This is not a fire Kelly thread. It's the off-season. I'm bored and thinking about the future. I know Alford, has never been a coordinator, but I don't think that's a prerequisite needed to be a successful HFC. In today's age, HFC's are more like CEOs responsible for having excellent organizational skills, hiring the best people in the biz, and recruiting the best talent. We know Alford can recruit like no other and he seems like a good dude that assistant coaches won't mind working for. I'm uncertain about his leadership and organizational skills, as he's never had a HFC job. Thoughts???
Would you consider Tony Alford for HFC?
- Thread starter Shakin' Down the Thunder
- Start date
Not until he is at least an offensive coordinator never mind a head coach elsewhere.
He never was an OC. It was a ploy by Urban to get him to OSU. Even when Urban was out, Alford’s name was never mentioned to call plays, even though Day was handling HC duties. It’s clear we he ranks on the OSU “co-coordinator” totem pole.
No. Tony is an ace recruiter. One of the top 5-10 in the entire business... But nothing in his resume or experience base tells you that he's ready now, or will be ready in the future, to be a major college head football coach.
Maybe a school like Colorado State takes the chance on him as their head boss down the road, but not a P5 program.
Maybe a school like Colorado State takes the chance on him as their head boss down the road, but not a P5 program.
Being a coordinator or HC should definitely be a requisite for P5 jobs. Too much at stake to hire a candidate for HC and not have any idea how he handles play calling and in game adjustments.
I don't disagree with you. It'd be nice to see him go to a school like CSU and prove he can run a program before taking a big job. And I am very surprised he has yet to land a HFC just job. But I think you've either got the chops for it or you don't. Look at Dabo. He was just the WRs coach at Clemson before taking the HFC job. His resume was rather plain considering he'd only coached at Bama and Clemson and neither were powerhouses at the time.
TA was a terrific assistant coach and representative of ND while he was here, but it was clear BK didn't think he was OC material and Urban Meyer obviously came to the same conclusion at OSU. If he wants to move up the coaching ranks he needs to do something similar to what Denson did and go to a group of 5 school or an FCS program. A head coach doesn't have to be an X's and O's guy - maybe TA has CEO qualities we don't know about - but it sure helps.
Why does it have to be a prequiste? Look at what Kelly is doing now. He's being a CEO, focused on running the program, checking in with the players and letting the staff do their job. He's been completely hands off the offense, since Long came along and i think we can all agree this is the best stretch of 2 years he's had. My point is, I don't see how how success as a coordinator is a good predictor of success as an HFC. I'd be more interested in their ability to organize, lead, hire the best assistants, and recruit.
It's not.
But...its the internet and inTRAnet still to some so that means everyone is an expert.
There are people on this very board right now that could do a good job of it.
He may or may not be good at it.
Not every good coach went up some ladder of job titles until getting the top spot and succeeding.
See the problem is too many fan want the reward but don't want a risk. It's like they want to look in a crystal ball after reading the resume.
Doesn't work like that.
Success requires risk.
BK found assistants to work within his coaching philosophy. Without HC or coordinator experience you get no view of what their philosophy even is. I am not saying those are requisites to be a head coach. I am saying for a P5 school with a 2-3 window the risk that the hire fails is so high I dont see how you can take it.
I would hire Mike Elston in a heartbeat at ND. I still think ND missed a golden opportunity when Father Ted passed on Tom Pagna in 1974. War Horses tend to be great at whatever they do in life. I think Coach Elston would be great at ND.
"I still think ND missed a golden opportunity when Father Ted passed on Tom Pagna in 1974."
While Pagna may have been a good HC, Father Ted kind of did alright with Devine though!
Elston would be an intriguing option. He seems like a players coach that you love to work hard for. He's another guy that I'm surprised hasn't landed a HFC job yet. He may he content with being an assistant though. It'd be tough for me to see a Michigan alumni as the HFC of ND. I'm not saying that's a good reason not to hire him, but man it just doesn't sit well with me.
No way to Alford and no way to anyone as a first time HC here.
c'mon that's not exactly fair now is it. The game and the job of head coach are way different now then 100 years ago.
Rockne had arguably the most innovative mind of his time. That strength would suit him well in today's coaching, so no, he likely wouldn't suck and, in fact, he likely would be elite, but that doesn't change the fact that his path to becoming a HC would likely be different today compared to 100 years ago.
Who knows? Would depend on if his traits translated to the occupation now. It's like asking if a all-timer trial lawyer in the 1920s would be a top end trial lawyer today with the effect technology has on the profession and the increase in rule structure. I think he would probably be good but I am not going to hire Alford because of it.
