Potential HC Candidates

[thirdgenhoosier]

4 minutes ago, Parakeet Jones said:

Nope, just double checked. He was the QB coach of the Redskins before taking the IU job. Before that he was a QB and QB/WR coach at Michigan. 

You are correct.  Thanks.

[Artesian_86]

2 minutes ago, Parakeet Jones said:

At IU or earlier?

Hilarious Parakeet!! Yes at IU. I’m 55 and those days at long gone….lol

[Parakeet Jones]

6 minutes ago, Seeking6 said:

I think we have to understand where we are in the pecking order of jobs. Can we poach a guy like Mike Hart or a coordinator from an elite school?? Probably not. We to have to find a guy from within or just go throw the bag at KD. We don't have a Mack Brown hanging around like UNC does. We don't have the NIL juice that other programs have. It's unfortunately going to be a risk hire just because of the world we live in. 

ARE would check most of my boxes but not all for sure....again unless the bag is thrown at somebody.

Good points on ARE. My concern is that IU will lock in on him or someone like him early and not really swing for the fences. I’ve followed IU football since I was aged in the single digits. I know where we stand in the grand scheme of things. I just hate to think we would approach yet another football coaching search with our same (cheap, safe, comfortable, uninspiring) attitude we always seem to. 

[5fouls]

If I was Dolson, ARE would be a fallback guy if I didn't get the homerun hire I'm chasing (or should be chasing).

Here is one thing to keep in mind about ARE.  If he turns out to be a great head coach, I can't see him leaving IU 3 years from now if the Big Boys come calling.  

Risky?  Definitely.  But, it does seem to have an important advantage if it works.

 

 

[13th&Jackson]

I honestly think this would be a mistake for ARE. He’s on the path to be an NFL OC and potentially a head coach one day. 

[5fouls]

15 minutes ago, 13th&Jackson said:

I honestly think this would be a mistake for ARE. He’s on the path to be an NFL OC and potentially a head coach one day. 

 A whole bunch of NFL assistants and coordinators are presumed to be on that path, but never get the call.  

[Artesian_86]

Just now, 5fouls said:

 A whole bunch of NFL assistants and coordinators are presumed to be on that path, but never get the call.  

For all we know, maybe ARE’s dream was to someday come home and coach IU. 

[13th&Jackson]

6 minutes ago, 5fouls said:

 A whole bunch of NFL assistants and coordinators are presumed to be on that path, but never get the call.  

His name is being floated as a candidate for the Steelers OC

Antwaan Randle El

The next former Steeler is currently living in Detroit, coaching the wide receivers and helping turn a franchise that has longed for success into a contender. The Lions may not be perfect just yet, but their receivers are pretty close, and that's thanks to Antwaan Randle El. 

Randle El is probably on the bottom of most people's "next offensive coordinator" list for a number of teams. He appears to be right on the verge of making the jump into a name teams will want to hire with the next wave of OCs. But if the Steelers are staying familiar to the organization, which they love to do, he might climb up the list a bit faster. 

[IU Scott]

1 hour ago, Artesian_86 said:

I just talked to my guy good friend in Bloomington. He was my old college roommate. He worked for IU in sports management and had several connections with former IU players. I just thought I would ask what he thought or heard… This was was his reply and only a rumor of what he heard. Mind you, this is what he has heard, but he said who knows. Take it for what it’s worth. He said his source is from inside athletics…

The rumor over the last few weeks…  Is that Allen will be fired and his replacement is Antwaan Randall El. Apparently it’s a done deal. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Allen is a good guy and incredible values but unfortunately that doesn’t win games. 

He will end up a defensive coordinator somewhere. Another rumor is Southern Cal is interested in him for the DC job.

That would be a terrible hire

[KDB]

ARE is way too risky, IMO. I’d be shocked if Dolson went that route.

[Sea Turtle]

Matt Campbell, Iowa State.

[Inequality]

Brad Stevens

[Steubenhoosier]

IMO, concerns over ARE have nothing to do with his character, coaching ability or X and o knowledge. I don’t know that he has any recruiting ties. That would take some time for him to develop and in the meantime we could fall further behind. Not like he’s been a head coach elsewhere and could bring a bunch of guys with him.

Guys that I could see as realistic options, in no particular order…

Toledo head coach 

Paul Chryst

Pat Fitzgerald 

Tom Herman

These guys have all recruited the Midwest in some way, shape or form and all have won more as head coaches than we have ever seen.

 I agree with whoever mentioned ARE as the fallback if we strike out with more established candidates. 

[Hoosier82]

The comments against ARE are absolutely wild. This program didn’t deserve him as a player and damn sure doesn’t deserve him now. Anyone who’s had so much as a conversation with that guy knows everything he touches turns to gold. At this point in life, he’s “Prime” without the ego, while exuding the knowledge, wherewithal and charm to win over anyone he wants. If you let him build it, they will come. 

[Muddy River]

9 hours ago, Steubenhoosier said:

IMO, concerns over ARE have nothing to do with his character, coaching ability or X and o knowledge. I don’t know that he has any recruiting ties. That would take some time for him to develop and in the meantime we could fall further behind. Not like he’s been a head coach elsewhere and could bring a bunch of guys with him.

Guys that I could see as realistic options, in no particular order…

Toledo head coach 

Paul Chryst

Pat Fitzgerald 

Tom Herman

These guys have all recruited the Midwest in some way, shape or form and all have won more as head coaches than we have ever seen.

 I agree with whoever mentioned ARE as the fallback if we strike out with more established candidates. 

But he’s got a Super Bowl ring….

 

in all seriousness, he has a charisma about him that should lend itself very well to recruiting.  He’s also spent his entire adult life in football, so I’m sure he does know some guys to bring with him.  I’m not against him being a plan B, but knowing he more than likely wouldn’t take modest success and try to flip it for better opportunity is a big selling point.

[jojo123]

I just can’t see IU making a change at this point with all the money they have thrown at making it work this past year? And listen. We have three head coaches on this staff. And one of the best offensive line coaches in the country. We improved but still couldn’t get the wins. No above average coach is going to take this job. And unless we get Urban Meyer, we get another rebuild and more of the same. Bottom line is no matter the coach. We need more and more money so we can get some of the players that would never think about coming to IU think about it. 

[DC2345]

I think ARE could be what IU needs if he is in fact the next hire. He’ll be appealing to recruits being an offensive mind from the NFL. However he’s going to have to put an experienced staff around him. 

[iuthruandthru]

13 hours ago, IUFLA said:

 

 

I understand the concern...

ARE is a leader though, and that's the first box on any coaching resume as far as I'm concerned... 

I want a proven coach, but if you hire ARE you have to go cheaper on him and spend crazy on the assistants.  That’s the only way I could possibly see him working.

[iuthruandthru]

13 hours ago, Seeking6 said:

I think we have to understand where we are in the pecking order of jobs. Can we poach a guy like Mike Hart or a coordinator from an elite school?? Probably not. We to have to find a guy from within or just go throw the bag at KD. We don't have a Mack Brown hanging around like UNC does. We don't have the NIL juice that other programs have. It's unfortunately going to be a risk hire just because of the world we live in. 

ARE would check most of my boxes but not all for sure....again unless the bag is thrown at somebody.

This thinking is the exact problem.  IU has the BIG money to make a non IU selection, they need the balls to spend and also Dolson needs to sell the future of IU football to a new coach.  Really pivotal moment for IU football and IU athletics.

[iuthruandthru]

12 hours ago, Parakeet Jones said:

Good points on ARE. My concern is that IU will lock in on him or someone like him early and not really swing for the fences. I’ve followed IU football since I was aged in the single digits. I know where we stand in the grand scheme of things. I just hate to think we would approach yet another football coaching search with our same (cheap, safe, comfortable, uninspiring) attitude we always seem to. 

Exactly!  Time to take a non IU football approach to this hire.  The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

[bronkonagurski]

Yeah if ARE would be the hire, surround him with experienced assistants please. 

[cybergates]

Biggest problem with ARE imo is he's currently employed by a presumed playoff team and won't be done with them for months unless he abandons them in season (which doesn't seem ARE's way). Our entire team could be gone by Feb if we wait on him.

[IUFLA]

15 minutes ago, iuthruandthru said:

This thinking is the exact problem.  IU has the BIG money to make a non IU selection, they need the balls to spend and also Dolson needs to sell the future of IU football to a new coach.  Really pivotal moment for IU football and IU athletics.

Very true...

But won't it all come down to how much NIL money is available for the next coach? I'm not sure how good the IU Collectives are on the football side...

If we can't at least match what middling Big 10 teams like Iowa, Minnesota, and Michigan State are offering then I think hiring an experienced head coach doesn't matter...We have to be able to recruit at least 3 and 4 star kids on their level in  the beginning and develop them....And that's going to take a coach that can sell the program and show a true connection/commitment to it along with competitive NIL money...

We can't mix up the money IU is receiving from Big 10 TV contracts...those don't translate to money for the players...We have to up our NIL game, and to do that we have to have the big donors buy in more on the collectives...

I guess the question boils down to whether those donors buy in on an experienced head coach, and upcoming assistant, or a guy like ARE, who's a gamble, but you know checks the leadership, a connection to today's players, commitment to the school/program, and has the personality to sell it...

As you say, it IS a really pivotal moment for IU football...Whoever they choose, I hope they finally get one right...

 

[iuthruandthru]

5 minutes ago, cybergates said:

Biggest problem with ARE imo is he's currently employed by a presumed playoff team and won't be done with them for months unless he abandons them in season (which doesn't seem ARE's way). Our entire team could be gone by Feb if we wait on him.

This is a great point.  Again shows he would need a really solid staff to support him.  I know a few years ago a coach did both jobs at the same time.  If ARE is willing then maybe that?

[tdhoosier]

12 hours ago, Hoosier82 said:

The comments against ARE are absolutely wild. This program didn’t deserve him as a player and damn sure doesn’t deserve him now. Anyone who’s had so much as a conversation with that guy knows everything he touches turns to gold. At this point in life, he’s “Prime” without the ego, while exuding the knowledge, wherewithal and charm to win over anyone he wants. If you let him build it, they will come. 

While I don’t know about how experience factors in, you are absolutely right about his ‘magic’…at least in my experience.

I came across a lot of football players wile at IU: some complete a-holes, some nice guys….and there was ARE. 

He was in one of my classes. He introduced himself to other students (like we didn’t already know who he was). He talked to everybody like they were equals and had a ton of charisma.  He definitely wasn’t a free loader either (like many other big time athletes who shall go un-named. Haha), he participated and was engaged. 

As a student you come across a lot of athletes, ARE was just one of those guys that was an impressive person.  

I don’t know to what degree that qualifies him for a head coaching position, but work ethic and charisma have to count for something.