Quote from: bulk19 on February 10, 2006, 04:57:01 PM
Just out of curiousity, to the posters here who played D3 football...

Regarding the UWEC coaching vacancy... I see the list doesn't include Joe LaBuda again... But I am wondering, if you were a junior, or a senior going off to college next year, how much of a factor would the coach be in where to go?

Someone like LaBuda has won a lot; most high school kids probably know his name. He's won at the high school level, but is taking a step up to a higher level, where one might expect growing pains in the first season or two? Granted, most freshman don't start, but it might take a season or two for the new coach to get things rolling...

Also, how much of a factor do the returning starters have on a decision, too? And, high school teammates, too? How do the facitilities play into the equation?

EC has had a decent team during the Hoffner years, and
great facilities, so there is a bit of recent success and tradition there... But how much will a new coach factor into that decision???

I didn't play D3 sports, so I am just curious how players make their decisions on where to go???

I think any number of factors play into a D3 decision: location (most D3 players play within 75 miles of their hometown), type of offense (a QB who wants to fling the ball 45 times/game will go to Platteville; an option QB will go to RF), how well they seem to click with the coach who is recruiting them and the school itself. A kid who wants to become an engineer isn't going to pick Eau Claire (w/o any kind of engineering program) over Platteville. A kid who wants to be a forest ranger is going to go to Point, future athletic trainers will go to La Crosse, etc.

EC should be able to attract kids because it is one of the best academic schools in the conference and has a beautiful campus (*cough* with plenty of bars right across the river*cough*). I think the new coach will play into it somewhat. Remember how most of these kids stick close to home? Almost any Wisconsin high school kid within 75 miles of Menomonie had heard of Menomonie and LaBuda. The key would be how well LaBuda and his staff would fare in getting kids from Minnesota.

In the end, I don't think Joe gets the job -- if Glaser applies for it, it would be very tough to turn down a guy who has D3 head coaching experience, a former UWEC player and coach and a guy who already has recruiting contacts in the area from his days as EC's DC. From what I heard, he was a very good recruiter at EC.

Here is the thing about LaBuda: he wasn't officially offered the UWEC job when Nielsen was hired, but was the front-runner. When EC and Stout offered him their job, he always made huge demands...when Stout offered him the job, he demanded that all of the remaining assistants be fired so he could bring his own people in and demanded a salary at least 15K higher than what Stout ended up paying Strop. When EC approached him, he demanded a whole bunch of $$ be put into facilities improvements -- more than they were willing to commit to. Unless he has changed his ways in that regard, I doubt EC will end up hiring him.

I wonder if Glaser will apply -- if he does, he would have to be considered the front-runner. It's too bad Caruso isn't available: I always thought he would make an excellent HC.