Who will be the next Valdosta HC..

[Eagle74]

Congratulations Coach Graham Craig on your new leadership position of Blazer Football.

On a separate issue, I'm quite sure that based on his winning trajectory Coach Sparky McEwen will end up being a very good hire for some football program.

[Finchwidget]

https://footballscoop.com/news/valdo...aig-head-coach

Graham Craig is expected to be named the next VSU HC.

[Eagle74]

This is a disservice to Sparky. Brand new Davenport program he took over and he’s developed it quite well and knows FL kids and the portal.

Over the last 3 years he’s 8-3, 8-2, 7-4..with most of his setbacks against Ferris and GVSU.

No disservice at all, just simply laying out the facts.
I totally agree with you. He's been the head coach for Davenport for 8 years, and no doubt, his record for the past few have been pretty good.

To me, over the years VSU in the GSC has kinda been like Alabama in the SEC. I'm sure when replacing Coach Nick Sabin the potential candidates were carefully vetted on all aspects, not just a few. Coach DeBoer's overall record is 113 - 16, not a bad percentage at all.

Like I said, whoever VSU picks to be their head coach (including Sparky) I wish them the very best.

[Matt Witwicki]

Overall record: 71 - 97 record (42.3%) 👀
Includes Arena etc
Conference record: 20 -31
Davenport: 40 -37

I'm sure Sparky is a good guy, and he does have experience. I know that VSU would be an upgrade pay wise. If that's the direction VSU wants to go, I wish the Blazers the very best.

This is a disservice to Sparky. Brand new Davenport program he took over and he’s developed it quite well and knows FL kids and the portal.

Over the last 3 years he’s 8-3, 8-2, 7-4..with most of his setbacks against Ferris and GVSU.

[Eagle74]

Sparky is a winner for sure

Overall record: 71 - 97 record (42.3%) 👀
Includes Arena etc
Conference record: 20 -31
Davenport: 40 -37

I'm sure Sparky is a good guy, and he does have experience. I know that VSU would be an upgrade pay wise. If that's the direction VSU wants to go, I wish the Blazers the very best.

[Rational Observer]

I've been told there has been FOIA requested.

If someone did a FOIA request they won't get anything as that is a federal law and doesn't apply to a state institution.

[Matt Witwicki]

Well, I'll say if VSU manages to bring on Coach Tony Annese, they certainly won't be settling. He's a proven winner.

Well, that ain’t happening. But I don’t think anyone sees that as realistic.

I don’t think anyone here is implying they’ll have to settle for someone who isn’t a winner. Sparky is a winner for sure and I’d expect they’ll get a winner at an existing program.

I think there’s a lot of room between a program having doom and gloom..and it being the best setup in SR2 and expected to be top 5 nationally. I think VSU continues to win..but the bar of expectation is extremely high and I’m saying there’s some challenges to maintain that.

I’m curious who the other two candidates are now. Maybe Steve Englehart, who’s had been at FL Tech or someone like that.

[Eagle74]

Who is suggesting that VSU is going to settle?

Well, I'll say if VSU manages to bring on Coach Tony Annese, they certainly won't be settling. He's a proven winner.

[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?

[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.

[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 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]

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]

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.

[Blazer88]

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