Idot Buff
Guest
:doh:
AllBuffs | Unofficial fan site for the University of Colorado at Boulder Athletics programs
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
-
Prime Time. Prime Time. Its a new era for Colorado football. Consider signing up for a club membership! For $20/year, you can get access to all the special features at Allbuffs, including club member only forums, dark mode, avatars and best of all no ads ! But seriously, please sign up so that we can pay the bills. No one earns money here, and we can use your $20 to keep this hellhole running. You can sign up for a club membership by navigating to your account in the upper right and clicking on "Account Upgrades". Make it happen!
Starting to hear a very strange rumor about Coach Mac
- Thread starter sackman
- Start date
:doh:
Somebody mentioned Dick Vermeil, and I think that's an excellent example of a guy who did pretty much exactly what we're talking about here. He was out of the game for what, 20 years? I'm not worried that the game has passed Mac by.
My biggest concern with this is that they drag their feet. If this is really going to happen, it needs to happen right effing now.
My biggest concern with this is that they drag their feet. If this is really going to happen, it needs to happen right effing now.
First of all, I love Mac and would definitely get behind him. That being said, how about a little "Devil's advocate" argument? First, Mac was a program builder. It took him time to get the talent, assistants, and scheme in place that it took to make CU successful. So, unless the talent is there now, and it could very well be, it could take Mac 2 or 3 years to get his program up and running. Second, Mac was able to build CU into a national power under a completely different set of rules than exist these days. He isn't going to be able to go into Compton and get "at risk" students in like he did before. That is, unless the administration is willing to change the present rules. Third, Mac has been out of the network for a while. While he may still have some connections, I can't imagine he is nearly as in touch with the coaching talent out there as he once was.
Lt.Col.FrankSlade
Well-Known Member
Don't forget that Mac completely scrapped the I-bone prior to a BOWL GAME and pretty much switched to a 3-wide receiver offense before he brought Elliott Uzelac in and switched to the 2-tight end formation.
**** off i didnt know if it would show up....
OKCBuff
Well-Known Member
In case you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of desperate times.
I'm all for it. The replacement for Hawk, as it stands now, will likely have to be some young buck on the cheap and we'll roll the dice to see how it goes. Mac is the reason CU is considered a historical football power nationally, so I see no reason not to do this for 3-4 years, renovate the program and find someone Mac thinks would be a worthy successor.
We need to treat the Hawk years like the 7th season of Dallas -- I just want to wake up and see Mac on the sidelines saying "Good morning!" because all of this has been a bad, bad dream.
Last edited:
Corn_Fan
Member
This is correct. AD sure but trust me, and I am an NU fan and everyone knows we live in the past, don't bring back Mac. He was a great coach but you need to look to the future. You are in the Pac 10 now with a fresh start.
Mac will only be a band-aid you need to fix your problem for good and get a long term coach in now. Just a Husker fan's opinion.
Corn_Fan
Member
I agree. Your stadium is not quite as big as NU's and you don't sell out like we do (not many programs do) but CU is usually pretty rowdy with a close to sell out crowd. There are MANY programs with lesser fan support than CU.
And for anyone who thinks I was trying to build up NU by saying "not many programs do" I acknowledge (acnowledge?) that there is not as much to do in Nebraska as most states, certainly Colorado as I live here.
Corn_Fan
Member
I don't think you all kept Hawk around because you thought he could turn things around. Things will get better for CU and the Pac 10 move is a start but Mac is not the solution. As a Husker fan I respect Mac and believe he started a great rivalry with NU but your program needs to think bigger. You are not KSU don't hire your 'Snyder" get someone younger with some great energy. Back in 1984 or so when you hired Coach Mac you scored big time, you need to look far and wide and do the same thing (and I don't mean hire Mac again.)
dcbuffman
Member
Nostalgia hires don't always work out so well. The Redskins brought back Joe Gibbs, who won Super Bowls and who was revered in DC. It didn't work out so well the second time around -- 12 years after he first retired. In a lot of respects, the game had passed him by. That old counter trey just didn't get it done the way it did back in the day. And, today's players didn't relate to Gibbs in the same way that players did in the 80's. He went 30-34 the second time around, with one trip to the playoffs.
Yeah, the fans were really excited when they heard that beloved Joe was coming back. But, the excitement wore off pretty fast, as the Skins kept losing. In a lot of ways, the rehiring of Gibbs set the program back because essential changes (e.g., hiring of a real GM) were put on the back burner.
I say, look forward. Find the next Pelini or Sarkisian. Maybe a Turner Gill type. Better yet, let's hope that Hawk turns the ship around....
Yeah, the fans were really excited when they heard that beloved Joe was coming back. But, the excitement wore off pretty fast, as the Skins kept losing. In a lot of ways, the rehiring of Gibbs set the program back because essential changes (e.g., hiring of a real GM) were put on the back burner.
I say, look forward. Find the next Pelini or Sarkisian. Maybe a Turner Gill type. Better yet, let's hope that Hawk turns the ship around....
Recruitng is half the game in CFB. Assembling a staff and game prep are the other half. We know Mac is a lights out recruiter. We know he can assemble a rock star staff. As Junc pointed out, Mac has a weakness, and that is he could get outcoached on game day from time to time. But the guy won like nobody before or since at CU. Three conference titles, one MNC. If Mac can recruit, motivate and assemble a staff the way he did before, CU will be a national player again. If he got a good OC/DC combo to help X and O on game day, the sky, literally, is the limit.
Really, who is going to be a better choice right now?
Really, who is going to be a better choice right now?
I heard this rumor months ago. The version I heard was Mac either replacing Bohn as AD similar to what the nubs did with osborne. However, what I was told was dependant on Bohn not getting his contract renewed. The person that told me about this move was under the impression that Bohn's contract expired sometime in 2010 and would not be renewed.
Many threads ago, someone found that Bohn actually received an extension in 2008 and is under contract until something like 2012. So I don't see him getting replaced anytime soon.
The entire reason for bringing Mac in, under the rumor I heard was many within CU, both admin and high level boosters do not have faith in Bohn's ability to conduct a coach search, and make a good hire.
I can't see any possibility that Mac would return to the sidelines in any official role.
Many threads ago, someone found that Bohn actually received an extension in 2008 and is under contract until something like 2012. So I don't see him getting replaced anytime soon.
The entire reason for bringing Mac in, under the rumor I heard was many within CU, both admin and high level boosters do not have faith in Bohn's ability to conduct a coach search, and make a good hire.
I can't see any possibility that Mac would return to the sidelines in any official role.
If they do this, it's a temporary thing. It's not meant to be like Gibbs or Snyder. It's meant to be a "get the ship going in the right direction" deal and then turn it over to the next Pelini or Sarkisian. If the rumor was that we'd just hire Mac without any kind of succession plan, I'd be more concerned. That's not the case, though.
If this plan were to happen, I can't imagine at 70 Mac would actually be coaching. I would imagine they would bring Mac in to assist in the coach search (meaning assistants), nurture the players and the recruits and just bring a renewed energy to the program. I doubt he would be working his rear off every day.
What we need is a program mentor. Someone who can bring energy, enthusiasm, light up a room of boosters and recruits, and instantly restore even a small bit of the program's former luster. That is a hard person to find. No wait, it isn't. That is Mac in a nutshell.
We know he is capable of finding good assistant coaches to run the program for him in the interim and when he is gone. Mac would simply be there to show all future coaches, players and boosters that the program is capable of something great again. Think of him as a beacon of hope.
How could this possibly hurt the program? Do it now while we appear to have at least a little talent on the field. Do it now to fend off the possibility of one or two horrific recruiting classes. Do it now to build on the PAC 12 momentum. DO IT NOW!
What we need is a program mentor. Someone who can bring energy, enthusiasm, light up a room of boosters and recruits, and instantly restore even a small bit of the program's former luster. That is a hard person to find. No wait, it isn't. That is Mac in a nutshell.
We know he is capable of finding good assistant coaches to run the program for him in the interim and when he is gone. Mac would simply be there to show all future coaches, players and boosters that the program is capable of something great again. Think of him as a beacon of hope.
How could this possibly hurt the program? Do it now while we appear to have at least a little talent on the field. Do it now to fend off the possibility of one or two horrific recruiting classes. Do it now to build on the PAC 12 momentum. DO IT NOW!
I think I like the idea of Coach Mac taking over the program again as the head coach.
I know I like the idea of Coach Mac having a position created for him in the AD called something General Manager - Men's Sports. (I'd give Ceal the same title for Women's Sports.)
I know I like the idea of Coach Mac having a position created for him in the AD called something General Manager - Men's Sports. (I'd give Ceal the same title for Women's Sports.)
:yeahthat:
How in the world do we know he's a "lights out recruiter"?? He was a great recruiter 20 years ago, but that doesn't mean jack to a 17 year old kid from Ohio that has never heard of him and won't be very impressed by a national championship ring from 1990 when other coaches he recognizes from TV are visiting him.
And how do we know he can "assemble a rock star staff"?? The hottest coaches around didn't work with him, and really what kind of football contacts has he maintained during 16 years of religious work? Embree and Bienemy might be good coaches, but I'm not ready to proclaim them rock star assistants just yet.
It's clear I'm in the minority here, but we can't just pretend the last 16 years didn't happen. Even assuming Mac puts together a group of top assistants, if he's a figurehead HC, then who's in charge? I just prefer the idea that you hire someone as your HC who you have enough confidence in to let him run the show. A football team shouldn't be run by committee.
Last edited:
:stupid:
Talk to somebody who played for Mac. If you have ever heard him speak or met the guy in person, you know he has "it". He would be a lights out recruiter now for the same reason he was when he was a nobody building the CU program in the early tto mid eighties. The guy creates excitement and commitment. I don't know how, but the dude still has it. He didn't have a NC ring when he recruited Bieneimy, Pritchard, Garten, Walker, Kanavis, Alfred, Perak, JJ, Sal, Hagan et al. either. Assuming he's lost his gift of selling the CU program is just a wild ass guess. He's got a track record of getting top flight talent to CU when CU was not a winner. Yeah, he'd be lights out even though he's 70.
Same analogy with his staff. Most evey coach on Mac's 1989 staff went on to be a HC. He has a track record of finding and hiring quality AC's. He didn't do that based on a NC ring either. If you believe he hired 9 outof 11 or whatever it was who went on to be HC's (Les Miles, GB, Gery DiNardo, Slick Rick et al.) and that was just luck, I don't know what to say.
If Mac comes back, Iguaranfrickintee you he will be calling the shots. Let him restock the cupboard (which oddly enough is in far better shape than when Mac first took over, I actually think Hawk has brought in some pretty good players, he jsut hasn't a clue what to do with them), put together a quality staff, anoint his successor and groom him, and CU will be miles ahead of where they are now.
Clearly Mac was an awesome recruiter and groomer of coaches, I don't dispute that at all, his resume at CU is unmatched. But I would say that assuming he still has the "gift" to recruit today's young player is just as wild a guess. Maybe he'd be awesome again, I'm just skeptical that a 70 year old man who walked away from football for 16 years to pursue other passions is suddenly going to be able to be able to effectively put his heart and soul into the insane demands and schedule of today's college FB coach.
I love Mac, don't get me wrong and want him around this program as long as possible, but CU needs to evolve and look at what other successful programs are doing. I don't see any relevant BCS program making a move like this.
ne_buff_fan
New Member
The thought of Mac coming back would be amazing, he is one person that I believe could and would right this ship. I think this situation sounds very similar to how NU brought back Osborne. Even though he is the AD there, he specifically oversee's the football operations aspect and made sure that it got back on track. These coaches know what it takes to win and how to get there....I would take this situation anyday over taking a gamble on some "up and coming" head coach or coordinator.
Fair enough. Let me ask this, who would you prefer instead of what I'll call, "the Mac Plan"?
In no particular order (and understanding that some of these are pipedreams):
Will Muschamp
Kirby Smart
Bud Foster
Larry Fedora
Guz Malzhan
Mark Richt
Steve Mariucci
It would be a bonus if Embree and/or Bienemy ended up on the staff in some capacity. Would also be Ok with Dave Logan on staff (not HC).
One thing damn near everyone on here is choosing to ignore is that the world is very different than when Mac built this program.
Partial qualifiers and programs to get marginal academic candidates through admissions? yeah those are gone.
Multi-year contracts, the ability to pay competitive rates and or offer job security to assistants? also gone.
Mac is an icon here, a a legendary coach and leader of men. But some of you are running around seriously delusional the reality is he STILL wont be able to pay an OC or DC 800K+ and offer more than 1 maybe 2 guys on staff a multi-year deals (assuming he fore goes one). Under what circumstance can you be sure he'll have a "lights out staff" there is bordering on no way he'll be able to retain the caliber of assistants he had last time here.
I should clarify i don't think bringing Mac back in a capacity is in ANYWAY bad, just that expecting him to be the same guy with the same results in today's world is assinine. GM of Men's sports and director of recruiting? hell yes, and bringing in a first tier BCS assistant as head coach? that is a plan.
Partial qualifiers and programs to get marginal academic candidates through admissions? yeah those are gone.
Multi-year contracts, the ability to pay competitive rates and or offer job security to assistants? also gone.
Mac is an icon here, a a legendary coach and leader of men. But some of you are running around seriously delusional the reality is he STILL wont be able to pay an OC or DC 800K+ and offer more than 1 maybe 2 guys on staff a multi-year deals (assuming he fore goes one). Under what circumstance can you be sure he'll have a "lights out staff" there is bordering on no way he'll be able to retain the caliber of assistants he had last time here.
I should clarify i don't think bringing Mac back in a capacity is in ANYWAY bad, just that expecting him to be the same guy with the same results in today's world is assinine. GM of Men's sports and director of recruiting? hell yes, and bringing in a first tier BCS assistant as head coach? that is a plan.