Rate your football coach

[PantherRob82]

I would give Coach Farley an A-. 2 semis and a championship game in 6 years isn't bad. Could be better. Plenty of room to improve, but things look promising for the future.

[catbob]

xbawlingx xbawlingx xbawlingx xbawlingx xbangx xbangx xrulesx xwhistlex xwhistlex xscanx

I think I've made myself clear.

[813Jag]

Coach Richardson gets a B from me. He inherited a program that was winning about 5 games a year and made it into a 9 - 10 win program. The last two years are the only reason I grade him as a B. My only wish is that our schedule gets better.

[roadwarrior]

This is easy! I give NDSU head coach Bohl an A+. Four years in transition hell and look at the players that are on the team with no post season possibilities. That and many changes in assistant coaches over the past 4 years.

[PantherRob82]

xbawlingx xbawlingx xbawlingx xbawlingx xbangx xbangx xrulesx xwhistlex xwhistlex xscanx

I think I've made myself clear.

You can answer it in a week.

[PantherRob82]

This is easy! I give NDSU head coach Bohl an A+. Four years in transition hell and look at the players that are on the team with no post season possibilities. That and many changes in assistant coaches over the past 4 years.

so no room for improvement?xwhistlex

[aggie6thman]

A+. Our coaching staff knows what they are doing and together have been here for a really long time. Fred Arp has been here for about 40 years.

[windwalker]

I would definitely have to give Coach David Bennett "CBD" an A+ at Coastal.
Four years, no losing seasons, three conference championships (1 tie), and getting to the playoffs in the fourth year.

Any arguments????

[PantherRob82]

why so many A+'s? I have a hard time believing we have that many near perfect coaches. Rose colored glasses? Only team that I think has a right to say A+ is App St. Great recruiting and 2 straight championships. Everyone else apparently has some area to improve in. A few other might be able to claim an A+.

[ucdtim17]

B+

Biggs won a lot of games in D2 but we've got four 6 win seasons in a row now. It hasn't really mattered because we've been in the transition, but I'll expect more this year

[LarryBoy]

Bobby Lamb gets a B+ from me. He's done a wonderful job recruiting and in his 6 year tenure, we've only missed the playoffs once. However, the defense isn't what it was under Bobby Johnson (the great defensive mind that he was/is), we can't win at Boone, and we have the tendency to play down to our opponents.

[youwouldno]

I don't have any FCS coaches as an A+. Heck I only would give two 'A' grades-- Hauck and Moore.

[slostang]

A- for Ellerson. On defense he is A+++++++...., but to move up to an A+ for the team he needs to open up the offense.

[ncbears]

I'm going to give UNC 2nd year coach Scott Downing a B-. I wasn't too pleased with his first offensive coordinator he hired, but that guy is gone and has hired someone with a lot more experience.

The players seem to like him and he handled all the off the field problems last year with class. So a B- for Downing.

[Gil Dobie]

This is easy! I give NDSU head coach Bohl an A+. Four years in transition hell and look at the players that are on the team with no post season possibilities. That and many changes in assistant coaches over the past 4 years.

Make that 2 A+'s for Coach Bohl. xthumbsupx

[Brad82]

Tim Stowers-D.

[CSUBUCDAD]

Absolute A+ for Mills. He is taking a program that could care less if it ever won a game and is doing exactly what is required to turn it into a winner.

[GoldandBlack]

For Mike Ayers at Wofford, a definite "A", and he might kick my tail for rating him that high, as hard as he is to please. He knows there's always room for some improvement.

With one SoCon Championship and a highly competitive team in the Southern conference from a CO-ED school with less than 1200 students, I don't know what else you could ask from the man. He's a heckuva coach.xthumbsupx

[BrevardMountaineer03]

why so many A+'s? I have a hard time believing we have that many near perfect coaches. Rose colored glasses? Only team that I think has a right to say A+ is App St. Great recruiting and 2 straight championships. Everyone else apparently has some area to improve in. A few other might be able to claim an A+.

Reading through some of the posts, I noticed some A+'s, I was thinking Coach Jerry Moore deserves an A+. He stuck out some tough time in '04 going 6-5. (Which at App isn't that great.) Stuck with the Spread Offense and wins 2 straight National Championships. (1 with a TRUE Freshman QB, which speaks to recruiting.) Also, in those 2 years 2 AFCA National Coach of the Year for the FCS level and 1 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award from the Sports Network. I believe this is a resume worthy of an A+.

Thank you PantherRob for saying this as well. It makes me look less like a homer!

[TheValleyRaider]

Sorry, I'm giving Dick Biddle an "A". Already second on the list of all-time Colgate victories behind the incomparable Andy Kerr. Took a team that was 0-11 in his first year and went 6-5, starting a string of 10 consecutive winning seasons that only ended this past season. Has 5 Patriot League titles, 5 playoff births and a trip to the National Championship Game. His teams are physically and mentally tough, and always in the mix for the Patriot League title. Colgate may get hit hard, but Biddle's Raiders never back down.

Let's face it, when it comes to coaching, none of the rest of you have Dick! xnodx

[PSUVikings]

I give Glanville a C+, he hasn't even coached a game yet but he has gotten the whole campus optimistic about this season and he is bringing fans to PGE, for that he gets an early C+.

[ISUMatt]

DENVER JOHNSON...A-/B+...great coach, even better recruiter, not so gifted clock manager!!!

[HENJOHN]

KC Keeler gets a "B" from me. I am hoping that a B+ or A- is in order after this coming season.............:)

[89rabbit]

Coach Stig = rock solid B since the move to FCS. He has done a lot with fewer scholarships then most teams that we have played. This will be SDSU first season fully funded! xthumbsupx

[FargoBison]

Bohl gets an A for me, he will need a national title to get the A+.

[Reed Rothchild]

Farley gets a B+. No "A" until he wins the big one!

[bulldog10jw]

Jack Siedlecki C-

Under Jack, Yale has lost more games they should have won than won games they should have lost. (If that makes any sense to anybody but mexconfusedx )

[PSUVikings]

Jack Siedlecki C-

Under Jack, Yale has lost more games they should have won than won games they should have lost. (If that makes any sense to anybody but mexconfusedx )

It made no sense but I understand.:D

[NDSUFREAK]

A++++++++++++++++++++++

[FlyYtown]

Jon Heacock
YOUNGSTOWN ST.

I rate him a B+. He won't get any considerations for being an A until he wins some titles; and yes that is plural: TITLE[S]

He is a great guy and has really put this program back on the right path towards Championship status. I don't think we will ever go back under .500 with him at the helm; we are far too talented to fall apart in the next 5 years. He is a good recruiter and is one of the best in FCS at getting transfers.

[already123]

Souers...B
Good...needs to get over the hump

Great person though

[blackfordpu]

The jury is still out on Todd Whitten from Sam Houston. He has had only two seasons, one with his own recruits.

If he continues to get better, as he did last year, he will have to get an A rating.

[Ivytalk]

I give Murphy an A-. Four straight seasons with 7 wins or more is nothing to sneeze at. He played the wrong QB down the stretch last year, and his play calling gets a bit too predictable sometimes. All in all, I'm glad to have him!xthumbsupx

[bulldog10jw]

I give Murphy an A-. Four straight seasons with 7 wins or more is nothing to sneeze at. He played the wrong QB down the stretch last year, and his play calling gets a bit too predictable sometimes. All in all, I'm glad to have him!xthumbsupx


Predictable is not a bad thing when you have Dawson carrying the ball.xnodx

[Ivytalk]

Predictable is not a bad thing when you have Dawson carrying the ball.xnodx

We won't have that luxury this year! xbawlingx bulldog, weren't you a bit harsh on Jack with that C-? You did win the title last year, after all!

[Eyes of Old Main]

For Mike Ayers at Wofford, a definite "A", and he might kick my tail for rating him that high, as hard as he is to please. He knows there's always room for some improvement.

With one SoCon Championship and a highly competitive team in the Southern conference from a CO-ED school with less than 1200 students, I don't know what else you could ask from the man. He's a heckuva coach.xthumbsupx

I'd say A-/A, without question.

Considering all the barriers to success that exist at Wofford (size, resources, admission and academic standards, limited scholarships, etc.) it is amazing what Coach Ayers has done. He has his system and stays within it and the results speak for themselves.

[bulldog10jw]

We won't have that luxury this year! xbawlingx bulldog, weren't you a bit harsh on Jack with that C-? You did win the title last year, after all!

Possibly. I was looking at the entire 10 years. Then again, maybe I can't be objective about Yale's talent. Plus, now that I live in AZ and only see the team 2 or 3 times a year, and that's on TV, it's harder to really evaluate.

How about I grade him as a Pass on the Pass/Fail system.xlolx

[BEAR]

UCA's coach Clint Conque:

A.

Reasons:
1. Two years before the move to FCS, he started recruiting and playing players that would play at the level of FCS.

2. Took care of the "financial" side of the move requesting funds as necessary. ( went to full scholarship level the first year!)

3. Fan friendly.

4. Great Pitch man for the school at all events he attends.

5. Knows the SLC pretty well.

6. Recruits big time players like Jacob Ford etc..

I could go on but if you are familiar with his work, an A is an easy grade to give him..xthumbsupx

[JMU_Fan_2007]

Mickey Matthews gets an A from me. He's a solid coach, and he makes me laugh. After our season opening game against D.II Bloomsburg, a reporter asked him what he thought the highpoint of the game was, and he quipped back that his wife looked good in her dress. oh man he cracks me up.

[ngineer]

It's still early with Andy Coen at Lehigh, but I'd give him a 'B' for last year's season. He's quite personable and approachable; the players seems to like him alot, and I believe he's showing that he can recruit..though the results won't be seen for another year or two. Game day coaching seems good, though you an always second guess some calls, by and large I like his philosophy of trying to be 'tougher' up front with a run game to cntrol the game, more. He started off with some real close and tough losses, but held the team together and put together the necessary win streak to get the co-championship. The loss to Lafayette certainly sits in the crawl of many, but I don't really place too much of that on his lap, as opposed to just not having enough talent on defense.

[mainejeff]

Maine's Jack Cosgrove:

Recruiting: B+
Game Day Coaching: D-
Overall Achievements (2 Q-Final appearances in 14 seasons, win over Mississppi State): C-

Overall Grade: C-

[Peems]

Coach Hauck: B-

Inherited a winning program and has just kept doing enough. Due to his OC his grade drops dramatically. Also he has horrible PR skills, usually leaving the fans a bit in the dark. He has improved the D, but sometimes his bull headedness makes him set in his ways and he won't change(i.e. 2004 chipper). This year expectations couldn't be higher(from the griz, you gotta be kidding) so we'll see how he does.

[catbob]

Coach Ash - ?+

[bobbythekidd]

I'd say A-/A, without question.

Considering all the barriers to success that exist at Wofford (size, resources, admission and academic standards, limited scholarships, etc.) it is amazing what Coach Ayers has done. He has his system and stays within it and the results speak for themselves.

Given what he has to work with I agree. In fact, he has done more with what resources he has at his disposal than most other coaches EVER could. I expect Wofford will be competing for a bid to the playoffs this season. (App will get the SoCon auto bid).

[WYOBISONMAN]

Craig Bohl from North Dakota State gets an A+......the guy has done much more than we hoped for in this difficult transition.

[Tribe4SF]

Jimmye Laycock gets an A+. 27 years of entertaining and competitive football while maintaining consistency with the school's academic demands.

[TxState_GO_CATS!]

I'd give Coach Wright an "I"

[BearsCountry]

I'll let UNI rate our coach. :)

[Purple Knight]

I give Coach Lamb an A for keeping the Furman tradition of 'quality football' going and a D for keeping the traditional weaknesses unchanged.

[youwouldno]

I'd say A-/A, without question.

Considering all the barriers to success that exist at Wofford (size, resources, admission and academic standards, limited scholarships, etc.) it is amazing what Coach Ayers has done. He has his system and stays within it and the results speak for themselves.

Ayers is one of my few 'A-' coaches. I think an 'A' is not unreasonable but at times he makes somewhat questionable play-calling decisions. In terms of the overall program, he's definitely an elite coach in the FCS.

[appfan2008]

A for Jerry Moore!

[blueballs]

No GSU fans yet so I'll have at it:

Chris Hatcher: at GSU an "I" as he hasn't coached a game, at VSU "A++."

Going back a little further...

Brain Van Gorder: "F----------------," or whatever the worst possible grade one can get. Worst seaons by a GSU team EVER and was a PR disaster.

Mike Sewak: "C" won conference titles, but badly underachieved in the playoffs and his teams were a disaster academically, which led to APR sanctions.

Paul Johnson: "A++++++++" won 2 NC's, and national runnerup and one semi. Won the conference every year he was there. His 2001 class graduated EVERY player. His teams had the all time leading rusher, the all time leading scorer, and the all time record home winning streak.

[BEAR]

No GSU fans yet so I'll have at it:

Chris Hatcher: at GSU an "I" as he hasn't coached a game, at VSU "A++."



Don't worry..Hatch will make GSU a national powerhouse again..it's in his blood! xthumbsupx xbowx xbowx xbowx xbowx xpeacex

[No_Skill]

I give coach Bohl a D-. I mean come on, he's been at NDSU for 4 years now and still hasn't taken us to the playoffs. Time to cut our losses and go shopping for a new HC.

Let's give him the axe!

xanim_chaix

[Eyes of Old Main]

Ayers is one of my few 'A-' coaches. I think an 'A' is not unreasonable but at times he makes somewhat questionable play-calling decisions. In terms of the overall program, he's definitely an elite coach in the FCS.

On the surface, play-calling can be an issue at times. Your issues are probably similar to mine (consistantly running the FB up the middle even when it's not working, not throwing enough to keep opponents from stacking the box, and going for insane 4th downs all over the field). I agree with you in most cases, but I also understand Ayers' reasoning behind most of these. That being said, I think he's definately elite, especially considering where he is.

[slycat]

I'd give Coach Wright an "I"

yup. some positvies though is that he has changed up the offense and defense. both needed to become more agressive and it will be interesting to see the new ideas in action.

[mtgrizfan4life]

Coach Hauck: A-

Clean program- A+
Academics- A
Recruiting- A+
Special Teams- A+
Defense- A+
Winning record- A+ (FCS Standards) B+ (Griznation Standards-no Championships) Championship gets him to A+ overall
Discipline- A (A+, prior to the Jason Washington ordeal)
PR- C
Offense- B- , got to admire him for his loyality to our OC. Too bad games are not won with 40 to 50 yard drives. When GRIZ offense gets inside opposition's 30, playcalling has become very questionable and inconsistent. With the talent this offense has this year, we better be consistently productive with both the run and pass!!!!

Unfortunately for Hauck, PR and offense bring down his overall grade. With a better offense the GRIZ should have won 2 championships under Hauck. Myself, I am a huge fan of Hauck. I feel he will be successful wherever he coaches, just hope his desire to move up will not be a distraction for the talent laden GRIZ this year. GRIZNATION expects nothing less than a championship in 07!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PMB4Life]

I'll let UNI rate our coach.

I'd be glad to! Coach Allen is a fantastic recruiter, a great offensive mind, and will truly generate excitement for a Bears football program that is simply a sleeping giant.

That being said, be prepared to get close but never quite get there. Allen took UNI to playoff after playoff, but we came up short every single season as far as national titles go.

On another note... when I apply for jobs, I want all of you writing my recommendations. I would be President by 2012.

Farley gets a B from me right now... he has taken this program back to where Allen had it, but we need better consistency from year to year and CERTAINLY need better defense.

[james_lawfirm]

Coach Hauck: A-

Clean program- A+
Academics- A
Recruiting- A+
Special Teams- A+
Defense- A+
Winning record- A+ (FCS Standards) B+ (Griznation Standards-no Championships) Championship gets him to A+ overall
Discipline- A (A+, prior to the Jason Washington ordeal)
PR- C
Offense- B- , got to admire him for his loyality to our OC. Too bad games are not won with 40 to 50 yard drives. When GRIZ offense gets inside opposition's 30, playcalling has become very questionable and inconsistent. With the talent this offense has this year, we better be consistently productive with both the run and pass!!!!

Unfortunately for Hauck, PR and offense bring down his overall grade. With a better offense the GRIZ should have won 2 championships under Hauck. Myself, I am a huge fan of Hauck. I feel he will be successful wherever he coaches, just hope his desire to move up will not be a distraction for the talent laden GRIZ this year. GRIZNATION expects nothing less than a championship in 07!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Grizfan:
I was about to post something similar. It seems to me that most other posters here equate a winning season with the grade they give the coach. And, winning is part of the grade, no doubt. But there is a lot more to it too. You have hit on these additional factors; clean program, academics, etc. I would add one more - character. Some coaches get into big trouble forgetting that the end does NOT justify the means. If you cannot play within the rules, then you might have some winning seasons, but sooner or later the poop's gonna hit the fan. An example of this might be a former head coach at a Big Sky team that shall remain nameless.

But, in the SoCon, Coaches Ayers (Wofford), Lamb (Furman), & Moore (ASU) all get good marks for character, clean program and academics and for winning seasons. I think you should factor in the raw materials a coach has to work with. (Thus, Ayers gets an extra bonus point or two.) I would rank Ayers & Moore an "A", & Lamb a "B". Coach Lamb has some anger mgmt. issues to deal with. Recent visits to Boone have resulted in some outbursts that are just not helpful to the Paladins. If he can address his reaction to bad situations, then he also gets a "A" in my book.

[BearsCountry]

I'd be glad to! Coach Allen is a fantastic recruiter, a great offensive mind, and will truly generate excitement for a Bears football program that is simply a sleeping giant.

That being said, be prepared to get close but never quite get there. Allen took UNI to playoff after playoff, but we came up short every single season as far as national titles go.

We'll take it considering how bad our program has been. Besides we are used to being the bride's maid look at Bozo Hinson's basketball program.

[Go...gate]

Sorry, I'm giving Dick Biddle an "A". Already second on the list of all-time Colgate victories behind the incomparable Andy Kerr. Took a team that was 0-11 in his first year and went 6-5, starting a string of 10 consecutive winning seasons that only ended this past season. Has 5 Patriot League titles, 5 playoff births and a trip to the National Championship Game. His teams are physically and mentally tough, and always in the mix for the Patriot League title. Colgate may get hit hard, but Biddle's Raiders never back down.

Let's face it, when it comes to coaching, none of the rest of you have Dick! xnodx

Amen. Biddle, with a little initial help from Fred Dunlap in '96 and '97, saved the Colgate program, which had become the Columbia of the Patriot League.

[JohnStOnge]

McNeese's Matt Viator is still taking his test. Did well on the first part in taking over in the middle of the season. Gotta see how his recruits do, etc. I'm optimistic, though.

[TheCatamount]

I'd give Coach Briggs a D. He has just not gotten it done

[pcola]

I would give UND's Dale Lennnon an "A". He puts academics above athletics, is a good recruiter, averages 10 wins per season and is looked upon favorably by opponents. Last, but not least, he has proven in the last week that he is loyal to North Dakota. Thanks for not leaving Dale.:)

[Pards Rule]

Frank Tavani an A...He has rescued a program that was completely moribund and ready for the axe or a drop to Div. 3...Had his team geared up to play great games in the playoffs against Delaware (2004), App State (2005) and a respectable effort against UMass (2006). He has been at Lafayette for 20 years total now.

[ngineer]

Frank Tavani an A...He has rescued a program that was completely moribund and ready for the axe or a drop to Div. 3...Had his team geared up to play great games in the playoffs against Delaware (2004), App State (2005) and a respectable effort against UMass (2006). He has been at Lafayette for 20 years total now.

I agree with everything you say. However, I watched a few Lafayette games over the years, besides THE GAME, and his sideline coaching in terms of strategy/play calling has been curious with a frequency that would bother me, and which resulted in losing some games that I felt LC should have won, sometimes playing down to the competition. Don't get me wrong, I think Tavani, with all things considered, is a good coach, but would rate him a B+ or A-. When it comes to a 'big' game, as you note above, as well as the third Saturday in November, he is an excellent motivator.

[WUTNDITWAA]

Frank Tavani an A...He has rescued a program that was completely moribund and ready for the axe or a drop to Div. 3...Had his team geared up to play great games in the playoffs against Delaware (2004), App State (2005) and a respectable effort against UMass (2006). He has been at Lafayette for 20 years total now.

ASU didn't want any more of Lafayette in 2005, I know that.


I'll give Jerry Moore the ol' Ebay A++++++++++++++++++++. He has great communication and quick payment. :D

[NDSUFREAK]

I would give UND's Dale Lennnon an "A". He puts academics above athletics, is a good recruiter, averages 10 wins per season and is looked upon favorably by opponents. Last, but not least, he has proven in the last week that he is loyal to North Dakota. Thanks for not leaving Dale.:)

you guys have a great coach up there. i feel the same way with bohl and i hope that lennon doesn't leave and bohl doesn't leave. the thing is that if we have another season like last season and if we win one FBS game then he will probably be gone.......just like Coach Miles was gone.:( :( :( :(

[BearsCountry]

you guys have a great coach up there. i feel the same way with bohl and i hope that lennon doesn't leave and bohl doesn't leave. the thing is that if we have another season like last season and if we win one FBS game then he will probably be gone.......just like Coach Miles was gone.:( :( :( :(

Dont be to sad about coaches leaving, if they are that must mean your program is doing something right.

[Pards Rule]

I agree with everything you say. However, I watched a few Lafayette games over the years, besides THE GAME, and his sideline coaching in terms of strategy/play calling has been curious with a frequency that would bother me, and which resulted in losing some games that I felt LC should have won, sometimes playing down to the competition. Don't get me wrong, I think Tavani, with all things considered, is a good coach, but would rate him a B+ or A-. When it comes to a 'big' game, as you note above, as well as the third Saturday in November, he is an excellent motivator.

Ngineer, we agree again. I was gonna get into the only point i consider his weakness a rut of playcalling but the Sopranos beckoned!!

[ysubigred]

I'll give Heacock an C+. He's off academic probation :) Seriously his grade could rise with the new "D" coordinator in town leaving Jon with less worries and more focus on the head coaching job.

[UpstateNYHen]

I think that the jury is out on KC Keeler. This year, if injury free, will determine if he moves up from a "B". The potential is there for a great team, especially with the addition of the transfer DL.
xcoffeex

[UncleSam]

CAA North


UMass - Brown, three winning seasons and a trip to finals - A-

UNH - McConnell, great offensive mind, seems to get the most from his players - B+

Maine - Cosgrove, normally produces a quality product - C+

URI - Stowes, URI is a tough place to to win - C

N'eastern - Hager, more time needed to evaluate - Incomplete

Hofstra - Cohen, see above - Incomplete



CAA South


JMU - Matthews, national title elevates Matthews - B+

W&M - Laycock, longtime successful coach - B+

Richmond - Clawson, nice job in first few years - B

Towson - Combs, turning Towson into a contender - B

Delaware - Keeler, not much after a fast start - B

Villanova - Talley, not bad, but could be better - C+

[mcveyrl]

Realistically, I would probably give Matthews a B or B-. The national championship was great, but he had almost the exact same team and didn't get back to the playoffs. I thought last year he did about as good as he could do and just got a bad draw in the playoffs.

This next year, without Rascati, will really be the big exam.

[The Cats]

I'd give Coach Briggs a D. He has just not gotten it done


I think a D is a little high for the job he's done up to this point.

[HIU 93]

B+- the only thing lacking is an NCAA Championship

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Uncle Sam, the coach at UNH is Sean McDonnell.

My assessment is that he does get the most out of his players. And I think he develops players and coaches as well as anybody. That is crucial at UNH because we can't match facilities or financial resources with the traditional FCS powers.

[Cobblestone]

CAA North


UMass - Brown, three winning seasons and a trip to finals - A-

UNH - McConnell, great offensive mind, seems to get the most from his players - B+

Maine - Cosgrove, normally produces a quality product - C+

URI - Stowes, URI is a tough place to to win - C

N'eastern - Hager, more time needed to evaluate - Incomplete

Hofstra - Cohen, see above - Incomplete



CAA South


JMU - Matthews, national title elevates Matthews - B+

W&M - Laycock, longtime successful coach - B+

Richmond - Clawson, nice job in first few years - B

Towson - Combs, turning Towson into a contender - B

Delaware - Keeler, not much after a fast start - B

Villanova - Talley, not bad, but could be better - C+



It's actually Stowers. Yes, Rhode Island is a tough place to win but all of our original Yankee Conference brethren managed to find some success. Maine, UNH, UMASS etc. It seems to me we should be able to do the same. Stowers is a nice guy who runs an outdated offense and knows so little about defense that he can't even seem to find a decent DC. We've been through 3 in 4 years. Stowers get a D from me.

[bisonwest]

Coach Bohl A

clean program A
academics A+
recruiting B+
special teams A+
defense A+
public relations A
offense A-

What Bohl has done is remarkable. From a 2-8 D-II team in 2002,to a 10-1 FCS team last year. We can only guess how far we would have made it last year if we could have made the playoffs. I have no doubt that if Bohl stays around after the transition the Bison will be hoisting a ninth NC trophy in the years to come! Even if he leaves he has set our program back on the path that Bison fans are accustomed to, but at an even higher level!!

[carney2]

Someone else tried this, so here's an attempt to grade all of the coaches in the Patriot League:

A
Biddle - Colgate: An appearance in the FCS/I-AA Championship game and 5 League championships in 11 years. It's tough to find any fault with his record, but some raindrops have fallen in Raiderland in the last 10 months.

A-
Tavani - Lafayette: A great recruiter; an outstanding motivator; a professional manager of the program; AND he brought Pard football back from the brink of extinction. He gets downgraded because he is too frequently an out and out bonehead on game day.

Gilmore - Holy Cross: Does more with less than any coach in the League. If he can keep the magic coming with the talent at his dosposal, we will need to invent a grade above A.

B
Coen - Lehigh: New guys should get "Incompletes," but Andy seems to be headed in the right direction. Based on his 1st class, he is a good recruiter. Gives every appearance that he will live up to the program's high expectations. Lots of upside potential here.

C
Landis - Bucknell: Has had ample time to accomplish more than he has. The program appears to be on the upswing, but the "Smurfs with speed" experiment guarantees that he won't remain at the "C" level for long. He will either shoot to the top or, more likely, drop out the bottom.

Incomplete
Masella - Fordham: Was not afraid to shake up a program that had hit rock bottom. Had a good first recruiting year and has lots of upside potential.

Kelly - Georgetown: Very tough to gauge given the history of the program, the facilities, and the apparent lack of heart and support in the Hoya community. Still, he gives the appearance that he may just be a "cut above." Unlike Coen and Masella, the other newcomers, we paint his future more with hope than expectation.

[already123]

....Worst coach to still have their job???

[g-webb1994]

I'd give Patton and overall solid B for what he has done at G-W for going into his tenth year. Rumor is he will only be around for another three years or so then retire, but you now how rumors are.

The transition from D-2 upward, keeping focus while a scandal involving the athletic department forced the school Prez out (why our hoops coach is still here is baffling, but that's for another time), and battling a little academic dealings of the football program's own, he has done a decent job. Interesting now that his predecesoor Woody Fish is back on campus doing alot of fundraising for G-W, it isn't often at any level that a former coach returns to campus in such a position while his successor is still there. Kind of odd, but Woody and General Patton are two good men.

[Kill'em]

Don't worry..Hatch will make GSU a national powerhouse again..it's in his blood! xthumbsupx xbowx xbowx xbowx xbowx xpeacex

I agree. Even though he hasn't coached a game for us yet he is bringing back the "old" Georgia Southern which is giving us cause for excitement. His coaching record and his offense has folks really excited. He has a lot of work ahead to clean up te mess BVG left. Also, the way he has handled the off-field issues is earning him tons of respect that the players will soon give him.

Long story short, I give him an "A."

[mcveyrl]

I agree. Even though he hasn't coached a game for us yet he is bringing back the "old" Georgia Southern which is giving us cause for excitement. His coaching record and his offense has folks really excited. He has a lot of work ahead to clean up te mess BVG left. Also, the way he has handled the off-field issues is earning him tons of respect that the players will soon give him.

Long story short, I give him an "A."

Serious question: Does GSU have the players to run the "old" style or did BVG mess that up too?? I have absolutely no knowledge of their roster.

[GOKATS]

I'll have to give Coach Ash an A+. He's never lost a game at MSU and he's been on staff for almost five hours. :D xnodx

[blueballs]

Serious question: Does GSU have the players to run the "old" style or did BVG mess that up too?? I have absolutely no knowledge of their roster.

When Kill 'Em speaks of "old style" he's referring to the basic traditions of the program that Coach Russell instilled 25 years ago that Van RichardCranium more or less spat upon, not the triple option offense run from the double slot set.

As far as personnel to run Hatcher's offense, I suspect that is still a work in progress.

[GaSouthern]

Chris Hatcher holds I think the 3rd winningest record in the nation (at D2 Valdosta St.) so based on that i'll go with A+!

[bjtheflamesfan]

Id give danny Rocco a B+/A-. He took a team that was one of the worst in the nation a year ago (1-10) and had one of the biggest single season turnarounds in the nation. It would have been the biggest if a couple games go our way on the kicking side). He brings in a solid recruiting class to address some of the big needs, but having 2 DII schools and a DI FCS (DI-AA depending on which side of that you fall) transitional school on the schedule doesn't help much...but he has really gotten the students, faculty and administration behind the program and I think I see lots of good things ahead. He is a solidly in the A range once we make the playoffs (which sounds more likely for 2008 unless we go 10-1 this year)

[danefan]

Albany = Bob Ford
Overall A-

clean program A+
academics A
recruiting A++++++ (what he has gotten with our stadium is remarkable)
special teams A+
defense A-
public relations B
offense B-

[Mustang Man]

Coach Ellerson gets an A-. I love what he has done for Cal Poly Football, but to get an A+ he needs to post a NC banner.

[already123]

so who would be the worst coach to still have their job right now?

[VT Wildcat Fan53]

Uncle Sam, the coach at UNH is Sean McDonnell.

My assessment is that he does get the most out of his players. And I think he develops players and coaches as well as anybody. That is crucial at UNH because we can't match facilities or financial resources with the traditional FCS powers.

New Hampshire's Coach Mac gets an A. If a national championship is, in fact, the ultimate measuring stick, we'll wait on the A+ until November. xthumbsupx Coach McDonnell -- and his great staff -- not only get the most out of their players, but they also manage to do so (as Alum in CT notes) with NO stadium and amidst a literally hockey-crazed campus. What's more, Sean does more with walk-ons (D Ball, G Peterson, .....) than virtually any coach in the Division (one of the many great traits he learned from his predecessor, the legendary Bill Bowes).

Sean, whatever Marty is paying you, it's not enough. Hit him up for a raise! :D

[Sundown]

Bobby Hauck: A-

[pete4256]

Albany = Bob Ford
Overall A-

clean program A+
academics A
recruiting A++++++ (what he has gotten with our stadium is remarkable)
special teams A+
defense A-
public relations B
offense B-

Shouldn't shooting Jesse James in the back knock him down at least one letter grade?

[danefan]

Shouldn't shooting Jesse James in the back knock him down at least one letter grade?


Haha. Nice..... All the years I've known Coach Ford I never thought of that...even if he does where a straw cowboy hat every day.

Not much of a resemblance though:

http://www.northeastconference.org/images/fball/2004/8/10/headcoach_bob_ford_brown2003_w.jpghttp://whithaydn.com/smfimages/Bob%20Ford.jpg

[Cobblestone]

New Hampshire's Coach Mac gets an A. If a national championship is, in fact, the ultimate measuring stick, we'll wait on the A+ until November. xthumbsupx Coach McDonnell -- and his great staff -- not only get the most out of their players, but they also manage to do so (as Alum in CT notes) with NO stadium and amidst a literally hockey-crazed campus. What's more, Sean does more with walk-ons (D Ball, G Peterson, .....) than virtually any coach in the Division (one of the many great traits he learned from his predecessor, the legendary Bill Bowes).

Sean, whatever Marty is paying you, it's not enough. Hit him up for a raise! :D

nice tribute to a damn good football coach who never got the amount of publicity that he deserved.

[Eaglesrus]

Chris Hatcher holds I think the 3rd winningest record in the nation (at D2 Valdosta St.) so based on that i'll go with A+!

I'll agree with that rating, at least as long as he remains undefeated at GSU:)

[Kill'em]

Serious question: Does GSU have the players to run the "old" style or did BVG mess that up too?? I have absolutely no knowledge of their roster.

Sorry, let me clarify. Hatcher is a disciple of Erk Russell and wants to return the program to the values Coach Russell instilled in his team. Hatcher's offense is similar to the spread option in that it relies on speed and precise execution which could score lots of points. The defense will not be complicated but will attack. BVG seemed to be afraid to let the offense score so the defense could win the game. The problem was his complex defense had us out of position way too often.

[skinny_uncle]

I have to give coach Kill an A+.
He took SIU from being a losing program to a team who regularly makes the playoffs.
xthumbsupx

[PantherRob82]

Coach Ash - ?+

Should be a great pickup for the bobcats.

[PantherRob82]

I'll let UNI rate our coach. :)

D

I expected better from him last year. ;)

[PantherRob82]

I
On another note... when I apply for jobs, I want all of you writing my recommendations. I would be President by 2012.
.

xlolx xlolx exactly what I've been trying to get across. soooo many homers. xrolleyesx

[PantherRob82]

We'll take it considering how bad our program has been. Besides we are used to being the bride's maid look at Bozo Hinson's basketball program.

man...everytime i try to forget aout hinson another bear poster brings him up again. i like to forget he's down there in the offseason. ;)

[PantherRob82]

CAA North


UMass - Brown, three winning seasons and a trip to finals - A-

UNH - McConnell, great offensive mind, seems to get the most from his players - B+

Maine - Cosgrove, normally produces a quality product - C+

URI - Stowes, URI is a tough place to to win - C

N'eastern - Hager, more time needed to evaluate - Incomplete

Hofstra - Cohen, see above - Incomplete



CAA South


JMU - Matthews, national title elevates Matthews - B+

W&M - Laycock, longtime successful coach - B+

Richmond - Clawson, nice job in first few years - B

Towson - Combs, turning Towson into a contender - B

Delaware - Keeler, not much after a fast start - B

Villanova - Talley, not bad, but could be better - C+


Seems like a good assessment.

[ch0306]

I understand your point, but I don't concur in your conclusion. Last year, for instance, Yale beat Penn, Lafayette, Lehigh and Harvard, all teams the Elis should not have beaten. Princeton was the only team that the Blue should have whipped but failed to do so. And that game came down to a busted coverage by a Freshman DB.

I'd give Coach Sid a B+, maybe even an A-. He's shown that when he has the talent -- e.g., in 1999 and 2007 -- he can win an Ivy Championship.

[bulldog10jw]

I understand your point, but I don't concur in your conclusion. Last year, for instance, Yale beat Penn, Lafayette, Lehigh and Harvard, all teams the Elis should not have beaten. Princeton was the only team that the Blue should have whipped but failed to do so. And that game came down to a busted coverage by a Freshman DB.

I'd give Coach Sid a B+, maybe even an A-. He's shown that when he has the talent -- e.g., in 1999 and 2007 -- he can win an Ivy Championship.

Welcome. Good to see another Yale poster here. We'll let the upcoming season determine who is right about Jack since the Bulldogs have a lot of talent coming back.xthumbsupx

[AggieFinn]

Biggs gets a B. He's done a lot with very little for a number of years, and has never wavered in developing real student-athletes. These past 4 seasons have been a learning experience for him and his assistants. Gotta learn how to use bigger talent more effectively. I've seen a lot of ballgames over the past two seasons however, that should've been won, but weren't because we didn't really go in for the kill. I hope Biggs is willing to roll the dice a little more this year, we need to finish opponents by harnessing that killer instinct. He'll get an A from me with 8 wins and a shot at playoffs.

[Laserlips]

Shouldn't shooting Jesse James in the back knock him down at least one letter grade?



No..

Only if he had MISSED would he have been penalized a grade letter. xwhistlex


Best Wishes,

J. Pomeroy

[DFW HOYA]

There aren't a lot of bad coaches at this level, but I think people fall into the trap of rating their program versus rating their coach. An earlier post from a Patriot League fan rated the L-L-C (Lehigh-Lafayette-Colgate) coaches highly and gave a noncomittal vote for Fordham and Georgetown, which is more a program rating than a coaching one.

For every coach in I-A whose sterling record hides their faults (Philip Fulmer, Mack Brown, etc.) there are coaches that more than earn their pay despite a lack of attention or BCS attention (Gary Patterson, Jim Grobe). It's probably the same at this level as well.

[Sam Adams]

Don Brown gets an A for the 2006 season and a B for his 3 seasons at Massachusetts.

[Tillou]

Our coaching staff is pretty good. They "teach" really well from what I have seen. (I've worked in with high school, college and Pro teams the past couple of years.) Teaching wise I would give them an A.

Recuiting wise I would give them an C-. I give them this because there is a huge lack of "Local" talent on the team and for the only reason I can figure is that the all the coach's seem to have connections in Texas. Don't get me wrong the athletes on the team from the past and currently on the team are great guys, get the job done and never give up. Its just that being a smaller school you would think the coach's would recuit more athtletes from the Thibodaux, Layfeyette, New Orleans and Baton Rouge area. That way when these athletes get playing time their families would be more likely to come to more than just one game a year. So until I see more hometowns from Losuisiana than Texas I give the recuiting aspect a C-.

[GeeWiz]

Grade for Rocky Hager ...

Recruiting: B- ... Starting to bring in some good players
In game Coaching: B ... Not afraid to take chances
Overall accomplishments: D ... 12-21 in 3 years! Ouch! xoopsx


Final grade ... C

This is HIS team now as Brown's players/recruits are just about gone. Has continued to solidfy the O-Line, which has been a strength of NU since Brown era. Still hasn't had the solid QB to lead a program (hopefully Alex Dulski can be that QB soon).

Needs a winning season this year - has the talent to have one.

[ekufbfan]

Danny Hope gets an A for a big mouth, A+ for sticking his foot in it...I'll give him a D- for putting his money where his mouth is (i.e a lot of talk but very little action!)

[PAmedic]

Solid "B" for Liberty's Danny Rocco.

A for recruiting
C for game planning and execution
B for turning around expectations of FlameFans everywhere

if he can go from "good to great" (team slogan this year) then he earns the "A" and, no doubt, a lot more booster club $$$

[Old Montana State Grad]

A+ based on his prior experience. Too many Miller High Lifes consumed to enter into any meaningful dialogue now (besides, it's too late and I must go fishing in about three hours!)

[bodoyle]

I would definitely have to give Coach David Bennett "CBD" an A+ at Coastal.
Four years, no losing seasons, three conference championships (1 tie), and getting to the playoffs in the fourth year.

Any arguments????

Wind, I would say he gets an A.

A+ for meeting and blwoing way past expectations
B+ for recruiting (a few sketchy guys)
A+++++ for postgame, pregame, and halftime interviews! xthumbsupx xlolx xnodx
C- for those commercials I see on WPDE - man those are cheesy!
A+ for maintaining good academics (Josh Hoke 3.99 GPA, and 40 players making the Presidential Honor Roll - 3.0 GPA or higher)