kirby smart?

[GetHooked]

I think any time you hire a guy with no HC experience you are taking a chance. After the fiasco Texas just went through, I don't think they are into taking chances.

On-the-job training at UT. I don't think we need to go there.

 

[Strosbros]

I don't know if Smart is the right guy our not, but it should say something if one of the greatest coaches in college football (Saban), is bringing this guy with him everywhere he goes. LSU(2004), Miami Dolphins(2006), and then of course Alabama (2007-).

This is what scares me about Smart. Why hasn't he received a head coaching gig yet? It would seem like with his success over the years people, especially smaller schools, would be beating down his door. But you rarely hear his name come up in coaching searches. Has Saban not given him the head coaching stamp of approval? Does he just sound like a moron in interviews? Is he lacking something that must do see? I do know why, but he should be a head coach by now and he isn't. Hell maybe he hasn't been presented with the right offer in his eyes, I don't know, but it seems like a big red flag.

 

[LongviewLobo01]

Put this post with the ones asserting that texas would never hire Smart because he has no head coach experience.
Is Bama football beneath Texas football so that Bama would hire Smart if Saban were to leave but Texas would not hire Smart away from Saban?

If Bama would be willing to hire Smart, why wouldn't Texas?

It's much easier to have a coach inherit a program where the ground work is already laid and he just has to maintain. So because Alabama would be ok with Smart is nothing close to the same situation as Texas hiring Smart. We have no idea about how well Smart would be at the things that Saban has already done at Alabama. Can he recruit the top echelon talent? Can he change the culture of the program? Can he handle the media obligations?

Things are a lot different at Alabama than they are at Texas. And Saban does not allow his coordinators media time so in addition to learning how to run a program for the first time he'd be getting a crash course in media with the LHN and other obligations that come with the Texas job.

I like Smart and would have no problems with the hire. To me, hiring a defensive minded coach to keep that side of the ball is probably the smarter option considering how the Big 12 is offensively and how much easier it is to maintain an offensive identity despite coach turnover. The only way that Smart becomes an option would be for EVERYONE to turn us down. And once we get to the James Franklin type hires they aren't turning us down.

 

[LongviewLobo01]

This is what scares me about Smart. Why hasn't he received a head coaching gig yet? It would seem like with his success over the years people, especially smaller schools, would be beating down his door. But you rarely hear his name come up in coaching searches. Has Saban not given him the head coaching stamp of approval? Does he just sound like a moron in interviews? Is he lacking something that must do see? I do know why, but he should be a head coach by now and he isn't. Hell maybe he hasn't been presented with the right offer in his eyes, I don't know, but it seems like a big red flag.

To be fair, Smart has turned down jobs at some of the top SEC schools. I know Mississippi wanted to talk to him and so did Tennessee. His name comes up in a lot of jobs, but it's pretty well known that he is not going to take just any job. Georgia is said to be where he wants to go if he doesn't take over for Alabama first.

 

[Strosbros]

To be fair, Smart has turned down jobs at some of the top SEC schools. I know Mississippi wanted to talk to him and so did Tennessee. His name comes up in a lot of jobs, but it's pretty well known that he is not going to take just any job. Georgia is said to be where he wants to go if he doesn't take over for Alabama first.

Fair enough. I could certainly be wrong about his name coming up in job searches. And I am completely aware that this could be a case of him being selective with jobs. Just something that has always concerned/intrigued me.

 

[Irish in SEC country]

I get what you are saying on your last question, but it is not as simple as that. It would be one thing to take over at Alabama, if Nick left, as he has been there around the politics and the daily duties that would be required of him. So while he would not have the HC experience, he would not be trying to learn all of the "other" stuff along with HC.
At Texas he would be thrown into one of the most politically charged area in the sport. HC at Texas is so much more than just an HC. Not to mention while Mack Brown lacked plenty on the field he was a genius at the glad handing and political side of the game. Throwing someone with no experience in that will be hard enough and then adding in someone with zero HC experience into a VERY HUNGRY fan base would be a bad recipe. I think the HC at Texas could break the wrong guy. It is also what makes finding the right guy so hard.

That makes sense. ND is unique as well, and a man with head coach experience at all, added to no ND experience, might be overwhelmed even if he could go to a Wisconsin or Missouri and succeed very well.

And the uniqueness of Texas, the state as much as the university, is a reason I would be looking very closely at Briles. He oozes state of Texas football. What he lacks in Longhorn and Austin ties, he more than makes up for in head coaching successes in TX, first in high school and then college.

 

[Hornitos]

It was said in the past (pre-Patterson) that the Horns would go after someone with head coaching experience, so I doubt we'd take a chance on a hot coordinator.