Chip Brown: UT May be Enjoying its Only Season with Muschamp
by andy_wooster on Oct 23, 2008 2:41 PM CDT
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Chip Brown of Orangebloods.com writes that:
Mack Brown has said he thinks Will Muschamp will be an excellent head coach. Brown also sounded this week like a guy facing the realization he could lose Muschamp after this season.
Muschamp, 37, has been reported as a short-list candidate at Clemson.
Chip goes to offer his own opinion:
I think the guy is the next Bob Stoops, and if you let him get away, you risk never seeing him again. I'm already on the record saying you promise Muschamp the head job when Mack moves on and pay him accordingly.
My $.02: While it's unlikely that UT would offer Muschamp a head-coach-in-waiting deal, I don't think it would be a good idea anyway. Texas is a top-five HC job in the country, and to tie ourselves to Muschamp this early in the process seems very shortsigthed. Then again, I don't get paid to make these kinds of decisions.
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I’d promise him keys to the UT Tower. He’s a guy you can leave in the driver’s seat for 20 years, which is what this program wants.
I’ve seen enough to promise him the moon.
--PB--
by Peter Bean on Oct 23, 2008 2:48 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
I'm certainly open to the possibility
that you’re correct. If you truly think he’s the next Bob Stoops, then by all means lock him up.
My only hesitation is the fact that we could probably have our pick of any head coach in the country (outside of 10 or 15 guys) or any coordinator in CFB or the NFL when Brown retires. It seems like quite the gamble to take based on one year as a defensive coordinator here, even as fantastic as the year has been so far.
by andy_wooster on Oct 23, 2008 2:55 PM CDT up reply actions
You're logic is sound
But I’m scanning a prospective list in my head and… I dunno. Who instead?
My impromptu check list:
Recruits well: Players love-love-love this kid. I have 100% confidence he’d recruit Texas as well as Mack.
Preparation: It’s not just that this is the best prepared defense I’ve seen since Mack Brown arrived, this is the best prepared offense, too. Coincidence? Maybe, but I wonder whether Muschamp’s preparation hasn’t spilled over some.
Game day adjustments: Oh God yes. This is the only coordinator I’ve ever seen at Texas where the improvement isn’t just game-to-game but quarter to quarter.
Family Man/Face of the program stuff: Sure. He’s not Joe Kines or whatever. You can stick him in front of a microphone or a $500 a plate dinner and he’s not going to ramble incoherently.
Executive experience: A drawback, but given everything else, is there reason to doubt he can master this? Indeed, he didn’t move to Austin because the Big 12 presents opportunities the SEC does not. He came to learn how to run a program from Master Mack.
Granted, I’m so utterly drunk on Texas football right now that I could be biased beyond reason. But…
Pass the punch! Tastes so goooooooood…
--PB--
by Peter Bean on Oct 23, 2008 3:33 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
Exactly.
Its one thing to say that we can have anyone, who else would you rather have?
The OBC? Lane Kiffen? Dude at Tulsa?
If we think hes going to be that good, then lock him up. Enjoy the great defenses he will give us over the next few years, then be happy knowing what we are getting when Mack retires.
by BoddickerIsClutch on Oct 23, 2008 3:53 PM CDT up reply actions
My Thinking is this.
While Muschamp may be the next Bob Stoops, and I my opionion is that he is, I do not think locking a coordinator, who has never been a head coach is a good idea unless Mack is going to leave very soon. I base this on three thoughts. First, we have no guarantees, sometimes guys that are supposed to be the next great thing simply aren’t. Second, even if he ends up being a great head coach and he may appear to be the best candidate now, he may not be the best available candidate, 2, 3, 5 or however many years before Mack retires. Third, no matter how good he is at Clemson, I think it is more likely than not that we could steal him back when the time comes.
Good point on the stealing.
Though, I’m selfish and want those 2, 3, or 5 years of his defense here to do great things in addition to the eventual HC potential.
by BoddickerIsClutch on Oct 23, 2008 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions
I fall in this camp
I don’t think any Coach is going to Clemson to make them a world-beating dynasty. I am afraid that is what Clemson expects.
by HalfmileHorn on Oct 24, 2008 3:41 PM CDT up reply actions
Bobby Petrino, Rich Rod., or Saban
I bet we could lure them in with the right offer
HAH!
I've been fuelin' my dreams eatin' greens and beans.
by 16thLonghorn on Oct 24, 2008 6:38 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm starting to come around
I agree that Muschamp would recruit very well here. He reminds me a bit of Pete Carroll with his energy and enthusiasm. That’s the type of guy that kids want to play for. Plus, Mack has gotten the program to the point where it almost recruits itself.
So it’s likely that Muschamp would recruit as well as Mack while being a better X’s and O’s guy. It’s hard not to see that as a dominant combination.
My biggest hangup is that, like Mack, I am conservative. Locking up Muschamp right now would be a bold move. Is it possible that the Texas athletic department is that bold?
It also hinges on Mack’s timeline. I know he has said in the past that he won’t pull a Paterno/Bowden and coach until he’s senile, but for Texas to institute a successor plan, it would mean that Mack’s retirement will come within the next few years.
Finally, Dodds, Mack, and Muschamp would have to get this conversation started soon. If Muschamp is a top candidate at Clempsun, they will come calling by the end of the season.
by andy_wooster on Oct 23, 2008 4:30 PM CDT up reply actions
Potential replacements for Mack
Scanning the collegiate landscape for young up-and-comers, I really don’t see an Urban Meyer or Bob Stoops in the wings other than the two young guys we have in Austin right now in Applewhite and Muschamp. As a Rice alum, I have tons of personal problems with Todd Graham at Tulsa, but I have to grudgingly admit that he’s a good young coach (he (and Major) even got Rice to a bowl game!)
Another young up-and-comer is Kyle Whittingham at Utah, who has sustained the success initiated by Urban Meyer. Outside of that, i don’t know of anyone I’d be that anxious to bring in other than Muschamp or Applewhite, and I’m not sold on the prospect of Major as the Texas head coach just yet.
Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.
- Thomas Jones
by beast in bama on Oct 23, 2008 6:18 PM CDT up reply actions
Tim Brewster!!
I forgot all about him! He’s practically a clone of Mack! I heard him on a local radio show last week and loved everything I heard. He even talks like Mack! And he’s doing a fine job at Minnesota right now. Why not him?
Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.
- Thomas Jones
by beast in bama on Oct 23, 2008 6:25 PM CDT up reply actions
Applewhite
probably has something to do with the offense.
by Longhorns84 on Oct 23, 2008 11:13 PM CDT up reply actions
I’ll write a check.
Life is an Occasion. Rise to it.
by patienthornsfan on Oct 23, 2008 2:57 PM CDT up reply actions
I will make a donation to the AD...
… if they lock this guy down. He’s got X’s and O’s like the best of them, but what’s most impressive about him is his effect on the whole team. From the defensive coordinator/LB coach position, he has single-handedly transformed this team into a hard-nosed over-achieving pack of freakish athletes. The only possible way I could see him not succeeding at Texas is if he can’t recruit for some reason, but just from reading the comments on here you can tell that there’s hardly a person in the country that doesn’t want to strap on a helmet and play for this guy. We can’t afford to pass up this guy for any reason. He has shown more potential than any other guy I can think of, and I think the only real question you can ask is, does he mesh with the culture here? The answer, in my opinion, is that his intensity breeds the kind of culture that Texas fans have been dreaming of. The attitude and the motivation. Perfect fit.
Increase his salary to $750k at the end of the season if things continue like they are.
Then tell him if his performance continues, the job is his when Mack Brown becomes AD (or retires). Don’t forget that Mushcamp is one hell of a recruiter too!
My bid is 1.1MM and 500K bonus for bowl game victory. NT.whills
RECRUITS: Jordan Leslie (Tomball TX Tomball)
"Stats are for losers, I like winning games"
And to add...
His wife supposedly is in love with Austin. I certainly can’t blame her….I still haven’t fell out of love with the city either.
Doubt that is possible
I don’t see my love affair with Austin ever ending or fading. As for his wife, there was a story that mentioned that she is ready to settle down a bit after moving so much.
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Oct 23, 2008 5:09 PM CDT up reply actions
This is right
The family is settled here and not interested in moving (though that doesn’t mean they’ll prevail if he wants to move on).
They always say that.
But when its that huge of a career move (possibly quadrupling the salary) from a Coordinator to a Head Coach, that argument gets won pretty quickly.
“I like it here, I don’t want to move anymore!.”
“Its just one more move, we’ve done so many, whats one more? Oh as a side note, Ill quadruple my earning potential if I take this job, giving not only us, but most likely our childrens children financial security.”
“Ill call the moving truck.”
by BoddickerIsClutch on Oct 24, 2008 9:44 AM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
Oh man...Austin...
I lived in Texas for 10 years before I moved here to this SEC dominated place called Georgia…I came to Austin for UT vs Rice…I’m moving there as soon as I can…I love it…It’s one of the most amazing cities I have ever been too…and the women…OH MY GOD the women…
I would love it if muschamp stayed in burnt orange for a while…even as a HC…
Hook em!
Problem with locking him up
is two-sided:
How long would he have to wait? And, how long does Mack Brown want to coach?
Is Muschamp wiling to wait? What if the perfect storm has hit this season? Meaning, right coach, right time, right talent, right opponents, good health.
Finally, I think the HC at Texas ABSOLUTELY MUST have some HC experience before he’s hired, to allow his skills to develop and to see if any flaws develop. I feel the same way about Major Applewhite.
Where's My Check Book?
The university can afford to shell however much money is necessary to keep Muschamp around. His impact on the team creates the buzz that keeps the registers ringing, and Deloss knows this.
Mack makes almost $3 million a year. I’m sure that Muschamp would be willing to take $1mil a year for three or five years to do the job he loves with the promise of getting to wear the big boy pants when Mack gets tired.
Muschamp likes to win, and he surely will if he stays around here for a while. Lord knows how things will go if he gets jammed into some broken program.
Even crazy Jerry Jones had the vision to lock in Jason Garrett just incase his clown HC f’ed up another year…. If UT wins another seven games this year, I’d fully expect Deloss to cut a similar deal.
I feel sorry for the players.
They have been through so many DCs. If Muschamp does leave I hope we find someone who is willing to stay for awhile.
by girlslikefootball2 on Oct 23, 2008 5:29 PM CDT reply actions
+1
in one of the interviews i heard (dont know which one) the defensive player’s first initial thought on muschamp was “here comes another defensive coordinator, here we go again”. i hope this isnt the only year with BOOM M’FER teaching on the sidelines. one of my main question at this point is, if we win the national championship this year, will mack leave on top and hand over the team to muschamp? just something that came to mind for conversation reasons
Not that I want Mack to go, but...
That scenario has crossed my daydreams a time or two this week. Even if we don’t play in the BCS title game this year, Deloss Dodds will have to really earn his paycheck in the coming weeks and get on top of this situation. I have every confidence that he will.
Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.
- Thomas Jones
by beast in bama on Oct 23, 2008 6:03 PM CDT up reply actions
Thank Goodness we have Deloss
and not that idiot at A&M. If it can be done and they want to be done, then Deloss will make sure Muschamp will be here as long as he wants to be here.
Most Likely
I would propose that we’re looking at Muschamp leaving within the next three years, probably this year. His options at other schools will be hard to pass up, even if he loves it here. Major is the successor in five plus years. Mack doesn’t feel to me like he’s retiring anytime soon, but I have no idea on that front. Mack would have to move out soon, and that just seems like a long shot. The scenario to me seems like we should be ready to wish him luck.
We need a crusade to destroy Muschamp’s reputation around the country. I heard he hates puppies and drinks Zima.
Sadly for this disinformation campaign....
…Zima is no longer being produced. If only it had been true, Zima could have been saved.
Mack Daddy..
Let’s enjoy Mack while he’s here. He is definitly in the running for coach of the year this year.
Major
I think Major is the potential future head coach but I could really see the situation goin either way. Im not quite ready to say that Muschamp is ready to command DKR’s post, and would be disgusted to see Mack pushed out the door, not that I think that would ever happen. I love Muschamps passion, enthusiam and boundless knowledge but I would love to see the freckled qb from Louisiana calling all the shots one day.
by orangebloodvampire on Oct 24, 2008 1:27 AM CDT reply actions
No one is pushing Mack anywhere
Don’t worry about that. Unless he starts getting 0.500 seasons, which I dont think anyone anticipates for a long while, he leaves when he wants to.
by BoddickerIsClutch on Oct 24, 2008 9:46 AM CDT up reply actions
Clemson
Clearly Clemson is a stepping stone and not an end in itself. The main reason he would go there, apart from the money, is a chance to audition for a top head coach spot. If UT were to convince him that he had already passed that audition here, then he may see staying on as the shortest route to the position he wants. Figure he’d be a Clemson for two years before moving on and you can figure the timetable for a promotion here.
The question is what about Mack Brown and the obvious solution is to bump him up to AD and create some Emeritus position for Dodds. Let Brown continue to represent UT in recruiting and relations with HS coaches. If he gets the championship, he goes out on top or comes back another year for a victory lap.
The problem here is whether you want to keep Muschamp or Applewhite.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. If they get mad, you're a mile away AND you have their shoes.
Too long to wait for Muschamp
I would love for Will Muschamp to be the next head coach on the 40 Acres, but the fact is we have a superb head coach in Mack Brown who will be around for at least a decade to come. (And thank God for that). That said, there’s no way Muschamp wants to wait that long. Think about why he came to Texas, aside from money, which percentage-wise isn’t really that much bigger than what he was getting at Auburn:
1) Muschamp gets to stand out as the star coordinator in a major conference, instead of being just another thread in the “SEC defenses are the best” quilt. Yes, the SEC can play ball, but how many D.C.‘s in the SEC are getting shout outs like Will at Texas?
2) Muschamp gets a fully stocked cabinet of elite players that just needed an identity, a scheme, and a leader. Not as hard a job as starting from scratch. Not to take anything away from his excellent work, but we also gave him a lot of raw talent to work with. Akina just couldn’t make sense of the whole picture. Our defensive effort has been eroding since ‘05, but the pieces are all there.
3) Related to this, if Muschamp stays for more than this season (please black baby Jesus, let this happen) he will also have a much easier road recruiting at Texas then he would in the more cannibalistic SEC. In fact, if he stays beyond this season I bet we even seen Texas begin expand it’s national recruiting a bit.
4) Muschamp gets to learn from one of the best executive-style college coaches with Mack Brown. I know Mack isn’t always popular on this board (hell, even I think the ship could have been steered quicker at times) but the fact is who else is as good at this level? Stoops, unfortunately yes. Saban, yeah. Carroll, undeniably. Meyer, without a doubt. But, of the 100 plus schools, it’s not a big pool of mentors to choose from.
Overall, when you add it all up this job just seems to be the perfect fit for Will Muschamp. It makes him a brand. There’s limited risk. It plays to his strengths. Best of all, I think if he puts in 3 or 4 seasons instead of jumping to a Syracuse of Iowa State, I believe he really could grab the reigns of an Auburn, South Carolina, or Tennessee…and more importantly, have it be more on his terms.
Oh, and as a side note, I think Muschamp probably loved escaping Tuberville in a way that saved face. Look at how Tommy handled the O.C. situation last week telling his players that the O.C. was his man, and then firing him within 24 hours. Not loyal. Not classy. Not consistent on the field. Not Mack Brown.
Hook ’Em.
Nice insight on Tuberville.
I have heard similar thought wrt Major leaving Alabama. Now that ’Bama is looking like a future adversary in the next year or two, that hire is increasingly valuable.
This thread has some fine conjecture. I think Mack wants to keep this team intact for another year. There’s a certain balance and interchange which is quite empowering. If this success is sustained, the money to do that becomes an easy investment. DeLoss can make that be.
I think the UT system has the two coaches they want to audition in Major and Muschamp. Caradoc’s statement represents a serious dilemma. Muschamp has the edge in age and experience (even pro) and has authority edge: DC vs. RB coach but, noteworthy, assistant head coach. Sooooooo….some of these changes since aggiedebacle2 can be attributed to each of them, and I think that is visible in the cohesion and aggression of this team.
Considering that each hasn’t been a head coach, it would would be an extraordinary situation for either to move up, considering the demands of the job. I would think that if Muschamp (and Major) stay another year, then we may seeing something like this. Particularly if Mack should move to AD when DeLoss retires. All of this is in play right now. Muschamp at HC and Major as OC may be a real choice.
For UT system, this would mean that if Muschamp doesn’t work out, they have an alternative; a no lose situation. Following legends – and if Mack gets another MNC, he’s will fulfill any legendary requirement – is itself a tough business. And Muschamp may just want to go somewhere else on his own accord. For his age, he has some leeway, and so does Major.
If (God forbid) Will Muschamp left soon maybe we could replace him Duck Bumpas (TCU)…who also gets bonus points for sharing a last name with the next door neighbors in A CHRISTMAS STORY. He has done a great job for them for a few seasons now. I just don’t know if he has enough intensity, which is something I honestly feel our semi-Sun-God, slightly entitled, highly-recruited soul-eaters on defense sometimes need…someone to kick their ass and hold them accountable…as well as actually teach them right in the moment. I see Will on the sidelines doing that every single game, but (unfortunately) haven’t seen that from any previous D.C.‘s for us in a while. He really is a passionate, smart guy who knows EVERY way possible to get results and get our guys fired up (but sharp). I love that he’s Stoops-esque in calling people out, but even more than that I respect Will for being a very positive, smart teacher who reinforces what he teaches on every play.
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