Coaching Search...who's next? lets hear all the wild speculation

[havok58]

So if this has to be done quickly, like in two weeks to coincide with the transfer portal opening and recruit signing, why did Farley wait so long to announce his retirement? Franklin was named AD back in May. I’m sure Farley started to trust her UNI loyalty at least by August, so why didn’t he announce his retirement at the beginning of the season? This would have been his farewell tour, could have brought more fans to the home games and give Franklin more time to start the coaching search.

[nadf.]

He has said that he wants to keep coaching. I personally don't believe that the decision was completely his. But even it is was and he had plans to retire, I'm sure he would have communicated that possibility so they could start to make plans for a replacement. Seems pretty likely that this is what happened between Nick Saban and Bama. How else could you hire the most important job at your university in 3 days.

Regardless, these ADs who are worth their weight in salt are prepared for these situations. I remember an interview from Dannen, it may have been during his brief time at UW, where he said he maintained a short list of potential candidates to reach out to, should the football head coach job open up unexpectedly.

[PantherAlum09]

He has said that he wants to keep coaching. I personally don't believe that the decision was completely his. But even it is was and he had plans to retire, I'm sure he would have communicated that possibility so they could start to make plans for a replacement. Seems pretty likely that this is what happened between Nick Saban and Bama. How else could you hire the most important job at your university in 3 days.

Regardless, these ADs who are worth their weight in salt are prepared for these situations. I remember an interview from Dannen, it may have been during his brief time at UW, where he said he maintained a short list of potential candidates to reach out to, should the football head coach job open up unexpectedly.

He may want to keep coaching, but if he isn't going to embrace NIL and the transfer portal for what it is, then he isn't going to have much success. Maybe that was a conversation that was had, or maybe he's going to go coach high school ball or lower level college ball. I feel like maybe he was asked to leave too, but I have a really hard time believing he just left $800,000 on the table over the next couple years because he didn't want to mess with some of the new issues anymore.

[achrist70]

Honest question here, I was in eighth grade when Farley was hired so I don't remember the process, I just know that he and McD were introduced the same day. But, did we really wait until April to hired him? Or was that just the intro press conference?

[BCPanther]

Honest question here, I was in eighth grade when Farley was hired so I don't remember the process, I just know that he and McD were introduced the same day. But, did we really wait until April to hired him? Or was that just the intro press conference?

Dunbar didn't leave until the end of March to take a coordinator job and it was pre-portal so all the kids were basically stuck anyway. Hartzell did public interviews with both FB and MBB head coaching candidates at the same time. Just a different time that doesn't apply to the current day. Hell, we were absolutely convinced Brad Soderberg was getting the MBB job because he'd just had a great run as interim coach at St Louis.

There is no way that Mark didn't let Dr Franklin know weeks before it was announced. She had all the search details immediately and we're, apparently, already a long ways down the road

[clenz]

I like both the OC (Josh Davis) and DC (Travis Johansen) at South Dakota as candidates. USD has executed the kind of transformation that we need to pull off.

I suspect Drake's HC will get a look given where our AD came from. Just the way the world works.

I'd be OK looking at perennial winners from Midwest D2 programs like NWMS or Augustana. Winners win.

Dark horse...Mike Houston. Former James Madison HC who was recently let go by East Carolina. Won a natty at JMU. That said...he probably had the biggest budget in FCS that year.

I know this is an older post, and I meant to reply last week

Give me Josh Davis all day. He knows the Valley, knows the Midwest, knows football, and is exactly the mentality we desperately need. From Omaha. SDSU's record holder in receptions and 2nd in both yards and TD when he graduated.

GA'd at SDSU and then a year at Iowa Western before going back to SDSU where he coached WR from 09-15. Over half of the top 10 career reception list in SDSU history were coached by him, or are him. Remember names like Dale Moss, Jason Schneider, and Jake Wieneke? Those were his dudes.

He then went to Northwestern in NW Iowa for 6 years. NW was struggling. 3-7 his first year. After that they went 51-10 over the next 5 and they ranked at/near the top nationally in passing yards, total offense, and scoring. Coached the title game in 2021. Produced the NAIA national player of the year.

He returned to SDSU in 2022 as the passing game coordinator and wr coach. In 2022 SDSU averaged 35 points, and just under 400 yards per game at over 6 yards per play on their way to sleep walking to the title.

Right after that game, he made the controversial decision go to down 29 to Vermillion after Stig retired and he didn't get the HC and likely wouldn't have been given the full OC role given Jimmy Rodgers would/is doing both essentially.

After 2022 Neilson's only saving grace was the fact USD couldn't afford his buy out so he got essentially a lame duck year. Davis showed up and SDSU went from 16 points and 288 total yards per game to 10-3 over 24 point and 350 yards per game. This year they are at 38 points and 450 yards per game.

The latest reporting has him making $100,310 at USD. Throw 300-325 at him and see what happens. 300 would put him 5th in the Valley. 325 4th


Mark Farley, UNI, $400,000
Brock Spack, Illinois State, $364,140
Bob Nielson, USD, $340,000
Tim Polasek, NDSU, $330,000
Jimmy Rogers, SDSU, $310,000
Doug Phillips, Youngstown State, $300,000
Bubba Schweigert, UND,$265,000
Ryan Beard, Missouri State, $275,000
Nick Hill, Southern Illinois, $265,000
Jody Wright, Murray State, $260,000
Curt Mallory, Indiana State, $218,194

300 gives him an extra 100k to put on top of the salary budget Farley was working with because of the drop from Mark to 300. Plus whatever else Megan thinks the program might need to turn around.

[achrist70]

I would hope that he at least gets a call from us. Also looking at his profile I noticed that his OC job is sponsored by the Scott and Lisa Jones Family. Is this something that we have ever thought about doing, especially for the head coaching positions?

[pantherclaw]

I know this is an older post, and I meant to reply last week

Give me Josh Davis all day. He knows the Valley, knows the Midwest, knows football, and is exactly the mentality we desperately need. From Omaha. SDSU's record holder in receptions and 2nd in both yards and TD when he graduated.

GA'd at SDSU and then a year at Iowa Western before going back to SDSU where he coached WR from 09-15. Over half of the top 10 career reception list in SDSU history were coached by him, or are him. Remember names like Dale Moss, Jason Schneider, and Jake Wieneke? Those were his dudes.

He then went to Northwestern in NW Iowa for 6 years. NW was struggling. 3-7 his first year. After that they went 51-10 over the next 5 and they ranked at/near the top nationally in passing yards, total offense, and scoring. Coached the title game in 2021. Produced the NAIA national player of the year.

He returned to SDSU in 2022 as the passing game coordinator and wr coach. In 2022 SDSU averaged 35 points, and just under 400 yards per game at over 6 yards per play on their way to sleep walking to the title.

Right after that game, he made the controversial decision go to down 29 to Vermillion after Stig retired and he didn't get the HC and likely wouldn't have been given the full OC role given Jimmy Rodgers would/is doing both essentially.

After 2022 Neilson's only saving grace was the fact USD couldn't afford his buy out so he got essentially a lame duck year. Davis showed up and SDSU went from 16 points and 288 total yards per game to 10-3 over 24 point and 350 yards per game. This year they are at 38 points and 450 yards per game.

The latest reporting has him making $100,310 at USD. Throw 300-325 at him and see what happens. 300 would put him 5th in the Valley. 325 4th


Mark Farley, UNI, $400,000
Brock Spack, Illinois State, $364,140
Bob Nielson, USD, $340,000
Tim Polasek, NDSU, $330,000
Jimmy Rogers, SDSU, $310,000
Doug Phillips, Youngstown State, $300,000
Bubba Schweigert, UND,$265,000
Ryan Beard, Missouri State, $275,000
Nick Hill, Southern Illinois, $265,000
Jody Wright, Murray State, $260,000
Curt Mallory, Indiana State, $218,194

300 gives him an extra 100k to put on top of the salary budget Farley was working with because of the drop from Mark to 300. Plus whatever else Megan thinks the program might need to turn around.

I like him to remember two years ago we went in there and manhandled them and then USD got in the portal and turned things around. Would also be a “next step” for him if he has aspirations of continuing to move up.

[achrist70]

NDSU has been very successful with coaches that have UNI ties, maybe it is time for us to try a coach with ties to another school in the conference.

[MVCBeat]

Northwest Missouri fired their coach today.

[QCPanther05]

So if this has to be done quickly, like in two weeks to coincide with the transfer portal opening and recruit signing, why did Farley wait so long to announce his retirement? Franklin was named AD back in May. I’m sure Farley started to trust her UNI loyalty at least by August, so why didn’t he announce his retirement at the beginning of the season? This would have been his farewell tour, could have brought more fans to the home games and give Franklin more time to start the coaching search.

Because he got fired? He wouldn’t have “retired” if this season hadn’t been the dumpster fire it was.

[CincyPanther88]

I remember a similar thing, only it was basketball - Roy Williams, Kansas coach, being asked about the North Carolina job. I think it was a late NCAA tournament game (National Championship?) and his response to the post-game interviewer in the hallway outside of the locker room was, in part, something like "I know that they are telling you in your earpiece to ask that question, but...." The rumor was true. He became the UNC coach. He also went to the KU post-season banquet (but in a very low-key way).

He said, "I don't give a **** about Carolina."

[havok58]

Because he got fired? He wouldn’t have “retired” if this season hadn’t been the dumpster fire it was.

In a way I’m glad it was the dumpster fire because another .500 season or less would have kept him around for the last two years of his contract (and possibly longer). Farley isn’t a big fan of the NIL and transfer portal, and failing to adopt to that would have resulted in two more years of mediocre football. The game has changed, and if coaches and ADs can’t adopt to the changes then it’s time to get ones that can. We have the AD, and now we can hopefully get the coach. I’m truly thankful for what Farley has done for the program and UNI, but it’s been past time to hang it up and get someone that can handle the new era of college football.

[achrist70]

So do we owe him anything from his contract?

[Born-a-Panther]

In a way I’m glad it was the dumpster fire because another .500 season or less would have kept him around for the last two years of his contract (and possibly longer). Farley isn’t a big fan of the NIL and transfer portal, and failing to adopt to that would have resulted in two more years of mediocre football. The game has changed, and if coaches and ADs can’t adopt to the changes then it’s time to get ones that can. We have the AD, and now we can hopefully get the coach. I’m truly thankful for what Farley has done for the program and UNI, but it’s been past time to hang it up and get someone that can handle the new era of college football.

Truthfully, I don't think it's the NIL he has a problem with. It's the transfer situation.