Head Coaching Search

[Rockydog]

In fairness Nielsen was a D2 coach when we hired him 

 

Not saying a D2 HC can’t do a great job.  Just a bit underwhelming compared to an NFL coach.

[leatherneckcountry]

In fairness Nielsen was a D2 coach when we hired him 


 

Not saying a D2 HC can’t do a great job.  Just a bit underwhelming compared to an NFL coach.

 

My one concern with him was that he had never been a coordinator but hes Not the traditional wiu hire I was hoping we would go outside of the box for once 
 

[bignecks]

What D2 coach are you all alluding too

[leatherneckcountry]

What D2 coach are you all alluding too

 

No idea but it better not be the QU guy 

[ST_Lawson]

In fairness Nielsen was a D2 coach when we hired him 


 

Not saying a D2 HC can’t do a great job.  Just a bit underwhelming compared to an NFL coach.

 

I think both could have very strong things going for them.

A NFL coach (in this case, assistant WR coach) has NFL connections/friends and being able to say he was just coaching a guy like Justin Jefferson might be a big draw for some recruits (especially for potential receivers). On the other hand, depending on the path they took, they may not have much in the way of experience actually calling plays or running an entire team (or even just an entire offensive or defensive unit).

A good D2 HC brings experience at the helm of a college team (hopefully a fairly successful one), so they know what all that would entail. They may not have quite the connections of a FBS or NFL guy, but if they're D2, then they do have experience dealing with scholarships and recruiting. Depending on where they're from, they might also be familiar with being from a more "rural" area.

For example, one of the guys I was initially hoping for (but we know went elsewhere and probably wasn't interested, so this is just a hypothetical example) was Brian Wright, who was HC at D2 Pittsburg State (and was hired to be HC at Northern Arizona a couple of days ago). He was 33-8 for a team with a unique nickname at a public former teachers college in the Midwest that has just under 6k students in a town of ~20k that isn't on a major interstate and is ~2 hours from the nearest decent-sized city (KC)...sound similar to somewhere we know?
By the way, the Massey Ratings predictions say that his Pitt State Gorillas would steamroll our Leathernecks, 34-7.

[Rockydog]

In fairness Nielsen was a D2 coach when we hired him 



 

Not saying a D2 HC can’t do a great job.  Just a bit underwhelming compared to an NFL coach.


 

I think both could have very strong things going for them.

A NFL coach (in this case, assistant WR coach) has NFL connections/friends and being able to say he was just coaching a guy like Justin Jefferson might be a big draw for some recruits (especially for potential receivers). On the other hand, depending on the path they took, they may not have much in the way of experience actually calling plays or running an entire team (or even just an entire offensive or defensive unit).

A good D2 HC brings experience at the helm of a college team (hopefully a fairly successful one), so they know what all that would entail. They may not have quite the connections of a FBS or NFL guy, but if they're D2, then they do have experience dealing with scholarships and recruiting. Depending on where they're from, they might also be familiar with being from a more "rural" area.

For example, one of the guys I was initially hoping for (but we know went elsewhere and probably wasn't interested, so this is just a hypothetical example) was Brian Wright, who was HC at D2 Pittsburg State (and was hired to be HC at Northern Arizona a couple of days ago). He was 33-8 for a team with a unique nickname at a public former teachers college in the Midwest that has just under 6k students in a town of ~20k that isn't on a major interstate and is ~2 hours from the nearest decent-sized city (KC)...sound similar to somewhere we know?
By the way, the Massey Ratings predictions say that his Pitt State Gorillas would steamroll our Leathernecks, 34-7.

 

I agree.  But do want to call out that Massey predictions say 90% of the teams in MIAA would do the same….
We really were THAAT bad this year.

[vatusay]

In fairness Nielsen was a D2 coach when we hired him 


 

Not saying a D2 HC can’t do a great job.  Just a bit underwhelming compared to an NFL coach.

 

Assistant wr coach. No experience above that, really. 

[Rockydog]

In fairness Nielsen was a D2 coach when we hired him 



 

Not saying a D2 HC can’t do a great job.  Just a bit underwhelming compared to an NFL coach.


 

Assistant wr coach. No experience above that, really. 

 

Yes, but at the HIGHEST level of the game.  Sorry, I’ll take that over D2 or even FCS ALL DAY LONG.

[Necks90]

Can someone tell me why several of you are enamored with an assistant wide receivers coach from the NFL? He's not even the wide receivers coach, but the assistant! I'm more interested in FCS/FBS coordinators or a solid D2 guy who has ran his own program!! Go Necks!!

[vatusay]

Can someone tell me why several of you are enamored with an assistant wide receivers coach from the NFL? He's not even the wide receivers coach, but the assistant! I'm more interested in FCS/FBS coordinators or a solid D2 guy who has ran his own program!! Go Necks!!

 

Especially one that in an interview I watched stated himself “it’s all about who you know”.  Yes, has an incredibly impressive connections list. Zero experience running a team or program.