Not our CC: Bovada has Stoops, Gundy as Leaders for UF Job

Submitted by alum96 on

Interesting prop bet over at Bovada for the UF coaching job.  Florida's AD Foley has made it clear with the situations with Zook/Muschamp v Meyer he is looking for an offensive oriented coach.  I find that a bit silly myself because you can win either way as long as said coach hires a coordinator who is strong on the other side of the ball i.e. if this was a year ago its a no brainer to hire Charlie Strong and make sure he has a bright offensive mind for his OC.  But programs tend to be reactive and hire "the opposite" of what they just had.  So offensive mind it is. 

With that in mind Bovada has Bob Stoops and Mike Gundy as ther leaders with board favorite Jim McElwain (and his massive buyout) in the 3rd spot.  For some reason they have closed the prop at this time - hmm.

NCAA 2014-2015 - Who will be the Head Coach of the Florida Gators for the 2015-2016 season? 
 
7:00p
Bob Stoops
15/4    
 
Mike Gundy
9/2    
 
Jim McElwain
6/1    
 
Dan Mullen
7/1    
 
Mike Shanahan
17/2    
 
Rich Rodriguez
17/2    
 
Hugh Freeze
10/1    
 
Steve Spurrier
12/1    
 
Gary Patterson
15/1    
 
Gus Malzhan
15/1    
 
Jim Tressel
17/1    
 
Greg Schiano
25/1  

 

Gundy is basically Sumlin of the Big 12 - all offense, little defense and is coming off a tough year.  Still he is an alum and has T Boone Pickens (Ross of Oklahoma State) behind him.  But if you want to focus on offense he is the guy.  You just need to force him into a new DC.  So he could make a lot of sense with a prominent DC - ironically that guy would be Will Muschamp.  Not going to happen but it would be the right combo.

McElwein has a buyout from CSU larger than the exit package they have to give Muschamp (north fo $6M).  Seems like a lot of sunk costs.  Mullen is not a personal favorite of Foley from all accounts.

I am going to go off the reserve and say Todd Graham has a very good chance to be the next UF coach.  While a DC by nature his offenses have been very good with coordinators he has hired - Malzahn (now Auburn) and Chad Morris (now Clemson) at Tulsa, and Norvell at ASU.  He is from Texas so has the southern charm offensive going for him.  And he is probably a lot more "available" than a guy like Patterson or even Malzahn.

ShadowStorm33

November 20th, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^

Ah yes, Jim Tressel, that beacon of offensive innovation. I mean, even with TP, his offenses were pretty offensive; maybe that's what the AD was talking about?

In all seriousness, though, just think about his staff. Tressel had the most offensively innovative walrus in college football history; that's got to count for at least a tusk on the scales in Tressel's favor...

Ali G Bomaye

November 20th, 2014 at 2:09 PM ^

Keep in mind that this isn't a neutral prediction.  As a gambling site, Bovada has an interest in throwing out big names in order to sucker money away from stupid people.  In addition to Tressel, there is essentially zero chance that Spurrier or Shanahan will be hired to coach UF, but people have thrown their names out there so you see them on the board.

Gerald R. Ford

November 20th, 2014 at 5:44 AM ^

I never had the sense that Malzahn was shady. He left Auburn as the OC at a very strange moment when they had just won the NC. He took a job late at Ark State. Strange move downward - not even lateral really even though it was a HC job. At that time the program Auburn program and Chizek were being investigated, and many thought Chizek was not running a clean program. If note, Auburn then tanked after Malzahn left and Chizek was fired. My sense at the time was that Malzahn did not want to be associated w Chizek. The sequence of events seems to support that and may also speak to high character. Course we could always call in and ask PAAAWWL what the story was.




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ironman4579

November 20th, 2014 at 10:56 AM ^

I was in no way suggesting Gus Malzahn was shady.  I believe oversigning gives a rather large competitive advantage, but while I certainly don't approve of the practice, it is not a violation and is 100% within the rules.  My concern was when that advantage is taken away (the BIG does not allow oversigning) how does that affect a coaches succes?

Howver, as was rightly pointed out below, Malzahn had succes as an HC previously, and without any oversigning that I'm aware of.  

alum96

November 19th, 2014 at 11:34 PM ^

Don't think it is much of a risk.  Florida is the only lilke job to UM.  Most of these candidates except Gundy I suppose (or guys like Schiano - blech)  will be in bowls in late Dec thu early January.  So unless one decides to leave immediately after their season and before their bowl they will all be still employed at current employers til post bowl.  Which is San Fran doesnt make the playoffs is about the same time as Harbaugh would officially be in play (Dec 28th).

Stringer Bell

November 19th, 2014 at 11:42 PM ^

True, but then again we're gonna be waiting for Harbaugh to make his decision and who knows how long that'll take. By that point, UF may have snagged one of our candidates and Mullen may have signed an extension at NTMSU. And thats not even considering SF making the playoffs and possibly making a nice run. I think its a risk for sure, a necessary one but one that might bite us if it doesnt work out.

alum96

November 20th, 2014 at 12:24 AM ^

Disagree again.

I bet Jim Harbaugh already knows what he wants to do today.   He has a binary decision in regards to UM - Am I leaving the NFL and going to the NCAA or not?  It's as simple as that in regards to UM.  If its a no then his decisions open up and he has a lot more to think about in terms of which NFL franchise he will be going to.

I know he is singularly focused and all that but the man still has a heart and the decision to come to UM will (or will not) be more about where his heart takes him and if he believes with his experience in the NFL that he is at core a college coach rather than a NFL coach.  That is not an epiphany he is going to make between Dec 29th and Jan 7th.

Guys dont be so EMO about it.  This is one of the better years to go find a coach -  only 1 other high profile program is out there looking (compare to even last year with Texas, PSU, USC) and a complete wildcard in the NFL ranks who would not be available a year ago or 2 years from now.  

Dan Mullen is no sure thing as some of guys seem to think.  A year ago at this time he was 4-6 with a victory over 2-10 Kentucky and 3 baby seals after 4 previous years of ho hum results... and now a year later everyone wants him - just like everyone wanted Kevin Sumlin 12 months ago and a year later no one talks about him.  Guys who rocket up with 1 year are a big risk.

Stringer Bell

November 20th, 2014 at 1:18 AM ^

There's no way he's made up his mind yet.  This is a huge decision for him.  I doubt he even knows if he wants to leave the 49ers yet.  He's going to have a lot of offers to consider.  I don't think he's going to boil it down to UM vs the NFL.  I think it will be UM vs the Bears, UM vs the Giants, UM vs the Raiders, etc.  It's not as simple as just following his heart.  It will probably take him a while to make this decision, which is why in the best case scenario that the 49ers miss the playoffs, we'll still likely be waiting until mid-January for his decision, obviously that date gets pushed back the farther the 49ers go.  Again, I'm completely for putting all our eggs in the Harbaugh basket, but if we miss out on him we will likely get a less than ideal candidate.

Mr. Yost

November 20th, 2014 at 8:07 AM ^

You're right on Harbaugh...he's a human being. Of course he's thought about it.

Wrong on better years to find a coach, because while you're correct that the conditions are PERFECT in that we only have Florida as competition (maybe Nebraska?)...the statement is inaccurate IMO because there are no CANDIDATES.

You have to have ideal candidates first, doesn't matter who your competition is.

You may be the only guy in art class - so you think finding a girlfriend has better odds. But if no decent looking chics are in art (which is hard to believe), then really you should've just took gym with your bros where there are majority guys and only a few hot girls. 

Silly analogy, but you get what I'm saying.

I almost exclude the Harbaugh's from the search because they're always going to be around and they're always going to be connected to Michigan over anyone else. So outside of them, it's a very "blah" group of coaches. There's no Charlie Strong, no Urban Meyer, no James Franklin, no Steve Sark or Chris Petersen.

People are still talking about Pat Fitzgerald and Greg Schiano!! That tells you all you need to know.

But it's not like there a good crop of non-UM related coaches this year. In fact, it's awful. You have a coach at ASU that's a bad culture fit, a coach at UK that has a name, but hasn't done much (yet), a coach at Ok. St. that doesn't play defense, and then the same retreads from previous UM coaching searches.

Where are the hot assistants? Where are the up and coming head coaches?

There are only 3 names that would excite the vast majority of Michigan fans. Both Harbaugh's and Mullen. That's it. Not even Miles excites the majority of the fans, he's probably just the leader of the rest.

alum96

November 20th, 2014 at 9:23 AM ^

People overestimate how many great candidates there are every year.   With the exception of 2012 go back through the past 5 years and tell me all the great candidates every year - last year it was basically Charlie Strong and that is all.  James Franklin is not a premium candidate and no sure thing - that is who UM would have been considering if Hoke had been hired last year.  You listed Sark as a great candidate?  No he was 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 7-6, and 8-4 at Washington.  I list candidates with better credentials than that constantly and get downvoted for them being "bad candidates" lol.  And USC is a better job than UM right now. 

2013 - the big hire were Bert Bielemna.  That's it.  And that was at Arkansas.  Gary Anderson who was a no name out of Utah State with 1 top end year under his belt was Wisconsin's.  Oregon promoted its OC - they didnt go and find a hot coach, because there were not many available.  TN got Butch Jones who had been a poor man's Brian Kelly everywhere and has done next to zilch but since he grew up in Michigan would probably be our coach if we had fired Hoke that year.  Auburn got Malzahn who until then had 1 year of HC experience - at Arkansas State and before then was an OC at Tulsa, and Auburn.  Malzahn was a "huh?" hire to anyone in the north.  Only a person looking at stuff in retrospect would list Mazlahn as a home run hire or even a double.  So in terms of guys with track record you had Butch Jones and Bert Bielemna.

2012 was an exception helped by Meyer coming out of retirement.  And a lot of inspired hires like Graham and Sumlin.   Rich Rod and Jim Mora Jr - again a bumper year.  The only one in the past half decade.

2011 was guys like Dana Holgorsen, Al Golden, Muschamp and Hoke at major jobs.  Big woop.  Shaw was promoted internally.  Where are the big names? 

2010 was like last year - one "hot name" Brian Kelly.  Jimbo Fisher was a coach in waiting for Bowden.  That's your big names.

There are great coordinators every year - none of them are sure things.  You could get a Malzahn or a Muschamp.   This year you could go Herman, you could go Norvell (who would be a hot candidate for UM fans if his team played in the EST), you could go after Aranda, there are numerous guys out there who will get a chance.  Some will fail some will succeed.

This is just as good of year as any with the exception of 2012.

991GT3

November 20th, 2014 at 10:58 AM ^

Hackett and Schlissel have decided that if Harbaugh isn't available then they will stick with Hoke.

By not announcing their intentions regarding Hoke they literally are handcuffing the program in so many ways. Recruiting suffering, good coaching candidates choosing elsewhere, assistant coaches not focus because of lack of security and so on. It is as though tthey are trying to find ways to default to Hoke.

UMgradMSUdad

November 19th, 2014 at 11:23 PM ^

Living in Oklahoma, I hear quite a bit about both Gundy and Stoops.  Gundy seems to have rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, including T Boone Pickens. Quite honestly, I don't think either Gundy or Stoops should be on our A list for coach.

alum96

November 19th, 2014 at 11:35 PM ^

Curious what you have heard specific to T Boone Pickens v Gundy.  Is it something that is publicly sourced or it is just one of those rumor things.  Not that I want Gundy here per se but just curious what the source is as Pickens turning on Gundy would be akin to Ross turning on Hoke.

UMgradMSUdad

November 19th, 2014 at 11:41 PM ^

Here's a quote from Pickens earlier this week when asked about Gundy:

The question: Are you still supportive of Gundy?

The answer: I’m certainly supportive of Oklahoma State University. I’m always going to be for OSU, I don’t care who coaches ‘em.

http://newsok.com/public-spat-between-mike-gundy-and-boone-pickens-highlights-strained-relationship/article/5367782

alum96

November 20th, 2014 at 12:27 AM ^

Thank you.  That certainly is very similar to what Ross said days before Brandon was broomed. 

I think OK State should be very happy with Gundy but much like Fulmer at TN, Carr at UM, Richt at GA people always want more.  Same with Stoops at Oklahoma it sounds like.  But OK State is not UM, GA, TN, or OK.

LSAClassOf2000

November 20th, 2014 at 9:48 AM ^

The funny thing about show cause penalties is that, if a school REALLY wanted to do it, they could hire someone like Tressel. In his particular case, Tressel would promptly be suspended five games and be made ineligible to coach any postseason play. Of course, the school can itself be penalized for making such a hire, and woe to the school who would go through all that only to see someone repeat their same mistakes. 

UMxWolverines

November 19th, 2014 at 11:39 PM ^

I think McElwain is going to make a pretty good coach in a few years. I don't know if he has the resume for either school right now, but GASP! His won total has gone up every year!

And I'm sure his buyout would be negotiated. 

FGB

November 19th, 2014 at 11:39 PM ^

These odds don't necessarily mean that these are the most likely things to happen.  Stoops and Gundy are the equivalent of a "public" team.  People who don't know shit about the specifics of the coaching search will put money on those guys because they know the name, and the more money on them, the lower the odds from the casino so the casino doesn't take a bath if it does hit. 

Point being, just because Stoops has the lowest odds, doesn't mean anyone anywhere actually thinks that's the most likely thing to happen.

Perkis-Size Me

November 19th, 2014 at 11:39 PM ^

I hope Florida hires Schiano. Not because I wish any ill on their program, but I just don't want to have to worry about the idea of him coming here. If he couldn't win big games at Rutgers when they were in the Big East, I don't know how he can be expected to win big games anywhere else.

And that's completely disregarding his disaster stint in the NFL. He's like a poor man's, possibly homeless version of Harbaugh. All the wanting total control and being an asshole, and none of the winning.




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