New coaches positions finalized
- Thread starter DkeCat
- Start date
Where'd you see that? Not what I had heard previously and the McGarigle release explicitly says Safeties despite the URL, but plans can change.
http://www.nusports.com/news/2018/1...ld-names-tim-mcgarigle-linebackers-coach.aspx
Did not realize that there was a United Football League, let alone a Florida Tuskers franchise, at any time.
Not only was there a UFL, but Henry Bienen was the Chairman of the Board! http://www.espn.com/extra/ufl/news/story?id=4424185
Per the Rock - you called out their erroneous tweet (fire that man!).
Editing to reflect.
Figures. They strengthen the defensive side mostly.
And Fitz does nothing to address the OL weakness/coach. RB was not a problem.
Kind of weird don’t you think?
Weird? Yes.
Surprising? No.
The last coaching change was 9 years ago. It took a retirement and an NCAA rule change to add an assistant for Fitz to make these moves. He brought in two young alums but otherwise it was status quo, coaching staff stability.
At least he brought in what seem to be the 2 right one’s.
It’s weird if you buy into the supposition that inferior coaching is the reason for poor OL performance. It’s weird if you believe that coaching turnover is better than coaching stability. From the outside, it looks perplexing. From the inside, who knows?
You get the best coaches available, especially when there's 2 young alums that are highly coveted out there. Green Bay wanted to keep McGarigle and Iowa State (and other programs had tried poaching him before, he had offers to leave Iowa State before us) wanted to keep Ayeni.
Both are stud hires; when there's 2 young alums out there that are considered among the most promising young coaches, you absolutely grab them and shift things around to fit them in, there wasn't going to be anybody available better than them.
Both guys are rock solid guys from all the impressions I have ever gotten (TM's little youthful mistake aside). They have been out of the program long enough to learn a few things and L. A. seemed to be climbing the ladder and making his mark.
Personally I would have like to see them identify someone with a little more outside experience and new perspectives (Fresh blood) but I get the idea that nobody really understands a culture until they have lived in it. Staying inside the NU family is consistent with Fitz's overall strategy.
I also would have like to have brought in a person with some OL resume' chops. You win championships with Defense and it occurs to me that Hank may not be around forever. Maybe this sets the stage for Hank to retire soon with out too much disruption on the defensive side of the ball.
I'm actually shocked that he did anything but I suppose having JB retire and the other opening, he was forced to
We did strengthen the offense. MacPherson was a better RB coach than Cushing is an OL coach or Springer a WR coach, but he wasn't national RB coach of the year.
Ayeni also had a key role in ISU’s running attack...I’m assuming he will bring some new insights to our offense and run game in particular.
What you mean? They did have outside experiences. McGarigle and Ayeni both played in the league, which I think is a big factor. McGarigle coached for the Packers this past year. Ayeni came from another Power 5 bowl level program from a different conference with a different style of play. Both McGarigle and Ayeni also coached with other staffs. I think it's a strength to understand NU's program as a player and formerly as a GA, but their coaching (and professional playing) experience gives them plenty of external experience.
I do agree it would have been ideal to make a change at OL, but that was never going to happen. My guess is if Hank retires in the next few years (which I think is a real possibility - isn't he older than JB?), the plan is for Bates to take over, and McGarigle goes back to LBs and MacPherson coaches all the secondary (he previously coached Safeties as well).
There is some outside experience especially for L.A. Would have liked to see more that's all. Of all our assistants it is pretty universally acknowledged that Hank is the star. He didn't have any NU experience. Did he? Mostly I'm disappointed we didn't get a guy who was know as having success coaching O Linemen.
The guys we got are great. Like I said in my post I get the advantages of the safe choice of people who know the NU experience and culture first hand. I always liked to hire from within too but boy when I got a really sharp outsider, the energy and fuel it brought was incredible. They were harder to hang on to though and the mistake hires could be draining.
I don't understand some of the critiques in this thread, both guys had other options and chose to come home when offered the chance.
Ayeni in particular was the hottest assistant on Iowa State's staff and has had other offers to leave there before according to their media. He's a legit star assistant.
They're both home run hires, you make those kinds of hires whenever you have the ability and shift your staff around to incorporate them.
It's always better to hire the best coaches available and fit them in rather than try to hire a lesser coach for "need"...
Ayeni in particular was the hottest assistant on Iowa State's staff and has had other offers to leave there before according to their media. He's a legit star assistant.
They're both home run hires, you make those kinds of hires whenever you have the ability and shift your staff around to incorporate them.
It's always better to hire the best coaches available and fit them in rather than try to hire a lesser coach for "need"...
I wouldn't exactly call them young alums. There are plenty of NFL head coaches older than both of them.
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I think you’re completely underestimating the impact our coaching alums have when they are interacting with recruits and their families. Who better to represent the Northwestern brand than a Northwestern MAN? Parents and recruits can see the finished product right in their living rooms. There’s also the “I’ve been in your shoes” angle - “if I did it; so can you” - this helps alleviate any trepidation regarding academic requirements. Who better to sell the product than the product itself? - a living, breathing Northwestern education.
You are probably right, and I never said I was disappointed in the guys as individuals.
Devil's advocate: "With this Northwestern education, shouldn't you be an investment banker or a doctor or something? My kid can go to Bowling Green and go on to coach football."
I jest, of course. Home run hires.
Jest or not, these guys are earning a better living than 99% of the doctors out there.
