Eliah Drinkwitz

[ipigsooie]

As many have said hiring a HC is nothing but a crap shoot. My only question is what makes Norvell so desirable to hog fans above 128 other FBS HC's plus all the coordinators, not to mention FCS level, or maybe even NFL hc's or coordinators. Why have so many jumped on the Norvell train?

My contention is because it is easy, he is at a school close to us, rocked a sweet rat tail while playing at UCA, and wears cool sunglasses. IT cant be his record as a program builder or recruiter, cause he does not have a record of either. HE is still using mainly players recruited while Fuentes was HC. If Norvell was at Ball St or Frsno state, even with the same record, not many here would be mentioning him at all.

I agree with you. I think the proximity and the ties to the area are huge. I think being from Dallas will help with recruiting Texas, at memphis he recruits well for that area and being a uca alumn will help with keeping kids in state.  He is a good recruiter, brilliant offensive mind (look at his numbers at arizona st if memphis isnt enough to impress you) and he is young and energetic. We need some energy in this program. Say what you want about HDN but when he came it energized the program. He loved the state and the  university. He turned the program around immediatley and it wasnt just because of the talent that ford left behind. I feel like norvell would bring a similar energy but hopefully he will be able to maintain it.

[hogsanity]

I agree with you. I think the proximity and the ties to the area are huge. I think being from Dallas will help with recruiting Texas, at memphis he recruits well for that area and being a uca alumn will help with keeping kids in state.  He is a good recruiter, brilliant offensive mind (look at his numbers at arizona st if memphis isnt enough to impress you) and he is young and energetic. We need some energy in this program. Say what you want about HDN but when he came it energized the program. He loved the state and the  university. He turned the program around immediatley and it wasnt just because of the talent that ford left behind. I feel like norvell would bring a similar energy but hopefully he will be able to maintain it.

I am not saying Norvell would not do a good job, maybe even great, but I think most people on the band wagon for him are there because it is easy.

As for recruiting Texas, getting players out of there to play at Memphis is a lot easier than getting SEC calibre players out of there to play at Arkansas.

At least it is a reasonable name, and not Gruden, Pete Carroll or some other such craziness.

[Wildhog]

I am not saying Norvell would not do a good job, maybe even great, but I think most people on the band wagon for him are there because it is easy.

As for recruiting Texas, getting players out of there to play at Memphis is a lot easier than getting SEC calibre players out of there to play at Arkansas.

At least it is a reasonable name, and not Gruden, Pete Carroll or some other such craziness.

I think this may be the most I've ever agreed with you in one thread.

[rljjr]

Since this kind of devolved into assistant coaches, am I wrong for remembering Reggie Herring fondly for his defense? If memory serves they got better from 05-06 and were decent in 07 despite the uncertainty of the Nutt firing and all of the hullaballoo. I'm just saying he would be a decent option at DC again. Yeah, I know he's a re-tread and we don't do that much, and perhaps he is angry he didn't get the HC job, but he could at least lead a defense. You know, since we're all speculating that CBB won't even be the HC next year.

[3kgthog]

Agreed. Norvell makes the most sense of any candidate, and it's his destination job.

I watched one presser of his and the guy at least has energy. That said, it's hard to tell how much of the Tiger High sucesss is him and how much is Fuente's players and philosophy that still remain. I'd prefer an up and comer with at least one full recruiting class of his own somewhere. We've been rookie-dooed before by a coach that won big with another coach's guys.

[NoogaHog]

We've been rookie-dooed before by a coach that won big with another coach's guys.

WHAT? I'm really not sure who you are talking about.

[Count Hogula]

I watched one presser of his and the guy at least has energy. That said, it's hard to tell how much of the Tiger High sucesss is him and how much is Fuente's players and philosophy that still remain. I'd prefer an up and comer with at least one full recruiting class of his own somewhere. We've been rookie-dooed before by a coach that won big with another coach's guys.

Post the starters from Fuente vs Norvell.

Let's take a look at that. You said it, now back it up...

[hogsanity]

Post the starters from Fuente vs Norvell.

Let's take a look at that. You said it, now back it up...

From the one depth chart I found half of the starting 22 are jrs or srs so they for sure signed while Fuentes was the HC. Of the Sophs, no idea how many committed to Memphis before Fuentes left, but you can count them for Norvell if you want because even if they committed to Fuentes NOrvell convinced them to stay and sign after Fuentes left.

[ipigsooie]

From the one depth chart I found half of the starting 22 are jrs or srs so they for sure signed while Fuentes was the HC. Of the Sophs, no idea how many committed to Memphis before Fuentes left, but you can count them for Norvell if you want because even if they committed to Fuentes NOrvell convinced them to stay and sign after Fuentes left.
[/quote

Not to mention the fact that Memphis lost a first round qb to the NFL the year that Fuente left. A dude that was picked way ahead of the NFL rookie of the year qb last year. How many programs on Memphis level can lose a first round qb and their head coach and still maintain (and possibly out do) the success they had under Fuente.

[dalefromspringdale]

If y'all read the link, you would know that our resident Malzahnistas would be pleased....

He and Malzahn had a falling out at A State... that's why he was left at AState when Gus went back to Auburn. Looks like things worked out well for him though... or else he'd still be in Malzahn's shadow. I wouldn't see the two pairing up again in the future.

[clutch]

Well it is not hard to look at Norvell's entire body of work as a HC, since it covers all of 21 games.

He's averaged almost 38 points a game over that span. While he was at Arizona State as OC, his offense was top 10 in the nation averaging like 41 points a game.

[Wildhog]

He's averaged almost 38 points a game over that span. While he was at Arizona State as OC, his offense was top 10 in the nation averaging like 41 points a game.

No one is doubting that he's a good coach.

[hogsanity]

He's averaged almost 38 points a game over that span. While he was at Arizona State as OC, his offense was top 10 in the nation averaging like 41 points a game.

So? Arkansas averaged 36 ppg in 2015 and 30 ppg in 2016. Offense has rarely been the problem here, we just can't stop anyone.

Memphis is giving up 28 ppg, and almost 50 in their 6 losses under Norvell.

[clutch]

From the one depth chart I found half of the starting 22 are jrs or srs so they for sure signed while Fuentes was the HC. Of the Sophs, no idea how many committed to Memphis before Fuentes left, but you can count them for Norvell if you want because even if they committed to Fuentes NOrvell convinced them to stay and sign after Fuentes left.

If you count Soph's as Norvell's, he has 14 starters that are either True Freshmen, True Sophmores, or Transferred in after he arrived.

[clutch]

So? Arkansas averaged 36 ppg in 2015 and 30 ppg in 2016. Offense has rarely been the problem here, we just can't stop anyone.

Memphis is giving up 28 ppg, and almost 50 in their 6 losses under Norvell.

I'm not comparing him to Arkansas. I'm still talking about the post where you insinuated that he wasn't that good because UCF DC shut him down.

[hogsanity]

I'm not comparing him to Arkansas. I'm still talking about the post where you insinuated that he wasn't that good because UCF DC shut him down.

No, I was answering the part where someone said the offense they run is almost unfair and that dc's hate it. I said the UCF DC did not seem to have much trouble stopping it.

Any offense will work ANYWHERE if it has players capable of making it work against the defenses they face.

But my bigger picture point is that Hog fans continue to focus on the offense. The offense has rarely been the problem ( this year everything is a problem ) yet that is ALL most people here want to focus on.

[Cotton]

and you base this on what exactly?

Personal Experience and comments from other players/coaches/POI

[ballz2thewall]

I get it, his team scored 70 on Uconn, and beat UCLA, and they throw like 30 bubble screens a game, and their QB runs around and makes stuff up. For some reason Hog fans think that is going to win a bunch of games here. Of course the one real defense that have played pounded them.

And I have said it before maybe too many times lately, but he has a Cliff Kingsbury quality I just can't get past. Both personally and in how his teams play.

yeah. we hate those qb's that run around and make stuff up. 

[Cotton]

He and Malzahn had a falling out at A State... that's why he was left at AState when Gus went back to Auburn. Looks like things worked out well for him though... or else he'd still be in Malzahn's shadow. I wouldn't see the two pairing up again in the future.

False, he was in good with Gus but Gus needed recruiting connections and "better looking" hires.  Plus he had Lashlee and Kodi Burns to call his offense.