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I hear rumors that they are interested in him anyways...as well as Toledo.

Don't take Fickell, take Heacock instead!

You can have him! Just don't take Luke.

Fickell would make an excellent candidate, IMO.

Anytime you have a guy that was a big time player at OSU, then went on to be a successful coach at OSU, that's a good choice for coach in Ohio. Those Ohio ties can be invaluable in recruiting.

Fickell is an up and coming guy...very bright. There certainly are no shortage of qualified candidates.

Fickell is way too inexperienced and has basically only ever coached and played with more chips than the guys he was competing against.

Globetrotter wrote:Fickell is way too inexperienced and has basically only ever coached and played with more chips than the guys he was competing against.

The same could have been said about a certain Wide Receivers coach that made his way to town some years back. . .

Dayons_Den wrote:

Globetrotter wrote:Fickell is way too inexperienced and has basically only ever coached and played with more chips than the guys he was competing against.

The same could have been said about a certain Wide Receivers coach that made his way to town some years back. . .

Beat me to it, DD.

He coached and played at Cincinnati, coached at Colorado State, and Illinois state.

He had 13 years as an assistant before he got a HC job.

Globetrotter wrote:He coached and played at Cincinnati, coached at Colorado State, and Illinois state.

He had 13 years as an assistant before he got a HC job.

Fickell spent a few years coaching at Akron, does that count?

Fickell spent like a year at <cr>Akron...I'm with Globetrotter...I have some concerns about the breadth of his experience and the limited universe (ok...the folks at OSU think they ARE the universe) he's been a part of professionally

Flipper wrote:Fickell spent like a year at <cr>Akron...I'm with Globetrotter...I have some concerns about the breadth of his experience and the limited universe (ok...the folks at OSU think they ARE the universe) he's been a part of professionally

Same here. Just because a guy is young and firey does not make him the next you know who. Personally if we are looking for anyone who seems like Urban Meyer I think that is a mistake. Coaches like Meyer don't grow on trees, if they did every school would hire one. I hope we are not limiting are ourselves to young guys that fit Urban Meyer's description.

Don't mistake me, I would like to find a coach as good as Meyer, but don't think we should compare everyone to him. Luke Fickell is not Urban Meyer and neither is any other coach.

kdog27 wrote:

Flipper wrote:Fickell spent like a year at <cr>Akron...I'm with Globetrotter...I have some concerns about the breadth of his experience and the limited universe (ok...the folks at OSU think they ARE the universe) he's been a part of professionally

Same here. Just because a guy is young and firey does not make him the next you know who. Personally if we are looking for anyone who seems like Urban Meyer I think that is a mistake. Coaches like Meyer don't grow on trees, if they did every school would hire one. I hope we are not limiting are ourselves to young guys that fit Urban Meyer's description.

Don't mistake me, I would like to find a coach as good as Meyer, but don't think we should compare everyone to him. Luke Fickell is not Urban Meyer and neither is any other coach.

Urban's the best coach in college FB, IMO. When he was at BG he was damn close to being the best coach in college FB, and learning as he went along. It's foolish for us to think we can find something like that again. That decision was a combination of great insight by Krebs, and even more luck.

I do think we're best served with a young guy that is looking to make a name for himself. Personally, I always want a coach that has greater ambitions than the MAC. Yes, we'll be replacing them often, but I think those guys are the ones that give you the best chances of success. I don't like guys that are happy here.

Fickell's experience level is pretty small, but if his personality fits the mold of what I want in a head coach I'd be willing to take a gamble on it. Yes, he's been limited mostly to OSU, but Tressel is a pretty good coach to learn from.

I also think that a guy who starred at OSU as a player, and then spent years there as a coach will aid Ohio recruiting immensely.

The downside of his experience level would be lack of recruiting relationships outside of Ohio. That's definitely a concern, he'd have to make sure to have assistants who have experience recruiting other parts of the country, for sure.

Still, I think he is a good candidate...I don't know if he's the best, but he is a good one, IMO.

I think candidates are more attractive when they have success outside of their homegrown schools. I also almost look at his attachment to OSU as a negative. He may look at BG as a small pond and think small pond thoughts, when most of us want a coach that will look at BG and think about ways to grow it into Boise State, Utah...consistent BCS conversation type team. He wont know the nuances of shaping a team without having the ability to recruit whomever and where ever. With that said his Big pond mentality may actual help because he could look at BG as he does OSU.

Regardless, he is a guy who has some attributes I like, I would not be overwhelmingly excited about the hire but I wouldnt hate it either. He would not be at the top of my list. Probably not in the top 5.

Good point, GT. I want BG to get to the Utah and Boise State level.

We could do that if we were the only team in the state. Look at Utah, the only school that they pull from in state is BYU. Both schools have a lot more money and resources available than BG. Boise is the big fish in their pond, and with UW and WSU being down they can recruit good players from Washington. BG has the Big10 schools that pull the top talent, and MAC and CUSA schools that take even more. As you go out west the conferences are more spread out. Just too many schools to compete with in Ohio and in the east in general.
Also if you want BG to reach that level and contend for a BCS game we need an alum or alums that are willing to give millions each year to reach that level, and it will not happen. Money means we can keep a good coach for a few more years, rather than just being a two year launch pad. We can upgrade facilities and maintain them better. Be happy competing for the MAC and enjoy the successes when they come, because that is life of a Mid-Major in college football.