Five 'hidden' coaches Alabama would be wise to consider

[rizolltizide]

My first post ever on Tidefans was posing the question, why does Saban get so much run? Now keep in mind that he did go on to win the NC that year and basically answered that question with his results, but his isn't a name that I drool over. Solid coach, no doubt. But I don't think he is an instant savior like some seem to believe.

I really want a young guy that can and wants to come in here and be here long term.

 

[mlh]

Coach NS could be an exception. I believe he would quickly turn the program around because he would demand enough control to back down the power brokers at the Capstone. This man has no problem standing toe to toe with anybody, including the political insiders that share much of the responsibility for the present quagmire.

That is precisely why I don't think he's a good fit for Bama. IMHO, I doubt he would stay for more than 3-4 years, if that long.

 

[JessN]

Jess would it sweeten the deal to offer Saban the head coach job and the athletic director job. The combined salaries would be tremendous, add to that the power he would have.

That may be on the table, but it's so rare these days that I'd doubt it.

Also, to all the Patterson afficionados: I like him, too, but just the dynamics surrounding that hire make it unlikely, IMO. Very good coach, however.

 

[CrimsonTut]

I agree with Kragthorpe being mentioned and think we should look hard at him, but could we please stop with all the Stoops talk? IMO anyone's credibility gets shot right down the toilet if they can seriously look someone in the eye and tell them we've got a shot to get Stoops (or that he is even considering it for that matter)! Quit viewing this as a wish list and think with a little logic about everything involved with a coach's decision to leave one school for another. I still laugh at all the "Spurrier is coming!" threads and comments that were on here as well 2 weeks ago, and the Jimmy Johnson rumors from the last go-around.

THINK PEOPLE! Stoops wanting to leave what he has to come here is about as feasible as Alabama being interested in Jack Del Rio.

 

[GrandBayTider]

I agree with Kragthorpe being mentioned and think we should look hard at him, but could we please stop with all the Stoops talk? IMO anyone's credibility gets shot right down the toilet if they can seriously look someone in the eye and tell them we've got a shot to get Stoops (or that he is even considering it for that matter)! Quit viewing this as a wish list and think with a little logic about everything involved with a coach's decision to leave one school for another. I still laugh at all the "Spurrier is coming!" threads and comments that were on here as well 2 weeks ago, and the Jimmy Johnson rumors from the last go-around.

THINK PEOPLE! Stoops wanting to leave what he has to come here is about as feasible as Alabama being interested in Jack Del Rio.

Are you serious? Mike Stoops would be very interested, and I think should be on the list. He did a good job at OK and has turned AZ around as well proving himself as a HC. I would be interested in hearing Jess's opinion on him. BTW if your referring to that "other" Stoops yeah your right why would you leave the highest paid college coaching job in America where you have built a highly successful program? That is ridiculous!

 

[Roll2vic]

If Kragthorpe would bring Stubbs, happiness would return to the Bama faithful. I really think this is a much too intelligent decision to ever be made by our present group of decision makers. Forget it.

 

[Boo Radley]

I still don't understand the "rocky" nature of Charlie Stubbs' last stint at Alabama. I was a fan of his then and remain one now. As I recall that situation, Stubbs' offense was shackled by an incompetent head coach and offensive line coach. The more success Stubbs had, the more they took away from him. He's thriving under Kragthorpe and would thrive here.

Stubbs is Mormon and extremely family oriented. What I read about Kragthorpe is that he's also family oriented and claims to be happy with his family's situation in Tulsa. Stubbs saw how Bama let DuBose's indiscretion with his secretary slide, only to can him when the team fell apart. With the demand to win here, Stubbs may be in Kragthorpe's ear about what a tough environment it would be for any HC at Bama.

I like the prospect of Harbaugh, but would also worry about his ties to Michigan if he had success here.

 

[jthomas666]

I still don't understand the "rocky" nature of Charlie Stubbs' last stint at Alabama. I was a fan of his then and remain one now. As I recall that situation, Stubbs' offense was shackled by an incompetent head coach and offensive line coach. The more success Stubbs had, the more they took away from him. He's thriving under Kragthorpe and would thrive here.

Here is the Stubbs tale as I understand it. Mods, please correct me if needed.

After Dubose's first year (1997), Neil Calloway got promoted to OC after the Bruce Arians disaster on the Plains. The results in were, let's say, less than salutary. after the 1998 season, Charlie Stubbs was brought in as a "passing coordinator", primarily because DuBose wouldn't demote his friend Calloway. But effectively, Stubbs was OC.

Stubbs implemented an offense that would quite literally do anything at any time. Truly multiple formations--including that triple stack of WRs. At the beginning of the season, it was a lot of fun listening to the games on the radio to listen to Eli and Snake being utterly perplexed by the formations. Add to that a decent offensive line anchored by Chris Samuels, Shaun Alexander, and Freddie Milons, and they were a juggernaut, resulting in the 1999 SEC championship.

A funny thing happened during the off-season, though. Dubose started thinking that he was some kind of head coach, because of the championship. And he let conditioning slide, because the Tide had already been anointed a pre-season favorite to contend for the MNC.

It all blew up against UCLA. The Tide was supremey unprepared, and lost spectacularly.

Dubose panicked, and tried to assert control over all phases of the game, including offense--which he knew squat about. So he started to shift playcalling authority back to Calloway, who's offensive schemes DuBose did understand (that in and of itself really tells you all you need to know about Calloway's offensive prowess). Stubbs was pretty ticked, but kept silent.

W/o Stubb's inventive playcalling to protect some of the team's weaknesses, the offense struggled (not unlike this year), culminating in DuBose's firing.

Stubbs applied for the BYU HC job in the aftermath, but did not get it--most people assumed it was due to the rumblings from the NCAA.

 

[pcfixup]

Here is the Stubbs tale as I understand it. Mods, please correct me if needed.

After Dubose's first year (1997), Jimmy Fuller got promoted to OC after the Bruce Arians disaster on the Plains. The results in were, let's say, less than salutary. after the 1998 season, Charlie Stubbs was brought in as a "passing coordinator", primarily because DuBose wouldn't demote his friend Fuller. But effectively, Stubbs was OC.

Stubbs implemented an offense that would quite literally do anything at any time. Truly multiple formations--including that triple stack of WRs. At the beginning of the season, it was a lot of fun listening to the games on the radio to listen to Eli and Snake being utterly perplexed by the formations. Add to that a decent offensive line anchored by Chris Samuels, Shaun Alexander, and Freddie Milons, and they were a juggernaut, resulting in the 1999 SEC championship.

A funny thing happened during the off-season, though. Dubose started thinking that he was some kind of head coach, because of the championship. And he let conditioning slide, because the Tide had already been anointed a pre-season favorite to contend for the MNC.

It all blew up against UCLA. The Tide was supremey unprepared, and lost spectacularly.

Dubose panicked, and tried to assert control over all phases of the game, including offense--which he knew squat about. So he started to shift playcalling authority back to Fuller, who's offensive schemes DuBose did understand (that in and of itself really tells you all you need to know about Fuller's offensive prowess). Stubbs was pretty ticked, but kept silent.

W/o Stubb's inventive playcalling to protect some of the team's weaknesses, the offense struggled (not unlike this year), culminating in DuBose's firing.

Stubbs applied for the BYU HC job in the aftermath, but did not get it--most people assumed it was due to the rumblings from the NCAA.

Didn't Dubose get rid of Coach Fuller for Coach Neil Calloway?

 

[kwftide]

Didn't Dubose get rid of Coach Fuller for Coach Neil Calloway?

It was Calloway.

 

[Mongo4Bama]

I vote for Rutgers head coach if not him then

2nd choice > Cubit from Eastern Michigan the staff is very important

 

[Hawk324]

Good read. However, I think you gave some very good reasons why these coaches shouldn't be considered.

• Bill Cubit has only 2 years HC experience.
• Harbaugh doesn't fit the criteria and might use Bama as a stepping stone.
• Joe Glenn has won Div II and a Div 1AA championship, but he just hasnt done a whole lot where he is. Oh wait...he beat Ole Miss.
• Chris Ault is old and likely wont be coaching for much longer.
• Steve Kragthorpe is young, inexperienced and his personality might not fit here. Add to that his opposition hasnt been the juggarnauts that Bama will face

.
All that being said...it seems anytime a coach is mentioned, we always find some reason why that person should not be hired here. Lol! Seem's we're looking for King Arthur! (Of course, even Arthur' couldnt maintain control over his own household and this led to cheating).

I still think we should find a good coach that wants to be here instead of begging some guy to take the job. I dont think he has to be a proven head coach either. A terrific coordinator may do a good job as long as he wanted to be here. Better yet...a good assistant HC.

 

[jthomas666]

It was Calloway.

That's right. Calloway. Very similar to DuBose--good line coach, marginal OC.

 

[CrimsonChuck]

I have one more hidden coach to add--so hidden that I don't think he has been mentioned here yet at all. If we can't get CRR, how about one of his discipiles? I was thinking about Todd Graham of Rice. He completely turned them around, and he would bring along one of the up and coming offensive minds in the country in Major Applewhite.

 

[FAN4EVR]

I have one more hidden coach to add--so hidden that I don't think he has been mentioned here yet at all. If we can't get CRR, how about one of his discipiles? I was thinking about Todd Graham of Rice. He completely turned them around, and he would bring along one of the up and coming offensive minds in the country in Major Applewhite.

Good choice....:BigA:

 

[jthomas666]

He completely turned them around, and he would bring along one of the up and coming offensive minds in the country in Major Applewhite.

Speaking of one of DuBose's more egregious screw-ups, it would be somewhat fitting to finally get Major Applewhite on the Bama sidelines.

 

[mlh]

...it seems anytime a coach is mentioned, we always find some reason why that person should not be hired here.

Yep. But we're all really quick to ridicule CMM and the BOT because they haven't hired the next Coach Bryant by now.

 

[BamaLaw]

I like the prospect of Harbaugh, but would also worry about his ties to Michigan if he had success here.

I hadn't really given any thought to Harbaugh until reading JessN's column; however, it makes more sense than many things I've heard. He does have family in Tuscaloosa. He is the cousin of Tide Basketball coach Mark Gottfried. http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060316/news_1s16coxnote.html

Link is from Tourney time last spring. I've always liked Harbaugh--despite his Michigan ties. Maybe we should put cousin Mark on the case. As has been said of some other potential candidates, if Michigan or other programs come calling, It would be because he had success while at Bama. In that case, if he should leave, he would be leaving the program better than he found it and it would be a more attractive job during the next search.

 

[RollTideRandy]

Please tell me "Horrible" Harbaugh is a joke. :rolleye2:

 

[deliveryman35]

Great research, Jess. Of the list that you propose, I think Kragthorpe of TU would be the only realistic target at this point. He's done more probably to advance the Golden Hurricane program since John Cooper was there in the early eighties(no offense, Coach Rader). Harbaugh is probably a good " up and comer", but like you mentioned, his ultimate career goal is probably to end up in Ann Arbor. So, Coach Kragthorpe may very well be a viable candidate at this point, and worth a phone call by Mal Moore to at least have a phone interview. In my opinion, his positives outweigh any negatives that he might have. Btw, I would take Charlie Stubbs back as a OC in a heartbeat--no doubt he would be a part of any "package deal" and he was one bright spot of the Dubose era....