Thursday, December 4, 2008
Norton Jr., Walker, Ted Gilmore
A source close to the NMSU football program told Felix that Ken Norton Jr. and DeWayne Walker have interviewed for the head coaching position at NMSU.
The source also said that Nebraska receivers coach and recruiting coordinator Ted Gilmore was in the mix for the position as well. Kirby Wilson is still out there also.
I can't help but get excited about Norton's name. First off, he's not a retread and he also brings a certain "star" quality to the table that would create a buzz.
Walker seems like a very solid candidate. He was in the mix for the UCLA job last year.
Interesting enough, both guys are defensive coaches. McKinley Boston indicated that he would prefer an offensive mind to lead the team. For me, I already said that I could care less who's in charge. Just make sure he's a good coach that can inspire and get things moving forward.
There are other candidates out there too who's names haven't surfaced at this point. But I'm excited by this group. I know the fans want Norton in there. He brings the firepower and name recognition. I think Walker and Wilson are also solid coaches. Joe Lee Dunn and Earnest Wilson, I believe they could do the job. But I believe Boston is going to go outside the program. He's looking for fresh blood and to make a splash. Very interesting......
The source also said that Nebraska receivers coach and recruiting coordinator Ted Gilmore was in the mix for the position as well. Kirby Wilson is still out there also.
I can't help but get excited about Norton's name. First off, he's not a retread and he also brings a certain "star" quality to the table that would create a buzz.
Walker seems like a very solid candidate. He was in the mix for the UCLA job last year.
Interesting enough, both guys are defensive coaches. McKinley Boston indicated that he would prefer an offensive mind to lead the team. For me, I already said that I could care less who's in charge. Just make sure he's a good coach that can inspire and get things moving forward.
There are other candidates out there too who's names haven't surfaced at this point. But I'm excited by this group. I know the fans want Norton in there. He brings the firepower and name recognition. I think Walker and Wilson are also solid coaches. Joe Lee Dunn and Earnest Wilson, I believe they could do the job. But I believe Boston is going to go outside the program. He's looking for fresh blood and to make a splash. Very interesting......
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Wilson, Norton
Kirby Wilson was a finalist for the job when Mumme got hired in the first place. People can criticize NFL retreads but I think a coach can coach. Lets not compare the Widenhofer situation to this one, Woody was playing with half a deck when he was the D-coordinator at NMSU.
As for Ken Norton Jr., I called the USC football offices today and left a message on his voicemail. If Ken Norton Jr. is hired as the next coach of the Aggies, it would be awesome. I just think of him using the goal post as a punching bag after he scored a TD.
Either way, I think both of these coaches will be seriously considered. Which I find exciting.
As for Ken Norton Jr., I called the USC football offices today and left a message on his voicemail. If Ken Norton Jr. is hired as the next coach of the Aggies, it would be awesome. I just think of him using the goal post as a punching bag after he scored a TD.
Either way, I think both of these coaches will be seriously considered. Which I find exciting.
What does NMSU need?
I do not think the Aggies need a coach with similar offensive philosophies as Hal Mumme, something that seems to be a priority for the search committee at NMSU.
The concern is that a change in system would lead to another rebuilding situation within the program, something the school or the team needs at this point. And I do not dispute that claim at all.
I just think that you win football games with a priority on the defensive side of the ball and being an effective rushing team. This isn't the prettiest football and it does not work in all cases. It's not as glamourous as the spread offense, either. But it seems to be a good formula.
Louisiana Tech and San Jose State rely on it and they're both good teams in the WAC. Fresno plays a run-first, muck-it-up style. Nevada keeps it on the ground. Even Boise, with all their bells and whistles, play off their ground game - and who wouldn't with Ian Johnson and Jeremy Avery?
One reason I liked the spread and Mumme's system is that it made the Aggies unique in a sense. It also didn't win many games. We'll see what the new coach believes in and where his priorities are. Lets just hope he has an eye on the defensive side of the ball, special teams and doesn't abandon the ground game. You need these elements to win.
The concern is that a change in system would lead to another rebuilding situation within the program, something the school or the team needs at this point. And I do not dispute that claim at all.
I just think that you win football games with a priority on the defensive side of the ball and being an effective rushing team. This isn't the prettiest football and it does not work in all cases. It's not as glamourous as the spread offense, either. But it seems to be a good formula.
Louisiana Tech and San Jose State rely on it and they're both good teams in the WAC. Fresno plays a run-first, muck-it-up style. Nevada keeps it on the ground. Even Boise, with all their bells and whistles, play off their ground game - and who wouldn't with Ian Johnson and Jeremy Avery?
One reason I liked the spread and Mumme's system is that it made the Aggies unique in a sense. It also didn't win many games. We'll see what the new coach believes in and where his priorities are. Lets just hope he has an eye on the defensive side of the ball, special teams and doesn't abandon the ground game. You need these elements to win.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
How big of a hire is this for McKinley Boston
NMSU Athletics Director McKinley Boston has taken some heat in recent months for his handling of the Hal Mumme situation.
Granted, Mumme's status in his final weeks at NMSU was tenuous at best and it was obvious he was a lame duck coach for the stretch run of the team's schedule.
A good deal of the burden fell on Boston, as it should. He is the AD of the school and hired Mumme to be the face of the football program. This is a bottom line and pressure packed business and pressure is felt on everyone when the standards of the fan base and community are not met.
Lets look at some of the things Boston has done in his tenure at NMSU, which started four years ago:
- He hired Mumme
- He hired Reggie Theus
- He hired Marvin Menzies
- He oversaw massive expansion of facilities on the NMSU campus.
- He brought in a handful of WAC tournaments, including the basketball tournament the last two years. The Aggies went to the NCAA tourney one of those seasons and went to the tournament finals the other.
- He has been the guiding hand as the school has transitioned to the WAC
These are just some of his accomplishments and I'm sure I'm leaving out some as well. The bottom line is that the Mumme situation did not work out. Hal didn't win enough games and alienated the community in the process.
Theus was gold but then he bolted. I was very hard on Menzies upon the coach's arrival at the school last year but have been pleased with what I've seen/heard about regarding the hoops team this season. Still, I believe the jury is still out on Marvin as the year is young.
Can't fault Boston for the expansion of the facilities, nor the oversight of the WAC tournaments.
And while Mumme didn't work out, not everyone is perfect. Boston said today during the press conference announcing the coach's dismissal that hiring coaches, recruiting players and winning ballgames is not an exact science. Sometimes, these things don't work out.
I would have to say that Boston will need to hire a good football coach because Las Cruces needs a winner on the field. It's time for the bowl drought/laughing stock program talk comes to an end, or at least subsides. As for his job, of course he needs to find a good coach to relieve some of the pressure. He wouldn't be the AD at a Division-I school if that weren't the case. But the coach will get some years to pan out. Keep an eye on the hoops team under Menzies. He's truly Boston's guy and the program seems to be off on the right foot early on this year. If they do flounder and the football team does not turn it around, the complaints about the AD become increasingly legitimate. Until then, give it a chance and let things unfold in a timely manner.
Granted, Mumme's status in his final weeks at NMSU was tenuous at best and it was obvious he was a lame duck coach for the stretch run of the team's schedule.
A good deal of the burden fell on Boston, as it should. He is the AD of the school and hired Mumme to be the face of the football program. This is a bottom line and pressure packed business and pressure is felt on everyone when the standards of the fan base and community are not met.
Lets look at some of the things Boston has done in his tenure at NMSU, which started four years ago:
- He hired Mumme
- He hired Reggie Theus
- He hired Marvin Menzies
- He oversaw massive expansion of facilities on the NMSU campus.
- He brought in a handful of WAC tournaments, including the basketball tournament the last two years. The Aggies went to the NCAA tourney one of those seasons and went to the tournament finals the other.
- He has been the guiding hand as the school has transitioned to the WAC
These are just some of his accomplishments and I'm sure I'm leaving out some as well. The bottom line is that the Mumme situation did not work out. Hal didn't win enough games and alienated the community in the process.
Theus was gold but then he bolted. I was very hard on Menzies upon the coach's arrival at the school last year but have been pleased with what I've seen/heard about regarding the hoops team this season. Still, I believe the jury is still out on Marvin as the year is young.
Can't fault Boston for the expansion of the facilities, nor the oversight of the WAC tournaments.
And while Mumme didn't work out, not everyone is perfect. Boston said today during the press conference announcing the coach's dismissal that hiring coaches, recruiting players and winning ballgames is not an exact science. Sometimes, these things don't work out.
I would have to say that Boston will need to hire a good football coach because Las Cruces needs a winner on the field. It's time for the bowl drought/laughing stock program talk comes to an end, or at least subsides. As for his job, of course he needs to find a good coach to relieve some of the pressure. He wouldn't be the AD at a Division-I school if that weren't the case. But the coach will get some years to pan out. Keep an eye on the hoops team under Menzies. He's truly Boston's guy and the program seems to be off on the right foot early on this year. If they do flounder and the football team does not turn it around, the complaints about the AD become increasingly legitimate. Until then, give it a chance and let things unfold in a timely manner.
Monday, December 1, 2008
It might as well be official
New Mexico State will hold a press conference on Tuesday morning announcing the dismissal of head coach Hal Mumme from the football program.
Anyone who sees this as a surprise needs to see a doctor. This has been speculated to the point of no return and really was just a question of not if, but when.
NMSU will now conduct a coaching search, where a replacement will be found. What does the program need in order to rebound?
A coach who will instill toughness is one thing. Honestly, a lot of games the Aggies played under Mumme, it seemed like the team was close to getting over the hump. Critical mistakes at crucial junctures of games often undid the Aggies. The team seemed to be mentally weak a lot of times and finding a coach who will make them a tough-nosed football team would be a good start.
Unfortunately, Mumme's system on offense was very specific and required certain players to fit his particular mold. It's tough to really know what the team had talent-wise and what was done with smoke and mirrors. The receiver position was horribly over recruited, for instance, while the defensive backfield was often a patchwork operation on a week to week basis. Same with offensive and defensive line. The offensive line shuffled people in and out of the lineup on a weekly basis while the D-line was forced to pick up the scraps left behind. There was talent on the team but how it was distributed left much to be debated. Who knows how a new coach would handle such a dilemma.
One thing I can confidently say is that a new coach means building a new program. It's not such an easy solution as, say, fire a coach, hire a new one, and watch the wins pile up. The reality is that NMSU has been trying to find the right formula for success for some time now. The hope is that a new coach is brought in with tremendous leadership skills, can inspire, motivate and, ultimately, change the losing culture surrounding the team. It is not an easy task what-so-ever. But it is not impossible either.
Anyone who sees this as a surprise needs to see a doctor. This has been speculated to the point of no return and really was just a question of not if, but when.
NMSU will now conduct a coaching search, where a replacement will be found. What does the program need in order to rebound?
A coach who will instill toughness is one thing. Honestly, a lot of games the Aggies played under Mumme, it seemed like the team was close to getting over the hump. Critical mistakes at crucial junctures of games often undid the Aggies. The team seemed to be mentally weak a lot of times and finding a coach who will make them a tough-nosed football team would be a good start.
Unfortunately, Mumme's system on offense was very specific and required certain players to fit his particular mold. It's tough to really know what the team had talent-wise and what was done with smoke and mirrors. The receiver position was horribly over recruited, for instance, while the defensive backfield was often a patchwork operation on a week to week basis. Same with offensive and defensive line. The offensive line shuffled people in and out of the lineup on a weekly basis while the D-line was forced to pick up the scraps left behind. There was talent on the team but how it was distributed left much to be debated. Who knows how a new coach would handle such a dilemma.
One thing I can confidently say is that a new coach means building a new program. It's not such an easy solution as, say, fire a coach, hire a new one, and watch the wins pile up. The reality is that NMSU has been trying to find the right formula for success for some time now. The hope is that a new coach is brought in with tremendous leadership skills, can inspire, motivate and, ultimately, change the losing culture surrounding the team. It is not an easy task what-so-ever. But it is not impossible either.
Utah State
I guess I shouldn't have been surprised by the Aggies season finale at Utah State, but I was.
The team lost 47-2. I would almost them rather not have gotten the safety because that score is so ridiculous. I mean, it just looks like they packed it in. It's for reasons like this that coaches lose their jobs. I cannot believe NMSU lost at both Idaho and Utah State this year. For a team that was playing for their coach's future, that final score is all you need to know.
Mumme's postgame rant on the radio about nobody being on campus throughout the Thanksgiving week and his players hearing about all this stuff regarding his future as being distracting was just as bad. Where is the accountability? I would rather have a coach come out and say that the team was terrible and put the blame on his shoulders. There was none of that. Just excuses. He's not that kind of guy, I get it, but it doesn't look good when you get beat 47-2, immediately go on the radio, and don't shoulder responsibility. You gotta do that as the leader of the football team.
I don't think the situation at NMSU has been handled well this season. Everyone knew that Mumme was a lame duck coach and it played out for the second half of the season all the way until now. It was truly a soap opera surrounding the NMSU football team this year during conference play. I do feel for the players. They have absolutely no control over the Mumme situation but the team was effected by the events. How could they not be? Again, they lost to Utah State 47-2. Talk about a depressing way to go out.
So, where does the program go from here. I really believe Hal will be gone, but the events have dragged out for so long, I'm beginning to be skeptical. I think an announcement will be made sometime this week, as early as Monday. They will search for a new coach and eventually hire one. Will the change be better off? I do think it's time for Mumme to go, but a new coach won't miraculously turn the team around overnight. There is still a lot of building to be done.
Mumme was very loose, very laid back coach. I think the best fit will be someone who is tough, someone who will lay down ground rules and hold people accountable. The team has been soft in recent years, from the pass-happy offense to the flimsy defense. Toughness needs to be instilled. It's still hard to rap your arms around with NMSU under Mumme. They almost beat Louisiana Tech in LC, then they go out and lose to Utah State. Again, they lost 47-2. It's inconsistency like that that will drive you mad.
The team lost 47-2. I would almost them rather not have gotten the safety because that score is so ridiculous. I mean, it just looks like they packed it in. It's for reasons like this that coaches lose their jobs. I cannot believe NMSU lost at both Idaho and Utah State this year. For a team that was playing for their coach's future, that final score is all you need to know.
Mumme's postgame rant on the radio about nobody being on campus throughout the Thanksgiving week and his players hearing about all this stuff regarding his future as being distracting was just as bad. Where is the accountability? I would rather have a coach come out and say that the team was terrible and put the blame on his shoulders. There was none of that. Just excuses. He's not that kind of guy, I get it, but it doesn't look good when you get beat 47-2, immediately go on the radio, and don't shoulder responsibility. You gotta do that as the leader of the football team.
I don't think the situation at NMSU has been handled well this season. Everyone knew that Mumme was a lame duck coach and it played out for the second half of the season all the way until now. It was truly a soap opera surrounding the NMSU football team this year during conference play. I do feel for the players. They have absolutely no control over the Mumme situation but the team was effected by the events. How could they not be? Again, they lost to Utah State 47-2. Talk about a depressing way to go out.
So, where does the program go from here. I really believe Hal will be gone, but the events have dragged out for so long, I'm beginning to be skeptical. I think an announcement will be made sometime this week, as early as Monday. They will search for a new coach and eventually hire one. Will the change be better off? I do think it's time for Mumme to go, but a new coach won't miraculously turn the team around overnight. There is still a lot of building to be done.
Mumme was very loose, very laid back coach. I think the best fit will be someone who is tough, someone who will lay down ground rules and hold people accountable. The team has been soft in recent years, from the pass-happy offense to the flimsy defense. Toughness needs to be instilled. It's still hard to rap your arms around with NMSU under Mumme. They almost beat Louisiana Tech in LC, then they go out and lose to Utah State. Again, they lost 47-2. It's inconsistency like that that will drive you mad.
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