The NEXT Coach

[BASS]

smu did not deserve to be in the playoff last year.  they were overrated.  lashlee is a mediocre coach.

[Piggielicious]

I know this won't happen, but I would like to see the next coach incentivized for winning not losing.

I bet we could get that with BMFP. He agreed to a favorable contract once before, and I bet he would do it again to secure better NIL commitments.

If not, move on and find the best coach that will and buy him the players he needs. It would weed out the candidates looking for a retirement cushion. It's time to stop being held hostage by agents and terrible contracts in the name of the "market".

Arkansas has the money to drive change in the market.

[DirkPiggler]

Won big?  What big games has SMU won that proves Lashlee isn't the next Chad Morris?  I get he has won a bunch of games though.  Seems he has lost the biggest games each year.

2025 Wins: Missouri State, Eash Texas A&M
2025 Losses: TCU, Baylor
Hasn't played anyone ranked so far

2024 Wins: California, Virginia, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Duke, Stanford, Louisville, Florida State, TCU, Houston Christian, Nevada
2024 losses: Penn State, Clemson, BYU
2-2 against ranked opponents this year

2023 Wins: Louisiana Tech, Prarie View A&M, Charlotte, East Carolina, Temple, Tulsa, Rice, North Texas, Memphis, Navy, Tulane
2023 losses: Oklahoma, TCU, Boston College
1-1 vs ranked opponents this year

2022 Wins: North Texas, Lamar, Navy, Tulsa, Houston, South Florida, Memphis
2022 Losses: Maryland, TCU, UCF, Cincinatti, Tulane, BYU
0-2 against ranked opponents this year

He made it to the playoff at SMU and won the ACC regular season with probably the 10th best roster in the league.  Back to back 10 win seasons at a school that has only had one other one since the 1980s.  That's winning big for that program. 

Chad Morris barely had one winning season, 7-6, in a much easier conference where he had probably one of the top 2-3 rosters.  And he wouldn't have had that if the officials hadn't handed it to him by giving his team extra time to score in the Tulane game.

There is no comparison.

[Hizog]

Easier said than done and I'm not sure Petrino's complex shit really jives with modern college football. You have to think about every pre-season spent on "install" and you don't have 2 to 4 years with the same group of guys. That's just not happening now. So whatever you run needs to be easily soaked in.

I've thought the same, but I wonder if Arkansas could actually gain an advantage here. Everyone is having to dumb down offensive and defensive schemes because of the high portal turnover.

With Bobby's complex offensive schemes, why not focus the majority of our NIL to keeping offensive players for 2,3,4 years and allowing BMFP to run an offense that is more complex than any of our opponents see the rest of the season.

Traditionally we don't out-athlete SEC opponents. Might as well try and create an advantage.

[BASS]

I've thought the same, but I wonder if Arkansas could actually gain an advantage here. Everyone is having to dumb down offensive and defensive schemes because of the high portal turnover.

With Bobby's complex offensive schemes, why not focus the majority of our NIL to keeping offensive players for 2,3,4 years and allowing BMFP to run an offense that is more complex than any of our opponents see the rest of the season.

Traditionally we don't out-athlete SEC opponents. Might as well try and create an advantage.

i think to afford the most optimal team and optimal use of our financial resources, you almost have to turnover half the roster every year.

every guy you make look good will get offers for more than they are worth.  see wes welker, not the same, but it fits. 

finding guys like mike washington jr and our wr's on a budget will be key to success more than paying guys that are bona fide studs what other schools are offering.

[Hizog]

i think to afford the most optimal team and optimal use of our financial resources, you almost have to turnover half the roster every year.

every guy you make look good will get offers for more than they are worth.  see wes welker, not the same, but it fits. 

finding guys like mike washington jr and our wr's on a budget will be key to success more than paying guys that are bona fide studs what other schools are offering.

I understand that you'll lose some playmakers to more money. I guess my point, is to focus our resources on prioritizing as many offensive playmakers as possible.

And to use your example of Wes Welker, the Patriots had a knack for next man up like Edelman after Welker. It wasn't necessarily that they were great athletes. They didn't typically have success after leaving NE. If you have younger guys staying in the system for a couple of years learning, then you may lose some playmakers, but Petrino will know the next man up already in the system where we can focus NIL.

[BleedinRed]

Tongue in cheek, but the fact he won games and against ranked opponents seems to qualify. 

Fair enough.

[DirkPiggler]

I know conventional wisdom is that we need to focus more on building through the portal than through high school recruiting.  But a large part of our issue with defensive talent is that we neglected or did a poor job with the high school recruiting on that side of the ball.  Had we brought in decent high school players as well...more the developmental types versus 5-star play now guys, we'd have more of a fall back option for when the portal guys suck.

If you rely on transfers too heavily there are going to be years where too many of them don't pan out, you evaluate poorly, etc...even if you're paying a competitive NIL package.  See Muss's last year for an example of how it can blow up in your face even if you have money to spend. 

[DRYANKNPULL]

I was just doing a little math. I don't know much about Lashlee except that he was under Gus as a player and coach for nearly two decades and that he is capable of winning 10 games at SMU (which is quite an accomplishment). 

He's 42. Worst case scenario, he takes the job, flames out in three years (more likely gets 5 years) and is out of power 5 head coaching for life. He leaves with $20-35 mil.  Like I said, that's worst case scenario, but he has to be considering it.

Best case scenario is he comes in and has 12-20 year career with an 8 win average. We are in the mix consistently in November. Good bowls and all that stuff that keeps a job.

There are two questions he has to answer: is he willing to start the clock on worst case at 42 and is coaching the Razorbacks his dream job? It would be understandable to think you could have your next shot during our next coaching cycle (which is about a 5 year average since Nutt).

If it's your dream job, you pick up the phone and tell your agent to get it. Then you show up and work your ass off to make that best case happen.

[vegashog]

longest coaching search evar.

it will be an interesting two months.

[Barton Fink]

It's gonna be brutal

[DRYANKNPULL]

Bobby Allen is still director of high school and nfl. He's probably looking in his desk for a whistle.

[CardHog]

I was just doing a little math. I don't know much about Lashlee except that he was under Gus as a player and coach for nearly two decades and that he is capable of winning 10 games at SMU (which is quite an accomplishment). 

He's 42. Worst case scenario, he takes the job, flames out in three years (more likely gets 5 years) and is out of power 5 head coaching for life. He leaves with $20-35 mil.  Like I said, that's worst case scenario, but he has to be considering it.

Best case scenario is he comes in and has 12-20 year career with an 8 win average. We are in the mix consistently in November. Good bowls and all that stuff that keeps a job.

There are two questions he has to answer: is he willing to start the clock on worst case at 42 and is coaching the Razorbacks his dream job? It would be understandable to think you could have your next shot during our next coaching cycle (which is about a 5 year average since Nutt).

If it's your dream job, you pick up the phone and tell your agent to get it. Then you show up and work your ass off to make that best case happens.

Spot On!  He doesn't have to quit coaching if he fails here.  To quote a famous coach "You can coach a long time in this game if you don't have a big ego".

[passed]

I don't really see Lashlee coming here.  Folks have a point saying he has it better at SMU, because he does.  They are reportedly giving him whatever he wants and needs to be successful and he has a much easier route to the CFBP / Conference Championship.  He's also only 3yrs into his head coaching career.  I won't say he'd be a fool for coming here, but if he did it isn't really a business decision. 

I find it more likely that someone like Sumerall, Kinne, or Golesh... or someone looking to get back to the P5/SEC would be interested, like Mullen or Odom.

PS:  I wish the fucking Gruden talk would just go away and die.   

[Piggielicious]

If someone avoids this job because they don't think they can win, then we dodged a bullet because that is a loser mentality. Anyone that thinks SMU is a better job than an SEC school also has a loser mentality. It is also why I wish we would stop incentivizing losers to come coach here. Incentivize the guy that believes he can win here.

[abnormal hog]

PS:  I wish the fucking Gruden talk would just go away and die.   

Brett Farve is pimping Gruden on X

[buff2.0]

Brett Farve is pimping Gruden on X

He can't stop showing a dick

[DRYANKNPULL]

I don't really see Lashlee coming here.  Folks have a point saying he has it better at SMU, because he does.  They are reportedly giving him whatever he wants and needs to be successful and he has a much easier route to the CFBP / Conference Championship.  He's also only 3yrs into his head coaching career.  I won't say he'd be a fool for coming here, but if he did it isn't really a business decision. 

I find it more likely that someone like Sumerall, Kinne, or Golesh... or someone looking to get back to the P5/SEC would be interested, like Mullen or Odom.

PS:  I wish the fucking Gruden talk would just go away and die.   

The problem with somebody like Mullen or Odom is it will be too easy to make it a retirement lottery ticket. For some reason I think it would would be different with Petrino.

We are never going to be seen as a middle step to a bigger job (at least not since Bowden Wyatt),  so it's either going to be an up and comer or a resurrection. I just think the money is too big and it's too easy for resurfaced, retirement aged coach to just say fuck it when it gets hard. The only person to consider in that scenario is Petrino.

[passed]

Brett Farve is pimping Gruden on X

Yes, I've seen that.  As well as people saying that HY is the only AD that Gruden follows on X.  Which strikes me as the same schtick as the tie thing.  Gruden is overrated and I think would be a massive flop as far as success on the field.

The problem with somebody like Mullen or Odom is it will be too easy to make it a retirement lottery ticket. For some reason I think it would would be different with Petrino.

We are never going to be seen as a middle step to a bigger job (at least not since Bowden Wyatt),  so it's either going to be an up and comer or a resurrection. I just think the money is too big and it's too easy for resurfaced, retirement aged coach to just say fuck it when it gets hard. The only person to consider in that scenario is Petrino.

You have a point there.  I think Odom would actually try... He doesn't strike me as the type of guy to come in and grift a golden parachute.  Not that I'm advocating him as the next HC.  That said, this conference will chew up and spit out anyone who doesn't have a whole ton of will power and testicular fortitude.  Take Sam.  I think he really wanted to do well, and that he tried, but was in over his head... then over the last couple of years just let go of the rope because he was worn down and tired from the pressure and the difficulty.  So even those like Odom, may wind up the same way.

[DirkPiggler]

I don't really see Lashlee coming here.  Folks have a point saying he has it better at SMU, because he does.  They are reportedly giving him whatever he wants and needs to be successful and he has a much easier route to the CFBP / Conference Championship.  He's also only 3yrs into his head coaching career.  I won't say he'd be a fool for coming here, but if he did it isn't really a business decision. 

I find it more likely that someone like Sumerall, Kinne, or Golesh... or someone looking to get back to the P5/SEC would be interested, like Mullen or Odom.

PS:  I wish the fucking Gruden talk would just go away and die.   

I don't think they are giving him everything he wants.  Supposedly their NIL is lacking.

I wouldn't say he has an easier path either.  Even if their NIL picks up, which probably isn't happening to a great degree until their boosters no longer have to cover the $45MM per year they aren't getting in media rights, they're still going to be at best 4th/5th and likely still bottom 3-4 in their conference in terms of roster.  Right now they're probably in a similar spot in the ACC as we are in the SEC in terms of resources, roster, etc.