MSSU Coaching Candidates

[SmallCollege]

MSSU fans are worried about who the coach is going to be. Until they address the Athletic Department's leadership whomever they hire would and will be irrelevant

[MOSO27]

I'm not sure if anyone had mentioned Atiba Bradley yet. I kind of thought to mention him, but couldn't come up with the name and didn't want to say, "that guy who played at Southern 15 years ago and has kinda bounced around D2 and FCS as a LBs coach and DC." If the school wants to hire someone with connections to the program, it's gotta be him, IMO. And at this point, I'm not sure his career is one where he's looking for stepping stones. He's a DC at a GLVC school, so his trajectory has maybe plateaued relative to what it seemed like it might've been a few years ago. I haven't followed the programs he's been with closely enough to say, "Yes, he should be hired." but I do think he's got a background where their wouldn't be a prima facie problem with hiring him.

In terms of MIAA coordinators who could be candidates, with McMenamin gone, the two that are most obvious are Bostwick and Harris, but both of those are very dependent on how much credit you give their HCs for their unit's success. UNK and MW may have some coordinator contenders as well, but they are less established than the NW and FH guys.

Atiba is also a Joplin High graduate as well, so he has alot of ties to the area. Bradley is currently at McKendree as the DC, been at South Dakota State, Western Illinois, Quincy, MSSU, and Mizzou (Grad Assistant).

Been to alot of different places, but no HC experience. Not sure if Southern is better off with someone who has HC experience or not. Like we all agree, they can only get better.

[GorillaBred]

Lets stay on track here....

Outside of Beck/Partridge are there any MIAA OC/DC's who might consider taking a shot? The Bart Tatum experience at Southern looked promising, but I think the guy was in a little over his head and couldnt get things going. Bart was a terrific guy, just not HC material.

Wonder if there would be some consideration for a guy like Atiba Bradley, former player who has been with several programs as a coordinator. May not look at Southern as a stepping stone and who might be willing to grind out a few tough years to get things as turn around as you can make it.

I'm not sure if anyone had mentioned Atiba Bradley yet. I kind of thought to mention him, but couldn't come up with the name and didn't want to say, "that guy who played at Southern 15 years ago and has kinda bounced around D2 and FCS as a LBs coach and DC." If the school wants to hire someone with connections to the program, it's gotta be him, IMO. And at this point, I'm not sure his career is one where he's looking for stepping stones. He's a DC at a GLVC school, so his trajectory has maybe plateaued relative to what it seemed like it might've been a few years ago. I haven't followed the programs he's been with closely enough to say, "Yes, he should be hired." but I do think he's got a background where their wouldn't be a prima facie problem with hiring him.

In terms of MIAA coordinators who could be candidates, with McMenamin gone, the two that are most obvious are Bostwick and Harris, but both of those are very dependent on how much credit you give their HCs for their unit's success. UNK and MW may have some coordinator contenders as well, but they are less established than the NW and FH guys.

[MOSO27]

The crap always starts flowing downhill when you jump in. I think you're on to something, any name suggestions for the combined programs?

Lets stay on track here....

Outside of Beck/Partridge are there any MIAA OC/DC's who might consider taking a shot? The Bart Tatum experience at Southern looked promising, but I think the guy was in a little over his head and couldnt get things going. Bart was a terrific guy, just not HC material.

Wonder if there would be some consideration for a guy like Atiba Bradley, former player who has been with several programs as a coordinator. May not look at Southern as a stepping stone and who might be willing to grind out a few tough years to get things as turn around as you can make it.

[Kiss My Ass]

Maybe just combine two craphole programs such as Pitt and MOSO to make one big craphole football program. Neither one is very good.

The crap always starts flowing downhill when you jump in. I think you're on to something, any name suggestions for the combined programs?

[Gridiron Bobby]

[northwest missouri state]

Nice try though. Not even close to an example of an NAIA OC only guy getting a D-II HC job. Kalen DeBoer? He was 67-3, then had to earn his way as an OC. Leipold won 6 national titles.

[Gridiron Bobby]

it seems you just want to control the narrative instead of realizing that some people have less experience as a coach then a young NAIA OC but since they played in the NFL they get a pass. In your mind you think a better example of making a coaching leap is a NFL player with zero experience coaching and by your own words are "completely unproven in anyway as a coach". Or you would much rather have a high school head coach instead of a college OC which seems dubious at best.

Al Johnson at East Central, OC at Div 3 St. Norbort, assistant coach in high school along with a radio show personality on a station he owned. 60 days as assistant line coach at wisconsin,
Chris Jensen Oklahoma Baptist came straight from HS HC to Oklahoma Baptist
Zach Morrison of Shorter HS to Shorter

I'm sure there's more I'm just not going to waste my time looking for them

Your bigger problem is the current administrations seeming lack of desire to be competitive on the football field. Do you really think Beck or Partridge are going to come back for a pay cut without the benefit of a long term plan of support from the university? Next to Lake Erie and Lincoln football and maybe a handful of others, MSSU is one of the worst jobs in D2. It might be in the best conference but you have zero administration support, zero community support, an ok stadium for most of D2 but bottom 3 in the MIAA, poor facilities, and a track record of not getting hires right.

After further review, you are right. An NAIA OC is not for you. I'm sure Sarcoxie has a helluva middle school coach though.

[Wallst]

it seems you just want to control the narrative instead of realizing that some people have less experience as a coach then a young NAIA OC but since they played in the NFL they get a pass. In your mind you think a better example of making a coaching leap is a NFL player with zero experience coaching and by your own words are "completely unproven in anyway as a coach". Or you would much rather have a high school head coach instead of a college OC which seems dubious at best.

Al Johnson at East Central, OC at Div 3 St. Norbort, assistant coach in high school along with a radio show personality on a station he owned. 60 days as assistant line coach at wisconsin,
Chris Jensen Oklahoma Baptist came straight from HS HC to Oklahoma Baptist
Zach Morrison of Shorter HS to Shorter

I'm sure there's more I'm just not going to waste my time looking for them

Your bigger problem is the current administrations seeming lack of desire to be competitive on the football field. Do you really think Beck or Partridge are going to come back for a pay cut without the benefit of a long term plan of support from the university? Next to Lake Erie and Lincoln football and maybe a handful of others, MSSU is one of the worst jobs in D2. It might be in the best conference but you have zero administration support, zero community support, an ok stadium for most of D2 but bottom 3 in the MIAA, poor facilities, and a track record of not getting hires right.

After further review, you are right. An NAIA OC is not for you. I'm sure Sarcoxie has a helluva middle school coach though.

[MOSO27]

I actually think the energy to lift them out of the cellar is EXACTLY what you'd get from Beck or Partridge. I think both of those coaches believe their previous schools gave up on them when they shouldn't have and would come in with motivation to prove that they've still got it. Whether they do, in fact, still have it probably depends on what "it" means, but I think from either of them you'd get a professionally run football program, which I think MoSo has lacked for a while and is probably what they need more than anything. I'd personally be partial to Beck, but I just don't think he'd do it in Joplin.

Interesting take.... Hadn't really thought about it from that perspective yet.

Wonder who each would bring in as OC/DC. I am going to highly doubt that Beck will bring in another RPO type guy.....

[GorillaBred]

Southern needs to bring someone in who can create an atmosphere of stability and someone who is willing to work with the rest of the athletic department to help improve the program. Sims brought an US against everyone mentality and be basically burned every bridge possible along the way.

It would be a great get for Southern to get a guy like Beck who has been there before, but it is also intriguing to get a younger guy who has something to prove. Beck or Partridge dont need to prove anything to anyone on campus as they have already been successful HC's. My biggest concern with Beck/Partridge is do they have the energy to bring Southern out of the cellar? It will take a lot of work, and I am unsure if they have it in them.

I actually think the energy to lift them out of the cellar is EXACTLY what you'd get from Beck or Partridge. I think both of those coaches believe their previous schools gave up on them when they shouldn't have and would come in with motivation to prove that they've still got it. Whether they do, in fact, still have it probably depends on what "it" means, but I think from either of them you'd get a professionally run football program, which I think MoSo has lacked for a while and is probably what they need more than anything. I'd personally be partial to Beck, but I just don't think he'd do it in Joplin.

[MOSO27]

Southern needs to bring someone in who can create an atmosphere of stability and someone who is willing to work with the rest of the athletic department to help improve the program. Sims brought an US against everyone mentality and be basically burned every bridge possible along the way.

It would be a great get for Southern to get a guy like Beck who has been there before, but it is also intriguing to get a younger guy who has something to prove. Beck or Partridge dont need to prove anything to anyone on campus as they have already been successful HC's. My biggest concern with Beck/Partridge is do they have the energy to bring Southern out of the cellar? It will take a lot of work, and I am unsure if they have it in them.

[Gridiron Bobby]

Of these names listed, Jerry Partridge is the only one that seems plausible to me and that's only because I have the same impression as you about him liking the challenge.

I think Beck would take a program of Southern's caliber, but I don't think he would take Southern. I could be wrong about that, but I just think the Crimson and Gold runs too deep. I think a GAC program is his coaching destiny. If Steve Ryan is leaving Morningside, I think it's for a lot better program than Southern. I can't really speak to Flohr, but would trust whatever the NW crowd says about him. I think Stitt is looking for a higher profile job, although, I'm not sure it would come to him. Salem appears to be out of coaching and using his social media to support his son's recruiting career at Memphis. He sort of makes some sense, but going from OC at Michigan State to HC at MoSo in under a year also strikes me as the sort of fall from grace that coaches might find hard to bear.

I think Southern is going to be hard pressed to get someone who has an appealing name. Taking a risk on a lower level coordinator is probably their best bet. It's not like the program would sink further if he fizzles out.

[GorillaBred]

Jerry might consider it because he seems to be a person that doesn't mind a challenge. He has a good job in a good FCS conference in a nice place to live.

I don't have a gut feeling about what Beck would do.

Flohr is much closer to his family at SDMT and he is a much better fit for that area than he is for Joplin.

I think Ryan might consider the Southern situation a step down from his current job, even though D2 is obviously better than the NAIA.

Where is Salem now?

No gut feeling about Stitt.

Of these names listed, Jerry Partridge is the only one that seems plausible to me and that's only because I have the same impression as you about him liking the challenge.

I think Beck would take a program of Southern's caliber, but I don't think he would take Southern. I could be wrong about that, but I just think the Crimson and Gold runs too deep. I think a GAC program is his coaching destiny. If Steve Ryan is leaving Morningside, I think it's for a lot better program than Southern. I can't really speak to Flohr, but would trust whatever the NW crowd says about him. I think Stitt is looking for a higher profile job, although, I'm not sure it would come to him. Salem appears to be out of coaching and using his social media to support his son's recruiting career at Memphis. He sort of makes some sense, but going from OC at Michigan State to HC at MoSo in under a year also strikes me as the sort of fall from grace that coaches might find hard to bear.

I think Southern is going to be hard pressed to get someone who has an appealing name. Taking a risk on a lower level coordinator is probably their best bet. It's not like the program would sink further if he fizzles out.

[GorillaBred]

Maybe just combine two craphole programs such as Pitt and MOSO to make one big craphole football program. Neither one is very good.

If you combined Pitt and MoSo football programs, the only part of MoSo that would be retained is the Chick Fil A option at the concession stands.