As we wait for Wednesday and ultimately whether Paul Chryst returns to Madison, there is no way not to speculate on who could get the job.
That means listing possibilities. Listing pros and cons and all that. That’s boring after a while. And let’s face it, it is done by so many. So, in an effort to shake things up, I’m just going to list some of the names that get tossed out there that should not be allowed anywhere near the Pitt head coaching job.
These are just some of the bad calls that should be met with eye rolls and a dismissive wave.
Tom Bradley. Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News is a Pittsburgh native (Point Park College alum), former Pittsburgh Press sportswriters and one of my favorite college basketball writers. He also has a Dan Rooney-sized soft spot for Tom Bradley in no small part from getting to know him when he had the PSU beat way back. So, he was the first person I saw to toss out the inevitable name. Pre-Sandusky I would not have had a problem with it. Let’s face it, he is still damaged goods and will remain that way until all the lawsuits and criminal cases finally finish. There is a reason that one of the best defensive coordinators around still doesn’t have a DC job. And after 2 years of college football unemployment he could only land a position coaching job from a very desperate program.
Bud Foster. Career coordinator. Hell of a job with defenses. I would not trust him to make a call on offense. He has waited too long on making a move out of his comfort zone in Blacksburg. He is either the successor to Frank Beamer at VT or he will be a roaming DC in a few years.
Sal Sunseri. When the inevitable “Pitt guy” talk rears its ugly head, Sunseri’s name starts floating around. Here’s what Sunseri is. A hell of a recruiter, a former Pitt football player, and the father of Tino Sunseri. That’s about it. Plenty of head coaches want to hire him for his recruiting, but then stick him in a position coach spot where they feel he can do the least damage. An extensive coaching career, but never even reached coordinator status — except for a very doomed Derek Dooley at Tennessee who hired him as the DC for one year. Completely unqualified. Added negative, does anyone really want Tino Sunseri back hanging around Pitt football?
Paul Rhoads. I’d be in greater fear of this happening if Chancellor Nordenberg was still in charge, and Pederson had any power left. They loved the guy. Sure he has a job at Iowa State, but it is definitely wearing thin as the losing piles up. I could see him viewing Pitt as a golden parachute. A chance to jump before being pushed. Should not even be under consideration.
Greg Schiano. You know how the idea is that a college coach jumping to the pros is a no-lose situation. Even if they fail there, they can always go back to college only in higher demand because they have these pro connections and can sell recruits on knowing what it takes to make the pros. How they have a better understanding of football afterwards. All sorts of things like that. Yeah, that hasn’t been the case with Schiano. His reign at Tampa Bay revealed him to be one of the bigger douches out there, and few seem interested in going near him. Even the inevitable rehab the image piece, doesn’t seem to be working real well. On paper he should be in high demand. His rebuilding of Rutgers to respectability should never be casually dismissed — even if he never got over the hump there — but bring up his name to fans of a team looking for a coach and you get a resounding, ” F**k no!”
Dave Wannstedt. That door is closed, locked and barred. Pitt and sequels are not a good combination.
Any Western Pennsylvania high school coach. Some idiot always tosses one of the fine high school coaches out there as being the perfect fit for Pitt and the area. I can feel the vein on my temple start to pulse when this happens.
There’s enough talent here to be COMPETITIVE next Year and a force the Year after with some BETTER QB and DEFENSIVE Play.
Don’t know exactly what they have been told, but if any of it is not truthful, then PC and staff are not much better than Fraud.
As it stands right now, it all makes very little sense … but if PC leaves and the players are heartbroken, shame on both PC and the admin.
Again, I’m not sure exactly what was said to the players and recruits, I only hope they were not disingenuous.
Getting another stepping stone coach and in my example above was Fuentes, and we have the same problem in three years. If Fuentes has no ties to the area, he will leave for his dream job too if successful. If not successful, he leaves because we all want him fired. It is a vicious cycle and requires a superb AD and more importantly a strong Chancellor. This is why you make a run at Chryst first.
Why do you think Alvarez wants Chryst so bad? First it is because he believes in his ability. Second, he is from Madison and won’t necessarily jump ship in three years if he is successful. Alvarez understands the importance of continuity. The top programs can weather the storm a little better because they have 4 and 5 star athletes coming to their programs despite coaching changes (Texas, Oregon, Ohio State).
Pitt doesn’t have that luxury. So keep thinking we are a destination job. We aren’t and we especially aren’t with Steve Pederson running the joint.
Pitt is fine and in the 50 percentile of all other schools. I read the Pac 12 only has like 2 coaches with more tenure than Chyrst currently has … movement is part of the game now.
Regarding headliners – who said anything about a headliner. I want an up and coming Coordinator or an existing, successful HC from the lower ranks like Fuentes or Holiday. You can’t make a pick of a HC based on what you think will happen. That’s such a cop out and chickenshit way to run a program.
Pitt is a stepping stone job. Accept that and you’ll be much less anxious over change. Continuity is so overrated unless you have a gimmick system in place like Oregon or Navy or GT or what Nebraska had pre-Callahan (nice one SP).
When, since Jock Sutherland, has Pitt not been a stepping stone job? Seriously. Majors left. Sherrill left. EVERYONE leaves Pitt after a few years.
Stop worrying about the future and get the right coach for the present.
Stop worrying about coaches leaving … it’s what happens. Rudolph is an absolute terrible idea and would make Pitt a laughing stalk.
Chryst has brought in talent as in ACC Player of the Year and a WR that is projecting out as a 2cnd round pick. He has red shirted some awfully good looking offensive linemen and running backs too. Pitt needs to get a coach that keeps a professional style offense first and foremost. Continuity comes in style of play as well as coaching staffs. Easier to recruit that way. Look at Alabama, Ohio State, Florida State. No gimmick offense, straight ahead power offense.
I agree that the college coaching game is more fluid, with coaches moving more often, allegedly. My point is that you cannot change personnel every three years and try to get square players to fit a round hole offense. It becomes a wheel of misfortune. So in looking at replacement coaches, you want someone to keep the continuity of the professional style offense, which is Rudolph right now. The reality of the big uglies right now is that they are not geared to block in a spread offense and didn’t come to PItt for that. They came because the Chryst staff puts big ugly linemen in the nfl. That is what I would personally love to see at Pitt again. Changing to the 270 mobile offensive linemen for three years would be regrettable.
Stepping stone is fine if you replace what you had with someone like minded. See above. That is the continuity for which I speak. Mahalo.
You just listed the best of the best for CFB … i said gimmick offense or established programs. Pitt is not Ohio State, Alabama, USC, FSU … lol. Compare Pitt to Cincy (a lot of TO and success). That’s the model we have to follow. Come on.
