Agree with Pete Roussel?

[WilsonHog]

He made a point on Brando's show this morning that a head coach connecting with and being a good fit for a fan base was underrated.

Do you agree?

What Razorback football coaches have been, or have not been?

[code red]

No...CP just won....in reality....with the money fans and booster are shelling out they want to see a winner.

[The_Iceman]

No...CP just won....in reality....with the money fans and booster are shelling out they want to see a winner.

It would have been interesting to see how the fans and boosters would have reacted when after Petrino's 11 wins season we dropped back to 8 or 9 wins in 2012, then 6-7 in 2013. With the way the SEC has improved and is continuing to improve, it would have been tough for Petrino to get back to 10 or 11 wins with the way his recruiting was going.

In 2011, we were already starting to see some troubling signs. Even with the 11 wins, there were some very fortunate breaks that happened for us that helped us get there, much like Auburn in 2013. a&m, Ole Miss, and Vandy come to minds as games that could have easily gone the other way.

With the experience and talent leaving the roster after 2011 and 2012, and nothing coming in through the recruiting classes to replace that high level 4-star in-state talent Petrino was fortunate enough to land his first 2 season, would those breaks continued to have gone our way?

[PonderinHog]

Gruden!

[The Kig]

Fans tend to connect with a coach that wins... no matter how big of a d-bag he is in reality.  Consider Exhibit A:  Lame Kitten's short stint at Tenner.  They drooled over him (and his dirty wife)... until he decided to leave and then they started burning stuff.  Exhibit B:  Petrino had money pouring into the program in wheelbarrow loads...until he F'd it all up.

In the long term, I agree... a coach that wants to build a sustainable program and have longevity will often have a lot in common with the fanbase. 

[Hogtimes]

If the coach is winning most of his games, nothing else matters and fans will think he is a good fit.  If he is losing most of his games,  fans will not like him regardless and he will not be connected with the fans

In other words, fans are fickle and it is all about winning.

[Piggfoot]

It would have been interesting to see how the fans and boosters would have reacted when after Petrino's 11 wins season we dropped back to 8 or 9 wins in 2012, then 6-7 in 2013. With the way the SEC has improved and is continuing to improve, it would have been tough for Petrino to get back to 10 or 11 wins with the way his recruiting was going.

In 2011, we were already starting to see some troubling signs. Even with the 11 wins, there were some very fortunate breaks that happened for us that helped us get there, much like Auburn in 2013. a&m, Ole Miss, and Vandy come to minds as games that could have easily gone the other way.

With the experience and talent leaving the roster after 2011 and 2012, and nothing coming in through the recruiting classes to replace that high level 4-star in-state talent Petrino was fortunate enough to land his first 2 season, would those breaks continued to have gone our way?

Petrino's demise was comparable to the sudden and tragic death of a new exciting, beautiful girlfriend. He will for ever be beautiful and infallible in the eyes of his fans. Of course they would not believe he would ever dump them or drive a stake in their heart.
And even if he did in the end he would return  and take Arkansas and them to heights previously unknown. I get a little teary eyed thinking about it.  Not!!

[WilsonHog]

I think there's a middle ground.

A coach will run aground every so often. When he does, he needs some goodwill to fall back on. Someone in his corner.

For all of Houston Nutt's faults, he understood that very well. On the basketball side, Mike has benefited from that as well.

[EastexHawg]

In other words, fans are fickle and it is all about winning.

I don't find that fickle at all.  It's perfectly understandable.  At this level of competition winning is the objective.

Patton said it 70 years ago..."America loves a winner and will not tolerate a loser."

[trphog]

Coaches are ultimately hired to be fired. The best way for them to find themselves in the good graces with the fans is to "Just Win Baby"

[jkstock04]

Depends on if they are winning or not. If they aren't winning it's prob best if they can connect with the fanbase somehow. If they are winning...then at MOST schools fan perception or any connection won't matter.

[Dwight_K_Shrute]

The question was not if winning is more important than fit of course it is, but rather is fit underrated.  Yes fit is underrated.

I personally think if Bielema gets on a winning track and can come close to Petrino's success that fan's will enjoy it much more than winning with Petrino because Petrino was a total A-hole.  You can be an A-hole but you have to win all the time you have very little goodwill and you flame out for one reason or another.  I'm thinking Urban Meyer's chest pains, Bobby P's motorcycle ride, Mark Mangina, etc. 

Nutt's good will bought him those two losing seasons, but after 2006 he burned it all up once the curtain was pulled back and he was shown to be all about HDN and his own helmet.  He won 18 games over his last 2 years and was still shown the door. 

Rich Rod is another example of great coach terrible fit at Michigan, doomed almost from the start. 

Mike Leach not an A-hole but quirky as hell.  Where is he a great fit? CFB outposts like Lubbock Texas and Pullman Washington.

Les Miles is the perfect fit for LSU.  He is a bit off and so are the fans.  They laugh at him and with him.

I honestly don't know how Bo Pelini has lasted this long at Nebraska.  I think he has won just enough but don't see him as a very good fit.

[Hogwild]

The question was not if winning is more important than fit of course it is, but rather is fit underrated.  Yes fit is underrated.

+1


Nutt's good will bought him those two losing seasons, but after 2006 he burned it all up once the curtain was pulled back and he was shown to be all about HDN and his own helmet.  He won 18 games over his last 2 years and was still shown the door. 

Rich Rod is another example of great coach terrible fit at Michigan, doomed almost from the start. 

Mike Leach not an A-hole but quirky as hell.  Where is he a great fit? CFB outposts like Lubbock Texas and Pullman Washington.

Les Miles is the perfect fit for LSU.  He is a bit off and so are the fans.  They laugh at him and with him.

I honestly don't know how Bo Pelini has lasted this long at Nebraska.  I think he has won just enough but don't see him as a very good fit.

Those are some really good examples and Pelini would be a much better fit at Auburn or LSU then at Nebraska.  I'm curious to see how Franklin does at Penn State, atleast he doesn't have to be the one to replace 'the man'.  On the other hand Dooley would have been a perfect fit at Tennessee but he just couldn't coach.

[12247]

Fans are not fickle when they expect a winner.  If Arkansas never won more than 5 games in a season and then a coach won 6 or 7, that person would be held in high esteem.  But when you've won and won pretty big, the fans expect that to be the new bar and expect their next coach to meet those expectations.  That is not unreasonable.  We equate money and power to winning.  BB had more to spend on assistants than any coach before him.  He was allowed to hire Guys he chose.  He was allowed to offer more money to them than ever before.  We fans equate that to an expected better job and a better job to more wins.  Most of us will factor in the condition of the team when BB took over and make what we believe is an allowance for that.  We'll also reach back to Petrino and try and factor these same things in with him. 

In the end, if the coach is well liked he will get breaks not extended to the less liked coach.  If he wins big, then his attitude matters far less.

[Magic_Hogg]

A coach having a connection with a fanbase is overrated.   That is why certain programs will not hire the "local boy."  Much better to have a jerk with no in-state connections who you can evaluate purely on performance than some coach with half the fanbase behind him, win or lose.

[EastexHawg]

For me likeability has nothing to do with who I prefer as coach.  I wouldn't want Abe Lincoln or Mother Teresa coaching if they went sub .500 in conference play over a four year stretch.  I honestly don't think most fans care if the coach is likeable.

I never thought Petrino was an a-hole when he was our coach.  I never really heard many, if any, other fans talking about it, either.  Personally I'm not overly concerned with whether some people in Dallas got their feelings hurt by his perceived lack of sensitivity.  With the way we've performed on the field we haven't had to worry about the prospect of a Cotton Bowl invitation lately anyway.

[Magic_Hogg]

What did he do to hurt the feelings of fans living in Dallas?  Just curious.

[hogsanity]

For me likeability has nothing to do with who I prefer as coach.  I wouldn't want Abe Lincoln or Mother Teresa coaching if they went sub .500 in conference play over a four year stretch.  I honestly don't think most fans care if the coach is likeable.

I never thought Petrino was an a-hole when he was our coach.  I never really heard many, if any, other fans talking about it, either.  Personally I'm not overly concerned with whether some people in Dallas got their feelings hurt by his perceived lack of sensitivity.  With the way we've performed on the field we haven't had to worry about the prospect of a Cotton Bowl invitation lately anyway.

Most fans never have to personally interact with a coach, so we don't know what they are like as a person.  If they are winning, and we hear stories we shrug them off, if the team is losing, and we hear the same stories, we take them and run with them.

However, if a coach is a jerk, and can not keep from being so with the big donors, the important alumni, and those in college football that can either help or hurt your program, then that is a problem. It is also a huge problem if he comes across as a jerk to recruits, and especially recruits moms and dads.

[scootriteby]

It would have been interesting to see how the fans and boosters would have reacted when after Petrino's 11 wins season we dropped back to 8 or 9 wins in 2012, then 6-7 in 2013. With the way the SEC has improved and is continuing to improve, it would have been tough for Petrino to get back to 10 or 11 wins with the way his recruiting was going.

In 2011, we were already starting to see some troubling signs. Even with the 11 wins, there were some very fortunate breaks that happened for us that helped us get there, much like Auburn in 2013. a&m, Ole Miss, and Vandy come to minds as games that could have easily gone the other way.

With the experience and talent leaving the roster after 2011 and 2012, and nothing coming in through the recruiting classes to replace that high level 4-star in-state talent Petrino was fortunate enough to land his first 2 season, would those breaks continued to have gone our way?

Too many Petrino haters have expressed these opinions, just as too many Bret haters try to do the same thing based on his first season's record. We will find out whether those Bret haters are right in the next two years.
Unfortunately, no one will ever know what Petrino's record would have been.

As far as the OP, imo, not being a good fit for the program is not a deal buster. Not being able to win IS!

[hogsanity]

Too many Petrino haters have expressed these opinions, just as too many Bret haters try to do the same thing based on his first season's record.

This is the problem right here.  Why is someone a hater, just because they express a certain opinion?  I don't hate BP, I never met him.  But I can look at things like what was lost from the 2011 team and see 2012 was NOT a top 10 team, was t best probably 8-4, IF BP had coached them. 

[EastexHawg]

However, if a coach is a jerk, and can not keep from being so with the big donors, the important alumni...

Are big donors and "important alumni" more satisfied having a program that is winning big in the conference OR a lesser program to which they have more access and on which they believe they have more influence?

I wonder sometimes. 

[PonderinHog]

Are big donors and "important alumni" more satisfied having a program that is winning big in the conference OR a lesser program to which they have more access and on which they believe they have more influence?

I wonder sometimes.

Ask Nick.

[hogsanity]

Are big donors and "important alumni" more satisfied having a program that is winning big in the conference OR a lesser program to which they have more access and on which they believe they have more influence?

I wonder sometimes. 

Varies from person to person.  I have a relative that is a big Okie St donor.  Not because he wants them to win games, but because of who it keeps him rubbing shoulders with.

[Magic_Hogg]

Probably varies according to program.  AL expects championships.  Period.  Access or no access.  If you are at a lesser major, NC is not on the table so more expectation of access.

[harrisburghog]

I think all that connecting with the fans stuff is BS,too many folks want to think they have to have a personal connection with the coach,again BS. It's about winning and nothing else, you don't have to like the coach.

[code red]

It would have been interesting to see how the fans and boosters would have reacted when after Petrino's 11 wins season we dropped back to 8 or 9 wins in 2012, then 6-7 in 2013. With the way the SEC has improved and is continuing to improve, it would have been tough for Petrino to get back to 10 or 11 wins with the way his recruiting was going.

In 2011, we were already starting to see some troubling signs. Even with the 11 wins, there were some very fortunate breaks that happened for us that helped us get there, much like Auburn in 2013. a&m, Ole Miss, and Vandy come to minds as games that could have easily gone the other way.

With the experience and talent leaving the roster after 2011 and 2012, and nothing coming in through the recruiting classes to replace that high level 4-star in-state talent Petrino was fortunate enough to land his first 2 season, would those breaks continued to have gone our way?

He was winning with those kids before and he would have won afterward as well.  He recruited to a system.

[scootriteby]

This is the problem right here.  Why is someone a hater, just because they express a certain opinion?  I don't hate BP, I never met him.  But I can look at things like what was lost from the 2011 team and see 2012 was NOT a top 10 team, was t best probably 8-4, IF BP had coached them.

Sorry, guess I read that expression on here too many times. Maybe I should have said "detractors". 2012 may have not been an 8-4 season even with Bobby, or it may have been much better. The thing is no one will ever know. Too many variables that would have changed.

[Hawgon]

It is a great point.  How else do you think HDN was able to stick around so long?  Broyles was right, the guy was a perfect fit for Arkansas.  He got us and we got him.  He just wasn't all that successful and his act got old.  But that said, he was much better at Arkansas where he was a great fit than he was at Ole Miss once he ran out of Orgeron's talent where he wasn't as good of a fit.

Fit is important.  It will make a mediocre coach good and a good coach mediocre to bad if it is a bad fit.

All that said, winning trumps everything though.  Win enough and fit doesn't matter.  But the point is, a bad fit can definitely affect wins and losses as well.

[NWAVolFan]

Those are some really good examples and Pelini would be a much better fit at Auburn or LSU then at Nebraska.  I'm curious to see how Franklin does at Penn State, atleast he doesn't have to be the one to replace 'the man'.  On the other hand Dooley would have been a perfect fit at Tennessee but he just couldn't coach.

Dooley was pretty aloof and elitist. Not a good fit for a southern school. Burned a LOT of bridges with high school coaches by acting like Saban without the success. Bruce Pearl was a perfect example of a good fit.

To the larger point, having your fans support you helps a LOT in recruiting. You hear recruits say all the time that how fans feel about their coach affects where they go to school. So I'd say being a good fit probably is really important if the coach doesn't have a ring.

Butch Jones could miss a bowl game again this year and very few people would call for his head because he's positioned himself as friend of the fans. That helps, at least in some measure, with recruiting and overall success.

[Dwight_K_Shrute]

Dooley was pretty aloof and elitist. Not a good fit for a southern school. Burned a LOT of bridges with high school coaches by acting like Saban without the success. Bruce Pearl was a perfect example of a good fit.

To the larger point, having your fans support you helps a LOT in recruiting. You hear recruits say all the time that how fans feel about their coach affects where they go to school. So I'd say being a good fit probably is really important if the coach doesn't have a ring.

Butch Jones could miss a bowl game again this year and very few people would call for his head because he's positioned himself as friend of the fans. That helps, at least in some measure, with recruiting and overall success.

I think Pearl would be a good fit in a lot of situations.  To me he is an old school basketball coach in the fact that a lot of those guys had to be showmen/salesmen to get the fans out and really sell the program.  This probably comes from his D-2/mid major roots as well.  He is very gregarious and likeable and he has shown when he goes to a school it's not just about him but he rather supports the entire athletic department. 

[NWAVolFan]

I think Pearl would be a good fit in a lot of situations.  To me he is an old school basketball coach in the fact that a lot of those guys had to be showmen/salesmen to get the fans out and really sell the program.  This probably comes from his D-2/mid major roots as well.  He is very gregarious and likeable and he has shown when he goes to a school it's not just about him but he rather supports the entire athletic department.

True, but his shirtless chest painted screaming at women's bball games would ruffle some feathers in the pac 12 or B1G. He is a perfect fit at most schools though, bad example.

[lefty08]

Most fans never have to personally interact with a coach, so we don't know what they are like as a person.  If they are winning, and we hear stories we shrug them off, if the team is losing, and we hear the same stories, we take them and run with them.

However, if a coach is a jerk, and can not keep from being so with the big donors, the important alumni, and those in college football that can either help or hurt your program, then that is a problem. It is also a huge problem if he comes across as a jerk to recruits, and especially recruits moms and dads.

If anyone could watch Petrino on the sidelines and not think he was a jerk i dont know what to say to ya. Of course we all knew he was a jerk, but he was winning. I, for one, thought a lot of the things we saw from him on the sidelines was embarrassing, but then i laughed at other things. Winning cures everything

[Hawgon]

I met Petrino twice.  He was nice enough both times.  I didn't expect him to be my best buddy, but he was cordial enough.  He seemed more embarrassed by the attention than anything else.

[EastexHawg]

If anyone could watch Petrino on the sidelines and not think he was a jerk i dont know what to say to ya. Of course we all knew he was a jerk, but he was winning. I, for one, thought a lot of the things we saw from him on the sidelines was embarrassing, but then i laughed at other things. Winning cures everything

I wanted to say the same thing to Miles that Petrino yelled across the field at him, especially considering (a) we had just suffered the loss of Garrett Uekman; and (b) Petrino knelt on the ball on the LSU goal line the year before when we could have easily punched it in.

[Professor Psychosis]

I met Petrino twice.  He was nice enough both times.  I didn't expect him to be my best buddy, but he was cordial enough.  He seemed more embarrassed by the attention than anything else.

The guy always struck me as a true genius.  Offensively, he was.  But like all true geniuses, they get shortchanged somewhere else.  Public relations and speaking is definitely one of those places he got shortchanged.  It's been discussed to death about his recruiting (or lack thereof) while he was here, but when I imagine him in a living room with recruits and their families, it's not hard for me to fathom why he might not be the best at that.  His personality doesn't lend itself to success in that area.

[Oklahawg]

I met Petrino twice.  He was nice enough both times.  I didn't expect him to be my best buddy, but he was cordial enough.  He seemed more embarrassed by the attention than anything else.

Bobby was only comfortable in an office breaking down film. Or, with Sweetie, apparently (why do I suspect that was made to be much more than it was?). Bobby did not enjoy or look forward to recruiting or glad-handing at booster events. He did not seek out those opportunities. He did them because he knew that is what a good coach is supposed to do. It was not natural. His film work, though, was natural and it showed.

CBB is much more natural working a crowd. I would imagine Nick Saban had to grow into that skill. He did, it appears. Les Miles is great at it. It was one of Barry Switzer's most defining skills.

As Wilson points out earlier, you accrue some political capital when you do that. It allows you to have a bad year, or two. It allows you to make a mistake. Wiggle room, if you will.

I think Arkansas values the deep relationship that can be built with a coach. I think it is one of the qualities that attracts coaches to UA. Or, can.

[TOM "tbw1"]

I think a lot of how the head coach connects with the fan base is how much the fan thinks the coach is like him.  For example, if you would get a charge from running down the field as a grown man giving an upside down "Hook'em" sign or leading the band after a victory, then HDN was your man.  If you are the kind of man that would get off cussing an opposing coach on national TV, you would identify with Coach Petrino.  If you like your life programmed to the last detail at work, then Coach Petrino was your man as well.  In the same way, if you think you would like to thumb your nose at authority and get away with it, there are lots of coaches and ex-coaches you can identify with.

There is also the fan whose identification with a coach or a team affects them physically.  A study in Georgia has shown, for instance, that testosterone levels in male fans rise markedly after a victory and drop just as sharply after a defeat. The same pattern has been documented in male animals who fight over a mate: biologists theorize that mammals may have evolved this way to ensure quick resolutions to conflicts.

AND:

First, let's look at "BIRGing." This term is not a typo of an eating disorder, but applies to the phenomenon called "Basking in Reflected Glory." When your team is doing well, you feel great.  Research shows that on the day after a team's win, people feel better about themselves. They say "we" won, and by "we," they don't mean themselves, personally. The closer you identify with the team, the more likely you are to BIRG. People who BIRG also are more likely to wear their team's regalia on the day after a victory.

In contrast, "CORFing" means that you "Cut Off Reflected Failure." Your team was trounced and now you want to distance yourself from them and their disgrace as much as possible. It's not "we," who lost, it's "they." The last thing a CORFer wants to wear on the day following the team's loss are hats or shirts with the team's logo. This is the test of the true vs. fickle fan. It's the CORFers who are the fickle fans. Their identification with them rises and falls with the box scores. True fans, in contrast, will don jerseys, hats, and almost any item with the team logo no matter how poorly their team performs. True fans may feel dejected, but their heroes remain their heroes, even if somewhat tarnished by defeat.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201112/the-psychology-sports-fans

However, in most cases, fans identify with their coach through thick and thin.  I still remember the first time I shook hands with Coach Broyles, Coach VanEman, Coach Holtz, Coach Sutton and Coach Richardson.

The proudest moment as a teenager was when Coach Bryant gave me his autograph. 

[MuskogeeHogFan]

He made a point on Brando's show this morning that a head coach connecting with and being a good fit for a fan base was underrated.

Do you agree?

What Razorback football coaches have been, or have not been?

I think that the ultimately successful college football HC these days has to be:

1.   One part hard ass.
2.   One part talent evaluator.
3.   One part guidance counselor.
4.   One part PR man (media and big donors).
5.   One part effective public speaker (media, donors, fan base).
6.   One part fundraiser/lobbyist (media and big donors again, as well as season ticket holders).
7.   One part salesman (recruiting and fan base).
8.   One part strategic planner (team development and game planning).
9.   One part CEO (leadership, vision, delegation and organizational abilities).
10. One part, like the neighbor that you enjoy having a beer with (for the fan base).

That's a lot of parts (hats that must be worn) and it tells you why the vast majority of college HC's never attain the level of success that they initially had as a goal, when they began the journey. Many are called, few attain.

That's 40.0% of the job that relates either directly or indirectly to the fan base. Important? I think it remains important for ongoing support.

JMO

Who have we had over the last 40 years that fits that description the most?

[MrThunderhog]

Its pretty simple.

If a coach is well liked and winning at a modest level the fans and program will allow some level of fault before calling for a replacement. If you like a guy you are more likely to trust him to right his wrongs. Nobody wants to fire their friend.

If a coach is a loner or not well liked then his time is limited wherever he is. Winning or not if you aren't liked by fans and people that matter there is little to no room for error. If you don't feel like you know a guy and have something in common with him how can you trust him to do right by the program you support.

[Chief Mac]

Are big donors and "important alumni" more satisfied having a program that is winning big in the conference OR a lesser program to which they have more access and on which they believe they have more influence?

I wonder sometimes.

Nutt was allowed to stay 10 years due in part to his connection with some well heeled donors.  I would say some of them love to be hob-knobed and made to feel that their big $$ grants them a certain level of access

[ChicoHog]

I think Pearl would be a good fit in a lot of situations.  To me he is an old school basketball coach in the fact that a lot of those guys had to be showmen/salesmen to get the fans out and really sell the program.  This probably comes from his D-2/mid major roots as well.  He is very gregarious and likeable and he has shown when he goes to a school it's not just about him but he rather supports the entire athletic department. 

It's funny because he is one of my least liked Bball coaches ever.  I think he is a cheater, used car salesman who will bend or break any rules.  Maybe he has learned his lesson now.  we will find out at Auburn.  I never even liked that guy when he was at UW-Milwaukee. 

[CDBHawg]

It would have been interesting to see how the fans and boosters would have reacted when after Petrino's 11 wins season we dropped back to 8 or 9 wins in 2012, then 6-7 in 2013. With the way the SEC has improved and is continuing to improve, it would have been tough for Petrino to get back to 10 or 11 wins with the way his recruiting was going.

In 2011, we were already starting to see some troubling signs. Even with the 11 wins, there were some very fortunate breaks that happened for us that helped us get there, much like Auburn in 2013. a&m, Ole Miss, and Vandy come to minds as games that could have easily gone the other way.

With the experience and talent leaving the roster after 2011 and 2012, and nothing coming in through the recruiting classes to replace that high level 4-star in-state talent Petrino was fortunate enough to land his first 2 season, would those breaks continued to have gone our way?

Who knows what would've happened?

As far as the close games... That's what good teams do, they win the close ones.

Not defending Petrino, but facts remain that while we were winning, the support was greater than it's been sine we've been in the SEC.

[EastexHawg]

When a person at any level...manager of a business, member of the board, President, even a fan...gets buddy-buddy and overlooks inferior performance because he likes the less than stellar employee, the eventual outcome isn't too hard to predict.

In most cases the organization suffers and both the evaluator and the man who was allowed to slide end up paying for their actions...or lack thereof.

[WilsonHog]

Who knows what would've happened?

As far as the close games... That's what good teams do, they win the close ones.

Not defending Petrino, but facts remain that while we were winning, the support was greater than it's been sine we've been in the SEC.

No question, but for whatever reason that widespread support evaporated pretty quickly after April 1st.

[Dr Carl aka Shorthog]

If you win, people will pretty much accept you even if they don't like you that much. Winning cures nearly all. I can remember in 2006 many dark siders were loving Nutt while we were on that winning streak.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

If you win, people will pretty much accept you even if they don't like you that much. Winning cures nearly all. I can remember in 2006 many dark siders were loving Nutt while we were on that winning streak.

Many were high on the Hogs. I'm not sure that very many were "loving" Nutt.

[Dr Carl aka Shorthog]

Many were high on the Hogs. I'm not sure that very many were "loving" Nutt.

LOL, yeah bad choice of words. Nah, what I meant was I remember NotShavin changes his avatar to chewbaca hugging CHN. It was funny. Everyone was suddenly happy when we were undefeated and looked like it might be our year.

[EastexHawg]

LOL, yeah bad choice of words. Nah, what I meant was I remember NotShavin changes his avatar to chewbaca hugging CHN. It was funny. Everyone was suddenly happy when we were undefeated and looked like it might be our year.

Actually I thought, "Nutt gets one of the greatest backfields in college football history and wins ten games...which means we'll probably be stuck with this incompetent buffoon for another ten years."

We were never undefeated.  USC beat us like a tied up goat in the season opener at DWRRS.

[Dr Carl aka Shorthog]

Actually I thought, "Nutt gets one of the greatest backfields in college football history and wins ten games...which means we'll probably be stuck with this incompetent buffoon for another ten years."

We were never undefeated.  USC beat us like a tied up goat in the season opener at DWRRS.

Yeah, I meant in conference, but didnt state it in detail. And I agree with your thought, I still was hoping for Nutt to somehow leave or get fired. I had to wait one more year, though.

[The Kig]

I think that the ultimately successful college football HC these days has to be:

1.   One part hard ass.
2.   One part talent evaluator.
3.   One part guidance counselor.
4.   One part PR man (media and big donors).
5.   One part effective public speaker (media, donors, fan base).
6.   One part fundraiser/lobbyist (media and big donors again, as well as season ticket holders).
7.   One part salesman (recruiting and fan base).
8.   One part strategic planner (team development and game planning).
9.   One part CEO (leadership, vision, delegation and organizational abilities).
10. One part, like the neighbor that you enjoy having a beer with (for the fan base).

That's a lot of parts (hats that must be worn) and it tells you why the vast majority of college HC's never attain the level of success that they initially had as a goal, when they began the journey. Many are called, few attain.

That's 40.0% of the job that relates either directly or indirectly to the fan base. Important? I think it remains important for ongoing support.

JMO

Who have we had over the last 40 years that fits that description the most?

Dang.... that's a bunch of parts.  I do believe that you are onto something though.  The challenge becomes finding someone that has balance between these things. 

Some are better talent evaluators, but don't have the CEO quality (Les Miles).  Some are unbalanced in the hard ass department and can't do the glad handing or public speaking thing. 

The reason that these are realistic expectations is the amount of money that is paid out at the highest level to be a HC at a major school.