PFL HFC Vacancies Being Filled

[VULB#62]

In addition to Mike Minter coming in at Campbell next season, Morehead just released news that on Thursday 12/13 they will announce their new HFC.  I'll add more on that as the news is released.

That leaves just Davidson.  Once Davidson hires their new guy, we'll know a little more about what we're up against in year four of the VU football rebuilding program.

[usc4valpo]

One thing these schools will have is fresh enthusiasm and drive to recruit and move forward.   It will be interesting to see if we see this same drive and enthusiasm at Valpo with year 4.

[VULB#62]

I'll add more on that as the news is released.

Appears they promoted an assistant from within.

[covufan]

Before Valpo can recruit, the coaching staff needs to be solidified.  Have there been any announcements on new coaches or coordinators?

[VULB#62]

I haven't heard anything.  Didn't see any changes on the FB website either.

[VULB#62]

I'll add more on that as the news is released.

Appears they promoted an assistant from within.

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Rob Tenyer, who has served as an assistant football coach at Morehead State University the past 12 seasons, has been named the 14th head coach in school history.

"I am pleased that Coach Tenyer accepted the position," Morehead State President Dr. Wayne D. Andrews said.  "We were deliberate in our search.  His enthusiasm for the position and our young men is evident.  It is exciting to consider the future of Morehead State football with Rob at the helm."

Tenyer has served as Morehead State's offensive coordinator the past two years after four seasons as recruiting coordinator.  He has coached running backs all 12 years with the Eagles, in addition to stints as receivers coach, strength & conditioning coordinator and equipment coordinator.

Tenyer has 15 years of collegiate recruiting experience, including 12 at the Division I level.  He has also been the football staff's academic liaison the past two years, where he annually monitored and assisted 100+ student-athletes in their pursuit of degrees at Morehead State.

"Rob earned this opportunity, it wasn't handed to him," Morehead State Director of Athletics Brian Hutchinson said.  "He has always exhibited tremendous passion for our program and when I began to think about who should lead it, it became evident that Rob had the requisite experience and plan to do so.  I was particularly impressed with his preparation and vision for our team's success."


I view this as a commitment to the Status Quo on Morehead's part and it might bode a little bit in Valpo's favor next season.  Usually a program will promote an assistant when a team is winning and the HFC leaves for greener pastures or retires.  But to promote an assistant from the existing staff when the program has been in trouble, as Morehead obviously thought it was, does not, IMO, send an emphatic message.  Could be wrong and this guy could be great and just needed the chance.  But he was already there, so MSU could get off a bit cheaper and not have to make improvement promises to entice him.   

[VULB#62]

       Popped over to the Davidson Gridiron forum, because I was curious about why no new HFC announcement yet despite the firing with 2 games left.  If you change the colors of the site and substitute the name Valpo for Davidson while reading the 4 pages of comments by posters you would think that you were reading our Valpo Fan forum.  The exact concerns and complaints.  The same comments about being a highly respected academic institution, etc. etc.  A lot of their people are ticked because it's taking so long after the early firing saying that, if you cut a guy before the season ends there must have been a plan, but because no one has been hired, there couldn't have been one and the firing was premature.  They also bemoan their poor facilities.  The AD is taking a lot of flack.

[usc4valpo]

I have to agree with 62, but Davidson is one step ahead of us in improving their football program. 

[VULB#62]

And now USD is looking for an new HFC.  So that's 4 new coaches and we face three of them in 2013.

USD's Ron Caragher accepted the head football coaching position at San Jose State University. Gene Bleymaier, the Spartans' director of athletics made the announcement at a 2:00 p.m. press conference this afternoon on the campus of San Jose State University in San Jose, California.

That's quite a jump -- PFL to a FBS team.  Ironic, he has followed the same path up the coast as Harbaugh when he jumped from USD to Stanford.  SJSU is only 30 or so miles from Palo Alto.

Here's the PFL link:

http://pioneer-football.org/news/archives/2012/832/san-diego-head-coach-ron-caragher-named-new-san-jose-state-head-coach/

[usc4valpo]

Jim Harbaugh jumped from the PFL to Stanford, so why not?  Harbaugh is one of the premier football coaches in the NFL.

Guys, there's nothing wrong with change.  Hey Valpo AD and administration, there's nothing wrong with change!

[milanmiracle]

CHANGE?... This clown still has the DAVIDSON game posted on the Blog. Are you kidding me? Beyond embarassing.

And then he wonders why the team doesn't "finish plays"...you lead by example.

[valpotx]

I don't think this is abuse in the least.  Anyone that makes a campus visit knows about the football facilities beforehand, and coaches should be given a chance of 3-4 seasons before making a decision to fire at this level.  The guys coming to Valpo for football are not superstars who should be expecting a top tier program based on recent results.  If they were superstars in the first place, they wouldn't be going 1-AA non-scholarship anyways.  Not trying to knock our players, but rather bring us back to reality that we are a non-scholarship program, whose true main money-maker is basketball, not football.

[VULB#62]

Not to pile on, but the FB web page is fine and is commensurate with the coverage given other sports by the athletic department IMO.  I wouldn't call the current condition abuse either.  But where I agree with Laura is in the frustration over the lack of progress -- the kids have been under-served and promises (either implied or actual) have not been kept.  Three or four wins in year three is not too much to expect and then the complaints over the reality of poor facilities, etc.  become less of a concern and the focus moves to where it should be -- the kids and the coaches and the push to get over the .500 hump.  In 2012 in addition to Campbell, St. Joe's and Davidson should have been in the win column and in both cases the coaching decisions and lack of discipline (coaching again) can be identified as the critical factor.  In addition the incredible blow-outs continued (PA, at 497,  were only 17 fewer than year #1 -- Hello!!!).

[IndyValpo]

This whole Carlson tenure makes me ill. Besides theBlog he quit on, just look at the quality of our football page compared to other PFL teams. What does the AD think the outcome will be next year? NEVER have I seen such INSTITUTIONAL ABUSE of a group of student athletes as has occurred here at Valpo. From Coaches (Carlson) to facilities to support. these athletes have been abandoned. I tip my hat to the players who so love the game that they have NOT QUIT.

OK Laura we all know you have an axe to grind.  Perhaps on reflection you will see that this is a little over the top.  Given what has happened recently, a group of college football players playing in average facilities, with an average coach and an average website hardly seems to rise to your level of attack.  This from someone who agrees we need a coaching change. 

As far as the blog, review what other coaches at Valpo do.  In that light, Carlson is light years ahead of everyone else.  The website in general has some problems.  We have had no media guide updates for some sports in 2 years. 

[usc4valpo]

Laura, I really like your passion and concern about this team.  You have some guts to speak out on a bad situation that some do not want to discuss or admit.  Obviously, this football program is in a sad state of disarray and requires an enema.

However, there is no abuse going on.  Valpo would never abuse students and I think you went overboard. Valpo is a decent school. It is not a perfect institution, but they have decent values.   Overall, Valpo as an instituion is doing well.  These players coming in to Valpo know that this program is bad.    They now know the coaching is bad, not average, bad.  If these student athletes come to Valpo primarily to play football, then they are either desperate or stupid.  If they are failing in their academics because of football, blame it on the students, not the university.  That being said, a school with decent values should not go on, ignore the facts and say "all is well" with this football program.


Valpo is a decent school, I would recommend it to many.  But regarding coming to Valpo for football, that's another story.  It's obvious that there is no committment to success.

[VULB#62]

Davidson is set to announce their next HFC this morning.  Meanwhile Minter at Campbell has filled out his staff -- retained the previous OC and looks to be placing heavy emphasis on defense.  That's not surprising given his background and personalty.

[VULB#62]

3-41 after next year. Then a new coach? 4-51 after year 5? New coach then hired . Needs time to get his people and his system in. A lost decade. This team has been abandoned maybe that was a better choice of words. Institutional Abandonment.

If the current staff  produces at least 3 wins and keeps scores in all but maybe UND and Wagner within, say, 14 points, they'll probably return for year 5.  Even with 3 wins, if the blow-outs continue, the HFC stands a good chance of being let go.  With blowouts continuing together with less than three wins, then I've got to believe the change will be made at the end of the 2013 season.  Failing to do so would certainly indicate "institutional abandonment."

My spread sheet is ready to go (click on it to enlarge).  Look, no losses!

[VULB#62]

From the Davidson web site:

DAVIDSON, N.C. - Paul Nichols '03, who as a student-athlete in 2000 quarterbacked Davidson to its first-and-only undefeated season, is returning to his alma mater to serve as the football program's 27th head coach, Director of Athletics Jim Murphy announced Friday.

Nichols, a coach at the Football Bowl Subdivision level since 2004, becomes the youngest head coach in all of NCAA Division I football at age 31.

We don't play Davidson this year, but it's good to know information.  Nichols inherits Sr. QB Jonathan Carkhuff who threw for 400 yards on 37 for 56 (66%)  passing against the Crusaders in that OT loss. They'll win a few in year one.

[milanmiracle]

3-41 after next year. Then a new coach? 4-51 after year 5? New coach then hired . Needs time to get his people and his system in. A lost decade. This team has been abandoned maybe that was a better choice of words. Institutional Abandonment.

If the current staff  produces at least 3 wins and keeps scores in all but maybe UND and Wagner within, say, 14 points, they'll probably return for year 5.  Even with 3 wins, if the blow-outs continue, the HFC stands a good chance of being let go.  With blowouts continuing together with less than three wins, then I've got to believe the change will be made at the end of the 2013 season.  Failing to do so would certainly indicate "institutional abandonment."

My spread sheet is ready to go (click on it to enlarge).  Look, no losses!

I don't think the record matters at this point. Whatever contract he signed, he'll finish. Under no circumstances do I see VU buying him out. It's not possible to be worse than this, so the losing won't influence this decision.

[milanmiracle]

I don't think this is abuse in the least.  Anyone that makes a campus visit knows about the football facilities beforehand, and coaches should be given a chance of 3-4 seasons before making a decision to fire at this level.  The guys coming to Valpo for football are not superstars who should be expecting a top tier program based on recent results.  If they were superstars in the first place, they wouldn't be going 1-AA non-scholarship anyways.  Not trying to knock our players, but rather bring us back to reality that we are a non-scholarship program, whose true main money-maker is basketball, not football.

Are we sure about that? Getting 100 kids to pay their own way and buy a portion of their equipment makes the football program pretty profitable. It's not like they're spending money on the facilities. It's my understanding those YSU beating pay nicely.

[VULB#62]

I don't think the record matters at this point. Whatever contract he signed, he'll finish. Under no circumstances do I see VU buying him out. It's not possible to be worse than this, so the losing won't influence this decision.

I don't know; IMO it comes back to piling embarrassment upon the university.  As you pointed out in your next post, the annual FCS beat-downs pay handsomely, and there is no scholarship budget to worry about.  There could be enough left over for a buy-out at the end of 2013.  I checked the web sites of the three coaches who were let go this season and only the Morehead HFC appears to have been in a non-renewal situation.  Both Davidson and Campbell appeared to release the incumbent prior to the completion of their contracts.

DAVIDSON, N.C. – Tripp Merritt will be released from his contract as Davidson's head football coach at the end of the season and has been relieved of his coaching responsibilities for the remaining two games, Director of Athletics Jim Murphy announced Monday.

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State Director of Athletics Brian Hutchinson has announced that Head Football Coach Matt Ballard's contract will not be renewed after it expires in December.  Ballard served as head coach of the Eagles for 19 seasons and an assistant for four additional years.

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The administration of Campbell University announced today that head football coach Dale Steele will be released at the conclusion of the 2012 season.  Coach Steele and his staff will remain with the program through the team's final game on Nov. 17.  The search for a new head coach will begin immediately.

Of the three schools, Davidson is most like us (but even smaller in enrollment).  They prize academics and cruising their forum indicated that there is displeasure with athletic facilities, similar to discussions on our board.  If Davidson fires a coach (and theirs was on board for 8 years, had  31-51 record overall,  and ranked fifth all-time in coaching victories at Davidson), there is precedent for Valpo where in a mere three years the HFC has accumulated the same number of defeats as the Davidson coach had victories.  Not saying it will happen, but I think the possibility is there.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

62 your avatar lol.  well done.

[HC]

I'd bet that if Valpo doesn't win any games next year the coach will be back for year 5.   

[VULB#62]

I'd bet that if Valpo doesn't win any games next year the coach will be back for year 5.   

Please note I changed my avatar for this response:      I genuinely, fervently, positively hope that in 2013 Carlson will win a bunch of games and show that this arduous wait was worth it.  However, if he goes winless or only has a couple of wins, and the team suffers PFL blowouts again (I don't care about the guarantee games), and he is still retained, you won't see me on the board any more. I have grandkids that require attention and my time, and I could use my [donation] money better in my semi-retirement.  Valpo would have disappointed me to that great a degree. So much for the pursuit of excellence. 

I wonder if the university even realizes that I am not alone in taking this position and why people I know don't give to the university.  I talk to other former FB players and most are less optimistic than me about the program and believe that their donations don't have an impact (money into a dark hole).  Almost every school we compete against has an endowment that is less that VU's, yet those schools invest in things that promote their universities. There I see investment with the idea that 'if we build it they will come.'  And in most cases, it happens.  It's nice that the Chapel of the Resurrection is getting the windows fixed, but how does that promote the university on the national stage?  I'm sure the $5 million welcome center is a nice-to-have improvement, but does that promote the university nationally (Gee, mom. I'm going to Valpo because I was really impressed by the welcome center!")?  The 30 year strategic plan is nice to see, but where are the guts and where is the action? And how does that, in it's current conceptual state, promote the university nationally?   Is it wrong to want my alma mater to be a nationally recognized (not embarrassed) institution?  And face it, in these days, national recognition mainly comes through sports and not network TV coverage of the erection of a welcome center.  I'm not saying that Valpo should do things that compete with the biggies, far from it -- but it should make decisions that preclude it from being a visible laughing stock as a national university.  Football has  two immediate choices -- really fix it now or get rid of it and spare us the ridicule.  And that brings us back to football. Invest in football, make good decisions or become an Xavier, St. Johns, Creighton, Seton Hall, Providence, Santa Clara, whatever, and sink those funds into mens's soccer or something, but don't pretend to support a football program when you really aren't.   

Whew, did I rant on or what?

[HC]

I hear the team GPA has gone up every year under Coach Carlson...if that makes you feel any better.