I hope it’s Canada

[EvanstonCat]

What he had done elsewhere is impressive. He diced up dOSU at Maryland and is innovative and effective. If he stays 2-3 years before moving on so be it. Helps teach Lou and groom him to move up at that time.

Rees may be interesting giving his work with Ian Book but that might be a harder move to swallow for Ayeni who has to be waiting in the wings. I say u go with the established mentor who can teach and lift and then have the waiting prince move into the role seamlessly.

Of course this all assumes Mike Kafka isn’t a possibility. I’d be happy to bring him in for a few seasons before he moves on to a bigger role in the league. And Lou can slide up again.

 

[CatManTrue]

What he had done elsewhere is impressive. He diced up dOSU at Maryland and is innovative and effective. If he stays 2-3 years before moving on so be it. Helps teach Lou and groom him to move up at that time.

Rees may be interesting giving his work with Ian Book but that might be a harder move to swallow for Ayeni who has to be waiting in the wings. I say u go with the established mentor who can teach and lift and then have the waiting prince move into the role seamlessly.

Of course this all assumes Mike Kafka isn’t a possibility. I’d be happy to bring him in for a few seasons before he moves on to a bigger role in the league. And Lou can slide up again.

Of those three options, I’d prefer Canada by a large margin. Our offense needs to be totally rejuvenated and he seems like the ideal candidate to do it.

However I don’t want a rushed process to rubber stamp a fanboard favorite. Stanford is an example of a program that is a realistic upper limit for us and I don’t know if this idea has been shared yet.

If we’re truly considering a candidate like Rees, Why not poach someone like Stanford’s Tavita Pritchard? I’d love to incorporate Stanford’s system and perhaps some of their recruiting tactics. Check out his bio. He was the QB who led the historic upset of USC in 2007 and should know Harbaugh / Shaw’s Stanford system as well as anyone:

https://gostanford.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/tavita-pritchard/3548

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Of those three options, I’d prefer Canada by a large margin. Our offense needs to be totally rejuvenated and he seems like the ideal candidate to do it.

However I don’t want a rushed process to rubber stamp a fanboard favorite. Stanford is an example of a program that is a realistic upper limit for us and I don’t know if this idea has been shared yet.

If we’re truly considering a candidate like Rees, Why not poach someone like Stanford’s Tavita Pritchard? I’d love to incorporate Stanford’s system and perhaps some of their recruiting tactics. Check out his bio. He was the QB who led the historic upset of USC in 2007 and should know Harbaugh / Shaw’s Stanford system as well as anyone:

https://gostanford.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/tavita-pritchard/3548

After Stanford debacle this season, many of their coaches are said to be on a warm seat.

 

[Sheffielder]

Rees would be a small-minded move - dude's barely old enough to rent his own car to go on recruiting trips, and has been a position coach for about nine seconds. I'm not about to promote Ayeni, but he has more experience and was an associate head coach at ISU. Between the two, I'd take Ayeni in a heartbeat.

Kafka ain't coming. And with all due respect to his apparent NFL pedigree that everyone is raving about...what about NU and NU's offense screams "NFL" to anyone? We've seen about a million examples where NFL excellence and college excellence are two very different things. But either way...he ain't coming.

Matt Canada is interesting but I will also say this - he was a part of Durkin's alleged toxic coaching culture at Maryland. None of us can truly know if he was a willful or begrudging participant. On the bright side, I know no hint of that would float in Evanston, but it's something for us to think about.

...but the college football coaching universe is immense.

 

[jimmyNU]

After reading an article about Matt Canada, I think he's destined for a bigger program than ours. I think he could get a head coaching job if he wanted it, though maybe he prefers an OC role. If, if, if, he came to NU I think he would do great things.
#BlameCanada

 

[techtim72]

Durkin's "culture" came down primarily to an aggressive strength coach's empowerment and questionable decisions by athletic trainers. I know you used the word "alleged" but I don't believe any of the extended staff were implicated or criticized for being abusive.

NU had a player die in practice. Tragic. Different facts.

 

[Jonny2TheP]

After Stanford debacle this season, many of their coaches are said to be on a warm seat.

Stanford's debacle this season had a lot to do with injuries. Costello was out for a majority of the year and I believe by the end of the season they were down to just one (maybe even none) starter from the o-line they started the year with against us.

Not saying other teams don't have injuries too (Lord knows we had a ton of them this year too), but that team got crushed by injuries at a few very key positions.

 

[stpaulcat]

Of those three options, I’d prefer Canada by a large margin. Our offense needs to be totally rejuvenated and he seems like the ideal candidate to do it.

However I don’t want a rushed process to rubber stamp a fanboard favorite. Stanford is an example of a program that is a realistic upper limit for us and I don’t know if this idea has been shared yet.

If we’re truly considering a candidate like Rees, Why not poach someone like Stanford’s Tavita Pritchard? I’d love to incorporate Stanford’s system and perhaps some of their recruiting tactics. Check out his bio. He was the QB who led the historic upset of USC in 2007 and should know Harbaugh / Shaw’s Stanford system as well as anyone:

https://gostanford.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/tavita-pritchard/3548

"However I don’t want a rushed process to rubber stamp a fanboard favorite." Really? As we all know though, as ECat goes so goes NU Football.

However, we could change the identity of the football program by renaming the University. Something shorter and more succinct, like say "Stanford." That would also confuse opponents.

 

[TejasCat]

Stanford's debacle this season had a lot to do with injuries. Costello was out for a majority of the year and I believe by the end of the season they were down to just one (maybe even none) starter from the o-line they started the year with against us.

Not saying other teams don't have injuries too (Lord knows we had a ton of them this year too), but that team got crushed by injuries at a few very key positions.

Let's be honest here, both Stanford and us weren't very good before the injury bug hit both teams.

 

[Jonny2TheP]

Let's be honest here, both Stanford and us weren't very good before the injury bug hit both teams.

I think you are probably right on this, but injuries hit both of these teams harder than most. For Stanford, losing pretty much your entire starting o-line is hard for anyone to overcome.

 

[HawkCat]

For Stanford, losing pretty much your entire starting o-line is hard for anyone to overcome.

And NU lost pretty much everyone on O except the starting OL (except for a game or two here and there). Weird year.

 

[DkeCat]

What he had done elsewhere is impressive. He diced up dOSU at Maryland and is innovative and effective. If he stays 2-3 years before moving on so be it. Helps teach Lou and groom him to move up at that time.

Rees may be interesting giving his work with Ian Book but that might be a harder move to swallow for Ayeni who has to be waiting in the wings. I say u go with the established mentor who can teach and lift and then have the waiting prince move into the role seamlessly.

Of course this all assumes Mike Kafka isn’t a possibility. I’d be happy to bring him in for a few seasons before he moves on to a bigger role in the league. And Lou can slide up again.

After thinking about it a bit more - while I mentioned prior I love Canada, I don't see it working. With our personnel, and frankly, lack of talent at WR, it will take longer to see results, especially if he implements his prior schemes. Given that he seems to have a short clock, and he doesn't fit Fitz's personality type, can't see this happening.

 

[willycat]

"However I don’t want a rushed process to rubber stamp a fanboard favorite." Really? As we all know though, as ECat goes so goes NU Football.

However, we could change the identity of the football program by renaming the University. Something shorter and more succinct, like say "Stanford." That would also confuse opponents.

Wonder what kind of tree they could have as a mascot. Oak? Elm?

 

[stpaulcat]

Wonder what kind of tree they could have as a mascot. Oak? Elm?

I don't know, but they'd have to change the name of Evanston to
Agua Baja.

 

[HappyNUyear]

Look for NU to bring in a well known OC

 

[CatManTrue]

After Stanford debacle this season, many of their coaches are said to be on a warm seat.

Good. I don’t care. It’s one season and Shaw has kept them in conference contention and going to big-time bowls.

Let’s potentially hurt an academic rival and also learn from them. That particular coach strikes me as one who will be hungrier and will know better how to win in a top 10 academic environment than Rees will.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Good. I don’t care. It’s one season and Shaw has kept them in conference contention and going to big-time bowls.

Let’s potentially hurt an academic rival and also learn from them. That particular coach strikes me as one who will be hungrier and will know better how to win in a top 10 academic environment than Rees will.

I am expecting a more experienced guy than Pritchard or Rees. Either way, excited about a change and I trust Fitz to make a good hire, he’s no longer a novice.

 

[Deeringfish]

Durkin's "culture" came down primarily to an aggressive strength coach's empowerment and questionable decisions by athletic trainers. I know you used the word "alleged" but I don't believe any of the extended staff were implicated or criticized for being abusive.

NU had a player die in practice. Tragic. Different facts.

The extended staff only had their heads cut off and their careers ruined. It was totally political with the Governor finally getting involved after an election played out. I have intimate knowledge about this. I stake any credibility I have on this board that Canada is a good guy.

 

[stpaulcat]

I am expecting a more experienced guy than Pritchard or Rees. Either way, excited about a change and I trust Fitz to make a good hire, he’s no longer a novice.

Fitz chose Hank who was getting on in years, but was the perfect choice and will probably keep going well beyond his 72 years. Someone very good with lots of experience who's next step is retirement would also be a fit.

 

[jimmyNU]

After thinking about it a bit more - while I mentioned prior I love Canada, I don't see it working. With our personnel, and frankly, lack of talent at WR, it will take longer to see results, especially if he implements his prior schemes. Given that he seems to have a short clock, and he doesn't fit Fitz's personality type, can't see this happening.

I wonder about how any high profile candidate would get along with Fitz. That's not to say that Fitz is a difficult guy but he definitely wants the program to be run a certain way. I've seen the McCall defenders on this board say that McCall "couldn't" be more creative on offense because Fitz wouldn't let him.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

I wonder about how any high profile candidate would get along with Fitz. That's not to say that Fitz is a difficult guy but he definitely wants the program to be run a certain way. I've seen the McCall defenders on this board say that McCall "couldn't" be more creative on offense because Fitz wouldn't let him.

And that’s all conjecture.

 

[stpaulcat]

And that’s all conjecture.

Aren't most things regarding Fitz conjecture?

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Aren't most things regarding Fitz conjecture?

Sometimes, not always.

 

[peatymeanis]

I've seen the McCall defenders on this board say that McCall "couldn't" be more creative on offense because Fitz wouldn't let him.

There is some kernel of truth to Fitz likely preferring a ball control offense but McCall defenders were only blaming Fitz for McCall's lack of creativity because they know Fitz is untouchable and by blaming Fitz they can protect McCall.

 

[Aging Booster]

I wonder about how any high profile candidate would get along with Fitz. That's not to say that Fitz is a difficult guy but he definitely wants the program to be run a certain way. I've seen the McCall defenders on this board say that McCall "couldn't" be more creative on offense because Fitz wouldn't let him.

It is one thing to state that Fitz exercised tyrannical control over the offense, tying the hands of the OC, limiting his options to consider new or expansive offensive schemes; it is quite another to suggest that he and Mick worked together to design an offense that would complement the defenses employed by Hank and maximize the talents of the players on the field. I do not think anyone suggested the former, only the latter.

 

[EvanstonCat]

It is one thing to state that Fitz exercised tyrannical control over the offense, tying the hands of the OC, limiting his options to consider new or expansive offensive schemes; it is quite another to suggest that he and Mick worked together to design an offense that would complement the defenses employed by Hank and maximize the talents of the players on the field. I do not think anyone suggested the former, only the latter.

They might have tried to design an offense that would complement the defenses employed by Hank and maximize the talents of the players on the field, but they utterly, utterly failed in the attempt.

That offense did not complement Hank. It was, until this past year, protected by Hank. We won because of Hank and despite the offense. A complementary offense would be one that was as effective scoring as Hank's defense was in preventing scoring. And as for maximizing the talents of the players on the field, I think we have heard from former players themselves, including starters and major contributors, what they think of that. Also, Hunter Johnson, our Ferrari says hi. (Not to mention Trevor Siemian).

 

[jimmyNU]

And that’s all conjecture.

Thanks, buddy

 

[HawkCat]

According to FootballScoop, Canada is looking to return to the college ranks as a head coach.

 

[stpaulcat]

According to FootballScoop, Canada is looking to return to the college ranks as a head coach.

Perhaps a stepping stone will be needed to do that.

 

[julescat]

Jesus Christ. Get somebody who has a brain and ambition and get on to a better place. Matt Canada? No thanks.