Couple things

[MRICoug]

I feel like we go off the rails as a fan base at times, and I just thought I would try to organize my thoughts on the state of the program right now.

Joe is gone - While I like him, and enjoyed some of the Poly access he brought...has anyone felt like we have, at any time since he came here, had a dominant DL? We have had some decent pieces, but I have never felt anyone was scared of our DL in any way. Perhaps that gets better with new blood in there. There are a huge amount of talented DL coaches out there, Joe did not have that on lock down. Poly players are nnice, but plenty of teams i.e. the entire east coast and most of the midwest deal with finding non-poly guys that can play. I feel we will be fine here.

WR coach to Purdue- weird, but going home again to work for a guy he is familiar with. Similar to Joe, has anyone felt our WR really lived up to the hype outside of Gabe and Craycraft? And both of those guys were pretty self motivated to begin with. If the replacement can get some of that YAC mentality to really come through...well...it could just be an upgrade there as well.

Bottom line is that we are now officially a winning program, if not a dominant one. I am looking forward to what the new faces bring more than lamenting the loss of the old ones. We could just find a great formula and really be in the thick of the conference race again. I could certainly live with that.

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

I think the fear of the unknown is justified. We are not a program that can open up uncle Phil's wallet and cherry pick the "best" coaches from around the country. Most of our coaching hires are somewhat of a risk as we are hiring up and comers who may or may not succeed at this level.

 

[BiggsCoug]

I feel like we go off the rails as a fan base at times, and I just thought I would try to organize my thoughts on the state of the program right now.

Joe is gone - While I like him, and enjoyed some of the Poly access he brought...has anyone felt like we have, at any time since he came here, had a dominant DL? We have had some decent pieces, but I have never felt anyone was scared of our DL in any way. Perhaps that gets better with new blood in there. There are a huge amount of talented DL coaches out there, Joe did not have that on lock down. Poly players are nnice, but plenty of teams i.e. the entire east coast and most of the midwest deal with finding non-poly guys that can play. I feel we will be fine here.

WR coach to Purdue- weird, but going home again to work for a guy he is familiar with. Similar to Joe, has anyone felt our WR really lived up to the hype outside of Gabe and Craycraft? And both of those guys were pretty self motivated to begin with. If the replacement can get some of that YAC mentality to really come through...well...it could just be an upgrade there as well.

Bottom line is that we are now officially a winning program, if not a dominant one. I am looking forward to what the new faces bring more than lamenting the loss of the old ones. We could just find a great formula and really be in the thick of the conference race again. I could certainly live with that.

There is no shortage of coaching talent. There is a shortage of head coaches able to find, identify and develop coaching talent.

 

[MRICoug]

There is no shortage of coaching talent. There is a shortage of head coaches able to find, identify and develop coaching talent.

True, but Leach has shown himself to be one who can do so. Did it really feel much different to you when Yost or Harrell left? Grinch has made a huge impact (and I hope he has lead on the DL coaching search), for the most part our coaches seem to be doing a good job, and we have not just stuck with under-performing coaches for years on end. I like that.

 

[MRICoug]

I think the fear of the unknown is justified. We are not a program that can open up uncle Phil's wallet and cherry pick the "best" coaches from around the country. Most of our coaching hires are somewhat of a risk as we are hiring up and comers who may or may not succeed at this level.

I think it used to be justified. WSU has been paying appropriately for the position(s) of our staff lately and that makes a big difference. Joe was not underpaid, if anything Oregon over paid to get him. I think we can attract a decent pool of candidates, especially with the penchant for coaches who tutor under him to get opportunities to advance in the coaching ranks.

 

[cr8zyncalif]

Oregon's overall DT recruiting classes over the past several years have had "epic fail" stamped on them. Joe can bring in some guys. At this point Whoregon is desperate and paid accordingly.

We had good but not great D lines during his tenure. And as MRI noted, you could say the same for our WR corps. Our head coach has some cache. He will get good guys.