Malzahn to Memphis

[Houston h]

It's been talked about and with Tommy West on the hot seat, I could see Memphis making a move at the end of the season for Gus.  My problem with it is this, Memphis is a basketball school and even with Gus, I'm not sure how well he could recruit the players he would need to compete.  Secondly, I'm not so sure that this wouldnt be a step back from an OC position in the SEC. 


Thoughts?

[Root66]

I think Memphis needs a new tradition.

[Simple Swineman]

OC at Auburn > HC at Memphis

[jesterzzn]

Head Coach at Memphis is not a step back from Auburn OC anymore than Head Coach at Louisville was a step back from Auburn OC.

It's all about what you do when you get there that makes it a step up or a step back.  If he makes Memphis a BCS buster, then that will speak louder than any great offenses he produces at Auburn.

[PorkSoda]

I doubt it will happen.  If gus is successful, he will stay a few years as OC at Auburn, and probably get an HC job at a lower tier BCS school

[pharm]

I think Gus should stay right where he is. If he does good at Auburn, it could lead to a HC job at a top tier College

[Bryan (CHF)]

Head Coach at Memphis is not a step back from Auburn OC anymore than Head Coach at Louisville was a step back from Auburn OC.

It's all about what you do when you get there that makes it a step up or a step back.  If he makes Memphis a BCS buster, then that will speak louder than any great offenses he produces at Auburn.

^^ This.

[Pistol Pete]

Gus ain't living in Memphis...

[akp4105]

Not gonna happen.. end of discussion.

[jesterzzn]

Gus ain't living in Memphis...

Ever been to Auburn?

[donewithdale]

Ever been to Auburn?

Thousand times better than Memphis.  Some third world countries have better cities than Memphis. 

[pigsiouxie]

Thousand times better than Memphis.  Some third world countries have better cities than Memphis.

memphis IS a 3rd world country

[jesterzzn]

At least Memphis has more women than cows.

Besides, he wouldn't live in Memphis.  He'd live in Bartlett or Germantown.

[donewithdale]

At least Memphis has more women than cows.

Besides, he wouldn't live in Memphis.  He'd live in Bartlett or Germantown.

At least the cows aren't carrying weapons and have closer to what could be considered a job than Memphians. 

Are those the "nice" suburbs?

[Victom]

Gus will be named USCE headcoach when S.S. hangs it up there .

[LibraryHog]

Wow.
freaked me out a little bit, thought it was breaking news just this moment.

[pharm]

I bet Gus likes not having to worry about a HC taking over the play calling after a few bad possesions. I still get mad thinking about all that mess with Nutt. I remember after we had turned things around a bit after the big loss to USC. I think we were playing Tenn, Nutt in a pregame interview was blaming the big loss on Gus saying after that game he had had a talk with Gus about going back to the basics or some kind of BS like that, He just threw Gus under the Bus.

[jesterzzn]

At least the cows aren't carrying weapons and have closer to what could be considered a job than Memphians.

Cow with a job > Women with guns?

Some people make it hard to say you're an Arkansas fan.

See I think a woman that can fire a gun is sexy, but I'm from Memphis so I guess that goes with the territory.

[SteveInArk]

Some here might not consider HC at Memphis as a step down -- but I think Gus would.

A stint as OC at a "major" D1 school, an SEC one at that, wouldn't be the logical training ground for a Conference USA head coach job.... he could have eventually gotten that job at Tulsa ... and in football, Memphis is not a step up from Tulsa!

[311Hog]

At least the cows aren't carrying weapons and have closer to what could be considered a job than Memphians. 

Are those the "nice" suburbs?

germantown is real nice, almost like a totally different city.

[donewithdale]

germantown is real nice, almost like a totally different city.

I know.  I've been there a number of times.  Just giving our Memphian a hard time.

Memphis is not a good CUSA job imo.

If Skip gets a better job, East Carolina is a very good CUSA job.

[Cure]

He wouldn't make that move.

[SteveInArk]

germantown is real nice, almost like a totally different city.

Yes it is, so is Bartlett on the northside...

[deshahawg]

I don't really see it happening.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

It's been talked about and with Tommy West on the hot seat, I could see Memphis making a move at the end of the season for Gus.  My problem with it is this, Memphis is a basketball school and even with Gus, I'm not sure how well he could recruit the players he would need to compete.  Secondly, I'm not so sure that this wouldnt be a step back from an OC position in the SEC. 


Thoughts?

That ain't happening in my opinion. If Gus has a successful transition year at Auburn, he will be hunting bigger game than Memphis.

[fieldturf]

Ol Boy that coach's the Gamecocks will be hanging up his visor after this season and they'll come after Gus........heard it here 1st

[donewithdale]

Ol Boy that coach's the Gamecocks will be hanging up his visor after this season and they'll come after Gus........heard it here 1st

It is a dead end job.  Gus would be better off getting a head coaching job somewhere like a Louisville or Cincinnati if Kelly were to go to the Big 10.  Or taking an East Carolina-like job and then moving on to a BCS conference.  Colorado could be an interesting option if Gus had a little more college experience. 

[saturday6]

Why deal with the thugs in Memphis - Stay at Auburn - achieve success - then a much better situation will become available.

GO HOGS

[mj4president]

Gus ain't living in Memphis...

Just what I was going to say.

[bigdaddyhawg]

That ain't happening in my opinion. If Gus has a successful transition year at Auburn, he will be hunting bigger game than Memphis.

Exactly.  Something like this:

Gus will be named USCE headcoach when S.S. hangs it up there .

If Gus can take what he's got down there now, that being a very mediocre Qb with limited skills, almost zero WR's, and backs and line that are built more for a power rushing attack, then he would deserve a shot at some big name program.

[Cementhog]

germantown is real nice, almost like a totally different city.

Yes it is, so is Bartlett on the northside...

The problem still is they are both right next to Memphis. Look, Memphis high is a stepping stone for coaches or a fall back position, after failing at a higher level. Gus already has his steps, doesn't need Memphis. Why would West be gone after this year? He has been bowling 5 of 6 years, or something like that. Memphis fans should hope he stays as long as he can.

[jesterzzn]

Guys, Memphis has better recruiting than L'ville and Cinnci.  E. Carolina is probably about even.

Memphis is a sleeping giant in the BCS buster catagory of school.  They just need the right guy to keep all that talent home.  SEC schools are loaded with Memphis players.  The NFL is loaded with Memphis players.  Memphis football could be every bit as big as Memhis B'ball if they had a coach that kept all the four and five stars (or even a few of them) home.

[mj4president]

I could see him getting looked at for the Colorado job once Hawkins gets the ax.

[Cementhog]

Did you Memphis fans not learn anything from Calapari leaving?? You now have Pastner. Why? No one wants to be in Memphis. 2 final fours in consecutive years and the best you could do was Pastner. Come on

[HawgBallLvr]

Oh Great... a Malzahn is God thread........

[jesterzzn]

I'm pretty sure the caoching replacement crap had more to do with the NCAA investigation than the city.  But hey, what do I know?  I just watch the city produce around 10 four star football recruits every year, and if a coach could keep half of those at home he would have a Top25ish class each and every year in a conference that would get steamrolled by a team with that kind of talent.

Why would a coach want to come to that kind of enviornment?  No idea.  Sounds like a loser if I ever heard of one.

[Pistol Pete]

I worked (salesman retired, I covered it AND Arkansas) in Memphis for a 1 1/2 years... this was about 3 years ago. Word of warning, don't travel anywhere inside the loop. It's worse than you can imagine, I promise.

[jesterzzn]

The worst places are just north and just south of the loop on the west side.  Inside the loop is only bad on the west side as well, but it doesn't get truly bad until you go north or south of the loop.

[hogfan064]

If O'Leary is fired, which is very possible, then the UCF job would be the best Non bCS job open this year

[SteveInArk]

I worked (salesman retired, I covered it AND Arkansas) in Memphis for a 1 1/2 years... this was about 3 years ago. Word of warning, don't travel anywhere inside the loop. It's worse than you can imagine, I promise.

While living in Philly area for 18 years, I used to say I would rather go to downtown Camden at night, then Memphis in the daytime (jokingly)....  since moving back to home...  I think I might have been closer to the mark than I thought!

[CoonHog1971]

If Gus has lived in Hughes, AR. then why would he not live 30 minutes from it in Memphis?

[Cementhog]

Jesterzzn
It has nothing to do with how ever many 4*'s come from Memphis. Why would a kid raised in the hood, with a chance to get the F**K out of Memphis, ever consider staying in Memphis. Look at the facilities, you play your games in an outdated, uncomfortable stadium. Memphis is a commuter school the campus is spread out and unorganized. Jester is OK to be a homer but D1 coaches aren't  beating down the door to get in Memphis. And this idea of a sleeping giant BCS buster school, ask Boise State or BYU or Utah if they could change places with any other school in a major conference, they would stomp over every one else to get there. BCS busters don't last, tradition does and Memphis football will need many more years to reach that.

[cdhogfan]

After week one we are already starting the "Gus to" threads?

[Buck Brewer]

Memphis needs a major infusion of money into it's football program. It  has played redheaded step child to Calipari and the basketball program. The Liberty Bowl is in a deteriorating nieghborhood, fans pine for an On Campus Stadium and the practice facility is off of Lamar for goodness sake. I've heard whispers that Fred Smith may finally push some money to the football side. Memphis' dream is getting into the Big East cause that's where Louisville is. Football and all other sports are major impediments to that happening and needs addressed quickly.

[jesterzzn]

I am not a Memphis fan, I just lived there for fifteen years.  There is potential in the football program, and I can see it despite not being a fan.

BCS busters don't have to last for them to provide the coach with the leg up he needs to get that big time chance.

In any event, USC is in the middle of South Central LA and manages to get kids to play for them, and has for a long long time.  No they are not comparible in term of schools, but in terms of getting kids raised in the ghetto to stay home and play for the home team, being in the middle of one of the worst of the worst hasn't hurt them all that much.  UCLA is in a better part of town, has better facilities, and better scenery (if you get me), so what it really takes is a good coach to recruit.  The rest is just details.

Memphis can be just as big as TCU or Boise, they just aren't.  But the potential will probably always be there.

[Cave City Joe]

Memphis will never be a football school.  It's all basketball there.  Gus needs to stay at Auburn a couple of years.  If he does a much better job will open up.

[Hawgon]

I think Memphis could be a really good job.  There are lots of athletes in Memphis.  Plus a coach could get a lot of the kids in the SEC states that didn't have the grades for SEC schools.

A Malzahn coached Memphis would have trounced Ole Miss the other day and be the talk of the country right now.

[UnLedded]

C'mon.  Gus has to prove himself before a 1-A program is gonna hire him three years removed from HS to run their entire program.  Now, will it happen one day?  I believe it will, maybe even at an SEC or ACC school.  But for now, can we please chill on the Gus is God trip?

[UnLedded]

A Malzahn coached Memphis would have trounced Ole Miss the other day and be the talk of the country right now.

See what I mean?

[UnLedded]

A Malzahn coached Memphis would have trounced Ole Miss the other day and be the talk of the country right now.

Ummmm.