Around the Big Ten

[WingsFan]

Then there's that guy at Grand Valley State that was let go, seems like a perfect fit.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Then there's that guy at Grand Valley State that was let go, seems like a perfect fit.

He got a job offer from the Michigan Trump campaign office.

[lineygoblue]

Narduzzi is only 53??? For some reason I thought he was basically Dantonio's age. Would have to think he's a candidate, even if he hasn't been terrific at Pitt

I think it will be either Fickell or Narduzzi.

[froot loops]

I'm not sure the current administration is competent enough to land either. It seems like they will have a out of left field hire like when they hired John L Smith.

[Hannibal]

Fickell would be an excellent hire for MSU. I'd take him over Harbaugh at Michigan right now. I don't know if he would be scared off by chatter about NCAA violations or not.

If he is, he shouldn't be. The absolute worst that would happen to MSU is having to "vacate" some victories and maybe miss a bowl game in a year that they end up 6-6.

[froot loops]

Blackwell's attorneys would have to bring more in the way of violations. But never underestimate the ability of the MSU administration to screw things up in that regard. The last time they had any problems with the NCAA it was after an investigation of Roosevelt Wagner stalking Perles and they self imposed penalties that went far further than the alleged crimes.

To get Fickell at this late date they would have to really open the purse strings and MSU does not spend money. They don't spend money on recruiting, they don't spend money on assistants at all. They are talking much too confidently about replacing him in my view, one of the most misguided things is their talking point about getting a Dantonio 2.0, that means try to have success on a shoestring budget.

[Tom W]

[froot loops]

That could be Tom, I don't know. By all accounts it caught everyone in the administration off guard. I have no particular insight to what happened, it could be those allegations. Bernie Smilovitz said that the administration was pushing hard for changes in his staff, it's not like he is a breaking news guy but sometimes he does break news. A guy on the radio last night said he may have been doing a Bo Ryan style resignation to get Tressell the job. He might have just had it. Who knows, we'll see soon enough.

As far as the money, its still the same program that let Harlon Barnett go to FSU for nearly the same salary. They are cheap and they don't have a lot of big money donors like Michigan does. They don't spend on assistants, they may pony up for a head coach but the budget for assistants is paltry. For Dantonio it didn't matter because he wanted the same guys and most of those guys were not in high demand.

[WingsFan]

Matt Campbell turns down Michigan State. Sparty swinging for the fences fast, that would have been a great hire for them.

[Tom W]

That could be Tom, I don't know. By all accounts it caught everyone in the administration off guard. I have no particular insight to what happened, it could be those allegations. Bernie Smilovitz said that the administration was pushing hard for changes in his staff, it's not like he is a breaking news guy but sometimes he does break news. A guy on the radio last night said he may have been doing a Bo Ryan style resignation to get Tressell the job. He might have just had it. Who knows, we'll see soon enough.

As far as the money, its still the same program that let Harlon Barnett go to FSU for nearly the same salary. They are cheap and they don't have a lot of big money donors like Michigan does. They don't spend on assistants, they may pony up for a head coach but the budget for assistants is paltry. For Dantonio it didn't matter because he wanted the same guys and most of those guys were not in high demand.

So, IOW, why would Fickell want to come to EL now? If he wants a Big Ten job, there might be a few better opportunities if he stays in Cinci for another year or two. I can see Ferentz retiring or Nebraska finally folding on Frost, for starters.

[froot loops]

I don't think Fickell is coming, I believe they will underwhelm us with the hire. If Fickell comes it is because they found some money that they couldn't find before. The administration was unusually confident yesterday, the sort of confidence that was last displayed when they hired John L Smith. They blew the Urban Meyer courtship but had some back channel negotiations with Smith and they thought they landed a home run. I expect that. Neither the new president or new AD inspire a lot of confidence.

[lineygoblue]

Fickell would be an excellent hire for MSU. I'd take him over Harbaugh at Michigan right now.

FTR, Fickell is 0-2 against Michigan, one of those versus Harbaugh.

As horrible as Jimmy has been, he's not losing to everybody on a regular basis. Just OSU.

[Jeff Buchanan]

........ and?

That's the bar. You know this.

I'm with most reasoned fans here, he has to get M a win over osu some of the time, not all of the time. Right now his M teams are not at all competitive with osu. In fact his teams have regularly gotten destroyed by those fucktards. In the context of M's football greatness that is in my soul, deserved or not, it's embarrassing. He's headed towards a john cooper scenario if he lasts that long.

He was hired to beat M's rivals and win championships. As far as M's rivals go, in 5 seasons, he's only gotten 2/3 of the way there. In terms of championships, nada, mainly because he can't get past osu to win the BTE and give his teams a chance to advance from there to a BTC or CFP berth.

Frankly, I don't think it is going to happen for JH. It's not because he lacks a QB with the necessary skill set or because M lacks talent at key positions, although all of that is a player. But none of those excuses explain 0-5 with most of those losses being blowouts. I don't think he's nailed down how M goes about recruiting and player development and retention are, to me anyway, issues.

And let me be clear. I'm not on the fire Harbaugh bandwagon and will never be. He's the right HFC for M all things considered in this modern day and age of CFB. What has happened to me though is that I no longer have the hope and expectations that always preceded every M football season for the last 50+ years and persisted throughout them all. I've aged out and that is fine with me.

[AlabamAlum]

It's interesting that M has not extended his contract - which expires next year, iirc. That is usually done for recruit confidence and failing to do so is often seen as a vote of no confidence.

[Hannibal]

So, IOW, why would Fickell want to come to EL now? If he wants a Big Ten job, there might be a few better opportunities if he stays in Cinci for another year or two. I can see Ferentz retiring or Nebraska finally folding on Frost, for starters.