Who Will be sparty's Next Coach?
Mates,
With Tucker officially gone, sparty is in the market for a coach. Other than our coaches, I don't pay much attention to who is hot/not hot, and who would be a legitimate candidate for other jobs. With the idiotic behavior that Tucker engaged in, looking for the next sparty coach is like looking for the next person in line for the outhouse at deer camp, and the guy in front of you just destroyed it. The usual response is, 'That's okay, I'll wait, I'll let it air out a bit...'
And the pay issue. Since they gave that idiot $95MM, they have artificially raised the minimum bar for any replacement - has to be many millions inflated.
I think the sparty faithful are wanting big name guys, but unless they about doubled Tucker's salary that isn't happening. Some candidates suggested by an SI article are:
Elko - Duke; Stoops - Kentucky; Both Kansas and KSU guys; Huff - Marshall; Fritz - Tulane;
They had a few others and some coordinators including our own Sherrone Moore and ohio's Hartline. I get that money talks, but I just can't imagine many big name guys who want to move laterally to that outhouse in EL, or that want to step up to be the HC there, either. I think many will say, 'That's okay, I'll wait, I'll let it air out a bit..."
So let's have some fun speculating: Who will be sparty's next coach?
XM
Link to SI article here for those who might be curious: https://www.si.com/college/2023/09/27/mel-tucker-michigan-state-replacement-candidates-coaching-carousel
September 28th, 2023 at 6:57 AM ^
Honestly this is the most plausible answer - I can't think of anyone else stupid enough to jeapordize their career by standing in a roadside tire fire. IIRC Enos is rotting away at Maryland.
EDIT: Oh, nevermind, he flamed out there too. He's now at Arkansas.
September 28th, 2023 at 6:58 AM ^
Pat Narduzzi or Mike Tressel so they can bring back their glory days - perhaps even Mork.
September 28th, 2023 at 7:11 AM ^
Mork's getting up there in age, but I could definitely see them go after Narduzzi, and probably settle on Tressel.
September 28th, 2023 at 7:29 AM ^
Mike Tressel is quietly a really good DC with obvious ties to Ohio so I hope they dont hire him.
September 28th, 2023 at 9:57 AM ^
He was Sparty's DC when we humbled them in 2018-19. Moreover, the guy's 50 and has never been a head coach, which generally isn't a great sign. I wouldn't sweat him being there.
September 28th, 2023 at 11:11 AM ^
I dont think thats very uncommon...Dantonio wasnt a HC at Cincinnati until he was 48, and Fickell, who he works for is 50.
September 28th, 2023 at 4:07 PM ^
Fickell was 44 when he got the Cincy job. I'm not saying that 50-something coaches are bad, but that it's unusual for a guy to get his first job past that age and end up panning out. (Dantonio was close, but still on the good side of 50.) There's generally some reason why they're still working as assistants at that age.
September 28th, 2023 at 9:10 PM ^
Narduzzi is their best option among those who would actually take the job. He’s done an excellent job at Pitt.
September 28th, 2023 at 8:11 AM ^
I think Mork will have a huge part in finding a new coach and these guys are most likely at the top of his list.
September 28th, 2023 at 8:31 AM ^
XM's question and your response are reminders of what others have noted the past couple weeks:
With Tucker, we could settle in for a few years of MSU mediocrity (apologies for being redundant)..
But now they may actually stumble into a good and ethical coach.
September 28th, 2023 at 8:52 AM ^
If I'm honest, this is what I want MSU to do--stop embarrassing themselves and all those around them. Provide legitimate, respectible competition. Make the state of the rivalry, and the State of Michigan, better for their presence. I am tired of having to explain what little brother went to jail for this time.
September 28th, 2023 at 9:22 AM ^
An admirable thought.
September 28th, 2023 at 11:55 AM ^
Nope, not me. I want a decades-long tire fire.
September 28th, 2023 at 1:18 PM ^
I don't think good and ethical would be enough to make Staee a threat.
September 28th, 2023 at 12:37 PM ^
The Nard dog makes sense. He is cratering at Pitt and unlikely to get a sniff at a tier 1 job. MSU might be inclined to throw money at him in hopes of bringing back the glory days.
September 28th, 2023 at 9:14 PM ^
Cratering? Off to a slow start this year but won 11 and 9 games in 21-22.
September 28th, 2023 at 9:16 PM ^
Cratering? Off to a slow start this year but won 11 and 9 games in 21-22.
September 28th, 2023 at 1:21 PM ^
Part of me wants to be able to continue to point and laugh at MSU, and bringing Narduzzi back would be funny because the results would be nothing like the last time he was at MSU. Now that Michigan and PSU are back to their historical levels, he wouldn't be able to walk over us just because his team was tough (not to be confused with OSU "tough") and dirty . He's a mediocre coach and would get mediocre results.
On the flipside, I would be willing to accept MSU improving as a team under a legit coach, if that also meant they cleaned up the program and elevated the caliber of people they bring in (as opposed to just the caliber of athlete). It would be a fair trade to play against a better team if that team was not actively trying to injure our players via cheapshots.
September 28th, 2023 at 6:59 AM ^
It'll take at least a couple years for that shit hole to air out. Maybe after most of the "overly violent individuals" have cleared out, someone can come in and attempt to create a better culture there. Being Sparty though, I won't hold my breath.
September 28th, 2023 at 7:12 AM ^
A team that comes together sticks together.
September 28th, 2023 at 9:05 AM ^
I think this is a valid take. 7-10 years ago the MSU head coaching job was a top 40 job in a good conference with a strong program and supporting university ecosystem. The program historically has been middling to kinda good but at least solid overall.
These days....I dunno. If I'm a serious candidate at the FBS coordinator level for a solid program, am I taking this job vs others that are going to come open? The administration at the U is a hot mess post-Nassar, they're going to be paying Mel Tucker not to be their coach for the next 5-10 years, their recruiting and roster is a mess, and their NIL seems to be lagging.
I think MSU may be in the "hire a group of 5 coach and take a swing on him" or a retread who has washed out elsewhere caliber right now. They need to right the ship with someone average for 3-4 years before they're going to attract a high caliber candidate
September 28th, 2023 at 9:38 AM ^
I think it’s still a top 40 job, even though it’s like the 10th best job in the conference. The money that the Big 10 and SEC receive, an order of magnitude bigger than any other conference, are going to basically create another tier akin to the current P5/G5 divide. It’s going to mean that even the mediocre jobs in those conferences are better than all but the best jobs in the Big 12/ACC (I honestly don’t think there’s a job as good as MSU in the Big 12 once UT and OU leave).
And the media and TV attention on the Big 10 and SEC will only increase in the next few years.
That said, I think state’s best bet to climb within the big 10 is probably either the o-coordinator at Colorado, who has head coaching experience at Kent and seems to run a fun, open offense that skill guys will want to play in, or the LSU d-coordinator, who has MSU ties (though LSU’s d has looked less impressive than last year). Basically, go young and exciting, rather than the fairly dour, depressing vibe MSUs had.
September 28th, 2023 at 7:28 AM ^
According to them.
1. Urban Meyer
2. Minter “he was the brains behind Jim’s turnaround”
3. Jesus
4. some guy named Stan he’s apparently really good at NCAA football on PlayStation
September 28th, 2023 at 8:33 AM ^
OMG, you're close to 12345 MGoPoints!
For me, it's like Whose Line: the points don't matter BUT point patterns are fun. (I once backed up my car, trying to get to my odometer to 55555 miles.)
September 28th, 2023 at 9:22 AM ^
It'd be rude to down vote Hoek so that he'd get back to 12345 right?
September 28th, 2023 at 9:29 AM ^
To late for that, I must be upvoted to 23456 now!!!
September 28th, 2023 at 11:18 AM ^
Man, you should know that going in reverse doesn’t take the miles off. Haven’t you seen Ferris Beuhler?
September 28th, 2023 at 8:59 AM ^
you left out Prime and Saban, but otherwise pretty good rundown
September 28th, 2023 at 7:28 AM ^
Dickert
September 28th, 2023 at 8:18 AM ^
Given the precarious position the schools are in, Dickert, or Smith (WSU), for that matter, may be more willing to bolt for MSU than many of the others - perhaps bringing even more of their current players with them?
September 28th, 2023 at 10:18 AM ^
Dickert should be their first call. That guy can coach and his teams look no fun to play against. Plus, he's from the upper midwest (Wisconsin).
I just looked at his bio to see where he'd coached before WSU (Wyoming, and before that a bunch of North Dakota/NDSU/SD type places) and, bizarrely, he has sons named Jett and Jace.
September 28th, 2023 at 9:15 AM ^
Do you think shark humper might leave Central Michigan for the job?
September 28th, 2023 at 9:48 AM ^
Do I think a MAC coach would take a huge pay increase to coach at a Big Ten school? Yes. Will MSU offer him the job? I don't know, but I doubt he's at the top of their list.
September 28th, 2023 at 11:13 AM ^
The stories would write themselves if they went from phone masturbator to shark humper.
September 28th, 2023 at 7:30 AM ^
If state hires anyone but Elko they screwed up again.
September 28th, 2023 at 7:59 AM ^
I'm not saying Elko isn't a good coach, but I'm always wary of coaches taking credit for exceptional talent at a skill position like qb. Tucker got paid for Walker's talents.
September 28th, 2023 at 8:50 AM ^
Elko might actually get Duke in a position to win the ACC if he stays for a while. It *may* be possible for msu to outbid Duke, but why leave a relatively open ACC for a mid-level Big Ten program at this juncture?
September 28th, 2023 at 9:19 AM ^
If Clemson leaves the ACC as is speculated in another thread - who would Elko / Duke compete with in the ACC? I think it’s FSU and any “one year hot” team. The path to the CFP definitely seems much easier in the ACC than other conferences.
At MSU, or anywhere in the B1G / SEC - the path to the CFP will be far more challenging.
He may embrace that challenge. On a side note - look at Deion / Colorado - I think the path to the CFP is far easier in the Big 12 than it was in the Pac 12 (as we’ve historically defined that conference).
September 28th, 2023 at 9:42 AM ^
I don’t know why Elko would take the job. He’s in line for something much better (Florida?) and while MSU is a step up from Duke, it’s become a much harder place to win at.
September 28th, 2023 at 7:34 AM ^
I think Matt House is an interesting option. MSU alumni who got his coaching start there. Some important stops along the way for him.
- Pittsburgh (2013–2014)
Defensive coordinator - FIU (2015)
Defensive coordinator & linebackers coach - Kentucky (2016)
Inside linebackers coach & special teams coordinator - Kentucky (2017–2018)
Defensive coordinator & inside linebackers coach - Kansas City Chiefs (2019-2021)
Linebackers coach - LSU (2022–present)
Defensive coordinator & linebackers coach
Not sure if "He is him" but seems like a decent candidate.
September 28th, 2023 at 7:57 AM ^
The only downside on this one was that Pitt and Kentucky fans complained that he didn't like recruiting, specifically the in-home visits. He's from Michigan and his folks still live there, so it'd bring his kids closer to their grandparents. I bet he takes it, if offered.
September 28th, 2023 at 8:35 AM ^
Good insight, that was one of the main things I was unsure about.
September 28th, 2023 at 9:30 AM ^
This is the first I've ever heard about Matt House, but looking him up he seems like a good fit. Young enough that they don't have to pay him top dollar while they pay off Mel Tucker, but experienced enough with ties to MSU that he could be successful. Expectations will be low for a couple of years so 6-8 win seasons will be o.k. to start.
Downside for MSU? There will be the Big House and the (door) Matt House.
September 28th, 2023 at 10:08 AM ^
House seemed to be the most logical/attainable candidate imo.
I think he's an MSU grad as well (or was a grad assistant).... anyways, not a candidate that is solely based on a money offer; he's a guy that might legitimately be happy at MSU.
I think Candle, the Toledo coach, has also been mentioned.
September 28th, 2023 at 7:54 AM ^
DAN ENOS
September 28th, 2023 at 9:16 AM ^
Scam Enos?
September 28th, 2023 at 8:00 AM ^
I know this is gonna sound arrogant but.....
Maybe the question is how attractive is the MSU job really? With the teams coming in I feel like you're gonna be in a battle with Iowa, Minny, & maybe UCLA for the Pinstripe Bowl for the next few years. If I'm a HC in the ACC or Big12 - and assuming Clemson and FSU are gonna bolt - shit winning my conference and going to the playoffs just got a fuck of a lot easier.
Apparently MSU has a bunch of $$$ to throw around so that's always a factor. But I think they're looking up at M, Ohio, PSU, USC, Washington, Oregon, Wisky for at least several years.