I think Houston is a great coach and will eventually be a solid FBS HC, but for right now all of his ties are in the NC, SC, VA, and GA areas. With the JMU opportunity he's able to spread his contacts up into MD, PA, and NJ areas, but for him to leave after only a couple seasons he really would need a team like Wake or Duke to come calling in order to see the immediate success he's capable of. On the other hand, give him at least four seasons at JMU and his ability to win will branch out to most all of the southeastern states. Plus, I simply do not see him even wanting a job with the MAC teams or many of the AAC schools. UConn comes to mind, I do not see him being able to turn a program around that is so far removed from his footprint.

In one of Houston's early interviews or PCs, I think someone asked him about his coaching 'trajectory' and that he hasn't had a long stint at any one school. Part of his response suggested that the opportunities came to him, and that he wasn't actively seeking out an upgrade. Unlike another recent coach, who was putting his name out there before the ink on his contract dried.

It's rare to have a staff with a young HC and such accomplished coordinators at the FCS level like we do. Lots of credit to Houston but you can't discount what the OC and DC have brought to the program and my concern is the entire staff would fall apart if Houston left unless one of them was made HC (which I can't see happening). Unlike the situation at the Citadel where Houston left a protege behind to take over what he built. If we could bring in another young guy that Trott and Kirkpatrick would be willing to stay with we'd be golden but at their age I imagine a trip to FBS (or a FCS HC offer) would be too tempting.

If JMU becomes viewed as a springboard for top achievers we'll just need to find a way to create some program continuity as we cycle coaches every 2-4 years.

As mentioned earlier Bohl won 3 titles at NDSU before bokting for Wyoming. And that was after 11 seasons at YSU

Can't think of many that have made the jump from I-AA HC to (what is now) P5 HC.
-Donnan to UGA in 96' after 6 seasons at Marshall. After his 1st season at Marshall (no playoffs) Marshall went to 5 straight to semifinals, making 4 NC game appearances, winning 1.
-Tressel from YSU to Ohio St in 2001 after 15 seasons at YSU, where he coached YSU to 6 NC game appearances, winning 4. Actually 3 straight seasons 91'-93' it was Marshall vs YSU in the NC game.
-London after 2 seasons at RU (won NC, lost in qtr finals) to UVA..which turned out to be a disaster..
I'm sure there are few others going back the last 30+ years..

I'd be very surprised if after less than 5 seasons at JMU Houston landed a P5 HC job. The most likely scenario for Houston, even if after multiple NC game appearances (hopefully) at JMU would be a G5 HC gig (which could be JMU if a move up announcement is made in the next couple of years)..

(01-02-2017 03:39 PM)BDKJMU Wrote:  As mentioned earlier Bohl won 3 titles at NDSU before bokting for Wyoming. And that was after 11 seasons at YSU

Can't think of many that have made the jump from I-AA HC to (what is now) P5 HC.
-Donnan to UGA in 96' after 6 seasons at Marshall. After his 1st season at Marshall (no playoffs) Marshall went to 5 straight to semifinals, making 4 NC game appearances, winning 1.
-Tressel from YSU to Ohio St in 2001 after 15 seasons at YSU, where he coached YSU to 6 NC game appearances, winning 4. Actually 3 straight seasons 91'-93' it was Marshall vs YSU in the NC game.
-London after 2 seasons at RU (won NC, lost in qtr finals) to UVA..which turned out to be a disaster..
I'm sure there are few others going back the last 30+ years..

I'd be very surprised if after less than 5 seasons at JMU Houston landed a P5 HC job. The most likely scenario for Houston, even if after multiple NC game appearances (hopefully) at JMU would be a G5 HC gig (which could be JMU if a move up announcement is made in the next couple of years)..

Another thing to note too is that we're going back nearly 30 years and only can come up with 3 examples for I-AA/FCS to P5. Every single coach also won at least one I-AA/FCS national title. Not only NC appearances, actually win it.

You're right. The more realistic scenario is a G5 poaching an FCS coach than P5, as history has shown. They get a lot of flack for going "that far down the line".

(01-02-2017 12:54 PM)2Buck Wrote:  It's rare to have a staff with a young HC and such accomplished coordinators at the FCS level like we do. Lots of credit to Houston but you can't discount what the OC and DC have brought to the program and my concern is the entire staff would fall apart if Houston left unless one of them was made HC (which I can't see happening). Unlike the situation at the Citadel where Houston left a protege behind to take over what he built. If we could bring in another young guy that Trott and Kirkpatrick would be willing to stay with we'd be golden but at their age I imagine a trip to FBS (or a FCS HC offer) would be too tempting.

If JMU becomes viewed as a springboard for top achievers we'll just need to find a way to create some program continuity as we cycle coaches every 2-4 years.

"springboard" - that is my fear. The vision for JMU must not be a 'springboard', it must be a destination for excellence and I don't mean 'just win baby'.

(01-02-2017 03:51 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(01-02-2017 03:39 PM)BDKJMU Wrote:  As mentioned earlier Bohl won 3 titles at NDSU before bokting for Wyoming. And that was after 11 seasons at YSU

Can't think of many that have made the jump from I-AA HC to (what is now) P5 HC.
-Donnan to UGA in 96' after 6 seasons at Marshall. After his 1st season at Marshall (no playoffs) Marshall went to 5 straight to semifinals, making 4 NC game appearances, winning 1.
-Tressel from YSU to Ohio St in 2001 after 15 seasons at YSU, where he coached YSU to 6 NC game appearances, winning 4. Actually 3 straight seasons 91'-93' it was Marshall vs YSU in the NC game.
-London after 2 seasons at RU (won NC, lost in qtr finals) to UVA..which turned out to be a disaster..
I'm sure there are few others going back the last 30+ years..

I'd be very surprised if after less than 5 seasons at JMU Houston landed a P5 HC job. The most likely scenario for Houston, even if after multiple NC game appearances (hopefully) at JMU would be a G5 HC gig (which could be JMU if a move up announcement is made in the next couple of years)..

Another thing to note too is that we're going back nearly 30 years and only can come up with 3 examples for I-AA/FCS to P5. Every single coach also won at least one I-AA/FCS national title. Not only NC appearances, actually win it.

You're right. The more realistic scenario is a G5 poaching an FCS coach than P5, as history has shown. They get a lot of flack for going "that far down the line".

Well, if the cut off is 30 years, I can think of one other example. Dick Sheridan left Furman after losing the I-AA championship to Georgia Southern and took the head job at NC State. He was the most successful coach State has had in the last 30 years, and the only one in that time period not to be fired. He retired after 7 years and a 9 win season in 1992. While at State, he turned down offers from both UGA and USC-east.

Somewhat OT for this thread but I felt it was relevant to our discussion. There's at least one more FBS HC vacancy now.

Dom Izzo
‏@DomIzzoWDAY
.@McMurphyESPN says that Minnesota will look at #NDSU's Chris Klieman.

https://twitter.com/DomIzzoWDAY/status/8...4036672512

Oh yeah, Dino Babers is at Syracuse. Didn't he go straight from Eastern Illinois to Syracuse or did he make a stop at a G5 first. I cannot remember.

he went to Bowling Green in between.

(01-04-2017 10:47 AM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  he went to Bowling Green in between.

I thought that might be so, but I was too lazy to look it up.

Warning: If you get all butthurt when reading about scenarios where HCMH could leave JMU, I advise you to not read this until AFTER we win in Frisco on Saturday. I don't want to ruin your mood.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Here's my honest assessment of HCMH's current situation.

1. We're not losing him after this season. There's just not an opening where he could land. Plus I think he wants to continue to put his stamp on this program. I think he loves it at JMU right now and is having a ton of fun.
2. If ANY P5 program offers him, he'd go right away. He'd be stupid to pass it up since they're all 7-figure paydays. But he's going to need more than 2 years at JMU for that to happen. It begins to be possible after 3 seasons for a lower profile P5 (Wake, Duke, MD, GT) to look at him.
3. The likely scenario is that he gets lured from us by a G5 school that is regionally appropriate and has a pay increase that would double his salary. G5s have to rely on recruiting to build their programs, so they need someone who knows the territory since their kids mostly come from the surrounding states. With that being the case, I could see these, and ONLY these, as the schools where he might go after next season. They're listed in order of how attractive the job is.

School: Base Salary
Memphis: $1.8M
ECU: $1.0M
Western Kentucky: $810K
Mid Tenn St: 805K
Marshall: 765K
Charlotte: 600K
ODU: 570K
Georgia State: 540K
App State: 525K
Georgia Southern: 500K

Any one of those programs could come open at any time due to one of two reasons: their coach gets fired, or their coach gets recruited for a better job.

I'm certain he'd take any of the jobs listed between Memphis and Charlotte. The pay differential is just too great. I'm not sure he takes any of the jobs below that. The pay differential isn't as significant, and it might be worth holding out for something better if he continues to have JMU rolling in the next couple of seasons.

sober, rational analysis - thanks...i'd have to think that IF we win sat... JMU, DC, Alphas etc all step up to get him in a new contract that starts with a $500,000 base or better

(01-04-2017 02:21 PM)bcp_jmu Wrote:  sober, rational analysis - thanks...i'd have to think that IF we win sat... JMU, DC, Alphas etc all step up to get him in a new contract that starts with a $500,000 base or better

JMU will never pay a coach more than the University President while in FCS.

Reasonable raise would be to $350,000 with higher incentives and retention bonuses.

(01-04-2017 02:37 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(01-04-2017 02:21 PM)bcp_jmu Wrote:  sober, rational analysis - thanks...i'd have to think that IF we win sat... JMU, DC, Alphas etc all step up to get him in a new contract that starts with a $500,000 base or better

JMU will never pay a coach more than the University President while in FCS.

I agree that we likely won't pay a coach more than our President, and honestly, I think that's appropriate. Alger makes $468K per year when combining Salary and Deferred Comp. I'd love to see Houston bumped up to an even $400K with incentives that give him the chance to hit $500K. That would take away the incentive for him to leave for a lower-level G5 job.

As a side note, I wish all universities had a provision whereas no coach could make more than the average of the 5 or 10 highest paid professors at their university. It would be fun to see Alabama be forced to hire a gang of $5M rock-star professors in order to continue to keep Saban around.

the president of alabama said on 60 minutes a few years ago...the best thing he ever did was hire nick saban and decide to pay him 3-4x what he makes...that it's been a massive boon for the university

alger needs to swallow his pride on this...it doesn't mean football is more important than academics - it's just a free market thing....there is a huge upside for the entire U (and helps Alger hit HIS bonuses) when football performs "at the highest level"

everyone would be sad if houston left. everyone would rejoice if alger left

(01-04-2017 03:16 PM)bcp_jmu Wrote:  the president of alabama said on 60 minutes a few years ago...the best thing he ever did was hire nick saban and decide to pay him 3-4x what he makes...that it's been a massive boon for the university

alger needs to swallow his pride on this...it doesn't mean football is more important than academics - it's just a free market thing....there is a huge upside for the entire U (and helps Alger hit HIS bonuses) when football performs "at the highest level"

It's not Alger's pride, it's ultimately a BOV decision and the financial reality of FCS FB at a school where 80% or more of the coaches salaries are paid by student fees.

(01-04-2017 04:56 PM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(01-04-2017 03:16 PM)bcp_jmu Wrote:  the president of alabama said on 60 minutes a few years ago...the best thing he ever did was hire nick saban and decide to pay him 3-4x what he makes...that it's been a massive boon for the university

alger needs to swallow his pride on this...it doesn't mean football is more important than academics - it's just a free market thing....there is a huge upside for the entire U (and helps Alger hit HIS bonuses) when football performs "at the highest level"

It's not Alger's pride, it's ultimately Charlie King's decision and the financial reality of FCS FB at a school where 80% or more of the coaches salaries are paid by student fees.

ftfy

Either way... when you don't step up, you are not supporting