Breaking: Head Coaching Change at Wofford Could be Happening

[Reign of Terrier]

From Pete Yannity with WSPA in the upstate

https://www.wspa.com/sports/college-sports/head-coaching-change-at-wofford-could-be-happening/?fbclid=IwAR3otuRssTeXqIv95vdzgyUPrxVMIMgv5D19F-5Z9vxYF0Y27g8m3Ei9J-Q

[Reign of Terrier]

Rumor that is flying on Wofford fans is that there was a team meeting on Monday that didn't go so hot. Blew up on players and staff.

RoT's opinion is that this is nothing special and likely happened a lot over the last couple of years.

What *IS* different is that Wofford had its annual "Day For Wofford" fundraising day yesterday. I guarantee you there were multiple alumni who said "I will give as soon as you can Conklin."

I know this, because I'd like to think I'm one of the more even handed Wofford alumni about these things and I did it lol.

[BigSouthFan]

Confirmed Conklin is out. Team meeting at 6pm today to announce interim. Reported by local news!

Early thoughts on a replacement? Names that come to mind:

Willy Korn (Coastal Co-OC and local native)
Chad Staggs (Coastal DC, has spent time at NGU, Furman, CSU, and South Carolina. Strong Carolina ties.)
Todd Knight (Newberry HC, took the Wolves to the 2nd round of playoffs last year beating defending Champion. Long tenured local winner.)
Shawn Watson (Current OC/AHC, veteran, former HC at SIU. Likely interim.)
*REACH* Greg Gasparato (Former Ayers assistant, current assistant at Louisville)


Just throwing some names out there and starting the convo! Thoughts?

[FUBeAR]

Confirmed Conklin is out. Team meeting at 6pm today to announce interim. Reported by local news!

Early thoughts on a replacement? Names that come to mind:

Willy Korn (Coastal Co-OC and local native)
Chad Staggs (Coastal DC, has spent time at NGU, Furman, CSU, and South Carolina. Strong Carolina ties.)
Todd Knight (Newberry HC, took the Wolves to the 2nd round of playoffs last year beating defending Champion. Long tenured local winner.)
Shawn Watson (Current OC/AHC, veteran, former HC at SIU. Likely interim.)
*REACH* Greg Gasparato (Former Ayers assistant, current assistant at Louisville)


Just throwing some names out there and starting the convo! Thoughts?nah…PorchYappers aimed too low last time hiring the son-in-law of Gibbs right hand man.

Gotta aim higher for this hire.

Does Uncle Jerry Richardson have any sons-in-law?

[Reign of Terrier]

Watson is the interim coach. I doubt he keeps the job, though he could earn the right to stay on the team coaching the offense if we unlikely catch fire.

Two other names:
Nate Woody (DC at Army coached at Wofford for 20 years)
Whoever the heck the head coach at Davidson is
Nate Fuqua, DC at Georgia State (played at Wofford, coached at Wofford, including being the DC for our 2016 team)

[Reign of Terrier]

nah…PorchYappers aimed too low last time hiring the son-in-law of Gibbs right hand man.

Gotta aim higher for this hire.

Does Uncle Jerry Richardson have any sons-in-law?

I mean, Johnson Richardson is a coach at Murray State. He's Jerry's grandson if I'm not mistaken. Played tight end at Wofford. If you adopt the FUBear theory of the case, it may have merit :D

[BearDownMU]

So, do they consider anyone, or do they look for someone to move them back to some flavor of a mostly-option look?

[Reign of Terrier]

So, do they consider anyone, or do they look for someone to move them back to some flavor of a mostly-option look?

The option is dead IMO even KSU doesn't run it like they used to. What Mercer runs is probably the closest thing to an option (and it's obviously not).

Conklin's shortcomings come from being a bad coach and terrible leader, not from dumping the option. Heck, Wade Lang ran a better non-option offense in spring 2020 than anything we've seen since. Con-man ran him off

[F'N Hawks]

Outsider dumb question: is Wofford a desirable job for that league and area?

[Reign of Terrier]

Not a dumb question, consider the experience we've had since 2020:

Long story short, we still have the top 3 most wins in conference since we joined the league (if not the most), the most titles, etc. I'm not gonna bore you with the accomplishments. I think it wouldn't be a stretch to call us a consensus top 15/20 program at 2019 before we sucked.

Among the FCS it's an even better question. We're probably a top 5 program in the last 20 years among current FCS teams in NC/SC/GA.

So yeah, I would say we are desirable.

[FUBeAR]

I mean, Johnson Richardson is a coach at Murray State. He's Jerry's grandson if I'm not mistaken. Played tight end at Wofford. If you adopt the FUBear theory of the case, it may have merit :DMurray State is 0-5 and he is their OL Coach. The Racers look to be dead last in the OVC in just about every Offensive category…so he would seem to be the perfect fit for the job!

Nothing to see at Davidson. Terriers should not give Scott Abell even 1 second of consideration. Not a fit at all for the role.

[GoBlueHens83]

I hear Danny Rocco is available.

[kdinva]

I hear Danny Rocco is available.

that's gonna leave a mark...xslapfightx

[JSUSoutherner]

I hear Danny Rocco is available.
Could also give John Grass a call.

[CockyGeek]

Grass can beat UTC at least.

[JSUSoutherner]

Grass can beat UTC at least.
He's like 8-0 against the SoCon.

[Reign of Terrier]

Grass can win a game and score points at least.


FIFY.

Seriously though, I know every program has coaches they don't like, that don't meet expectations, etc. But Conklin was just so bad in so many ways on and off the field. He relied on very good assistants at first, and maybe there was some skill there. But call him a bad person or a bad leader (I don't know him personally so I can't make the judgment), whatever it was, his flaws simmered over, got those great assistants and player to basically leave him and the program.

Like, I know he won two conference championships, but I'd still put him on a top 10 list for worst FCS coach ever. Maybe the worst? Just based on the craziness of the fall. Like, I am obviously biased, but every coach mentioned here, and other ones like VanGorder for Georgia Southern and others....they could at least win a game and put out a competent offense or defense the year they were fired. Wofford hasn't looked viable since pre-pandemic.

Conklin went 17-8 in his first two seasons, interviewed for a Tennessee DC position and lobbied for the South Carolina head coaching job (LOLOLOL). He went 2-19. That's taking a solid top 15 program and putting them on a level of, like Western Carolina or VMI when they were at their worst, in 2 years. That takes skill!

[crusader11]

Fordham OC would get things turned around quickly.

[DFW HOYA]

Fordham OC would get things turned around quickly.

Fordham's OC has a legitimate NFL prospect on his hands. Take DeMorat out of the equation, and Fordham is closer to Lafayette than Wofford.

[Reign of Terrier]

Fordham's OC has a legitimate NFL prospect on his hands. Take DeMorat out of the equation, and Fordham is closer to Lafayette than Wofford.

This post does not appreciate how bad Wofford is.

[Mocs123]

I'd say that Tom Arth would be available but he's somehow gotten himself an NFL job. Dennis Wagner?

[JSUSoutherner]

I'd say that Tom Arth would be available but he's somehow gotten himself an NFL job. Dennis Wagner?
What is he a waterboy?

[Mocs123]

What is he a waterboy?

"Passing Game Specialist" (whatever that is) for the Chargers.

[PaladinNation]

We will never know but I wonder where Wofford would be today if they would have stayed on the path Ayers built?
I'm talking about Eric Nash. Wofford's long-time OL coach under Ayers.
Nash is the AD at my wife's high school, great guy.

[Southsider]

This post does not appreciate how bad Wofford is.

You ain't seen bad until you've seen Lehigh! Please put Gilmore on your potential list. PLEASE!

- - - Updated - - -


This post does not appreciate how bad Wofford is.<br>
<br>You ain't seen bad until you've seen Lehigh! Please put Gilmore on your potential list. PLEASE!

[FUBeAR]

We will never know but I wonder where Wofford would be today if they would have stayed on the path Ayers built?
I'm talking about Eric Nash. Wofford's long-time OL coach under Ayers.
Nash is the AD at my wife's high school, great guy.Dang - PN’s wife is in high school. FUBeAR thought SC had updated those laws.

[Libertine]

Dang - PN’s wife is in high school. FUBeAR thought SC had updated those laws.

xlolxxlolx

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

Would Scott Abell come to Wofford if offered the job? Would love to see that offense at Wofford.

IMO if you want a viable idea for an option offense with today's blocking rules you either need to go into the Troy Calhoun/DeBerry coaching tree (not a lot of choices) or go with Abell.

[JSUSoutherner]

Would Scott Abell come to Wofford if offered the job? Would love to see that offense at Wofford.

IMO if you want a viable idea for an option offense with today's blocking rules you either need to go into the Troy Calhoun/DeBerry coaching tree (not a lot of choices) or go with Abell.
Does Wofford even keep the option?

[FUBeAR]

Would Scott Abell come to Wofford if offered the job? Would love to see that offense at Wofford.

IMO if you want a viable idea for an option offense with today's blocking rules you either need to go into the Troy Calhoun/DeBerry coaching tree (not a lot of choices) or go with Abell.No wonder FUBeAR never liked you GaSou Iggle-types. Y’all either can’t or won’t read. We’ve already eliminated Scott Abell from consideration in Post #11.

Absolutely no reason to mention his name again!

You do know that Jerry Richardson’s grandson is an FCS Asst Coach and a Woffy Alum / former Player, don’t you? There really is no more qualified choice for the job. Clearly, he will be announced as Conklin’s permanent successor as soon as this season ends.

[Reign of Terrier]

The reason why Wofford folks like and or are open to Abell isn't because of the option but because:
1) he's won at schools with a similar academic profile as Wofford (so he knows the culture, etc)
2) he's coaching an hour away (so we've heard of him)
3) he's won everywhere he's coached (albeit against inferior competition)

There are three camps of Wofford fans when it comes to the option: the good old boys who love it, the folks who think it's the only way we can win (these two groups may be a circle), and folks like me who think a strong run game is more important than the option per se.

Davidson runs a form of option, yes, but it's not the same as what Wofford ran. I've seen highlights, and they pass more and more efficiently than Wofford did. Just glancing at the stats, Davidson QBs had better passer ratings, better touchdown to interception numbers and more consistency in terms of yards per game than Wofford did during the option years. I imagine, Abell's play calling and philosophy would evolve slightly, given the better recruiting opportunities at Wofford.

[JSUSoutherner]

3) he's won everywhere he's coached (albeit against inferior competition)

So he'd be just fine in the SoCon.

[Reign of Terrier]

So he'd be just fine in the SoCon.

Boooooooo

[FUBeAR]

So he'd be just fine in the SoCon.
Thought JaxSt was moving down to ConfUSeA…or something like that.

Didn’t realize they were moving up to the SoCon. Congrats then - after years of trying to get in, y’all finally fooled enough people.

[Catbooster]

Like, I know he won two conference championships, but I'd still put him on a top 10 list for worst FCS coach ever. Maybe the worst? Just based on the craziness of the fall. Like, I am obviously biased, but every coach mentioned here, and other ones like VanGorder for Georgia Southern and others....they could at least win a game and put out a competent offense or defense the year they were fired. Wofford hasn't looked viable since pre-pandemic.

Most people who get in the habit of using filler words when conversing don't actually go to the trouble of typing them out when using written communication.
I just thought it was interesting. Carry on.

[Libertine]

The reason why Wofford folks like and or are open to Abell isn't because of the option but because:
1) he's won at schools with a similar academic profile as Wofford (so he knows the culture, etc)
2) he's coaching an hour away (so we've heard of him)
3) he's won everywhere he's coached (albeit against inferior competition)


All three points are true BUT Abell has also never coached athletically merit-based scholarship football at any level. He came to PFL Davidson from D3 Washington & Lee and, before that, was on multiple HS stops in my area. He's been extremely successful at all those places but he has also never had to recruit at a program level. I'm not saying that he couldn't -- I'm of the belief that Abell would likely be successful at any school in the SoCon -- just that it's a significant unknown quantity.

[crusader11]

Shiel Wood should be a candidate, no?

Here's an interesting one -- Pete Lembo. Had success at Elon and current AHC / ST coordinator at South Carolina.

[Reign of Terrier]

Most people who get in the habit of using filler words when conversing don't actually go to the trouble of typing them out when using written communication.
I just thought it was interesting. Carry on.

I type how I speak


All three points are true BUT Abell has also never coached athletically merit-based scholarship football at any level. He came to PFL Davidson from D3 Washington & Lee and, before that, was on multiple HS stops in my area. He's been extremely successful at all those places but he has also never had to recruit at a program level. I'm not saying that he couldn't -- I'm of the belief that Abell would likely be successful at any school in the SoCon -- just that it's a significant unknown quantity.

I think that's true, overall. His problem at Davidson, when the wildcats play decent FCS programs is that their defense sucks.


Shiel Wood should be a candidate, no?

Here's an interesting one -- Pete Lembo. Had success at Elon and current AHC / ST coordinator at South Carolina.

Both names have popped up.

[PaladinNation]

Dang - PN’s wife is in high school. FUBeAR thought SC had updated those laws.

Sorry —LOL— I didn't phrase that correctly. Should have just said he works with my wife.
Nash also coached current Paladin OG Jake Johanning.

[CockyGeek]

I'm interested in seeing Wofford be good again. The only time JSU made the playoffs while I was in school we got beat down by Wofford. That was sobering after a run of OVC "games."

[Reign of Terrier]

I'm interested in seeing Wofford be good again. The only time JSU made the playoffs while I was in school we got beat down by Wofford. That was sobering after a run of OVC "games."

That game was pretty wild!

Great Eric Breitenstein game too