Gary Andersen (previously of Utah St) to coach Wisconsin
December 18th, 2012 at 10:12 PM ^
December 18th, 2012 at 10:35 PM ^
December 18th, 2012 at 11:08 PM ^
December 18th, 2012 at 11:11 PM ^
This is I think where the Scotch is affecting you. Cheers!
December 19th, 2012 at 8:10 AM ^
Mmmmm..Scotch
December 19th, 2012 at 10:24 AM ^
I love Scotch. Scotch, Scotch, Scotch. Here it goes down. Down to my belly.
December 19th, 2012 at 12:12 AM ^
I think you should stop hanging out with Hagerup so much
December 18th, 2012 at 10:13 PM ^
I like the hire for two reasons:
1. He did a great job at Utah State and,
2. I won't have to change my name to Plays With Squirrels and renounce society.
December 18th, 2012 at 11:28 PM ^
I like it because he is the only coach to both win and lose a bowl of potatoes!
December 18th, 2012 at 10:13 PM ^
They seem to be really excited about this. I don't know much about him, but I'm surprised to see just how excited they are.
December 18th, 2012 at 10:19 PM ^
I'm sure it will take a few years to see if he is average like his career record suggests he is or can win 10+ games consistently
December 18th, 2012 at 10:26 PM ^
I get that. But based on the (very limited) comments I've heard, they sounded SHOCKED he went to Madison. Like, "I can't believe we got him!" sort of comments.
December 18th, 2012 at 10:42 PM ^
well, his turn around job at Utah State was on par with Hoke's at SDSU
and Utah State almost beat them at home this season
and they were resigned to hiring Dave Clawson just hours ago
December 18th, 2012 at 10:51 PM ^
That kind of plays into my point. While Wisconsin isn't historically Michigan, the comparison of coaches is similar: a lot of people around these parts weren't ecstatic about the hire including our fearless leader. The overwhelming sentiment on their behalf is unabated joy.
December 18th, 2012 at 10:59 PM ^
you have to consider their coaching search
literally this afternoon the rumor mill was indicating that they were going to hire one of two mediocre MAC coaches or the DC of the 31st ranked defense in the NFL. Instead, they hired a guy who somehow won 11 games at a school with a historical .329 winning percentage, almost beat them at home this season and coordinated a defense that beat Saban's Alabama in a BCS bowl.
And as a Michigan fan who loved the Hoke hire, I can't really sympathize
December 19th, 2012 at 12:14 AM ^
Sorry if I'm wrong, not trying to be a dick.
Anyway, I giggled when reading some of you saw that Wiscy fans were ecstatic, but the reason I giggled was that I thought they were probably happy to get any damn coach at this point.
They were probably feeling like we were during our search in 2007. I personally wish him luck because I hope he keeps them as a contender in case stupid Delaney and his divisions tinkering or untinkering, keeps us and Ohio separate.
We need somebody to deal with them in the next few years till PSU recovers, however effing long that will take.
On a side note, If O'Brien can somehow pull miracles and keeps them looking like contenders, to no avail for 3 more years, it would be pretty damn impressive and he would get a lot of wooers from college and pro besides being able to beat Ohio or give them a tough game(s).
Should be a very interesting next few years, especially with us getting back to contender status, as it should be fergodsakes!
December 18th, 2012 at 11:20 PM ^
The guy did:
1) Win Utah State's first outright conference title since 1946
2) Win Utah State's second bowl ever.
Obviously "who knows" should be the default reaction to most hires, but Andersen's a good coach.
December 18th, 2012 at 10:42 PM ^
December 18th, 2012 at 10:45 PM ^
December 19th, 2012 at 10:51 AM ^
...as a good coach or not, at least by Michigan standards, has yet to be determined.
December 19th, 2012 at 4:54 PM ^
Hoke hasn't had a "successful" season yet by his own defined standard.
That said, the defense certainly has returned from the walking dead. Now we need to see if we can arrive at a championship caliber offense.
December 18th, 2012 at 10:21 PM ^
I just listened to the "Solid Verbal Podcast" because a friend recommended it (I thought it was okay), and they were singing his praises.
December 19th, 2012 at 6:38 AM ^
Yeah, I think he's a very good coach but I also want to know how well he would have done without Kerwynn Williams. Either way, I'm glad to see another decent coach in the B1G.
December 18th, 2012 at 10:14 PM ^
When do all the assistants quit?
December 18th, 2012 at 10:15 PM ^
He'll be good for them
December 18th, 2012 at 10:19 PM ^
/negbangin3-2-1
December 18th, 2012 at 11:43 PM ^
December 19th, 2012 at 3:47 AM ^
To be fair, he is a spread coach. I never thought I would see the day where Wisconsin would run the spread offense...assuming he takes his system with him....
December 19th, 2012 at 10:29 AM ^
He's a defensive guy. I'm not sure he's wed to any offensive system.
December 19th, 2012 at 8:26 AM ^
Why would you not want Wisconsin to get a good coach? They are probably the only team standing between OSU and a guaranteed annual spot in the B1G championship game for the forseeable future.
December 18th, 2012 at 10:21 PM ^
December 18th, 2012 at 10:24 PM ^
December 18th, 2012 at 10:32 PM ^
Their ex-coach was a douchey meat head, but I wouldn't go as far as to call them a dirty program.
December 18th, 2012 at 10:49 PM ^
December 18th, 2012 at 10:43 PM ^
December 18th, 2012 at 11:06 PM ^
December 18th, 2012 at 11:55 PM ^
I will go on record saying that Indiana will be the Detroit Lions. Always on the verge, looks good on paper, but never quite gets it together.
December 19th, 2012 at 8:29 AM ^
Agreed. Even if, by some miracle, Kevin Wilson actually gets Indiana "over the hump" and transforms them into a competent squad he will be gone in a heartbeat to a better program.
December 18th, 2012 at 10:28 PM ^
December 18th, 2012 at 10:35 PM ^
I guess the B1G money hasnt kicked in yet. Sorry but Wisconsin filling their vacancy by getting the coach of Utah State is another example of our conference going on the cheap when it comes to HCs. And until we spend some of the B1G network cash on big time coaches we can expect to stay second fiddle or worse to the SEC.
December 18th, 2012 at 10:58 PM ^
Big time coaches like Gus Malzahn?
December 18th, 2012 at 11:07 PM ^
LOOK AT ALL THOSE GREAT ESS EEE SEE HIRES
2 Arkansas State coaches
the offensive coordinator of Maryland
the defensive coordinator of Texas
the defensive coordinator of Florida State
the offensive coordinator of Florida
the offensive coordinator of Florida State
Houston's coach
December 19th, 2012 at 1:42 AM ^
Add in Pinkel (from Toledo) and you get 9 out of 14 coaches who were either hired from mid majors or from coordinator positions. BOY THEY REALLY DO IT UP IN THE ESS EEE SEE
December 18th, 2012 at 11:17 PM ^
Arkansas hiring a coach who has just won 3 straight Big Ten titles. Tennessee hiring a coach who had a fairly successful run at Cincy. Florida hiring one of the 'hot' coordinators who was next in line to be the head coach at Texas. Mississippi St hiring one of the 'hot' coordinators away from Urban Meyer at Florida. South Carolina hiring a coach who had already won a NC in college. Alabama hiring a coach who had already had a successful run in the Big Ten at MSU and in the SEC at LSU. Georgia hiring one of the 'hot' coordinators away from Florida St. LSU hiring a guy who had been successful in the Big Ten and then a guy who had been successful in the Big 12.
The SEC mainly hires coaches who have either been successful head coaches at BCS schools or coordinators from some of the top programs in the country. The Big Ten seems like they mainly hiring coaches from mid-major programs.
December 19th, 2012 at 12:06 AM ^
I guess its a do you prefer people with previous head coaching experience or not argument, clearly the sec has had it working for them. However Anderson was the dc at utah when they beat bama in the sugar bowl in 08, his team has won 15 of 18 and the 3 losses have come by a combined 6 points, he is only 48, and he just turned down the colorado and cal coaching jobs a few weeks ago. This counts as a good hire.
December 19th, 2012 at 12:32 AM ^
We won't know whether it's a good hire for 3-4 years.