Who will be the next Valdosta HC..

[UNALions]

Now the interim coach is gone along with most of the staff.

Prairie View A&M (FCS - TX): Per source, Valdosta State (D-II - GA) defensive coordinator Brandon Andersen has been named to the same post at Prairie View A&M. Also coming from Valdosta State are Trent Early, who will be co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, Darren Garrigan as defensive backs coach and Brice Carlson as offensive line coach and run game coordinator.

[UNALions]

What about Buster Faulkner? Would he take the pay cut to become the HC where he played and started his coaching career?

[Rational Observer]

What about Buster Faulkner? Would he take the pay cut to become the HC where he played and started his coaching career?

He's making $1 million at GT. Jackson was making $138K. You do the math.

[UNALions]

He's making $1 million at GT. Jackson was making $138K. You do the math.

True.

[Finchwidget]

Footballscoop reports that VSU has narrowed the candidate pool to at least 3: Sparky McEwen, HC at Davenport, along with "a former FBS assistant at a Group of Five program and a coach with previous ties to the Gulf South Conference"

Also has this tidbit in there:

Multiple sources have shared that in their conversations with Valdosta State decision makers in their search, there seems to be an unwillingness, or at the very least a hesitation, to provide the type of contract to a head coach that would allow a quality coach the security to build the consistent winner the fan base clearly craves.

https://footballscoop.com/news/an-up...valdosta-state

[Matt Witwicki]

Sparky at Davenport makes a lot of sense. They’ve used the portal often up there..similar to Tremaine in his stay.

The way they described the others is extremely vague.

Thanks for the update.

[UNALions]

Footballscoop reports that VSU has narrowed the candidate pool to at least 3: Sparky McEwen, HC at Davenport, along with "a former FBS assistant at a Group of Five program and a coach with previous ties to the Gulf South Conference"

Also has this tidbit in there:

https://footballscoop.com/news/an-up...valdosta-state

Very interesting full read! Thanks for sharing!!

[Eagle74]

VSU is an excellent school and has a very good football program with a great tradition of winning.
Add in the fact that Valdosta is a pretty nice place to live.

Shouldn't be very hard to attract a high quality D2 football coach with a winning record. Just hire the very best possible coach and don't just settle. You no longer have to make it complicated.

[Blazer88]

A coach with the name Sparky would be great for the Blazers right.

[Eagle74]

A coach with the name Sparky would be great for the Blazers right.

If he has a good reputation, lots of experience, with very good winning record. With any new hire theses days, those are the main and only three boxes that need a be checked. VSU is in a position where they can be a bit picky and not have to settle. Having a unique name doesn't hurt, but it doesn't help win football games.

[Matt Witwicki]

VSU is an excellent school and has a very good football program with a great tradition of winning.
Add in the fact that Valdosta is a pretty nice place to live.

Shouldn't be very hard to attract a high quality D2 football coach with a winning record. Just hire the very best possible coach and don't just settle. You no longer have to make it complicated.

I think there’s a complicator or two here that aren’t being mentioned much. Other coaches know it.

What conferences will VSU be playing in going forward? There’s 4 teams playing GSC football next year and going forward. West FLA is showing some signs of maybe moving D1 (facilities etc) and VSU isn’t at that spot..as they need new turf and share a field with the local HS team. Paying out $$ to the Conference Carolina’s for games and further travel for games doesn’t feel sustainable, so the future plans of the conference have to be a worry. Let’s be frank here, this isn’t the GSC of years ago with West GA and UNA.

VSU playing with mid 20’s scholarships is another thing that would seemingly be a concern for a new coach. Ferris, GV, and most top teams are fully funded at 36. Add to that..plenty of players have jumped in the portal in the weeks since Coach Jackson left. This is now an immediate thing when a head coach departs and takes his staff with him. The longer the wait it without a new coach, the most exodus you see. The administration is also working through a new AD that’s now got a pretty big hire here.

Valdosta has absolutely seen storied success, and has outstanding tradition to fall back on, but going forward this job has some real challenges to overcome.

[Eagle74]

I don't see the same doom and gloom as it pertaining to VSU. I was reminded by a friend that UNC-Pembroke successful survived as an Independent D2 football program for quite a few years, and it wasn't that long ago. Year after year they were able to fill their schedule with 10/11 games, and even qualified for the playoffs.

On a side note, more and more companys are now carefully screening the history of potential hires a lot closer these days to avoid any potential issues (frivolous lawsuits, etc) in the event that they may have to fire, replace, or let someone go.

[Matt Witwicki]

I’m not sure VSU is trying to follow the path or be the next Pembroke. The football bar of expectation is far higher so I wouldn’t compare them, honestly.

Football hires in the new world of the portal are occurring with a greater sense of urgency due to players jumping in the free agent pool if they are feeling uncertainty with their situation.

We are likely 1-2 years away from conference champs getting an auto bid..so being part of a conference matters today for scheduling and will going forward.

I’m hoping for VSU they have a good candidate landed sooner than later and have a plan going forward to address the challenges mentioned previously.

[Eagle74]

I’m not sure VSU is trying to follow the path or be the next Pembroke.

Wow, never said or implied that at all. Just letting the Blazer faithful know that they're not on a doomsday trajectory, and there's other potential options, even if the GSC cease to exist. Blazers Football will survive as did UNC-Pembroke's.

With that being said, VSU should hire a winner with a winning record, just as UNC-P did. The Blazers don't need to just settle to fill the coaching slot.

[Rational Observer]

Wow, never said or implied that at all. Just letting the Blazer faithful know that they're not on a doomsday trajectory, and there's other potential options, even if the GSC cease to exist. Blazers Football will survive as did UNC-Pembroke's.

With that being said, VSU should hire a winner with a winning record, just as UNC-P did. The Blazers don't need to just settle to fill the coaching slot.

Who is suggesting that VSU is going to settle?