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2021 Football Coaching Carousel

I don't think a fanbase that is willing to wait a few years is a requirement for Clawson's future school prospects. He has a reputation for rebuilding programs because he has taken shitty programs to new heights. I think the unimpressive results his first few years at each of his stops has more to do with the position of the programs when he took over than anything inherent to his style or abilities. He wants to win immediately. Shitty football programs aren't likely to turn around even under great coaching in one year.
If he inherits a program with some of the right pieces already in place, he will be successful quickly, while still also building for the future.
 
Making $3MM+ pretty much indefinitely and building a forever legacy can also be pretty attractive. Maybe if he gets a call from a place where he’s convinced he could win a title that changes the equation. But there are very, very few of those jobs and the disasters at places like Nebraska or even Michigan serve as a pretty clear warning sign.
 
FWIW, Stanford has more money than just about any school in the country. Cal is not in the same category. They have never paid big bucks to either their football or basketball coach. Their current coach Justin Wilcox makes $1.9 million a year. Less than Clawson.

Wilcox's 2021 base salary is $3.3 million. Cal is definitely not in the same league as Stanford when it comes to financial resources, but they could still shell out for a coach. They have to be up there in terms of the number of extremely wealthy alumni among P5 schools.

I do agree that they don't exactly have a history of throwing huge bucks at a coach though. Them making an offer to a coach like Clawson that he just can't refuse seems unlikely.
 
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I just hope our fanbase can get to the point where we can have some success without worry about losing our coach.

I understand that sentiment, but except for a very small number of schools, there is always some concern over losing your coach if he/she are successful. Oklahoma is a top 5 program, and every year, they have to deal with rumors that Lincoln Riley is headed to the NFL. Nick Saban won a Natty at LSU and left. Chip Kelly built Oregon into a juggernaut and left. In basketball, Roy left Kansas, and K flirted with the NBA at one point. FWIW, after 10 years of being stuck with awful basketball coaches, I love the concern that others covet the coaches of WF's athletic programs. Lightyears better than the alternative.
 
Cal is a terrible place to be a football coach. The have no chance of rising above the middle of the PAC 10. The only school I would worry about out west is Stanford. But Dave is not a west coast guy. His whole history is middle of the country -east. There is something appealing about being at a place like Wake. His family seems to like it and he is loved and respected here. Probably will never win a national championship here, but there are few places where you can win a national championship. Wake is in the best position it has been in a long time to make some noise nationally and I can see Dave wanting to enjoy what he has built. IMO
 
The wheels have fallen off the Josh Gattis as Clawson’s eventual successor bandwagon.

Was thinking the same thing. He has assisted under great coaches (James Franklin, Nick Saban and Harbaugh), but Michigan's offense has been, not only boring, but non-productive, since Gattis took over as OC. Still have lots of love for Gattis, but would be concerned about his offense at WF. FWIW, Gattis is only 37; so, he has plenty of time to turn around that current perception.
 
Was thinking the same thing. He has assisted under great coaches (James Franklin, Nick Saban and Harbaugh), but Michigan's offense has been, not only boring, but non-productive, since Gattis took over as OC. Still have lots of love for Gattis, but would be concerned about his offense at WF. FWIW, Gattis is only 37; so, he has plenty of time to turn around that current perception.

I kind of feel bad for Gattis but if you lie down with dogs, you get fleas. And Harbaugh is the biggest dog around.
 
I read the Michigan message boards from time to time to gauge their thoughts on Gattis

not good

but a lot of folks seem to think Harbaugh handcuffs him and that he's never really been allowed to bring his own ideas to the role
 
How many coaches has Wake lost after a good season? John Mackovic, Jay Vidovich. Who else and I missing? Mike Petersen to North Texas?

Field hockey and golf still have the same coach as when I was at Wake. Wake athletics are amazingly stable at coaching positions.
 
How many coaches has Wake lost after a good season? John Mackovic, Jay Vidovich. Who else and I missing? Mike Petersen to North Texas?

Field hockey and golf still have the same coach as when I was at Wake. Wake athletics are amazingly stable at coaching positions.

I think that was true under Wellman, but we don’t know how it is under Currie. There as been a ton of turnover throughout the department thus far. He’s much more pressure inducing there. Which is a good thing for Wake.
 
I’m about 99% sure Currie will do everything in his power to make sure Clawson is happy and content at Wake. Hiring Forbes (which Wellman would’ve never) proved Currie’s commitment to winning in the revenue sports. I don’t see Clawson going anywhere unless ND, Stanford, or maybe Northwestern come knocking. Stanford could come open soon, but really doubt Clawson will be at their top of their list. ND and Northwestern aren’t coming open anytime soon, so I think we’re safe.
 
How many coaches has Wake lost after a good season? John Mackovic, Jay Vidovich. Who else and I missing? Mike Petersen to North Texas?

Field hockey and golf still have the same coach as when I was at Wake. Wake athletics are amazingly stable at coaching positions.

To go back a ways, Cal Stoll, after the furst ACC Championship and a follow-up winning season. He was taken away by Minnesota.
 
I’m about 99% sure Currie will do everything in his power to make sure Clawson is happy and content at Wake. Hiring Forbes (which Wellman would’ve never) proved Currie’s commitment to winning in the revenue sports. I don’t see Clawson going anywhere unless ND, Stanford, or maybe Northwestern come knocking. Stanford could come open soon, but really doubt Clawson will be at their top of their list. ND and Northwestern aren’t coming open anytime soon, so I think we’re safe.

Why would he leave Wake to go to Northwestern?
 
Why would he leave Wake to go to Northwestern?

Because they’re paying Fitzgerald over 5 mil a year. I also think NW has a better chance of competing for conference championships (2020) on a regular basis. I’m not saying he would 100% take that job, but I think he would definitely consider it.
 
A place like NW might be compelling for non-football reasons.
 
I don't know about y'all, but I took Clawson at his word when he took this job.

Well I guess I am the only poster on this board who remembers what Clawson said when he took this job.

As for the rest of you, I have no words. You are inexorably trapped in this little brother mentality from which you don't want to escape.
 
Pat Fitzgerald is less likely to leave Northwestern than Clawson is to leave Wake.
 
Pat Fitzgerald is less likely to leave Northwestern than Clawson is to leave Wake.

Yeah Pat Fitzgerald isn't going anywhere. I can't think of any program that would throw more than the $5 million/year he already makes at him.

And speaking of schools with coaching stability, Northwestern rarely buys out football coaches. I'm pretty sure the last coach they actually fired was Rick Venturi in 1980 and that was after going 1-31-1 in three seasons. Every other coach since then has either left on their own or their contract has been allowed to expire. Fitzgerald is under contract until 2030. He's not going anywhere.
 
Yeah Pat Fitzgerald isn't going anywhere. I can't think of any program that would throw more than the $5 million/year he already makes at him.

And speaking of schools with coaching stability, Northwestern rarely buys out football coaches. I'm pretty sure the last coach they actually fired was Rick Venturi in 1980 and that was after going 1-31-1 in three seasons. Every other coach since then has either left on their own or their contract has been allowed to expire. Fitzgerald is under contract until 2030. He's not going anywhere.

Related - I grew up a Northwestern fan. It'll never happen for like 50 different reasons. Yeah, they've had an influx of money to that program from the Ryan family, they'll be getting a new stadium, they have a beautiful lakeside practice facility, etc. It would still be a lateral move at best for Clawson. At its peak, Northwestern football is still maybe the 6th most important sporting event in town. They also have plenty of the same issues getting fan support as we do here.
 
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