FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[DoubleO]

A couple pages back there was some discussion regarding the committee vs. AD in the selection of a new FB coach at SJU.  I am not a fan of the committee approach and had an opportunity to question Tom Stock when this started two weeks ago.  I also questioned the lack of Football people and the heavily weighted administration types.  Tom stated that both the process and the people had been "in place for a couple years."  If that is the case, I am more than a little surprised that no one identified the lack of football expertise on the committee as a concern.  I was also told that "the process" would identify and select the best coach available.  I told Tom the process would very little to do with finding a great coach and that great candidates would have opted in regardless of the process.  I also told him that "the process" they are following will have little bearing on whether the new coach is successful or not.

One thing that is needed at SJU immediately is a determination on what the importance of athletics is and how they are willing to demonstrate that to both the public at-large and also to prospective students.  It takes more than lip service from administrators to do so, it takes commitments.  Commitments to student athletes and coaches first.  Commitments to facilities and recruiting.  Commitments to financial aid via growing the overall pool of endowment resources that support this area for the entire student population (as an example; currently the best scholarship package a SJU student could receive totals just north of $18,000 against a sticker price of $40,000 while that same student could be eligible for up to $35,000 at UST against $40,000). 

These are commitments SJU has failed to make recently, instead committing to the Bible Project and the Abbey Guest House among others.  Not bad choices, just different priorities.  Priorities that have little to do with the student life experience (keep in mind students and their families are the clients that SJU receives the vast majority of its revenue from) along with the increase in academic profile for incoming students has had a significant impact on SJU Football and the school as a whole.

BTW- If I was AD (and had the appropriate decision making authority that most ADs have) I would have identified, at most, 5 prospective coaches to visit with immediately.  I would have asked John to join me on these visits and done these interviews on or off campus at the pleasure of the candidates.  On campus visits would be offered to only those coaches I was interested in hiring after our initial interview and on campus activities would be isolated to those that would be helpful in determining fit with students, athletic staff and appropriate administrators.  No punch and cookie socials for everyone!!  Those are stupid and offer no meaningful insight into anything relevant.  I would hire the best coach at the conclusion and offer the necessary financial support toward ensuring programmatic success.

My top three candidates would be:
Mike Grant- for all the obvious reasons.
Mike Van Diest- Carroll College (MT) HC.  6 National Titles (been to 8 title games)  Career record of 157-22.  It worked to poach from Carroll last time.
Vince Kehres- Mount Union DC.  Player or coach on 8 Nation Title teams.  Larry's son.  Been part of only 7 loses in his coaching career.

AMEN!  I was at the luncheon and the overwhelming feeling from those I talked to was this needs to be Stocks decision and his alone.  I'm sure he had no choice and that it's some silly political requirement the school has in place to make sure no one is alienated, so that's the cards he has to play with.  Why even have an A/D if he's not allowed to make his own decisions?

The other item gaining steam from the luncheon is that we as former players and alums need to step up our efforts to help the new coach and staff with identifying and promoting new recruits to SJU.  As Dusty SJU would say, developing...

As far as the new coach, there will never be another John.  PERIOD!  Whomever the new coach is, they will have the full support of the past players and alums to do it their way, not John's way or half of John's way but their way!  Heck, the mention of blocking sleds having to be purchased was even addressed!

Bottom line, SJU Version 2.0 is being made now.  It will have some of the old as well as some new and if it's done right, it has the ability to be better and stronger version than SJU football 1.0 and THAT version was pretty dam good if I say so myself!!!!!!

Count me in at U$T on Saturday and I will be wearing as much SJU red football gear as I possibly can!!  The "old" #67 red sideline jacket is even comming out of storage for this one...

And pulling for?

[johnnie_esq]

Frankie Raj has an updated blog posting-- 25 applicants, now between 6-9 finalists. 

[DuffMan]

And pulling for?

Is "neither" an acceptable answer?

[USTBench]

Frankie Raj has an updated blog posting-- 25 applicants, now between 6-9 finalists. 

Meanwhile, UST has bolstered their future through 2016.

Seriously, it takes some FBS schools 2 days to figure it out. It's not like anyone had to take a train from the middle of Montana agonizing on how to beat Gustavus.

[DoubleO]

And pulling for?

Is "neither" an acceptable answer?

I think neither is better than the answer I was expecting.

[Redtooth]

Thanks 67 and esq.  The comment made about "the process being in place for years" I believe has more to do how to select a new coach and little to do with the who to select...which I would argue is of far greater importance.

In terms of facilities; all of what you have mentioned is accurate but much of it could be pointed out as obsolete.  Fieldhouse and stadium update was in 1997 when today's current players were in early grade school, same with weight room.  Version 1 of the turf was in 2002 and funded by one donor...hardly a SJU commitment given the process we had to follow to approve the project after the gift.  Version 2 of the turf was mostly covered by the football program setting aside football revenue for 10 years as required by the original agreement.  The press box/suites/etc. has been for the benefit of select fans/VPs/Regents that like that sort of experience and has been used to advance other SJU fundraising initiatives (non Athletic).  My bigger concern with these items has been lack of consistency with institutional support...too many years pass between support and that is particularly true with the coaches when asked.  Everybody (administrators) like the shiny, fancy and successful sportscar that is the football program, but they fail to realize you can't go 5+ years between washings.

UST does desire credit for the success they have had under Caruso.  They have recruited well, played hard and won.  The one item that goes along with recruiting success that has been overlooked is institutional alignment on what type of student to recruit.  SJU for as long as I can remember has had to fight with admissions on message.  Admissions runs around telling every kid that plays or played football they can come.  Football has always argued for some level of quality control on that message and prefers to be more truthful.  SJU Football is not and should not be easy.  Expectations are and should be high.  I used to evaluate my offensive linemen on the basis of whether or not I could play them against Mount Union and win.  The fact that Glen Caruso in a recent TV interview said nearly the same thing tells me he and his staff get it and have worked to convince the other departments that play a role in getting a kid to come get it as well.

[oldsju67]

Thanks 67 and esq.  The comment made about "the process being in place for years" I believe has more to do how to select a new coach and little to do with the who to select...which I would argue is of far greater importance.

In terms of facilities; all of what you have mentioned is accurate but much of it could be pointed out as obsolete.  Fieldhouse and stadium update was in 1997 when today's current players were in early grade school, same with weight room.  Version 1 of the turf was in 2002 and funded by one donor...hardly a SJU commitment given the process we had to follow to approve the project after the gift.  Version 2 of the turf was mostly covered by the football program setting aside football revenue for 10 years as required by the original agreement.  The press box/suites/etc. has been for the benefit of select fans/VPs/Regents that like that sort of experience and has been used to advance other SJU fundraising initiatives (non Athletic).  My bigger concern with these items has been lack of consistency with institutional support...too many years pass between support and that is particularly true with the coaches when asked.  Everybody (administrators) like the shiny, fancy and successful sportscar that is the football program, but they fail to realize you can't go 5+ years between washings.

UST does desire credit for the success they have had under Caruso.  They have recruited well, played hard and won.  The one item that goes along with recruiting success that has been overlooked is institutional alignment on what type of student to recruit.  SJU for as long as I can remember has had to fight with admissions on message.  Admissions runs around telling every kid that plays or played football they can come.  Football has always argued for some level of quality control on that message and prefers to be more truthful.  SJU Football is not and should not be easy.  Expectations are and should be high.  I used to evaluate my offensive linemen on the basis of whether or not I could play them against Mount Union and win.  The fact that Glen Caruso in a recent TV interview said nearly the same thing tells me he and his staff get it and have worked to convince the other departments that play a role in getting a kid to come get it as well.

AMEN AGAIN!!!  Redtooth it's almost like I know you and played with you.

As for this Sat game, mostly neutral.  I just like to watch good football, that being said in order to make purple you need to mix in some RED!!!!!  So I might just have to lean a little, JUST A LITTLE, to the.....ummm....cough.... tommies.  Puke.....

Overheard at the luncheon, "Wouldn't it be great if the Tommies did win the National Championship, SJU announced their new coach right after the game?"  Talk about stealing someones thunder!

[johnnie_esq]

Thanks 67 and esq.  The comment made about "the process being in place for years" I believe has more to do how to select a new coach and little to do with the who to select...which I would argue is of far greater importance.

In terms of facilities; all of what you have mentioned is accurate but much of it could be pointed out as obsolete.  Fieldhouse and stadium update was in 1997 when today's current players were in early grade school, same with weight room.  Version 1 of the turf was in 2002 and funded by one donor...hardly a SJU commitment given the process we had to follow to approve the project after the gift.  Version 2 of the turf was mostly covered by the football program setting aside football revenue for 10 years as required by the original agreement.  The press box/suites/etc. has been for the benefit of select fans/VPs/Regents that like that sort of experience and has been used to advance other SJU fundraising initiatives (non Athletic).  My bigger concern with these items has been lack of consistency with institutional support...too many years pass between support and that is particularly true with the coaches when asked.  Everybody (administrators) like the shiny, fancy and successful sportscar that is the football program, but they fail to realize you can't go 5+ years between washings.

UST does desire credit for the success they have had under Caruso.  They have recruited well, played hard and won.  The one item that goes along with recruiting success that has been overlooked is institutional alignment on what type of student to recruit.  SJU for as long as I can remember has had to fight with admissions on message.  Admissions runs around telling every kid that plays or played football they can come.  Football has always argued for some level of quality control on that message and prefers to be more truthful.  SJU Football is not and should not be easy.  Expectations are and should be high.  I used to evaluate my offensive linemen on the basis of whether or not I could play them against Mount Union and win.  The fact that Glen Caruso in a recent TV interview said nearly the same thing tells me he and his staff get it and have worked to convince the other departments that play a role in getting a kid to come get it as well.

I get what you mean on the facilities.  I disagree to a point when relating quality of facilities as to other programs (D3 and D2), but I understand what you mean in terms of focus and priority of where it stands. I would go further and say that the institutional support doesn't just lack in football, it's in everything-- as the school is trying to be all things to all people instead of picking a focus and being damn good at it.

I strongly agree on the admissions message, however. There is a script they have and they don't want to stray from it, ever.  Even when their script is downright wrong for the time/place, they won't deviate and want everybody associated with the school to do the same. I told someone early on that this hiring, more than any other, will be an epic power struggle inside the school between academics, IA, and admissions, with only a limited focus on the football.  How it comes out will tell us more about where the school is headed instead of any speech or other words spoken by Stock or Hemeseth. 

[sfury]

So to figure out the coaching finalists, who's going to track Bill Sexton's private plane as it jets around the country, hauling the committee?

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2012/11/29/3707456/auburn-coaching-search-chris-petersen-gary-patterson

[iheartfootball]

Tiffs Will have a shuttle that runs to and from the game.

[mattvsmith]

+K to RedTooth for some very well thought out and expressed comments. Great background information.

[OzJohnnie]

Good luck Tommies and merry Christmas everyone. The Oz family Christmas tree is going up today.

[OzJohnnie]

All this talk about facilities at SJU is a little blind and forgetful I think. Just two seasons ago they put those super boxes on top of the stands and last year they added lights. It's not like nothing is going on.

[218Tommie]

A few of you may be disappointed, or happy, for the postgame festivities. The Santa Pub Crawl starts at 5 tomorrow, so I'll be partaking in that. Might have to wear the outfit to the game, that or the old gear. We'll see. And yes Bench, one of the stops in Plums (I may need a few there) and Tiffs so I can get charged twice. Dee's Double Drop

[ron doney]

Small thought on facilities: $20M builds the facilities, but doesn't necessarily support them. What type of operating budget does SJU have to dedicate $X dollars specifically toward football facilities. That's probably going to be the limiting factor in the facility discussion. The operating budget is generally tied to enrollment.  When thinking new facilities at SJU, I'd guess quality over quantity. Smaller means less heat/electric and less man power. This isn't a bad thing, could be an advantage to have higher quality even with less features.