Kerwin Bell served three seasons as the head coach at Valdosta State where he also guided the offense. He led the Blazers to a 27-7 record during his tenure including a school-record 15 straight victories, two Division II playoff appearances, and won both a conference and a national championship in 2018.
I think thatās a fair concern.
Fair or not, the big thing drawing me to him is heās an offensive minded guy who has teams that can score. You play that style while winning 6-8 games and itās a good way to grow the fanbase. Maybe Iām just tired of watching Biff ball.
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Yep, one foot in the grave. Needs to be thinking about which old folks home heāll be heading to.
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Hope he have a good DC in mind. We have not had one in a long time.
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I wonder if Brad Lambert is available?
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I mean, its a fair concern
A number of the So-called fans we have on this forum donāt deserve a good coach. Thankfully they do not represent the majority of our fans. The majority stay off this forum because of the negativity of a few.
One 6 win season out of 12ā¦ give me a breakā¦ yes we are such ābad fansā for expecting better than thatā¦
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The coaching hire isnt intended to impress the fanbase when hired - the job is to go win some damn games and impress you then. As long as we make a traditional hire, which I am certain we will, and hire someone with HC experience and has won, then we are on the right track. If he has experience winning at a resources constrained area even better. With NIL and the portal so new - its going to be asking a lot to find a that profile plus experience with NIL and portal. Throw in multiple openings and our place in the pecking order and I think everyone needs to temper what they think is the ideal coach.
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I just donāt agree with this. Saying our fans donāt deserve a good coach because they post criticism on this board is quite a take.
Basketball program is a shell of itās former self. Football program has had exactly one winning season. Ticket prices have gone up, student fees have gone up, and the quantity of donors seems to be stagnant.
The criticism is valid. If you think the people pointing out the reality donāt deserve a good coach, I just very much disagree with that statement.
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I worry that we are whipped dogs that will settle for the lowest level of mediocrity, lapping it up like it was a trickle of foul water in the desert.
I donāt want gimmick hires trying to reach for the stars either.
Guess itās an irrational take, but I want a solid, experienced coaching hire that can win at this level with all the chaos going on in FBS football. Iām tired of both gimmicks and lowered expectations.
Also not a fan of people helping Purdie out the door, or celebrating a defeatist attitude about trying to keep him here.
Light me up.
Thank you, so-called fans for proving my point with your replies
I can confirm that the interest in the position has been very high and looks like we are stepping up compensation package. I dont think we will be choosing between mediocre. The hire will be a traditional coach and I think very very high probability they have HC experience.
Hire needs to be agnostic on current talent. If we can keep them great, but should not be a determining factor given current state of college athletics.
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I like that last line (agnostic on current talent, love to keep but not deciding factor)
any word on interest from kerwin bell?
Iām fine with agnostic except for Purdie and Blake. Mainly because I donāt see any coaching hire being able to bring in better.
Maybe the hire can make the Jack Moran commit stick, but then youāre back to a frosh QB (and I personally think that itās not even fair to a frosh QB to start him, with very few exceptions - that is the toughest position to acclimate to in college).
No idea - but I know they are still in the process so any talk that he is a lock is premature.
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who do you think is the most likely candidate from what youāve seen/heard?
I want to keep them too, but if we make a mediocre coach hire because it keeps them then next year we lose them - then we are left with mediocre coach and that talent gone. With the game as it is - there is just no world in which you make coaching decisions based on talent. What is going to keep Purdie and Blake is $$$ plain and simple.
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I havent asked about names - probably wouldnt be given that info anyway. Just know the profile we are looking for.