JSU/99
Well-Known Member
I know someone from JSU is probably the last poster who should give advice on searching for a new coach. But here I am after a few weeks of hibernation. Even though this is the most stressful time of the year for me, I wouldn't be a Christian if I didn't pass along this advice.
1) Be nice to the outgoing coach. This might not be a problem for you guys since both of your coaches resigned. But whatever you do, don't piss off the outgoing coach. Even if the coach was the biggest idiot this side of the Mississppi, you must remember that he recruited most of the players the new guy will be coaching next year. And the players will still feel a measure loyalty to him. Trust me, you don't want a loose cannon ex-coach hanging around practices, dividing the loyalties of already confused players. That's a recipe for disaster.
2) Be aware of the administration favorites. Why? Because he's probably going to be the new coach. Now you can fight all you want, but remember who makes the final decision. If the admin is hell-bent on someone, that's who the new coach is going to be. The day after Hughes was fired, everyone at JSU knew who the new guy was going to be. Whether we liked him or not was immaterial, it was just fact. Which leads to number 3...
3) Be nice to the incoming coach. I don't care if you hate him, Once he signs on the dotted line, throw all the support you can behind him. Even if you have to grit your teeth, just do it. The reason is simple: A new coach needs all the help he can get in winning over the returning players. If the players see you lining up against the coach, how do you think they'll react? Sadly, some of us at JSU still hasn't grasped that concept. When you have someone you don't believe is qualified for the job, the worst thing you can do is give him excuses for losing. On the contrary, you want to take away any possible excuse he might possibly have. So If he doesn't succeed, he'll have no excuses to fall back on.
4) Make sure he's the right fit for your program. If you want to win now, hire an experienced coach with a proven track record. If you just want to start over and rebuild for the future, then you may hire someone that'll grow into the job. Some of these young assistants may be popular choices, but keep in mind that most coaches will struggle their first year. People like Bob Stoops and Ralph Freigdan are the exceptions to the rule. A first time headcoach will often be ambitous, enthusiastic and in over his head. If you aren't prepared to be patient, hire a Rick Comegy or L.C. Cole.
I don't pretend to be an expert on this subject. But when your team just finished 2-10, you tend to learn a lot more about your program than you want to. Remember, change, even for the worse, is better than standing still.
1) Be nice to the outgoing coach. This might not be a problem for you guys since both of your coaches resigned. But whatever you do, don't piss off the outgoing coach. Even if the coach was the biggest idiot this side of the Mississppi, you must remember that he recruited most of the players the new guy will be coaching next year. And the players will still feel a measure loyalty to him. Trust me, you don't want a loose cannon ex-coach hanging around practices, dividing the loyalties of already confused players. That's a recipe for disaster.
2) Be aware of the administration favorites. Why? Because he's probably going to be the new coach. Now you can fight all you want, but remember who makes the final decision. If the admin is hell-bent on someone, that's who the new coach is going to be. The day after Hughes was fired, everyone at JSU knew who the new guy was going to be. Whether we liked him or not was immaterial, it was just fact. Which leads to number 3...
3) Be nice to the incoming coach. I don't care if you hate him, Once he signs on the dotted line, throw all the support you can behind him. Even if you have to grit your teeth, just do it. The reason is simple: A new coach needs all the help he can get in winning over the returning players. If the players see you lining up against the coach, how do you think they'll react? Sadly, some of us at JSU still hasn't grasped that concept. When you have someone you don't believe is qualified for the job, the worst thing you can do is give him excuses for losing. On the contrary, you want to take away any possible excuse he might possibly have. So If he doesn't succeed, he'll have no excuses to fall back on.
4) Make sure he's the right fit for your program. If you want to win now, hire an experienced coach with a proven track record. If you just want to start over and rebuild for the future, then you may hire someone that'll grow into the job. Some of these young assistants may be popular choices, but keep in mind that most coaches will struggle their first year. People like Bob Stoops and Ralph Freigdan are the exceptions to the rule. A first time headcoach will often be ambitous, enthusiastic and in over his head. If you aren't prepared to be patient, hire a Rick Comegy or L.C. Cole.
I don't pretend to be an expert on this subject. But when your team just finished 2-10, you tend to learn a lot more about your program than you want to. Remember, change, even for the worse, is better than standing still.
. This thing is a process and they do need to know what the administration wants. The JSU faithful wanted someone to come in and win right away....the JSU administration wanted someone to rebuild the program.
