FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Joe Wally]

FootballScoop says it's Bullis:

http://footballscoop.com/the-scoop

You could almost hear the collective "sigh" from the state of Indiana. 



If that's the case, I'm happy with it. Football Scoop did break the Lance story, so I assume they know what they're talking about.

Now onto the guessing game for his coordinators, who Bullis says he already has picked out.

What do you mean "almost."  You need to get your hearing checked!

[KitchenSink]

The Royal Purple says it's Bullis, also.  And that Brady Grayvold tweeted it, too.

Looks like a done deal.

Good luck, Coach!!

[sigma one]

With good sources pointing to Coach Bullis, congratulations to UWW and to its new head coach.  On the Wabash side, ER will return to a team poised to win the NCAC next year.  He's never lost more than two games in a season at Wabash.  I for one don't begrudge him going after one of the two most successful programs in DIII.  I know he would have gone after the job at his alma mater if the circumstances would have permitted.
     I'm just glad it's over.
     

[voice]

The Royal Purple says it's Bullis, also.  And that Brady Grayvold tweeted it, too.

Looks like a done deal.

Good luck, Coach!!

Royal Purple is not displaying proper journalism. It's Web story says the RP indicates that when they contacted Kevin Bullis today he told them that has not been contacted that he is the school's choice and the RP indicates the RP was unable to contact Amy Edmonds prior to the stories publication. She has also not made the selection public in any way as of mid-afternoon. 

I've spent many years highly cognizant of the importance of solid journalistic ethics when writing stories via my employment as the longtime radio voice of Warhawk football or being the owner and publisher of Warhawkfootball.com.

Today's premature online article saddens me.

[OzJohnnie]

I find leaks like that interesting. It's most likely an insider since its a positive identification of the winner rather than an elimination of a loser. Maybe all the unsuccessful candidates leaked their loss and the winner was obvious, but easier to believe an insider leaked.

No real conclusions here. Just interesting.

[voice]

One other Warhawk fooball news note this afternoon... Brady Grayvold just tweeted that he is "proud to announce that he has signed with NFLPA agent Gary Leibowitz of Cole Schotz PA out of Baltimore, Maryland. The dream gets to continue."
Good luck Brady!! Looking forward to drive to an NFL rookie camp to watch you later this spring.

[emma17]

If the rumor is true, congrats to Coach Bullis. 
I look forward to supporting him and the program.

The same is true if the rumor isn't true. 

[emma17]

Ex,
I will give you some examples, as worthless as it is.  Let's get something straight first though. 
Although you're not as disgracefully guilty as Wally is of twisting words in order to strengthen a weak arguement, you're still playing word games.  You claim that I said:

You have now said multiple times that "many coaches with D1 aspirations" passed on UWW because it wasn't a good stepping-off point any more

What I actually said, and what I asked that you specifically argue against is:

What I absolutely believe is that there are likely many highly qualified coaches (D2 non HC's, D3 HC's and assistants) with D1 aspirations that don't believe the UWW job is the best route for them to achieve their goal.   

Perhaps it's not a big issue and you meant nothing by it.  But when I say "there are LIKELY" (sorry to go all cap but it seems you're unwilling to acknowledge my use of this word) many highly qualified coaches..., it means that I think there are likely many coaches.  It doesn't mean that I know there ARE many coaches.   That is more than a subtle difference, and in my opinion you chose to manipulate my words. 

That said, let's play your game anyway.  So, what coaches could fit (could means possibly) the description of a coach that might (might means maybe, but I don't know for a fact) have D1 aspirations but don't think that UWW is a good Stepping Off opportunity?
The NAIA championship game involved Southern Oregon vs. Marian. 
Southern Oregon had a heck of an offense led by OC Ken Fasnacht.  Since I wouldn't know Ken if he patted me on the back, I've no idea what his ambitions are.  But let's say ol Ken wants to be a head coach in D1.  Ken sees that the UWW HC job is open- so now ol Ken needs to decide, how does this fit into my goal of making it to D1?  Well says he, if I got the HC job there, and I was able to win championships consistently, I'd make a name for myself and get some D1 attention at least.  However, will a D1 AD, that is most likely looking to rebuild a failed program, look at my record at UWW and have the confidence in me to stand up to the public scrutiny that goes along with hiring a D3 guy?  Ol Ken is smart enough to recognize that the AD is going to have to overcome the concern that Ken stepped into a great situation where the program was already at championship caliber.  Ken envisions the D1 AD envisioning his press conference if he were to hire Ken- where the AD is asked "how does Ken's success in maintaining an existing championship program translate to actually building a program from the bottom"?  Ken realizes that's a tough question the AD will have to answer and Ken knows that the only thing the AD can say is that he "believes in Ken".  But Ken knows, a D1 AD isn't likely to risk his/her job on believing something he/she hasn't actually seen happen.  Ken sighs as he comes to grips with the reality that as much as he'd love to be the next UWW head coach, no matter how good he does there, he'll likely never be looked at as a guy that has the ability to build a program.  After much discernment, he decides a better approach is to send his impressive OC resume to some D2 and D1 schools that have openings at the receiver's coach, running back's coach, run game coordinator or similar offensive assistant openings.  He will work his way up the ladder that way.

The above is basically the story that could have played out in the minds of countless coaches with D1 aspirations that considered throwing their names in the UWW hat.
There are roughly 239 D3 head coaches, and maybe 75% of them (just guessing, which means I don't know for sure) have OC's and DC's as well as HC's.  That's 179 OC's and 179 DC's, plus 238 HC's that might consider the UWW job.  Of those, how many HC's just aren't interested in leaving?  Probably a whole lot because they want to build their own programs, they have that confidence and ego that drives them to want to succeed where they are at.  You need specifics, so I'll guess that only 50 HC's would consider leaving their job for the UWW job.  Of those 50, I'd guess 30 might have D1 aspirations. 
Thus, 30 D3 HC's go through the thought process I outlined above.  Of the 30 that think it through, I'll guess at least 20 decide against applying.  That leaves 20 HC's that do apply without D1 aspirations and 10 that apply with D1 aspirations. 
Who might some of those 20 with D1 aspirations be that might have chose not to apply you ask?
Obviously I have no idea of their real names.  But let's focus on the teams that UWW has played of late since that would leave a good impression on an aspiring coaches' mind. 
Coach Jennison from Macalaster.  He's a younger guy with a good future. 
Coach Walker from River Falls, same as above.
Coach Thorne (the younger) from North Central.

I'll stop at 3 D3 HC examples.  Now, how many of the 358 D3 OC's and DC's may have D1 aspirations and chose not to apply for the HC job at UWW? Probably a few. 
 
There are 92 NAIA schools.  Let's assume the HC's won't apply, they have OC's and DC's too- close to 184 of them. How many with D1 aspirations decided not to apply, probably a few.   
There are 156 D2 schools.  I don't think the D2 HC will come to D3, but perhaps an OC or DC would-that's a pool of 312 coordinators. How many have D1 aspirations that decided not to apply to UWW?  Probably a few.
Between the D3 HC's (20), the coordinators (some % of 358), the NAIA coordinators (some % of 184) and the D2 coordinators (some % of 312),
wouldn't you have to say:

there are likely many highly qualified coaches [/i](D2 non HC's, D3 HC's and assistants) with D1 aspirations that don't believe the UWW job is the best route for them to achieve their goal.

?

Is it really that hard to accept that there's a big universe of coaches out there and many of them may not think UWW is the best stepping off point for their D1 aspirations?

[emma17]

Now, if you're an aspiring D1 coach, UWW is a great place to apply as an OC or DC.

[bleedpurple]

Now, if you're an aspiring D1 coach, UWW is a great place to apply as an OC or DC.

Now THAT is a good line. +K

[bleedpurple]

I think bleedpurple was all over this very early on, before the finalist panels happened.  Big credit there. 

I will admit that I underestimated Bullis on first glance- I didn't realize that he had as much time in the game as he does.  He's got a lot more experience than your average D3 assistant coach.  Ultimately I think we all win (if the scoop is correct).  I think UWW fans got the guy they wanted.  Wabash fans keep their guy.  And hopefully this event has resolved itself in the most win-win way it possibly could have.

Thanks Wally. I appreciate it. And if the rumors are true, then I agree there a lot of winners.  I know I posted this earlier, but I really like Coach Raeburn. He is a great guy. It was really fun meeting all the candidates.  The experience really reinforced what I already knew.  Football coaches are awesome.    Being in the room with a "guy's guy" who has leadership and motivational ability is a lot of fun.

[houdini]

Jeff Donavan was here to play baseball.  Football was secondary.  It was LL who talked Jeff into dropping baseball for a year, get in the weight room, and be a team leader.  (Believe me when I say the head baseball coach was pissed)

So how did that talk go?  Jeff you're wasting your time going to class to stay eligible for baseball...

[bleedpurple]

Nothing official from UW-W just yet. So...to finish the process:

"Head Coach Finalist Report: Erik Raeburn"

www.warhawkfootball.com

[sigma one]

Thanks for your last post, bleedpurple.  You captured the essence of ER. 

[wally_wabash]

But Ken knows, a D1 AD isn't likely to risk his/her job on believing something he/she hasn't actually seen happen.  Ken sighs as he comes to grips with the reality that as much as he'd love to be the next UWW head coach, no matter how good he does there, he'll likely never be looked at as a guy that has the ability to build a program. 

I think you're overplaying this a bit.  Leipold took over a team that was already championship caliber...it's not like he took over River Falls and turned it into a dynasty.   Totally true that Leipold solved the Mount Union conundrum and that is no small feat, but that all by itself doesn't constitute the kind of program building that you're saying is prerequisite for D1 ADs to take notice.