Florida’s Urban Meyer is stepping down at Florida. The reasons are irrelevant. What isn’t irrelevant is the impact on Pitt’s coaching search.
Pitt and Florida are not on the same level in terms of present day prestige, money or potential. So, no Pitt and Florida are not going to be competing for the same coaches.
What it does do is set in motion potential dominoes that do compete with Pitt for the same guys.
First of all top assistants like Gus Malzahn, Dana Holgorsen and others are now going to wait and see if they get any chance to even interview with Florida.
Then there are schools like Louisville and Mississippi State with Meyer coaching tree guys. They are at the very least on the list to interview given their connections and recent success as head coaches. If one of them goes, it opens up another team looking for a head coach that pays somewhere in the same neighborhood as Pitt. That drives up the price on candidates.
If, say, Bobby Petrino at Arkansas were plucked by Florida, then the carousel spins longer as it trickles down. You can argue Arkansas isn’t much better a job than Miss. St., but Arkansas is willing (and able) to pay more.
You can create all the scenarios possible, but it just comes down to Pitt’s next hire could take a longer than wanted.
I don’t think that was my point. This isn’t a Wanny stays vs Wanny goes issue.
It wasn’t whether or not SP did the right thing or not…
but to say that recruiting bah! is incorrect. All schools try to prevent a missed recruiting class.
You don’t scoff away a #21 recruiting class…you try to minimize the losses. Sure you will likely drop from 21 but you don’t want to end up with a “lost” year.
My hopes are that the right guy can be found and found quickly…that we aren’t stuck with a third choice, late in the season as we wait for the coaching carousel to die down.
Hell Wanny’s “resignation” probably forced Meyer’s hand believe it or not since some of the hot names may have acted quickly.
DaveD
link to bebballreportpitt.blogspot.com
Head Coaching Experience:
John Fox, Head Coach of the Carolina Panthers
Marvin Lewis, Head Coach of the Cinci Bengals
Mike Leach, Fromer Head Coach at Texas Tech
Al Golden, Head Coach at Temple
Kevin Sumlin, Head Coach of Houston
Bronco Mendenhall, Head Coach of BYU
Todd Graham, Head Coach of Tulsa
Brady Hoke, Head Coach of San Diego State
No Head Coaching Experience:
Dana Holgorsen, Offensive Coordinator at Oklahoma State
Paul Chryst, Offensive Coordinator at Wisconsin
Mark Stoops, Defensive Coordinator at Florida State
Understood. That post wasn’t directed at you. Some of the comments on this site and the other sites are calling Pedersen incompetent etc. because of his decision. I vehemently disagree with that assessment. I believe that the decision to relieve Wannstedt of his duties shows that Pedersen knows exactly what he is doing.
It would be nice to salvage the recruiting class, but it is only 18 deep and some of the kids will stick with the commitment. Losing 5 kids isn’t going to kill the program’s long-term future. This isn’t like what happened to Walt with the Morrelli class.
You can find the video of the show online:
Time to make a run TERYL AUSTIn now that he is available. Positive
1) Young and aggressive
2) knows the college game
3) knows southeeastern states recruiting (florida)
4) extensive NFL experience at coaching
5) Defensive guy who knows secondary (our weakness)
6) From Western PA (will be at home and not use as stepping stone)
7) PITT alumn (knows PITT well and fan base)
8) Winner (2 NFL appearances as DB coach for seattle and arizona, Michigan)
9) Affordable – with Myer gone he will not have a buyout and his current salary (est. 450K) isnt hard to top
10) At age 45 will relate to players and families on recruiting trail
11) Always known as a GREAT recruiter in college with Syracuse and Michigan. Knows the Northeast, Midwest, and Southern recruiting areas with his college ties
2007-09 Arizona Cardinals (Defensive Backs)
2003-06 Seattle Seahawks (Defensive Backs)
1999-2002 Michigan (Defensive Backs)
1996-98 Syracuse (Defensive Backs)
1993-95 Wake Forest (Defensive Backs)
1991-92 Penn State (Graduate Assistant)
12) Has studies under the best (Mike Holgren – Seattle, Ken Whisenhunt – Arizona, Lloyd Carr – Michigan, Urban Myer – Florida)
Look lets be real about this. We don’t have the money for a big name coach and probably not the money for a head coach of a successful program so we are left with going after an aggressive Coordinator (college or NFL) whom we can afford. Austin is the best out there and we should go after him. Timing is perfect with Urban Myer stepping down.
If it can’t happen through politics (and obviously it hasn’t) then there’s only way to accomplish this, win win win win win win WIN. Shame Penn State into being a clear and distinguished #2 program in the state. If nothing else, we ruined a HUGE opportunity over the last 6 yrs by not taking a giant step ahead with our rival with JoePa stuck in mediocrity himself. Let’s not make it 6 more.
After Pitt beat UNC, which was Wanny’s 1rst bowl victory EVER as a HC, ESPN’s bowl post game show didn’t even discuss our victory, it was ALL GD Urban Meyer. Which two days later proved to be talk about a whole lot of nothing.
I really hate this guy and I’ll admit it. FU Urban Meyer.
I’m wondering how his assistants compare to the other schools?
Side note…did anyone hear what Izzo said after Syracuse rolled MSU in the garden?
“Our guys inside weren’t covering anybody and that’s solely on me. If the team doesn’t play hard enough and is tough enough, that’s the coach’s fault, and we’ll fix that. I feel like the New York Jets.”
How’s that for accountability?
If you’re Delaware St, where do you go after a rout like this one?
I’d also prefer to have someone who has spent time in the college game as opposed to a big name NFL guy like Fox…
PS…anyone see the hoops game tonight and see #21 for Delaware State? The dude was 6’3″ 255…I’ve never seen a D-I college basketball player that looked more like a D-I football defensive tackle.
It’s a week before finals and we are playing Delaware State. Calm down, we will be fine. I am a student and I know for a fact that the UConn game has already sold out.
Watched the game tonight on ESPN3.com (beautiful, btw), and I am so excited for Saturday’s matchup with UT. Penguins 11 wins in a row, new era in Pitt FB to come, man…what excitement for the holiday season!
Hail to Pitt!
link to sportsblogs.star-telegram.com
Urban may have saved Pitt…
Pitt Fans might actually have to start attending bowl games EVERY YEAR and who wants to do that?
i would be in favor of mike leach, he will bring some “swag” back to Pitt..
Craig James’ kid seems like a whiny little bit*h anyway who needed to be locked in the closet…
Walt Harris – O coordinator
Randy Shanahan – D coordinator
Interesting coaching staff, Dan 72. That would certainly make for a lot of off season conversation.
No offense to Fox, Lewis, Grimm, etc., but as I said when Wanny was hired, NFL doesn’t translate to college. Everyone always pointed to Pete Carroll as an exception, but it now seems he had to have some “pros” too. And, look where he is. Right back in the NFL where he belongs.
Not too excited about another “Pitt guy” either. Maybe Wanny ruined that for me, but I don’t think Teryl Austin is ready to lead a program as big as Pitt. He only became a coordinator for the first time last year, at 45. There has to be a reason for that. I could see him as the DC on the new coach’s staff though.
I’d really like to see someone with some head coaching experience, like Sumlin or Mendenhal, but Holgorsen could be too good a prospect to pass on even without that experience. So, I’d be happy with any of those three.
Then, there might be the hidden gem that no one has identified yet; a guy on the “hot seat” at his current school due to circumstance beyond his control — the Gene Chizik of 2012. Wouldn’t it be nice if Pederson found that guy. Anyone have any nominees?
Until Pitt is willing to compete on the monetary level, it’ll be more of the same.
In the deposition, Leach said he separated James from practice on Dec. 17 and Dec. 19 to prevent him from being a distraction to the team. Leach said he did so because James showed up late to practice wearing a hat backward and sunglasses. Even injured players were required to do some sort of workout.
Leach said there had been other discipline problems with James during the year, including James’s breaking a door in the football offices, which cost more than $1,000 to replace, after he was demoted to the third team.
Leach and James agree that on Dec. 17, James was placed in the equipment shed — in some places in the deposition it is referred to as a garage — by the head trainer, Steve Pincock. Leach testified that he did not specifically instruct James to go there but said he had no problem with it as James needed to be in a dark place because of his sensitivity to light. (The space is big enough that the offensive linemen go there during special-teams drills to eat ice.)
James said he was monitored by a trainer, went to the bathroom at one point and “thought the idea of it was funny.”
James said he went into the electrical closet for part of the Dec. 19 practice.
James said in his deposition that Pincock took him to the media room and said, “I want you to stay here.” James testified that because Pincock was standing near the electrical closet when he said “stay here,” it was his “assumption” that he was supposed to enter the closet.
“Nobody held my hand and put me in there, no,” James said of the electrical closet. He also added, “Nobody said, ‘Adam, stay in the media room.’ ”
Leach maintains that he never spoke directly to James.
Pincock said in a statement that he told James there was “no way” he should enter the closet. James said he did not recall Pincock’s telling him that.
Pincock said he intended for James to stay in the media room, which is bigger than a one-car garage. But Pincock left the room, and James said he entered the closet. “I stayed where I thought I was supposed to be,” James said.
Paul Dobrowski, one of Leach’s lawyers, said: “Mike is no saint, but he never harmed Adam James. Under his contract, Mike is responsible for team discipline. Mike properly treated Adam as a concussed player who violated team rules, had been a discipline problem and was a distraction to the team.”
Craig James then goes and Hires the Media company that was responsible for the “Swift Boat campaign”, Yes the John Kerry Presidential
smear people, to launch a media campaign against Leach.
Craig James and His Son are a pair of Whinny Bit-ches. I think we a couple of those on our team now the difference being is that our coaching staff plays into their feelings of superiority and the pompous attitude when really they should be taken down a peg or two.
– He’s in the middle of big lawsuits that will be distractions until resolved, which might take a long time to finalize. One is against his former employer, always a red flag right or wrong.
– His university didn’t even come to his defense in the matter. Many think it was used as an excuse to get rid of him. He had a bad relationship with his AD.
– He has a quirky personality that some love and others hate. He can be aloof and almost condescending. It would almost be like hiring Walt Harris again.
Like I said, I like him. I just don’t see Nordy and Pedey looking past the baggage, or offering enough money to him if they could. They’d be looking to get him at a bargain basement rate because he wants back in coaching badly.
Also, I’ve never seen Leach express true interest in Pitt. He flat out said he was interested in Miami and Florida, but simply said, “I’m interested in all of them,” when asked about other openings like Pitt. I’m sure we’re his third choice at best and probably even further down his list in reality.
That’s why I just don’t see it happening. But, I could be wrong.
I don’t blame him for bringing the lawsuits as that is the only way he can clear his name and have a shot at coaching again.
I think we would have a nice run IF he were hired Leach even if it lasted only 5 years. Also if he could groom another assistant like he has with Dana H we would have someone to step in when he moved on much like Ben Howland & Jamie Dixon.
No mater how much he may love him, Pederson would have a really tough time selling him the to the Pitt community (us included), his finger prints are on the weapon – this disaster of a season,
If Pitt fans want a name coach, Nordy better cut a bigger check. My choich would be Tom Bradley but the big doners may not agree.
Unfortunately folks will harken back to how Steve Pederson selected Bill Callahan and suggest that there is a chance something similar could happen here at Pitt.
Remember Bill Callahan wasn’t Pederson’s first choice…hell he wasn’t even his second choice. (Houston Nutt, Al Saunders both turned down the job).
I think it’s short-sighted to think Pederson did not learn anything from that hiring, and to say one mistake doth make a AD is outright ludicrous.
But a lingering coaching search will prevent Pitt from limiting/minimizing the hemorraghing that will ultimately happen to their current recruiting class.
That is why the trickle down of the Florida job (as well as others) is concerning to me the most…is how it delays Pitt from getting a coach and staff in to minimize the recruiting erosion.
DaveD