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Post by vu72 on Nov 30, 2009 11:42:44 GMT -5
You're talking about 2-8 Coon?! Seriously? Is it just me, or is there something seriously wrong when our OPPONENTS get involved with our next HC vote! Yikes! I understand your concern about this, valpomichigan, but when it comes to the level of D-1 that we're in with no scholarships allowed, how many coaching options do we really have? I mean we could either do as happened before, and go with a coach from within, or we have to give a coach that either lost his job, or has a career losing record, a chance to rebuild his coaching philosophy and confidence, or go with someone who has never been a head coach. Now what options do we have in terms of guys who have never been a head coach, and can do it at the non-scholarship level? I agree that this position will be a step up for many. Perhaps we need to look within the Lutheran college field to find our next leader. Everyone thinks Randy Schneider is doing a great job with the softball team, we got him from Wartburg, another Lutheran school. This from his bio: Coach Schneider arrived at Valpo from Wartburg College in Iowa where he led the Knights to a 100-37-1 record in four seasons. Wartburg won an Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title in 2001, the first in the school’s history. That same year he guided the Knights to the NCAA Division III Tournament where they finished as Central Region runner-up, and Schneider was named IIAC and Region Coach of the Year. Valpo is one of only two Lutheran colleges/universites that play at the D1 level. I understand that we play non-scholarship, but, as previously pointed out, it is still D1. jj is fond of pointing to schools like Wittenberg who have had long winning traditions at the D3 level. How about Pacific Lutheran? Many of these guys may apply, who knows. This may be a very solid option.
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Post by lurkingdog on Nov 30, 2009 12:00:24 GMT -5
Speaking of Lutherans at Lutheran colleges, here's someone who might raise the bar. www.goaugie.com/coaches.aspx?rc=87&path=football Personally, I don't think Valpo can lure him away from his home state and a gig with 24 scholarships. But if I were your AD, I'd try. His team will be defending its Mineral Water Bowl championship on Saturday. I saw the game last year and was impressed by Augie's execution. I think one can describe this as a "coaching family."
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Post by valpomichigan on Nov 30, 2009 12:26:00 GMT -5
Why a coach who wants to step up and prove himself? Why not a type of coach who has nothing to prove, he's already done it all, a coaching genius, motivated by his desire to WIN, a coach who can recruit players because of his proven track record: www.saintfranciscougars.com/football/coaching-staff/kevin-donleyThat's my vote, someone like him.
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Post by vu72 on Nov 30, 2009 12:41:40 GMT -5
Maybe you didn't read my post carefully. I wasn't suggesting a coach who has anything to prove, but one who has a proven record at another Lutheran school, at, most likely, the D3 level.
The Wittenberg guy has been there about 10 years and only lost 27 games.
The problem with Donley is that he is almost 60 and unlikely to want to make a move. I think it is a guy 35-45, with lots of energy. Kind of a Jim Harbaugh type.
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Post by crusaderjoe on Nov 30, 2009 13:10:28 GMT -5
If Valpo does plan on looking for a guy who wants to step to the D-I level, I would put a guy like Vince Lorenzano, head coach of Indianapolis Chatard H.S., on that list. He's won three state titles over the last six years. How good do you think Indy area recruiting would be with this guy?
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Post by 78crusader on Nov 30, 2009 17:56:38 GMT -5
In 1974 VU played Texas Lutheran, coached by Jim Wacker, a VU grad. (Wacker went on to coach D1 football and was quite successful.) I was at the game. Texas Lutheran at that time was really good. Anyway, the score was tied at the half but in the second half we got killed and lost something like 35-7. I think, but I'm not sure, that Texas Lutheran went undefeated that year. My best friend's dad was friends with Wacker. After the game, while visiting with my friend's dad, Wacker said something along these lines: "Boy, if VU made the commitment to football, they would -- not could -- be really good. There's something special about this place." That same sentiment still holds true some 35 years later. I second VU72's thought that we should look at other Lutheran schools when picking a new coach. This is absolutely the wrong time to contemplate spending more money, but someone else on this board noted that we have "glorified bleachers" and should build a real stadium. I second that! I don't think we will be able to be truly competitive without it. By the way, what is this ad hoc committee that is going to determine in January what finances are available to athletics? Paul
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Post by vu72 on Nov 30, 2009 18:17:55 GMT -5
" By the way, what is this ad hoc committee that is going to determine in January what finances are available to athletics? Paul Don't know much either, other than what Mark LaBarbera posted under the AD answer section. This was posted on the Alumni section of the VU website: From President Heckler: Dear Colleagues, For more than a year, numerous members of the Valparaiso University community have come together to envision and discuss what this institution should look like in 20 years. This dialogue resulted in a future vision describing Valpo as a place renowned worldwide for preparing women and men who are highly sought for their knowledge, character, integrity, and wisdom. Now we are engaged in determining the best course toward that desired future. As part of the current strategic planning process, members of the Valparaiso University Board of Directors, National Councils, Athletics Task Force, and other alumni, community and church leaders participated in a “University Summit” at the end of October. Participants reflected on possible goals developed by task forces comprised of faculty, staff, students, and alumni aligned with three strategic priorities developed by the Strategic Planning Committee: (1) to offer a compelling education, (2) to ensure the future success of the campus and community, and (3) to enhance a community of belonging and engagement. Those attending the University Summit expressed great excitement about the preliminary ideas presented by each task force and offered their external perspective and advice. Based on feedback from the University Summit, the task forces finalized recommended goals and objectives for consideration by the Strategic Planning Committee later this month. The Strategic Planning Committee, composed of University faculty, staff, students, administrators and alumni, now begin developing the first draft of Valpo’s new Strategic Plan. While focused on the next five years, this plan is expected to guide decisions about and investments in the University’s growth and development over the next two decades. It is, therefore, an important and historic conversation for us as a community of learning. Beginning in February, all members of the campus community as well as the Board of Directors and all University Summit invitees will have multiple opportunities to read and comment on several drafts of the Strategic Plan. You will be able to respond electronically or in person during open forums or by attending open meetings of the Strategic Planning Committee. I urge you to take full advantage of these invitations to participate. Our goal is to have the Strategic Plan solidified by July 2010 and formally adopted by the Board of Directors in October 2010.
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Post by 78crusader on Nov 30, 2009 18:23:40 GMT -5
VU72, what is your best guess -- will the Athletics Task Force recommend (1) a new football stadium, (2) a new fieldhouse connected to the ARC, (3) improvements to the ARC, or (4) a combination of 2 and 3? My guess is #4. What do you think? Paul And when do you think we will get a new track?
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Post by milanmiracle on Nov 30, 2009 21:28:51 GMT -5
I think there are a lot of other issues with the football program that have been mentioned in the "recruiting problems" forum. Getting a good coach could be a real issue. Please take a look.
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Post by valpo84 on Nov 30, 2009 23:25:19 GMT -5
Finding a coach for a D1AA job is like shooting fish in a barrel. All the handwringing about field, facilities, etc. is just that. We are committed to football and we have sufficient facilities to recruit talent and coaches. Mark L will pick an excellent candidate. His track record in picking candidates has so far been very good. He could even go after New Hampshire's coach (playoff team). He could go after a Mt Union assistant (they have multiple nat'l championships) and their system works well and they aren't giving full scholarships to those kids. They line up to go there. He could go with a good Lutheran school coach. Lots of successful coaches out there. Lots of D1 fired coaches who might want to rebuild their reputations (Akron, Al Groh, Charlie Weis), is there a Jimmy Harbaugh out there who wants to get into coaching. A D1 assistant who wants to build something is another possibility. The issue isn't whether there will be candidates, it's which is the best for us, now.
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Post by valpomichigan on Dec 1, 2009 7:18:49 GMT -5
Search begins now for Adams' replacement as VU's football coach LaBarbera stresses desire for a coach from a winning program BY PAUL JANKOWSKI - Times Correspondent Posted: Tuesday, December 1, 2009 12:00 am VALPARAISO | A national search to replace Stacy Adams as Valparaiso football coach began Monday, according to athletic director Mark LaBarbera. Valparaiso has had just 15 coaches in school history. The program began in 1919, and a team has played every year except 1943 and 1944 due to World War II. LaBarbera said a committee will be formed with the intention of having a coach in place by the end of the calendar year. "We'll form a search committee to help me go through the candidates," LaBarbera said. "It will be people from the football community, people who have had an interest in our program. "I want to hear what they think and get some feedback." LaBarbera said the top priority is to find someone who is a proven winner. "Our number one criteria is we want someone who has been a part of a winning program and can help us build that at Valpo," LaBarbera said. "That's what I did when we hired Tracy Woodson (baseball) and Mike Avery (men's soccer). I want to continue that same model. "I want someone who has been a part of a winning program and understands what that looks like." While LaBarbera refused to divulge any targets, one coach with ties to Northwest Indiana would seem logical to possibly apply. Hobart native Ted Karras Jr. has been the head coach at Marian College in Indianapolis since 2007, when he started the program from scratch. Prior to that, Karras helped resurrect a floundering Rose-Hulman program in Terre Haute during a three-year period (2004-06). He had two .500 teams at Rose-Hulman, and his 14-16 record there was the best three-year record of any coach in school history wen he resigned. Karras coached at Andrean from 1996-98, leading the 59ers to the Class 3A state championship game in 1997. Other Indiana college coaches with winning records over more than one season include Erik Raeburn of Wabash, who is 19-4 in two seasons with the Little Giants and was 57-26 in eight years at Coe (Iowa) College; Saint Francis (Fort Wayne) coach Kevin Donley (121-26 in 12 seasons); Saint Joseph's Lou Esposito (30-25 in six seasons) and Rose-Hulman's Steve Englehart (32-18 in five seasons). There's been speculation among fans that Valpo could turn its fortunes around as Butler has recently. Coach Jeff Voris, in his fourth season, was named PFL coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to a 10-1 record and PFL championship. His first three teams went 3-8, 4-7 and 6-5, after Butler had gone 2-9, 1-10 and 0-11 from 2003-2005. Butler is hosting the Gridiron Classic against Central Connecticut State on Saturday, a pseudo bowl game for Division I non-scholarship programs. Butler has done it by recruiting successfully in Northwest Indiana, as Lowell graduates Scott Gray and David Lang are major contributors on this year's team. "They've done a nice job of turning it around, but that's not a fair assessment," said Labarbera, who stressed that it's sometimes difficult to recruit local players to "stay at home" to play for Valpo. "We're looking for someone who will be able to recruit locally but also throughout the Midwest." LaBarbera said Valpo's four current full-time assistants -- associate head coach/defensive coordinator Sam Bernardi, special teams coach Robert Lee and offensive coaches Chip Taylor and Josh Wissing -- will remain on staff until a new head coach is hired.
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Post by valpomichigan on Dec 1, 2009 8:29:52 GMT -5
From an older article I found:
Coach Kevin Donley brings out the best in his players
Byline: Reggie Hayes
Aug. 16--Never doubt the University of Saint Francis football team. That's the undeniable lesson of coach Kevin Donley's history of success.
Saint Francis will shoot for its sixth straight undefeated regular season this fall. Most programs would give anything for six straight wins in a season, let alone six straight seasons of wins.
Donley, who created this program from scratch, runs the smoothest college football system in the state. He grooms one class of players while recruiting the next, then repeats the process in a never-ending cycle of success.
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Post by ValpoDad on Dec 1, 2009 8:34:21 GMT -5
......... Hobart native Ted Karras Jr. has been the head coach at Marian College in Indianapolis since 2007, when he started the program from scratch. Other Indiana college coaches with winning records over more than one season include Erik Raeburn of Wabash, who is 19-4 in two seasons with the Little Giants and was 57-26 in eight years at Coe (Iowa) College; Saint Francis (Fort Wayne) coach Kevin Donley (121-26 in 12 seasons); Saint Joseph's Lou Esposito (30-25 in six seasons) and Rose-Hulman's Steve Englehart (32-18 in five seasons). There's been speculation among fans that Valpo could turn its fortunes around as Butler has recently. Coach Jeff Voris, in his fourth season, was named PFL coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to a 10-1 record and PFL championship. It's no secret that I am a big fan of the MIC conference. 2 1/2 hours south of Valpo is one of the strongest football conferences in the nation. For kicks and giggles, I looked up the rosters of all the schools mentioned in the article above. With the exception of Rose-Hulman (which, like Valpo, has 3 MIC players), every other school has 8 to 10 (or more) MIC players. On top of the MIC guys, each school also has multiple players from: Cathedral, Roncalli, Columbus East, Bishop Chatard, etc. Is it a coincidence that these teams are successful? I don't think so. The coaches understand there is a hotbed of talented players in the Indy area and they are taking advantage of it. I'm not saying there aren't talented players in other areas, I just found it interesting that the names thrown out in the article: 1) Recruit players from the same area and are successful. 2) VU doesn't seem to work the Indy area and look where they are.
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Post by valpomichigan on Dec 1, 2009 10:40:59 GMT -5
In regards to the above posted article, I'm curious what a "national search" means, because further down in the article, it says:
"We'll form a search committee to help me go through the candidates," LaBarbera said.
Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but is Valpo out recruiting and courting possible coaches, or just sifting through resumes that come our way?
How are we conducting a "national search"?
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Post by rlh on Dec 1, 2009 11:10:43 GMT -5
In regards to the above posted article, I'm curious what a "national search" means, because further down in the article, it says: "We'll form a search committee to help me go through the candidates," LaBarbera said. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but is Valpo out recruiting and courting possible coaches, or just sifting through resumes that come our way? How are we conducting a "national search"? Don't know for sure...but I would assume both
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