Stoops out at Arizona. Would Rich Rod fit?

Submitted by michWolves2580 on

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7086070/arizona-wildcats…

 

Mike Stoops has been let go by Arizona after 7.5 years for a buyout that should be around $1.4 Mil. The Wildcats started 1-5 with there only win against Northern Arizona then lost 5 straight.

 

As a side plot... would RIch Rod be a fit in the pac-10? I think his offense with the right DC could be electrifying out there. I think I would be rooting for him. 

 

Edit: Wow clearly meant Mike

Bando Calrissian

October 11th, 2011 at 12:56 AM ^

I wish RR well and all, but I don't see why every job opening should automatically come with a stated desire (and accompanying thread) that he be considered.

And it's Mike Stoops, not Bob.

ATLWolverine

October 11th, 2011 at 1:00 AM ^

about AZ in particular, but that seems like the right caliber of program for RR to go to; a middling team in a good conference that he can get some slack at and mold the program around his own vision.

He's a great offensive mind (see: spread offense, Denard at QB) and it would be a shame not to see him on sidelines again sometime soon.

Butterfield

October 11th, 2011 at 12:59 AM ^

I don't think he's an "Arizona Man", doesn't have the intangibles neccessary to Bear Down and would probably give away Tedy Bruschi's jersey to some scout teamer. 

biakabutuka ex…

October 11th, 2011 at 1:10 AM ^

No offense to Arizona, but he should just wait until UCLA or Clemson opens up. They are two programs that should be good almost without trying, yet their coaches seem to grasp failure from the claws of success year after year after year. He could be a perennial BCS coach with those two programs. With AZ, I'm not sure.

Rabbit21

October 11th, 2011 at 7:56 AM ^

UCLA already has his quarterback there in Brett Hundley and lots of little, speedy receivers as well as a fan base begging for something new. I think he'd do VERY well there and it doesn't look like Clemsons opening up any time soon. Of course because it makes sense it will never happen.

Derek

October 11th, 2011 at 9:08 AM ^

UCLA's fans are used to prolonged, miserable failure on the football field. Michigan fans were coming off of a season, one year removed from the Game of the Century, in which we beat the mythical Tebow beast in a bowl game. Whereas we could afford to nitpick the coach's personality, I think UCLA fans would cream their pants just to have the chance to get excited about a guy like Rich Rod. Besides, LA loves novelty, right?

Derek

October 11th, 2011 at 12:03 PM ^

I recognize that they have tradition, but that doesn't change the fact that they've had one season with more than eight wins and zero conference titles since 1998. They gave Neuheisel a chance, so why not Rich Rod?

ETA: Yes, I know that Neuheisel played at UCLA.

jmblue

October 11th, 2011 at 12:27 PM ^

The only reason Neuheisel got that job was because he went there.  They've been badly underperforming for awhile now and their fans aren't happy.  I can't blame them.  It's UCLA - great school in a fantastic location, with plenty of local talent.  Their only real downside is facilities (the Rose Bowl is a good drive away from campus).

Rabbit21

October 11th, 2011 at 1:13 PM ^

Harrick had hmmmmmm......... ethics problems, as was born out by his tenure at Georgia and was the reason he got fired at UCLA, there was a triggering incident but the trail had already been established.  Far as we know RR's clean and while UCLA does have some cultural issues I think the need to turn the program around may finally get them to hire someone outside of the Donahue family tree(sound familiar?) 

MGoBrewMom

October 11th, 2011 at 6:53 PM ^

Just to clarify..I'm not in any way comparing ethics..just cultural differences between so Cal style and RRs style. I know a lot of UCLA folks who had a problem with Harrick before the ethical stuff became apparent..he just wasnt slick enough. Just got thinking about how fun it would be to have RR at a program like UCLA, like I thought it would be fun (and a good choice) to have him at M..then I realized the importance of the cultural fit. I hope he find his home at a place where he will be embraced and not harassed from day one by half of the fan base.

mgoSk

October 11th, 2011 at 1:13 AM ^

Just out of curiosity, besides UCLA, what other BCS schools have coaches on a hot seat that Leach or Rich might be interested in? I really hope to see both of them on a sideline somewhere soon.

hart20

October 11th, 2011 at 1:26 AM ^

I know that Kiffin hasn't had the chance to win yet, but I feel like he has another 2, maybe 3, years. OF course, that's assuming Rodriguez wants to wait that long. Or maybe Stanford, after Luck leaves. South Carolina. I feel like Arizona is the only viable option from above. What about IU, Purdue, or Minnesota?  

BlueinLansing

October 11th, 2011 at 1:25 AM ^

Spurrier hangin it up at South Carolina after this year.

 

I think Houston Nutt is on shakey ground at Ole Miss.   Since going 9-4 in 2009, Ole Miss is 6-11 including a loss to Jacksonville State and the wins include powerhouse programs Fresno State twice,  Tulane, Louisiana-Lafayett, Southern Illinois and a terrible Kentucky program.  Ole Miss will be fortunate to win 2 more games this year, which would mean another 4-8 season.

 

Joker Phillips at Kentucky seems to be running that program into the ground.  He's only been there 2 years but he's running them off it cliff it seems.

 

Ohio State might be looking for a new coach (lolz)

 

Heck the Minnesota job might open up for all we know.

Elmer

October 11th, 2011 at 10:28 AM ^

I bet RR would like to end up in the south.  He'd be close to his preferred recruiting areas and his accent and personality would fit right in.  I think he could win anywhere with a decent DC, but the south would be the best fit.  Clemson would have been perfect for him if Dabo wouldn't have came out firing on all cylinders.

BlueinLansing

October 11th, 2011 at 1:14 AM ^

1-10 in his last 11 games at Arizona, it was bound to happen.  Since 98 Arizona has been a pretty mediocre program and the two 8-5 years recently under Stoops were their best since 98.  At this point last year AZ was a program on the rise, 5-1 after back-to-back bowl seasons.  Things changed fast didn't they.

 

I can't see RR being offered that job,   he was great in a terrible conference at WVU, the Pac 12 is not a terrible conference. 

 

 

BigBlue02

October 11th, 2011 at 12:15 PM ^

Actually, he did quite well when Miami (who, at the time, was always in the national championship talk), Boston College, and VaTech were in the conference. Just because he started to win 10 and 11 games after they left doesn't mean he didn't hold his own when those 3 were still there. He actually had more conference titles than BC and VaTech combined when they were there and he was coaching at West Virginia. I dont see why he couldn't challenge USC and Oregon at the top of the Pac 12 (of course he would need a competent DC).

Jivas

October 11th, 2011 at 1:25 AM ^

An east or southeast school would be ideal, given his existing recruiting ties - particularly in Florida.  While UCLA would be the ideal type of school for him to land, from a geographical standpoint working in Los Angeles (or in Arizona) would neuter one of his natural recruiting advantages.

I haven't looked through all of the potential openings, but Ole Miss seems like it would be a potential fit.

BrownJuggernaut

October 11th, 2011 at 1:27 AM ^

It depends. 

Rich Rod was making $1 million at WVU, then $2.5 million at Michigan. He'd have to take a pay cut if he wants the job, most likely. The Wlldcats were paying Stoops $1.5 million per year. So he's got to look at that and decide. Furthermore, there seem to be many job openings, so I think Rich Rod can afford to sit, wait, and find the right fit.

dahblue

October 11th, 2011 at 1:27 AM ^

According to many here, RR is going to get the job at Clemson next year and win the national championship just to rub it in our faces. So he won't be available.

dahblue

October 11th, 2011 at 12:53 PM ^

Are you related to Rich?  I can't think of any other reason you'd be so defensive.

If folks want to keep brining up RR as the next possible coach for every possible job opening, that there might be some reminders about his past job performance.  Or, even more to the point, there might be reminders that, just a couple months ago, the RR armada on Mgoblog was measuring the drapes for his new office at Clemson.  The RR armada tends to wrong about a lot.

RR is gone.  He isn't even mentioned in the link.  Why continue the drama?  By the way, we're undefeated.

MichiganTeacher

October 11th, 2011 at 1:30 AM ^

If FSU keeps underachieving with Jimbo, I could see RR sliding into that spot. Though it's probably two more seasons before Fisher is out of Tallahassee, so RR might get something before then. Not that he cares about my opinion, but I think he should take a job as an OC somewhere.

jrt336

October 11th, 2011 at 1:34 AM ^

I highly doubt schools like FSU will take a chance on RR. He's either going to have to go be an OC somewhere, or wait for a HC position in the BE, or if he's lucky, the ACC someday.

jrt336

October 11th, 2011 at 11:15 AM ^

After not being too successful here, kinda yeah. FSU could go after coaches who have had more recent success if Jimbo doesn't work out-like the guy from Clemson or Dana Holgerson, if they're still doing a good job.

jmblue

October 11th, 2011 at 11:45 AM ^

This is a "What have you done for me lately" kind of business.  There are a lot of guys out there who were once successful and now have dropped off the map.  Where are Larry Coker and Frank Solich these days?

That RR won a BCS bowl six years ago is not that relevant anymore now that his most recent stint was disastrous.  A top-tier program (and FSU qualifies) is very unlikely to hire him now.  An middling program might, but even they might be gunshy.

HighSociety

October 11th, 2011 at 1:42 AM ^

CFB history, I doubt many fanbases and AD's at top level programs are clamoring for that hire right now.

 

CUSA would be the best fit for him, especially Tulane.

jmblue

October 11th, 2011 at 12:12 PM ^

I wouldn't necessarily say there's a shortage of candidates.  It's just that a lot of ADs are gunshy about hiring a promising coordinator or lower-tier program coach.  It's a gamble to hire an unproven guy, but the payoff is often greater than with a retread.