Coaching Stability and Program Success

[AustinLewis]

"Many fans believe that if their G5 school can hang on to a coach that’s brought them success that they can become a national powerhouse but based on the data above that isn’t likely to happen as only Boise State has reached that status...While I’m sure Western Kentucky fans would have loved to keep Jeff Brohm in Bowling Green and pass on the process of hiring their fourth head coach since 2010, I don’t think they’re willing to trade places with Middle Tennessee fans either."

http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2017...5-schools-cusa-sun-belt-aac-mountain-west-mac

Thoughts?

 

[SpaceRaider]

How many schools though can't sustain success through multiple coaching changes? 99%?

 

[dukewayne]

I wasn't aware that fans thought holding onto a successful coach was the way to a national powerhouse.

Speaking just of my experience, I've never really understood my friends and fellow fans to believe holding onto one coach as the way to a national powerhouse. My impression has been fans' views of breaking through to success and retaining that coach or hiring a quality replacement to continue success. Generally, it seems people see success breeds success as a critical factor. While maintaining one coach for a long time might be a great way for that tremendous success, replacing that coach to continue that success is helped along as more and better coaches are interested in getting that job that is already highly successful.

The article makes an interesting case, but I'm not sure the assumption of the initial question it asked is all that accurate.

 

[AustinLewis]

Good points. You can only catch lightning in a bottle so many times

My main concern (in MT's case) is the overall effect of keeping a coach on the bottom line. Would MT have been better off financially (and from a program standpoint) to let Stockstill walk after 2009?

 

[SpaceRaider]

Good points. You can only catch lightning in a bottle so many times

My main concern (in MT's case) is the overall effect of keeping a coach on the bottom line. Would MT have been better off financially (and from a program standpoint) to let Stockstill walk after 2009?

Well lets just think about it... Stockstill leaves for either ECU or Memphis. Does that change anything about Dasher's absolute stupidity/gambling debt issue? Does a new coach automatically kick his sorry ass off the team? Does MT improve enough that year to make a bowl? Does the team have the complete disaster of a season that was 2011? That would be a tough first two seasons for a fan base to put up with on a new coach. Not sure the coach recovers to the extent that the program did.

I would think we would be on our second head coach since Stockstill left. In light of what was happening with wku's choices of head coaches in that same period of time and their success, would we be better off? I have my doubts. Would Massaro have hit a home run with a coaching hire or would we have struggled to come up with a financial package to attract the best candidates available? MT's approach to hires, seems to be like a contract going to the lowest bidder. You get what you pay for most times.

 

[AustinLewis]

Well lets just think about it... Stockstill leaves for either ECU or Memphis. Does that change anything about Dasher's absolute stupidity/gambling debt issue? Does a new coach automatically kick his sorry ass off the team? Does MT improve enough that year to make a bowl? Does the team have the complete disaster of a season that was 2011? That would be a tough first two seasons for a fan base to put up with on a new coach. Not sure the coach recovers to the extent that the program did.

I would think we would be on our second head coach since Stockstill left. In light of what was happening with wku's choices of head coaches in that same period of time and their success, would we be better off? I have my doubts. Would Massaro have hit a home run with a coaching hire or would we have struggled to come up with a financial package to attract the best candidates available? MT's approach to hires, seems to be like a contract going to the lowest bidder. You get what you pay for most times.

Good points. Massaro's hiring record is, at beast, unproven and, at the worst, borderline terrible. He's hired at least two volleyball coaches, two softball coaches, and one baseball coach during his tenure.

Massaro's budget-based hiring practices are followed by constant series of contract extensions after mediocre seasons and bankrupting extensions after great seasons (Stockstill).

Could Massaro pull an Ark State (Freeze-Malzahn-Harisin-Anderson) or WKU (Taggart-Petrino-Brohm-Sanford)? Given his record in non-revenue sports, it doesn't seem likely.

Since Massaro's hiring record is mediocre, should fans be thankful for a mediocre coach in Stockstill who will (almost) gaurentee a 6-6 or 7-5 year instead of hiring a new coach who may go 2-10?