I hear and read a lot of talk about firing DC at the end of the season, and I get it. Offense has regressed the last few games, defense is lackluster at best, mediocrity has been the name of our game for the last few years, and there seems to be some issues in the locker room right now. I get it. And if that decision is made, I'll support it
But my fear is this. If DC is fired, who do we get? Let me 'splain.
Since I've been following Wyoming football (1996 or so), we've gone through five head coaches. I'll admit to not knowing a lot about Tiller's reign, but it seemed as though things were ok. Offense was good enough to put points up, and the defense was passable. Then Dimel came in, mostly to keep the ship afloat, seemingly. Lots of off the field issues more than any one problem on the field.
So we had a knee-jerk reaction to Dimel, and went for the exact opposite kind of guy. A seemingly unassuming guy who was already on staff and wouldn't "rock the boat." Of course we all know how Koenning's tenure turned out. Besides the on the field issues, I think he was run out of town because he wasn't likeable. Threw players under the bus, didn't take responsibility for his coaching or his staff, and ran boosters off. Time for a change, and quick.
So we had a knee-jerk reaction and went with the likeable guy who had shown great success at lower levels. He was everything Dimel wasn't. He was up for a rebuilding project, and told us we'd "eat this elephant one bite at a time." He told us we had the right players, we just had to do some work "above the shoulder pads." And then he was a victim of his own success. Come from behind Vegas bowl win over UCLA in year two?!! This ship is righted! And then we realized that Glenn was loyal to a fault and wouldn't make necessary staff changes (OC and some assistants) to improve the program. But by God his teams could play defense, even though his ball-control, smash-mouth, run-it-down-your-throat style of play couldn't always score enough to win. His likeability probably bought him an extra year or two.
So we had a knee-jerk reaction and brought in DC. He was everything Glenn wasn't. An offensive master-mind with lots of experience at the highest levels of the college game. He'd been through a rebuilding project and coached Heisman candidates. He wasn't as likeable, and ran a much tighter ship, but that was going to be ok, because we had visions of grandeur. To this point, I'd say he has upgraded the offense quite a bit, but at the complete and total expense of any defense. There's players out there on the defensive side, and they'll make a play every once in a while, but we all know it isn't enough. And it may cost him his job.
If it does, my fear is that we go out and get a defensive master-mind, because that's the glaring issue right now. Someone who's everything Christensen isn't. If we do, I fear we'll repeat the cycle again, and be looking for another offensive master-mind in 4 or 5 years.
If Burman pulls the trigger (or has the trigger pulled for him), I hope we go out and find the best candidate, regardless of their experience, and regardless of the recent history of the program. We need a guy who can manage both sides of the ball, and has the support to get good assistants on both sides to manage that. And I could really care less if the guy is here for a few years and jumps ship to a bigger or better school, because that would mean he proved himself while here, and would be leaving us in a much better place.
Just sayin'.
GO POKES!
But my fear is this. If DC is fired, who do we get? Let me 'splain.
Since I've been following Wyoming football (1996 or so), we've gone through five head coaches. I'll admit to not knowing a lot about Tiller's reign, but it seemed as though things were ok. Offense was good enough to put points up, and the defense was passable. Then Dimel came in, mostly to keep the ship afloat, seemingly. Lots of off the field issues more than any one problem on the field.
So we had a knee-jerk reaction to Dimel, and went for the exact opposite kind of guy. A seemingly unassuming guy who was already on staff and wouldn't "rock the boat." Of course we all know how Koenning's tenure turned out. Besides the on the field issues, I think he was run out of town because he wasn't likeable. Threw players under the bus, didn't take responsibility for his coaching or his staff, and ran boosters off. Time for a change, and quick.
So we had a knee-jerk reaction and went with the likeable guy who had shown great success at lower levels. He was everything Dimel wasn't. He was up for a rebuilding project, and told us we'd "eat this elephant one bite at a time." He told us we had the right players, we just had to do some work "above the shoulder pads." And then he was a victim of his own success. Come from behind Vegas bowl win over UCLA in year two?!! This ship is righted! And then we realized that Glenn was loyal to a fault and wouldn't make necessary staff changes (OC and some assistants) to improve the program. But by God his teams could play defense, even though his ball-control, smash-mouth, run-it-down-your-throat style of play couldn't always score enough to win. His likeability probably bought him an extra year or two.
So we had a knee-jerk reaction and brought in DC. He was everything Glenn wasn't. An offensive master-mind with lots of experience at the highest levels of the college game. He'd been through a rebuilding project and coached Heisman candidates. He wasn't as likeable, and ran a much tighter ship, but that was going to be ok, because we had visions of grandeur. To this point, I'd say he has upgraded the offense quite a bit, but at the complete and total expense of any defense. There's players out there on the defensive side, and they'll make a play every once in a while, but we all know it isn't enough. And it may cost him his job.
If it does, my fear is that we go out and get a defensive master-mind, because that's the glaring issue right now. Someone who's everything Christensen isn't. If we do, I fear we'll repeat the cycle again, and be looking for another offensive master-mind in 4 or 5 years.
If Burman pulls the trigger (or has the trigger pulled for him), I hope we go out and find the best candidate, regardless of their experience, and regardless of the recent history of the program. We need a guy who can manage both sides of the ball, and has the support to get good assistants on both sides to manage that. And I could really care less if the guy is here for a few years and jumps ship to a bigger or better school, because that would mean he proved himself while here, and would be leaving us in a much better place.
Just sayin'.
GO POKES!
