Head Coaching Search

leatherneckcountry · Fri Dec 17, 2021 2:56 pm

https://mobile.twitter.com/JohnDBrice1/ ... 6915004426

letsgonecks · Fri Dec 17, 2021 2:58 pm

Holland just tweeted as well.

I like.

sealhall74 · Fri Dec 17, 2021 3:01 pm

I like the move. You are getting a guy who already knows what the score is.

L'Étranger · Fri Dec 17, 2021 3:22 pm

GV wrote:Thu Jan 01, 1970 3:44 am I’m actually surprised that we’ve only had the one transfer so far. But we are losing valuable time working the portal to bring kids to us. We have lots of spots to replace on our 2 deep.

Prior to this afternoon's news I was told 6-8 would hit the portal prior to 1/1. Don't know if that includes the 2 who already declared. I guess we'll see if that holds.

Fri Dec 17, 2021 3:26 pm

sealhall74 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 3:01 pm I like the move. You are getting a guy who already knows what the score is.

I'll say I like it...tentatively.

Obviously Myers Hendrickson knows a great deal about the community, the school, and the football program, so that's a plus.
He's had success (31-5) in his head coaching experience...also a plus.
I'm a little worried that his only HC experience is in the NAIA. He did have stints of 2 years at Coe College (DIII) and 1 year at Northern State (DII) in assistant roles.

Now, take this with a glacier-sized pinch of salt, because I have no inside knowledge of how the interview process went down, but if Matt Drinkall (Former HC at Kansas Wesleyan and current TE coach at Army) had interviewed, didn't have some red flag that jumped out, and didn't pull his name out of the running afterwards (beyond knowing that he was supposed to have interviewed, I don't know anything else), I think I would have preferred to see Drinkall be the HC and see if Hendrickson would come in and be the OC. Then if things go well and Drinkall gets hired up somewhere else, we could then see about promoting from within with Hendrickson.

Still...I've liked Surprenant's hires so far, and there's a lot to like about an alum of the program coming back...so I'm definitely willing to give Hendrickson the benefit of the doubt. If he is able to turn things around and put together a successful program (whatever your criteria for that may be), having someone who grew up here and knows the area well could mean that he could turn into one of those really long-tenured coaches like SDSU's John Stiegelmeier or UNI's Mark Farley.

letsgonecks · Fri Dec 17, 2021 3:51 pm

Here's what I like:

Grew up in Macomb
A Leatherneck
Smart - dude went Ivy league and then Valley Academic All-Conference
Played special teams and any roll needed
Though NAIA, was a winning HC (I bet his players are happy for him, but devastated)
Coaches Son - These kids either hate coaches and the idea of coaching or are bread for it.
There was possibly a time in his life where he hoped/dreamed to one day be the HC at WIU.......

I was not a huge fan of Mark as our coach, but having a HC dad and a guy that seemed to be a very good person probably molded Myers into a great leader. I bet he'll be creative and his intelligence will allow him to make better game deciding decisions in those critical moments. I've seen some video's and he looks to have a little bit more fire than his dad and that will connect well with players and recruits.

Wish he had more DI experience, but then he might not be taking this job.

Fri Dec 17, 2021 3:53 pm

Regarding Coach M. Hendrickson's staff, his Defensive Coordinator, Matt Myers, has been elevated to HC at Kansas Wesleyan, so it doesn't look like he'll be coming this way. He's an alum of the KWU program and grew up in Salina, KS (where KWU is located), so it makes sense for him.

I'd have to imagine there's a good chance that OC Mike Famiglietti will be coming along with Hendrickson. Famiglietti was a long snapper from Muskego, WI (suburb of Milwaukee) who played a year at Western Michigan before joining the Leathernecks in 2011-2013. He spent time coaching at North Dakota, Wisconsin Lutheran, Northern State, and most recently Kansas Wesleyan.

I'm hoping that he'll get some coaching staff candidates with solid DI experience through some of his dad's connections around college football too.

L'Étranger · Fri Dec 17, 2021 4:06 pm

Id have been happier with Drinkall...took over KW when it was in tatters (kind of like we are now), turned it around and made it a NAIA powerhouse.THEN went and had success as an FBS asst.

Hendrickson rode the coattails of what Drinkall made.

I get the appeal of the returning hometown boy but I'm not sure he's going to win games at this level.

Cautiously optimistic, but waiting to see assistants with FCS/FBS position coach experience to make me feel better.

Fri Dec 17, 2021 4:14 pm

meganeck · Fri Dec 17, 2021 4:22 pm

Honestly I surprised, Myers was named the HC, I'm kinda in the same boat as Scott, I think its a good hire, but would like to see him get some more experience either at KWU or a higher level. Was kinda hoping for someone with more experience and am kinda surprised Drinkall wasn't the choice, if he really did interview.

His coaching staff will be interesting, I wonder if any of the current coaches will be retained or are worthy of being retained. Also Mark, his dad has been on his staff, I can't imagine he would be at WIU but who knows.