UMary Head Football Coach Leaving

[UMaryFanDad]

Looks like Head Coach Craig Bagnell stepped down this morning to pursue other football opportunities.

https://goumary.com/news/2023/2/14/f...afi-FVjJqu5aBM

As a parent of a new recruit I'm disappointed as he did seem like a really good coach who did care about his players.

Be interesting to see who they can land now.

[laker]

Wow- this is really late in the game. May as well take their time in hiring a new guy, recruiting is over.

[vikingfaithful]

VP wishes Bagnell well at the next level of competition. Does that mean D1? Thought I saw a position at NDSU open up.

[UMary1]

Something smells here, theres been a lot of turnover on the coaches side prior to this. Also UMary has deep pockets from their health care services but I have not seen any going to football. It seems to me like Admin is not fully supporting the program. Regardless all the best to Bagnell. Witt, if you hear anything let us. know. Jason Petrino should have got this job in 2013 when Kotelnicki was hired, but the AD was connected to Kotenicki from UND. I say go for an up and comer from FCS and throw him the bag.

Top 5 Coaching Candidates-

Brett Holinka DC-UND (My fourth choice)
Steve Ryan-HC-Morningside (My third choice)
Justin Udy-Special Teams Coordinator-Montana State (My first choice)
Kyle Samson-HC-Montana Tech- (My 2nd choice)
Travis Dean-OC-Montana Tech (My 5th choice)

[UMary1]

VP wishes Bagnell well at the next level of competition. Does that mean D1? Thought I saw a position at NDSU open up.

Noah Pauley went from NDSU to Iowa State as WR coach. NDSU hired Steve Crutchley so that position is filled. Unless their QB coach Randy Herdman is retiring and Bagnell takes that spot. Maybe he goes back home to Montana or Montana State. Will be interesting to see.

[Matt Witwicki]

Guys..I do know about this but I'm not trying to break news..out of existing trust I have the coaches in the league and such. The general thoughts on where Bagnell is heading is right. I'm sure that info will come out soon enough.

Over the last 2 seasons the Marauders battled to a level that felt greater than the 4 and 2 wins they secured in that time. A season ago they had both USF and Mankato beat, but just couldn't finish either of them off. Much of the same could be said for their opening game loss to Wayne and then a few weeks later with SMSU.

For 2023 Mary is tasked with replacing both Danny Kittner (who will go down as a legend in Bismarck) and QB Logan Nelson..who also had great success, although injured most of last year. I guess what I'm trying to say is Mary was tougher than their record over the last 2 seasons would suggest..and have now lost some of their top guys.

Coach Bagnell is a well-respected offensive mind and I know other higher level / more established programs have expressed interest in him as a coach. There's schools that are putting together a new offensive staff and such..schools that make changes late in this process..which can make the timing for all involved a bit wonky when late coaching openings come up.

I'm guessing that with the coach up the road in Minot getting fired at the end of 2022, there's a risk with a new AD (likely coming in at some point) that there's also an aspect of self preservation here from a professional standpoint = another year of 2 wins or something similar could become the end of his rope as the head coach of the squad. Keep in mind, this is my own hunch.

There's really never a good time for a coaching move like this to happen..for the current roster. I would agree this is worse yet given it's just after a recruiting cycle. Let the school hire what they feel is a suitable replacement and try and express some caution before wanting to jump elsewhere. The Mary administration might very well bring in a new coach that really ends up being a positive.

However, I think there will be some perception that Mary is a tough place to win and not easy to recruit to (similar to Minot in that way). That said, I could see some of the people on the wish list choosing to stay where they are instead of taking a certain level of professional risk with this opening. That said, it would be a spot for a coordinator at a higher level to potentially have interest in being a head coach..or an NAIA HC (like mentioned above) to have interest....probably more likely Kyle Samson than Steve Ryan.

I don't know anything about the school not fully supporting the program, honestly..but Bismarck isn't a strong D2 media market for that type of info to come out. With future plans of a stadium and nice setup there, positive things seem to be on the horizon..but that does seem years away yet and not immediate. I'd heard they were fully funded but I'm not sure if that's changed on the course of time..as word was there's money at Mary.

Coach Bagnell has always been very good with me on my preseason calls to him and I do agree that he's leaving the program in a better place than how he got it.

[UMary1]

Guys..I do know about this but I'm not trying to break news..out of existing trust I have the coaches in the league and such. The general thoughts on where Bagnell is heading is right. I'm sure that info will come out soon enough.

Over the last 2 seasons the Marauders battled to a level that felt greater than the 4 and 2 wins they secured in that time. A season ago they had both USF and Mankato beat, but just couldn't finish either of them off. Much of the same could be said for their opening game loss to Wayne and then a few weeks later with SMSU.

For 2023 Mary is tasked with replacing both Danny Kittner (who will go down as a legend in Bismarck) and QB Logan Nelson..who also had great success, although injured most of last year. I guess what I'm trying to say is Mary was tougher than their record over the last 2 seasons would suggest..and have now lost some of their top guys.

Coach Bagnell is a well-respected offensive mind and I know other higher level / more established programs have expressed interest in him as a coach. There's schools in the region that are putting together a new offensive staff and such..schools that made changes late in this process..which can make the timing for all involved a bit wonky when late coaching openings come up.

I'm guessing that with the coach up the road in Minot getting fired at the end of 2022, there's a risk with a new AD (likely coming in at some point) that there's also an aspect of self preservation here from a professional standpoint = another year or 2 wins or something similar could become the end of his rope as the head coach of the squad. Keep in mind, this is my own hunch.

There's really never a good time for a coaching move like this to happen..for the current roster. I would agree this is worse yet given it's just after a recruiting cycle. Let the school hire what they feel is a suitable replacement and try and express some caution before wanting to jump elsewhere. The Mary administration might very well bring in a new coach that really ends up being a positive.

However, I think there will be some perception that Mary is a tough place to win and not easy to recruit to (similar to Minot in that way). That said, I could see some of the people on the wish list choosing to stay where they are instead of taking a certain level of professional risk with this opening. That said, it would be a spot for a coordinator at a higher level to potentially have interest in being a head coach..or an NAIA HC (like mentioned above) to have interest....probably more likely Kyle Samson than Steve Ryan.

I don't know anything about the school not fully supporting the program, honestly..but Bismarck isn't a strong D2 media market for that type of info to come out. With future plans of a stadium and nice setup there, positive things seem to be on the horizon..but that does seem years away yet and not immediate. I'd heard they were fully funded but I'm not sure if that's changed on the course of time..as word was there's money at Mary.

Coach Bagnell has always been very good with me on my preseason calls to him and I do agree that he's leaving the program in a better place than how he got it.

Thanks for the insight Witt, much appreciated. Agree with everything you said here.

[laker]

Guys..I do know about this but I'm not trying to break news..out of existing trust I have the coaches in the league and such. The general thoughts on where Bagnell is heading is right. I'm sure that info will come out soon enough.
Coach Bagnell has always been very good with me on my preseason calls to him and I do agree that he's leaving the program in a better place than how he got it.

Thanks for sharing, you always have some great info and analysis.

[CollegeFBGuy]

We were in attendance, for homecoming 2021 vs UMD and that felt like a game that just slipped away, similar to those listed in Witt’s write up from this last season. That would have been a nice win and upset for them. I’m interested to see where the rodeo cowboy ends up

[UMary1]

There is an entire thread on NDSU's forum on Randy Hedberg. I do not know much about Randy Hedberg but my gut tells me he maybe retiring and Bagnell will be taking his place. I guess we wait and see at this point.

[Swisher]

In today’s Bismarck Tribune newspaper, it said Bagnell received an offer to be an assistant coach at the University of South Dakota.

[NSU4LIFE]

In today’s Bismarck Tribune newspaper, it said Bagnell received an offer to be an assistant coach at the University of South Dakota.

What's a newspaper? Haha

[Gridiron Bobby]

There is an entire thread on NDSU's forum on Randy Hedberg. I do not know much about Randy Hedberg but my gut tells me he maybe retiring and Bagnell will be taking his place. I guess we wait and see at this point.

I know Bagnell is a solid coach, but do you really think NDSU would poach from Mary for their QB job if their guy left?

[Umdfan35]

In today’s Bismarck Tribune newspaper, it said Bagnell received an offer to be an assistant coach at the University of South Dakota.

USD just hired a new OC from SDSU,

[UMary1]

I know Bagnell is a solid coach, but do you really think NDSU would poach from Mary for their QB job if their guy left?

Mary's record over the years is not an indicator of where Bagnell has brought the program to. (See Witts post) also in 2015 and 2016 he revamped BSU's offence and is seen as an innovator. It would not be that far of a stretch but I see he will be going to USD. Wish him all the best. Also Brett Holinka UND's D Coordinator and former Mary D Coordinator resigned a few days ago. Timing is perfect if he doesnt end up at another FCS.