I just recently changed companies and after a couple of weeks, it has really made me think deeper about Coach Ash and his importance to this program. Not only did I make the change because of a great promotion but because they continually stressed culture as the number one core value in their company. Build the right culture and success will follow. Not, have success and a winning culture will follow. After my first two weeks as part of the leadership team, I see that my company was not blowing smoke but believes in employees and process over everything else and I see the success building. So, it really gave me a new look at Coach Ash and why he may end up not being our most winning coach but may end up being almost important to RU football as Schiano was. And some people may never truly understand it 20 years from now when we may have a winning program that is usually at the top half of the B1G East. The "next" HC may actually benefit most from what is happening here.
I honestly do not know if HCCA can become an elite coach. He may surprise me but in my eyes, he is similar to what I think GS was. But, he may be the right man at the right time. Greg took over a program that was a mess. Under funded and no expectations. His first few years, no one expected to win and never thought anyone could ever get us to the level of winning he brought here. A huge task. Ash took over a program that was destroyed, underfunded in comparison to our competition but now, much higher expectations. We watch his wins and losses, we watch every move he makes in recruiting. Those two things mask his true value and that is building the culture. Like GS, it takes a certain type of person to do this, stand his course and maybe take some beatings over the process. Ash looks to be the man that will not run away from this task and will stay his course no matter how much most of us fans want immediate return. We may have brought in someone else but would they be willing to put this much work into building the program and not get the immediate ego boost of a few extra wins? I am not sure.
But when all is said and done. Maybe Ash is here 10 years maybe here only 5. But it is very clear what his "vision" is. Recruits come away from visits talking about it all the time. And it is funny to hear us posters talking about him not having a vision. His vision is the program. It may not sound sexy but it will pay dividends in the long run. So, my opinion, he may leave at some point and never be a big winner here but, he will leave us in a much much better place and will have built a culture that serves this program for a very long time.
I honestly do not know if HCCA can become an elite coach. He may surprise me but in my eyes, he is similar to what I think GS was. But, he may be the right man at the right time. Greg took over a program that was a mess. Under funded and no expectations. His first few years, no one expected to win and never thought anyone could ever get us to the level of winning he brought here. A huge task. Ash took over a program that was destroyed, underfunded in comparison to our competition but now, much higher expectations. We watch his wins and losses, we watch every move he makes in recruiting. Those two things mask his true value and that is building the culture. Like GS, it takes a certain type of person to do this, stand his course and maybe take some beatings over the process. Ash looks to be the man that will not run away from this task and will stay his course no matter how much most of us fans want immediate return. We may have brought in someone else but would they be willing to put this much work into building the program and not get the immediate ego boost of a few extra wins? I am not sure.
But when all is said and done. Maybe Ash is here 10 years maybe here only 5. But it is very clear what his "vision" is. Recruits come away from visits talking about it all the time. And it is funny to hear us posters talking about him not having a vision. His vision is the program. It may not sound sexy but it will pay dividends in the long run. So, my opinion, he may leave at some point and never be a big winner here but, he will leave us in a much much better place and will have built a culture that serves this program for a very long time.
