Greetings All!!
If you look at the current offensive/defensive systems being used in the Big 12, you will notice that there is a trend toward more offense and a bend not break defense. If you are going to design your new football program around stopping offenses that use a wide open style, then you had better look at defensive minded coaches who have proven their worth on the field and off as a coach. They should come from winning traditions and from championship teams. These candidates should have impeccable credentials as far as charachter is concerned as well. Lets not forget, the NCAA will be paying A&M a visit soon and will be watching us like a hawk for quite some time to come. So, who do we have?
#1 on my list is Mike Singletary. Mike is the assistant head coach of the 49ers and is a stickler for discipline on and off the field. Mike comes from a great tradition of excellence from his time he stepped on the field at Baylor to being the coordinator at SF. He would bring instant credibility to the program and recruits would be impressed by his mere presence in their living rooms. Knows Texas football and understands how important it is to the state, plus hs knows what its like to play at A&M. It would also be great to have an African-American as a head coach here. The use of the race card with recruits would be put to bed immediately. That would be my first choice.
2nd choice would be Bill Cowher. Bill has all the lineage that any recruit would be impressed with. Super Bowl win, defensive minded coach who has to have discipline but loves his players!!! Brings tremendous passion to the game and genuinely loves coaching. Would be an ideal coach for A&M. Loves tremendous fan support and would be the prototypical Ag!!!
3rd choice would be Jason Garrett, offensive coordinator of the Cowboys. Now, lets not talk about the NE ass whooping they took yesterday, lets look at his resume. He is a very good offensive minded coach that has taken a young QB and a tempermental Jack Ass and has gotten them to work together! Thats impressive enough as it is, but he has great lineage as well. His dad has been a football coach all of his life and has been around football all of his life. He knows how to attack a defense and he knows that to win at any level, you need defense! He is under the age of 40, is a former Cowboy player,( recruit Dallas....hello??). Offensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins and the Cowboys currently. Lets also take into consideration that Jason has taken what most people thought was a lackluster offense, and has made it a threat to go the distance with non-New England/Indy talent!!! This guy is ready to be a head coach. Only problem is he wont stay more than 5 years. The NFL is where he will eventually be.
4th would be Spurrier. I know, I know, the baggage he brings, but take a look at what Spurrier has done at South Carolina. He has that progrm turned around in three years and quite possibly could win the east in the SEC. South Carolina???? Since when?? They dont have the greatest traditions in the SEC and he has to recruit against the SEC and Florida State and Miami and now South Florida???? Give me a break!!! The man is a great recruiter and would be a huge pain in the back side of Bob Stoops and the little pirate in Lubbock!! He knows offense and he knows the value of defense and Spurrier wants one more MNC before he retires. I dont think he will get it at South Carolina....too many obstacles....SEC for one. You have to have the run like LSU and Florida have in recruitng for over 4 years to pull the off and in the SEC, especially in SC, that isnt likely to happen.
So, bring him the A&M and turn him loose with the facilities we have, the recognition and validation he has, and you have a great chance of turning this thing around in 2 years! Only draw back on Spurrier is longevfity as well. This would be his last stop before retirement and 5 years would be all we could hope for.
I personally think that we need to find the coach that wants to make Aggieland that last stop on their careeer path. Mac has that in Austin and it appears Stoops has settled on that in Norman. We need that as well.
If we are going to make a move, we need to start now! Nebraska is not going to be happy with Bill and the boys and there lack of defense as well, and if you think for one minute that LSU wont be after someone when their coach leaves to go coach Michigan, you are sadly mistaken. We need to find someone NOW!!! Get them to agree to a contract now and get them ready for Nov. 24th!!!!
My two cents!!!
