We're not gonna obviously really get into this for a few days, maybe even a couple weeks, I'm not sure. But wanted to throw some very early preliminary things out there.
*We're already thinking about a couple names we left off our initial coaching hot board that should be on there, specifically Matt Campbell at Toledo and Matt Ruhle at Temple. I wouldn't view either as a favorite, but both are names that should be on the list.
*We put Mark Richt on the list yesterday. I don't think he's the guy here by any means, no matter what goes on at UGA. If Richt is out at UGA, I think there's a decent chance he ends up at VTech. And if that happens, it means Justin Fuente doesn't go there, which could have a filter down effect. I'm not sure where Fuente would stand here, but he's got to be on any list of any school that has an opening.
*Barry Odom is highly thought of by Mack Rhoades. Was told yesterday by someone that Rhoades thinks Odom "is going to be a rock star." I don't know if that means he's ready to give Barry his first shot as a first-time head coach or not, but Rhoades definitely thinks highly of him. If Pinkel has a big say in who replaces him, it will be Odom.
*Another name I've now been told twice to keep an eye on: Will Muschamp. From what I'm told Rhoades wanted to hire him at Houston last year, but the regents said "No way" and overruled him. I don't think you can hire Muschamp in the same division he failed so miserably at (especially because what Jim McElwain is doing right now makes him look worse than he did when UF fired him) but I was told "I'd be shocked if Mack Rhoades had a list and Muschamp wasn't on it." Again, before you panic, I don't think he's the guy by any means, but I think you'll hear his name mentioned at some point during the process.
*We've mentioned Tom Herman, as has everyone else in America. I said six weeks ago if it somehow worked out that Herman was still at Houston when Pinkel left, he'd have to get the first phone call. But I didn't think there was any realistic way he was still going to be at Houston when Pinkel left. He is. He'll be involved, I have no doubt. It's just a matter of whether he's the first choice.
*If I had to handicap this right now, it's Odom or Herman. The ultimate determining factor will be how much value does Rhoades put in the one year Herman has been a head coach? It's been a damn good year, but only one year. Does that outweigh the idea of hiring Odom who you think has a chance to be really good and, if he is, could be the only football coach Mack Rhoades ever hires here? I have no idea. Things change daily in a coaching search, but as of this morning, those are the two guys I think have to be the prohibitive favorites to replace GP.
Anyway, that's just a little early info. I don't think we're going to get into the real meat of this thing for a while, but the advantage of knowing you're looking for a coach in late October (as Rhoades did) is that you can make back channel calls and communication. By the time the season is over, you know if a guy wants the job and you know who you want to hire. After that, it's simply the formality of doing an interview in person and ironing out details. I think Rhoades will have his man by the time the season is over in two weeks, I just don't think it will be announced.
UPDATE: Have already traded messages with a few people today. Appears Tom Herman is the likely top choice at South Carolina. If he's the top choice at Mizzou, it will be a matter of which one he likes more. If he's not the top choice, the Gamecocks may have him before Mizzou gets to him.
*We're already thinking about a couple names we left off our initial coaching hot board that should be on there, specifically Matt Campbell at Toledo and Matt Ruhle at Temple. I wouldn't view either as a favorite, but both are names that should be on the list.
*We put Mark Richt on the list yesterday. I don't think he's the guy here by any means, no matter what goes on at UGA. If Richt is out at UGA, I think there's a decent chance he ends up at VTech. And if that happens, it means Justin Fuente doesn't go there, which could have a filter down effect. I'm not sure where Fuente would stand here, but he's got to be on any list of any school that has an opening.
*Barry Odom is highly thought of by Mack Rhoades. Was told yesterday by someone that Rhoades thinks Odom "is going to be a rock star." I don't know if that means he's ready to give Barry his first shot as a first-time head coach or not, but Rhoades definitely thinks highly of him. If Pinkel has a big say in who replaces him, it will be Odom.
*Another name I've now been told twice to keep an eye on: Will Muschamp. From what I'm told Rhoades wanted to hire him at Houston last year, but the regents said "No way" and overruled him. I don't think you can hire Muschamp in the same division he failed so miserably at (especially because what Jim McElwain is doing right now makes him look worse than he did when UF fired him) but I was told "I'd be shocked if Mack Rhoades had a list and Muschamp wasn't on it." Again, before you panic, I don't think he's the guy by any means, but I think you'll hear his name mentioned at some point during the process.
*We've mentioned Tom Herman, as has everyone else in America. I said six weeks ago if it somehow worked out that Herman was still at Houston when Pinkel left, he'd have to get the first phone call. But I didn't think there was any realistic way he was still going to be at Houston when Pinkel left. He is. He'll be involved, I have no doubt. It's just a matter of whether he's the first choice.
*If I had to handicap this right now, it's Odom or Herman. The ultimate determining factor will be how much value does Rhoades put in the one year Herman has been a head coach? It's been a damn good year, but only one year. Does that outweigh the idea of hiring Odom who you think has a chance to be really good and, if he is, could be the only football coach Mack Rhoades ever hires here? I have no idea. Things change daily in a coaching search, but as of this morning, those are the two guys I think have to be the prohibitive favorites to replace GP.
Anyway, that's just a little early info. I don't think we're going to get into the real meat of this thing for a while, but the advantage of knowing you're looking for a coach in late October (as Rhoades did) is that you can make back channel calls and communication. By the time the season is over, you know if a guy wants the job and you know who you want to hire. After that, it's simply the formality of doing an interview in person and ironing out details. I think Rhoades will have his man by the time the season is over in two weeks, I just don't think it will be announced.
UPDATE: Have already traded messages with a few people today. Appears Tom Herman is the likely top choice at South Carolina. If he's the top choice at Mizzou, it will be a matter of which one he likes more. If he's not the top choice, the Gamecocks may have him before Mizzou gets to him.
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