Coaches on the Hot Seat

[CALUPA69]

And certainly the "hottest" coach at Shippensburg in recent years was offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, who went on to the same position with Oklahoma State, now coaches QBs and the passing game at Ohio State, and undoubtedly makes many times the salary of any PSAC head coach.

Pretty successful for a CAL U grad. Per WIKI current salary is $900,000. More importantly he would likely be considered for a lot of stable, well funded HC jobs that would carry the 42 year old into his retirement range. Not necessarily RYAN DAY $4.5 million territory but certainly enough to keep his family comfortable.

[Tony33]

Pretty successful for a CAL U grad. Per WIKI current salary is $900,000. More importantly he would likely be considered for a lot of stable, well funded HC jobs that would carry the 42 year old into his retirement range. Not necessarily RYAN DAY $4.5 million territory but certainly enough to keep his family comfortable.

I selected the wrong profession. One day I'll be out there coaching, one day soon.

[GoldenRam94]

I think he would have pursued it a while ago, but once they hired KC Keeler, that mood may have changed.

Was told years ago it came down to Keeler and Zwaan. Big difference between the two? Keeler stayed close to Tubby and the program. Zwaan did things his way and did not seek counsel in the ways Keeler did.

That was many years ago, and with the Health scares Zwaan faced last year I think he is content where he is in a low pressure job.

[ESU Warrior]

And certainly the "hottest" coach at Shippensburg in recent years was offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, who went on to the same position with Oklahoma State, now coaches QBs and the passing game at Ohio State, and undoubtedly makes many times the salary of any PSAC head coach.

I remember reading an article on his hiring at Oklahoma State. What coach Gundy was looking for in an OC, and how they met was pretty cool. I wish I could track it down and post it here, but good for him. It shows that there are talented coaches at all levels of football.

[ESU Warrior]

And certainly the "hottest" coach at Shippensburg in recent years was offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, who went on to the same position with Oklahoma State, now coaches QBs and the passing game at Ohio State, and undoubtedly makes many times the salary of any PSAC head coach.

It didn't take me long. It was an ESPN article.

https://www.espn.com/college-footbal...nator-internet

[shipfbfan12]

Here's a question if Yurich never left Edinboro for Ship would he have ever landed that position at Oklahoma State? Remember he had full control of the offense including personnel at Ship, not quite sure he had the same freedom at Edinboro although his offenses at Boro were pretty good with a limited funded program. When Trevor Harris hangs up the cleats I could see him maybe returning to coach at Boro.

[LHUEaglez]

LHU Coach Taynor, another great coaching performance at Ship, HA! RB ended game w/ 205 yds rushing, but insisted on trying to throw the ball 25 times in the first half which resulted in a 44-20 defecit! You know your defense struggles so why not try to play a ball possession game, hell no! chucking the ball down field (even though middle of the field was open again, like all year; but we'll get to that later) thankfully a couple pass interference calls against Ship helped out or it would've been even worse. Then like all year; when down in the second half the HC switches to calling short quick passes (that the qb has shown to do very well) and run the ball which the team has done very well all year; but by that point game was out of hand! Different week same mistakes: fumbles, interceptions on forced throws, a delay of game penalty on a conversion following a td? (that play should be ready to be called), defense can't tackle (arm tackling! Note to coaching staff have to reinforce good fundamentals like tackling!), DB's can't cover but giving 3-5 yard cushion off line of scrimmage and a safety that never seems to be playing "safety"? Another week off HC's undersized 3 man front against a team with a big OL and a 230 lb FB, thankfully Ship looked to be trying out different stuff in second half and went away from running the ball w/ FB or it would've been worse! Annual player defections have started early with wr/returner quitting team this past week, kid transferred in from another school and had speed and had made some very talented catches; but wasn't being played much and rumor has it coach told him it was because he was too short? never mind the fact that when he did get a chance he demonstrated that he could play! HC's built in excuse of we're a young team; but when you can't retain players you'll always be a young team! Any improvement in any aspect of the team's performance would demonstrate some coaching and developing of the players! HC recently started emphasizing that every week the team is 0-0, well this isn't a video game and there isn't a reset button! Your record is your record and the scores are the scores! Which just happens to be 1-8 this year and 11-42 since you've been at LHU and your Defense is averaging giving up 50+ pts. a game!

[LHUEaglez]

One more thing, and probably the most disturbing thing: Watching the LHU HC laughing and smiling as he walked off the field following another embarrassing loss! I wasn't the only one that noticed it, I actually heard a players parent commenting on it also. Those kids actually out on the field running the plays and defense that he calls didn't look happy losing like that, again!

[jrshooter]

LHU Coach Taynor, another great coaching performance at Ship, HA! RB ended game w/ 205 yds rushing, but insisted on trying to throw the ball 25 times in the first half which resulted in a 44-20 defecit! You know your defense struggles so why not try to play a ball possession game, hell no! chucking the ball down field (even though middle of the field was open again, like all year; but we'll get to that later) thankfully a couple pass interference calls against Ship helped out or it would've been even worse. Then like all year; when down in the second half the HC switches to calling short quick passes (that the qb has shown to do very well) and run the ball which the team has done very well all year; but by that point game was out of hand! Different week same mistakes: fumbles, interceptions on forced throws, a delay of game penalty on a conversion following a td? (that play should be ready to be called), defense can't tackle (arm tackling! Note to coaching staff have to reinforce good fundamentals like tackling!), DB's can't cover but giving 3-5 yard cushion off line of scrimmage and a safety that never seems to be playing "safety"? Another week off HC's undersized 3 man front against a team with a big OL and a 230 lb FB, thankfully Ship looked to be trying out different stuff in second half and went away from running the ball w/ FB or it would've been worse! Annual player defections have started early with wr/returner quitting team this past week, kid transferred in from another school and had speed and had made some very talented catches; but wasn't being played much and rumor has it coach told him it was because he was too short? never mind the fact that when he did get a chance he demonstrated that he could play! HC's built in excuse of we're a young team; but when you can't retain players you'll always be a young team! Any improvement in any aspect of the team's performance would demonstrate some coaching and developing of the players! HC recently started emphasizing that every week the team is 0-0, well this isn't a video game and there isn't a reset button! Your record is your record and the scores are the scores! Which just happens to be 1-8 this year and 11-42 since you've been at LHU and your Defense is averaging giving up 50+ pts. a game!

I understand and empathize with your frustration, really I do. It just seems to me if you're sitting on the LHU side, Saturday may have been cause for a glass-half-full outlook.

1) I truly believe they stepped their game up here. They had two kids making some serious moves offensively. The defense, yes, it stunk. But so does Mac's, and that's a team that's perennially been an East contender. Seems Shepherd and ESU didn't tear it up defensively on Saturday, either.

2) There was a healthy period of the first half in which you owned Ship, really had them on the ropes.

3) You did this without the services of your 100-ypg running back. (I still don't know what the deal is with Swartz.) So that should indicate that your offense isn't THAT far off.

[LHUEaglez]

I believe Swartz was injured?

[jrshooter]

Thought it had to be that. Thanks.

[iupgroundhog]

One more thing, and probably the most disturbing thing: Watching the LHU HC laughing and smiling as he walked off the field following another embarrassing loss! I wasn't the only one that noticed it, I actually heard a players parent commenting on it also. Those kids actually out on the field running the plays and defense that he calls didn't look happy losing like that, again!

I can feel your pain, too. I played on all of those athletic fields as a youth. My family has been connected to LHU for over 100 years.

Hopefully, they can turn it around. However, it is not an "overnight" process.

As listed on the LHU football website their record for the last 10 seasons is 17-89, a .160 winning %. For the previous 10 years, which included the bulk of their 6 year winless streak, it is probably about the same winning % (losing % ?). The fact is that over the last 30 years LHU has won less than 20% of their games and many of those rare wins were over Mansfield and Cheyney, 2 schools that no longer participate in NCAA Football.

I think they got a bump in the program when John Allen took the helm in 2010 (or 2011?). He parachuted into LHU from Penn State after the Sandusky scandal. It was a small bump. He was able to recruit to Lock Haven but he left for greener (no pun intended) pastures after 4 or 5 years.

I don't think the problems right now can be heaped 100% on the HC. There are problems with fundraising, facilities, location, and the reputation cannot be ignored (failure tends to breed failure just like success breeds success).

I would like to think there is a pulse up there on the beautiful banks of the Susquehanna. We shall see. I don't think the new LHU President (who might be the best President in the PASSHE) is happy with losing so that could be a good thing for the program.

[LHUEaglez]

I appreciate your empathy, GroundHog, Thanks! But; we're not talking about overnight w/ this HC. He's been there for 5 years now and his best year was with the players brought in by the previous coach and his best year of recruiting was following that year, that most of the talented RSoph and Jr that are on the team now. But he's lost starters, all conf. players and others have chosen not to play their final year. He can't retain players and even coaches! Only one asst. coach has more than 2 yrs on his staff and after this defensive performance this year if the defensive coordinator (3rd in 3yrs.) & assistants are back next year that should be grounds enough for firing him! One of the biggest thing for recruits is if the coaches recruiting him are gonna be there, hell a kid being recruited in January isn't guaranteed his recruiting coach will be there when he comes up for his spring game visit! All of these should be red flags to the AD & Univ Pres.! I understand it takes time; but there hasn't been any demonstrated improvement let alone consistency other than losing games, players and assistant coaches!

[Ship69]

I can feel your pain, too. I played on all of those athletic fields as a youth. My family has been connected to LHU for over 100 years.

Hopefully, they can turn it around. However, it is not an "overnight" process.

As listed on the LHU football website their record for the last 10 seasons is 17-89, a .160 winning %. For the previous 10 years, which included the bulk of their 6 year winless streak, it is probably about the same winning % (losing % ?). The fact is that over the last 30 years LHU has won less than 20% of their games and many of those rare wins were over Mansfield and Cheyney, 2 schools that no longer participate in NCAA Football.

I think they got a bump in the program when John Allen took the helm in 2010 (or 2011?). He parachuted into LHU from Penn State after the Sandusky scandal. It was a small bump. He was able to recruit to Lock Haven but he left for greener (no pun intended) pastures after 4 or 5 years.

I don't think the problems right now can be heaped 100% on the HC. There are problems with fundraising, facilities, location, and the reputation cannot be ignored (failure tends to breed failure just like success breeds success).

I would like to think there is a pulse up there on the beautiful banks of the Susquehanna. We shall see. I don't think the new LHU President (who might be the best President in the PASSHE) is happy with losing so that could be a good thing for the program.

With a few exceptions, they've always seemed to have trouble getting a football program together at Lock Haven. Maybe it's the location; I'm not going to pretend I have any idea why. The game program Saturday said Ship has defeated Lock Haven more than any other of its opponents and after Saturday's game Ship now holds a 54-18-3 lifetime edge over Lock Haven and has beaten them 16 straight times. Coach Morgan at Millersville was know for being an effective recruiter, and I think there's a chance he might get them back at least to competitive status. I'm not so sure about Lock Haven. I'd like to see a lot of teams in the league get stronger (heck, including Ship this year). Too many bad football games right now.

[Bart]

I recall Bloom went 1-10 in 1981 under Coach Boler. It was his last year coaching at Bloom. He played for Bear Bryant who recommended him for the job. Boler was a professor in the Physical Education Department. The final straw was losing to ville 72-0. Never forget. Now we have beaten the ville 19 straight.

In 1982 Bloom went outside the Physical Education Department to hire a coach. George Landis turned ii around and they won the PSAC Championship in 1985. Don't give up hope.