Head Coach Opening/ Cecchini Departing

JD24 · February 06, 2019, 03:44:44 PM

Quote from: Valpo89 on February 06, 2019, 03:09:43 PM
Quote from: IndyValpo on February 06, 2019, 03:07:54 PMLet's assume the AD started to think about this possibility once the Lehigh interview was known and has some ideas at least internally.
I have it on good authority that MLB has known for quite a while. Cecchini is a good enough person that he wouldn't leave him hanging out to dry THAT much.

With Lehigh apparently at least giving a passing interest to Cecchini when their job was open, it would be pretty negligent on MLB...or whoever is the hirer....to not have considered having to hire another coach and to begin that process. With Bucknell being in the same league as Lehigh, that should have sent up the antenna as well. So my suspicion is that this is no surprise and there's probably already some candidates whether in-house or from outside under consideration.

hailcrusaders · February 06, 2019, 03:49:13 PM

Seems odd (and unfortunate to us) to announce this on NSD. Perhaps that was advantageous for his new role at Bucknell? I guess it was going to happen eventually, but if he had decided this for some time (and props to him for informing MLB if that's the case), then why announce it today?

JD24 · February 06, 2019, 03:54:22 PM

Quote from: hailcrusaders on February 06, 2019, 03:49:13 PMSeems odd (and unfortunate to us) to announce this on NSD. Perhaps that was advantageous for his new role at Bucknell? I guess it was going to happen eventually, but if he had decided this for some time (and props to him for informing MLB if that's the case), then why announce it today?

It has not been announced. It has been found out. I'm doing a lot of guessing today but I assume the thought was to wait to make the announcement but word got out today. Bad timing on that.

I also don't know if it was "some time". The deal could have been agreed to last night. Bucknell's previous coach only left Jan 15th or so.

Valpo89 · February 06, 2019, 03:56:35 PM

Quote from: JD24 on February 06, 2019, 03:54:22 PM
I also don't know if it was "some time".

Well I may have heard something on Saturday, so I'm sure MLB knew before then.

hailcrusaders · February 06, 2019, 04:26:49 PM

Quote from: JD24 on February 06, 2019, 03:54:22 PM
Quote from: hailcrusaders on February 06, 2019, 03:49:13 PMSeems odd (and unfortunate to us) to announce this on NSD. Perhaps that was advantageous for his new role at Bucknell? I guess it was going to happen eventually, but if he had decided this for some time (and props to him for informing MLB if that's the case), then why announce it today?
It has not been announced. It has been found out. I'm doing a lot of guessing today but I assume the thought was to wait to make the announcement but word got out today. Bad timing on that. I also don't know if it was "some time". The deal could have been agreed to last night. Bucknell's previous coach only left Jan 15th or so.

Paul Oren tweeted a few things that looked like official announcements to me. Was this done on a post-hoc basis once word leaked? It may be a moot point after all, once word of something like this gets out, the damage is done.

JD24 · February 06, 2019, 04:55:58 PM

Announcement on Bucknell's twitter page:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DywaAsuXcAAH1zI.jpg:large

JD24 · February 06, 2019, 04:57:15 PM

Quote from: hailcrusaders on February 06, 2019, 04:26:49 PM
Quote from: JD24 on February 06, 2019, 03:54:22 PM
Quote from: hailcrusaders on February 06, 2019, 03:49:13 PMSeems odd (and unfortunate to us) to announce this on NSD. Perhaps that was advantageous for his new role at Bucknell? I guess it was going to happen eventually, but if he had decided this for some time (and props to him for informing MLB if that's the case), then why announce it today?
It has not been announced. It has been found out. I'm doing a lot of guessing today but I assume the thought was to wait to make the announcement but word got out today. Bad timing on that. I also don't know if it was "some time". The deal could have been agreed to last night. Bucknell's previous coach only left Jan 15th or so.
Paul Oren tweeted a few things that looked like official announcements to me. Was this done on a post-hoc basis once word leaked? It may be a moot point after all, once word of something like this gets out, the damage is done.

A report in the newsmedia or social media is not an official announcement. It's possible both schools wanted to hold the news until after the completion of NSD but word leaked early.

JD24 · February 06, 2019, 05:04:03 PM

Valpo story:

http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2018-19/18816/valpo-football-coach-dave-cecchini-accepts-position-at-bucknell-university/

usc4valpo · February 06, 2019, 06:12:07 PM

I wish Coach C all the best. he was here 5 years and we all know this job was a stepping stone for him. He cleaned up a huge mess and made it better, not good but better. We went from pathetic to bad under Cecchini, but I think he did a good job.

IndyValpo · February 06, 2019, 07:37:25 PM

Quote from: usc4valpo on February 06, 2019, 06:12:07 PM
I wish Coach C all the best. he was here 5 years and we all know this job was a stepping stone for him. He cleaned up a huge mess and made it better, not good but better. We went from pathetic to bad under Cecchini, but I think he did a good job.

Agreed he inherited the worst D1 team in the nation. He leaves a much better situation though we have a long way to go

VULB#62 · February 06, 2019, 08:41:51 PM

For any potential candidate for the position there is a nice carrot out there. Dave extracted some financial concessions and investments to come here and then to sign an extension. He got some good stuff done, but fell short in a number of places. The next coach, in order to build on what Dave left behind, has some leverage in asking for additional investment in the program. What that might be I have no idea, but if Valpo is reluctant to amp it up a bit, we will be in deep sneakers going forward.

valpotx · February 06, 2019, 08:42:36 PM

No complaints on my side. I said when he was hired that if we consistently have HFCs who stay 4-5 years, and leave for a better job, that is a good model for our school in football. It would mean that they are successful, and their success would continue to lead up-and-coming HCs to consider Valpo as a stepping stone.

VULB#62 · February 06, 2019, 09:11:48 PM

Quote from: valpotx on February 06, 2019, 08:42:36 PM
No complaints on my side. I said when he was hired that if we consistently have HFCs who stay 4-5 years, and leave for a better job, that is a good model for our school in football. It would mean that they are successful, and their success would continue to lead up-and-coming HCs to consider Valpo as a stepping stone.

On the other hand, I have some complaints — but not big ones. Over his five years the team earned some solid wins, but they also lost many games they could have won or been at least in the game near the end. There were some calls and personnel decisions that had me SMH. Most of my recollections were on the defensive side of the ball and involved giving up game winning scores or just not stopping people. Dave did not evolve (broadened his knowlegebase across the whole breadth of the game) over his 5 years as much I would have hoped.

Regardless, he will be a better HFC at Bucknell than he was here if he looks back and is honest with himself about his approach to the game as, now, an experienced HFBC. I certainly thank him for what he did here and wish him well at Bucknell.

VUGrad1314 · February 06, 2019, 11:10:02 PM

Do we get a couple of basketball home games out of this or at least a series? I mean the move cost us two coaches. It's the least Bucknell could do.

bbtds · February 07, 2019, 05:56:22 AM

Quote from: VUGrad1314 on February 06, 2019, 11:10:02 PM
Do we get a couple of basketball home games out of this or at least a series? I mean the move cost us two coaches. It's the least Bucknell could do.

I'm sure Nathan Davis would be upset to hear that he must take his Bison basketball team to the ARC to play Valpo just because their AD decided to hire away Valpo's football coach.

EddieCabot · February 07, 2019, 08:28:11 AM

Quote from: VUGrad1314 on February 06, 2019, 11:10:02 PM
Do we get a couple of basketball home games out of this or at least a series? I mean the move cost us two coaches. It's the least Bucknell could do.

That would be a great series. Bucknell is consistently in the 75 to 200 range in KenPom ... a huge step up from the UC Riverside and SIUE types currently on the schedule. With the move to the MVC, we should start seeing home and home series with teams like Bucknell.

talksalot · February 07, 2019, 09:03:18 AM

My sister graduated from Bucknell the year before I graduated from Valpo. I would LOVE to have a rivalry game with the Bisons. I already gave her some whatfor after the announcement came. She did half-heartedly did apologize.... lol.

vu72 · February 07, 2019, 09:09:49 AM

I wonder if part of the deal would be a home-and-home for the football team ala Bryce and Vandy. Interestingly enough, Bucknell's biggest rival is Lehigh, which is Dave's Alma Mater.

IndyValpo · February 07, 2019, 10:19:35 AM

So we have no head coach, the potential to lose other coaches and no strength coach for the off season conditioning. Not ideal...it now makes sense why we didn't file the coaching vacancies.

VULB#62 · February 07, 2019, 10:45:43 AM

Wonder if Bob Brooks will be asked to put in some extra time with the FB team until a new S&C coach is found?

NWIGuy · February 08, 2019, 10:40:51 AM

Coaching staff updates...

Coach Moore (Def Coord) serving as Interim HC during transition;
Coach Miran and Coach Giacalone to Bucknell with Cecch;

Is Moore ready to be a head coach? Will he be a legit contender?

JD24 · February 08, 2019, 12:34:41 PM

Not disputing the info but, as of this moment, twitter and the valpo athletics site still have valpo locked in the dungeon in restraints. Dilly Dilly!

Regarding any current valpo staff member moving to head coach....I'd go in a different direction.

VULB#62 · February 08, 2019, 04:41:27 PM

He's got a new Twitter feed.

[tweet]1093695237879484416[/tweet]

JD24 · February 08, 2019, 10:41:37 PM

Miran and Giacalone have been removed from the shackles of the Valpo Athletics site. We're now down to Coaches Moore, Greiner and Smith.

Valpo now has to hire a new coach. the coach has to hire a nearly completely new staff. Spring Ball has to be scheduled and that typically begins a week or two after the return from spring break. That's maybe 5 weeks away. A very short time to prepare.

There's also usually some recruiting occurring which goes on through the Spring Game. One recruit, IIRC, who committed that late after a visit was Seewald. So it's a big deal and I can't figure getting a recruit to show up right now or introducing him to the "Head Coach" looks all that great for the program.

In short. A complete mess.

VULB#62 · February 09, 2019, 10:26:36 AM

Quote from: JD24 on February 08, 2019, 10:41:37 PM
Miran and Giacalone have been removed from the shackles of the Valpo Athletics site. We're now down to Coaches Moore, Greiner and Smith.

Valpo now has to hire a new coach. the coach has to hire a nearly completely new staff. Spring Ball has to be scheduled and that typically begins a week or two after the return from spring break. That's maybe 5 weeks away. A very short time to prepare.

There's also usually some recruiting occurring which goes on through the Spring Game. One recruit, IIRC, who committed that late after a visit was Seewald. So it's a big deal and I can't figure getting a recruit to show up right now or introducing him to the "Head Coach" looks all that great for the program.

In short. A complete mess.

There are two factors working against each other in our current scenario as I see it.

(1) To mitigate the mess as soon as possible and give the program a chance to get off life support in the shortest time possible, MLB has got to put a new HC in place immediately and round out the staff quickly.

(2) To avoid a catastrophic hiring error that could set the program back years and to ensure progress and improvement in the program over the next few seasons, MLB needs to carefully vet and select the next HC making sure he is well qualified and fits into the Valpo culture.

That's the definition of being between a rock and a hard place. Unless MLB already has a couple of great targets on his interview list to meet objective #2, he will be forced to either stick with Coach Moore for one interim season or do a less than adequate search and hire a new coach with less than the greatest of confidence and roll the dice on football's future at Valpo.

I certainly do not envy what MLB has sitting in front of him.