Based on just what you know so far. Mason only. Coaches unknown. Will be interesting to see if this changes any after we see staff and first recruiting class.
FOOTBALL POLL: Right Decision/Hire?
- Thread starter MT01
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Too early to render judgement, but based on early returns, he's making good first steps.
Certainly willing to give Mason his opportunity & hope he makes MT into a successful program again. Hard to vote right now without knowing who offensive coordinator is going to be. Believe defense will be ok due to his past knowledge. Voting slightly disagree for time being since I originally supported Scott Walden as my first choice.
Slightly Disagree. Some of the others in the earlier discussions really moved my needle. This does not. Might be the Vandy thing, if he had done the same at a similar school in a similar conference farther away I may not have the same concerns about the hire. Though it could work, Vandy is a very tough job, not many have even broke even or came close. Only one coach in recent history has really done better than Mason. Plus this screams a McPhee hire, overriding Massaro yet again. In any event I wish Mason and the Blue Raiders the best.
I think part of it is that his name came out of nowhere at the last minute. It kind of shocked everyone. Combine that with the coaching record, i can see why some folks aren't on board with it. had I made a list, CDM wouldn't have been on it. Name never crossed my mind. Saw him as an analyst for TN/Vandy game and assumed he was in the booth now. However, I like his approach, i like his name recognition and good reputation amongst football guys, and I truly think he is going to do good things here. I plan on becoming a season ticket holder again, I've already signed back up with BRAA, and I even got back in with the annual Rivals membership for the premium content! I'm excited to see what CDM can do to make this program more successful than we have been the last 10-12 years. I think he will do as good a job as anyone else we could have hired.
This is a very small sample, but it does show a positive mind set for CDM which is honestly a good start for rebuilding fan loyalty. If we're honest a large % of this sight represents fairly jaded Raiders fans. To have almost 80% of us showing support already probably means the non Raider Roundup community of MT fans should feel just as positive or even more so towards the new coaches addition here. For Coach Mason this represents a great start for him.
I’m on board.
The fact is, at this level; there are no home runs, only take your best guess and hope for the best.
Mason has the best resume of the guys we were linked with, except for Diaz, who was not interested. He’s well respected and well known locally, and should have no problems bringing in better talent than we had.
The fact is, at this level; there are no home runs, only take your best guess and hope for the best.
Mason has the best resume of the guys we were linked with, except for Diaz, who was not interested. He’s well respected and well known locally, and should have no problems bringing in better talent than we had.
Casted my vote as "slightly disagree". However, think we made an acceptable hire. After hearing the 15-minute team meeting that was posted, coach focused on answers being in the room and building from the foundation/platform CRS built. Don't know if Coach Mason was trying to reassure players/assistant coaches they have a "clean slate", but think he needed to exhibit a matter of fact/stern tone (but not quite Deion Sanders) if we are to have higher expecations in 2024. Sounds like spring practice and next year will be more "trial and error" to figure things out which may lead us closer to a 5-7 or 4-8 record rather than 8-4 or 9-3 and serious contending for C-USA. Will say I like his "don't lie to me--tell me the truth", "look you in the eye", and "open door policy" candor. Think it was a productive enough first meeting.
Tend to agree. I do think Mason has some weaknesses as a coach, specifically on the offensive side of the football. The assistants that he hires on that side of the ball will likely determine which way this thing goes.
I have voiced my opinions a lot since Tuesday. However, I agree that it's too early to judge at all and I'm actually gonne be open minded.
It's gonna take time. He won't turn it around in a year. Too many guys left to replace all of them right away in one recruiting class. The kids in that video were not over the top enthusiastic and many of them are wondering what to even think. I hope after the personal meetings, he can win them all over and get some back. It's gonna be a long road but I think that was gonna be the case no matter who we hired.
It's gonna take time. He won't turn it around in a year. Too many guys left to replace all of them right away in one recruiting class. The kids in that video were not over the top enthusiastic and many of them are wondering what to even think. I hope after the personal meetings, he can win them all over and get some back. It's gonna be a long road but I think that was gonna be the case no matter who we hired.
Surprised no one has come in as a hard no. Tells me everyone at least bought sales job the Univ put on.
That's why I did it now. We can do a second poll after staff and recruiting class is done. Getting an initial pulse sets the baseline.
Im getting more and more excited about CDM as time goes on. There seems to be a buzz here that hasnt been in a long time.
2024 will be a fun year with Duke at Floyd. We will almost certainly be 1-1 after getting an L from Ole Miss, but I am hopeful that the many that were boycotting games until Stock was gone come back and 9/21 is back to what it felt like in college for me.
Anecdotal, but I have had several non MT fan friends tell me how great of a hire they think this is.
2024 will be a fun year with Duke at Floyd. We will almost certainly be 1-1 after getting an L from Ole Miss, but I am hopeful that the many that were boycotting games until Stock was gone come back and 9/21 is back to what it felt like in college for me.
Anecdotal, but I have had several non MT fan friends tell me how great of a hire they think this is.
I have evolved since the announcement. When Mason was announced I was shocked as I had never heard his name mentioned. Stock did some strange things. If Mason coaches like an average coach, we will be better. Plus, the local media loves him. That should help our local profile. Living there has helped him hit the ground running.
Here's why I have evolved since the initial shock of this hire.
1. Mason has been around winning programs/coaches. We talked about that as a prerequisite and looking past the Vandy time for a moment he has that. Sans Vandy he has won everywhere he's been in the NFL and FBS over the past 20 years. And we understand that's a unique challenge there.
3. Initial reaction to initial actions. In the first few days, he's done all the things you would hope for/expect a coach to do. That breeds confidence and hope.
More positives than negatives right now, which is why I moved form a WTF reaction to a slightly agree.
1. Mason has been around winning programs/coaches. We talked about that as a prerequisite and looking past the Vandy time for a moment he has that. Sans Vandy he has won everywhere he's been in the NFL and FBS over the past 20 years. And we understand that's a unique challenge there.
- Won MAC East as WR Coach
- Won NFC North (making it to NFC title game as DB coach with Vikings)
- Hugely successful at Stanford, which while not as tough as Vandy still pretty hard to win there.
- As DB coach was part of a top 5 team that went 12-1 and won the Orange Bowl under Jim Harbaugh
- As co-DC or sole DC, back to back conference champions, a Rose Bowl champion, and three straight seasons finishing ranked in the top 10 in the nation
- After Vandy, he had a .500 season at Auburn but was 28th in the nation in scoring defense.
- Oklahoma St last year was really the only place he didn’t have a decent year. Maybe he was tired? Who knows but obviously a reason he decided to take a year off from coaching.
3. Initial reaction to initial actions. In the first few days, he's done all the things you would hope for/expect a coach to do. That breeds confidence and hope.
More positives than negatives right now, which is why I moved form a WTF reaction to a slightly agree.
We say not successful as a HC and that is mostly true, but only two coaches have taken Vandy to more than one bowl game in their history. James Franklin and Derek Mason. Got fired going 0-8 vs SEC only schedule in 2020.
In 2018, Stock had one of his best teams and we played for the CUSA title. Mason beat him 35-7. 2016, we won 8 games. Mason drubbed him with Brent and Richie James. Mason beat him 4 times. Mason was the better coach. So I guess, that makes him an upgrade no matter what.
I was very WTF with this hire and solidly against it but after weighing out some things like my 2 points above, I think we will be fine. I don't expect 24 to be a break out year. We lost our whole defense. To me, how he grows the community interest and fanbase is where it's gonna matter and that's what Stock never did. The winning part is important but Stock won back to back bowl games in 21 and 22 and no one cared. Stock had 5 +8 win seasons and no one cared. We never felt a part of it and Stock just did whatever he wanted. He kinda villified the fanbase to be honest. We were part of the noise he told his players to ignore and so he ignored us.
We gotta get the State championships back here to Floyd. That helps recruiting like crazy.
I was very WTF with this hire and solidly against it but after weighing out some things like my 2 points above, I think we will be fine. I don't expect 24 to be a break out year. We lost our whole defense. To me, how he grows the community interest and fanbase is where it's gonna matter and that's what Stock never did. The winning part is important but Stock won back to back bowl games in 21 and 22 and no one cared. Stock had 5 +8 win seasons and no one cared. We never felt a part of it and Stock just did whatever he wanted. He kinda villified the fanbase to be honest. We were part of the noise he told his players to ignore and so he ignored us.
We gotta get the State championships back here to Floyd. That helps recruiting like crazy.
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MTSU hasn't even bid on the BCB the last couple of times. Your not wrong about recruiting, but the amount MTSU would make is pretty minimal compared to all the other championship events hosted there. Almost half the attendance this year was because the McCallie & Baylor were in the II-AAA final
I can see why some may slightly disagree, but I think it's a good hire.
I know some wanted a younger and fiery guy. I'm all for it -- but I also think stability is a good thing right now. Landscape of CFB is changing with 12 team expansion and second wave of re-alignment, the next 2-5 years are important. My hope is that DM will not only develop talent, but build our program to a point where we're considered a respectable program.
I doubt the BCB ever returns to Floyd.
IMO, its gonna end up at the new Titans stadium.
But if it doesn’t, the Boro / MT need to partner to bring it back home.
I voted slightly disagree. I did finally pay back into the BRAA as I like what I have seen. I want him to win. Get Joe Craddock and let him be the head coach after Mason wins the CUSA championship and moved on.
The thing with the BCB being at Floyd is it conflicts with C-USA championship game, so if we ever hosted (I know), the 1A and 3A games might not be able to, and the 5A game definitely wouldn’t be able to happen. I don’t know how much of a concern that is to those in charge.
The new Titans stadium. Grrrrrrrr.
Are other sports threads allowed on this board that do not relate to MT?Maybe I'm old fashioned but perhaps we should let the coach settle in for a full week before we start thinking about the next one.
Final vote tally out of 51 votes, 72.5% are in the favorable category. This is slightly higher than I expected. Will be interesting to revisit this in a couple of months after we know who the OC is and how much of an impact this staff is able to make in a condense recruiting calendar for them.
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If it's a HC who is already a HC elsewhere, they usually already have their people that they are bringing with them or they know who they want. If it's a HC who's been out of the game and hasn't been a HC in a while, they are gonna have to find the people they want or talk with their contacts that they are thinking of. (more of a delay)
After the recent recruiting blitz has anyone opinion changed? I voted strongly agree to start out.
I’m on the brink of going strongly agree. I still need to see the OC. I was slightly agree to start.
I consider myself in the middle, originally was slightly disagree. Mason has put me at ease about his ability to recruit locally and I've liked the hires he's made, but hard to get a full picture until I've seen his team's on the field for 1-2 seasons
I'm still slightly and that won't change till we see the on the field product and especially once we get in to conference play.
I will keep saying though off the field, he continues to impress.
I will keep saying though off the field, he continues to impress.
Well, he looks like he could whomp about 99% of fellow Human Beings if being placed in an altercation with them. A strong plus for a Strength and Conditioning coach.
Not really.
Positive: He is really acting the part. It’s highlighting just how poor of a job CRS did. Like that he is prioritizing the state.
Neutral: Need to confirm some of Stock’s lurking awful staff are gone and not retained. No idea if CDM will translate into being better than CRS.
Negative: His hire was driven by M&M. McPhee is a cancer on our university. Best practice is to do the opposite of what he thinks. The fact he seemed to really want/push for DM makes me think it has to be the wrong decision and we missed on better options because of McPhee’s idiocy.
I hope CDM does well. Seems like he is trying and like a good guy.
A few things :
1) The best I can tell, West, Shafer, Suber, and Mallory will be gone. Still not sure what will happen for Polly, Tucker, Stockstill, Stewart, and Royston. My guess is you’ll see 1-2 carryovers (Polly, Tucker, Stockstill being the MOST likely). Stewart’s offense doesn’t seem to fit what Mason wants.
2) Any hire - including the hire of Nick Saban - would have been a McPhee hire. And while I believe McPhee is probably “too hands” on when it comes to hiring coaches, any coach would a “McPhee” hire (including Banks, Mack, etc).
In most cases, dating as far back as my college days, there is usually one assistant on staff who is a “lifer” holdover and is retained by incoming head coaches to ease the transition. Usually someone in a position like Brock’s who knows the lay of the land, has relationships inside the admin and with the players (albeit several of those will probably leave when they get pushed down the depth chart or run off.)
Unfortunately, “that guy” at MTSU for the past 18 years has been Stock’s old college roommate so this won’t work.
Coach Mason needs to clean house, top to bottom and make it “his” program, but he already knows this. The staff was rife with Stock former players and longtime cronies. Way more than you usually see at most D1 programs. Especially as position coaches. Stock never coached at Fla. St., West coached one season at UTK early in his career. There is a reason for this.
Unfortunately, “that guy” at MTSU for the past 18 years has been Stock’s old college roommate so this won’t work.
Coach Mason needs to clean house, top to bottom and make it “his” program, but he already knows this. The staff was rife with Stock former players and longtime cronies. Way more than you usually see at most D1 programs. Especially as position coaches. Stock never coached at Fla. St., West coached one season at UTK early in his career. There is a reason for this.
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