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Our athletic director made a big mistake...

7,284 Views | 42 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by HoustonAg2014
headshrinker
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AG
Woodward shouldn't have put Sumlin on notice publicly last Spring, but certainly to do it privately was well within his purview as AD. Probably realizing his error, he quickly backtracked the following day and said he was a big fan of Sumlin. As Dale Carnegie advised, "Praise publicly; criticize privately."

Unfortunately, it set a tone for the entire season that Sumlin would be watched with microscopic scrutiny by the administration, big boosters and the media...not a desirable situation for the players or Sumlin by adding more pressure for all the world to see, as if there's not enough with coaching and playing in the SEC West.

Now, with Sumlin's regression compared to last year, we're in a situation with a limited pool of proven coaches to replace him, but the consensus expectation is apparently do just that. So the pressure is now on Woodward to back up his words.

My concern is that he'll make a lousy hire with the leftovers, after Florida and Tennessee get first dibs. They will certainly hire someone before season's end. Unlike a good poker player, Woodward didn't play his cards close to his vest and has unfortunately crossed the Rubicon.
BMX Bandit
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Man, that was probably

A good

Post, but the lack

Of paragraphs was too

Much


And for those reasons...I'm out

TL,DR
Threadbare
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I agree that Woodward made a mistake going public.

I disagree with your unwillingness to use the "return" key under any circumstances...
Bottlehead90
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AG
Florida and Tennessee crossed the Rubicon. They have to hire a new coach.

We still have a coach.
Showstopper
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AG
There's going to be big jobs come open every year. If you are an athletic director who thinks the only way he can land a great coach is if no one else is looking for a coach, then before we look for a coach we need to can you and get a new athletic director.
Aero95
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And how do you know UF and UT aren't privately cursing that we might be able to get the best coach available for our likely opening? Any coach worth millions will likely be patient and evaluate the entire landscape and not jump at the first opening just because a coach was fired before the end of the season.
Eagle78
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We are a better job than Tenn. More money, better facilities, better recruiting location. Now the Florida job, that may be a different story.
headshrinker
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Aero95 said:

And how do you know UF and UT aren't privately cursing that we might be able to get the best coach available for our likely opening? Any coach worth millions will likely be patient and evaluate the entire landscape and not jump at the first opening just because a coach was fired before the end of the season.
They have a month's head start on us. Regarding other metrics: money wise, we compete at least equally; national championships-6 for Tennessee and 3 for Florida.
Al Bula
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headshrinker said:

Woodward shouldn't have put Sumlin on notice publicly last Spring, but certainly to do it privately was well within his purview as AD. Probably realizing his error, he quickly backtracked the following day and said he was a big fan of Sumlin. As Dale Carnegie advised, "Praise publicly; criticize privately."

Unfortunately, it set a tone for the entire season that Sumlin would be watched with microscopic scrutiny by the administration, big boosters and the media...not a desirable situation for the players or Sumlin by adding more pressure for all the world to see, as if there's not enough with coaching and playing in the SEC West.

Now, with Sumlin's regression compared to last year, we're in a situation with a limited pool of proven coaches to replace him, but the consensus expectation is apparently do just that. So the pressure is now on Woodward to back up his words.

My concern is that he'll make a lousy hire with the leftovers, after Florida and Tennessee get first dibs. They will certainly hire someone before season's end. Unlike a good poker player, Woodward didn't play his cards close to his vest and has unfortunately crossed the Rubicon.
headshrinker
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RPM said:

headshrinker said:

Woodward shouldn't have put Sumlin on notice publicly last Spring, but certainly to do it privately was well within his purview as AD. Probably realizing his error, he quickly backtracked the following day and said he was a big fan of Sumlin. As Dale Carnegie advised, "Praise publicly; criticize privately."

Unfortunately, it set a tone for the entire season that Sumlin would be watched with microscopic scrutiny by the administration, big boosters and the media...not a desirable situation for the players or Sumlin by adding more pressure for all the world to see, as if there's not enough with coaching and playing in the SEC West.

Now, with Sumlin's regression compared to last year, we're in a situation with a limited pool of proven coaches to replace him, but the consensus expectation is apparently do just that. So the pressure is now on Woodward to back up his words.

My concern is that he'll make a lousy hire with the leftovers, after Florida and Tennessee get first dibs. They will certainly hire someone before season's end. Unlike a good poker player, Woodward didn't play his cards close to his vest and has unfortunately crossed the Rubicon.

Cerebral response.
AgDotCom
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There are no "first dibs", the way you explain it.

Thi$ i$ big time college football. If there's a change to be made at A&M, or any big program with a monster budget, you can bet the two parties are back channeling by mid-late October. Maybe September, depending on the situation.

The Fran deal was done 2-3 weeks before RC was fired, and the feelers were out before that, if I am to believe the few people I knew in and close to the AD and TMF back in 2002. And I do. They're all gone now, though.
dBoy99
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AG
That month head start is critical as we all know it is against the law for an AD to reach out to coaches and evaulate a possible replacement. Nothing can be done until we have an actual vacancy.
Emilio Fantastico
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headshrinker said:

Aero95 said:

And how do you know UF and UT aren't privately cursing that we might be able to get the best coach available for our likely opening? Any coach worth millions will likely be patient and evaluate the entire landscape and not jump at the first opening just because a coach was fired before the end of the season.
They have a month's head start on us. Regarding other metrics: money wise, we compete at least equally; national championships-6 for Tennessee and 3 for Florida.

They do not have a month's head start.
1. No coach currently employed is going anywhere until their season is over.
2. Even though we haven't officially fired Sumlin yet doesn't mean we can't talk to agents for coaches currently employed or otherwise.
Bunk Moreland
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You mean when he went public 2 years ago? Then Woodward gave Sumlin another year to improve on it and he still didn't.

headshrinker
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dBoy99 said:

That month head start is critical as we all know it is against the law for an AD to reach out to coaches and evaulate a possible replacement. Nothing can be done until we have an actual vacancy.
Correctamundo...you took the words right out of my keypad.
headshrinker
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Bunk Moreland said:

You mean when he went public 2 years ago? Then Woodward gave Sumlin another year to improve on it and he still didn't.


Our last Spring, which was in 2017.
Bunk Moreland
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headshrinker said:

Bunk Moreland said:

You mean when he went public 2 years ago? Then Woodward gave Sumlin another year to improve on it and he still didn't.


Our last Spring, which was in 2017.


He put him on public notice in the summer of 2016. And he survived 2016.

He doubled down in 2017. Nothing is a shock to any party involved. Doing it privately or publicly doesn't matter. Sumlin knew what he had to do.
headshrinker
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Bunk Moreland said:

headshrinker said:

Bunk Moreland said:

You mean when he went public 2 years ago? Then Woodward gave Sumlin another year to improve on it and he still didn't.


Our last Spring, which was in 2017.


He put him on public notice in the summer of 2016. And he survived 2016.

He doubled down in 2017. Nothing is a shock to any party involved. Doing it privately or publicly doesn't matter. Sumlin knew what he had to do.
True, but more publicized this year because it was on Finebaum's show. Makes him look even more feckless, like Obama with Iran...drawing another line in the sand.
headshrinker
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AG
Good article from SI, prior to Butch Jones' dismissal, regarding the thin timeframe to fire, then hire a new coach.
https://www.si.com/college-football/2017/10/01/john-currie-butch-jones-tennessee-hot-seat
AnalogyAg
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all this handwringing about how many coaching openings there are. so stupid. there are literally dozens if not a hundred great coaching prospects out there. far more than positions available.

picking the right one is the key- and almost none are a slam dunk.

so quit whining that florida tennessee and maybe 5 or 10 other big time jobs might have openings.

we have everything needed to make a great hire.
headshrinker
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AnalogyAg said:

all this handwringing about how many coaching openings there are. so stupid. there are literally dozens if not a hundred great coaching prospects out there. far more than positions available.

picking the right one is the key- and almost none are a slam dunk.

so quit whining that florida tennessee and maybe 5 or 10 other big time jobs might have openings.

we have everything needed to make a great hire.
Name the other 8 dozen, after the top 4.
EKG1996
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headshrinker said:

Bunk Moreland said:

headshrinker said:

Bunk Moreland said:

You mean when he went public 2 years ago? Then Woodward gave Sumlin another year to improve on it and he still didn't.


Our last Spring, which was in 2017.


He put him on public notice in the summer of 2016. And he survived 2016.

He doubled down in 2017. Nothing is a shock to any party involved. Doing it privately or publicly doesn't matter. Sumlin knew what he had to do.
True, but more publicized this year because it was on Finebaum's show. Makes him look even more feckless, like Obama with Iran...drawing another line in the sand.
So what changes if the AD doesn't say anything publicly? Are you trying to argue that Woodward wouldn't be under pressure to make a move? If so that is not a very good argument.

Sumlin is 10-18 in the last five years against the SEC West (15-19 overall). Sumlin is one of the top ten highest paid coaches in the country. Even Sumlin knows he hasn't won enough There are plenty of coaches out there that can do better given the opportunity.


BuddysBud
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dBoy99 said:

That month head start is critical as we all know it is against the law for an AD to reach out to coaches and evaulate a possible replacement. Nothing can be done until we have an actual vacancy.


Is it against the law for coaches' agents to reach out to universities about possible future vacancies? Once Sumlin was put on notice, probably every agent was on the phone to Woodward.
headshrinker
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EKG1996 said:

headshrinker said:

Bunk Moreland said:

headshrinker said:

Bunk Moreland said:

You mean when he went public 2 years ago? Then Woodward gave Sumlin another year to improve on it and he still didn't.


Our last Spring, which was in 2017.


He put him on public notice in the summer of 2016. And he survived 2016.

He doubled down in 2017. Nothing is a shock to any party involved. Doing it privately or publicly doesn't matter. Sumlin knew what he had to do.
True, but more publicized this year because it was on Finebaum's show. Makes him look even more feckless, like Obama with Iran...drawing another line in the sand.
So what changes if the AD doesn't say anything publicly? Are you trying to argue that Woodward wouldn't be under pressure to make a move? If so that is not a very good argument.

Sumlin is 10-18 in the last five years against the SEC West (15-19 overall). Sumlin is one of the top ten highest paid coaches in the country. Even Sumlin knows he hasn't won enough There are plenty of coaches out there that can do better given the opportunity.



Quite simply that it makes him look more of a fool for making the same threat twice with ostensibly no improvement as he demands in his repeated announcements to the universe. Would you trust him as your athletic director after that display?
EKG1996
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It makes him look like a fool because he says one of the highest paid coaches in the country needs to do better than be a .500 coach? He was simply telling the truth which I actually find refreshing coming from an AD.
AgFan2015
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Woodward began his search the moment we lost in Starkville LAST year.,,,, this year was just to show we weren't overreacting from another late season collapse.

You know what you're going to get w a Sumlin by now. It ain't good enough.

headshrinker
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Really? What athletic director with any class says such things on Finebaum, who is the Maury Povich of college football.
halfastros81
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Not just that. Woodward's agent's should have been
out there last offseason gauging interest since the chances of Sumlin doing better than 8 wins this yr were not great. I hope that was the case.

Agree that publicly calling Sumlin out was not necessary. I'm not sure that it really matters but it wasn't necessary. Our hfc job is very attractive. Anyone that says differently is foolish. Is it as attractive as Florida? .... debatable
To be sure. It's more attractive than the other openings. Tennessee has had what ....four coaches in 9 yrs. That's a demonstrated hornet's nest. Nebraska or arky or definitely ole miss ..... a step down imo.
EKG1996
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headshrinker said:

Really? What athletic director with any class says such things on Finebaum, who is the Maury Povich of college football.


Class? Either you haven't watched the actual interview or you are just trolling. Or maybe both?
Ed Tom
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What you read and hear has nothing to do with what's going on behind closed doors. But thanks for setting us straight on how he should or shouldn't work his craft.
QCAg93
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I like Sumlin, but at nearly 5 million a year how can one really feel pressure. If I was the only one in my family working and was paid 50,000 a year or even less perhaps and told I had to perform or else. To me that is pressure. Albeit it would never happen but with his talent most of the TexAgs posters on here would probably almost have the same record as Sumlin. 5 million a year. Let that sink in a moment.
TangoMike
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dBoy99 said:

That month head start is critical as we all know it is against the law for an AD to reach out to coaches and evaulate a possible replacement. Nothing can be done until we have an actual vacancy.


Against the law? Holy **** this website...
headshrinker
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EKG1996 said:

headshrinker said:

Really? What athletic director with any class says such things on Finebaum, who is the Maury Povich of college football.


Class? Either you haven't watched the actual interview or you are just trolling. Or maybe both?
Troll? I don't post often, except when a critical juncture calls for it, but I've been here since '99.
mitchdpm
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headshrinker said:

EKG1996 said:

headshrinker said:

Really? What athletic director with any class says such things on Finebaum, who is the Maury Povich of college football.


Class? Either you haven't watched the actual interview or you are just trolling. Or maybe both?
Troll? I don't post often, except when a critical juncture calls for it, but I've been here since '99.


Wow! Feeling self-important much? You keep arguing your same point. In your opinion, our AD made a poor choice. That's just your opinion, man. Can I ask you what the hell difference it makes now? Get on with life already.
TangoMike
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headshrinker said:

EKG1996 said:

headshrinker said:

Really? What athletic director with any class says such things on Finebaum, who is the Maury Povich of college football.


Class? Either you haven't watched the actual interview or you are just trolling. Or maybe both?
Troll? I don't post often, except when a critical juncture calls for it, but I've been here since '99.


Critical juncture? Holy **** this website...
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