Braun may be the guy.

[jne381]

It’s really tough. Say NU wins 5 games this year. Do you extend a full-time offer to Braun for this year’s team arguably overachieving, but falling short of what most fans would consider a “good” season, and not coming close to being a Big Ten contender?

The most annoying thing is I think he would be a great DC for the next several years. But I don’t see how he shifts back to that role in any scenario.

If he gets five wins this season, I think it is a no brainer to keep him as head coach with a three year contract, unless the AD has some sort of confidence of being able to go out and get an absolute home run hire like Urban Meyer or something crazy. I do not think that is a possibility.

With five wins(maybe even less), Braun more than deserves a real shot of showing what he can build.

 

[TheC]

If he gets five wins this season, I think it is a no brainer to keep him as head coach with a three year contract, unless the AD has some sort of confidence of being able to go out and get an absolute home run hire like Urban Meyer or something crazy. I do not think that is a possibility.

With five wins(maybe even less), Braun more than deserves a real shot of showing what he can build.

I'd much rather have Braun than Urban Meyer. I don't care about winning that much.

 

[Hungry Jack]

I'd much rather have Braun than Urban Meyer. I don't care about winning that much.

I think Meyer is probably done. He seems fully cooked at this point. Helluva coach--a great one, IMO. But his intensity burned himself out.

 

[Sheffielder]

If he gets five wins this season, I think it is a no brainer to keep him as head coach with a three year contract, unless the AD has some sort of confidence of being able to go out and get an absolute home run hire like Urban Meyer or something crazy. I do not think that is a possibility.

With five wins(maybe even less), Braun more than deserves a real shot of showing what he can build.

So you want to give him a half-assed contract if he beats Howard, Purdue, and Illinois? How does that help anyone? Three years signals to anyone/everyone, "eh, we like him okay enough." And five wins...over UTEP, Minny, and the three aforementioned, while surpassing most expectations, does not show me enough to forego a national search for a Big Ten head coach.

Depending on the quality of the next 3-4 wins, I would definitely consider him for a full-fledged permanent appointment as head coach, but I will say at least for myself I am on EXTREMELY high alert watching Gragg and Schill make what they consider to be the easiest decision requiring the least thought, ambition, or effort - a five-win Braun is the definition of that.

And just to be clear - this is no shade on Braun. I'm glad that he's here, impressed with the job that he is doing under the circumstances, and obviously if he wins...we all win. But an emotional OT win over middling Minnesota in front of 388 fans is really generating a few too many message board boners...surprised we're not talking about Jan. 1 bowl games.

 

[mesacat]

HCs in my many years of NU fandom and their previous position:
Parshegian. HC. Miami Oh
Agase. DC. NU
Pont. HC Indiana
Venturi DC NU
Greene OC Stanford
Peay. DC. NU
Barnett. OC Colorado
Walker HC Miami OH
Fitzgerald lbC NU
In the last 68 years NU has only hired one coach who had major conf experience,Pont, who took Indiana to the Rose Bowl but took NU into the Dark Ages. I believe with our history, admissions policy, NIL it is a stretch for me to believe aS-G admin can find anyone better than Braun.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

Braun was a good hire by Fitzgerald to replace his failed defensive coordinator.
I said that at the time, citing his youth, his connection to the Midwest and his significant success at North Dakota State. The exact type of guy to bring in as a coordinator. Aggressive approach, schemes and play-calling.

So we were going to improve defensively. We also had a good chance to improve offensively with Bryant and Henning transferring in.

It was easy to imagine Fitzgerald staying on for another 5 years, then handing the team over to Braun.

Unfortunately Schill de-railed everything.

To his credit, given a crazy opportunity, Braun is making the most of it.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

If he gets five wins this season, I think it is a no brainer to keep him as head coach with a three year contract, unless the AD has some sort of confidence of being able to go out and get an absolute home run hire like Urban Meyer or something crazy. I do not think that is a possibility.

With five wins(maybe even less), Braun more than deserves a real shot of showing what he can build.

Why do so many people keep pushing a 3-year deal? That’s incredibly dumb on so many levels.