Analysis: Is Kevin Wilson on the hot seat?

[KelleyHoosh 2,263]

Something I think that plays into the peripheral of this topic is the complete lack of student fan support. I mean seriously my local high school team drew a much better crowd student wise anyway. Kids tailgate super hard, aren't a cohesive student unit like at Notre Dame or big football schools, and leave by halftime. Its frustrating and I'm sure isn't a good look to recruits. Who wants to be part of a program nobody is excited about? 

If our student body gets more immersed in the football team and started to care more, I think football players would be more inclined to feel something was being built and take a chance on IU. I like the move to have a night game, I think it may play well

[Brass Cannon 24,068]

Cam Cameron    1997-2001    5 seasons    18 wins 37 losses

Gerry DiNardo     2002-2004    3 seasons      8 wins 27 losses

Terry Hoeppner    Unfair to compare because of the circumstances

Bill Lynch             2007-2010    4 seasons     19 wins 30 losses

Kevin Wilson        2011 +          3 seasons      10 wins 26 losses

 

My point isn't to defend Coach Wilson but to say that maybe 4 years isn't enough with a football program given the number of different positions that have to be filled unlike a basketball team.  And if we want to roll our football coach every 3-5 years, then I don't think we should expect the results to be much different from that shown above.

So the fact we have made poor coaching decisions in the past should be a reason why we stick with another poor choice too long?

 

You don't get 8 or 9 years to produce a winning season.  Its just ludicrous. 

 

There a common link between the four coaches that didn't build a team that went to a bowl game.  And thats none of them had a track record of success. 

 

Hell only Dinardo had any experience as a head coach, and he had only like 2 winning seasons out of 9. 

 

 

Coach Hep is the one who built that Bowl Team.  He built it in 3 years.  Hep had demonstrated an ability to build winners.  That is what we need.  Somebody who has built successful teams before. 

[IU Hoosier41 14,465]

Hot seat? No. Incredibly warm seat? Absolutely. Your points are valid, but I'm also confident that if we do go through a coaching change, the next coach will be even better than Wilson. The basis of player talent is much higher than when Wilson took over and will be more attractive than years past (relative to IU only, not comparing to any others school).

I disagree. I think we are SOOO much less attractive after we went to the two divisions... There isn't a coach in their right mind that would want to come in to those 4 gauntlet games every year. That being said, a coach not in their right mind is just the kind of coach we probably need.

[IndyHutch 1,718]

So the fact we have made poor coaching decisions in the past should be a reason why we stick with another poor choice too long?

You don't get 8 or 9 years to produce a winning season. Its just ludicrous.

There a common link between the four coaches that didn't build a team that went to a bowl game. And thats none of them had a track record of success.

Hell only Dinardo had any experience as a head coach, and he had only like 2 winning seasons out of 9.


Coach Hep is the one who built that Bowl Team. He built it in 3 years. Hep had demonstrated an ability to build winners. That is what we need. Somebody who has built successful teams before.

Wilson's record is actually 14-34 in four seasons.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 81,083]

Wilson's record is actually 14-34 in four seasons.

Thanks for the correction.. Didn't check my facts carefully enough.

[jmsgws 2,030]

Wilson's record is actually 14-34 in four seasons.

Well, hell.  Why did we ever get rid of Bill Lynch, then?  

[johnsoniu 6,064]

 

 

Coach Hep is the one who built that Bowl Team.  He built it in 3 years.  Hep had demonstrated an ability to build winners.  That is what we need.  Somebody who has built successful teams before. 

 

Valid points. But coaches that have demonstrated success aren't lining up in FGs office inquiring about the HC job. Hep was Hoosier at heart, that's the reason we were able to get him. Of current up and comers, Rod Carey is the only one we would have a shot at, and even then I doubt he'd finish his second cup of coffee before moving on up.

 

KWs contract is for three more season counting this one. We either need to extend or cut bait because recruiting to IU as a coach with an uncertain future is going to be a predictably horrible situation. If we win 5 and are competitive, I'm good with an extension. Wilson has proven he can recruit decently enough to have the talent to battle for a bowl bid yearly. I'm fine with that, baby steps.

Four wins or less and we get to play coaching roulette again.May the football gods take pity on us.

 

and welcome aboard to Terry, glad to have you here. Always enjoy your passion for IU sports.

[HoosierReb01 7,511]

So the fact we have made poor coaching decisions in the past should be a reason why we stick with another poor choice too long?

 

You don't get 8 or 9 years to produce a winning season.  Its just ludicrous. 

 

There a common link between the four coaches that didn't build a team that went to a bowl game.  And thats none of them had a track record of success. 

 

Hell only Dinardo had any experience as a head coach, and he had only like 2 winning seasons out of 9. 

 

 

Coach Hep is the one who built that Bowl Team.  He built it in 3 years.  Hep had demonstrated an ability to build winners.  That is what we need.  Somebody who has built successful teams before. 

I remember seeing a quote from Urban Meyer where he stated that there is no rebuilding programs in college coaching, you had better pick the right job in the first place. Your thoughts are the reason why, 3 years to get it done or your out. A smart coach then has to either take over a winning program or he has to take over a program that someone else was rebuilding and left him a good base to be successful, because he's never going to get the 5, 6, 7 years it takes to do it himself. CKW is probably on the clock as far as getting it done, but its just ridiculous to think that he should have taken the train wreck that was IU football and turned it into a successful program already. 

 

There are very few coaches that are such motivators, and have the ability to adapt their system to the abilities of a previous administrations recruits, that they can be immediately successful in 3-4 years. Hep seems to have been one, Jerry Kill is another one. CKW cleaned house and basically chose to start from scratch. He is just now hitting the spot where that should start to pay off. 

 

So the options are basically this.

 

A: Stick with CKW for another year or two and see whether he is the guy and if his work is going to pay off.

 

B: Start over, and hope to get a coach that can utilize CKW's work successfully. 

 

If you go with B, you have to hire a coach with a somewhat similar style, to avoid the rebuilding program again. If the new coach has to wait 3-4 years to bring in the style of players who fit his system, we'll be back on the coaching carousel again by then. 

 

My conclusion is this: We stick with option A. IU is not a destination football coaching job, hell, its not even a good football coaching job. While there is always a "right" guy out there somewhere, the odds are that he's not looking at IU. Fire CKW, and more than likely we are looking at hiring from a pool of lackluster head coach retreads with so-so career histories or hope to catch a rising star of a assistant. We are not going to get a successful coach and quality assistants to waste 3 years here at bottom of the B1G pay rates. This is bite the bullet time and see what happens. 

 

While its time for IU fans to have some expectations and not being willing to settle for 3-4 wins every year, thinking that the "miracle" coach is lining up to take this job is ludicrous.

[jmsgws 2,030]

 

KWs contract is for three more season counting this one. 

If there are two more seasons after this one, an extension now is silly, and I don't think our AD is even considering it, after he already blundered with an unwarranted extension for the BB coach.  I don't think an extension is warranted unless there is a winning season.  

  

 

[IndyHutch 1,718]

If there are two more seasons after this one, an extension now is silly, and I don't think our AD is even considering it, after he already blundered with an unwarranted extension for the BB coach. I don't think an extension is warranted unless there is a winning season.

So what happens if they go 6-6, sneak into some low level bowl played on Dec. 17 (or somewhere out of the limelight) and now his record is 20-40 through five years?

Extension or no extension?

[jmsgws 2,030]

So what happens if they go 6-6, sneak into some low level bowl played on Dec. 17 (or somewhere out of the limelight) and now his record is 20-40 through five years?

Extension or no extension?

I still say no extension. 

He would still have two years left on his contract.  

 

[IndyHutch 1,718]

I still say no extension. 

He would still have two years left on his contract.  

 

 

I understand the sentiment that it's hard for coaches to recruit with only a couple of years left on their contract but if that was indeed the scenario I would probably agree with you.

 

Now, if IU went 8-4, for example, and got into a better bowl game then I might think an extension after the 2015 season could be in order. What do you think?

[jmsgws 2,030]

I understand the sentiment that it's hard for coaches to recruit with only a couple of years left on their contract but if that was indeed the scenario I would probably agree with you.

 

Now, if IU went 8-4, for example, and got into a better bowl game then I might think an extension after the 2015 season could be in order. What do you think?

That would meet my requirement of a winning season.  :)  I would give him an extension at even 7 - 5 with a crappy bowl game.  

That being said.  I would not go overboard and give him a 5 - 7 year extension.  I would go 2 years with a HUGE buyout if he goes to another program.  

I know that you are tied a lot more into recruiting than I, but is having 4 years or more on a contract really that big a deal to kids?  I would think most kids wouldn't care, because they realize that coaches come and go all the time.

[ThompsonHoosier 3,413]

I understand the sentiment that it's hard for coaches to recruit with only a couple of years left on their contract but if that was indeed the scenario I would probably agree with you.

Now, if IU went 8-4, for example, and got into a better bowl game then I might think an extension after the 2015 season could be in order. What do you think?

I say anything better than 7-5 and he deserves and extension. Although I would not give him a 5 year extension; maybe 2 years...that puts him through 2019.

[IndyHutch 1,718]

I say anything better than 7-5 and he deserves and extension. Although I would not give him a 5 year extension; maybe 2 years...that puts him through 2019.

 

Not many coaches would take a 2-year extension. My guess is it would be a minimum of 4 years.

[Brass Cannon 24,068]

No extension for Wilson until he's down to one year left and that is only with a bowl game the next 2 years.

If he goes to a bowl game and then we just regress back I will have to just say the bowl was a fluke

[hoosierwhodey 1,256]

No extension for Wilson until he's down to one year left and that is only with a bowl game the next 2 years.

If he goes to a bowl game and then we just regress back I will have to just say the bowl was a fluke

If he makes a bowl and we don't extend he will leave. No coach can't be expected to recruit at a high level bring in a lame duck status.

If he gets to a bowl and you believe he is the guy, then you extend. If not move on. You can't just let the contract run out.

[IU Hoosier41 14,465]

6-6 = no extension
7-5 = extension

We just need a damn bowl game to get some momentum. I always think we'll run the non conference table and every year I'm disappointed.

Am I alone that I wish I liked another college football team? I won't lie and say I get jealous of my friends from the south who are as passionate about college football as I am about basketball. I hope we can some day get to that point.

I'm tired of blocking off my schedule on Saturdays for the first hour of IU games once we hit the big ten season. It's normally a decent chance after that first hour I won't be glued to the TV anymore.

[IndyHutch 1,718]

6-6 = no extension
7-5 = extension

We just need a damn bowl game to get some momentum. I always think we'll run the non conference table and every year I'm disappointed.

Am I alone that I wish I liked another college football team? I won't lie and say I get jealous of my friends from the south who are as passionate about college football as I am about basketball. I hope we can some day get to that point.

I'm tired of blocking off my schedule on Saturdays for the first hour of IU games once we hit the big ten season. It's normally a decent chance after that first hour I won't be glued to the TV anymore.

 

The one that gets me is some of these elite programs who go 8-4 and talk about what a terrible year they had, and if IU ever went 8-4 they'd throw a parade.

 

It's all a matter of perspective.

[jmsgws 2,030]

6-6 = no extension
7-5 = extension

We just need a damn bowl game to get some momentum. I always think we'll run the non conference table and every year I'm disappointed.

Am I alone that I wish I liked another college football team? I won't lie and say I get jealous of my friends from the south who are as passionate about college football as I am about basketball. I hope we can some day get to that point.

I'm tired of blocking off my schedule on Saturdays for the first hour of IU games once we hit the big ten season. It's normally a decent chance after that first hour I won't be glued to the TV anymore.

 

 

The one that gets me is some of these elite programs who go 8-4 and talk about what a terrible year they had, and if IU ever went 8-4 they'd throw a parade.

 

It's all a matter of perspective.

 You guys need to come live in Wisconsin like me.  Since the mid 90's  I always had to hear about how much better UW was in Football.   Now I have to hear it about Basketball, too...  :)