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Coaching Carousel 2021

Some excerpts from the Athletic. Sounds like Rees staying was critical to Freeman being hired. He’s 29 and will have total autonomy of the offense. Was made an offer to be the highest paid OC in the country, similar to Freeman’s offer to be highest paid DC, but ND stepped up to come close or match.

From the Athletic

Irish Illustrated reported that tight ends coach John McNulty was also expected to remain on staff. McNulty joined Notre Dame’s staff two years ago after working with Rees on the NFL level. The veteran assistant is popular among his position group, including with All-America candidate Michael Mayer.

Make no mistake: Notre Dame would still be searching for a new head coach right now if not for Rees, whose decision to stay lends continuity to an Irish roster that is amid the winningest five-year stretch in program history, and whose opt-in was the most critical factor in Notre Dame deciding to move ahead and make the 35-year-old Freeman a first-time head coach.
 
I’m sure this is with some influence from Kelly but that’s exactly the type of coaching you like to hear about. I always talk about adapting and finding a way, don’t look for excuses. It’ll be a good proving ground for Rees to line up a HC job and show if he can do it without Kelly

From the Athletic

In Rees, Notre Dame retains one of the bright young minds in the sport, a coordinator who has built three distinct Irish offenses in the span of two seasons. Last year, that meant building around a veteran offensive line and three-year starting quarterback Ian Book, a ground-first approach that got Notre Dame to the Playoff. This season, that approach changed to a more vertical pass game with graduate transfer Jack Coan at quarterback. When that approach struggled behind a young offensive line, Rees adjusted his approach to a quick, tempo passing game that brought the best out of Coan, and Notre Dame finished 11-1 with an outside shot at returning to the Playoff.
 
The standard terms of the deal fit on half a sheet of standard paper. He's under contract for six years, starting at $4 million per year and rising to $5 million by 2026.

Pry will have $5.5 million to pay his 10 on-the-field assistants and $2.25 million to pay his support staff.



 
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Sources told FootballScoop on Tuesday that Jeff Tedford is a strong candidate to return to Fresno State's head coaching position.


For @yessir321

East Carolina: The Board of Trustees is expected to approve a new contract today for head coach Mike Houston, according to local reports. Houston has led the Pirates to a 7-5 record and an upcoming appearance in the Military Bowl.
 
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Be wary leaning too hard on recommendations of others, even legend coaches. Should be just one small piece of the puzzle of finding a good coach not everything. We should know lol. 😉

 
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I don’t like the ND hire. Outside of Texas, that’s got to be the most demanding job in the country. Seems like a lot to ask of a first time HC.
 
I don’t like the ND hire. Outside of Texas, that’s got to be the most demanding job in the country. Seems like a lot to ask of a first time HC.
Well a lot, if not most, of the staff is staying with him in South Bend so that's helpful. Supposedly, he's a very good recruiter and relatable guy and everyone loves him. I think he's an okay reasonable choice but don't know how he'll do. Is he going to be Gary Pattrson/Kyle Whittingham who fairly well maintained or improved the standard or Kyle Flood/Larry Coker who kept it going for a bit and then petered out.

What a week for him. He was scheduled to meet with Duke about their opening this week and to go from that to ND HC, what a contrast lol.
 
Well a lot, if not most, of the staff is staying with him in South Bend so that's helpful. Supposedly, he's a very good recruiter and relatable guy and everyone loves him. I think he's an okay reasonable choice but don't know how he'll do. Is he going to be Gary Pattrson/Kyle Whittingham who fairly well maintained or improved the standard or Kyle Flood/Larry Coker who kept it going for a bit and then petered out.

What a week for him. He was scheduled to meet with Duke about their opening this week and to go from that to ND HC, what a contrast lol.
It’s not even the football stuff. It’s all the other stuff that comes with being HC at ND
 
Freeman is a gamble, but for this year a gamble with taking by Notre Dame.
Anyone else the team might have stayed in the funk Kelly's leaving put them in.
Freeman also is considered on of the best up and coming HC candidates from the assistant ranks.
Notre Dame might just struck gold like Oklahoma did when they replaced Bob Stoops with his OC.


No matter who a school hires, its a gamble, especially hiring an assistant with no HC experience.
But in my opinion, Notre Dame hired Freeman because he was one of the better gambles and part of that gamble is how Notre Dame probably felt that if Notre Dame does make thew playoffs, Freeman would get more out of the team as permanent HC instead of Interim just holding the spot until someone was hired.
Even if a great HC came in, the players still might not play like they should under Freeman as Interim or if Kelly's replacement took over for it.
Freeman is known and liked by the players and if he wasn't the choice, playoff play ( if they get in) might not be the same quality with players wondering about who would be hired and disappointed that Freeman wasn't.
 
Wouldn't be surprised if it was a mutual agreement for him to leave because he wasn't able to elevate the Cavaliers into one of the top ACC programs.
He might get a looksee from a Western Program looking for a HC.
Fresno State comes to mind.
From 99-43/39-9 at BYU for 11 years to 36-38/22-27 at Virginia for 6 seasons. One 1st place finish in Coastal Division in 2019.
Was a definite improvement over Mike London, who went 27-46/14-34 over 6 seasons (now coach of William and Mary (12-14 over 3 seasons). London was 24-5 at Richmond in the first two years of his HC career.

You just never know what is going to happen. London with 2 winning seasons at 3 teams over 11 seasons, and Mendenhall not coming close to his success at BYU.
 
From 99-43/39-9 at BYU for 11 years to 36-38/22-27 at Virginia for 6 seasons. One 1st place finish in Coastal Division in 2019.
Was a definite improvement over Mike London, who went 27-46/14-34 over 6 seasons (now coach of William and Mary (12-14 over 3 seasons). London was 24-5 at Richmond in the first two years of his HC career.

You just never know what is going to happen. London with 2 winning seasons at 3 teams over 11 seasons, and Mendenhall not coming close to his success at BYU.
I think he did okay for UVA and you can see the improvement from London who had only 1 winning season. Mendenhall was .500 or better essentially every season but his first. I think that’s fine for UVA.
 
Wouldn't be surprised if it was a mutual agreement for him to leave because he wasn't able to elevate the Cavaliers into one of the top ACC programs.
He might get a looksee from a Western Program looking for a HC.
Fresno State comes to mind.
Also Fresno is supposedly going to hire Tedford. Posted that somewhere in this thread.



 
Btw I think Mullen could be okay here too…I seem to throw his name out for any out the way lower profile school like Duke, Temple and now UVA.
 
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Wouldn't be surprised if it was a mutual agreement for him to leave because he wasn't able to elevate the Cavaliers into one of the top ACC programs.
He might get a looksee from a Western Program looking for a HC.
Fresno State comes to mind.
He took over a dumpster fire and had them competitive in year 2
 
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He took over a dumpster fire and had them competitive in year 2
once that fire is put out, expectations of greatness sometimes overcome reality.
After his 9-5 season the two 500 seasons might have been unacceptable to some of the boosters
Patience might have been short because 9-5 season wasn't matched and in this era of instant gratification the school felt a need for change
 
once that fire is put out, expectations of greatness sometimes overcome reality.
After his 9-5 season the two 500 seasons might have been unacceptable to some of the boosters
Patience might have been short because 9-5 season wasn't matched and in this era of instant gratification the school felt a need for change
Another fanbase that doesn’t know it’s place in football. In 6 years they will probably wish they could have him back
 
He struck out on Freeman and some ND staff and a Nebraska alum who is their wr coach and a good recruiter reportedly is heading to Frost’s staff.

I’ve read reports Patterson might be heading to Texas for a position on their staff. Wonder if Kelly might make a play for him or maybe reunite with Elko, although I think A&M could match any offer. He would have better talent at LSU most likely.
 
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I think he did okay for UVA and you can see the improvement from London who had only 1 winning season. Mendenhall was .500 or better essentially every season but his first. I think that’s fine for UVA.

Plus an Orange Bowl. Do they expect much more at Virginia?

Seemed a great hire at the time and can't imagine they wanted him gone. Good luck to 'em, if so.
 
once that fire is put out, expectations of greatness sometimes overcome reality.
After his 9-5 season the two 500 seasons might have been unacceptable to some of the boosters
Patience might have been short because 9-5 season wasn't matched and in this era of instant gratification the school felt a need for change

Are you basing that on anything? Because it sounds like you're making a series of large assumptions while reports say it was his decision and multiple admins asked him to stay.
 
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Freeman is a gamble, but for this year a gamble with taking by Notre Dame.
Anyone else the team might have stayed in the funk Kelly's leaving put them in.
Freeman also is considered on of the best up and coming HC candidates from the assistant ranks.
Notre Dame might just struck gold like Oklahoma did when they replaced Bob Stoops with his OC.


No matter who a school hires, its a gamble, especially hiring an assistant with no HC experience.
But in my opinion, Notre Dame hired Freeman because he was one of the better gambles and part of that gamble is how Notre Dame probably felt that if Notre Dame does make thew playoffs, Freeman would get more out of the team as permanent HC instead of Interim just holding the spot until someone was hired.
Even if a great HC came in, the players still might not play like they should under Freeman as Interim or if Kelly's replacement took over for it.
Freeman is known and liked by the players and if he wasn't the choice, playoff play ( if they get in) might not be the same quality with players wondering about who would be hired and disappointed that Freeman wasn't.
ND hiring a coach with no experience is just nutty.
 
ND hiring a coach with no experience is just nutty.
Worked out for another major program Oklahoma hiring someone in house without any HC experience.
Proven HC track record is the most preferred way for major programs when hiring their HC.
But hiring top assistants does work out for some, ask the Georgia fanbase about the Smart Bama assistant the Georgia AD hired as their HC
Baylor's Dave Aranda is considered a top candidate for many of the better HC openings this year and is in his second year as Baylor's HC after being an assistant at LSU that Baylor made their HC

Freeman's hiring is more than keeping Notre Dame one of the best programs, it also is about giving the imitation Irish it's best chance to win playoff games so they can reach the NC game this year, if they get in and that's a possibility if one of the 2nd, 3rd or 4th ranked playoff teams lose their conference championship game
 
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