.

And remember part of the initial complaints in the lawsuit on the buyout?   Where Calvin Magee asked if he would ever be considered to be the HC at WVU?  And the AD said no, and referred to Calvin's skin color alledgedly?

Anyway, the coaching changes are all speculation until the final announcement, but I think if Casteel isn't picked, then he either has some super awesome salary and bonus, or he is incredibly pissed about not being selected as HC.

I mean, why else stay at WVU at the same position and turn down DC at Michigan?  Because Rich Rodriguez is actually a huge jerk and you couldn't stand working for the guy despite his success?

This rumor is very nice sounding.  But it's all speculation.

I have to admit though, wouldn't it be awesome after all this drama, that David Brandon announces Jeff Casteel is coming to Michigan, and this whole "wait to the end of the year" was to hold off on the DC change?  That for me would be the most awesomest turn of events to read about in the newspaper blogs.  Because it would be so hilarious to read them turn it into a huge whine about Brandon doing it wrong, like every other article they write.

 

lexus larry

December 14th, 2010 at 11:03 AM ^

+1 to you, sir.

How about whether TG remains Asst HC, where would Casteel be?  Would he want that title? 
I guess what I'm getting at is whether or not a DC (GERG or Shafer) could be overridden by the Asst HC, as to schemes or what have you?  What was TG back in the day at WVU?  Was he Asst HC there, too?

hokiewolf

December 14th, 2010 at 1:02 PM ^

The nutsos at the We Must Ignite This Couch blog have always said that it was family that made him stay, i.e. a wife that refused to move.  People have turned down many excellent opportunities in the past for that very reason.  

They are all crazy over there, but they do follow the program closely.  Who knows?  

goblue12

December 13th, 2010 at 11:16 PM ^

over!

...but the truth is that the 3-3-5 will not work in the big10.... with teams like Iowa and Wisconsin we are conceding the line of scrimmage on every play.... 3-3-5 is for flag football and thats it! (ooh and the big east)... Personally, I would like either Heater or Shannon.

BRCE

December 14th, 2010 at 4:39 AM ^

Your sarcasm is noted, but even though I don't endorse the posters juvenile "flag football" reference, he does have a point. The spread offense works fine in the Big Ten, it just doesn't work when Lewan and Molk are committing drive-killing penalties, Denard is fumbling or getting passes batted that lead to interceptions, and when field goals aren't realistic options and we have to get a touchdown almost every drive (on a long field) to keep pace.

Usually, I'm a big believer in "any scheme can work with execution." But the 3-3-5 = not Big Ten meme has merit. I have no doubt that we would be more solid fundamentally if we hired Casteel. But teams like Wisconsin, Iowa and to a lesser extent OSU and MSU are not going to cease to throw downhill running games at us.

 

 

Michigan Shirt

December 14th, 2010 at 9:56 AM ^

Well if we are talking about 3-man fronts, here are the teams that use a 3-man front in the NFL (3-4 defense, but closer to our D than a 4-3, just a smaller S/OLB). So it looks like a 3-man front can work with a competent DC and personnel, which is what we need.

Teams that use the 3–4 defense include the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers. per Wikipedia.

BRCE

December 14th, 2010 at 8:51 AM ^

Don't be an idiot. When did I ever say that the penalties, turnovers, and kicking issues were a result of the scheme? I SAID THE SCHEME WORKS. There are just too many other issues, that have nothing to do with X's and O's, that lead to an inordinate amount empty yardage.

And that's why it's not really a top ten offense.

Colt McBaby Jesus

December 14th, 2010 at 11:47 AM ^

You're right, you said this:

The spread offense works fine in the Big Ten, it just doesn't work when Lewan and Molk are committing drive-killing penalties, Denard is fumbling or getting passes batted that lead to interceptions, and when field goals aren't realistic options and we have to get a touchdown almost every drive (on a long field) to keep pace.

I don't know how I could interpret that any other way. I am an idiot.

chunkums

December 14th, 2010 at 7:34 AM ^

Our 3-3-5 not working had a wee bit to do with sending only three men 90% of the time.  It is a blitz-heavy scheme which gets a lot of TFL.  A blitzing safety can take down a running back with sound tackling, and WVU's dismantling of Oklahoma in 2007 is evidence of this.  That Oklahoma team was FAR bigger and more physical than WVU was.

Fuzzy Dunlop

December 14th, 2010 at 12:43 PM ^

Yeah, that was BRCE's point.  He said that the spread works in the Big 10, and that our offensive problems related to other factors.  Everyone who is piling on the guy is misreading his post egregiously.

A_Maize_Zing

December 14th, 2010 at 1:47 AM ^

goblue12

what leads you to believe that 3-3-5 can't work?  Please don't tell me it is from 1 year of freshmen running the system?  I think any system can be effective if run right.  The only problem with us staying in a 3-3-5 is I think it will really limit Roh in the long run.  He will be used when we slide into a 4 front but what happens the rest of the time?  He really isn't a 3 front DE or an OLB. 

njv5352

December 14th, 2010 at 8:40 AM ^

I am not sure that he needs the call from RR.  From what has been said before the two don't actually see eye to eye on things.  He probably needs a call from DB himself more than RR.  Maybe he can be convinced to let the past be the past.

mGrowOld

December 13th, 2010 at 10:39 PM ^

Please God make Dana Holgorsen  want his own coordinators and fire the existing WVU staff.  Thereby freeing up one Mr Jeff Casteel to come to AA and save us!

Woo freaking woo.  I am happy now.