Football Articles
Search Update
Posted by Hiphopopotamus on December 11th, 2009 under Football
Well, Lew and his search committee have returned to Lawrence. The interviews are done and they have a plan in place. And that’s the extent of our knowledge.
Here’s to guessing, if there’s a plan in place it should all be sorted out by Monday at the latest. I had originally thought it might come out today, but I’ve tempered those expectations of late. I think we’re all in agreement here that right now the pecking order publicly looks like this:
Harbaugh
Holtz
Gill
And since Gill has made it pretty clear that he’ll take the job if offered, he seems to be our worst case scenario. Which, to me, would leave us in pretty good shape. For all I know there are five other names out there that we haven’t even discussed (that Billick thing I threw out really did come from someone who would know). But given what we do know, these three seem to be pretty firmly in place and I wouldn’t expect Butch Jones or Tim Brewster to be in play.
But then who else do we need to consider? From what we’ve heard, they conducted about a dozen interviews during their time in New York and per his quotes to the KC Star, it appears that one of the interested parties is Tommy Tuberville, who has been doing his homework during his year off. Yes, I think it’s safe to say I might know more if I knew nothing at all at this point.
We’ll update as/if we know anything more.
Thoughts?
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Leonidas said:
December 11th, 2009 at 7:37 am
I think any of those three are really good hires. My concern with Harbaugh is: will he stick around longer than a couple of years or will he jump ship first chance he gets?
The more I learn about Gill, the more I like him. My gut feeling is he’d stick around for as long as we’d have him.
As for Skip Holtz, I really haven’t taken the time to get to know him or his coaching record. As an east coast guy, will he have the belief in Kansas to recruit well?
Triston27 said:
December 11th, 2009 at 7:38 am
Only suprising thing about Tuberville is that it has taken this long for him to be mentioned. I had him in mind as a possibility back before the Mangino storm started. Tuberville is a football guy, and you know he’d love a shot at the Big 12.
huskerwes1 said:
December 11th, 2009 at 7:46 am
Personally, or unpersonally for that matter, I’d love to see Tuberville come in. I think that he could be successful.
He’s a real stand-up guy too- someone that guys would love to play for; I heard him speak once and was really impressed with him overall.
Most important- His handshake is NO dead fish. He shakes like a man.
Triston27 said:
December 11th, 2009 at 7:54 am
My concern with Harbaugh is: will he stick around longer than a couple of years or will he jump ship first chance he gets?
I share this concern. Almost seems like a Bog Huggins situation. Go somewhere, collect a big check, move when the job that you really want opens up.
Also, Harbaugh hired his dad yesterday to coach the RB’s in the bowl game. If he planned on leaving Stanford right now, he wouldn’t have made that interim hire.
kuoirad said:
December 11th, 2009 at 8:54 am
I would LOVE to get Tuberville in to run the program. Hopefully he’d get a good OC to go along…he’s a defensive guy after all, iirc..
Hiphopopotamus said:
December 11th, 2009 at 9:40 am
There’s a great argument to be made for Tuberville, but if Lew can get Harbaugh, he will. Pretty convinced he’s been his top target from the beginning.
Leonidas said:
December 11th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Mascott on The Shiver message boards is saying he was told Harbaugh’s gonna take the job for something between $2.6 – $2.8million/yr. They’re just working out the details.
huskerwes1 said:
December 11th, 2009 at 9:45 am
Either would be great for the program. Always enjoy hearing Kansas folks talk about football instead of the lesser sport.
Just a little fun trivia- In the opening of Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska, after a hard fought game tied with Kansas for a game-ending 0-0 tie.
Neon said:
December 11th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Well, that’d be a home run hire. How much are those gridiron club suites again (grabs piggy bank and hammer).
As far as being worried about losing him, I’m not sure I share the concern. We lose our coach to the NFL and a select group of teams regardless of who that coach is. Texas, LSU, Ohio State, USC, Florida*. Add the coaches alma mater (assuming they went to a top 25 football program) to that list as well (Nebraska for Gill, Michigan for Harbaugh, etc).
I don’t see Harbaugh leaving KU for the Illinois job or the Ole Miss job any more than I see Gill leaving KU for the Oregon or Cal jobs.
* Probably missing a few destination programs, but those are the top 5 jobs in my head anyway.
Hiphopopotamus said:
December 11th, 2009 at 10:05 am
Leo – That’s interesting. I haven’t heard anything on contract yet, but to be stating that, you’d like to think he’s got a source extremely close to the situation.
Husker – I thought Nebraska played their first game there against OU, but the stadium dedication game was played later against Kansas and ended 0-0? Either way, love that trivia that displays how long these schools have been playing each other.
Hiphopopotamus said:
December 11th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Neon – I mostly agree. If Harbaugh ends up our guy, he’s certainly a flight risk. But I’m a pretty big proponent of the line of thinking that suggests, “get the best guy for the job.” And if they think Harbaugh is better than Gill, it’s hard to justify hiring Gill simply because you think he’ll stick around longer. If Harbaugh has enough success to take a better job, then ideally he’d leave the program in better shap and we’ll be able to attract another quality coach.
Neon Boudreaux said:
December 11th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Yep. I guess I don’t see why Harbaugh is any more of a flight risk than Gill. Daughter here that graduates in 2 years vs. home here and wife’s family here. I’d say Harbaugh has more connection to the area. Add to that Nebraska boosters would love to have Gill back the second he has success at KU while Michigan boosters are still crying about Harbaugh calling them a 2nd rate academic institution.
I say hire the best guy too, I’m just not sure he’s any more of a flight risk or that there are THAT many ‘better jobs’.
Think about what you get at Kansas. Big dollars, powerful alums, Recruiting to one of the great college towns in America, close to a major city (don’t discount the drive to out-of-the way places when you fly a recruit in)…
But most of all, and this is why Tubberville and Fulmer are interested in this job: Competing against one of the weakest divisions in BCS football every year for a 1 game playoff to appear in a GREAT BCS bowl (possibly the NC game).
If you can make it anywhere, you can make it here.
Triston27 said:
December 11th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Yep. I guess I don’t see why Harbaugh is any more of a flight risk than Gill.
I think the greater flight risk lies within the 32 teams of the NFL.
S.G. said:
December 11th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Theshiver is reporting, “that a source says a contract with Jim Harbaugh is in the works” anyone heard anything?
Triston27 said:
December 11th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Leonidas and S.G.: Mascott also came back and revised it a bit saying basically, KU put an offer on the table to Harbaugh, but there are still others in the mix.
http://messageboard.theshiver.com/showpost.php?p=43479&postcount=37
S.G. said:
December 11th, 2009 at 10:51 am
Why does he revise it? I swear I think sometimes he is just doing it to attract new visitors.
S.G. said:
December 11th, 2009 at 11:02 am
http://footballcoachscoop.com/Scoop.html
two sites reporting similar stuff on HB
BluManGrp said:
December 11th, 2009 at 11:08 am
CoachScoop is just re-reporting what was posted elsewhere. That seems to be all that site ever does. I wouldn’t consider it a corroboration of The Shiver, just a copycat.
Phenomenal Smith said:
December 11th, 2009 at 11:27 am
FootballCoachScoop has BREAKING NEWS and the FIRST TO REPORT that Stanford Head Coach Jim Harbaugh is negotiating a contract with Athletic
Director Lew Perkins to be the new Head Coach of the Kansas Jayhawks. Our sources tell us that Harabugh will be named the new Head Coach at KU
when the contract details are worked out and finalized this weekend. According to our source he will be paid between $2.5 Million and 2.75 Million.
That’s a bunch of money.
Phenomenal Smith said:
December 11th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Wouldn’t that kind of money make him the third highest paid coach in the Big 12? Wow.
Neon said:
December 11th, 2009 at 11:31 am
FootballCoachScoop wasn’t the first to report anything (and never has been).
I knew we’d go big with the money, and 3rd in the B12 is about where we should be money wise (based on income, endowment, etc), but 2.8 mil would make him what, 8th highest in the country? Like I said, I don’t think the donors are willing to pay that much for anyone but Harbaugh so if Harbaugh falls through we’ll have some interesting negotiating…
Phenomenal Smith said:
December 11th, 2009 at 11:35 am
FootballCoachScoop was the first to report that Brian Kelly was NOT a candidate for the Notre Dame job and also the the first to report that Brian Kelly was the next Notre Dame coach. I’m thinking the scoop industry isn’t heavily regulated.
Neon, here’s the chart hiphop linked earlier – $2.8 puts him around 11th.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-spt-coach-salary-chart-2009,0,3767955.htmlstory
Neon Boudreaux said:
December 11th, 2009 at 11:42 am
Interesting, that one looks newer than the one I remembered. Looking at the schools below 11th and the resources at Kansas, I guess 11th is about where we should be if we want to compete in football. Like I said though, I don’t think the big money guys gave Lew the green light to go over Mangino money for anyone but Harbaugh (and maybe Tubberville). If we end up with Gill or Holtz I bet it will be in the 2.3 area.
Triston27 said:
December 11th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
o/t: I look forward to Hiphop doing one of these.
JMR said:
December 11th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
First I am disappointed that Perkins hasn’t even spoken to Tuberville based on the KC Star article. Second, why would we double the salary of Harbaugh up front? I would think a contract of 1.9M with incentives to max out at 2.2M would be more than sufficient. Maybe this is just fodder right now but paying him that money up front is nuts especially after having to buy Mangino out at a high price.
Hiphopopotamus said:
December 11th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
First off, Triston, fuck you and your bag of potato chips.
Secondly, here’s the offer on the table:
$3 mil
2 escalades
private jet access
country club membership
more
Lew wants him now. Harbaugh wants to coach the bowl game.
BluManGrp said:
December 11th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
HipHop, you never cease to amaze. Wonder how determined Lew is about the bowl game. You’re not hearing that the holdup has to do with Michigan buyout clause?
Hiphopopotamus said:
December 11th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
BMG: Sounds like he’s pretty determined. I wouldn’t doubt that it’s a factor, but I haven’t heard anything regarding it specifically.
sea_hawk said:
December 11th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
I assume they (or at least Harbaugh) want to keep this as quiet as possible till after the Heisman. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Great work, hiphop!
Triston27 said:
December 11th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
That offer is pretty standard, except for the money of course. But all the other coaches have those things (country club, escalades), though I think the jet is probably restricted somewhat (recruiting and maybe some leisure miles).
Triston27 said:
December 11th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Good point, sea. Also, there’s still that chance that Harbaugh still turns his nose at it.
Sailor Ripley said:
December 11th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
I’m going to be really surprised if Harbaugh ends up with you guys. You never know but I see him staying on The Farm for a while.
Hiphopopotamus said:
December 11th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Sailor, at this point, I’ll be stunned if he’s anywhere but the Oread. He’s meeting with his AD today to discuss…
Phenomenal Smith said:
December 11th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
$3M? If Harbaugh isn’t the second coming of Bear Bryant Lew will be out the door. That’s just amazing. I mean, I think Harbaugh has a pretty good chance of succeeding, but is he really that hot a prospect? Is he really worth top ten coach money? This is insane. The guy’s had one winning season in the BCS.
Neon said:
December 11th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
I’m with you PS, but hiring a top guy at KU is going to require top 10 money, and money is what we have access to, so you go for it as successful football is worth way more than it costs to produce. That’s the reason we gave Mangino the money to begin with- had nothing to do with Mangino and more to do with communicating to the coaching world that we were in it to win.
Also, I think anything BUT a very successful coach and Lew’s out the door regardless of what we pay for him. You don’t drop Mangino like that to hire a similar coach.
kuoirad said:
December 11th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
I still think I’d rather have Tuberville. *shrugs*
Neon Boudreaux said:
December 11th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
NBC “Action” News is interviewing people in the Delt house. I thought that place closed down. Who’s in there now?
And they just gave FootballScoop.com props saying they broke the story. What an abortion of a newscast.
Sailor Ripley said:
December 11th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
I know, Hip. I’m sticking to my guns. I’d be equally shocked the other other way. Time will tell.
And the Tuberville suggestion sounds like a good one.
BluManGrp said:
December 11th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
@Sailor: Wait, are you saying that no matter what happens you’ll be shocked? Sounds hard to pull off, but we’ll see if you can do it.
Sailor Ripley said:
December 11th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
No, I’d be shocked if he’s your next coach.
natlchampjhawks said:
December 11th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
The $3M is only a big deal because KU is a public university… 3M is really not that much considering the amount of revenue that NCAA D1 football team brings in (and the better the team is, farther they go, the more $$$ they make)… If they get Harbaugh, big Lew earned his paycheck and landed the big fish to try and keep this program from regressing I think… Even if he jumps ship for the NFL, I wouldn’t have a hard time telling a recruit that we are searching for a coach because our last one is coaching players making Millions of dollars instead of a couple thousand for tuition…
That being said, if Gill is our last option, that will be fine by me. I like the guy, I think he can help our program (just not as immediate of an impact as Harbaugh would have).
Phenomenal Smith said:
December 11th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
The $3M is only a big deal because KU is a public university
I think it’s a big deal because it seems out of line with the current market and, as far as it being a public university, only six or seven other public universities have seen fit to pay a head coach that kind of money and those coaches had a lot more success before getting that green.
To us, of course, the money is irrelevant. We’re not paying it. And if it helps our favorite team, let’s do it.
JBarrier said:
December 11th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Phenom Smith I don’t want to sound like an ass but this is KU, not KState. 3 million isn’t that big a deal considering we just polished off a 40 million dollar facility with plans to break ground in the next year or two on a 60 plus million dollar stadium box addition. We’re ok. And that paycheck only makes Kansas look better. Too be honest Lew Perkin$’ tenure would be a success even if this hire turns south.
Phenomenal Smith said:
December 11th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
I can appreciate that KU has that kind of money, but just because you have it doesn’t mean you spend it on Harbaugh. Harbaugh seems like a promising up-and-comer, but one doesn’t normally get that kind of green after one winning season in D1A. That’s all I’m saying. I suspect you are right – KU can afford to pay $3M/year to the head football coach.
I’ll also say that we don’t really know $3M is on the table.
Neon said:
December 12th, 2009 at 8:50 am
He’s the best available in 2009 and we’re willing to pay what it takes. The final number isn’t all that important. The boosters have clearly OK’ed the amount and they’re the only people that the money matters to.
Even if Harbaugh doesn’t succeed here, we can hire the next superstar in waiting because this offer proves that we will do what it takes to win on Oread.
Raefzilla said:
December 12th, 2009 at 9:02 am
Dammit dammit dammit dammit dammit
Now it sounds like he’s staying.
Hiphopopotamus said:
December 12th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Heard the same stuff, Raef, but we’ll see. If it’s true that he had a change of heart, plenty of other worthy candidates on the list. No worries either way.
leonidas said:
December 12th, 2009 at 10:17 am
I’m getting the feeling that the only people who really know what’s going on are Lew Perkins, the KU AD attorney(s) and whichever coach they’re talking to and his attorney.
I guess the best we can do is simply wait for the official announcement, ’cause nobody else knows shit.
raoulduke said:
December 12th, 2009 at 10:50 am
So no Harbaugh? Gill?
Boo Radley said:
December 12th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
So its pretty clear that Lew is trying to save face by saying there was no offer on the table. Much like Mangino resigned. Don’t know why you would hide. Shows your boosters you
Boo Radley said:
December 12th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
So its pretty clear that Lew is trying to save face by saying there was no offer on the table. Much like Mangino resigned.
I would guess Skip Holtz.
Triston27 said:
December 12th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
So its pretty clear that Lew is trying to save face by saying there was no offer on the table. Much like Mangino resigned. Don’t know why you would hide.
When has any university ever come out and said their offer was declined by a coach? It doesn’t work that way.
Triston27 said:
December 12th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Also, you never acknowledge giving an offer until one is signed. If you officially offer, and it’s turned down, then the guy you do actually hire is put behind the 8-ball right away.
Neon said:
December 12th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Tom Dienhart is saying Kansas may be interested in 39YO Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema, that someone will be in place tonight, and that Harbaugh is still involved??.
In case you don’t follow Wisconsin football, Bielema (used to?) date this:
Phenomenal Smith said:
December 12th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Speaking of second choices, and I know it’s just Football Coach Scoop, but here’s what it says about Notre Dame:
Notre Dame:
Sources tell FootballCoachScoop that Bob Stoops, Tony Dungy, Kirk Ferentz, Jon Gruden, Urban Meyer, and Pat Fitzgerald all turned the Fighting Irish job
down.
Who knows if that’s true, but it is part of the process.
Hiphopopotamus said:
December 12th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
I’ve made the decision to step away and get drunk, but it’s either harbaugh or holtz. Of this, I’m all but certain.
Triston27 said:
December 12th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
I’ve made the decision to step away and get drunk
I support this.
Raefzilla said:
December 12th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Very interesting, HipHop. Unless it’s Holtz, which will be boring.
I’d rather have Holtz than Gill, though, provided he assembles the right staff.
Phenomenal Smith said:
December 12th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
If it’s Harbaugh he’s going to look like quite the tool after his statement today. That will be forgotten quickly enough, though.
Holtz may be boring but I think he’ll be a good hire that might succeed and finish his career at KU.
Neon Boudreaux said:
December 12th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Jason King is saying it’s Turner Gill:
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=jn-gill121209&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
kuoirad said:
December 12th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Was about to bring that over to post.
My reaction: Fuck.
Hiphopopotamus said:
December 12th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
King would probably know. If so, I’m a bit surprised, but perfectly happy with that hire.
Neon Boudreaux said:
December 12th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
In case people weren’t following the 2008 Auburn search where Gill was considered the frontrunner,
http://deadspin.com/5110639/was-turner-gill-denied-the-auburn-job-because-of-his-white-wife
I’m with Hip. Good hire, though I’m not sure he’s the grand slam Lew needed.
I wonder if this affects Jacoby Walker’s commitment. I would think he might be interested in the guy that developed Crouch, Frazier and Frost…