Realistic Hiring Targets For A P5 School: A 5 Year Look

TriStarCane

Coaching Carousel 2029
Joined
Jun 13, 2012
Messages
10,086
It’s a bye week and I’ve got time. I took a look at hiring over the last 5 years because I’ve been reading several posts and threads about HC targets for us after Manny is finally fired. I have found it interesting to see the strong opinions around who should be considered and who shouldn’t. Specifically, I’m intrigued by the people who say “we can do better,” especially in relation to candidates like Mario, Clawson, or Stoops (full disclosure: I’m for Mario). The truth is, we likely can’t do much better and it is highly likely that we we will not be able to hire another active P5 HC.

Since 2017, a total of 50 P5 head coaching jobs have become available. I could only find 5 times where an active P5 HC had been hired away from their school: Mel Tucker (‘20), Mike Leach (‘20), Dan Mullen (‘18), Willie Taggert (‘18), and Jimbo (‘18). The majority of P5 schools hire a G5 coach (18 times) or a P5 coordinator (15 times: 9 DC and 6 OC). In fact, there have been more position coaches (6) hired as a HC than a current P5 coaches. Fired head coaches that were not coordinators are another 5. There was one FCS coach hired as well.

Most likely, we will go with a G5 coach or a P5 coordinator. We would have to be an outlier to take a P5 head coach. I know you are sitting there with your turnover chain shirt thinking to yourself “yeah, but this is The U! We have south beach, bro. And no state income tax. And so much talent. It’s a top 12 job according to a bunch of random people in a magazine article!” Other big programs have gone this route, including: Auburn, Tennessee (x2), Texas (x2), and FSU. I chuckle when posters **** on P5 coaches as not being good enough because we likely won’t get one. The “we can do better” moniker is not true. If Mario or any other P5 coach were to come, we would be only the 6th program in 6 years to get a P5 HC. We would be lucky to have them.

I have grown to accept that our next coach will likely be a Napier type coach unless we take a chance on a fired guy like Herman. If we get a P5 coach, it will more likely be someone like Clawson from a smaller school. The only coach that’s taken a lateral job is Jimbo, and we aren’t paying A&M money to do that. Based on the numbers, it will probably come from a group of Mario, BOB, Herman, Malzahn and whoever the best g5 coaches are not named Fickell
 
Advertisement
You have to be honest with yourself and the expectations. If we’re a three loss team in year 4 with Herman, how we feeling? If you’re not ok with that you shouldn’t be ok with Herman
 
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
I am willing to accept a G5 ‘up-and-comer’ HC but his staff needs P5/NFL experience, especially coordinators and OL/DL.

I am also cool with Herman but leery of why he didn‘t improve after a solid Year 2, beating UGA in the Sugar Bowl. I’ve also read, FWIW, he lost his locker room and his arrogance alienated a lot Texas HS coaches. This is concerning. A coach’s record can be a product of circumstances, or a product of the coach.

I also think he may be collecting his $15M buyout and working on an NFL career, starting at the bottom.
 
Last edited:
Advertisement
It’s a bye week and I’ve got time. I took a look at hiring over the last 5 years because I’ve been reading several posts and threads about HC targets for us after Manny is finally fired. I have found it interesting to see the strong opinions around who should be considered and who shouldn’t. Specifically, I’m intrigued by the people who say “we can do better,” especially in relation to candidates like Mario, Clawson, or Stoops (full disclosure: I’m for Mario). The truth is, we likely can’t do much better and it is highly likely that we we will not be able to hire another active P5 HC.

Since 2017, a total of 50 P5 head coaching jobs have become available. I could only find 5 times where an active P5 HC had been hired away from their school: Mel Tucker (‘20), Mike Leach (‘20), Dan Mullen (‘18), Willie Taggert (‘18), and Jimbo (‘18). The majority of P5 schools hire a G5 coach (18 times) or a P5 coordinator (15 times: 9 DC and 6 OC). In fact, there have been more position coaches (6) hired as a HC than a current P5 coaches. Fired head coaches that were not coordinators are another 5. There was one FCS coach hired as well.

Most likely, we will go with a G5 coach or a P5 coordinator. We would have to be an outlier to take a P5 head coach. I know you are sitting there with your turnover chain shirt thinking to yourself “yeah, but this is The U! We have south beach, bro. And no state income tax. And so much talent. It’s a top 12 job according to a bunch of random people in a magazine article!” Other big programs have gone this route, including: Auburn, Tennessee (x2), Texas (x2), and FSU. I chuckle when posters **** on P5 coaches as not being good enough because we likely won’t get one. The “we can do better” moniker is not true. If Mario or any other P5 coach were to come, we would be only the 6th program in 6 years to get a P5 HC. We would be lucky to have them.

I have grown to accept that our next coach will likely be a Napier type coach unless we take a chance on a fired guy like Herman. If we get a P5 coach, it will more likely be someone like Clawson from a smaller school. The only coach that’s taken a lateral job is Jimbo, and we aren’t paying A&M money to do that. Based on the numbers, it will probably come from a group of Mario, BOB, Herman, Malzahn and whoever the best g5 coaches are not named Fickell
Mario Herman or Freeze im good with.
 
It’s a bye week and I’ve got time. I took a look at hiring over the last 5 years because I’ve been reading several posts and threads about HC targets for us after Manny is finally fired. I have found it interesting to see the strong opinions around who should be considered and who shouldn’t. Specifically, I’m intrigued by the people who say “we can do better,” especially in relation to candidates like Mario, Clawson, or Stoops (full disclosure: I’m for Mario). The truth is, we likely can’t do much better and it is highly likely that we we will not be able to hire another active P5 HC.

Since 2017, a total of 50 P5 head coaching jobs have become available. I could only find 5 times where an active P5 HC had been hired away from their school: Mel Tucker (‘20), Mike Leach (‘20), Dan Mullen (‘18), Willie Taggert (‘18), and Jimbo (‘18). The majority of P5 schools hire a G5 coach (18 times) or a P5 coordinator (15 times: 9 DC and 6 OC). In fact, there have been more position coaches (6) hired as a HC than a current P5 coaches. Fired head coaches that were not coordinators are another 5. There was one FCS coach hired as well.

Most likely, we will go with a G5 coach or a P5 coordinator. We would have to be an outlier to take a P5 head coach. I know you are sitting there with your turnover chain shirt thinking to yourself “yeah, but this is The U! We have south beach, bro. And no state income tax. And so much talent. It’s a top 12 job according to a bunch of random people in a magazine article!” Other big programs have gone this route, including: Auburn, Tennessee (x2), Texas (x2), and FSU. I chuckle when posters **** on P5 coaches as not being good enough because we likely won’t get one. The “we can do better” moniker is not true. If Mario or any other P5 coach were to come, we would be only the 6th program in 6 years to get a P5 HC. We would be lucky to have them.

I have grown to accept that our next coach will likely be a Napier type coach unless we take a chance on a fired guy like Herman. If we get a P5 coach, it will more likely be someone like Clawson from a smaller school. The only coach that’s taken a lateral job is Jimbo, and we aren’t paying A&M money to do that. Based on the numbers, it will probably come from a group of Mario, BOB, Herman, Malzahn and whoever the best g5 coaches are not named Fickell
I was against Billy Napier at first but he's turned down the Ole Miss and South Carolina jobs. He's gone 32-12 at ULL which is pretty **** impressive, that program was one of the worst in college football before he took over and he turned it around and has been recruiting a lot of NFL talent. He wouldn't be in my Top 5 but I wouldn't be ****ed if he was named HC
 
Advertisement
Back
Top