OT: MSU's DC might be moving
Texas A&M may be stealing MSU's DC, Narduzzi. Kevin Sumlin has been authorized to spend some big time $$ on a DC and Narduzzi is apparently at the top of his list.
Naduzzi has been spotted in College Station and there is confirmation from the MSU boards.
I'll be happy if Narduzzi gets the job. Good for A&M, bad for MSU.
January 5th, 2012 at 12:39 PM ^
Good for Narduzzi, I guess. Won't really affect UM until next year, and only because Gholston will have one less person to complain about being called Tom by the UM fans.
January 5th, 2012 at 12:44 PM ^
Narduzzi is a great DC but it is always difficult to hire a defensive coordiantor from a staff where the head coach is a defensive specialist. You run a real risk of not knowing who was the real catalyst for success.
I think with the right kind of talent Narduzzi will do a great job. Good hire for Texas A&M and not as crushing as people suspect it will be for MSU. The lost Enos and Treadwell and their offense was fine. What I'm more curious about however is how much of player development was Narduzzi. I have to give MSU credit - they have done a great job developing certain players. Rashad Smith, Darqueze Denard, Jerel Worthy, Marcus Rush - these weren't household names and those guys play fast and mean.
Best of luck to him in his future
January 5th, 2012 at 1:01 PM ^
I think your use of the word "great" is a tad liberal. You call him great in the 1st sentence and then question how good he is in the 2nd. I agree with your thought process, which indicates we have no idea how good this guy is and A&M may be getting burned.
January 5th, 2012 at 2:15 PM ^
Their offense was fine? Did you watch this past season? Cousins defintiely regressed and the offense seemed overwhelmed against some of the bigger teams.
January 5th, 2012 at 3:02 PM ^
Actually did you watch their season? Offense averaged 31.3 in 2010 and averaged 30.8 this year. Cousin threw for more yards, had more tds and the same int's as last year. His completetion % was 1-2 %'s lower than last year and has about an indentical Passer Rating as last year. They struggled a bit at the beginning of the year, but really came on late as the OL improved. Cousins did not regress at all and overall the offense scored only 0.5 ppg less than last year. I would say Wisconsin is a bigger team and the offense did not struggle at all against them.
January 5th, 2012 at 5:57 PM ^
No I didnt watch a majority of the games because I barely ever watch Sparty. But from what I did see/heard from my State fan friends those were the typical complaints they held. Easy Sparty lurker
January 5th, 2012 at 12:45 PM ^
I would be amazed if he left for anything but a HC position. But hey, money talks. And aTm certainly need a defensive coach of his caliber right now.
January 5th, 2012 at 12:54 PM ^
would be for a head coaching gig somewhere.
Moving to TAM would be somewhat surprising.
January 5th, 2012 at 12:54 PM ^
IMO, he is just leveraging MSU for a bigger raise. He has a nice thing going at MSU and I don't think he would jump ship into a unsettled situation just for the $.
January 5th, 2012 at 12:57 PM ^
If the reports are true, I don't think State will bump him up to more than twice his current salary to keep him.
January 5th, 2012 at 1:36 PM ^
I wasn't trying to suggest that...but I think if he gets a raise to 450k range from MSU...he may be enticed to stick around and have a good year and then shoot for a HC job. I hope he takes the job, as I think he has MSUs D playing about as well as they can.
January 5th, 2012 at 12:58 PM ^
You don't bring your wife with you to College Station if you're just showing token interest. I like C.S. and all, but it's not exactly a tourist destination
January 5th, 2012 at 1:18 PM ^
Making Mattison/Smart money there will sure make CS look better.
January 5th, 2012 at 2:11 PM ^
Very low cost of living and no state income tax makes the money even more appealing.
Oh, and CS already looks pretty good in one respect..
January 5th, 2012 at 6:18 PM ^
I approve this post, but I don't speak for everyone here.
January 6th, 2012 at 12:56 PM ^
What got Meyer into trouble?
January 5th, 2012 at 12:58 PM ^
Personally I think if Dantonio has a brain he will beg & plead to do whatever it takes to keep Narduzzi & if MSU won't shell out the cash then pay the man himself.
Personally I'd love to see Narduzzi leave the Big 10 and probably struggle, at least at first, in the SEC.
January 5th, 2012 at 1:04 PM ^
A&M is making som big moves. At first I thought the SEC move was stupid but they may see a spike in recruiting due to the falling of the Big 12 and the outstanding competition within the SEC. Narduzzi is a must for them because Sumlin doesn't do defense.
January 5th, 2012 at 1:09 PM ^
may have something to do with this. His HC opportunities will be much greater if he can field a good defense on the SEC. Like it has been said here before MSU is not a destination job, but a stepping stone even if its for another DC job in the "great and powerful" SEC.
January 5th, 2012 at 1:19 PM ^
I'd like to say this is great and all, but I guess I don't care much. Narduzzi is certainly part of Sparty's growing culture of dirty being passed off as "tough", but it all stems from Dantonio. In the end their star is falling and narduzzi may just be gettin' out while the gettin's good. Ohio recruiting will be dominated by Hoke and Meyer with a few kids from the Catholic shools going to nd. It looks like Michigan will be owned by Michigan. We'll share Illinois with nd. Where is ole mark gonna get players? I know they're national now, but when the head coach is using bowl press conferences as press releases to "big monster defensive lineman-if there are any out there" you things aren't going the way they should.
January 5th, 2012 at 2:39 PM ^
Whistle past the graveyard much? You realize you're lying to yourself. BTW, it was Gruden who said that about the defensive linemen during the game. Man you guys have no problem lying and you just keep moving on like nothing happens. No worries, we always get to play every year. We'll face you man up on the field. I think the lads from East Lansing are looking forward to the game next October. meanwhile you guys can say you're better, MSU is getting worse do what you have to do, it's always gonna be settled on the field. Just like Dantonio wants it.
January 5th, 2012 at 1:20 PM ^
but I guess a quarter million can make up for being in the middle of nowhere.
Interesting factoid: Narduzzi's dad was HC at Youngstown State from '75-'85. Pat played as a freshman for his dad in '85, but the next year Tressel took over at YS, and Pat transferred to the U of Rhode Island for his final three seasons.
January 5th, 2012 at 5:49 PM ^
Did the Elder Narduzzi take the Rhode Island job?
If I remember correctly, Narduzzi interviewed for the Cincy HC job when D'Antonio went to the MSU. Brian Kelly got the position, and the prevailing impression was that Narduzzi needed to run his own D first. With the suggested pay raise, it makes sense for Narduzzi to take the jump now.
January 5th, 2012 at 1:40 PM ^
but not one that cannot be overcome, if dantonio hires a good replacement nothing is missed.
January 5th, 2012 at 2:13 PM ^
just declared that he's entering the draft.
Not worth it's own thread..... but you know someone will start one anyway.
January 5th, 2012 at 2:27 PM ^
MSU isn't your rival!!
January 5th, 2012 at 5:15 PM ^
As an A&M fan, I would also love this.
January 5th, 2012 at 6:20 PM ^
That's what I understand his raise could theoretically be if he was able to get the high end of what Texas A&M was offering. I wonder if MSU at least offers him a bump in salary that is sufficient to convince him to stay at least another year. If MSU didn't come close to matching any offer, I wouldn't blame him at all for jumping at the opportunity.
Someone pointed it out, but it is true - one of the reasons that MSU has had trouble staying successful is that they are not willing to make the investment that they would need to make despite being a reasonably profitable program with some high-profile donors.
If you look at some of the assistants from MSU staffs over the years that have left for more money (and in several cases, greater success - e.g., Nick Saban, who returned as HC for a time, of course) over the years, it is reasonable to conclude that they have lowballed a few people in the past. It's one thing to acquire talent, but now hang onto it...
January 5th, 2012 at 6:07 PM ^
If Naduzzi leaves does anyone think Dumbtonio will eventually throw his hands up and say "FUCK THIS SHIT" like Saban did if a more prominent school offers him a head coaching job elsewhere? Dumbtonios losing coaches every year. After the past 2 good seasons STILL cant get more then 1 or 2 top recruits especially in this state. Back of his mind he knows everytime a DC or OC gets hired and succeeds theres a chance they will bolt to make more money cause msu cant afford them. It seemed obvious to me with the slurp fest he always gave Ohio and Tressel, he wouldve bolted if that HC job was offered. Losing Pittman to Ohio is a great example of being 2nd fiddle. And the only reason Burbridge committed to msu and not UM is cause he has an iQ of a squirrel.
January 5th, 2012 at 6:19 PM ^
t want us to beat that asshat on an annual basis before he realizes that he's coaching a perennial also ran.
January 5th, 2012 at 6:22 PM ^
I have no idea what you just said.
January 5th, 2012 at 6:43 PM ^
unto the lawd:
Look at my wingspan!
