Consigliere,
Why are you so opposed to Jeremy Pruitt?
He's an elite DC, he's young and ambitious, and he's the best recruiter in the country. The only knock I see is a lack of head coaching experience. There's validity to that, but plenty of coordinators have become hugely successful coaches. Jimbo is doing just fine up north.
There's a risk with any coach. We focused on guys with HC experience last time, and we ended up interviewing duds. One thing I like about Pruitt is that he knows what it takes. Golden cut his teeth at places like Boston College and Virginia. Pruitt's entire college career has been spent at Alabama, FSU and Georgia. All he knows is Southern savagery and high expectations.
At this state of the program we need a "sure" thing. What that means is no first time HCs where their highest qualification is college coordinator.
I am not concerned with recruiting, I am concerned with landing a "sure" thing. Pruitt deserves a chance, like Morris and Herman deserved a chance, at a non-power conference school.
You shouldn't be concerned with recruiting, we will always be able to recruit. I believe Miami MUST limit the risk with this next hire. Pruitt screams RISK due to his lack of experience.
Herman and Morris aren't "sure things." Saban, Meyer and Harbaugh are sure things. Anybody we get will come with risks.
And I am always concerned with recruiting. Why do you think Ole Miss beat Alabama last week? Why did FSU raise the trophy two years ago? The recruiting success preceded the on-field success.
Was Howard not an elite hire? Here's some facts about turnaround programs:
Bama (Saban) was turned around in year 2, won the title in year 3.
USC (Carroll) was turned around in year 2, won the title in year 3.
Florida (Meyer) turned around in year 2, won title in year 2.
OSU (Meyer) turned around immediately, won the title in year 2.
ND (Kelly) turned is around in year 3, played in NC in year 3.
These represent major brand schools who turned it around extremely quickly with the right hire. They didn't do it by waiting on 4 recruiting classes (a la Jimbo), they did it by coaching the **** outta the players they had, and adding in a few young studs to go with it.