OK, here's the deal, Dimitri: I'm laying my chips on Chesney going to PSU for two reasons..
(1) Happy Valley* is a ready made, Back-Easty powerhouse that'll take a just a wee bit o' sprucing up to return it to its former glory as a contendah, Stella! With UCLA, he's got a massive decade rebuild job, he's 2,000 miles from the heart of B1G football, and he'll be working for a weapons' grade moron.
(2) If I get my bet down like that, I'll put the whammy on Chesney choosing PSU and coming to Westwood.
By the way, what 's the over/under for The Fetus getting drop-kicked outta his cushy slot?
you're acting like this guy is the cream of the crop on the coaching market with his pick of the litter. What makes you think Penn State has any interest or that the alumni base there would tolerate such a hire?
You make an fair point. I derived my opinion from Dimitri's and Ben Bolch's posts. Also was going for a bit of humor. My major heartburn is that -- whomever is hired - he has similar qualities as Chesney or the other guys in the list -- so long as Jarmond gets 86'ed.
Whom do you prefer? What thoughts do you have Dimitri's handicapping the field?
Probably Fisch. He is the most realistic option who has a track record of success. I don't want someone who has no track record. I don't care that Chesney has won at lower levels. There's a big difference between winning the Sun Belt and competing in the Big Ten. There's a big difference between convincing guys who are borderline prospects to come to James Madison and guys who are potential NFL prospects to come to UCLA. Every coaching cycle we see "young" "up and comers" who get hired and have a few good seasons and then flame out. PJ Fleck and Scott Frost were once rising stars. I'm not trying to catch lightning in a bottle. We are not going to accidentally hire Curt Cignetti because our famous search committee are the only guys in the country who sees something in a little known coach.
Isn't Wasserman/SelectCommittee a conflict of interest with Wasserman/FischClient? What if UCLA and Florida offer, and a Washington extension is on the table? How does that work?
Funny that the UCLA coaching/playing tree is detrimental for consideration.
Is UCLA in competition for coaches who may be candidates for the big boy programs that have been poached? The carousel is dizzying.
Hotboard 4.0 must line through candidates in the process of elimination, or outright announce the new HC. And why aren't Joe and DD on the Committee?
Funnily enough, the Hot Board has ended up in the exact spot I would have put it if I were in charge. This Board in particular kinda lines up with the order they want for the top candidate, if that makes sense.
As for the Wasserman/Fisch of it all, my understanding is that Wasserman isn’t driving the bus as far as the search is concerned, and is more acting as an intermediary to the money at UCLA. Myers and Peters are taking point on identifying names (which also explains why this list is so not UCLA in so many ways) and Fisch was a natural option throughout the process, which I agree with. If everyone offered, Florida would take it, and then it’s a toss-up between UCLA and Washington (which I think if UCLA upped the ante, they’d take it so Fisch could reset his market at the very least).
Thanks for updates. Chesney is certainly an interesting candidate, but I’m thinking that a school looking for the next Cignetti might make him a more attractive offer.
Jedd Fisch ? Normally I’d say that somebody who had a front row seat to UCLA dysfunction would steer clear, but then there’s the Wasserman factor…
Feels like Sean Lewis might end up getting the job by default, although I’d sure like them to give Will Stein an interview and have him dazzle the committee…as a head coach he might disintegrate, or he could be the next Lanning or Dillingham. Really, what does UCLA have to lose by taking a big swing…dropping below Purdue ?
Seems that a major objective of the HC search committee is to share kudos if they hire a winner, or to deflect blame if they don't. Troy Aikman had lobbied heavily for Chip Alford the last time the Bruins had a HC search committee, so maybe that's why he's not involved this time around (sole blame recipient). And clueless AD Martin Guerrero completely botched the last HC search situation when he was forced into taking last-minute action that resulted in the current disaster, so I don't understand why he's still around at UCLA today.
How the heck did Wilcox make it onto the list? Have you watched the disaster that is Cal Football or paid attention to how hot that hot seat is? One win over an overrated Louisville causes the blinders to be put up?
Hard pass on Wilcox. Word here in the Bay Area is Ron Rivera is making him "uncomfortable" and that Wilcox was the one who contacted the Bruins not the other way around. He is uninspiring both to players and fans.
I'm doubtful whether the HC search committee is willing to make an aggressive, splashy, big-name HC hire, or seriously considering an up-and-coming, promising HC at a lesser program, or desiring to promote an assistant from a winning program to be the next UCLA HC. I think it would be very unsurprising if the HC search committee is leaning toward a "safer" candidate by targeting someone they're already very familiar with--someone who has a better chance of doing a reasonable job in spite of the existing administrative dysfunction. But regardless of whoever is eventually hired, you could certainly expect the jelly donut AD will be very proud to take credit for displaying his confident ability to hire coaches that win championships (i.e., capable of securing 6-8 wins max and a toilet bowl invitation every season). Best of luck to whoever the new UCLA HC will be!
OK, here's the deal, Dimitri: I'm laying my chips on Chesney going to PSU for two reasons..
(1) Happy Valley* is a ready made, Back-Easty powerhouse that'll take a just a wee bit o' sprucing up to return it to its former glory as a contendah, Stella! With UCLA, he's got a massive decade rebuild job, he's 2,000 miles from the heart of B1G football, and he'll be working for a weapons' grade moron.
(2) If I get my bet down like that, I'll put the whammy on Chesney choosing PSU and coming to Westwood.
By the way, what 's the over/under for The Fetus getting drop-kicked outta his cushy slot?
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Valley_(Pennsylvania)
you're acting like this guy is the cream of the crop on the coaching market with his pick of the litter. What makes you think Penn State has any interest or that the alumni base there would tolerate such a hire?
You make an fair point. I derived my opinion from Dimitri's and Ben Bolch's posts. Also was going for a bit of humor. My major heartburn is that -- whomever is hired - he has similar qualities as Chesney or the other guys in the list -- so long as Jarmond gets 86'ed.
Whom do you prefer? What thoughts do you have Dimitri's handicapping the field?
Probably Fisch. He is the most realistic option who has a track record of success. I don't want someone who has no track record. I don't care that Chesney has won at lower levels. There's a big difference between winning the Sun Belt and competing in the Big Ten. There's a big difference between convincing guys who are borderline prospects to come to James Madison and guys who are potential NFL prospects to come to UCLA. Every coaching cycle we see "young" "up and comers" who get hired and have a few good seasons and then flame out. PJ Fleck and Scott Frost were once rising stars. I'm not trying to catch lightning in a bottle. We are not going to accidentally hire Curt Cignetti because our famous search committee are the only guys in the country who sees something in a little known coach.
Isn't Wasserman/SelectCommittee a conflict of interest with Wasserman/FischClient? What if UCLA and Florida offer, and a Washington extension is on the table? How does that work?
Funny that the UCLA coaching/playing tree is detrimental for consideration.
Is UCLA in competition for coaches who may be candidates for the big boy programs that have been poached? The carousel is dizzying.
Hotboard 4.0 must line through candidates in the process of elimination, or outright announce the new HC. And why aren't Joe and DD on the Committee?
Funnily enough, the Hot Board has ended up in the exact spot I would have put it if I were in charge. This Board in particular kinda lines up with the order they want for the top candidate, if that makes sense.
As for the Wasserman/Fisch of it all, my understanding is that Wasserman isn’t driving the bus as far as the search is concerned, and is more acting as an intermediary to the money at UCLA. Myers and Peters are taking point on identifying names (which also explains why this list is so not UCLA in so many ways) and Fisch was a natural option throughout the process, which I agree with. If everyone offered, Florida would take it, and then it’s a toss-up between UCLA and Washington (which I think if UCLA upped the ante, they’d take it so Fisch could reset his market at the very least).
that's really between him and Fisch now isn't it.
Thanks for updates. Chesney is certainly an interesting candidate, but I’m thinking that a school looking for the next Cignetti might make him a more attractive offer.
Jedd Fisch ? Normally I’d say that somebody who had a front row seat to UCLA dysfunction would steer clear, but then there’s the Wasserman factor…
Feels like Sean Lewis might end up getting the job by default, although I’d sure like them to give Will Stein an interview and have him dazzle the committee…as a head coach he might disintegrate, or he could be the next Lanning or Dillingham. Really, what does UCLA have to lose by taking a big swing…dropping below Purdue ?
UCLA needs a Search Committee to select Sean Lewis? That seems like another lazy hire. Take the big swing.
i don't understand why we need a search committee when we are obviously going to hire someone who is not a big swing.
Optics.
it's bad optics
Seems that a major objective of the HC search committee is to share kudos if they hire a winner, or to deflect blame if they don't. Troy Aikman had lobbied heavily for Chip Alford the last time the Bruins had a HC search committee, so maybe that's why he's not involved this time around (sole blame recipient). And clueless AD Martin Guerrero completely botched the last HC search situation when he was forced into taking last-minute action that resulted in the current disaster, so I don't understand why he's still around at UCLA today.
Interesting that just yesterday you stated rather adamantly and somewhat dismissively that "Penn State isn’t even sniffing around Chesney".
I mean, I do straight up say Chesney is only on the board now as a last resort if they strike out on a bunch of names above him. But you do you.
lmao
How the heck did Wilcox make it onto the list? Have you watched the disaster that is Cal Football or paid attention to how hot that hot seat is? One win over an overrated Louisville causes the blinders to be put up?
Hard pass on Wilcox. Word here in the Bay Area is Ron Rivera is making him "uncomfortable" and that Wilcox was the one who contacted the Bruins not the other way around. He is uninspiring both to players and fans.
hard to blame any coach at that school for what's going on
If you’ve watched his “coaching” over the years, you would. Saying he ran a conservative offense would be offensive to conservative.
I'm doubtful whether the HC search committee is willing to make an aggressive, splashy, big-name HC hire, or seriously considering an up-and-coming, promising HC at a lesser program, or desiring to promote an assistant from a winning program to be the next UCLA HC. I think it would be very unsurprising if the HC search committee is leaning toward a "safer" candidate by targeting someone they're already very familiar with--someone who has a better chance of doing a reasonable job in spite of the existing administrative dysfunction. But regardless of whoever is eventually hired, you could certainly expect the jelly donut AD will be very proud to take credit for displaying his confident ability to hire coaches that win championships (i.e., capable of securing 6-8 wins max and a toilet bowl invitation every season). Best of luck to whoever the new UCLA HC will be!