OT-Panthers Part Ways With Matt Rhule
October 10th, 2022 at 11:42 AM ^
nebraska. book it.
October 10th, 2022 at 11:49 AM ^
i think he could do well there
October 10th, 2022 at 12:01 PM ^
How long until LSU gets the wondering eye?
October 10th, 2022 at 1:44 PM ^
Brian Kelly's eye wandered down to LSU and has left fans wondering why.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:09 PM ^
What's the earliest coaching hire ever made? Can he coach this year if they wanted?
October 10th, 2022 at 12:17 PM ^
rc, I would assume that any team to hire Ruhle today - and, he could begin coaching there immediately. The only question would probably be to confirm the sections associated with his buy out - and, re-entering the profession, so the settlement figure and timing is accurate.
Oh, this makes me think of when Meyer was "hired" in Columbus. And, how he used November and December to recruit, without being the "head coach" on the sidelines.
October 10th, 2022 at 2:34 PM ^
Why does Nebraska need to worry about his buyout? He got fired. He's unemployed.
October 10th, 2022 at 3:23 PM ^
Theres occasionally a clause in buyouts* that allow the school/NFL team out of paying a portion of the money if the coach finds a new head coaching job within a certain time frame.
It’s not that Nebraska would be worried about his buyout, but Rhule might not be in any hurry to sign on with another team before a certain time and give up some of that buyout money.
* - I have no idea if this clause is part of Rhule’s buyout or if that clause would apply to college teams or only another NFL job.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:28 PM ^
or maybe Wisconsin? He did play at PSU, so familiar with the Big Ten.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:33 PM ^
It's hard to believe that your autocorrect has gotten to the point of changing the words Arizona State to Nebraska.
ASU is a program with lower expectations and much better recruiting base in a weaker conference. Better landing spot for Rhule.
October 10th, 2022 at 1:27 PM ^
yeah, i should probably fix my autocorrect button!
seriously, though - that would be a great fit. better recruiting base than nebraska, can get into southern california and texas...a great coach in arizona (or new mexico, for that matter) could really make some hay.
October 10th, 2022 at 3:27 PM ^
Nothing is weaker than BIG west
October 10th, 2022 at 5:29 PM ^
A competent coach is pretty much guaranteed a place in a major conference championship every year if he takes a B1G West job, at least, until the B1G West-West joins.
October 10th, 2022 at 1:06 PM ^
Can't believe I am saying this, but I think Rhule can do better than Nebraska. I would think he would wait for a top 25 job even if that means sitting out next season for TV work or something. Reportedly, the Panthers owe him a $40 million buyout for the rest of the contract. That might get negotiated down, but it means that Rhule doesn't have to be in a hurry to land his next job.
October 10th, 2022 at 5:14 PM ^
Not sure how you could negotiate that figure down. What would be the incentive on Rhule's end to take a lower amount?
October 10th, 2022 at 11:44 AM ^
I'm glad he is not UM's coach. At the same time, I also think he is a very good college coach and bet he finds success where he lands next.
October 10th, 2022 at 11:44 AM ^
He is a good coach. but maybe better suited for college. Maybe Oklahoma? ahahahahhaha... what a clown show that is... Venables might want to tuck tail and head back to Clemson.
October 10th, 2022 at 11:48 AM ^
I remember when a bunch of people on the board wanted him to replace Harbaugh.
yea the Rhule - Campbell hype was annoying. what i've learned in all my years on this blog is most of you have no idea what you're talking about when it comes to big time football. that includes me. glad we have Harbaugh and not either of those guys.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:36 PM ^
I don't understand this counter-Campbell view that has taken such a hold on this board. They/you seem to have confused thinking he was a good coach for the kind to get elite results year-in year-out at Iowa State of all places. Completely misses the point. I'm glad we stuck with Harbaugh, but no one wanted Campbell because they thought he was going to turn ISU into a blue blood.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:37 PM ^
I think Campbell may have made a mistake not striking while the iron was hot. His star is fading a bit in Ames
October 10th, 2022 at 1:33 PM ^
Hard to sustain that level of success at ISU
October 10th, 2022 at 11:48 AM ^
He's certainly going to be pretty high on the wish lists of some programs looking for coaches. And I think he'll be a good choice. Matty blue mentions Nebraska and I would think they should take a look at him... but I wouldn't be surprised to see a program like Auburn land him. Still weird to think of Auburn as a place that is clearly above Nebraska in the pecking order, but it's also true.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:08 PM ^
Pecking order according to ESPN? Only thing that should matter is the ability to get in the expanded playoff. Seems like the current big ten west would be an easier path.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:24 PM ^
Pecking order according to what are the most desirable jobs in college football. Auburn has a tough ask being in a division with Alabama, but Nebraska has an even tougher ask with high fan expectations and basically no visible path to being a powerful team. Auburn has the potential to recruit and compete at the top level of the SEC. You might get fired if you go 8-4 too often, but Nebraska will eventually fire you, too.
The SEC is just a bigger deal than the B1G west. That's not just ESPN hype. That's an objective assessment of college football.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:34 PM ^
Nebraska's fan expectations are not higher than Auburn's.
If Alberts calls, Rhule would be a fool not to listen. Conversely, he would be a fool to entertain Auburn's offer. It's the most toxic environment for a coach.
Though I suppose with the $40M he's still owed by the Panthers he could just decide to slum it on TV for awhile.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:53 PM ^
that’s what I would do. Why jump in now when you can wait to see what else comes open at the end of the season.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:38 PM ^
Based on nothing but a hunch and knowing all of two (2) Auburn grads, going 8-4/9-3 is ok as long as you're beating Bama every other year. Meanwhile, Bama needs to beat Auburn two out of every three years and get to the playoffs every year. This sounds familiar.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:42 PM ^
At Auburn you get fired after winning national (Chizik) and conference titles (Malzahn). Easier to recruit there, but he'll be out if he doesn't make the playoff almost immediately. At Nebraska, all he has to do is win the west and he'll be king. Maybe it's the news I follow but Nebraska is constantly in the news.
October 10th, 2022 at 3:12 PM ^
One other thing in Auburn's favor: Nick Saban is 70 (soon to be 71), so he probably won't be around too much longer. His retirement could be the break Auburn needs to get out of Bama's shadow.
October 10th, 2022 at 3:06 PM ^
Pecking order is a mixed bag with the current openings. I’ll take a stab based on current conditions to stir the pot:
1. Wisconsin. Pros: Easy West (at this point), solid recruiting area, excellent facilities, big booster base, game day enviro, historically patient. Negs: Alvarez meddling, conservative AD
2. Auburn. Pros: Great recruiting area, strong tradition, excellent facilities, big booster base, game day enviro Negs: Saban is your rival, tough SEC West, weak AD, booster meddling/control, historically impatient
3. Nebraska. Pros: Easy West, great tradition, very good facilities, big booster base, game day enviro, historically patient. Negs: Weak recruiting area
4. Arizona State. Pros: Very good facilities, weather? Negs: Weak recruiting area, weak tradition, marginal booster base
5. Colorado. Pros: Very good facilities Negs: Weak recruiting area, weak tradition, marginal booster base
October 10th, 2022 at 3:31 PM ^
ASU does not have a weak recruiting area. Phenix + Tempe is very large. The Southern Cal area is close to Tempe, and NV is also a growing area. It has one of the largest campuses in the US. So fan support will be there.
October 10th, 2022 at 4:56 PM ^
That's pretty much how I would rank them as well. The big part you left out--Big Ten and SEC have deeper pockets than the Pac-12.
Has Harsin been officially fired yet? Everyone knows it's coming, but I find it hilarious that it is already being discussed as an open position while he is still employed.
October 10th, 2022 at 11:49 AM ^
You could add Matt Ruhle to a long list of preferred coaches to Coach Jim Harbaugh that did not age very well, including but not limited to Campbell, Allen, Ferentz, and Fitzgerald.
October 10th, 2022 at 11:54 AM ^
You mean Brian Ferentz was available and we didn't go for it?!
October 10th, 2022 at 11:57 AM ^
Damn...you're right!!! Fuckin' Jim Hackett blew it.
October 10th, 2022 at 1:29 PM ^
i think he was out on his sailboat (am i doing this right?)
October 10th, 2022 at 3:28 PM ^
Rhule not succeeding in the NFL isn’t really a “did not age very well” scenario though. Rhule was on the list of preferred coaches BECAUSE he was struggling in the NFL and that made Michigan a more realistic option for a guy who was a pretty damn good college coach but his days in the NFL were numbered.
The only reason Rhule didn’t age well is because Harbaugh is 18-2 in the last year and a half.
October 10th, 2022 at 11:56 AM ^
I think all these shots at people wanting to replace Harbaugh with Rhule or Campbell or anyone are pretty funny given that - and I know this happened like 9 months ago so it's difficult to recall - the man most responsible for nearly starting a Michigan coaching search is Jim Harbaugh.
And quite frankly if he had had his druthers we'd be looking likely at a worse coach than Campbell or Rhule right now (because we wouldn't have been able to hire either at that stage in the game). He didn't have a change of heart, he didn't get the job.
I'll probably get downvoted, but just to keep it real, as there's no real reason to mention this stuff every time we talk about another coach who may have at one point been considered an alternative option to Harbaugh.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:14 PM ^
most of us that point it out aren't talking about last year and the potential for Harbaugh to go to the NFL. we're talking the year before (covid year) and the year before that when seemingly 2/3 of the blog wanted him fired and replaced with Rhule / Campbell / Allen.
if they had their way we likely don't win the B1G last year or beat OSU
so for those of us who always thought Harbaugh was the best option, it's fun to point out where other people were wrong. welcome to the internet.
October 10th, 2022 at 1:17 PM ^
Yeah, I recall Ace chanting "Souppppppp" over and over on the old MGoPodcasts, years before Harbaugh interviewed with the Vikings.
October 10th, 2022 at 3:05 PM ^
Good for Harbaugh, and us, that he managed to turn things around. But I feel like what's lost in these "dunking on Harbaugh doubters" posts is that there were real, legitimate gripes with the direction of the program. Despite being a supposed QB whisperer, he had serious issues developing a QB; there were a number of assistants that just plain weren't getting it done; recruiting was a disorganized mess; he pretty much lost the team in 2020; etc.
Plus, people might forget now, but 2017-2020 Harbaugh is NOT the same as pre-2017, or post-2020, Harbaugh. If you didn't know better, you'd have thought they were two different people. Completely different energy, demeaner, etc. So I don't even know if it's right to say "it's fun to point out where other people were wrong." People wanted 2017-2020 Harbaugh replaced, and I'm pretty confident we don't have the season we have last year if Harbaugh didn't reinvent himself/shake out of his funk/whatever and more or less revert to his old self. Honestly I think I'd still take Rhule or Campbell over the version of Harbaugh we had in 2017-2020...
October 10th, 2022 at 3:48 PM ^
Yeah, most people are talking about 2020 and prior when many people wanted Harbaugh fired. Many acted as if any coach would be an upgrade and that anyone who wanted to keep Harbaugh was foolish. They were the same people who complained the loudest when he looked at the NFL.
October 10th, 2022 at 11:57 AM ^
Most of the fold on this board will not admit that, no those same people are complaining about he offense. SMH
October 10th, 2022 at 11:59 AM ^
Matt Rhule can turn around a college program. No doubt there. I wonder, Rhule is a New York guy. Schiano is in year 3 and not a lot of progress. He fires his OC because it's getting hot. Just sayin'.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:04 PM ^
I would worry only if Penn State finally wises up and dumps Frames.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:14 PM ^
Robbie, It seems like the PSU faithful are very happy with Frames. And, personally, I am glad that they signed him up for "the long term".
In fact - there's a very difficult question that may be asked. The question is - which contract makes you happier? The one that Mel signed in EL, or the the one Franklin signed in State College. IMO, it's very close - and, "almost a tie". Though, I do lean toward the deal in East Lansing.
As for the coaching situation in Ann Arbor. I'm a believer in "Harbaugh for a very, very, very long time."
October 10th, 2022 at 1:27 PM ^
I'll take State College, Amazin'. It's still a possibility Tucker becomes a decent coach. In State College that question has been answered. Frames can recruit but he can't coach.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:02 PM ^
This is a really interesting pic here. There's one coach whose NFL track record is a notable contrast from most of the others.
I don't post this as an I-told-you-so, since I told no one any such thing. This is more of someone else telling me so.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:06 PM ^
Not most of the others, Stephen. ALL of the others.
October 10th, 2022 at 12:36 PM ^
Bill O'Brien won 4 division titles with Houton, finishing with a losing record just once out of 6 full seasons before starting 0-4 and getting fired in 2020.
Kliff Kingsbury's NFL win % (.482) is better than his NCAAF win % (.467)
Not all these coaches deserve to be roped in with Urban Meyer.