Wednesday, January 14, 2015

More Names


Ralph Friedgen


I’m willing to bet someone in the Columbia administration is looking at this blog and tsk-tsking at all the wild speculation we’re engaging in as we try to guess who will be our next head coach and athletic director.

So let’s keep it going because if the administration doesn’t like it, it only has itself to blame for this as it continues to say nothing about where it is in the hiring process.

Again, based on some sources who have told me Columbia has made an offer to a “big name” coach who would get all of us excited, let’s keep thinking about who that person could be.

I have some more possible candidates. Please add your own names in the comments section.


1)      Ralph Friedgen

The Rutgers OC would truly put the “BIG” in the “big name” report, and he has head coaching experience at Maryland. On some level, he makes sense. On others, he does not.

2)      Joe Rossi

Sticking with Rutgers, how about their young new defensive coordinator? Rossi has FCS experience as he coached at Maine for years. He’s a young guy well under 40 who could be a breath of fresh air after the near-60 Mangurian.

3)      Al Bagnoli


Stranger things have happened. Dartmouth’s Bob Blackman switched from Dartmouth to Cornell, but not before taking some years away from the Ivies. Bagnoli coming here would cause an earthquake in the league, but so would Columbia suddenly becoming a winner. 





Sean Ryan


4) Sean Ryan

Former Columbia and Harvard assistant, now coaching the dream lineup of wide receivers for the Giants. Is he a "big name?" Well, other than in the minds of Ivy coaching geeks like me, I don't think he really qualifies for that title. STILL, he might be a really great choice.


5) Jim Tressel

As I understand it, Tressel's punishment from the NCAA blocks him from coaching any NCAA team UNLESS that school can show cause to have an exception made. If Columbia doesn't qualify for a hardship exception, who the Hell does?

28 comments:

Columbia_Fan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
oldlion said...

Isn't there a DB coach at Harvard who played (a little) for us; I think his dad played (a little) for us as well.

Big Dawg said...

What's Chris Christie doing in shorts and a whistle???

Is he also in the running?

Columbia_Fan said...

What about young Shanahan?

Anonymous said...

If an offer has been extended and we are still waiting then it's a no go. In that business it's instantaneous. If someone is hemming and hawing then it's the wrong person to make the offer to.

That would be a very strange about face if Bagnoli was even interested.

Doubtful Tressel would be interested.

It is interesting to wonder what Hitler's dog would do in this situation.

Mr. Gelegenheit! said...

None of these should turn us on. Can we please stay away from Rutgers, for both AD and HC? And Jim Tressel at Columbia? Reminds me of when someone suggested Mack Brown.
Mitch S. 68CC

Anonymous said...

I like Mack Brown but he would be a super long shot.

What can possibly be wrong with a candidate who has won a national championship?

Mr. Gelegenheit! said...

So anybody who has won a national championship could not possibly have anything wrong with them re coaching at Columbia?
Mitch S 68CC

Anonymous said...

Whatever your point is falls flat Mr. Spaghetti. Mack Brown doesn't have a job and has said he is open to opportunities. If you don't like him that's too bad. He's worth talking to. That's what football people do when they need a head coach. That's Columbia's problem is no inkling of how to conduct a coaching search at all. So it could be Mack Brown or it could be a HS coach in Arkansas. It's the same thing. You end up with nobody unless you talk to people and form an opinion. Maybe it's the wrong fit, you find that out during discussions.

Yes, you win a national title you are somebody with credentials.

I remain, very truly yours, Richard Szathmary said...

Hitler's dog, alswingman, was an "Alsatian" female (it's what Germans call what we call "German shepherds) named Blondi. And, sensing your at least mental resemblance on this site to the depth represented by a fire plug, she might simply have peed on your leg.

Anonymous said...

I would talk to Jim Fassel too. The problem with guys like him and Mack Brown is they are older and maybe not suited for the rigors of the road in recruiting.

oldlion said...

This is going to be about recruiting. The ideal candidate is going to be in his mid to late 30s to early 40s, familiar with the Ivies and perhaps even Columbia, who is currently an assistant with a winning program, who is smart and highly personable. He will also have to be given the dough to hire good to great assistants. I want somebody who can wow 18 year olds and their parents.

WOF said...

Another week is about to go by without any word of an AD or coach, not even an "all is well" announcemnt to appease us.

Why do we love this school? Better yet, why would we ever believe they are capable of getting football right?

Coach said...

Old lion: good observation, but 50% of the issue. Admissions, financial aid, maybe a dorm, more facilities.
We will see if there is a REAL
committment, or we will just hire a nice young kid, who has some Ivy background, works well with the players, and will get his ass kicked, like every other coach in the last 50 years.

Anonymous said...

Dick Szmatahahatya, you would not know depth from a fruit spoon.

Completely agree with oldlion. The program needs a young coach capable of hitting the road and relating to the recruits, getting them excited about living and playing ball in NYC, getting a great education.

Would be dutiful to speak to a wide range of candidates, old timers included. You don't know where the fit will come from. Doesn't take much to get up to speed on ivy recruiting requirements so why confine the search.

Old Lion said...

Re financial aid: one incoming basketball player gave an interview in which he said that his scholarship cover 90% of his total college costs. Hard to believe that type of package isn't competitive with HYP.

Columbia_Fan said...

This whole fiasco comes down to having a coach that gets instant respect from the players. With out that the 2015 season is already over.
All of you old CU/college FB fans have to remember that most of these players do not even know who Vince Lombardi was.
Let's try to bring in someone that they can relate/commit to, not someone that makes the "old timers" happy.

Roar Lion said...

I think Old Lion has it right. The prototype is right in front of our eyes. Boretti and Kyle Smith are both young guys with lots of energy, positive approaches and real skill as recruiters. They communicate well with alumni and so are successful with fundraising. They may both end up moving to bigger jobs, but that's okay. Better to have a winner than a lifer. In football, I think we are far better off with one of the hot young Ivy coordinators/lead recruiters who Jake has mentioned on the blog than with an older coach who is unfamiliar with our league and its quirks. Football is a harder job than either BB or baseball, but in the end it is all about recruiting. You either get the players or get fired.

Anonymous said...

Is it too early to get the Fire Greg Schiano campaign going?

Coach said...

This league has been littered with young hot coaches that have never made it- not just Columbia, but Cornell, Yale, and Princeton have had their share of these types, who were also good recruiters.
Ivy League Football in each school is controlled by two departments - admissions and financial aid. When they are willing to "play ball", teams win. You look at each cycle of losing at each Ivy School, it is always about these two factors. Simultaneously, league itself, puts constraints on bottom line admissions.
I do not understand how these other schools can set rules for each other's admissions.

oldlion said...

See my last comment on financial aid as applied to one of our exceptional incoming basketball players.

Coach said...

Anyone associated with Columbia football will tell you that, not just Columbia, but Brown, Penn, and Cornell have been way behind in competing with financial aid.

oldlion said...

I can't speak for the past but right now I am told that we are no longer behind.

Coach said...

We have hired two former Yale coaches- McElreavy and Shoop - both disasters.

Coach said...

Old Lion: any sign of the papal smoke over Bollinger's residence announcing the new AD- hysterical !

WOF said...

Coach

I don't think McElreavy was at Yale, he was at New Haven...

Must be something in the water in that town, though...

Jake said...

WOF: Mac was at Yale for several years. Coached RBs including Rich Diana.

WOF said...

Gotcha, thanks, I did not realize the Yale coaches had such multiple character issues