Well. He would've been good for us I think. He was absolutely my #2. But I can understand him heading back to his home state. But man. If he was offered here, which we don't know, crazy UTEP over us.
Apparently in the Twitterverse it's out there that JMU is going hard after Chesney. He actually fits their mold very well.https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Chesney
That is a guy who has had success at multiple stops. Listed as JMU possibility, so unlikely we would get him.
He'll make them a winnerGreat hire for UTEP. Exactly the kind of guy they need.
Apparently, there's a flight from the JMU to Worcester, MA to for ChesneyApparently in the Twitterverse it's out there that JMU is going hard after Chesney. He actually fits their mold very well.
Or it's the fact that UTEP is only 200ish miles from where he finished his playing career and started his coaching career...Walden was definitely on MT’s list. This would indicate to me MT has their hire and Walden was informed it wasn’t him.
Familiarity makes sense, but everything MT has going for it (growing, proximity to talent, etc.), El Paso has zero.Or it's the fact that UTEP is only 200ish miles from where he finished his playing career and started his coaching career...
But either one could be true, and we'll never know the truth.
I'm not sure. Maybe he has connections or feels better about UTEP's 'leadership' than what he's been able to observe while in the midstate...He would have preferred this opening.
Why are other schools either naming their coach or in reported talks with their final selection, but no word from MT? I suspect McPhee making things as difficult as possible towards who he wants. Like he did with McDevitt
McPhee is the head of the slithering snake. He's a checkmark for the box. Nothing more.
McPhee is running this. No doubt of that. We are missing out on chances to hire good coaches. I'm pretty sure Massaro wanted Walden right off and McPhee said no, we want to widen the net and interview lots of others. At this point, I'm not sure what the hell they are doing but I hope we lock it down soon. They had to have guys in their sites before firing Stock. I'll say this though, whoever works in that dept. should qualify to work for the CIA because them boys can keep a secret. No leaks at all.Optimist: Our guy was coaching this weekend and will be announced now.
Pragmatist: Massaro is conducting a thorough and methodical coach search, talking to numerous people before settling on our best option.
Pessimist: Someone is dragging us along to see if better options come up, we keep being told no or McPhee is screwing it up.
McPhee is running this. No doubt of that. We are missing out on chances to hire good coaches. I'm pretty sure Massaro wanted Walden right off and McPhee said no, we want to widen the net and interview lots of others. At this point, I'm not sure what the hell they are doing but I hope we lock it down soon. They had to have guys in their sites before firing Stock. I'll say this though, whoever works in that dept. should qualify to work for the CIA because them boys can keep a secret. No leaks at all.
Just a thought.. but in the event that we hire banks as head coach, what if he took the DC coordinator responsibilities as well and left more room to spend on other assistantsSeems obvious it's going to be a Tennessee assistant at this point. Just which one.....Tim Banks or Jerry Mack ? or both?
Those are the only hires/options left available that will perceptually move the needle and be deemed as satisfactory. With the false reporting a few days ago that it was Tim Banks, one has to wonder if it could be anyone else at this point and they accidently let the cat out of the bag early? I think so.
These last few days have probably just been contractual and money discussions, assistant pool salary $$, etc. The fine details if you will. I am expecting Tim Banks to be announced tomorrow. Jerry Mack could come as OC if we want to match the 500k he's getting at UTK.
Very, very outside chance of an Elarbee or Anthony Jones Jr. if everything falls through on the $$$ side of things at the last minute. Those hires would perceptually be very underwhelming though which is why I view them as very unlikely. Optics are driving this coaching search, and taking the flagship school's DC or OC will be viewed as a win, perceptually speaking.
I'm still not convinced it's the right hire or we are even looking in the right areas. But too late for that now.
Just a thought.. but in the event that we hire banks as head coach, what if he took the DC coordinator responsibilities as well and left more room to spend on other assistants
Mack would be cheaper than Banks and Mack has been a HC. If you got both to come here.... Banks HC and Mack as an associate HC and recruiter, then it's a home run hire IMO. I don't think we are gonna be that savvy and Mack may not wanna play second fiddle. Banks is 51. Kinda older to not have been a HC before.Yikes - if we pay $1.5M+ for a RB coach than that's a little scary. But the DC is less exciting on paper. Either one I would be surprised if that is the best we can do paying that amount of money.
We could all come up with a long list of better candidates if that is your pay range.
If those are our guys, so be it. I'll get behind them, but the excitement would not be there.
Yikes - if we pay $1.5M+ for a RB coach than that's a little scary. But the DC is less exciting on paper. Either one I would be surprised if that is the best we can do paying that amount of money.
That's gonna be the problem. If you hire Banks for a milly and then spend another 2 on staff, you could have something special. Banks at 1.5-1.7 is gonna bleed the tank.After losing Walden to UTEP my hope is losing out for a quality full staff. Afraid we'll pay an arm & leg for an expensive coordinator & have little left for a good staff.
Sell enough tickets to fill up Floyd and that problem goes away.That's gonna be the problem. If you hire Banks for a milly and then spend another 2 on staff, you could have something special. Banks at 1.5-1.7 is gonna bleed the tank.
After 18 years of Stockstill, over 20 years of McPhee, and Massaro somewhere in between those two, it's a hard habit for MT fans to break. Desperate for a coach to give us hope and provide a bridge of optimism about athletics until Massaro and McPhee are gone from this campus.Stop looking for reasons to be miserable, fellas.
This. Regardless of the hire, if we are willing to pay $1.2 or $1.5, it shows major improvement in commitment. Something that has been needed for YEARS.I like the idea that MT is going to pay $1.5M for a coach - a 50% increase over the last guy, something fans have been begging for forever! and before it even happens it’s a problem because now they won’t have any money for a good staff.
Stop looking for reasons to be miserable, fellas.
A Banks hire ain't doing that.Sell enough tickets to fill up Floyd and that problem goes away,
1.5 or higher Commitment money wise for an unproven HC with no prior HC experience is kinda crazy.This. Regardless of the hire, if we are willing to pay $1.2 or $1.5, it shows major improvement in commitment. Something that has been needed for YEARS.
Then find someone who will. One willing to take the job with having the M/M duo as your boss.A Banks hire ain't doing that.
They had that guy in Walden and let him wak over to UTEP for a 1 milly a year. Jerry Mack wanted this gig and M&M are stepping over him for Banks? You can't make this crap up. Other options are getting snatched up.Then find someone who will. One willing to take the job with having the M/M duo as your boss.
Being from UT helps, as the causals may check us out then, but I agree on Banks. Mack, absolutely. He's been my #1 choice since almost the beginning. Maybe a miracle will happen and we get both. It's like freaking Fort Knox in Murphy right now so who knows.A Banks hire ain't doing that.
I agree. Being a former winning head coach should be requirement #1. But still, maybe Stock took lower $ for a longer contract. But we didn't spend that extra $ on assistants, that's for sure. If the admin has set a budget of $1-1.5m, that is an improvement in commitment to me.1.5 or higher Commitment money wise for an unproven HC with no prior HC experience is kinda crazy.
Is Banks worth that amount? Atkins would be but I think Tulane or Duke is gunning for him. It's not about being miserable. This sh!t ain't difficult but somehow, these 2 knuckleheads make it that way whenever they do anything.I like the idea that MT is going to pay $1.5M for a coach - a 50% increase over the last guy, something fans have been begging for forever! and before it even happens it’s a problem because now they won’t have any money for a good staff.
Stop looking for reasons to be miserable, fellas.
This. Regardless of the hire, if we are willing to pay $1.2 or $1.5, it shows major improvement in commitment. Something that has been needed for YEARS.
I learned a long time ago, regardless of whether it was pro or college teams I follow, to let the process play itself out. Reading all these comments has provided me some comic relief each day.They had that guy in Walden and let him wak over to UTEP for a 1 milly a year. Jerry Mack wanted this gig and M&M are stepping over him for Banks? You can't make this crap up. Other options are getting snatched up.