🏈 Head Coach in Waiting

[LBS]

1) If the right guy was available, would you have an issue with commiting to him with a Head Coach in Waiting deal?

2) Would you be a fan of Kirby Smart being that guy?

3) If not Kirby Smart, who, if any?

 

[psychojoe]

I really don't care for the idea. It worked well for Kentucky, when it was understood that the HC was retiring soon. The only advantage that I see is that if your guy is retiring and the successor is already named and on hand recruiting won't skip a beat. Other than keeping Muschamp on hand as DC I can't see how Texas has benefitted from naming him HC in waiting.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Muschamp is getting screwed right now........

 

[Bo]

Only way I see "Head Coach in Waiting" as a positive thing is if the current head coach is without a doubt retiring within one or two seasons at the most.

 

[UAgrad93]

I agree with Bo. There has to be no doubt that the HC is retiring in the next year or two for me to consider it being a good idea. I think that it eventually causes dissention on your staff if it goes on for too long. A power struggle ensues and there isn't a happy ending.

 

[psychojoe]

Muschamp is getting screwed right now........

I have a good friend who is a big time Texas fan. I asked him what his take on the coach in waiting move. He said that the Texas AD was well up in years (Mal's age) and the speculation there was that the AD would step aside at some point, Brown would take over as AD and Muschamp as HC. Its more than a year since this took place and Muschamp is still in waiting. Obviously he doesn't have a clause like Jimbo Fisher did in his contract requiring the school to pay him big bucks if he didn't become HC within a specified period.

 

[rammerjammer]

I think Stallings used the issue at FSU to make his point, and it was a good one IMO.

You had Fisher sort of attempting to rebuild, but you had Bobby and his old regime in place that sort of clashed with how things are being done now. That creates a Mike Dubose kind of staff with the coaches not getting along and being on the same page. Then you have issues with the coaches trying to determine who to be loyal to. I think it divides too much unless it has a short timetable that is set!!

 

[BamaCore]

I agree with Bo. I would only prefer it if the current coach was for sure retiring a short time after the promotion to head-coach-in-waiting. Also, I would absolutely love to see Kirby Smart be that guy but in my opinion he won't be. I honestly see Saban finishing out his contract and Smart getting a head coach position after the upcoming season.

 

[psychojoe]

An epilogue to a dead thread:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...ories/stories/051410dnspocarlton.352713c.html

Muschamp apparently will be HCIW for a long time.

Other than for stability when you know your guy is retiring soon there is no advantage that I see to HCIW. Jimbo Fisher could not, and Muschamp cannot recruit in the periods that are dead to head coaches. Kirby is one of our best recruiters. We would not want to limit him by making him HCIW.

 

[bamaupsman]

Personally, I see Smart moving on after this season, especially if UGA has a lackluster year. He's a pretty hot commodity right now and needs to make the move lest his stock fall. He's a Georgia guy and I could understand him going there, but there are many other big programs that would love to have him. The folks at Michigan will likely be looking for a head coach soon, for example. But I don't see him leaving for anything other than a HC position at a big time school.
​

 

[TerryP]

I'm very much against the idea. And, it's for one reason and one reason only.

Recruiting.

With the NC2A's new ruling making those coaches who are considered "in waiting" restricted to on-campus recruiting...adding to that the rule that the HC can't evaluate recruits in the spring...it's a crippling effect on recruiting efforts because you are losing one more guy on the road.

I do like Kirby. A lot. But, much like DuBose we don't know if he has what it takes to assume the HC role. That said...with Dooley at UT and Fisher at FSU we'll have a good idea how Saban's assistants do when they take over the reigns of a program.