Soccer - top candidates
- Thread starter Scarlet Craig
- Start date
I'm not saying my point of view is right, but I think the coaching and organizational part of the job is bigger than recruiting for the head coach. The assistants do 75-80% of the recruiting work. The head coach just needs to finish closing a kid. From everything I've heard, Miller would be good at that. You are right the asst coaches are doing more of the hands on work, but they are implementing a style of play based on what the HC wants. The HC role is so much more then just the strategy and recruiting aspect as well. Fundraising for the program, alumni relations, practice and travel schedules, ect, are all things many assistants haven't had to deal with before. First time head coaches can do well, but I bet the majority at this level don't.
I agree with you 100%. I was wondering what aspect of head coaching some people may feel that miller is lacking. If it is the organizational, fundraising, big picture type stuff then that may be a problem as you say. But I was kind of assuming this point may have been about the tactical/on field work- in which case I’d have less reservations.
Hopefully will see some people this weekend, I’ll try to ask for more specific feedback.
It’s feeling more and more to me like we’re going after somebody who is still coaching OR was until last weekend.
I wonder if there is any chance the Akron HC (Embeck) might entertain a move to the B1G? Very successful and would probably be costly.
Had two play D1 olympic sports--men's lax & field hockey, also a grandson who played D3 lax. Many times the aid for athletes in the types of programs appears as grants that don't have to be repaid.
I understand that, but I was telling you Bucknell does not have any grants, at least for men’s soccer. There is need based financial aid only.
On the topic of the coaching search I heard today that David Brandt is being considered a leading candidate. Currently at Hope College, was amazingly successful at Messiah, supposedly fired from Navy because he didn’t make the final four in year 2 like he told the athletic department he would.
That’s not someone I would want at all can’t see how this would be a good choice for the job
I was told he’s very cocky but surprisingly that he would be an excellent hire and would do well here. Won a bunch of D3 Natty’s.
He is going to go from 2 small Division 3 Christian schools to a huge state school with no recruiting ties to this area? I just don’t see it and he isn’t a young guy either
I agree with you on all of it, just the feedback I got on him was better than the feedback I had received on Miller. I’d honestly never heard of him before today.
I'm not sure what to do with this. 56ish year old coach that was fired from Navy after 6 seasons but was great at D3 Messiah 97-08...
Anyway hard to argue with his resume ALTHOUGH He probably never should’ve told the administration that he would take maybe to the final four within a couple of years ha ha!
The story is that they were supposed to be National Champs the year after the Final Four goal. I was more surprised Navy of all schools would react to not making it by letting him go, I believe he did a decent job there.
No sir. I've said for well over a year now that if he didn't turn things around in 2018 he had to be let go (but nice try).
Thanks for the info. Not the best news imo. Does anyone know who Hobbs’s brain trust is on this hire? Who is he leaning on to run this search? The Brandt option seems kind of out of left field. I know that Messiah is legendary D3 soccer, and sure, Brandt has D1 experience at Navy, but it seems like there are possible candidates like Miller who check more boxes. I guess it’s possible that UConn may have acted preemptively and told Miller that the head coaching job is his when Reid retires in a couple of years or something like that, but I’m just not feeling like Brandt is an ideal top candidate.
Hobb’s agent is running the search. Candidate must interview well.
What do you mean by agent? His actual agent, or someone who works for him who could be referred to as an “agent”?
If football has been any learning for Hobbs he needs to understand that he needs a coach that can recruit first and foremost and then also engage in the Xs and Os. Also, no stupid buyout clauses.
Silly argument. Plenty of HC’s have been successful at multiple levels in every sport.
Heard that short list candidate interviews are starting today. Guy I wanted to get an interview isn't, trying to see if I can find out the list, but doubt it.
You should definitely hold this against Hobbs and nitpick every decision/move the new coach takes during the next coach's entire tenure.
PS - this is mostly tongue in cheek but seems to be the MO around Rutgers sports lately.
Ha, not my style. Besides, my wife would be happy not to have him nearby so often!
If correct, the short list is Acquista, Miller, Brandt, Franks, and Mcelderry.
So if that list is accurate this is one hell of a coaching search and anybody unhappy with the following five names should have their head examined. Hobbs said this would be a national search and it sure is hell is, however, also with some great ties to the area with a few of the candidates:
Carlo Acquista - Red Bull’s scout; Former head coach at a Delphi University leading them to three straight tournament appearances including a quarterfinal.
Mike Miller - Associate head coach at Yuke-on. Known to be an ace recruiter.
Dave Brandt - .888 career win % and 6 D3 National Titles @ Messiah. Coaches at Navy afterwards both winning the patriot league and advancing to the NCAA tournament second round in 2013.
Jamie Franks- Current head coach at Denver University. Regular season and conference tournament champions 2015 and 2016. NCAA tournament both of those years and national champion 2016.
Jim McElderry - Current head coach at Fordham. - 2014 & 2016 Atlantic 10 Champions
- 2017 NCAA Quarterfinalist
- 2014, 2016, & 2017 NCAA Championship Appearance
- 2011 Atlantic 10 Regular Season Co-Champions
@RU848789 @SirScarlet @Scarlet Shack
@Caliknight
Carlo Acquista - Red Bull’s scout; Former head coach at a Delphi University leading them to three straight tournament appearances including a quarterfinal.
Mike Miller - Associate head coach at Yuke-on. Known to be an ace recruiter.
Dave Brandt - .888 career win % and 6 D3 National Titles @ Messiah. Coaches at Navy afterwards both winning the patriot league and advancing to the NCAA tournament second round in 2013.
Jamie Franks- Current head coach at Denver University. Regular season and conference tournament champions 2015 and 2016. NCAA tournament both of those years and national champion 2016.
Jim McElderry - Current head coach at Fordham. - 2014 & 2016 Atlantic 10 Champions
- 2017 NCAA Quarterfinalist
- 2014, 2016, & 2017 NCAA Championship Appearance
- 2011 Atlantic 10 Regular Season Co-Champions
@RU848789 @SirScarlet @Scarlet Shack
@Caliknight
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Thanks, Nuts.
I am intrigued by McElderry...he's been a head coach for 15 years so he's got that part of the job down. he's clearly been able to perform at a high level (not just getting to the the NCAAs but doing damage while there)
I have no idea what connections he has to some of the local powerhouses (RB DA, PDA, etc) but if he can recruit, he might be the leading candidate.
Excited to see what Hobbs does here.
M
That’s a really good list ...and I agree that whichever’s coach is wired in locally should get a couple of extra nudges into the inside track for the job.
That’s a really good list ...and I agree that whichever’s coach is wired in locally should get a couple of extra nudges into the inside track for the job.
NUTS - they all sound good, but do we know why Donigan failed? He seemed to have such a great resume (former great player, NJ native, great success at St. Louis), yet bombed completely at RU. It might be good to try to figure out what went wrong with the Donigan hire when considering potential coaches whose resumes look kind of like his did before he started here. No reason why we shouldn't be a perennial top 20 team given NJ soccer strength and our past history under Reasso (until he kind of checked out).
Donigan, whose tenure included a 55-95-16 record and two NCAA berths, was the Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2015, when the Scarlet Knights last appeared in the NCAA Tournament. Rutgers finished 12-7-2 and advanced to the NCAA Round of 32 in '15, but compiled a 9-40-4 record over the past three seasons.
https://www.nj.com/rutgers/index.ssf/2018/11/rutgers_fires_mens_soccer_coach_dan_donigan.html
That’s a hell of a list! Hobbs is no dummy. He knows what he’s doing.
We’ve been through this 1 million times What is essentially came down to, unfortunately, is his inability to connect with the I had a maze, their coaches, and likely let’s just say his “stubbornness” as a head coach And insisting on doing things his way and only his way. But alas, that’s not what this thread is about, so let’s talk about the five candidates listed above! Good stuff!!
I would have liked to see Brendan Nash out of Bucknell at least get an interview to explain his vision. I know him well and he truly believes he could win a national title here. Unfortunately, the one thing that stops him from getting an interview is the same reason he would consider leaving Bucknell - No scholarships and not having worked with them. Been to the NCAA's a handful of time when on even footing and runs his entire program on a budget of less then $25K, recruiting included.
I haven't been through it, since I don't follow soccer closely enough. My point, though, remains, that Hobbs should try to figure it out, so that he can possibly avoid hiring someone who may suffer from the same shortcomings. And that is relevant to the candidates being considered, who are all good "on paper," as Donigan was.
