MSU Running Back Coach Headed to Florida Gators
Just caught an interesting tidbit on Twitter. Seems that MSU's RB Coach is headed to the Florida Gators, to be their TE Coach. He was Kenneth Walker's main Recruiter, so I gotta think this is a pretty decent loss for Coach Tucker.
https://t.co/oaFc8LQ4f8
December 24th, 2021 at 3:30 PM ^
It's funny that Mel couldn't pony up enough money to keep him. RB coach to TE coach seems to be a lateral move.
December 24th, 2021 at 3:34 PM ^
I mean, especially a position coach that was able to find and coach up one of the best RB's in football this year. I'm sure he'll be replaced with someone competent but this would be a loss if I was an MSU fan that I'd be pretty pissed about.
December 24th, 2021 at 3:43 PM ^
Zero evidence that Walker's success was because of his RB coach. The other RBs on the roster had the same coach and none showed anything close to Walker's ability and sure didn't improve through the season.
December 24th, 2021 at 3:47 PM ^
That's a fair point. He is however the guy that found him in the portal and was his main recruiter. I think you could argue he absolutely can access talent. But good point on the coaching.
December 24th, 2021 at 4:59 PM ^
I see your point, but it seemed State just threw as many darts as possible at the portal and hoped something hit. Hard to say if finding KWIII was skill or luck.
December 24th, 2021 at 6:22 PM ^
It was funny because at the time I remember there being more hype around some kid they got from Auburn. Walker was seen as a good transfer candidate but they also took so many last year hitting on a couple was expected. Though I will give them credit on the sense that Walker turned into a stud well beyond expectations.
December 25th, 2021 at 8:38 AM ^
Also give Tucker and staff credit for recognizing what they had and building their entire offense around him.
December 24th, 2021 at 3:37 PM ^
There are 95 million implied reasons that your post is a gem.
December 24th, 2021 at 3:52 PM ^
The reality is that the position may be a lateral move, but the institutions are not. Yes, msu has a great season and Florida did not, but Peagler is a southern boy (from NC, school at Clemson) with stops in the midwest, plains (CU), and south (UL-L), and UF has more resources and opportunity to succeed than msu. And probably the biggest factor is that Florida's new coach is Billy Napier, who was the head man at UL-L when Peagler was there. There is a pre-existing relationship there.
December 24th, 2021 at 4:01 PM ^
The move from Lansing ----> FL is a a move up in my book. Congrats to him. He'll just need to watch out for the Iguanas, Gators, snakes, and Urban Meyers.
December 24th, 2021 at 4:12 PM ^
Gainesville isn't exactly Miami or Tampa.....
Also I bet he won't find Urban in Florida. He'll probably move back to Columbus and take up teaching Ethics again
December 24th, 2021 at 4:53 PM ^
But still better than East Landfill and better weather.
December 25th, 2021 at 12:51 AM ^
December 26th, 2021 at 9:52 AM ^
Pretty nasty post.
Merry Christmas.
December 24th, 2021 at 5:53 PM ^
RB coach to TE coach seems to be a lateral move.
I'd agree, but to a much better job. Florida has finished the year ranked in the top 10 in each of the last 3 years. Florida generally recruits about the same as UM...fringe top 10 classes. That's much better talent and rankings than at MSU. Florida also has the ability to be an elite recruiting spot under the right staff as they were consistently bringing in top 5 classes under Meyer. So, I'd say it's a better job, especially if he's getting a raise. Making an extra $75k might not be a big deal when you're making $3 mill a year, but it is when you're only making $200k.
December 24th, 2021 at 10:01 PM ^
Add on the fact that there is no state income tax in FL, you get to leave east landfill and have a huge weather improvement makes this a no brainer.
December 24th, 2021 at 9:22 PM ^
As a UF alum, and someone who has been to East Lansing on several occasions, I'd take a lateral move to Gainesville from E. Lansing all day.
December 24th, 2021 at 3:33 PM ^
Well, if he really has to coach next year as opposed to having a generational RB, what would you do? Go and Coach TEs somewhere else. Guess another generational RB is not coming through the portal.
December 24th, 2021 at 6:52 PM ^
Better to leave MSU without anniversary’ing Walker’s productivity. Take credit for KW and go coach TEs at UF.
Besides, UF is a much better job for a highly competitive coach. Napier will get a ton of support, fertile recruiting ground, and SEC intensity. MSU is second tier in the B1G regardless of a few very good seasons when compared to two clear blue bloods in the East and PSU a near blue blood.
December 24th, 2021 at 3:38 PM ^
Tuck comin' , assistant coach leaving.
December 24th, 2021 at 3:55 PM ^
Paging The Fugitive
December 24th, 2021 at 3:55 PM ^
Will be annoying if Wilcher is bumped over to the now vacant RB coach position. I know it happens but seeing Wilcher working for Staee is awful.
December 24th, 2021 at 4:54 PM ^
IMHO, he doesn't really help us at all, so no loss if he does go there.
BTW, Mike Webbbbber says Fuck Michigan.
December 24th, 2021 at 5:17 PM ^
As much crap as Crowell gets standing by his players, I believe he’s more in the right than Wilcher. What happened with Webber was dirty and Webber did not have success obviously. If I was Wilcher, I would think twice about letting OSU back into my school so heavily. But Wilcher just let it happen basically and still welcomed Meyer.
December 24th, 2021 at 6:21 PM ^
Only thing worse would be for Sharty to hire Mike Hart as his replacement. Can you imagine?
December 25th, 2021 at 12:45 AM ^
Mike Weber’s career consisted of practice squad which is respectable but not for a guy who left early for the draft. He’s really not worth the time to care about. His words or tweets don’t matter.
December 24th, 2021 at 3:55 PM ^
Ya hate to see it.
December 24th, 2021 at 4:03 PM ^
December 24th, 2021 at 4:10 PM ^
Can't blame him from being a... walker. Take the money and run.
December 24th, 2021 at 4:10 PM ^
Let's see how Michigan retains their coaches. There are a lot of pieces we need to keep.
December 24th, 2021 at 4:38 PM ^
Harbaugh doesn't need to keep his good coaches. He needs to hire good replacements when they leave, as most inevitably will.
December 24th, 2021 at 5:11 PM ^
I’d argue that he needs to keep everyone he has for at least another season or so. This staff obviously worked well together and the kids bought in fully.
December 24th, 2021 at 4:38 PM ^
Looks like he had ties to UL Lafayatte, where Florida just hired Napier from. State’s OC Jay Johnson is another former ULL coach, though neither were there the same time as Napier.
December 24th, 2021 at 5:13 PM ^
Walker arrived as Walker. Their other backs were mediocre at best, tbh.
People have mentioned it a billion times - and even that's probably not enough - but MSU would have been a dumpster fire of a program for half a decade if not for the insane transfer portaling they did. They rebuilt a program from free agents, lol.
Walker was one of them and is who he is. I wouldn't say with any certainty that their HB coach had anything to do with it.
December 24th, 2021 at 6:33 PM ^
This works for me
December 24th, 2021 at 7:25 PM ^
Florida is a much better job than msu.
December 24th, 2021 at 8:31 PM ^
Spot on. It a better job, better weather, and no state income tax.
December 24th, 2021 at 10:58 PM ^
I don't disagree with your sentiment, but Gainesville is not a top tier FL city imo. Very swampy.
December 25th, 2021 at 12:38 PM ^
https://www.gainesville.com/story/lifestyle/family/2021/12/23/gainesville-wins-spot-ranking-americas-best-cities-live/9009885002/
December 24th, 2021 at 10:57 PM ^
I met him once, random thing. He had a southern accent and was from the south. He was wearing shorts in the winter and looked cold as hell. I bet he just wanted to go to somewhere warmer and closer to home.
December 25th, 2021 at 12:26 AM ^
Don’t look up sparty
December 25th, 2021 at 8:50 AM ^
Genuinely curious:
I get that being a offensive coordinator or defensive coordinator is the position that usually leads to being a head coach, but is there any other hierarchy or pathway?
Is it common to coach different positions in a career? Do people ever switch from offense to defense or vice versa (e.g. coaching RB to coaching LB?) What about special teams coaching - that seems both very specific (punting and place kicking technique).
December 25th, 2021 at 8:50 AM ^
Genuinely curious:
I get that being a offensive coordinator or defensive coordinator is the position that usually leads to being a head coach, but is there any other hierarchy or pathway?
Is it common to coach different positions in a career? Do people ever switch from offense to defense or vice versa (e.g. coaching RB to coaching LB?) What about special teams coaching - that seems both very specific (punting and place kicking technique).
December 26th, 2021 at 10:09 AM ^
Why is this thread on a U of M board. Who cares.