Do we need a Poly coach to keep the pipeline going?
- Thread starter CougEd
- Start date
I think it's obviously important to have ethnic diversity among our coaches, but you want coaches who can coach AND recruit. With that said, the fact that we don't have any Polynesian coaches currently is something we should look to remedy.
Not sure whether you are asking (i) if a Poly coach is necessary to keep the Poly pipeline going, or (ii) if it's necessary to keep the Poly pipeline going in recruiting, causing it to be advisable to hire a Poly coach. My answer to both questions is "no, but it helps."
More substantively, I don't think the "pipeline," as we knew it under Joe, is going to be maintained in that same manner or to that same extent by anyone, especially if you mean by recruiting against him directly. This isn't because he's unassailable or some perfect coach, but he had a rare, if not unique, reputation in AS and elsewhere. Also, for obvious reasons, he has ample negative recruiting material if he ever found himself in a recruiting battle with WSU for a Poly recruit.
More substantively, I don't think the "pipeline," as we knew it under Joe, is going to be maintained in that same manner or to that same extent by anyone, especially if you mean by recruiting against him directly. This isn't because he's unassailable or some perfect coach, but he had a rare, if not unique, reputation in AS and elsewhere. Also, for obvious reasons, he has ample negative recruiting material if he ever found himself in a recruiting battle with WSU for a Poly recruit.
Negative recruiting material, are you referring to what seems to be an overzealous police department and n over zealous standards board?
Yeah, basically. Without making a judgment here as to whether he'd be justified in doing so, it seems he'd play that card if he felt like he needed to in a recruiting battle (or, perhaps, he'd let it be played for him by implication). More generally, he's been around the program, the city, and the university for years now and knows most of the dirty laundry, to the extent there is any. Even if there is no dirty laundry to air or allude to, I think the negative recruiting can be as simple as "I moved here because [fill in the blank ... could be about all kinds of things, whether fair or not], so you may want to consider that too."
Depending on how much of a "good guy" he wants to be viewed as, he might throw in some platitudes about only having respect for Leach, appreciating WSU, etc., but really he just has to point to the fact he left for his new school. That says something on its own.
This is probably going to sound outlandish and is highly unlikely, but how about Mkristo Bruce? I realize he lacks college coaching experience, but the guy has a great personality and clearly understands how an effective d-line works. I bet he would be an effective recruiter. I know one 2018 recruit who would certainly listen to him. Mkristo is a Coug through and through.
He is not of the Leach tree. Gesser would be as effective recruiter and Dline coach as Bruce. It is an off the wall idea, but McGuire never played Oline.
I don't know that the Poly pipeline was all that substantial for WSU. In six years, WSU recruited 9 guys from American Samoa. No DL in the past four years from there. Luvu is the only high school recruit from there that was a gamechanger for us. Hercules (from Hawaii) was likely a Salave'a recruit as well so he counts. We want good Poly players on our team but we had them before Joe and we'll have them after Joe.
Article from Iowa
If you read the article (and it's a good read), it's obvious that Leach values Polynesian players and has for almost 30 years of his coaching career. People need to quit stressing.
Someone on another board mentioned Robb Akey, who was recently let go by the Washington Redskins. At first, I laughed when I read it, but when you think about his resume as a d-line coach, defensive coordinator, D-I head coach, and NFL assistant, you'd be hard pressed to find a more qualified candidate. Does he want to return to Pullman as a position coach? Probably not, but you never know.
We need a guy who can recruit well, and is a better than average position coach. Beyond that, it is negotiable.
Too much hand-wringing over the loss of one assistant coach. WSU has had Poly players since the mid-70's. It wasn't like Joe discovered American Samoa and all the cousins.
Time to move on.
Time to move on.
I'm sorry, but I get so tired of the posts suggesting some woefully unqualified former Coug player to coach for us. Mkristo is selling cars, or home loans or something. I don't think he's coached a day of football in his life. He certainly has no recruiting experience. Other than being a former player and a swell guy, his hire would make no sense whatsoever.
If he wants to get into coaching, he'd need to be a GA somewhere, or start coaching high school, then work his way up through the college ranks. D1 schools shouldn't be throwing out coaching opportunities to guys with literally zero experience.
If we're wanting to go the Poly route, I've suggested Joe Seumalo. He was a long time assistant under Riley, but didn't go with him to Nebraska. He spent a year at UNLV, and a year at ASU. ASU just hired a new DC, so Seumalo may be open to moving to a more stable situation. Plus, I believe he's "only" making $250K. We could probably offer more than that, considering we were set to pay Joe $400K. He'd fill the Poly void and then some.
