OT: Florida negotiating with McElwain
So Jeremy Foley flew out to Colorado to meet with Jim McElwain tonight in his home... they are apparently in the advanced stages of negotiation and Foley is also working on getting his $7m buyout reduced, something Colorado State may actually be contractually obligated(!) to do.
This has a rather minor effect on us... McElwain was a popular plan C type name for us, and one wonders if Nussmeier might find a home in Gainesville if we're interested in tracking our ex-assistants. Mainly, though, this shows the utter lack of top level candidates out there.
December 3rd, 2014 at 2:42 AM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 2:45 AM ^
is there a "none of the above" option plz
Tim Beck is unemployed
December 3rd, 2014 at 2:55 AM ^
I have doubts that Nuss will end up at UF. McElwain's offense has broken all kinds of records this season running a pass-to-run spread. I suspect he'll want to stick with that. Nussmeier doesn't seem all that keen on such an offense.
December 3rd, 2014 at 6:37 AM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 7:10 AM ^
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December 3rd, 2014 at 7:54 AM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 9:50 AM ^
It also includes the "no time left on the play clock call timeout" followed with the "delay of game for not getting the play in".
December 3rd, 2014 at 9:06 AM ^
It actually took me until this year's Iron Bowl to find out what it wasn't. With 'Bama putting 55 points up and throwing to Amani Cooper every other play, all they talked about was what Lane Kiffen changed and brought to the offense. So based on that, it appears that it's A) not high scoring and B) does not involve a lot of passing.
I actually might not be surprised if CSU went after Nuss for their head coaching job. Before this year, Nuss was talked about as being head coaching material, and CSU would be a good place to start building your resume, especially if you get what McElwain leaves behind.
December 3rd, 2014 at 10:22 AM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 11:43 AM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 6:49 AM ^
This means that Florida and Foley have learned their lesson. They went to the spread, regressed to the pro style and got diminishing returns. It is highly likely that Foley hired a pro set guy because of a powerful group of alums (read: donors) who wanted to see legacy pro-style QB John Brantley IV (Father Jon Brantley III and uncle Scot Brantley starred there) have a chance to be THE GUY at QB.
Hopefully, Michigan has learned the same lesson: no more caving into short-sighted alums with petty agendas, especially when it means 20th century football in the 21st century.
December 3rd, 2014 at 9:05 AM ^
Uh, doesn't Jim Harbaugh coach "20th century football" in this century?
December 3rd, 2014 at 9:21 AM ^
It's the execution of scheme(har, har) not the scheme itself that produces the results. It is the height of foolish thinking to believe that scheme alone will bring wins. It won't.
Rich Rodriguex scheme works because he is a damn fine coach. He gets his players to replicate what he conjures in his mind. That is the essence of coaching.
December 3rd, 2014 at 9:40 AM ^
Is it really that we were short sighted about football style? Yes, there were those among us who abhored the Spread. However, isn't the lesson that Michigan needs to a stout defense?
December 3rd, 2014 at 10:15 AM ^
all you need is a defense that's "good enough", relative to your offense.
December 3rd, 2014 at 9:40 AM ^
I think you're lying to yourself. Of course you CAN win with the pro-style. But there's a reason why fewer and fewer teams run it--it's HARDER to win with it. The reads for the players are harder, it strains the defense less, and it's less explosive. I mean, can anyone look at the top 10 or 20 offenses each year over the past 10 years and really argue that the pro-style is the equivalent of the spread?
December 3rd, 2014 at 9:57 AM ^
This. Exactly.
If the objective is to get as many wins as you can with the talent that's available to you, then a spread-oriented offense tends to do that. If the QB is relatively competent at passing and is a credible run threat, then it makes defending the offense harder.
A pro-style offense could dominate, but there's just not enough elite-level players that fit that style. Getting them all to one school is getting harder and harder. A moderately talented pro-style team is less effective than a moderately talented spread-style team.
The thing I can't understand is why so many think it has to be either / or ... as if it's either a hundred slot-ninjas running spread-n-shred or it has to be a lumbering two-TE with three in the backfield. The two styles can be blended. Look at OSU, FSU ... heck, Belichick and the NE Patriots run spread elements along with TE sets.
I like what Chip Kelly says: "You tell me what skills I have to work with and I'll tell you what offense I'm going to run." Mold the offense to maximize the skill assets on hand.
December 3rd, 2014 at 5:08 AM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 5:14 AM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 8:31 AM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 5:40 AM ^
Does this potentially help us as Florida is likely our biggest competetor for hiring a head coach? What do you guys think? Are we a better job than Nebraska?
December 3rd, 2014 at 8:28 AM ^
hope so. You never know, though. Depends on how much others think of the meddling and general bullshittery that's been going on behind the scenes for the past decade.
December 3rd, 2014 at 10:23 AM ^
to use "bullshittery" in a sentence 3 times today.
December 3rd, 2014 at 8:39 AM ^
We are competeing with Florida for Jim / John Harbaughs and Les Miles?
December 3rd, 2014 at 10:13 AM ^
According to Wilbon and Joey Galloway, Michigan is by far the best job available. Tradition, facilities, easier conference were the main reasons why. Nebraska wasnt really mentioned. They were comparing Florida to Michigan. Florida obviously is more of a talent rich state and has better weather, but lacking the facilities. I think Michigan and Florida are on the same level and Nebraska a notch below.
I think McElwain for Michigan is a great Plan C guy for Michigan, but for Florida I think it'd be a much better fit. That's not saying Michigan is too good for him, I just think Harbaugh and Miles are better fits. Sure the Michigan ties are a major reason why, but I also think those guys are great coaches. Harbaugh might be a top 5/10 coach on any level. McElwain has SEC experience and will be able to do great things with that Florida offense once he gets some more pieces to fit his scheme. Brady fit well here, but he just wasnt a good coach. I believe Miles and Harbaugh are great coaches and will fit in well at Michigan. Time will tell I guess.
December 3rd, 2014 at 6:02 AM ^
I find it creepy that they included a picture of him in his home during the Florida meeting. I get that it's his window and he left it available for anyone to see, but the idea of a guy sitting out there taking pictures into his home is a bit too weird for me
December 3rd, 2014 at 9:22 AM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 2:36 PM ^
if you look at some of the pictures of his house the Florida media took last night, you'll see that his yard is massive and Gatsbyesque, which makes those front window pics even more amazingly creepy
December 4th, 2014 at 1:36 AM ^
You can tell Foley was freaked the fuck out by that, btw, because their official feed is now openly Tweeting about their negotiations with McElwain and pictures of the inside of their jet in Fort Collins.
Can you even imagine Hackett tweeting "awesome day of negotations down here in Baton Rouge!"?
December 3rd, 2014 at 6:09 AM ^
this is a bit underwhelming for Florida? Maybe I am underestimating the guy, but it feels like they will be back in four years looking for a coach.
December 3rd, 2014 at 6:18 AM ^
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December 3rd, 2014 at 7:23 AM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 6:35 AM ^
Yeah, sounds like one of those one of those "Bo Who?" hires.
December 3rd, 2014 at 8:28 AM ^
I've followed him pretty closely since he arrived at CSU and I think he's a great coach. However, yes, I think Florida fans will feel underwelmed. I hope the best for him but Florida is a major jump.
December 3rd, 2014 at 8:39 AM ^
Florida doesnt have 7 years of mostly being mediocre to try to sell to their fans. They don't need a sexy name. They need the right name.
When Gary Anderson was hired at UW, do you think anyone thought it was a sexy hire or it moved the needle? No. But it was the damn right hire.
I have no idea of Jim M is that guy but a lot of times the right hire is NOT the sexy hire. There is risk with everyone - big name or not.
So for the fanbase yes it is underwhelming. For the program it could be a great hire or a bad hire. Or an average hire. We'll know in 4 years.
December 3rd, 2014 at 9:20 AM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 9:39 AM ^
Maybe, but most of the college football world saw him as the flavor of the month after what he accomplished at Utah.
December 3rd, 2014 at 11:47 AM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 10:09 AM ^
Saban assistant takes MWC doormat to 10-2, with clear progress season to season at the helm. I don't think that's underwhleming. What was Meyer doing before Florida hired him? Same thing. They will be happy to see him go in Boulder, and Fort Collins gets to feel like a stepping stone again. I didn't think they would be able to keep him in FC for long.
December 3rd, 2014 at 6:48 AM ^
the David Cutcliffe hiring fascination many years ago. At least McElwain has coached somewhwere else.
December 3rd, 2014 at 7:52 AM ^
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December 3rd, 2014 at 2:43 PM ^
I have no idea what David Cutcliffe has to do with any of this? He was Tennessee's OC when they were awesome, got hired at Ole Miss because they wanted Peyton's QB coach to ensure they'd get Eli, he did spectacularly well by their standards, still got fired because it's Ole Miss, went back to UT ala DeBord and became head coach at Duke where has once again done spectacularly well by their standards.
McElwain is a John L. Smith protege who became Saban's Bama OC and went to Colorado State after they'd cratered in the late Sonny Lubbick/Steve Fairchild era and immediately turned them around.
December 3rd, 2014 at 6:51 AM ^
"Too often coaches have treated CSU like a stepping stone. The self-esteem issues that creates are very real, and I wanted that to go away. I believed it was essential to our future."
Does anyone else feel like the coach at Colorado State will just be handed a copy of "Misery" and then handed a slip of paper containing an amount and a number of years and asked to "understand their position on the matter"?
December 3rd, 2014 at 7:12 AM ^
December 3rd, 2014 at 8:05 AM ^
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December 3rd, 2014 at 8:23 AM ^
the Broyles Award (top assistant) with a first year starting QB. Captain Hindsight says 'stealing Nuss' was a misnomer.
Edit: Reply/ In Support of Comment #4
December 3rd, 2014 at 8:24 AM ^
He could still stay. His contract is loaded with incentives, 7.5m buyout and CSU is building an on campus stadium which is essentially "the house that Mc built". Plus, Ft. Collins is a fantastic place to live. With CU struggling, Nebraska in transition, Wyo is just okay he could do quite well. He will probably go but I wouldn't be surprised either way.
December 3rd, 2014 at 10:17 AM ^
Is the stadium a done deal now? I didn't think it was yet. Hughes has it's problems, but overall I like the place and the setting.
But it sounds like Mac will not pull a Sonny Lubick and settle in and stay long enough to have something named after him. Sounds like Mac may be able to force a reduction in the buyout. Regrettably, he gone.
December 3rd, 2014 at 2:47 PM ^
Part of the reason Lubick stayed there instead of moving to USC or Miami was his age... by the time he turned CSU into a perennial 10 win team, he was close to 60 and too comfortable to risk moving.
December 3rd, 2014 at 8:38 AM ^
Solid Hire. He would have been my favorite Plan-C type hire.