Official: Head Coach Search Thread

[ValleyTalk]

I suggest we make this the main thread to discuss all of the head coaching candidates. The other thread can be used to discuss the Wolf buyout, etc.

FootballScoop.com
Youngstown State (FCS – OH): Eric Wolford will be bought out of his contract per sources. We have been told that it is a $100,000 buyout. Brett McMurphy first reported the news this evening. Coaches are telling us to expect the new head coach to have direct ties to Youngstown State president (and former head coach) Jim Tressel.

CoachingScoop.com
Youngstown State: Head coach Eric Wolford will not return next season, according to ESPN's Brett McMurphy. Wolford went 31-30 in five seasons at YSU. One name that could be considered for the job is Wisconsin-Whitewater's Lance Leipold. Former YSU and Ohio State coach Jim Tressel became YSU's president earlier this year.

@andrewrivins Brian Wright to Youngstown State rumors swirling. Best record (4-0) out of any interim coach the past 5 seasons. Sorry, Ed.

@FootballScoop It’s really amazing how many quality coaches have come through Youngstown. Tressel &co. will have plenty of good options.

@FootballScoop Tressel can be pretty convincing so I wouldn’t close the door, just telling you I don’t think he will be the next guy up at YSU

@FootballScoop At Ohio State, Fickell is making $600k+. Wolford, at YSU, was making ~$250k. For that reason & others, I don’t think Fick is next at YSU

[Wick250]

I would really like to see a man with successful head coaching experience.  Of course, Tressel did not have it and might not consider it a prerequisite.  Anybody have the scoop on the Whitewater coach?  Old or young? Is he responsible for their many championships or did he recently walk into that position?   Would he leave a comfortable situation to rebuild YSU?  Remember that in D3 they recruit just like the other divisions, relying on need-based and academic money.

[paladin]

Leopoldo built the program from ground up. The WSCAA is considered 2nd best behind the Ohio Athltic Conference in D-3. That should be Leipold,lol. No longer young and does not have the type of recruiting experience needed for this level. Successful coach but you wonder how lacking he is for this level.School located not far from Chicago, Milwaukee and othe metro areas providing parochial big H. S. Programs to recruit for a D-3 program.

[Kandrase]

Darn it, I just couldn't resist jumping in once I saw the discussion about D3. D3 football is a subject i've got a bit of expertise in, I was a play by play announcer for mount union's student run station and covered Mount's playoff runs a few years ago... Anyway just a few corrections and thoughts to the Lance Liepold suggestion.

1) LL did not build Whitewater's program from the ground up, he inherited a program that had been to the national title the two previous years when he took over as coach in 2007.

2) Wisconsin's conference the WIAC, is like the SEC of D3, the OAC is a bit topheavy with mount.

Obviously I'm biased but I'd rather see Mount Union's Head Coach Vince Kehres go to YSU.

Vince took over for his dad, (11 time national champion coach Larry Kehres) last year. Though he has a lot of ties to Mount Union he's still a pretty young guy who I could see wanting to move up.

Reasons he'd be a perfect fit at YSU
1) Ohio guy, not a Youngstown native or anything but knows the Northeast Ohio football culture, not to mention he is very familiar with recruiting local schools.

2) Has a winning mindset. Comes from literally the most dominant dynasty in all of college football. I'm not sure how much of it will translate to D1, but you've got to think that this guy won't tolerate mediocrity for very long.

3) Tressel's Alma Mater is Baldwin Wallace, another OAC team. Not sure if it means much but I'd like to think it means tressel will respect a coach from that level.

4) Defensive minded - Before becoming HC at Mount Vince was the defensive coordinator for years. It seems like D has been the weaker side of the ball for YSU lately.

[paladin]

Will not happen.

[ysufan0505]

Don't see Kehres coming here. Especially after just taking over for his father.

[Kandrase]

Don't see Kehres coming here. Especially after just taking over for his father.

I don't really see it either... but a guy can dream.
I was thinking that since he's only in his 2nd year as had coach he'd be more likely to move on
than if he'd really settled into the role.

[YSU FAN#34]

Just wondering...who is right about Leopold?  Paladin or Kandrase?

[paladin]

I know nothing about FB.

However, many a year not only Mount , but also John Carrol and BW   Are Top 10 teams. Whitewater is usually the only league team ranked. Years ago LaCrosse was the league power. SEC ?   Leipold I believe was the DC before he became HC.  Makes little difference. Do not see him making a big jump to D-1. Lacks D-1 or D-2 experience where recruiting is way different as well as the skills coached. 

But I will yield to the local 'expert', lol

[Kandrase]

Not sure if LL would be a good coach at a higher level, but I don't take my local expert title lightly darn it.

Two years ago UWW fell off and didn't make the playoffs but their conference rival made it all the way to the d3 semi finals. That's pretty impressive for any conference.

Also d3Fb.com usually ranks the WIAC as the toughest conference in the country and their pretty much the most reputable source for D3 football information.

Also John Carrol, Mount and BW all being ranked in the top 10 has Never happened. They've all been ranked but I don't think any conference in D3 has ever had 3 top 10 teams, there are twice as many teams in d3 as d1 so it's extremely hard to get very many teams from one conference ranked at all.

-Anyway that's enough D3 talk, just wanted to share some of my knowledge with you all.

[ValleyTalk]

Good breakdown:
http://footballscoop.com/news/youngstown-state-head-coach-eric-wolford-will-return/

[CookieMonsterSig]

A list of potential coaches listed on Vindy.com - be warned some are reasonable, others not so much. http://www.vindy.com/news/2014/nov/25/ysus-next-football-coach-a-list-of-poten/

Stan Drayton — Ohio State assistant head coach and running backs coach. YSU connection: Hired by Jim Tressel at Ohio State in 2011, just before then-Buckeyes coach resigned. Head coaching experience: No.

Luke Fickell — Ohio State co-defensive coordinator. YSU connection: Former special teams and linebackers coach and co-DC for the Buckeyes under Tressel. Head coaching experience: Yes, 6-7 with OSU in 2011.

Mark Mangino — Iowa State offensive coordinator and tight ends coach. YSU connection: Former assistant under Tressel. Spent 2013 as Penguins assistant head coach and TEs coach. Head coaching experience: Yes, 50-48 at Kansas from 2002-09.

Mike Priefer — Minnesota Vikings special teams coordinator. YSU connection: Former assistant under Tressel. Head coaching experience: No.

Pete Rekstis — Rhode Island defensive coordinator. YSU connection: Former Penguins player and assistant under Tressel. Defensive coordinator under Heacock. Head coaching experience: No.

Rick Shepas — Waynesburg head coach. YSU connection: Played for the Penguins under Tressel. Head coaching experience: Yes, 64-40 at Waynesburg since 2005.

Mark Snyder — Texas A&M defensive coordinator. YSU connection: Former assistant and DC under Tressel at YSU and OSU. Head coaching experience: Yes, 22-37 at Marshall from 2005-09.

Don Treadwell — Kent State running backs coach. YSU connection: Former assistant under Tressel. Head coaching experience: Yes, 8-21 at Miami of Ohio from 2011-13.

Brian Wright — Florida Atlantic offensive coordinator. YSU connection: Former Penguins assistant under Tressel and Jon Heacock. Head coaching experience: Yes, 4-0 as interim at FAU in 2013.

[enyamed]

Let's consider Trent Boykin - Running Backs Coach Akron University. Hometown: Kent, Ohio

YSU connection: Former Penguins assistant under Tressel and Jon Heacock. Played on three Division I-AA national championship teams (1991, 1993, 1994) at Youngstown State under head coach Jim Tressel. He completed his collegiate career ranked second on the Penguin’s career receptions (150) list and seventh in career receiving yards (1,950). He also held the school record for career punt returns (74) and career punt return yardage (534), and was named the program’s outstanding offensive player in 1994.


Head coaching experience: Yes
Year-By-Year Coaching Experience:
1996-97 – Akron (graduate assistant)
1998 – Boston College (graduate assistant)
1999 – Tiffin (receivers)
2000-02 – Youngstown State (receivers / special teams)
2003-04 – Ball State (running backs /special teams)
2005-07 – Kentucky State (assistant head coach / offensive coordinator)
2008-09 – Lane College (head coach) (4-17 record)
2010 – Lambuth (co-offensive coordinator / quarterbacks)
2011 – Wayne State (running backs)
2012-current – Akron (running backs)

via: http://gozips.com/sports/fball/2012-13/coaches/boykin_trent

[pennyguin1]

Lot of names are going to get tossed around. I would like to see YSU hire someone with head coaching expierence(FB$, FCS, or Divison II).  Coach Wright would actually be a good choice. He is still young, and he has coached here before.

[ysubigred]

Strange thread below on twitter?? Bo Pelini back to YSU or JT coach/president and Wolford to Montana Griz as HC?? 

Joel Schafer‏@joelschafer·16h16 hours ago
“@McMurphyESPN: Eric Wolford fired at Youngstown State, source told @ESPN” HELLO BO PELINI!! COME HOME BO!
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Matt Macdonald‏@Omahamacdonald·16h16 hours ago
@McMurphyESPN Hmmm...landing spot for Pelini if he's let go?
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TMayneII‏@TMayneII·16h16 hours ago
@McMurphyESPN @ESPN @mpopovichREP Jim Tressel, President / Coach?
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Brandan Gross‏@swaggytheniggaB·16h16 hours ago
@TheAustinMcCain @McMurphyESPN @espn will played with him well nebraska will be open depending Friday
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HW‏@HeyNowHW·16h16 hours ago
@McMurphyESPN sadly no games left, as Tressel could have pulled a double-dip that would have put Barry Alvarez to shame.
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 Merritt‏@titansfan4life·16h16 hours ago
Tressel back. “@McMurphyESPN: Eric Wolford fired at Youngstown State, source told @ESPN”
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Matt Smith‏@MattSmithCFB·16h16 hours ago
Has a university president (besides Saban) ever coached football too? #SweaterVest MT @McMurphyESPN Eric Wolford fired at Youngstown State
Evan Zachary Stein‏@EZStein464·16h16 hours ago
@McMurphyESPN @espn I know Tressel said he retired from coaching, but would he change his mind now that the HC job is open at YSU?
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Jon_Seely‏@Jonphils·16h16 hours ago
Tressel for prez and coach "@McMurphyESPN: Eric Wolford fired at Youngstown State, source told @ESPN”
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Shawn Burns‏@HoosierDaddy412·16h16 hours ago
@McMurphyESPN @espn Tressel Time!!! #ysu #espncleveland
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Sammy Saunders‏@SammySaundersMT·16h16 hours ago
@McMurphyESPN @Bobcat_Beat @espn the next @UMGRIZZLIES football coach?!?!
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Josh Fink‏@jtfink27·16h16 hours ago
@McMurphyESPN @espn Time for Bo to go back home
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AJ Fritsche‏@Fritsche12·16h16 hours ago
“@McMurphyESPN: Eric Wolford fired at Youngstown State, source told @ESPN” - And @therealJeffJ97 weeps...he'll be back. Good OL coach.
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Colter Nuanez‏@Bobcat_Beat·15h15 hours ago
@SammySaundersMT @McMurphyESPN @UMGRIZZLIES just 31-25 in five seasons, never better than 8-4 or@2nd in MVC. Much more qualified candidates
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Sammy Saunders‏@SammySaundersMT·15h15 hours ago
@Bobcat_Beat @McMurphyESPN @UMGRIZZLIES probably!!!
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