Okay - I will start the thread

[doc longhorn]

I know that a lot of these coaches have been cussed a discussed, but Mack is finally gone and it is time for the FANSHIP to vet the candidates. What, in everyones mind, qualifies your favorite candidate for this monstrous head coaching job, arguably the most important opening in the last 15 years? For instance, I have mentioned many times, that I know nothing about Strong. Someone fill me in on why he should be our next coach. Here are a few candidates, up for an interview and in no certain order. How do you feel about their resume?

Nick Saban - Alabama - SEC

Jim Harbaugh - San Francisco 49er's - NFL

John Harbaugh - Baltimore Ravens - NFL

Charlie Strong - Louisville - ACC

David Shaw - Stanford - PAC 12

Art Briles - Baylor - Big 12

Larry Fedora - North Carolina - ACC

Mark Dantonio - Michigan State - B1G

Gary Anderson - Wisconsin - B1G

Jim Mora - UCLA - PAC 12

Jimbo Fisher - FSU - ACC

Gus Malzhan - Auburn - SEC

These 12 candidates seem to be the ones that are discussed the most. What qualifies them for the most important college coaching job in the U.S.?

I really would like to hear something definitive. Not interested in "he would kill it", "no contest", yada, yada, yada.

 

[HookemDTX]

Where did Jimbo Fisher go?

 

[orangeflow]

Fisher or saban- Both winners

 

[doc longhorn]

Where did Jimbo Fisher go?

Gawdalmighty - I totally forgot about him - I just added him.

 

[doc longhorn]

Fisher or saban- Both winners

Can you supply more info than that? I already know about Saban, so - outside of this year, what about Fisher?

 

[Vigil]

Gary Anderson - Wisconsin - B1G

Has anyone actually mentioned him? I haven't heard him on any list, "leaked" or fan-made. Besides one year of Utah State being decent, his track record is fairly pedestrian.

 

[Topstarr]

RESUME is enough said....Nick SABAN! OK

 

[DocHorn]

Jimbo Fisher took a mediocre FSU team, that had been run into the ground after a great run for 15 yrs, and turned it around in 3 yrs, won a BCS bowl last yr and now is playing for the MNC . He is bright, tough, a proven winner and program builder and has proven to be a great recruiter.

Saban is one of the all time great college coaches and shows no signs of slowing down

I would be very happy with either of them

 

[dcbc]

Has anyone actually mentioned him? I haven't heard him on any list, "leaked" or fan-made. Besides one year of Utah State being decent, his track record is fairly pedestrian.

ScipioTex on BarkingCarnival has been talking him up for a while now.

 

[KellyUT4Ever]

Saban - how about an announcement on Jan 6th? Would be fantastic

 

[GetHooked]

doc longhorn - With the exception of Fedora and Mora, I think all of the coaches on that list would kill it here.

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

1A) Nick Saban - 4 national championships, love his defenses, great asset to steal recruits from fertile SEC recruiting grounds.

1B) John Harbaugh - Great X & O coach, a player's coach, and also personality to be a CEO while participating in non-related football functions. He also seems very charming and will do well recruiting. He's a great coach with Boy Scout qualities.

 

[TheWaterboy]

To me, the only absolute sure fire home run hires are Urban Meyer and Nick Saban. They've done it at multiple locations (3 each). I know Urban isn't on our list, for whatever reason, but he is my first choice since he is 10 years younger than Saban and has an offense that is cater made for the QB's currently in our pipeline as well as the recruiting base that is Texas.

Fisher is probably the closest to these two in regards to being a home run, but to me Malzahn provides the similar advantages that Urban brings because of his offensive style. He has been a success wherever he had been on various levels.

I hope we don't get past these, or things get more risky IMHO.

 

[Growler]

Growler's preferences (just in case they call and ask) would be, in order...

1. Jim Harbaugh

2. Gus Malzahn

3. Nick Saban

4. John Harbaugh

5. Jimbo Fisher

6. The field, which will be better than Mack for the short term, but won't get me near as pumped.

I do not want Art Briles. I don't want Briles here, I just want to pound his sorry ass where he sits. He is about on par with John Jenkins and Jackie Sherrill in my estimation.

 

[acropora]

A+

Jim Harbaugh: Proven winner at the college level. Built a program from ground up in Stanford which values the student athlete and had offense which was not completely dependent on elite QB play (though he did have Luck). Recruited nationally.

A

Nick Saban - Alabama - SEC: The gold standard. Only downside is age and likely shorter tenure.

John Harbaugh - Baltimore Ravens - NFL: No recent college head coach experience is only downside. Young, well liked by players, was assistant at college level, NFL superbowl winner

David Shaw - Stanford - PAC 12: Shorter tenure but has had nothing short of amazing success. Has reportedly told Texas no and is in dream job. Probably not worth including on list

Fisher: Built program that stagnated under prior head coach. Elite recruiter who should only do better at Texas with less competition and will open inroads into the southwest. Elite QB coach. Knock is that FSU tends to lose 1-2 games a year that they "should" win and possible masking of deficiencies in the run game by elite Heisman winning QB

B+

Gary Anderson: My personal favorite if the "top tier" doesn't happen. Elite defensive coordinator under Meyer and Willingham at Utah. Reportedly very dynamic and persuasive as recruiter (very good as assistant and Wisconsin recruiting is much improved already). Prefers the spread offense. Reportedly very loyal and possibly unwilling to switch teams after taking over Wisconsin for just one year. Also, not really on the Texas radar. Could fail but he has the traits that Harbaugh showed and he's a guy you may be catching on the way up.

Art Briles - Baylor - Big 12: Won at Baylor. Elite offensive mind. Very, very good connections with Texas high school football coaches. Defenses have been poor but nothing like elite recruits to make a defense look better

Malzahn - Maybe the only mind in football better then Briles in terms of the running the spread. Focuses on a run first spread. Good recruiting in first year as head coach. Biggest knock is short tenure as head coach

B

Dantonio: Good coach, has built MSU up but heart condition makes hire a little risky

Gundy: Another guy who is young but not too young. Offense always good and defense is getting better with better athletes. Finds lots of diamonds in the rough. Unclear if he'll be an elite recruiter or able to make the next jump but he's won the conference as many times as Texas has in the last 10 years.

B-

Mora: Decent success at UCLA. Defensive minded. NFL head coaching experience. Still, not elite in any one category and much of success in recruiting may be 2ndary to USC sanctions

C

Franklin: Please no. Average offensive coordinator at KSU and Maryland. Boring offense. Reportedly elite recruiter but hasn't shown any propensity to build a staff that maximizes talent nor the personal acumen to coach x's and o's. Vanderbilt is not UT. Advantages of being an elite recruiter are lessened because even terrible personalities (mackovic) are able to recruit decently at Texas.

D

Fedora - North Carolina - ACC: Good offensive mind. Has shown no real success at building programs and not winning 9 games in the ACC with UNC is pretty terrible. USM team cratered right after he left so definitely didn't leave the team better then he found it

Just my opinions

 

[Davharjac]

I know a lot of you guys hate Art, basically because he has done Texas wrong in the past, but he already has a strong relationship with the high school coaches in the state, he also runs an offence that is player friendly-meaning they get number, numbers get them drafted, drafted player attract ore recruits. What he is doing in Waco isn't a flash in the pan. He is a real X and O coach, he is no nonsense, he will change the culture here, but also embrace youthful nature of the young men on the team. I think Briles' character only comes into place when he voted Texas 5, truth be told if I were in his place I would have done the same. It's not great for the team you consider your in state rival to be going to title games. I believe he would be a hell of a hire. Just my opinion.

 

[JMagana]

1A) Nick Saban - 4 national championships, love his defenses, great asset to steal recruits from fertile SEC recruiting grounds.
1B) John Harbaugh - Great X & O coach, a player's coach, and also personality to be a CEO while participating in non-related football functions. He also seems very charming and will do well recruiting. He's a great coach with Boy Scout qualities.

And you won't be taking my beloved Jim from the Niners (my other love)!

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

And you won't be taking my beloved Jim from the Niners (my other love)!

Exactly!!! I'm scared about our matchup against the Packers in GB!!

 

[JMagana]

I am too... its never easy in GB.