Odd that it sees like they didn't kick the tires on Candle at Toledo.
I don't know that Candle is a good coach. His record is great but....
Winning at Toledo is kinda like winning at Alabama when its running right. You have more money, more resources, more everything than anyone else in the MAC. And by a WIDE margin in most cases. All you really have to do at Toledo is not screw it up.
So, Michigan State therefore is not a great job because you are not going to have more resources than the biggest teams in the Big 10.
You are not going to get the top talent.
You are not the big fish in the pond in your conference.
You're not even one of the top 4-5 biggest fish.
That's why even though IDK how well it works out, Smith or someone like Elko, Campbell, etc makes perfect sense.
Guys who have proven they can develop kids / young men. Guys who can win at places that aren't the easiest to win at. Guys who can compete with the blue bloods without having the same resources. Smith has done that at Oregon State. Campbell's done it at Iowa State. Elko did it at Duke, Leipold, etc, etc.
Michigan State has more resources and pull than any of those schools. But its not out competing Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, USC, etc... so it is a freaking home run hire in terms of personality and knowing who you are and what you need to be good.
Candle may turn out to be a very good coach. But he's winning in a place that always wins. And doing it at a place that always dominates or at least in modern memory.
I don't doubt that Kirby and Saban and Dabo are great coaches. But - IMO, the Campbell's, Elko's, Leipolds, Smith's, etc - are among the best coaches in football not because of their record or championships, but because of their ability to develop, identify and then compete against teams that have an easy button that they themselves don't have
