• The KillerFrogs

Official Coaching Search Thread….

gofor2

Active Member
so back to the fact that we have an unqualified and poorly lead search committee....

the realities of schools like Baylor - that going Coordinator gives you a better shot at a game changer. It might end up in disaster but going full HC only is focusing on risk reduction but ensuring mediocrity.

What makes the committee poorly lead and unqualified? I'm not being sarcastic, either. Maybe some information came out that I did not catch. Or is that statement merely your feeling on the matter?

I disagree with needing to go with a coordinator to have a better shot at a game changer and that a HC choice ensures mediocrity. You mentioned baylor earlier in your post - they hired a HC, Matt Rhule from Temple. He certainly was not mediocre.

With all of that said we are not going to pry an established HC from a P5 program, so I would think plucking one from the G5 would be the best route, in some years at least.
 

FrogCoach84

Active Member
I don't know if it's his #1 qualification, but I do think this is part of the search that was somewhat underrated. And I've never met the guy so he may see this as just another stepping stone, I don't know. But there is a better than zero chance when he spent his year at TCU that he thought this is where I want to coach. And if that was the case, I don't know how that could be a bad thing. I think he knows he needs to prove some people wrong, and that is never a bad thing either.

He may turn out to be a total dud, but he also may surprise a lot of people. And you know what? A guy like Billy Napier might go to Florida or somewhere and flame out. Nobody knows. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.
You're right it's probably not his #1 qualification. Maybe it would be better to say it is his most unique qualification among the perceived candidates.

Sonny did the ladder climbing thing from G5 to P5 before and found himself leading a program where winning has proved to be a huge uphill battle for plenty of qualified coaches. His year at TCU was his reset button and that year allowed him to see everything TCU has to offer...and, perhaps more importantly, the areas that could be improved.

Like you I don't have any real insight into the man or what his long term goals may or may not be. He knows what he's walking into more so than any of the other candidates. He knows how to work the Metroplex more so than any of the other candidates. I think TCU is getting a guy that wants to be here for the long haul. Now he just has to go earn that right with the product he puts on the field.
 

Toad Jones

Active Member
Sonny was never my #1 choice and I have even felt like he's a guy you settle for when you strike out.

I am now starting to sell myself on the idea of it being the right hire. The #1 qualification for Sonny is that I really think he wants this job...bad. I see a guy who is going to truly bleed purple and I think that will play up to recruits and fanbase alike. I also have high hopes for his visions for this staff which is something I can't remember feeling about this program.

The BMD's and TCU in general are financially committed to this program and that commitment will give Sonny the ability to always be competitive in the staff hiring process. He has shown a decent knack at SMU for identifying coaching talent.

I know there are some warts that come with the Samples family but that hire was huge for SMU and even if it's not Samples, Dykes has shown an ability to see upside in coaches/recruiters.

I am excited to see the staff he puts together and watch them hit the ground running to try and rebuild this recruiting class on the fly and work the portal to fill the gaps. I haven't been pro-Sonny by any stretch but I am ready to get behind this new era and Sonny and hopeful he can make the changes needed to turn this thing around.
Little choice do we have but I'm beginning to realize the hire. But I also think there's a big 'but' to this story. One for sure, most of these programs that are not regarded as 'big' have big concerns about the immediate future of college football. This place we live in is so messed up even if the chips fall correctly it is going to take time to sort this future college football out. I know I would be hesitant to spend a lot of dollars in a short term. Dykes does have a good staff and he may make changes to make even better.
 

ticketfrog123

Active Member
What makes the committee poorly lead and unqualified? I'm not being sarcastic, either. Maybe some information came out that I did not catch. Or is that statement merely your feeling on the matter?

I disagree with needing to go with a coordinator to have a better shot at a game changer and that a HC choice ensures mediocrity. You mentioned baylor earlier in your post - they hired a HC, Matt Rhule from Temple. He certainly was not mediocre.

With all of that said we are not going to pry an established HC from a P5 program, so I would think plucking one from the G5 would be the best route, in some years at least.
Baylor hired Aranda, who was a DC at LSU.

The search committee and Donati openly telegraphed this BS by saying they needed somebody with HC experience as a major criteria - which in reality is a gate keeping requirement.

Dykes probably won’t go worse than 7-5 in the watered down Big 12 but he’s also not going to get us in the playoff picture.

By all accounts, Tony Elliott would’ve been a home run hire that can no doubt build a staff and handle the NIL era. He’s a guy that people want to play for, be around and learn from, and already lives the 40 not 4 mentality.

The fact that dykes will be hired over him is a criminal offense and should result in Donati and the entire board being shown the door.

But whatever, Go Frogs and everything. Hooray for settling for mediocrity or above average as our ceiling.

@flyfishingfrog
 

flyfishingfrog

Active Member
What makes the committee poorly lead and unqualified? I'm not being sarcastic, either. Maybe some information came out that I did not catch. Or is that statement merely your feeling on the matter?

I disagree with needing to go with a coordinator to have a better shot at a game changer and that a HC choice ensures mediocrity. You mentioned baylor earlier in your post - they hired a HC, Matt Rhule from Temple. He certainly was not mediocre.

With all of that said we are not going to pry an established HC from a P5 program, so I would think plucking one from the G5 would be the best route, in some years at least.
we can not even pry a top HC from a G5.....Rhule had won back to back conference champions when he left for Baylor.

Sonny has ONE conference championship in his entire coaching career and it was basically the same time frame as GP won the Rose Bowl. So if GP's past record 10 years ago was so irrelevant - why did we dead center on a guy who has won nothing significant in his entire HC career.

The end result was predetermined, that is why - even GSR has mentioned the discussions that occurred early last year with our new HC about the future - and frankly there were discussions as far back as when he was our Offensive Consultant about a future with TCU.

And we built a search process to get the result we wanted - which is not the mark of a true leader - it is what we fired our old coach for to be specific - surrounding yourself with those that think exactly like you and only know one way.
 

Wexahu

Full Member
Baylor hired Aranda, who was a DC at LSU.

The search committee and Donati openly telegraphed this BS by saying they needed somebody with HC experience as a major criteria - which in reality is a gate keeping requirement.

Dykes probably won’t go worse than 7-5 in the watered down Big 12 but he’s also not going to get us in the playoff picture.

By all accounts, Tony Elliott would’ve been a home run hire that can no doubt build a staff and handle the NIL era. He’s a guy that people want to play for, be around and learn from, and already lives the 40 not 4 mentality.

The fact that dykes will be hired over him is a criminal offense and should result in Donati and the entire board being shown the door.

But whatever, Go Frogs and everything. Hooray for settling for mediocrity or above average as our ceiling.

@flyfishingfrog
The last two Clemson OCs to take college head coaching jobs? One is now the head coach at Allen High School and the other is 3-17 at South Florida.

Yeah, that route seems like a sure home run.
 

flyfishingfrog

Active Member
One positive that Dykes can bring TCU, and which has been the #1 problem with TCU the past 6 years (save one), is that he appears to be able to recruit, develop and utilize his QBs.

If he is able to do just this one thing, we will be much better.

This is what I hope happens with Dykes.
There are two things Sonny has been really good at during his time at SMU - hiring good assistants (unfortunately doubt his "Riley" is coming with him) and sorting the portal candidates based on home state = Texas and Star ranking in descending order.

Then he starts at the top of the list and asks if they want to come home and play where their mama can come watch them every week and their friends can come visit - which is a pretty good strategy when our state is losing players to out of state schools left and right but many never see the field.
 

Toad Jones

Active Member
Two important considerations regarding Dykes:

Flexibility ~ He has proven a willingness to utilize the transfer portal which is essential given the
current instability in recruiting.


Stability ~ If his program is successful he will remain at TCU and not consider us a stepping stone.

IMHO
One thing I'd like to see, is quit calling it a transfer portal. It is after all nothing more than free agency. We're already paying kids to play football, add free agency and you have a little sister to pro football. The next step is separation of power. The large schools with big brand names versus a click above mediocrity, the lesser known. The last part takes place in two yrs from now. So if I hire, I hire safe and hope everyone survives to a sport so profoundly loved by most.
 

flyfishingfrog

Active Member
I don't know if it's his #1 qualification, but I do think this is part of the search that was somewhat underrated. And I've never met the guy so he may see this as just another stepping stone, I don't know. But there is a better than zero chance when he spent his year at TCU that he thought this is where I want to coach. And if that was the case, I don't know how that could be a bad thing. I think he knows he needs to prove some people wrong, and that is never a bad thing either.

He may turn out to be a total dud, but he also may surprise a lot of people. And you know what? A guy like Billy Napier might go to Florida or somewhere and flame out. Nobody knows. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.
I have no doubt no one in college football a) wants the job and b) will be as happy as the HC at TCU as Sonny Dykes - so if that was our criteria, he is the perfect hire.

The question now will be 1.how long until we feel the same about him - and 2. how long does that feeling last.

In this crowd - 1. too long and 2. not long enough
 

gofor2

Active Member
we can not even pry a top HC from a G5.....

Well if that is the case, then this process of canning GP to bring in mediocrity, is a fail. There aren't even really all that many good candidates this year. That should have been researched and thought out prior to this whole endeavor because a bad hire means we are looking for another coach in 3-4 years.
 
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ticketfrog123

Active Member
The last two Clemson OCs to take college head coaching jobs? One is now the head coach at Allen High School and the other is 3-17 at South Florida.

Yeah, that route seems like a sure home run.
Different people are different. The USF guy was definitely not an OC over Tony, might’ve been given a fake Co-OC title.

Morris was open about Elliott being key to his success

It’s like saying all managers at XOM are the greatest because of their employer brand. Obviously not, interview them and figure it out.
 

CountryFrog

Active Member
By all accounts, Tony Elliott would’ve been a home run hire that can no doubt build a staff and handle the NIL era. He’s a guy that people want to play for, be around and learn from, and already lives the 40 not 4 mentality.

The fact that dykes will be hired over him is a criminal offense and should result in Donati and the entire board being shown the door.
I'll need Chopped Liver to weigh in on this opinion before I can fully buy into it.
 

gofor2

Active Member
By all accounts, Tony Elliott would’ve been a home run hire that can no doubt build a staff and handle the NIL era. He’s a guy that people want to play for, be around and learn from, and already lives the 40 not 4 mentality.

The fact that dykes will be hired over him is a criminal offense and should result in Donati and the entire board being shown the door.

As far as elliott, I know Clemson was top 5 last year in PPG, but they are horrid this year, they are 87th in scoring. I would hope to see more consistency. I looked at his stats, seems like the coaches at Clemson wear a lot of hats each year. I know he was CO-OC for several years prior to 2020, but what duties did that actually require of him?

So its been announced that SD is the choice?
 
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