Any word on the Ville?

[Fightingscot82]

The problem is ADs are terrified to do it alone. If the coach flops (many do) it falls solely back on the AD. He could then be looking for a new job. Hence the popularity of the infamous search committees. They are a fancy term for CYA insurance. You always want somebody else to blame for mistakes. At our level here in the bus leagues there isn't the gigantic pressure that hiring a new coach involves in the P5 level. Up there they have committees, mega boosters, etc. All want their say.

For PASSHE schools, search committees are actually required by the coaches union contract. The ONLY time a full search can be avoided is with presidential approval - usually because there's a clear hire to be made such as an internal. Are you thinking of search firms? Those are usually the maligned variables in a failed hire at FBS.

[Fightingscot82]

First, its insane that Gene Carpenter had just 3 losing seasons in 31 at Millersville.

I'll admit that I've been fooled by a few Millersville hires. I think the fatal error is that most were good coordinators who weren't good head coaches. The only exception, Kevin Kiesel, was a successful head coach at FCS Fairfield, but they're private so little fundraising and using coupon codes instead of scholarship dollars. Joe Trainer was DC at New Haven and Villanova. Greg Colby was DC at Northwestern. Greg Breitbach was OC at North Dakota, who were a top D2 program in his time there. With JC Morgan, they are again getting a first time head coach but at least hired from not just D2 but within the conference with a coach who knows how things work for PASSHE & PSAC.

The variable as IUPbigINDIANS said is about resources. You can only go so far in annual donations and a golf outing. Where do ticket sales go? Do they hold any other big fundraisers? Are there really any major gift prospects?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

For PASSHE schools, search committees are actually required by the coaches union contract. The ONLY time a full search can be avoided is with presidential approval - usually because there's a clear hire to be made such as an internal. Are you thinking of search firms? Those are usually the maligned variables in a failed hire at FBS.

Yes. My mistake. Search firms seem to be the ultimate CYA activity.

[Fightingscot82]

Yes. My mistake. Search firms seem to be the ultimate CYA activity.

I've been both a candidate through a search firm and on the hiring side. One upside is that they do a lot of the front end work for you: advertising, generating leads, impromptu background checks, answering questions, etc. If you're in the middle of the school year or you want to do a truly national search beyond just advertising, sometimes its worth paying for that. Especially in marquis programs.