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Matt Hayes of the Sporting news wrote a very small piece on the "Five coaches you'll hear about during next year's hiring frenzy."

Among his top candidates are Gregg Brandon and Dan Hawkins. Yet another wrinkle to the BG-Boise game.

Gregg Brandon, Bowling Green. The architect of Urban Meyer's offense at Bowling Green, Brandon has further developed the system and has other MAC teams lifting his schemes and pass sets. He has 20 wins in two seasons and has proved he can develop a young, raw quarterback into a big-time talent (Omar Jacobs). Brandon won't make the same mistake Terry Hoeppner made by diving into the first BCS job that's offered. A MAC rising star at Miami (Ohio), Hoeppner is the new coach at Indiana.

http://www.sportingnews.com/exclusives/ ... 26096.html

I don't know why he would have to leave at all. Not saying he won't, but he has the possibility to build a program and become the historical face of the program.

The MAC has a former Div 1 coach (with a winning record by the way, just not winning enough for Nebraska) in Frank Solich.

Brandon has the potential to become the Bob Devaney (Nebraska) or Bill Snyder (K-State) of Bowling Green. Taking a program into the spotlight. Taking it to glory.

I know it is tough to turn down a major school, but to have enough confidence in yourself to stay and create something that could be great would be the real challenge and worth the effort. IMO.

How does a coach decide that he has taken a program as far as he can?

What factors define the limits of a program?

I don't know for sure what the answers are to questions like these as far as BG is concerned.

I suppose when a coach feels he has carried a program to these points, then he might well think it's time to move on. I doubt if Meyer left because he felt he had taken BG's program as far as he could.

To be sure, as time goes by and improvements are made, a program's potential can grow. An example of a program whose potential has changed incredibly in the last 10-15 years is Virginia Tech.

I'll have to think about these issues and maybe I'll present some thoughts. I do believe that the potential for BG's program right now is greater than it ever has been. I'd be interested in what some of you think are the answers to these questions.

BGALUMNI wrote: Brandon has the potential to become the Bob Devaney (Nebraska) or Bill Snyder (K-State) of Bowling Green. Taking a program into the spotlight. Taking it to glory.

Not quite familiar with the historical context of the Big 12 (and its predecessors in the SWAC/Big 8), but I think its alot different situation bringing a school to prominence in a big conference and bringing a school into prominence and bringing the conference along with it. That said, I'd love to see him do it.

And we HAVE a historical face on the program. His name is on the stadium. If Brandon sticks around long enough to match up to Doyt Perry, he can have a statue of himself outside the FalconFreak Student Athlete Center (on the south side of the stadium) in 2035.

TG1996 wrote:And we HAVE a historical face on the program. His name is on the stadium. If Brandon sticks around long enough to match up to Doyt Perry, he can have a statue of himself outside the FalconFreak Student Athlete Center (on the south side of the stadium) in 2035.

I'm sure Second Street would be renamed for him long before Freak scrapes together the coin for for the FFSAC.

In truth, I think TSN hit upon what it would take for Brandon to leave, assuming he is interested in doing so. It's the right job.

Nevada-Las Vegas isn't it. Indiana wouldn't have been it, either.

It would need to be a job where Brandon would get a hefty raise and a realistic shot of getting something done. Neither of those jobs fit that description.

I don't know what it will take to get Brandon away from BG either. There are a lot of variables to consider (prestige, money, family, career goals, location, etc). Regardless, I do agree with Matt Hayes take that Brandon and Hawkins names will be the in vogue names when head-hunting time comes around after the bowl season. Both are offensive masterminds and many schools will likely be trying to hire them away from their respective programs.

$$$

Money rules the world.

i hate it how us non-BCS teams seem like training grounds for new coaches. as soon as we find a good one, some BCS team swoops in and steals 'em.

we've been dealing with that with hawkins the last couple of seasons, especially last year. he's even turned down offers from oregon state and baylor for bigger money.

but then i realized, i've been dealing with that same issue with Barry Alvarez. seems like every year there are rumors he's going to Miami or will take over after Bowden leaves FSU or will be going back to Nebraska or Notre Dame. so it's not just non-BCS teams that have to deal with this; but i bet we have to deal with it more often.

Call me a hopeless believer (wait for it...) but I think we will have Greg Brandon here longer than most are predicting

bgmaggot00 wrote:$$$

Money rules the world.

Of course it does, but don't oversimplify.

Hoepner jumped at the Indiana job because he's, what? 57? He wasn't going to get many more offers to set himself up for a extra-comfortable retirement.

Brandon has time to be choosier. It's a calculated risk -- but if he chooses well, he gives himself a better shot of hitting the absolute jackpot.

Hope ain't gonna do that. Not from Indiana. He'll coach five years and retire before the ax falls on his head.

TG1996 wrote:

BGALUMNI wrote: Brandon has the potential to become the Bob Devaney (Nebraska) or Bill Snyder (K-State) of Bowling Green. Taking a program into the spotlight. Taking it to glory.

Not quite familiar with the historical context of the Big 12 (and its predecessors in the SWAC/Big 8), but I think its alot different situation bringing a school to prominence in a big conference and bringing a school into prominence and bringing the conference along with it. That said, I'd love to see him do it.

And we HAVE a historical face on the program. His name is on the stadium. If Brandon sticks around long enough to match up to Doyt Perry, he can have a statue of himself outside the FalconFreak Student Athlete Center (on the south side of the stadium) in 2035.

Understood that we have a historical face on the program, but Brandon has the potential to improve on that historical face and the first real face to the team beyond the 20th Century.

Maybe the best example would be Lavell Edwards at BYU. He led BYU to a great year in 1984 and BYU was a national powerhouse, even though it was in the WAC.

Two schools currently are on the same track to become the BYU type programs. Boise State and Bowling Green.

All we have to do is look just a little north to a coach that built Toledo into a winning program only to find himself on the hotseat moving to what could have been a very solid program. Gary Pinkel might be kicking himself for moving to Missouri.

That being said as a Missouri fan as well, if Brandon leaves BG, the only school I would like to see him coach would be Mizzou.

BUT I would prefer that he stay in BG. I would like to see him be the Joe Paterno of Bowling Green.

I still think Brandon has some improving to do before he's a real candidate for a big time job.

Oddly enough...I've heard him say the same thing about you...

I think it's somewhat pointless to try to divine someone's career intentions in a fluid business like college football. I think coach Brandon's done a very good job here. If he's comfortable here and wants to be Doyt Perry 2.0, that'd be great. If he'd like to shoot for an opportunity with a bigger budget school, I wish him the best of luck and I hope he's successful.

I just hope he doesn't act like a dick when he leaves...