I doubt that. I think we probably agree on a lot of things, just not things discussed in the cave. :yes:
Why ISU gets Gill....
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I doubt that. I think we probably agree on a lot of things, just not things discussed in the cave. :yes:
And like someone else said in another thread - at one point in time Gill may have to face Nebraska in a bowl. Is he going to forfeit the game just so he doesn't have to play against Nebraska? Unlikely - and if he did, he's not fit for coaching.
Besides, taking an assistant coach position is entirely different than taking a head coaching position.
Well, gee whiz - if we subscribe to that theory of madness, why are we looking for a head coach at all? Why not just shut down the football program? I mean, after all, if ISU is that bad of a place to coach, then why would ANY candidate want to come here to coach when it's possible that a better job will be available next year?
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I disagree with this notion 100% - I think if we should hire Gill it's because he's the best coach that's available to us.
Look at Tyrone Willingham - every little "EEO experiment" that's been performed with him (particularly Notre Dame and Washington) has ended in disaster.
I want Gill only if he's the best coach available - not because he's black.
Most SEC fans, especially most Alabama fans and quite a few Auburn fans - feel that we are already in better shape because of the fiasco :laugh:
Schiano hasn't exactly fallen off the map - first, he's got Rutgers in yet another bowl game, and second, he's practically the "coach-in-waiting" at Penn St. JoePa just has to die first...
you are correct that husker fans do not want ISU to get him. he would instantly upgrade your coaching situation. NU just re-expanded their walkon program to include up to 200 kids, some of those 200 are D1 quality players when they arrive on campus having turned down other colleges scholarships and some are D1 quality by the time they are seniors. Gill would have enough of an NU presence to get those kids to accept the scholarship from ISU and not walk on at NU. you are correct, we do not want that.....
However, like i said before that is not why i dont think he is going to come to ISU. I follow ISU football relatively closely as i live in ames and know several ISU fans including a good amount on this board, and it is quite easy to see the difficulties that would arise if Gill took over (or any coach for that matter). Facilities-Facilities-and did i say Facilities? Everything that is currently here is no bigger than some high schools in Texas including the stadium, if you come from one of those big high schools and come to ISU for a visit you look around and think, "isnt this the same as high school....uggghhh".
Now clearly Gill has proven he can turn around a program, in fact one of the historically worst programs. But does he want to do it again? He has proven that he can coach so he doesnt need to take another rebuild project. If his success continues at buffalo bigtime jobs will open up. However, if he takes the ISU job and turns it around he would be the MOST sought after coach in America with the pick of any school he wants guaranteed.
is it worth the risk? maybe, maybe not........
Just about any offer Gill gets in the future is likely going to have a rebuilding component to it. If he doesn't want to have to rebuild a program at the next level, then he'd better either make a career out of Buffalo or get out of coaching.
Huskerman, while some of the things you discuss are accurate and i believe you when you say the last thing that Nebraska fans want is one of your iconic players coaching a rival. But, with all due respect, we've never said our facilities rival those of Nebraska, but, you cannot say that any high school stadium carries 48,794 people for the Nebraska game and future modifications will take the attendance up near 60,000. Now Perriman is one of if not the biggest high schools in texas and they seat 20,000. Not sure about your math, but, 50,000 is still 2.5 times bigger then any high school stadium.
http://sports.espn.go.com/highschool/rise/football/news/story?id=3653316
But, your logic on Gill not coming to ISU has a lot of validity. He may or may not, i hope for your sake he does not, because i think he could do some incredible things at ISU even against BIG RED.
A couple of differences of opinion in your post. You state that many high schools in Texas have stadiums that hold 50,000. FYI, Jack Trice Stadium is a moderate sized football stadium but is on a par with many of the stadiums in the Big XII. Upgrades are being done. Facilities are being improved. And from what I have read, some of the biggest and nicest stadiums in Texas high schools seat around 20,000 maybe 30,000 tops.
Gill has done a fantastic job at Buffalo. They are vastly improved. But his 8-5 record this year includes several close wins. They go the other way and he is not such a hot commodity. Going to ISU affords him the luxury of TIME to build a program. And even if it doesn't work, then ISU takes the hit to the reputation instead of the coach. Otherwise how can you justify the Auburn hiring of Chizik.
Your logic in staying at Buffalo makes little sense. He has interviewed for other HC positions. It is pretty obvious that he wants to make a move up. The ISU HC job is clearly a big move up. It is by no means a lateral move. A HC job which will increase your salary by 5X. An intensely loyal fan base that is starving for a winning team but still manages to pretty much fill their 50,000 seat stadium. A roster of players that includes the highest number of freshman and sophomores with substantial playing time on the two-deeps in the nation. You keep saying that he should stay put until a better job opens up. So which powerhouse is looking for a HC? Washington is in a state in which Turner Gill has NO contacts and NO ties. Turner Gill has been a presence in Nebraska for years. I am not sure, but is his wife from the Midwest? Ames, Iowa makes so much sense that it is ridiculous. Hiring Turner Gill has some risks for both parties. But ANY job that would be available would carry some risks. I am sure Oklahoma is not going to dump Stoop, or Nebraska dump Pellini, or LSU, Florida, Alabama, or USC dump their coaches. So I really don't get this "Wait in Buffalo for a better job to open up" mentality. I think that in reality you are thinking, "God, I hope they don't get Turner Gill. They could become a threat to Nebraska some day if they get Gill. In combination with Pollard's vision if Gill has some success then ISU could become a force in a weak Big XII North.
We are not that far away from turning the corner. Auburn may very well have taken a "Bill Callahan" type of coach off our hands with us NOT paying financial consequences. It was a given that season ticket sales might be down (99.9% probability IMO). But the hiring of Turner Gill might stop the bleeding. Maybe I am wrong, but I really think that Gill will be a great hire. And Pollard can be given the chance to "sell ice to us ISU eskimos" again. If nothing else, Pollard will sell it as a "Let's show Chizik what he left" type of deal.
I want Turner Gill because I think that he is the best fit for us at this time. Period. It has nothing to do with him being black. Although I certainly can see some positive aspects in hiring a young black coach with his apparent abilities. I think that Turner Gill will give us some much needed exposure from a PR standpoint. I also think that Turner Gill is a great recruiter. Turner Gill's skin color has NOTHING to do with my feelings that he would be the best option for us. For us here at ISU, the color of Turner Gill's skin or that of his wife, makes no difference. And I don't think it makes a lot of difference to our players or future players. I think this more about the character and class that Turner Gill has exhibited in his ENTIRE football career. He is a guy that will do big things at ISU or wherever he goes. And THAT is the type of Coach that I want at ISU. It certainly does not hurt for people to mention former coaches at ISU like Johnny Majors, Jimmy Johnson, Mack Brown, etc.
So you'd wait until Gill was an absolute lock, sure thing success before you'd hire him. Yeah, ISU is in a position to do that which is why we were seriously considered by Urban Meyer who unfortunately chose to work for Florida instead.
So you predicted that Gill would go to the University of Buffalo 3 years ago? I doubt it.
Making a decision to NOT go to Oklahoma because they played Nebraska is a bit different than ISU playing Nebraska. And going to Oklahoma was for a coordinator position. Little bit different situation in being a HC. And since Nebraska made the decision to PASS OVER Turner Gill in the last HC hire, I could be certain that Turner Gill might welcome the opportunity to come to ISU and build a program here that would give Husker fans anxiety and take notice. Dan Gable went to Iowa and became a Hawkeye. Getting your own program is a big thing. ISU is a BCS school with improving resources. IMO, it would be a much sought after job. Great fan base. Good nucleus of young players. And the time to establish it. IMO, there is less downside to the ISU job than most others.:yes:
Our stadium (55,000) is bigger or roughly the same size as:
Colorado (53,750)
Kansas (50,071)
Kansas State (52,200)
Baylor (50,000)
Texas Tech (53,000)
OSU (60,000)
Guess no one will go to those schools because of their "high school stadiums."
I think we can win fast and keep players with Gill. He sounds like a heck of man and coach. I don't know what our chances are, but I do know Sir Charles and the Auburn fans would be ticked off.....
Well Huskerman is from mighty Nebraska. You know, the team that booted Solich for "only" getting 10 wins. And they haven't won that many since. And you do know that Turner Gill is a Husker so he won't consider ANY other job other than Nebraska. Although he is currently the HC at Buffalo and has interviewed at a couple other colleges and is rumored to be interviewed at ISU. But he is just doing this for practice. Because when he gets to Ames he will say, "Damn, I should be interviewing at a Texas High School." Because we all know that even though ISU will pay you more than a million bucks a year and fills a 50,000 seat stadium that is undergoing improvements, and you will be given time to establish a program that it is a crappy job. Because it is NOT Nebraska. Which will ride you out of town on a rail after winning 10 games. Of course we must remember that Huskerfan IS a Nebraska fan and that the "N" stands for knowledge!!!:wink:
I thought it was 9 then didnt they win their bowl game... He might of been out of town before they played though so I guess that wouldnt actually count as a win for him.
You are correct. Nebraska canned him and wouldn't let him coach in the Bowl game. That Nebraska is one classy program. Thank God for Bill Callahan humbling the mighty Huskers.