Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (Del Conte could have done anything and he chose Herman...)

[Ketchum]

I’ve done a lot of hiring and firing over the years and I’ve never kept someone because of “stability”. I’ve kept someone past their worthwhile date due to other factors or timing issues (i.e. I needed them a bit longer for some reason), but stability doesn’t win, strong hires win, although I will concede a tiny industry difference due to players/system continuity. However, it’s been shown that’s largely overrated because players respond to good coaching quickly and will stick around to win. So, that negates whatever the F stability means here. Translated, CDC is using “stability” to mean “I need a strong word to wrap this decision in.”

It's supposed to represent some sort of positive code for recruiting purposes, but it's value will be disproven with the turnover this off-season. If you going to potentially turn over more than 50% of the staff, how can keeping coaches be measured in any kind of high value as a tool? All that matters is having elite. If the names turnover every single year, but the quality never fails... you're just fine.

 

[lermanm]

Lol. It took us 5 minutes to hire Herman after we fired Charlie after 3 years. You think Urban Meyer would give a f*ck that we fired Herman after 3 seasons?

Strong never showed even a bit of improvement. Herman has won more games than Strongs best season every year he has been here. Not saying Herman is the answer for sure but he should get 2 more years to show us.

Agree TH compared to CS was a significant upgrade-3 consecutively winning seasons and 2 consecutive bowl wins so far including a Sugar bowl. Go back and look at the first few years under DKR or Mack Brown.TH deserves a fourth year. Yes we all expected a better season but if we win a third bowl game in a row we will have some momentum

 

[McGuapo]

It's supposed to represent some sort of positive code for recruiting purposes, but it's value will be disproven with the turnover this off-season. If you going to potentially turn over more than 50% of the staff, how can keeping coaches be measured in any kind of high value as a tool? All that matters is having elite. If the names turnover every single year, but the quality never fails... you're just fine.

Yup. If you hire badasses, you’ll be badass.

 

[vbrown19]

How did your sources from Houston (assuming you have some) feel in regards to the Todd Orlando hire on a scale from 1-10?

 

[Ketchum]

How did your sources from Houston (assuming you have some) feel in regards to the Todd Orlando hire on a scale from 1-10?

Everyone thought he was a golden god.

 

[Ketchum]

Yup. If you hire badasses, you’ll be badass.

bingo

 

[Ben3490]

How is CDC able to raise all this money when we are not winning? I'm assuming the expectation tied to the money is that wins are coming.

 

[Ketchum]

How is CDC able to raise all this money when we are not winning? I'm assuming the expectation tied to the money is that wins are coming.

Some guys just have IT.

 

[LonghornBuc]

Not per the big wigs I speak with.

He basically has the ability to generate so much money in fundraising that his job security is almost impossible to penetrate.

Not sure why people dont get this. When I worked for two large corporations, it was the top sales people that made huge money, and could get away with lots of shenanigans. When I worked for a large law firm, it wasnt the great trial lawyers or briefers who made the big bucks, it was the lawyers who brought in the high paying clients. When I sat on non profit boards, its the fundraiser who brought in ten times her salary that got all the attention.

Administrators and managers arent hard to find. Business developers.....they make the world go green.

 

[pinkner]

Everyone should still be worried.

I will give him this smallest possible benefit of doubt- he has told us himself that he doesn’t think he can call plays and manage the game at the same time. He has had to call plays since last season. That’s on him for not moving on Beck but still- let’s see what he does with his whole attention.

 

[Ketchum]

I will give him this smallest possible benefit of doubt- he has told us himself that he doesn’t think he can call plays and manage the game at the same time. He has had to call plays since last season. That’s on him for not moving on Beck but still- let’s see what he does with his whole attention.

I can't give him the benefit of the doubt just because he's scapegoated some assistants. He hasn't even made hires yet.

 

[Iceman]

That was one hell of an Iron Bowl.

The Iron Bowl was a fun watch. But, I have to wonder if the names on the jerseys had been Wake Forest and Pitt, if we'd have lavished the game with superlatives. Looking back on it, there was a lot of band defense and bad special teams. Yet, b/c the names on the jerseys were Alabama & Auburn, we view it as a slug-fest and consider it a great game. Still, I'll take that kind of game over the 21-17 snoozers we've gotten in the past.

 

[JinSOTEX]

I can't give him the benefit of the doubt just because he's scapegoated some assistants. He hasn't even made hires yet.

scapegoat? The consensus around the UT fanbase has seemed to be staff upgrades were needed especially at coordinators. scapegoating to me would imply These coaches didn’t deserve to be let go and Herman just used them as an excuse. Perhaps that’s not what you meant, but I doubt anyone would argue any of the dismissals were unjustified.

 

[RLong68]

scapegoat? The consensus around the UT fanbase has seemed to be staff upgrades were needed especially at coordinators. scapegoating to me would imply These coaches didn’t deserve to be let go and Herman just used them as an excuse. Perhaps that’s not what you meant, but I doubt anyone would argue any of the dismissals were unjustified.

The two aren't mutually exclusive. At the end of the day, the buck stops with the HC. Much like when Mack blew out half his staff after the '10 seasons. For sure they are "scapegoats" because, well, Herman wasn't getting fired this year and he needs to play a better hand next season.

 

[Balmorhea]

I dunno. I think Del Conte wears a golden crown at the moment.

He loves to punt coaching issues.

He’ll have a long runway but he’s going to have to put his name on some coaching hires and if they all usher in more mediocrity things won’t be so nice for him like they are now. He fixes these programs though and he will be here for the long haul.

 

[Ketchum]

The Iron Bowl was a fun watch. But, I have to wonder if the names on the jerseys had been Wake Forest and Pitt, if we'd have lavished the game with superlatives. Looking back on it, there was a lot of band defense and bad special teams. Yet, b/c the names on the jerseys were Alabama & Auburn, we view it as a slug-fest and consider it a great game. Still, I'll take that kind of game over the 21-17 snoozers we've gotten in the past.

A Big 12 game broke out.

 

[Ketchum]

He’ll have a long runway but he’s going to have to put his name on some coaching hires and if they all usher in more mediocrity things won’t be so nice for him like they are now. He fixes these programs though and he will be here for the long haul.

He is here for the long haul. Make no mistake about that.

 

[pinkner]

I can't give him the benefit of the doubt just because he's scapegoated some assistants. He hasn't even made hires yet.

All I'm saying is we haven't seen him as a game manager without what he claims is a major distraction to him. Maybe he's no better.

 

[Ketchum]

All I'm saying is we haven't seen him as a game manager without what he claims is a major distraction to him. Maybe he's no better.

We saw his first season.

 

[RLong68]

All I'm saying is we haven't seen him as a game manager without what he claims is a major distraction to him. Maybe he's no better.

He was a piss-poor game manager his first season when he wasn't calling plays.

 

[Ketchum]

He was a piss-poor game manager his first season when he wasn't calling plays.

exactly

 

[Ketchum]

scapegoat? The consensus around the UT fanbase has seemed to be staff upgrades were needed especially at coordinators. scapegoating to me would imply These coaches didn’t deserve to be let go and Herman just used them as an excuse. Perhaps that’s not what you meant, but I doubt anyone would argue any of the dismissals were unjustified.

@JinSOTEX

I merely mean at the end of the day, the buck stops with him, not the guys taking the fall for what is ultimately his failure.

 

[Zip code]

Maybe on message boards but I guarantee CDC won’t be on the hot seat with people that matter. You aren’t getting fired after winning 10 games and a Sugar bowl the year before.

This is right on IMO.
As has been alluded to earlier in the thread, it seems like TH made the same classic mistake that have haunted many others, he went with comfort hires for key coord roles despite an open checkbook. It’s a costly albeit understandable error.
This seems esp true when it comes to Orlando whose defenses became notoriously predictable and horribly inefficient. The surprise factor failed to surprise anybody and left gaping holes that were exploited ruthlessly. It was hard to watch!

 

[Ketchum]

seeing Parasite tonight.