Who would UND hire?

[sioux24/7]

Can we afford Caruso?

[Shawn-O]

4 minutes ago, KBH2010 said:

As much as I love playing the tail numbers game. I highly doubt UND is shelling out the cash for private jets before the position has closed. 

I think there could be some in kind donations happening 

[Oxbow6]

Just now, Shawn-O said:

I think there could be some in kind donations happening 

Chavez bein thoro

[Shawn-O]

With all of our aviation connections flying candidates around on a whim is the least of our worries 

[Dustin]

14 minutes ago, SiouxFan100 said:

What are the hopes for the new head coach as far as how deep we get into the fcs playoffs after two years, three years, four years.  What are the expectations?

Hosting (and winning) a top 8 seed game in first 3 years. 

[UND1983]

Caruso isn’t it.  Schmidt is a way better candidate.  Or Johansen

[gfhockey]

1 minute ago, UND1983 said:

Caruso isn’t it.  Schmidt is a way better candidate.  Or Johansen

Lot of flights coming and going to cities

[The Sicatoka]

Just now, gfhockey said:

Lot of flights coming and going to cities

It’s a day of the week that ends in Y. 

[MinnDak]

I’m not sure how it works but a head coach with more experience often has up and coming and younger coaches with them to pass the torch. I have no idea how well that works or how you interview for that. But then locally Freud and Roehl both were in that spot but left. Those two were strong coaches behind the scenes for a pretty long stretch. 

[Cratter]

Chaves is a mastermind. And everyone should be kissing his feet. Blinded by hatred because your football coach wasn't winning as many games as we'd like!

Ya'll talking about how the contract extension was stupid and we could never afford to get rid of Bubba.

But the guy not only was able to get rid of Bubba the second he missed the playoffs, but he simultaneously created a new position that the university has to pay for to help UND Football! 

They'll name monuments and buildings after the guy!

[UND-FB-FAN]

23 minutes ago, UND1983 said:

Schmidt is a way better candidate.  Or Johansen

USD defense (Johansen) can at least stop opponents and wins games. Schmidt’s defenses have been awful, both at UND and now at San Diego State. 

[Oxbow6]

8 minutes ago, Cratter said:

Chaves is a mastermind. And everyone should be kissing his feet. Blinded by hatred because your football coach wasn't winning as many games as we'd like!

Ya'll talking about how the contract extension was stupid and we could never afford to get rid of Bubba.

But the guy not only was able to get rid of Bubba the second he missed the playoffs, but he simultaneously created a new position that the university has to pay for to help UND Football! 

They'll name monuments and buildings after the guy!

It's Chavez. Get it right or sit this one out!

[NCsiouxfan1733]

9 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

USD defense (Johansen) can at least stop opponents and wins games. Schmidt’s defenses have been awful, both at UND and now at San Diego State. 

The more I see about Schmidt, makes me not as excited about him being the future HC, if he is. Obviously I’d support him if he is, but sounds a lot like what we’ve already had. 

[jdub27]

13 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

USD defense (Johansen) can at least stop opponents and wins games. Schmidt’s defenses have been awful, both at UND and now at San Diego State. 

He's also been the DC for 6 years and the first 3-4 were nothing to write home about. The last 2 have been very good though. I think he's a good candidate, no clue if he's interested though 

 

[SiouxFan100]

Wouldn’t the defensive coordinator have more to do with how the defense performs? The head coaches job would be to find a great dc.

[UNDTIM20]

I heard Danny Freund was in town today.

[Hawkster]

13 minutes ago, UNDTIM20 said:

I heard Danny Freund was in town today.

He's not my choice.   Hopefully he just visiting family.

[iramurphy]

4 minutes ago, Hawkster said:

He's not my choice.   Hopefully he just visiting family.

Only if he brings the RR lineman back with him. 

[ND-fan]

The idea of all these people coming town in three day period seems unrealistic to me. My bet a lot of these interviews are being done on Skype and then finalist will fly in for in person interview.  I am just guessing but it’s probably down to two or three candidates and number of people mentioned on here may never apply with openings in the country and coming openings on such short notice. I can tell you it’s just no the job but if spouse and family are willing to pack move to Northern North Dakota. This is not to mention compensation package we’re offering and what they are being paid or will be offered elsewhere. My hope it’s somebody that can recruit and is willing to build program into something special.

[Sioux94]

3 hours ago, SiouxFan100 said:

What are the hopes for the new head coach as far as how deep we get into the fcs playoffs after two years, three years, four years.  What are the expectations?

I think whoever it is will have equaled Bubba's playoff win total in 11 years, by his second season. 

[Cratter]

Hopefully it turns out better for him than it did for Brad Berry, who doubled Hakstols Frozen Four win total in his first year.

[CMSioux]

6 hours ago, UNDTIM20 said:

I heard Danny Freund was in town today.

Too soon to bring him back. I also bet he is happy where he is. 

[UND-FB-FAN]

8 hours ago, jdub27 said:

He's also been the DC for 6 years and the first 3-4 were nothing to write home about. The last 2 have been very good though. I think he's a good candidate, no clue if he's interested though 

 

I agree, which is why I actually think USD’s OC is a better candidate than their DC. Josh Davis literally has won everywhere he has been and USD’s turnaround actually coincides with his hiring for 2023. 
 

My top #7 (if these were to all apply and be interested, which I have no idea if they will):

#1 Beau Baldwin - issues are age, perhaps, and poor performances his past few seasons (Arizona State, Cal Poly), but he did excellent as a head coach at EWU and did quite well as OC at Cal. He’s my #1 because of proven track record as a head coach. 

 

#2 Luke Schleusner - successful runs as offensive staff member at SDSU, knows UND and the Midwest, and as of late, he’s been doing very well as OC at Idaho. No head coaching experience, which is negative compared to Baldwin, but he’s a good recruiter and teacher, really a young innovative offensive mind in college football with the age and future prospects to look to move up and bring UND to new heights on that journey upward. As for defense, he could bring defensive assistant coach Hunter Hughes (2011 Football Scoop Division II Coordinator of the Year and Former West Texas A&M Head Coach) with him from Idaho. 

 

#3 Todd Hoffner

Up in years which is only drawback otherwise he’s a North Dakota guy, has a degree from UND, and has had tremendous success at Minnesota State as the head coach.

 

#4 Josh Davis - USD

Turnaround for USD really started in 2023 with his hiring as their OC. Has extensive experience with SDSU prior to USD. No HC experience but obviously knows the Midwest and the Dakotas very well. 

 

#5 Travis Johansen - USD

No HC experience but his defenses have rejuvenated USD the past couple seasons. 

 

#6 Eric Schmidt 

Nice that he’s been on successful staffs with Kalen DeBoer lately, but his track record as a defensive coordinator is not good. Period. SDSU defense awful in 2024, and last DC season before that was with UND in 2019 which ended with Nicholls State (that’s right, Nicholls State) running all over UND. Could not yield a playoff win for UND despite 6 seasons at UND. I’d pass based on poor defensive coordinator record, and don’t want to hire a guy based on who he knows from time with DeBoer rather than what he is capable of doing himself. Also he’s never been a collegiate head coach and have to think he’d draw from his experiences with Bubba. 

 

#7 Brent Bolte

Only been at Bemidji St really, to be honest, and he’s had no real consistent playoff success until this season. He’s been a winning head coach, but no signifiant championship seasons. He has potential but not as much as more proven HC winners like Baldwin and Hoffner, and I don’t see him as innovative and connected as Schleusner and Schmidt.

[sioux24/7]

1 hour ago, CMSioux said:

Too soon to bring him back. I also bet he is happy where he is. 

Why is it too soon? If this would have happened last year, I think he’d be our head coach right now. I don’t think he will be the guy now but I do think that will be a mistake. I know he only has one year outside of UND so it goes against the outsider want. Idk if I was the AD I’d hitch my name to his. Think he’s going to be a star. 

[UND-FB-FAN]

Just now, sioux24/7 said:

Why is it too soon? If this would have happened last year, I think he’d be our head coach right now. I don’t think he will be the guy now but I do think that will be a mistake. I know he only has one year outside of UND so it goes against the outsider want. Idk if I was the AD I’d hitch my name to his. Think he’s going to be a star. 

Same argument as Fruechte. If he was the answer, why wasn’t UND winning playoff games and championships with him and Bubba from 2014-2023?  
 

No thanks, need new ideas and a new philosophy, and these guys from the Bubba coaching tree (Eric Schmidt, Danny Freund, even to a degree Isaac Fruechte) don’t offer that.