I saw Canzano's article making it sound likes Ducks fans are worried. The thought never crossed my mind and I didn't hear a mention of it in the 2 articles I read previously. Nothing more than a cheap news story. I'm not surprised to hear MC's response and wasn't concerned in the first place.

Go Ducks!

Phil wrote:

I saw Canzano's article making it sound likes Ducks fans are worried. The thought never crossed my mind and I didn't hear a mention of it in the 2 articles I read previously. Nothing more than a cheap news story. I'm not surprised to hear MC's response and wasn't concerned in the first place.

Go Ducks!

I dislike that guy.
Love that M Cristobal guy.

Last edited by KONA808 (9/15/2021 10:31 pm)

well, it was Canzano who assured us that Willie T was a Duck for Life, cuz he saw Coach Taggart hanging w Uncle Phil & Aunt Penny at a b-ball game at the Rose Garden/Moda/Whatever. 
but not even The Curse of Johnny extends far enough here, I don't think. Mario is solid, at least for the next few years.
everybody thinks it's all about the Benjies (and sometimes it is), but lifestyle is an under-reported factor in these decisions. Jess & Mario have two young sons (about 10 & 8, I think). Eugene is a great place to raise a family, esp if you like athletics and the outdoors. 
Mark Few could have written his ticket outta Spokane and Zags to anywhere he wanted over the years, but he chose to stay because he loves it there. something to be said for that.

It's an interesting one to watch.  Moorhead isn't exactly a First Tier candidate for a head coaching job.  His one Division One stint was mixed, at best.  And they had an academic scandal while he was there -- something USC would put up with if he had won 10 games his second season instead of 6, and gone on to 12 or more the next year, but maybe not after going from 8-4 to 6-7.  Everyone knows he can coach an offense, but can he run a top program?  Evidence for that is slim.

But can USC still attract a Tier One candidate?  Great tradition and history but all of it is history.  It used to be kids dreamed of getting to play at USC.  Next year's recruits have never seen a dominant USC, they were like 4 years old the last time USC was dominant.  California kids want to play for Oregon, and now Chip Kelly is on the rise at UCLA.  USC is likely to start in 3rd place in California recruiting now, and will no longer be a national draw.

But the supporters remember the history and the tradition.  So you have all the expectations that come with that, without the head start in recruiting that you'd expect from it.  

And you also have the perceptions of the PAC.  Who wants to go to a conference where one loss buries your chances of the playoffs, one bad game, while in the B1G, SEC, and perhaps ACC, you still have a chance with only one loss?

So someone like James Franklin could probably succeed wildly.  He overcame recruiting difficulties and has done a great job at PSU.  But would he want to go to USC?  He'll always be a hero at PSU, he saved their program.  Why would he leave?  And he has to know that there are people who will never forgive PSU and so never forgive him for rescuing their program, and those people will certainly not support him coming to their school.  Why have to mess with that?

So can they even attract a really top coaching candidate?  The really top ones who you think would be very likely to succeed there very possibly want nothing to do with it.  They are already in a great situation, or they can see the downsides / risks and don't want it.  They may get a home run hire, or they may have to settle for a second tier candidate, like Moorhead.  Fun to watch.