OT: Fickell reportedly snubbed MSU over 'campus culture' concerns
Fickell didn't like what he was seeing in East Lansing, according to the Free Press: https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2020/02/10/michigan-state-football-coaching-search-luke-fickell/4714187002/
February 10th, 2020 at 2:56 PM ^
The only people who are shocked by this are MSU dummies.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:16 PM ^
Shouldn't be a surprise to any rational person. It is, however, surprising and delightful that this is being reported publicly.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:21 PM ^
coach sandler went to THE ohio state penitentiary for four years and coached there for 15 years... he knows questionable campus culture when he sees it.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:22 PM ^
and he thinks it's worse at MSU than in Columbus.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:49 PM ^
Not necessarily. One could assume that Ohio is worse, but just better equipped to manage the situations that arise.
February 10th, 2020 at 5:50 PM ^
Yep, he knows Ohio St at least had Gene Smith who can protect anything because he has nude pics of the NCAA higher-ups , Columbus police, and OSU board of trustees which is why he still has a job there
February 10th, 2020 at 3:24 PM ^
Meh...
His real issue is the roster and the possible sanctions. Fickell had no problems with OSU's football factory and coverup culture under Meyer.
If MSU had a full roster and was looking at a clean bill of health per the investigations, Fickell would have no problem with anything that happened there over the past decade.
In other words, he's won't take the job because MSU and Mork got caught and are dealing with a shit storm and he, and most decent coaches, don't want to take on that situation.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:43 PM ^
I hate OSU as much as the next person, but comparing the OSU situation from last year to the steaming shitpile that has been steadily building on MSU's doorstep the last few years really isn't doable. I don't see the same culture of complicity at OSU (nowhere near to the same degree, anyway) that I do at MSU.
February 10th, 2020 at 4:07 PM ^
Luke played at ohio state from '93 to '96....there's a better than even chance Dr. Strauss fondled his balls too.....
it's not nassar level, but they had their own campus sexual predator on staff for 20 years also
February 10th, 2020 at 5:13 PM ^
I thought he was the wrestling team doctor. ??
February 10th, 2020 at 7:22 PM ^
.
Primarily wrestlers, but also numerous other athletes from a dozen or more sports were victimized by Strauss:
Many of the plaintiffs are former student athletes from more than a dozen Ohio State sports teams. At least 60 played football for Ohio State’s storied program, according to the lawsuits’ complaints.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:57 PM ^
I am not so sure. MSU had lots of recent rape cover ups from Nasser to football to basketball. Add in an administration and board that was willing. MSU is the bottom of the barrel.
Why take that over?
The report says it was Fickell's wife that didn't trust MSU's culture. Seems like that is pretty likely true.
February 11th, 2020 at 10:30 AM ^
What exactly was covered up at Ohio State?
February 10th, 2020 at 2:57 PM ^
Big yikes.
You know it's bad when a Tressel/Meyer assistant is troubled by your culture.
Also, not thread-worthy, but BERT Bielema and Jim McElwain are two of the leading candidates for them now.
L. M. A. O.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:02 PM ^
Is Dan Enos busy?
February 10th, 2020 at 5:58 PM ^
Earlier a co-worker told me Butch Jones was on the list.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:04 PM ^
Looking for some big bodies to smush out the corruption. Perfect face of sparty.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:08 PM ^
Bielema is a cementhead. He'd be a perfect fit.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:28 PM ^
Quit insulting cementheads
February 10th, 2020 at 3:52 PM ^
I'm openly chuckling at my effort to visualize what a "cementhead" looks like, and all I can come up with is the Big Ten Walrus video.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:17 PM ^
I thought McElwain had a expensive buyout.
Bert's probably the more likely of the two. He likes plodding offenses, so he'll be a perfect fit for the current talent there.
February 10th, 2020 at 4:37 PM ^
He's also a dick. So he'd fit right in.
One of his Wisconsin players tried to rip Steve Breaston's leg off and Bert did nothing. That's very Dantonio-ish.
February 10th, 2020 at 6:00 PM ^
He also told his players to chop block Mike Martin because they said he was holding when they tried to pull.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:25 PM ^
I don't believe McElwain is any kind of candidate, let alone a top one. CMU just stopped him from bringing in a transfer with multiple sexual assault allegations, plus other legal issues. If there is one thing MSU needs to avoid at this moment, that's it.
I wouldn't trust a source putting McElwain out there regarding any other names on their list, but Bielema is at least plausible.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:34 PM ^
That's fair - basing it off of various reports from Freep and other reporters. YMMV with authenticity of reports.
February 10th, 2020 at 4:09 PM ^
My opinion, they're making guesses like we are. Beilema is showing interest, so those reports are from his end. Agents for other coaches may just be putting their names out there. I've heard Chris Creighton too and would be shocked if he's a serious candidate. I haven't heard a word from MSU sources.
February 10th, 2020 at 7:16 PM ^
No way they hire a guy 1 year removed from Michigan’s staff. The Sparty culture will think he is a spy.
February 10th, 2020 at 8:25 PM ^
Why not ? McElwain has coached bigger programs than MSU...
February 10th, 2020 at 9:45 PM ^
Because McElwain just tried to bring an accused rapist on campus. A QB suspended by his former team and who had his admittance denied by Tulane and then by CMU. It's a minor story because he's at CMU. It will blow up big time if MSU hires him. And the press will rehash MSU's own recent issues. Then rehash the circumstances that led to his ouster at Florida.
There's no way he's worth that kind of trouble. There's no way MSU can frame him as someone who's going to improve their culture. Even at a traditionally tone deaf institution like MSU, that hire would not be approved, not with their recent issues and not to be the face of the program.
February 10th, 2020 at 9:13 PM ^
McElwain would be interested if MSU could supply some sexy sharks he could cozy up with.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:25 PM ^
He's not troubled by the culture...he worked for two huge scumbags as you stated.
He's troubled by the fact that they got caught, and he would be inheriting a shitstorm, crap roster, and a scrutinized situation.
February 11th, 2020 at 10:59 AM ^
Those would be the scumbags who have dusted your butts 16 out of 17 times? MSU could probably use a scumbag like that. Not a good guy like Harbaugh who is guilty of hiring either family members or coaches of recruits which is one of the NCAA violations that MSU is being reviewed for.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:25 PM ^
I love the thread on RCMB asking for reasons why Bert is not a good hire. There's also a thread asking about Brady Hoke to coach the team.
Looks like mental defects from inhaling too much couch smoke might be starting to manifest in E.L.
February 10th, 2020 at 6:03 PM ^
Now I have to go to the RCMB to confirm a Hoke thread exists.
February 10th, 2020 at 8:15 PM ^
Great reason why bert is the perfect hire....
Mrs. Bert!
February 10th, 2020 at 3:26 PM ^
I'd probably be more worried about Bielema than Fickell
February 10th, 2020 at 3:33 PM ^
The only thing that worries me about Bielema is that he's already had a player try to tear Steve Breaston's ACL when he was at Wisconsin. I can only imagine what sort of dirtiness would be involved when he's at MSU.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:48 PM ^
"I can only imagine how much more dirtiness would be involved when he's at MSU."
fify
February 10th, 2020 at 3:33 PM ^
Yeah the jury is still out on him. He inherited an incredibly stable program in Wisco and kept it going. He went to Arkansas post Petrino fiasco, and couldn't muster anything in the tough SEC West, considering what they have been since and before Petrino, idk how much you much you can blame him there. Arkansas is a tough gig, they used to be the option for TX kids looking to play in the SEC, but since A&M joined, recruiting has only gotten tougher for them.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:54 PM ^
You have to question Bielema's intelligence going from a stable gig at Wisconsin with a fairly easy schedule to go to Arkansas. Even with a dump truck full of money Arkansas is never going to be that great. Maybe he'll take the MSU job....
February 10th, 2020 at 4:27 PM ^
The rumor going around at the time was that he didn't get along with Barry Alvarez. Which I can see, although who knows how much of a factor it actually was.
February 10th, 2020 at 4:42 PM ^
He left because Alvarez didn't think his assistant coaches should be paid the going rate. Reportedly that's why Gary Anderson left so abruptly too.
February 10th, 2020 at 4:47 PM ^
Gary Andersen also took issue with the recruiting standards at Wisconsin being tougher than the other B1G schools save NW.
February 10th, 2020 at 4:54 PM ^
*B1G West
February 11th, 2020 at 7:58 AM ^
Bielema and Anderson both left for the same reason. Barry Alvarez. Barry still pretty much runs things from behind the scenes. He has an amazingly large ego. When Bielema and Anderson left who stepped right in and coached the bowl teams. Now he has his coach that is a yes man and runs things exactly as Barry wants.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:35 PM ^
I'd certainly be more worried about opposing players' physical health. Bert is perfectly happy to "out tough" the competition with dirty BS plays.
Just ask Steve Breaston's knee.
February 10th, 2020 at 5:42 PM ^
His players probably try to rip opposing players shoes off too...
February 10th, 2020 at 3:46 PM ^
See, this is funny because now they're contacting guys who are just positional coaches. The head coaches they contacted want no part of the MSU shit show. They know better to stay put and await better offers (or just remain there for years). The current positional coaches will certainly be more interested because it's a step up for them.
February 10th, 2020 at 3:55 PM ^
I wouldnt mind seeing Bert's wife back in the stands at B1G games at least.