New Gardner-Webb Head Coach

[elcid83]

Time to start a new thread as we bring in candidates for interviews this week. Here's hoping the coming weather won't push things back any further.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

[catamount man]

Kent Briggs or Paul Hamilton

[elcid83]

Kent Briggs or Paul Hamilton

These guys would not fit the mold of our candidate based on what litle info our athletic dept is willing to disclose. We are hearing the candidate should be a currently successful FCS HC, a currently successful FBS higher level asst, or an NFL asst. The guys you mention don't fit that mold.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

[BJuice]

Please understand my intention here. I am not trying to create any drama. I am just asking out of genuine curiosity.

Does GWU have the $$$ to hire somebody with those credentials? Yes, EVERY FCS school that has an opening for a head coach would like to hire somebody like that, but is that realistic. Those credentials come with certain financial expectations and deserve a high level of compensation.

[elcid83]

Please understand my intention here. I am not trying to create any drama. I am just asking out of genuine curiosity.

Does GWU have the $$$ to hire somebody with those credentials? Yes, EVERY FCS school that has an opening for a head coach would like to hire somebody like that, but is that realistic. Those credentials come with certain financial expectations and deserve a high level of compensation.

GW is interviewing 6 guys this week that have those credentials. I believe they are all aware of the salary expectations for our job.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

[99SourceCode]

GW is interviewing 6 guys this week that have those credentials. I believe they are all aware of the salary expectations for our job.

True. There aren't/won't be any "retread" types in the mix. The weather has not postponed anything, as an interview today has gone on despite the snow and campus being closed. Kudos to those involved for their commitment to getting this thing done.

[elcid83]

First interview is out of the way. GW will be meeting with one coach a day this week and then one coach next Monday. Today's candidate was very solid with 22 years of college coaching experience [12 years coaching defense under one of the best in the game] and 9 years in the NFL. He coached 3 D linemen in college who became 1st round draft picks. He has coached for 3 different NFL teams and served as DC for 3 years for one of them. He has a special connection to GW that few will be aware of.

Candidate #1 expressed a strong desire to establish a running game on O and wanted to see his QB play from under center more than we are used to. Sounded like a good solid first candidate. Looking forward to hearing about the rest of them.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

[EagleDawg]

ElCid - Thanks for the update and the pic of us in the parking lot at WCU brought a big ol smile to my face in memory of our good friend and fellow Running Bulldog dad. PM or text me if you got a name to put with that description, it will be held in confidence.

[Sly Fox]

It is great to hear that G-W is attracting that caliber of candidates. We hired Sam Rutigliano when we were barely transitioned up from DII. So it can happen.

[littlered]

The criteria for the HC sounds awesome. It is nice to know that GW is looking for only the best. Money is important in the mix; however, I don't believe that is the most important thing. I am sure that all of these guys know what the salary will entail, but yet they are still interested in the position. I have no idea what the HC makes, but I believe that helping GW have the best football program ever and doing what is best for the student athletes is what is most important. I know it must be a very stressful time for the Asst. Coaches and my prayers are with each of you and with those making the decisions.

[huthuthut]

NFL assistant Bob Sanders is the frontrunner. His son is on the team at the Webb.

[elcid83]

NFL assistant Bob Sanders is the frontrunner. His son is on the team at the Webb.

Another Citadel fan posting about GWU? Hey Hut, welcome aboard! I'm a 1983 Cid grad with a son playing for GW. What are your connections?

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

[elcid83]

I don't know who candidate #2 is, but I heard from an Ole Miss fan that one of his team's coaches is a candidate for our HC job. The Coach is Ron Dickerson, Jr. who is the current WR coach at Ole Miss and has a history of playing in the NFL and several different coaching assignments.

This is the article that indicates that he is a candidate. I don't mind mentioning his name since it appears to be a matter of public record in Mississippi.
http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootbal ... tor-011110

Here is Ron's bio. Another impressive candidate.
http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-f ... ron00.html

[elcid83]

Candidate #2 has been a Division II Coach at a nearby school for the past 9 years and has compiled a solid record at that level [57-40]. No offense to D-II guys, but I had been led to believe that this type of candidate was not on the radar screen for our job.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

[huthuthut]

<--(played 4 years and grad from El Cid 1972.)
Candidate #2 would be Joe Reich, HC at Wingate.

[littlered]

The first two candidates are pretty impressive!! Don't know the Wingate coach. Anybody know anything about his bio????

[elcid83]

<--(played 4 years and grad from El Cid 1972.)
Candidate #2 would be Joe Reich, HC at Wingate.

What's your connection to GWU?

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

[g-webb1994]

Reich would be a good hire.

Sanders may be a top notch guy, but no offense, we had enough damned drama with Doolittle on the staff and his kid on the team. We don't need that crap again.

I'm still holding onto the pipe dream of Bobby Lamb patrolling the G-W sideline.....

[elcid83]

A new poster on AGS is reporting that Lance Leipold, Head Coach at D-III University of Wisconsin - Whitewater will be our Friday candidate. I don't know whether that is true or not, I'm just reporting what I have read. His team is 30 - 0 the last 2 years [59-3 overall] and has won the D-III Championship 3 out of the last 4 years. I don't know how that will translate at the D-IAA level, but the guy must know how to coach.

http://www.uwwsports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=86

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

[elcid83]

Wednesday's candidate was a current FCS Offensive Coordinator with 14 year's experience. He was actually our own Coach Pizzo. [I'm confident someone else will shout out his name at some point.] I would love to have a transcript of Coach Pizzo's interview as he is the one candidate who can offer specifics as to what worked at GW and what he would do differently at GW if he became the HC. Interestingly, Coach Pizzo mentioned that he would like to install a pro-style offense at GW. I don't have any specifics on which remaining coaches he would keep and which ones he would replace, but he did say he would hire a new OC to install his new offensive scheme. Good luck to Coach Pizzo and the rest of the GW coaching staff as this process moves along.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

[elcid83]

The other thing that Coach P was able to share with the interview committee yesterday [if he chose to do so] are his ideas for improving the Game Day atmosphere at GW which is in desperate need of an upgrade. Several things need to be done to enhance the fans' enjoyment of the home football games including the playing of loud, entertaining music duing quiet moments in the game. This was done everywhere else we went and I do not understand why it is so hard for us to catch up. Our home game experience does not create a true home field advantage and this needs to be done. Last year, I think only Charleston Southern had a more pitiful game day experience. We have to do better in this area.

We also need to entice the student body to be at the game, in the stands, and loud. Since GW requires students to attend almost daily devotion meetings, why not give the students credit for these sessions by attendance at football games [basketball, baseball and other sports could get in on this game as well]. My sense is that the devotion meetings really do not accomplish other than allow the administration to show the Baptist Convention that GW is stressing religious education. But religious education shouldn't be just about biblical education. The camaraderie experienced by students really enjoying a good football game is hard to beat. Look at the good time that was had by Liberty when they beat our brains in this past season.

Coach Pizzo would also be able to talk about the condition of the football field. I know our AD is keen on a natural turf field. Unfortunately, whoever is in charge of overseeding our field did not do a very good job. I remember that the game we played shortly after the overseeding the field was overwet and really slowed our guys down. This was on a very dry and sunny day and we had not had rain for days. Obviously, the rye grass had been overwatered to establish the grass. Then, if you watch the replay of the VMI game you will see that the overseed did not take and the field was really an ugly mix of brown and green [mostly brown]. We played on artificial field turf at Liberty, Akron, Stony Brook, Old Dominion and Sam Houston and that turf really seems to work well. Maybe it's time to reevaluate our football field?

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!

[g-webb1994]

The field has always been poor and had poor drainage. I'm shocked we haven't gone to field turf yet.

[ButterBeanz15]

I agree we should switch to turf

And I do notice that only about 30 percent of the student body attends games, i think everyone should gooo.

GA Southern is the ideal home field, Loud, all the students get into it, Its a great atmosphere.

[footballfriend]

Coach Reich of Wingate has a pretty extensive bio as well. His actual record is now 66-43( you didn't add his record from this year in). He has more wins than any other head coach in Wingate history. He currently has 4 players in Professional leagues( two in the NFL and two in the CFL). When Reich and his staff arrived in 2000 the team was 1-10. He has twice been named the SAC coach of the year and lead his team this year to the first conference championship and a spot in the Div 2 playoffs. Prior to his 10 years as a head coach at Wingate he spent 8 as an asst coach at the University at Buffalo(FBS school!) Prior to that he served as an asst coach at Gettsyburg college and as a Grad Asst at Georgia Tech under Bobby Ross and Ralph Friedgan. Interestingly enough Coach Reich also has a the field grass(modern turf) on the Div 2 field. They routinely have 2,500 or more people in attendance at their games with a high student turn out. He would make an excellent head coach at GW and has proven he can take under funded programs and make winning programs out of them (Wingate has the lowest funding and the lowest coaches salaries in the SAC.) He's an excellent candidate who would do a wonderful job.

[elcid83]

Coach Dickerson from Ole Miss was today's HC candidate. His bio was posted above so I will not reiterate that here.

Go Runnin' Bulldogs!