ADVERTISEMENT

FOOTBALL New Coach Wish List

Given the current state of MBB & the women’s team having plateaued, underscores how vitally critical this football hire is.
I don’t want a quick hire, I want the right hire. 2-3 more days is inconsequential in the whole scheme of things.
Suny Binghamton GIF by Binghamton University
 
I’ve no problem with Banks. If it is him. I do think we’re maybe speculating when it comes to what we’re doing or how the dollars are coming and going. How many of us would have figured they could scrape up the cash to give the boot to Stockstill?

Dude has major DC experience, is a good recruiter and is well known in Tennessee high schools, has worked on a number of good staffs so he should have connections to fill out a staff, and from the move the needle standpoint - a major coordinator from the SEC powerhouse is going to move the needle.

Now, we just need a fair contract with a sensible buyout in case things don’t work out and let’s roll.
 
High School recruiting is becoming less of an issue and getting kids from the Portal is a necessity. Our best players are going to likely leave each and every year. A HS recruit does well and he's gone. One and done.

We are going to have to reload a large part of our roster from the portal. At least through the portal, unless he's a grad transfer, he would need to sit out a year if he wants to transfer again. That will give kids room to re-evaluate.

So give me a guy that can work the portal, I don't care as much about HS recruiting connections. It's important, but the portal is more important in my mind.
 
If it was from someone else, I may believe it.

But I thought RGW had a reputation for being the “National Enquirer” of Knoxville sports journalism? Correct me if I’m wrong (my desire is not to insult but make sure the best info gets out)
 
  • Like
Reactions: SpaceRaider
I’ve no problem with Banks. If it is him. I do think we’re maybe speculating when it comes to what we’re doing or how the dollars are coming and going. How many of us would have figured they could scrape up the cash to give the boot to Stockstill?

Dude has major DC experience, is a good recruiter and is well known in Tennessee high schools, has worked on a number of good staffs so he should have connections to fill out a staff, and from the move the needle standpoint - a major coordinator from the SEC powerhouse is going to move the needle.

Now, we just need a fair contract with a sensible buyout in case things don’t work out and let’s roll.


That's fair. The assistant pool will be what makes or breaks things
 
High School recruiting is becoming less of an issue and getting kids from the Portal is a necessity. Our best players are going to likely leave each and every year. A HS recruit does well and he's gone. One and done.

We are going to have to reload a large part of our roster from the portal. At least through the portal, unless he's a grad transfer, he would need to sit out a year if he wants to transfer again. That will give kids room to re-evaluate.

So give me a guy that can work the portal, I don't care as much about HS recruiting connections. It's important, but the portal is more important in my mind.
This is why I wanted a guy with Power experience. The portal. FCS HC get it to an extent, but not the way FBS and especially Power staffs do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SpaceRaider
Atkins is very impressive and fits what Massaro says he wants in the next coach. Just missing the head coaching background.
I was surprised to read that Atkins played and coached at UTM. Could be a huge help in re-engaging the TN high school coaches that the old staff pretty much alienated. Being given the keys to drive Mike Norvell’s offense is enough endorsement for me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DisgruntledAlum
Atkins coached at Tulane and they want him. We would have to throw a bag of cash at him. No IOU's.
 
I think we screwed up not getting this guy. His message to the UTEP community already shows that he's gonna engage the community to revive that program. He understands ressurection and what it takes. He's gonna bring energy and excitement with him. None of the other candidates match that in terms of enthusiasm and energy. You roll the dice no matter who you get but we need a coach who is a salesman as much as he is a coach. He's not the best HC out there but he would have been the best for us. I think we had first opportunity and we let it slip away. Good luck to us.

I do really like Mack and hope we stop beating the bush but Walden is the only coach out of the final candidates (that we know of) that is even wanted by another school as a HC. What does that say? Who else wants Banks? Who else wants Mack? Who wants Anthony Jones Jr.? I like Mack and Jones and I think they are great recruiters from the Memphis area but who is gunning for them? That's the telling part to me and why I think McPhee already screwed us again. The only coach now in the running who has been a HC is Mack. That's just crazy for the amount of money we are now gonna spend.

EDITED: Mack is a candidate for JMU along with Atkins. Tulane is talking with Atkins. Maybe we are waiting on Atkins. Atkins would be the home run and Mack would be too to be honest.

With all of this silence, it's another sign to me and it's not great. We will see and I hope I'm wrong.

 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: DisgruntledAlum
UTEP is a death sentence. I wish Walden luck, but that is a VERY tough place to make it make it work. That would be probably the last place I would want to go and build a career from.

It still feels like we are waiting on someone. If Banks or Mack were the guy, why wouldn't that be done already? It doesn't seem like they are candidates anywhere else.

There must be a guy we are waiting to hear an answer from. Are we a backup plan for Manny? Is there another coach that is a candidate elsewhere that we really want, so we are waiting for dominos to fall? It just doesn't make sense to not have someone locked up yet, unless they are getting courted by another team.
 
Massaro made 1 statement that keeps coming back to me, & in this I agree with him 100%. "This department needs an over the top personality" to drive not only the department, but the fan base as well. Plain & simple. Of all the candidates their are simply only 2 enthusiastic personalities out there. Either Walden or Diaz that's it. That means we passed on Walden convinced we could get Manny over Duke. Really? The other candidates are probably fine coaches, fine recruiters Yada Yada, but they're not "over the top personality" people. By the way, you don't have to take my word for it, there's plenty of taped videos out there. Judge the comparison for yourself. If any of these coaches speak with the same conviction, enthusiasm, or over the top passion as Walden or Diaz I'm willing to listen.
Manny needs to make the announcement that either he signs with Duke, stays at Penn St in a subordinate roll, or comes here. One way or another urinate or get off the pot Manny.
Otherwise this whole "over the top personality" business is a mute point, & it will be just another talking point flushed down the toilet.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MTTrueBlue
UTEP is a death sentence. I wish Walden luck, but that is a VERY tough place to make it make it work. That would be probably the last place I would want to go and build a career from.

It still feels like we are waiting on someone. If Banks or Mack were the guy, why wouldn't that be done already? It doesn't seem like they are candidates anywhere else.

There must be a guy we are waiting to hear an answer from. Are we a backup plan for Manny? Is there another coach that is a candidate elsewhere that we really want, so we are waiting for dominos to fall? It just doesn't make sense to not have someone locked up yet, unless they are getting courted by another team.
But if he turns it around there and anywhere can be turned around, then it proves that we screwed up even more.
 
we either hit a home run or we're settling...

actually feels like it might be the former....

I originally thought Manny had no chance of coming here. But he appears out at Duke and he might be tired of paying state taxes in PA + cold weather coming. I could see a world where his wife and kids want to come back to TN and we can make it happen $$$$ wise. Very lucky for us if that happens he was going to get a P5 job sooner rather than later if he just stayed patient...but maybe he doesn't want to wait anymore. I still think it's a poor decision on his part but maybe his offset language from his Miami contract is still keeping him flush with cash ? I'm not familiar with his contract situation but I recall they owed him some money.


edit** Looks like his big pay days from Miami end with this season. So I suspect he's looking for a big pay day somewhere. Hard to believe we could provide that for him. I'll still be shocked if it's him.
 
we either hit a home run or we're settling...

actually feels like it might be the former....

I originally thought Manny had no chance of coming here. But he appears out at Duke and he might be tired of paying state taxes in PA + cold weather coming. I could see a world where his wife and kids want to come back to TN and we can make it happen $$$$ wise. Very lucky for us if that happens he was going to get a P5 job sooner rather than later if he just stayed patient...but maybe he doesn't want to wait anymore.
Hear Duke is/was down to Manny or Sumrall from Troy
 
I've not kept my love for Mack quiet. A former winning head coach should be requrement #1. But I've never had Manny on my list because I felt he'd get a power job. Felt we should call him, 100%. Ask? 100%. But never thought someone that young with a winning record at a P5 would take us. I've said I wanted someone with no Stock ties, but I wouldn't fuss in the least at him. He's the only one for sure.
 
I've not kept my love for Mack quiet. A former winning head coach should be requrement #1. But I've never had Manny on my list because I felt he'd get a power job. Felt we should call him, 100%. Ask? 100%. But never thought someone that young with a winning record at a P5 would take us. I've said I wanted someone with no Stock ties, but I wouldn't fuss in the least at him. He's the only one for sure.
Manny or Mack, any of the others that have been spoken of would be a be bleh. Unless its someone out of nowhere that we have not spoke much about.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MidTennMtneer
They've done a really good job keeping this close to the vest. There's really no tells here that we can go off of. I do have a little bit of info that says it wont be Banks or Mack but you never really know for sure either.

At this point, nobody knows and there's not much to go off. Definitely feels like an announcement is imminent. Possibly today but much more likely tomorrow.
 
It’s funny because I reached out to a few people this morning including Austin and was getting the sense it was Manny. I don’t have anything concrete but did hear from a few people that he was still very much in play. I would be very happy if he is our guy.
 
The thing with Manny is he would be taking a guaranteed pay cut coming here unless we are paying at least $2 million. I can't find a current Penn St. contract for him but the previous DC was making 1.6 million, so Manny is definitely above that.

Manny has had offset language from his Miami contract that has paid him at least $6.5 million the last two seasons. That ends going into the 2024 season so all he will have is his Penn St contract. I'd guess it's $2 million/year but that's a big drop from the $6.5 million he was used to making.

We would have to at least match that $2 million or get within 5% thanks to no state taxes in TN for Manny to NOT take a pay cut. Would we do that ? Manny is also a top assistant in the country with a proven track record....he is destined for a P5 job if he is just patient. Why take the risk coming to MT and uprooting your family again ?

If he does come, he must really want out at Penn St. and we just happen to have an opening that makes a little sense for him. At that point, it would be pure luck that he fell into our lap.
 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT