Coaching Search News & Notes

by Nestor on Dec 13, 2007 5:02 AM PST in Football Comment 52 comments

Let’s get back to the coaching news and notes. And right off the bat a note for all of you don’t get all that distracted by the online campaign of the Walker freaks. We have laid out our arguments against Walker already. He is a shameless hack and an assistant coach who doesn’t have any head coaching experience and is not qualified to be the next head coach of UCLA. We have laid out the arguments dispelling his case numerous times. So let’s stick to those and not worry about giving attention to some silly website that is only rivaled by race baiting shills at the LA Times vying for attention in the interwebs by publishing silly blogs. So, if you really feel the need and urge to respond to some site, just do it over there but no need to bring attention to the Walker related trash over here. Again, if Dan Guerrero is stupid enough to hire Walker or bring in a combo of Chow/Walker, the target will become DG himself.

Speaking of assistant coaches with no head coaching experience, Music City Miracles, our SBN colleagues covering the Tennessee Titans are of course tracking Norm Chow. And let’s just say Titan fans are not all that impressed with Chow and sounds like they won’t be all that upset if he were to leave:

It is always a red flag to me when guys have interviewed at a bunch of different places but have never gotten a job. It is an even bigger red flag when it comes to Chow because, as mentioned above, he had an interview at Stanford, which should have been a slam dunk, and they didn't go with him, and NC State didn't even call him. There has to be a reason no one has given them a shot. I have the same feelings about Mike Leach, the head coach at Texas Tech. Every year he gets an interview from a school, but he never gets a job. There has to be a reason for that.

Last season Chow interviewed for the Arizona State head coaching job and the Arizona Cardinals head coaching job. I said in both instances that I hoped he would not leave because it would hurt Vince's development. I am no longer convinced that Chow leaving would hurt Vince.

Chow came in with the reputation for being a quarterback guru. He had developed guys like Carson Palmer, Philip Rivers and Matt Leinart in his time in college. That is an impressive list, but I am not sure that it translates to being the right guy for Vince. I have gotten the feeling this year that Chow is trying to make Vince fit his system instead of changing his system to Vince's strengths. Vince wasn't picked #3 overall because of his great pocket passing ability. He was picked there because of his play making ability. That is wasted pick if you don't take advantage of those abilities.

Contrast that to the sentiment of Texas Tech fans at Double T Nation, who are anxious and concerned about Leach possibly leaving for UCLA. The reaction of fans to their head coaches often tell us all we need to know about their qualities and qualifications to be a good coach. Texas Tech fans are worried about losing Leach, Titans fan don’t care much about Chow. Yet we have bunch of morons in our fan base willing to accept Chow in an arrange marriage scenario with a shameless hack like Walker.

But enough talking about a shameless hack like DeWayne. Let's get to more interesting news. We have our first official mention in the MSM of UCLA-Mendenhall (emphasis mine):

UCLA is also looking at former BYU, North Carolina State and USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow, currently the coordinator for the Tennessee Titans of the NFL. And today, ESPN reported the Bruins would like to talk to current Cougar coach Bronco Mendenhall about replacing fired Karl Dorrell.

I will simply not get my hopes up. Not going to do it.

Meanwhile, Terry Bowden, the former head coach at Auburn who put together an 11-0 season in his first year and left with a record of 47-17-1 is now openly campaigning for the job at UCLA:

"I made a decision about a year ago to formally get back into coaching," Bowden said Wednesday from Nebraska, where he had a speaking engagement. "UCLA is obviously a great job. If the right person goes in there, it's a place you'd expect to contend for a conference championship and national championship. You'd be in a talent-rich area. They've shown glimpses of outstanding football the last few years."

Sources said the interest is mutual as there has been contact between UCLA and Bowden's camp.

Bowden, the son of Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, is an animated coach. He coached at Salem College and Samford University before landing the Auburn job. He has successful head coaching experience, but he's been out of the business for the better part of a decade.

He recently interviewed for the Georgia Tech opening, although Paul Johnson was hired.

Bowden was adamant that returning to coaching after a long layoff is right.

"I'm 51 with a fire I had when I was 30," Bowden said.

UCLA has to compete with USC in its backyard, a daunting prospect, but Bowden didn't seem fazed by the rivalry with the Trojans.

"There's no reason you can't (compete with them)," Bowden said.

"You've got the best of both worlds, which is very much like Auburn and Alabama. It's hard to be the best in your own state, but if you can be the best in your own state, you can be as good as anyone in the country."

So much for the UCLA job not being attractive to coaches around the country. I am undecided on Bowden right now. I am really not sure what to think of him but I do like his comments regarding Southern Cal.

I will take him over Walker or combination of Chow/Walker. Hopefully though DG as we have said all along is playing it close to vest and has a surprise in store for all us. We can only hope.

GO BRUINS.

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Chow

It seem's to be a trend that colleges are getting their HC's from the OC and DC ranks of the NFL. My concern with Chow isn't that he wants to HC, it's that it took him this long to try and get a job. Besides Stanford did he chase anything else? Does he have the fire in the belly? I guess that we must be patient, many candidates are involved in bowl games and this might take awhile. Perhap's we don't have to react to every rumor or interview?

BTW: Bowden, in my opinion, has been out of the game for too long to be a top candidate.

by BruinAl on Dec 13, 2007 6:01 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Chow Shouldn't Be Dismissed Out-of-Hand

I can't disagree more about Norm Chow. You can't duplicate the experience he has over the past 35 years. He is a class act who has done nothing but improve his players and win wherever he has coached.

I don't know enough about DeWayne Walker to have a strong opinion either way. I doubt that he is the evil conspirator you portray here, but I do share the consensus view that two years as DC does not make a head coach at a premier university no matter how good a job he has done. I am troubled by the view put forth on the "WeWantWalker" website that purports he has improved the UCLA defense despite inferior talent. What an insult to the current players! If Walker has anything to do with that site, he should denounce that viewpoint and quickly.

If we hire Norm Chow, it should not be contingent upon DeWayne Walker becoming a "co-head" coach or even remaining as DC for that matter. A head coach must have complete control of a program for that program to be successful. If Dan Guerrero makes the hire contingent on Walker remaining, he deserves whatever lesser talent is willing to sign up to that.

by snorkeldorf on Dec 13, 2007 10:07 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

No HC Experience

Dismissed out of hand.

by Tydides on Dec 13, 2007 10:22 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

From DG

Statement from Dan Guerrero
Head Football Coach Search Update

The following is a statement from Athletic Director Dan Guerrero regarding the search for a head football coach.

"Our search for a head football coach at UCLA is progressing. Within the last week, we have done a lot of fact-finding and have also been involved in detailed discussions with some candidates. We will meet with other candidates in the very near future.

"I know our fans and donors have a strong interest in the search and I certainly appreciate their support of our program. Our goal for the search is to find the best head football coach for our program. We are working diligently and I am confident that we will achieve our goal."

by mr havercamp on Dec 13, 2007 2:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Was this released today?

by bruinbabe2000 on Dec 13, 2007 2:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

E-mail from Athletic department today

It was at the bottom of a solicitation for Vegas Bowl Tickets - I'm Coach's Roundtable - may have gone to just donors or to season ticket holders also.

by mr havercamp on Dec 13, 2007 2:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

good news!

The fact that DG is talking to Bowden and Mendenhall to even gauge interest is encouraging. Clearly Norm Chow was not offered the job on Saturday. If Norm Chow was actually the choice he would've been hired yesterday afternoon - thats how these things go. If the school got their man they are hired right after the rumors start flying.

Of course Norm Chow is probably still in contention. Or maybe not (going by DG's own prerequisites for the job). Seems more and more like the Chow as approved by Walker rumors were just floated by loser Dorrell fans wanting to save face and idiot Trojans looking for another half-decade of easy victories.

by njbruin on Dec 13, 2007 6:34 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Walker as well?

Can we extrapolate this to include Walker as well? I mean, he was interviewed Monday or so and then came the mention of Mendenhall, Bowden, et al. I am beginning to think that Walker's interview was an obligatory courtesy.

by whp68 on Dec 13, 2007 7:45 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

A dark horse candidate

You never know, we still might be able to sign a deal for Bobby Petrino. I mean, he's already been at Arkansas for 3 days.....

Bob O. (Signholder #3)

by TuneMan7 on Dec 13, 2007 6:36 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

LOL!

by bruinbabe2000 on Dec 13, 2007 12:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Bowden

Bowden would look at the UCLA job as a quick way back into coaching. He would stay a maximum of three years before he would head back to the southeast.

by Mrtravlear on Dec 13, 2007 6:58 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for your input TrOJie

by bluestreet on Dec 13, 2007 7:02 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Screw Bowden

He's grown tired of becoming the heir apparent to Cornball Corso, and I'm concerned he'd bring his SEC-approved recruiting tactics to Westwood, culminating in his departure for the South and probation for the 'Nation.

June Jones
Skippy
Leach
Towel Man Ed

....

.....

110. Mooch

The Mad Bruin

by lostnacfgop on Dec 13, 2007 7:43 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Skippy?

Forgive my ignorance, I'm a newcomer to this site. Who is skippy? Rick Neuheisel?

by snorkeldorf on Dec 13, 2007 4:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

by bluegold on Dec 13, 2007 8:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Leach

to set the record straight over the past four years MikeLeach has had only one interviewand that was in NYC last year informally with Miami and I suppose they would not have gone 5-6 if they wuld have hired him

by JOHN GRAY on Dec 13, 2007 7:18 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Keep those REAL HC names floating

I don't want DG or any Walkeristas to ever claim there is a lack of interest from existing HCs in the UCLA job, and thus Walker's the most viable candidate.

by bluegold on Dec 13, 2007 7:29 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I don't know enough about Bowden

except to say at first glance he looks good. The one thing I do like though is he actually WANTS to be here. We really need someone with a fire in their belly who wants this job and wants to take the program to the next level.

"when you've seen how big the world is, how can you make due with this?"

by silverlakebruin on Dec 13, 2007 7:48 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

On the Scale of Who Wants it Most

which, we have seen when we hired Howland, it seems that those most interested are

Leach
Neuhiesel
Bowden

I remain a Leach fan. I also don't think RN is as toxic as others believe. Not my first choice but light years ahead of DW.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Dec 13, 2007 8:31 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Now that's better

the talk about Mendenhall and Bowden has raised my optimism that DG isn't going to botch this up. Chow/Walker is NOT a done deal; they're just in line in a long list of viable candidates.

I have no doubt Mendenhall would be a solid choice. Bowden, like Mariucci, would score a 10 on the 'presence scale' when it comes to the LA media, but I'm a little more luke-warm on his coaching ability. Still, I'd take any of the three (Mendenhall, Bowden, Mariucci) in a heartbeat over Chow/Walker.

"This is not a place for just any coach" Dan Guerrero

by godblesstyus95 on Dec 13, 2007 7:56 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Candidates

I share the prevailing view here that a Norm Chow hire is another "Commitment to Mediocrity" hire.

I just can't get excited about a 61 year-old re-tread that has previously been labeled an offensive "genius" (I recall Bob Toledo being similarly labeled) that was denied every Head Coach position he's applied for.

Mix that in with his apparent distaste for recruiting and a reputation for being something of a cold fish, and the negatives FAR outweigh the positives.

Factor in the angle that Chow is a bridge to an "heir-apparent" hiring plan for DeWayne Walker and it makes me want to scream from the top of a mountain.

I know that it's easy to sit back and be an "armchair AD," but if these red flags are glaringly obvious to many (if not most) of us in Bruins Nation, how can Guerrero not see them too?

It's time for DG to make a good hire like he did with St. Howland (I believe he's only one more Final Four away from getting the official designation from the Vatican). I had been hoping for Leach, but the Terry Bowden possibility is certainly intriguing. I don't think Mendenhall is going to leave BYU (he's LDS and has said the only way he's leaving is if he's fired, so I have to respect that). I was never a fan of Peterson anyway and felt that the success of Boise State last year (2006) was the result of the foundation laid by his predecessor.

I just want a quality hire and not a half-baked "good enough" hire.

by SactoBruin on Dec 13, 2007 7:57 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

The "heir apparent" plan

does not exist and never did, IMHO. It is a concoction made up by Walkerista rumormongers to give credibility to their candidate. Everyone thinks they have the answer to these types of situations (just like I think a Gore/Obama ticket is the way to go). But the safest way to go is to hire someone with experience.

Once we have exhausted those options, then we can look at assistant coaches and coordinators. And among those, we should pick someone who is a promising leader, an innovator, has a passion for coaching and a vision for where a program should be. Walker has only one of these (the passion...allegedly), and Chow also has only one of these qualities(innovator).

by tasser10 on Dec 13, 2007 11:16 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I Didn't Know Gore Knew Anything About FB

and I'm opposed to any HC who has never had HC experience. Period.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Dec 13, 2007 1:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

He does too

Plus he invented the internet so that you and I can go on sites like this and be smart asses.

by tasser10 on Dec 13, 2007 2:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think Gore is too busy

Manbearpig is still on the loose!

by bornagainbruin on Dec 14, 2007 7:33 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Quality Hires...

Hiring a guy who is currently a HC and not a "retread" of any sort seems to be a popular choice here at BN. A lot of it stems that BN feels like it was burned by hiring its last HC, a coordinator with no head coaching experience.

Getting a team to a BCS bowl seems to be a decent indicator of when a school knows it made a good hire. As a quick experiemnt, I took a look at the ten head coaches in BCS bowls this year, and analyzed their qualifications prior to their current job, and matched them up with some names that have been mentioned for the UCLA job:

Ron Zook -- retread college head coach (Bowden)
Pete Carroll -- retread pro head coach (Mariucci, Mora)
June Jones -- retread pro coach (Mariucci, Mora)
Mark Richt -- coordinator (Chow)
Bob Stoops -- coordinator (Chow)
Rich Rodriguez -- up and coming coordinator with small school HC experience (no good match)
Frank Beamer -- I-AA head coach (Hauck)
Mark Mangino -- coordinator (Chow)
Les Miles -- BCS conference head coach (Leach)
Jim Tressel -- I-AA head coach (Hauck)

The point is, there's no guarantee that hiring a guy who is current a HC will work out any better than a guy without HC experience. I don't think Karl Dorrell failed as our coach because he wasn't qualified to be our head coach; rather, I think he failed because he wasn't prepared to be our head coach.

Dennis Franchione wasn't prepared to be Texas A&M's coach. Dirk Koetter couldn't handle the ASU job. Being an up-and-coming HC is no guarantee of success.

My point is, we should keep an open mind, and not place undue restrictions on who we think should be eligible to be our next ball coach.

"We play some ball on the West Coast."

by haoledave on Dec 13, 2007 1:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Nice list

But there are some problems.

- How is Ron Zook a retread and not Les Miles? Zook was HC at Florida, a BCS school...

- Hauck is coach at Montana...it is not a I-AA school

- Richt, Stoops and Rodriguez were at least TWO decades younger than Chow when they got their gig.

- Mangino has not consistently been successful yet, and this year was very 2005 Dorrellian as Kansas played no good teams and got crushed by its nemesis Missouri. They should not even be in a BCS bowl.

So your list is:
- 6 who were head coaches before their current gig
- 3 who were former coordinators widely viewed as innovators and destined to become head coaches
- 1 who was a former coordinator and is still unproven

The point I am trying to make is not that a coordinator has no chance of being successful, but that the SAFEST bet would be someone with head coaching experience. Chow is just not in the same league as those 3 former coordinators, but if you had mentioned someone like Bo Pelini, he would have been received differently. UCLA just has not done well with coaches who did not have prior experience so we would do well to hire someone who has a higher probability of success. No more experiments.

by tasser10 on Dec 13, 2007 2:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Clarification, correction, Hire Mangino, old age

I took "retread" to mean a guy who had been fired from a job before. Zook had been fired from Florida. Miles, on the other hand, was hired away from Oklahoma State after doing a nice job there.

Montana is a I-AA school. Well, now it's called FCS or something stupid like that, but it's the same level of play. Montana is in the Big Sky conference.

Mangino... well, I kind of agree with you there, but what impresses me is the kind of defense Kansas had to go along with their offense. And sure, they lost to the only good team they played, but they didn't play down to the level of competition the way Dorrell's team frequently did. Kansas was murdering teams this year. (Frankly, I wouldn't mind it if we hired Mangino! Someone tell him there's an In-N-Out in Westwood!)

Fair point about their age, but why does Chow's age make such a big difference? He's still mentally fit. Bobby Bowden won a national title in his late 60s. Joe Paterno had an undefeated team in his late 60s. We like it when, say, presidential candidates have lots of experience. If he's still physically fit and the game hasn't passed him by (and it doesn't seem to), I don't see any reason to disqualify him because of his age. Hell, Dick Tomey is 69, and he has done a nice job of turning around San Jose State.

I certainly get what you're saying about the safest bet being a person with head coaching experience. It's the first place I'd look as well. I think UCLA should hire the best guy they can find, and he may not have been a head coach yet. (After all, all great coaches were, at one time or another, not a head coach until someone gave them the opportunity.)

"We play some ball on the West Coast."

by haoledave on Dec 13, 2007 3:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

A League of His Own

You are right, Norm Chow is not in the same league as these other guys. He's been an OC, and a great one, since the oldest of these other guys were players or graduate assistants. He is on a short list of the greatest offensive minds in NCAA football history. I'd take that any day over whomever might be considered the up-and-coming head coach du jour. When all is said and done, Norm Chow will be in the College Football Hall of Fame and these other guys will have long faded away.

These other guys wouldn't qualify as waterboys in Norm Chow's league.

by snorkeldorf on Dec 13, 2007 3:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Chow's league

Chow's league is the OC league. He is definitely a candidate for the OC Hall of Fame. I'm not sure you're right about the waterboy angle. Some of the guys mentioned may well qualify as waterboys in Chow's OC league. Indeed, some might fare reasonably well as OC's in Chow's OC league.

But Chow can't qualify for the head coach league, because he has never been a head coach. If you're talking about a head coach hall of fame, Chow will have to buy a ticket like the rest of us if he wants to get in. If Chow wants to play in the Bruin version of the HC league, all he needs to do go out and get a HC job and come calling once he's proven he has what it takes to be a HC.

Because he has never been a head coach, never having been hired at the various schools at which he's tried to get hired. We at UCLA will take no more chances with really good OC's or DC's or former wide receiver coaches. Our next coach will have head coaching experience. If Chow elects not to go that route, maybe our next coach (who will have had head coaching experience (unlike Chow)) will hire him as an OC. He would undoubtedly be a great OC, having shown a great prediliction for that role. Unfortunately, he wouldn't qualify as a waterboy in the head coaching league, never having been a head coach (and presumably never having been a waterboy.)

I read somewhere that you are a newcomer to the BN, Snorkel. Welcome. It's pretty difficult to catch up on all the posts about Chow in one sitting, but it's a task that might be fruitful. There have been a lot of posts which have demonstrated pretty conclusively that Chow is not the guy we are looking for as our head coach. Try the search function. Again, welcome.

by Fox 71 on Dec 13, 2007 6:22 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the Welcome

I demonstrated my newbie status by questioning who Skippy was (see above post in this thread). I honestly hadn't heard that reference for Neuheisel before, but it must be fitting because I was able to guess who it was.

I have a different view on why Norm Chow hasn't been a head coach and I am convinced that, given the opportunity, he would be the greatest coach we've had since Tommy Prothro. But, as you suggest, I will search this site for past posts regarding Chow and see if any of those arguments sway me.

Thanks again.

by snorkeldorf on Dec 13, 2007 8:26 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Be careful whose stuff you read

The stuff that I posted is, as you would expect, extremely well-written, super-charged with factual argument, razor-sharp in its logic, and with a soupcon of what we lawyers euphemistically call "typos" to keep it interesting.

Some of the other guys - meh. Take what they say with a grain of salt.

by Fox 71 on Dec 13, 2007 9:52 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You can read the future?

"Norm Chow will be in the College Football Hall of Fame"? Really? How do you know? Say, what am I getting for Christmas?

Look, it's one thing to give an opinion, but you have to BACK IT UP. As you said, Chow has been an OC and a great one. Fair enough. But what in that makes you think he would be a great head coach? How does one lead to the other? Just because you think he would be great doesn't make it so.

by tasser10 on Dec 14, 2007 10:56 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The Interview Process re: Walker

Just a comment about the Walker interview.

Having hired a fair share of people over the years I've found that the biggest obsticle to getting "your guy" into a position is always some internal candidate. To please HR and avoid a potential lawsuit you always have to give dilligence to the internal candidates first. They get first interview, you over-do it and make semi-public sounds like they are getting an even-handed chance....then you move on to your real opportunities, the real people you want to talk to...

We got Walker OUT OF THE WAY. It's that simple. I expect over the next four or five days to see some real interviewing going on. If someone sees Leach at the airport or Mendenhall or whomever and they are current, successful HC's somewhere THAT'S the likely "go after" DG's seeking.

I like the call on Bowden, that he'd stay a couple of years and then stepping-stone his way out of here back to the home turf. And honestly, for me, RN is not the guy. Everywhere he has been, UCLA, Colorado, Washington, etc there has been nothing but drama. He's a drama queen. To me that makes him unpalatable.

I'd love Leach mainly because I remember the panic attack and shock waves sent through the entire state when he hung 70 points on Nebraska. I would live for the day he'd hit the rewind button here at UCLA, screwing the trOJans with a 70 point whippin'

by GemCityBruin on Dec 13, 2007 8:58 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

WORD!

by whp68 on Dec 13, 2007 10:20 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

To Hire the Insider

you define the job in a way that only the insider can fill it.

DG did not do that. To the contrary, he defined it in a way that DW can't fill it.

And, neither can Chow

sjh

by Class of 66 on Dec 13, 2007 1:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Does anyone know why Bowden quit

halfway through his last season at Auburn? Seems wierd that happened abruptly and he hasn't worked in the ten years since. Does anyone know what happened?

"when you've seen how big the world is, how can you make due with this?"

by silverlakebruin on Dec 13, 2007 9:39 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Per Wikipedia

He thought he was going to be fired at the end of that year (they were 1-5 at the time).

On a side note, having just gone through my first football season in Alabama, I can't tell you how interesting it is to see how the press was announcing Nick Saban as the next coming of Christ to now being "well, maybe he wasn't all we thought he was".

by bruinbabe2000 on Dec 13, 2007 12:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

the longer we take

the more hope is restored in my life.

I was telling my brother the other night about the Chow/Walker news, and the main jist of the conversation was that while i had really wanted Chow to replace Toledo, i just wasn't sure anymore.

Now days have passed since that story broke and Mendenhall, Brooks, and Leach are surfacing.

The longer this takes, the more i get the feeling that DG wants to take his time and get this right.

I like Leach, Mendenhall, Bowden in that order. I think Brooks is intriguing after they year they've had at Kentucky, but I agree his overall win/loss record is not very good. Even the Ducks fans at my CFB message board do not remember him fondly.

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on Dec 13, 2007 10:32 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Bowden's Mid-season Evaporation

A comment in the diaries suggested that the Wiki on Bowden be consulted revealing this gossipy tidbit:

The next season, after a string of injuries at the center position and disastrous start, Bowden resigned in the middle of the 1998 season the night before Auburn was to play Louisiana Tech. Bowden was given no assurances he would have a chance to remedy the situation for the next season and believed his firing was imminent when he was told that influential and powerful board member Bobby Lowder was promising the head coaching position to someone on Bowden's own staff (Lowder, five years later, played a controversial behind-the-scenes role in a botched attempt to remove Bowden's successor Tommy Tuberville). Bowden had fallen out of favor with Lowder the previous season.

..actually, a post above referred to Neuheisal as a drama queen; this guy -- although he may be a good coach -- sounds like he has had controversy swirling around him throughout his career.

It is nice to have someone of his caliber interested in the UCLA job, however; it sure puts the kibosh on the How and Walker speculation.

by whp68 on Dec 13, 2007 10:33 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Bowden

Y'all left coasters should know that Terry Bowden is called "Buster Brown" in the SEC. If you're too young to know who that is then Google it up and see if Bowden doesn't look like that kid with the dog and the funny hat, rosy cheeks and all. Besides with that Alabama accent Simers and the rest of the clowns at the Times will cut Bowden up.

by Marquitos76 on Dec 13, 2007 12:53 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Going from Dorrell to Mendenhall ...

is going from a guy who coached for the Broncos to a coach named Bronco.

Go Bruins

by Achilles on Dec 13, 2007 2:00 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Dan Guerrero Speaks

I don't know if you guys (and gals) get the regular emails regarding game tickets and events; but, the latest email ends with the following:

Statement from Dan Guerrero
Head Football Coach Search Update

The following is a statement from Athletic Director Dan Guerrero regarding the search for a head football coach.

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on Dec 13, 2007 2:21 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Talked to an Auburn Fan...

...who knows his football and I trust his opinion. He said not to worry about Bowden's resigning midseason because of the donor who was out to fire him (and later tried to get rid of Tubberville). But he went on to say he didn't think Bowden was that great a coach and wasn't a great recruiter at Auburn. He had success with the previous coaches' players and he left the cupboard rather bare when he left.

by Raisin on Dec 13, 2007 2:32 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

wow

"The reaction of fans to their head coaches often tell us all we need to know about their qualities and qualifications to be a good coach."

after grinning and bearing through reading all of your emotion-based (as opposed to factual-based) comments, this one may be the most alarming. That one line tells viewers all they need to know about your posts and this website. worthless!

is that really how you want to base your opinion on a head coach's quality of work. The highly uninformed average fan. How many times have fans been upset with a coaching hire, only for it to turn out a major success. and I know this goes both ways. Sometimes the coach turns out to be as worthless as your comments. but to say that hiring a coach should be based off the reactions of fans is just wishful thinking, most likely stemming from you never making it to your goal of becoming UCLA AD.

based on that opinion of yours alone, DeWayne Walker should be the next head coach. Fans across the UCLA community believe he is right for the job. He has had more fans backing his cause than any other UCLA head coach candidate. you contradict yourself all the time man. Im not necessarily on the DeWayne Walker bandwagon, but I am happy that a guy who promotes himself as the savior of UCLA football, and is enthused about having the chance to turn this team around as a candidate. Looking past his high regard with a lot of fans, (because that is the smart thing to do) he has obvious football knowledge, been involved with the program and highly regarded recruiting ties. Those are all great things to have in a candidate.

now since i know how this website works, Nestor is going to simply brush this post off and hand it over to his bosom buddies that go in and try their hardest to back up everything that Nestor says. or i will just be blocked again, but i just wanted to reiterate that this website is childish. You are trying to put the fate of other people into your own, uninformed hands. you did it to Dorrell and now you are doing it to Walker. That is just wrong and says a lot about your character. This website tries to defend itself when it comes to racial issues and this job, but are people wrong for their suspicions? i mean this website has gone on an all out verbal assault on Dorrell and Walker. Minus the brief inclusion of Gil Turner as a head coach, (you guys really backed that one) who else is a minority candidate in your hopes of being a head coach? Open up! this is a world of globalization . Integrate all walks of life, because caucasians are no longer the only answers when it comes to football.

and thanks for leading me to the website www.WeWantWalker.com. finally a website that attempts to reflect positive opinion and promotion as opposed to obstruction.

by StopCrying on Dec 13, 2007 2:41 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Gee, I don't know where to begin

But...why even bother.

Go back to wewantwalker and hopefully you stay there. It would be mutually beneficial.

by bluegold on Dec 13, 2007 3:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You'd have a lot more credibility

If you got Turner Gill's name right. The point isn't to look for a minority coach. The point is to find the best, most qualified coach - including past successful head coaching experience. Right now, unfortunately, there aren't many, besides Gill.

by jaffa on Dec 13, 2007 3:15 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It's pretty hilarious

that someone who has the handle "StopCrying" is such a huge crybaby.

Race bait moar.

by Tydides on Dec 13, 2007 3:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

LOL It gets better!

This mental midget is the braintrust behind these two flaming turds masquerading as diaries:

http://www.bruinsnation.com/story/2007/11/16/23468/524

http://www.bruinsnation.com/story/2007/11/5/23547/5837

Unintentional comedy is the best comedy. So much for your "internet goodbye" eh BruinFoSho/StopCrying?

by Tydides on Dec 13, 2007 3:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Permission to come aboard

This site is addictive. I had to jump in even though it's hard to find any football stat or person who has not been analyzed. There are some great contributors!

The mental picture of Pat Hill in the UCLA environment is haunting. If changing the football culture is the ultimate goal, this is certainly the way to do it. No longer Wimpwood.

If recent Bruin football was as suspenseful as this coaching search, Dorrell might still be here.

by Offside on Dec 13, 2007 3:38 PM PST reply actions 0 recs