FB: American Rivers Conference

[Pat Coleman]

It's true.

Holy Cow!!!  What would make GVSU need an OC this time of year???  Did Coach K leave because this is a step up...or is he leaving because he is mad at Wartburg???  Why are the assistants leaving as well???  I can't imagine they would also be getting jobs in Michigan.  This just sounds awfully awfully weird.

Good job Pat for finding some things out.  Please share any info that you can share. 

Wartburg issued a release. We have a story on the front.

[5 Words or Less]

Was the Willis / Koehler relationship strained?
Did Koehler feel micromanaged? (Willis 1 door away and returning as the film coordinator)
Did Koehler's house flood?

Ya, I know 27 words

[Walston Hoover]

This isn't nearly as dramatic as Kohawk remedy is making it out to be and that Doolittle's questions suggest.

Grand Valley's OC resigned 2 weeks ago to take and AD position at a HS in Grand Rapids. Koehler was contacted by Chuck Martin right away and was struggling with the decision. Spent a ton of time talking with Coach WIllis and the only way Koehler was going to leave was if Willis was going to be the coach again. Obviously WIllis wanted to be a coach again after being a finalist at UW-W and SCSU.
Chuck Martin is one of the most up-and-coming coaches in the nation after what he has done at GVSU the past several seasons, will no doubt be moving up the coaching ladder. Coach K is hopping on for the ride with him, and now possibly has a chance to be coaching at a D1 school litterally within months.
Had I found out that Koehler turned this opportunity down, I would have questioned his sanity.
 Again- All assistants are staying, and according to Koehler, the only thing different will be a different guy addressing players at the end of practice, and maybe with Rick back as the head coach, Wartburg will have a chance to win a title again. He left the stable just a little more stocked than what Coach WIllis did when he moved to AD 2 years ago.
 Koehler is flying to Grand Rapids Wednesday morning to relive old times by moving in with Matt Mitchell. He then has 7 days to learn the new offense he will be coaching.
Wartburg is now looking for a QB coach.

It's true.

Holy Cow!!!  What would make GVSU need an OC this time of year???  Did Coach K leave because this is a step up...or is he leaving because he is mad at Wartburg???  Why are the assistants leaving as well???  I can't imagine they would also be getting jobs in Michigan.  This just sounds awfully awfully weird.

Good job Pat for finding some things out.  Please share any info that you can share. 

[Walston Hoover]

Was the Willis / Koehler relationship strained?
Did Koehler feel micromanaged? (Willis 1 door away and returning as the film coordinator)
Did Koehler's house flood?

Ya, I know 27 words

Not strained at all. Koehler went to Willis for guidance throughout the entire process.
WIllis stayed out of the football business. The only reason his office is in the middle of the football coaches is that he was very heavily involved in the design of the new facility and at that time he was serving as AD and coach.
Koehler's house did not flood, but several other assistant coaches did.

[Old Dutch]

Thats a real head scratcher at this point in the year.  Not that it will matter, Willis is still in the program and it will be a seamless transition.  But from the GVSU side, he's got to be a coordinator in name only coming in a week before camp.  the Wartburg release was all about looking ahead and said little about Koehler, which is at it should be.  Maybe some enlightenment on some questions:

Does Koehler have a history with Coach Martin at GVSU? they haven't posted a release yet.
 
Was Koehler looking or did GVSU come calling?  

the Knights are still a most likely favorite in the IIAC.  but now we really have something to jaw about.

[doolittledog]

Very fortunate for Wartburg that Willis was right there and willing to come back.  I think it's ended up better for him he didn't get the St Cloud St. job.  He gets back into coaching which is what he wanted, he doesn't have to move his family, and he is stepping into a winning program with facilities that are as nice as you will find at D3???

[Old Dutch]

Thanks for the scoop WH.  Now that I'm caught up, I still think its odd to move now, but that is what people looking to climb the ladder have to do, and we can only respect Koehler for chasing his dream.

I sure hope McMartin's number is unlisted!!

[sportsknight]

Spent a ton of time talking with Coach WIllis and the only way Koehler was going to leave was if Willis was going to be the coach again.

This sounds right to me.  I figured that this close to the season, the only way Koehler would leave was if he knew that the Wartburg program would be left in able hands when he walked out the door.  With Willis taking over, that is definitely the case.

This is still a veritable bombshell less than a month before camp opens.  Wartburg was likely going to rely on their defense at the beginning of the season anyway, so I'm not sure how much this changes things.  Good for Coach Koehler.  This is a tremendous opportunity for him.

Wartburg is now looking for a QB coach.

Jake Olsen anyone?

[Walston Hoover]

Jake Olsen anyone?

I was thinking more Reed Hoskins. It would be a lot easier for Reed to pack up and move this late in the game than it would for Jake.

Thanks for the scoop WH.  Now that I'm caught up, I still think its odd to move now, but that is what people looking to climb the ladder have to do, and we can only respect Koehler for chasing his dream.

I sure hope McMartin's number is unlisted!!

Koehler was not looking. He got the call from Martin. They do have a connection from before, but it escapes me what that connection is. I believe Coach Willis has a connection to him as well.
It helps that there are 2 former Wartburg guys on staff (as mentioned, Matt Mitchell and Jack Ginn) and actually, maybe a third, is Dave Sartin still on staff out there.
Jeff Beck and Kevin Kehe are Wartburg guys who also were Grad Assistants out there.

[warthog]

According to the GVS football site, Ginn, Mitchell, and "Cheese" Sartin are all on the staff.  It looks like their staff is a Knight reunion.  It certainly looks like Rick Willis is not only a tireless recruiter when it come to players, but he apparently knows a thing or two about recruiting bright young coaches. 

This could be fun. 

It will certainly liven up the golf outing next week.  

[warthog]

Yes, there is a Willis/Martin connection.  They were at Wittenberg at the same time where they both served as football assistants.  Martin was also a baseball assistant at Wittenberg.  Willis was the head baseball coach at Wittenberg.  The bios are a little sketchy so I'm not sure if Martin was an assistant during the time Willis was head coach.

[Walston Hoover]

There are others too.
Mike Tressel is the LB's coach at Michigan State and the aforementioned Jim Louis is the DC at SCSU.
Mark Henninger is also the head coach at North Carolina Wesleyan.

[sportsknight]

Is Wheels still the OC out there?

[footballdaddy]

Thanks for the scoop WH.  Now that I'm caught up, I still think its odd to move now, but that is what people looking to climb the ladder have to do, and we can only respect Koehler for chasing his dream.

I sure hope McMartin's number is unlisted!!

Coach Mac would be the next logical target. 

[Klopenhiemer]

Very interesting how all of this went down.  Bottom line is football is as much of a business as selling financials or the rights to produce the advertising for Honda.  

Some of us will never know the whole story, as Hoover has provided us with an explanation that will suffice for this board.  I will refrain from making any erroneous statments that might not have any merit, but something does seem a bit fishy in my eyes considering statements I heard earlier in the summer regarding the final decision made in open coaching vacancies open in other conferences.  

Congratulations on the move and it will be interesting to see how Wills leads the troops this season.