Mickey Matthews mentioned as candidate for Marshall job

[BDKJMU]

Just one Charleston, WV sports writer's opinion:

"...It depends on this hire, of course. My ideal candidate would somebody from the offensive side, though it would be ludicrous to rule out James Madison's Mickey Matthews, the Herd's defensive coordinator under Jim Donnan. The candidate would know his way through the Florida/Georgia recruiting jungle, with Virginia a definite bonus.

I wouldn't mind somebody not previously connected with Marshall, though I wouldn't rule it out. Would you turn down Matthews or Gunter Brewer, for instance?..."
http://wvgazette.com/Sports/Marshall/200911290529?page=2&build=cache

[BDKJMU]

"....Add to the list former Marshall assistants Mickey Matthews and Tony Petersen. Matthews is the head coach at James Madison, where he won a FCS national championship,...."

http://www.register-herald.com/sports/local_story_334235546.html?keyword=secondarystory

[mcveyrl]

I don't think Mickey would want to leave before they opened the new stadium and with the recruits he's got, but who knows.

[ysubigred]

I don't think Mickey would want to leave before they opened the new stadium and with the recruits he's got, but who knows.

New stadium or $$ xrolleyesx

[BDKJMU]

Also mentioned on ESPN Insider:

"...In addition to five of the names on Smock's list (Bob Pruett, Mickey Matthews, Gunter Brewer, Butch Jones and Paul Petrino),..."

-Thats just rehashing the local articles though...

[mcveyrl]

New stadium or $$ xrolleyesx

He's turned down money before. Matthews likes Harrisonburg and the school and he's got a lot invested in the program.

[GrizFanStuckInUtah]

He's turned down money before. Matthews likes Harrisonburg and the school and he's got a lot invested in the program.

If the offer is right, you can't blame a person for taking the money, gotta take care of the family xnodx

[mcveyrl]

If the offer is right, you can't blame a person for taking the money, gotta take care of the family xnodx

No doubt. I would hate for him to leave, but wouldn't blame him for leaving. I'm just saying that at this point he's looking at more than just money to take him away, I think.

[whitey]

...and here we go again. Seems like we go through this every offseason.

[BDKJMU]

He's turned down money before. Matthews likes Harrisonburg and the school and he's got a lot invested in the program.

Yep, 2 almost years ago last season:
Matthews Offered South Alabama Job
http://www.whsv.com/home/headlines/15574182.html

The JMU Nation was on pins and needles for several days Feb 2008.
http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/15583697.html

Turned down 5 yr/350 k a year offer:
http://www2.wsls.com/sls/sports/college/college_football/article/matthews_will_stay_at_jmu/5629/

DNR article which you now have to have a subscription for) says MM making 222k (base) at JMU and Snyder made 368 at Marshall. 350k a yr 2 yrs ago didn't pry MM away from JMU. I think it Marshall would have to offer at least 400k to get MM to leave.

[BDKJMU]

JMU extending Mickey's contract by a year:
http://www.dnronline.com/news_details.php?AID=42754&CHID=3

[JMUNJ08]

JMU extending Mickey's contract by a year:
http://www.dnronline.com/news_details.php?AID=42754&CHID=3

Can't read the whole article...does it say whether we are giving him a raise as well?

[BDKJMU]

JMU extending Mickey's contract by a year:
http://www.dnronline.com/news_details.php?AID=42754&CHID=3

JMU's Bourne: Matthews Extension Not Yet Done
http://www.whsv.com/sports/headlines/78453767.html

[BDKJMU]

Who's next to lead the Herd?

".....Mickey Matthews, James Madison: While some diehards want Pruett or Jim Donnan back, Matthews seems like the most likely candidate to return to Huntington.

From 1990-95, Matthews was Donnan’s defensive coordinator. He spearheaded one of Division I-AA’s nastiest defenses. The Herd led the Southern Conference in total defense four times, including in 1993 when Marshall led the country in that category.

He followed Donnan to Georgia and, soon after took the gig at JMU. In 10 years, his Dukes have won 82 games, including three Colonial Athletic Association titles and the 2004 national championship.

Financially, the Herd seems to have the pull to draw his attention. Matthews makes a pre-incentive yearly salary in $220,000-range at JMU. That is more than Snyder’s $150,000 base pay, but Hamrick has made it a point to up the ante on the next coach’s payday......."

http://www.marshallparthenon.com/sports/who-s-next-to-lead-the-herd-1.2110607

[BigHouseClosedEnd]

Who's next to lead the Herd?

".....Mickey Matthews, James Madison: While some diehards want Pruett or Jim Donnan back, Matthews seems like the most likely candidate to return to Huntington.

From 1990-95, Matthews was Donnan’s defensive coordinator. He spearheaded one of Division I-AA’s nastiest defenses. The Herd led the Southern Conference in total defense four times, including in 1993 when Marshall led the country in that category.

He followed Donnan to Georgia and, soon after took the gig at JMU. In 10 years, his Dukes have won 82 games, including three Colonial Athletic Association titles and the 2004 national championship.

Financially, the Herd seems to have the pull to draw his attention. Matthews makes a pre-incentive yearly salary in $220,000-range at JMU. That is more than Snyder’s $150,000 base pay, but Hamrick has made it a point to up the ante on the next coach’s payday......."

http://www.marshallparthenon.com/sports/who-s-next-to-lead-the-herd-1.2110607

Does it indicate what the Marshall job pays at the top end if the team has a succesful season? Shocking to me that base salary for the previous coach was only 150k. I guess it could have been very incentive-laden.

[mcveyrl]

Does it indicate what the Marshall job pays at the top end if the team has a succesful season? Shocking to me that base salary for the previous coach was only 150k. I guess it could have been very incentive-laden.

That does seem awfully low for an FBS school. I think all things being equal, MM will stay at JMU, and as pointed out, it will take a lot of money to pry him from Harrisonburg.

Having said that, Marshall is not South Alabama. It's an established FBS program that he's familiar with, so maybe it doesn't take as much money to pry him away.

[Bam]

That does seem awfully low for an FBS school. I think all things being equal, MM will stay at JMU, and as pointed out, it will take a lot of money to pry him from Harrisonburg.

Having said that, Marshall is not South Alabama. It's an established FBS program that he's familiar with, so maybe it doesn't take as much money to pry him away.

It's established, but I wouldn't want to live in Huntington either. xnonox

[mcveyrl]

Matthews says No One's Called

Paid site, so you only get the blurb, but it says he hasn't been contacted by anybody.

http://www.dnronline.com/sports_details.php?AID=42854&CHID=3

[Skjellyfetti]

Matthews says No One's Called

Paid site, so you only get the blurb, but it says he hasn't been contacted by anybody.

http://www.dnronline.com/sports_details.php?AID=42854&CHID=3

Does he list any excuses? ;)

[jmufan999]

i know other schools are probably rooting for him to go.... not only because he's been extremely successful but also for personal reasons.

as far as the success, i don't think it's going to matter. when we're interviewing new coaching candidates, we can just whip out the blueprints of the new stadium and our national title banner, and we'd have a great replacement coach. there's nothing saying the new coach won't have even more success.

that said, i don't think he's leaving. we hear these rumors about him every year and he never even interviews with any of these schools. i wouldn't blame him if he left for more money or for any reason, but i don't think it will happen this year. could be wrong.

[whitey]

He interviewed with South Alabama two years ago.

[JMUNJ08]

i wouldn't blame him if he left for more money or for any reason, but i don't think it will happen this year. could be wrong.

I agree. The big thing with all the rumors is we aren't even at bowl season yet. Some coaches are already out but more jobs will open up. This can't be squashed until February when all the logical HC positions are filled. JMU is a very attractive position unless a BCS team comes calling. The only BCS school right now I CANNOT see him going to is UVA. They will not be able to stand the way he is even if he wins (Just the different type of alums the 2 schools have). Otherwise, I think he stays.

[BDKJMU]

I agree. The big thing with all the rumors is we aren't even at bowl season yet. Some coaches are already out but more jobs will open up. This can't be squashed until February when all the logical HC positions are filled. JMU is a very attractive position unless a BCS team comes calling. The only BCS school right now I CANNOT see him going to is UVA. They will not be able to stand the way he is even if he wins (Just the different type of alums the 2 schools have). Otherwise, I think he stays.

All the HC positions will be filled by mid Jan, most before the end of the year. Teams can't afford to wait that late with signing day the 1st week in Feb.

[BDKJMU]

I know all these articles are more rumors and speculation than anything concrete. I thought after reading some of those articles from the last week there was a good chance that MM would be offered an interview with the Herd, but a slim chance he'd be offered and accept the job there. From this article yesterday it sounds like a slim chance he'll even get a call. It lists the top candidate as Butch Jones, the HC at Central Michigan, followed by the Ark OC Paul Petrino, the current interim HC at Marshall, and Wake DC Brad Lambert. This writer says about MM:

"....But what if the Herd can't land Jones? Who are the other legitimate candidates?
Well, first, let's start with who isn't.

Veteran James Madison coach Mickey Matthews, former MU defensive coordinator; former Auburn coach Terry Bowden; Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster; and former Louisville coach John L. Smith aren't being considered.

Who is?

Arkansas offensive coordinator Paul Petrino is expected to get an interview. MU interim head coach Rick Minter also is a candidate.

Then, there's Wake Forest defensive coordinator Brad Lambert, a former MU secondary coach. Lambert reportedly is offering an all-star staff of such former Herd stars as Tony Petersen, Greg Adkins, George Barlow, current assistant Phil Ratliff and, perhaps, former MU secondary coach Jay Hopson...."

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x456826048/Big-dollars-at-stake-in-search-for-MU-coach

Barlow was the JMU DC till last yr when he got an assistant job at New Mexico.
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