antonio_sass

December 31st, 2010 at 6:46 PM ^

Can't speak to the veracity of any of it, but...

 

5. Casteel tells RR "NO" the week of the Ohio State game. RR cannot find a proven DC to come for what may amount to only one year. RR asks their AD for an extension of HIS contract so the new DC will have a guaranteed 2 years to fix things. He doesn't get it. In effect this seals his fate hence the breakdown at UM's senior night.

His contract is for 6 years. There was no need to extend it, at that point.

Mi Sooner

December 31st, 2010 at 7:02 PM ^

I would guess that RR was really asking for a 'vote of confidence' with the addition of years.  both of you are correct, he has 3 more years on the current contract, but it becomes much easier to let RR go in the subsequent years -- i.e. cheaper.  DB basically said the same thing you guys said, you have a contract for 3 more years, no need to extend today. 

 

This is only my interpretation of this section.

Bando Calrissian

December 31st, 2010 at 7:16 PM ^

Still lots of folks going back and forth between both communities.  RR brought a ton of folks with him.  And if WVU equipment staff people were calling RR up to offer up extra cowbells after the bowl announcement, it seems likely there's still a great deal of communication/gossip between camps at both schools.

NateVolk

December 31st, 2010 at 6:59 PM ^

That is true, but it was publicly known that Rich was year- to-year.  Rich needed some sort of public and private assurance he was off the year-to-year cycle.  (Such as an extension) Which he still hasn't gotten. 

I commented the other day that right now "one more year" was doing Rich no favors because a top notch defensive coordinator wouldn't come work for a lame duck coach.  If this Casteel story is true, a rarity occurred and I was right.

The fact of the matter is that if you go the Rich Rodriguez route, you have to go full blast all chips on the table. Same as any other coach. Sounds like the school wasn't willing to do that at a certain point. That isn't passing blame. It is an observation.

CaptainBlue

December 31st, 2010 at 6:48 PM ^

This is concerning Jeff Casteel, DC for WVU and RR apparently trying to get him ... it's pretty sketchy, but these are the pertinent parts for a Michigan fan, I guess.

 

1. UM told Rich Rod in early November he has to get a top DC in order to stay. He told them he had tried but did not have the funds to bring in somebody proven. They cleared up to $1M, with none other than Casteel in mind.

 

2. Casteel was so frustrated with Mullen's offense and BS that he told Luck something had to change or he was going somewhere else. He did not want to be a head coach but just wanted to run his defense the way he wanted without the offense keeping him in hole. Casteel was angry Bill Stewart blamed the UConn loss on the defense giving up two first downs at the end of the game and letting them "out of the hole" even though they held UConn to almost nothing. Luck told him he was already thinking about making a change this season. Luck and everyone else in Morgantown knows Casteel has been the glue holding everything together for the last two years.

 

3. Luck finds out that other schools (+RRod) are going to come after Casteel the week after UConn game. (Timing is everything). Luck tells Casteel he will make changes and guarantees if Casteel stays, he will have as much control over the defense a DC can have. He will find a head coach that understands this and promises to be cooperative with Casteel. Casteel tells the defensive coaches he is staying no matter what and help is on the way.

 


4. Next week Ollie informs BS and tells him to tell offensive coaches.

5. Casteel tells RR "NO" the week of the Ohio State game. RR cannot find a proven DC to come for what may amount to only one year. RR asks their AD for an extension of HIS contract so the new DC will have a guaranteed 2 years to fix things. He doesn't get it. In effect this seals his fate hence the breakdown at UM's senior night.

FGB

January 1st, 2011 at 12:25 AM ^

I really wouldn't think it's necessary to explain how preposterous this story is, but:

Here are the following conversations that this source would have to be party to:

-confidential conversations between the WVU AD and Casteel on separate occasions about his unhappiness, his potential job options, his authority under a new coach, etc.



-confidential conversations  between the WVU AD and the various foot ball staff about Casteel's job status, outside offers, comfort level with a new coaching staff, etc.

-confidential conversations between Michigan's AD and RR on separate occasionas about his DC needs, his DC budget, his contract extension, etc.

-confidential conversations between Casteel and RR about an offer, length of his stay, results of those conversations

 

Here is the list of people who would possibly know what was said in all those talks:

........

........

.......

Talcelm

December 31st, 2010 at 6:55 PM ^

And everyone bawls their eyes out at our situation!! GOOD GOD!! Everyone that is bitching, whining about RR & JH CC just better count their lucky stars that we are NOT WVU!!

nickb

December 31st, 2010 at 7:08 PM ^

Any good DC would want more job security than one year (assuming RR gets canned after next season). The post if anything points out the problem of allowing RR to stay for another year. Unless Brandon is willing to fully commit to RR and staff including a new DC there is no way in hell RR can bring someone aboard to "fix" the defense in one year.

By the same token, Brandon cannot commit to RR based on his body of work to date. The only logical answer is clean house and start over with a proven leader and winner. That person will be able to develop the talent already recruited and recruit better talent.

TennBlue

December 31st, 2010 at 7:04 PM ^

who would come here for $1M, even if it only was 1 year.  That would be one of the top 2 or 3 highest paid DC positions in the country.  I smell bullshit.

bluenyc

December 31st, 2010 at 7:25 PM ^

That is alot of money for a coordinator.  But if you were a DC would you come here for a year with no control over the staff and maybe forced in running the 335. 

Also if this story is right, then the rumor of Casteel looking around is dead wrong.  I don't know what to believe, but it's getting close to game time. 

Edit : Thinking about it again.  Make $1 mil  vs (what is the avg salary of a DC, guess 400K), you can sit a year and get something else.  I guess I would take the money.

RoxyMtnHiM

December 31st, 2010 at 7:46 PM ^

Yep. A mil is a lot of scratch for a coordinator, even these days. I think any coach understands he can blow his whole gig in one year anyway if his unit doesn't perform, there's no where for this D to go but up, and a good DC might look at the other side of the ball and say, Yeah, I can work with that.

To me, the dealbreaker would likely be an offense-oriented HC dictating the scheme.

bronxblue

December 31st, 2010 at 7:06 PM ^

I've seen less speculation on UFO sighting websites. 

Casteel may well leave at the end of the year, but if the WVU coaches could figure out that Bill Stewart and his offense were in trouble by, you know, watching the game film, whether or not Casteel know they were gone is pretty low on their list of problems.

MGlobules

December 31st, 2010 at 7:14 PM ^

1) RR's fate may end up hanging on a lot of tendrils the sports-writing world will never make clear to fans.

2) these coaches are a pissy little bunch--or (more simply) a bunch of primadonnas

3) wish we could get Casteel.

 

A damned fascinating read.

skunk bear

December 31st, 2010 at 7:14 PM ^

if RR's fate was sealed when Casteel said no the first time in late 2007.

I also wonder what the last 3 seasons would have been like with someone who actually knows how to run the 3-3-5.

HAIL-YEA

December 31st, 2010 at 7:18 PM ^

I guess it is possible if he had a connection with Casteel he could know all of this.

I would be happy if it were true Brandon authorized 1 mill for a DC.  We really have been behind the curve as far as pay scale for our coaches.

swdude12

December 31st, 2010 at 7:20 PM ^

I smell Bullshit also...here is a list of the top paid Assistant coaches...no one is at 1 million.  The auburn assistant just got an extension for $1.3 to stay.  Who wouldnt want to make a quick million for a year?

 

Also If I was in the situation I would be confident as hell to succeed and bring on the challenge. Prove everyone wrong...UM D will be back! 

  • Will Muschamp, Texas defensive coordinator — $907,000
  • Kirby Smart, Alabama defensive coordinator — $762,350
  • Todd Grantham, Georgia defensive coordinator — $760,600
  • Ellis Johnson, South Carolina defensive coordinator — $706,650
  • John Chavis, LSU defensive coordinator — $700,000
  • Kevin Steele, Clemson defensive coordinator — $681,000
  • Nick Holt, Washington defensive coordinator — $650,004
  • Norm Chow, UCLA offensive coordinator — $640,000
  • Justin Wilcox, Tennessee defensive coordinator — $600,000
  • Gus Malzahn, Auburn offensive coordinator — $500,000
  • Tyrone Nix, Ole Miss defensive coordinator — $500,000

HAIL-YEA

December 31st, 2010 at 7:51 PM ^

Things change fast

Gus Malzahn is going to make 1.3m next year

whoever is going to replace Will Muschamp will make 1m at least

Over half of the defensive coordinators in the SEC make more then 500k per year

And the idea was to pay 1mill to a top proven DC..not just anybody.   The top proven DC's are already making close to 1m ayway when you count bonuses for bowls and such.. who are all these top DC's that will jump at 1 mill for 1 year, especially considering what they would be working with here.

I am not saying that the WVU article is true.  I'm just saying 1m for a DC is not  some sick amount of money that would allow us to get anyone..even if it was only for 1 year

On a positive note, at least our coaching decsion is not being decided based upon wether we can raise 2 million dollars.

swdude12

December 31st, 2010 at 7:54 PM ^

Gus Malzahn is going to make 1.3m next year

Isnt that what i posted? Ya and he will be working with a ton of returning starters...thats counting Woolfork. and a top 10 offense. If i was Castell i would be confident in myself to bringing a championship defense to AA...Then what is there to worry about? What kind of situation is that? a great one! GO BLUE!