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Miami Expected To Add Kansas Assistant Matt Birkett To Defensive Staff

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Seems like he was the one recruiting Ponds to JMU 👀🙌🏻

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YLCANE said:
I like this because we have to be thinking ahead to keep some continuity as both coordinators will likely be poached to be HCs at end of this championship season
So we need to continually add more talent to the staff!!
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It’s possible, ofc. However, this move also suggests Hetherman is getting comfortable where his feet are. It’s the first guy he has brought onboard via co-sign.
 
SFbayCane said:
I'll reserve judgement on this hire until @MedleyCane posts his "six degrees of Kevin Bacon" coaching lineage on this guy. :)




j/k MC. I always look forward to your coaching lineage reports on all of these guys.
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Appreciate the reference SFbay.
Too kind.
I think Memnon, Cookies, and E1k got this coaches corner on lock down.
I think it is not a surprising hire given that most asst coach hires have some connection with the HC and/or coordinators.
I like the fact that he has worked and with for some good coaches at Maine, at JMU plus Leipold/Shelby at Kansas. He checks some good boxes.
I know he was fired at USF, but that could be due to several factors not necessarily pertaining to coaching.
Perhaps he was not getting much traction recruiting Florida kids at USF, something that his successor DVD potentially offered.
If this was the reason, this would not be a concern at UM as he's standing behind a bigger football brand whose leadership and staff are already strong recruiters.
Also, there are many instances where good coaches get fired for various reasons, often not because off-field/personal or coaching issues.
I believe Sonny Lubick was fired at one of the Big Sky schools he coached at, and we know how
he eventually fared in his latter years.
 
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cookies said:
It’s possible, ofc. However, this move also suggests Hetherman is getting comfortable where his feet are. It’s the first guy he has brought onboard via co-sign.
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Yes, it’s one of his guys and I’m sure he got more money to come here but if the Miami defense looks anything close to what it looked like last year or better, there’s almost no chance Heatherman doesn’t get offered a head coaching job including ones he might be likely to accept
 
Ispyin said:
Yes, it’s one of his guys and I’m sure he got more money to come here but if the Miami defense looks anything close to what it looked like last year or better, there’s almost no chance Heatherman doesn’t get offered a head coaching job including ones he might be likely to accept
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He is definitely ambitious however; I’m not quite sure what those ambitions are. Dawson has been linked to HC jobs; not so much Hetherman.



Not everyone wants to be that guy in charge of everything. A NFL DC job could be the endpoint for him. If that is the case, he doesn’t necessarily need to be in rush to get there as a guy in his mid 40s.

Like you said, he’ll have a ton of interest and opportunities so we’ll cross that bridge if he accepts that path. I just don’t believe it’s a future fait accompli yet. Coaching guys he recruited could appeal to him enough to stay.
 
cookies said:
YLCANE said:
I like this because we have to be thinking ahead to keep some continuity as both coordinators will likely be poached to be HCs at end of this championship season
So we need to continually add more talent to the staff!!
Click to expand...
It’s possible, ofc. However, this move also suggests Hetherman is getting comfortable where his feet are. It’s the first guy he has brought onboard via co-sign.
Click to expand...
Good point. Maybe it’s wishful thinking but he may stay given the recruits he has coming in and what he’s getting paid.

I wouldn’t leave for a run of the mill school even if it’s P4.

For example, would you rather be the head coach at Arkansas or the defensive coordinator at Miami?
 
Canesq said:
Good point. Maybe it’s wishful thinking but he may stay given the recruits he has coming in and what he’s getting paid.

I wouldn’t leave for a run of the mill school even if it’s P4.

For example, would you rather be the head coach at Arkansas or the defensive coordinator at Miami?
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That’s a fact. To win at places like Arkansas, Purdue, etc. is not for faint hearted haha.

I could see him leaving to be a NFL DC or a B1G HC. I’d prefer to coach elite athletes i recruited rather than win as a HC at a G6 place knowing that I’m using it as a stepping stone. Coaches are wired differently tho.

Still, even then, a school like Wisconsin is appealing but are they really going to equip you with what you need? Bielma left there to go Arkansas and his successor won 19 games in 2 seasons then left there to go to Oregon State. . . .Bielma went 68-24.

Paul Chryst, an alum who played football there, wins B1G coach of the year twice, wins his division 3 times, but gets fired after starting 2-3 when his previous tenured record was 65-23. Wild.

Idk how much all of this comes into consideration for guys but I’d imagine they look into it before taking a job.
 
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cookies said:
That’s a fact. To win at places like Arkansas, Purdue, etc. is not for faint hearted haha.

I could see him leaving to be a NFL DC or a B1G HC. I’d prefer to coach elite athletes i recruited rather than win as a HC at a G6 place knowing that I’m using it as a stepping stone. Coaches are wired differently tho.

Still, even then, a school like Wisconsin is appealing but are they really going to equip you with what you need? Bielma left there to go Arkansas and his successor won 19 games in 2 seasons then left there to go to Oregon State. . . .Bielma went 68-24.

Paul Chryst, an alum who played football there, wins B1G coach of the year twice, wins his division 3 times, but gets fired after starting 2-3 when his previous tenured record was 65-23. Wild.

Idk how much all of this comes into consideration for guys but I’d imagine they look into it before taking a job.
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Some of these HC gigs are dead ends... Pretty sure that Heatherman received some genuine offers or people reached out to him, but it's just not appealing.

And ultimately, the risk of failing at a place that doesn't really support you is exuberant. People will then look at your record and just toss you away in the future.

Cignettis track record of recruiting and developing players was extensive enough to warrant him serious consideration for HC jobs before he went to Bama. Didn't become a HC until he was 50.
 
Bender said:
Some of these HC gigs are dead ends... Pretty sure that Heatherman received some genuine offers or people reached out to him, but it's just not appealing.

And ultimately, the risk of failing at a place that doesn't really support you is exuberant. People will then look at your record and just toss you away in the future.

Cignettis track record of recruiting and developing players was extensive enough to warrant him serious consideration for HC jobs before he went to Bama. Didn't become a HC until he was 50.
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Yeup, all of this is on point. Cignetti additionally had to be very proactive in seeking out HC opportunities and ultimately ended up at IUP where his father became a HOF at. Was never a coordinator.
 
I think it’s very important not only to Mario but finally the administration to keep the best coaching staff together as long as possible. The health system at UM is paying all the bills now. There is plenty of money for all things university related.

Alumni and boosters are now no longer being asked for buildings and huge university project donations but rather NIL. You’ll still have donors that want their name on legacy projects but the university is not as desperate as they were prior to Covid. Covid paid a lot of bills and allowed UM to let that money make it money.
 
SFbayCane said:
I'll reserve judgement on this hire until @MedleyCane posts his "six degrees of Kevin Bacon" coaching lineage on this guy. :)




j/k MC. I always look forward to your coaching lineage reports on all of these guys.
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YEP , I was watching a show with Kevin and thinking of six degrees LMAO .

He has ties to everything amazing and so does MC and staff.

MC is building a powerhouse up from the little things a solid base , everyone including players are a reflection of each other.

Miami is the toughest, grounded and deepest talented team in CFB .

Most feared
 
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