Next Coach In - ???

[DaBulls99]

23 minutes ago, TheCommish said:

I assume the current staff is under contract?

Whatever is left, yes. A quick Google search shows many college coaches contracts are set to expire March 31. Guessing that’s still the case here but it’ll be the new coach’s decision how they build the staff. 

[ChubbyHubby]

I'd hate to be the 2 new assistant coaches that Mo just brought in a week or 2 ago

[MuchMany]

12 hours ago, Blue03 said:

Ok, so now when Alnutt gets a good candidate that we all support, and said candidate doesn’t turn the program around, are we going to blame Alnutt for a bad hire again?

Yes. Because in that hypothetical case (and the case of Mo), both Alnutt and us clueless amateurs will have been proven wrong re: the candidate being "good." 

[verandaman]

Through all of this turmoil (I was going to say bologna) it is the young men on the team that I am concerned about.  None of them signed up for this kind of calamity.  If any had a chance to move on to anything more stable, that would be more than understandable.

I was trying to imagine what it would feel like to go into work and have no boss; nor your colleagues have a boss; and wonder if the business plan was still in place.  I can only just hope that I would have had the courage and strenghth to put my head down and hold the course until thinks cleared up.

But this is crazy for these young people.  I'll cheer even louder at the spring game for each and every one of them.

[Big 4 Hoops Blogger]

20 hours ago, Tee4three said:

This whole thing seems odd to me

How has polian done as the AD at John Carroll? Would it be a huge jump to UB? 

The one tweet/x post that mentions that no search firm has been hired or at least haven't heard of one

Conspiracy......alnutt is on the way out? 

Polian’s coaching resume has nothing to do with his current job.

it has everything to do with being a former Mountain West head coach, special teams coordinator at Notre Dame and LSU, two time assistant at UB and a person with local ties.

Considering he’s already been a head coach at a higher level than the MAC and has familiarity with the Buffalo program, I’m assuming it wouldn’t be a difficult transition back into coaching.

(Don’t even know how seriously he’ll actually be considered)

 

 

Edited January 19 by Big 4 Hoops Blogger

[UB Horns Up]

7 hours ago, ChubbyHubby said:

I'd hate to be the 2 new assistant coaches that Mo just brought in a week or 2 ago

Exactly. I listened to the podcast of Scott Wilson and Brad Rider. They made it sound like what Maurice Linquist did was ok. It’s not ok. Did Maurice Linquist think of his staff that are married with small children to take care of? Did he care about them or himself? I am not directing this at you Chubby. I am just saying there is a right and wrong way to handle things. Lance Leipold is a better person because he thought of his staff and there families. So I don’t want to hear that this is wonderful news or great this or that about Maurice Linquist. Did Maurice Linquist have any obligations no but morally what he did is wrong in my book. I would never trust working for someone like that ever again. As far as I am concerned Maurice Linquist head coaching career is over. Good luck building another coaching staff with someone that does something like that to people that tried to help him succeed. And then we wonder why players were transferring at alarming rate under Maurice Linquist. Why Maurice Linquist wasn’t successful. It starts with being a good human being and taking care of all the people that helped you win. Maurice Linquist was nothing but about himself from day one. We really don’t know this man he is vague and shady. Unfortunately UB AD Mark Alnutt was fooled because Maurice Linquist talked a good game and he doesn’t hang around long enough for people to really realize he is a terrible selfish human being an opportunist in my opinion. UB Horns Up! Go Bulls! Let’s Go Buffalo 

I want to add one more thing to Scott Wilson and Brad Rider’s nonsense the lack of MAC resources compared to the Power Schools doesn’t cut it as an excuse. Why Buffalo Super Fan? Because all the other MAC schools are in the same boat as UB resources wise. UB Bulls fans aren’t asking UB to beat Alabama we are asking to beat Toledo. So stop with that nonsense it is irrelevant if MAC schools lose players yearly to the Power schools because of NIL huge money. To be a successful head coach like Mark Schmidt at St Bonaventure Bonnies you have to take from the Albany’s and the FCS like the Power schools take from the Group of Five. The bottom line if you can’t win a MAC championship at UB where all the other MAC schools are under the same rules and situation you aren’t good enough as a head coach and you should be fired not extended with oh that poor coach how is he ever going to win at UB. Turner Gill won with some tables, folding chairs and hooks for your equipment not the palace UB built these players. Get to work and win I don’t want to hear or care how hard it is to win at UB. If it is too hard or difficult your not the right person for the job in my opinion. UB Horns Up! Go Bulls! Let’s Go Buffalo 

[rma]

5 hours ago, UB Horns Up said:

Did Maurice Linquist think of his staff that are married with small children to take care of?

Did Mo know when he was hiring these staff members that he 100% had an Alabama offer? I don't disagree with you but if he didn't have the job offer, he needed to be acting as if he was going to be here in the fall.

Unrelated, @Jeseph we might need the dog to be taken on a walk...

[RapidsFan]

Buffalo Coaching Search: Coaches Who Would Be Good Candidates For Buffalo Football’s Head Coach Vacancy

Former Syracuse Head Coach Dino Babers

Dino Babers was recently fired from Syracuse, but he would be a good fit for Buffalo. He’s obviously been a head coach in the state of New York and has been a head coach in the MAC.

Babers went 78-70 over eight seasons with the Orange, who made back-to-back bowl games for the first time in a decade at the end of his tenure. In two of his final three seasons at Syracuse, the program was in the top 25 in the FBS in total defense.

Syracuse reached three bowl games with Babers as head coach. He also mentored seven All-Americans during his time there.

Before that, he was the head coach at Bowling Green. The Falcons were 8-6 overall in his first year there in 2014, winning the MAC East, and went 10-3 in his second and final season there en route to a MAC Championship in 2015. He was also 19-7 in two seasons as Eastern Illinois’ head coach before that.

He’s been an assistant at a variety of other places like UNLV (1988-89), Northern Arizona (1990), Purdue (1991-93), San Diego State (1994), Arizona (1995-2000), Texas A&M (2001-02), Pitt (2003), UCLA (2004-07), and Baylor (2008-11). If Babers desires to keep coaching, Buffalo should at least think about hiring him

Toledo Defensive Coordinator Vince Kehres

When considering coordinators in the MAC, Vince Kehres, who has head coaching experience, stands out. Not only has Toledo thrived as a team, the Rockets have also been successful on defense the past couple years.

This past season, the Rockets were third in the league in scoring defense (20.3 points per game allowed) and sixth in total defense (331.8 yards per game allowed). The year before, they led the MAC and were 18th in the nation in total defense (326.1 yards per game allowed) and were 10th in the country in defensive passing efficiency and 12th in passing yards allowed (183 per game).

In Kehres’ first season at Toledo in 2020, the Rockets were second in the conference in total defense (362.2 yards per game allowed) after finishing last (475.7 yards per game allowed) in 2019. The following year, the Rockets were first in the MAC in scoring defense with 21.8 points per game allowed and second in total defense with 349.7 yards per game allowed. They also ranked in the top three in other metrics like defensive pass efficiency and passing yards allowed (198.2 per game).

Before Kehres went to Toledo, he worked his way up the ranks at his alma mater, Division III Mount Union. As the team’s head coach for seven seasons, he went 95-6, which was more wins than any other collegiate coach at any level during that time. He led Mount Union to national championships in 2015 and 2017.

He worked with the team’s defensive line from 2000-03 and with the program’s offensive line in 2004 before becoming its defensive coordinator from 2005-12. He was Mount Union’s head coach from 2013-19.

Kehres is obviously familiar with the MAC and has proven he can be a successful head coach.

Tennessee Running Backs Coach Jerry Mack

Jerry Mack’s resume includes time as a head coach and a coordinator. He’s also recruited and coached all across the country.

Mack has been Tennessee’s running backs coach since 2021. This last year, the Volunteers were ninth in the country with 204.8 rushing yards per game.

Before this, he was an associate head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach at Rice. He’s also been a head coach at North Carolina Central, a wide receivers coach at Memphis and South Alabama, an OC and quarterbacks coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, a passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at Central Arkansas, and a wide receivers/tight ends coach at Jackson State.

Mack certainly deserves to be a head coaching candidate for the Bulls.

UNLV Offensive Coordinator Brennan Marion

Brennan Marion was in just his first season as UNLV’s offensive coordinator in 2023. However, he’s done well with the Rebels and has other coaching experience as a coordinator.

He also has some experience coaching on the eastern side of the country.

Marion helped UNLV’s offense thrive in 2023. The Rebels were 22nd in the FBS in scoring offense with 34.4 points per game and were 42nd with 412.7 yards per game gained.

Before this, Marion was a passing game coordinator at Texas in 2022, a wide receivers coach at Pitt in 2021, a wide receivers coach at Hawaii in 2020, an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at William & Mary in 2019, an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Howard in 2017 and 2018, and a running backs coach at Oklahoma Baptist in 2016.

The expertise he brings would benefit Buffalo.

Kansas Co-Offensive Coordinator Jim Zebrowski

Jim Zebrowski was promoted to co-offensive coordinator at Kansas before this past season. He followed Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold to Kansas from Buffalo, so maybe Zebrowski would be open to returning to the Bulls as their head coach.

At Kansas, Zebrowski worked with Jalon Daniels and Jason Bean. Those two are top five in KU’s record books in career passing touchdowns and top 10 in career passing yards.

He was Buffalo’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach previously from 2017-20. In 2018, he coached quarterback Tyree Jackson, who was the first player in Buffalo history to become the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and first quarterback to earn all-conference accolades. Jackson threw for 3,131 yards and 28 touchdowns, both single-season school records. In 2017, the Bulls set a school record with 3,490 passing yards with Zebrowski’s guidance despite starting three different quarterbacks.

Before that, he was a quarterbacks coach at Minnesota (2011-15) and Northern Illinois (2010). If Zebrowski was willing to leave Kansas, he would make plenty of sense for Buffalo.

[Ubbullsfan09]

9 hours ago, RapidsFan said:

Buffalo Coaching Search: Coaches Who Would Be Good Candidates For Buffalo Football’s Head Coach Vacancy

Former Syracuse Head Coach Dino Babers

Dino Babers was recently fired from Syracuse, but he would be a good fit for Buffalo. He’s obviously been a head coach in the state of New York and has been a head coach in the MAC.

Babers went 78-70 over eight seasons with the Orange, who made back-to-back bowl games for the first time in a decade at the end of his tenure. In two of his final three seasons at Syracuse, the program was in the top 25 in the FBS in total defense.

Syracuse reached three bowl games with Babers as head coach. He also mentored seven All-Americans during his time there.

Before that, he was the head coach at Bowling Green. The Falcons were 8-6 overall in his first year there in 2014, winning the MAC East, and went 10-3 in his second and final season there en route to a MAC Championship in 2015. He was also 19-7 in two seasons as Eastern Illinois’ head coach before that.

He’s been an assistant at a variety of other places like UNLV (1988-89), Northern Arizona (1990), Purdue (1991-93), San Diego State (1994), Arizona (1995-2000), Texas A&M (2001-02), Pitt (2003), UCLA (2004-07), and Baylor (2008-11). If Babers desires to keep coaching, Buffalo should at least think about hiring him

Toledo Defensive Coordinator Vince Kehres

When considering coordinators in the MAC, Vince Kehres, who has head coaching experience, stands out. Not only has Toledo thrived as a team, the Rockets have also been successful on defense the past couple years.

This past season, the Rockets were third in the league in scoring defense (20.3 points per game allowed) and sixth in total defense (331.8 yards per game allowed). The year before, they led the MAC and were 18th in the nation in total defense (326.1 yards per game allowed) and were 10th in the country in defensive passing efficiency and 12th in passing yards allowed (183 per game).

In Kehres’ first season at Toledo in 2020, the Rockets were second in the conference in total defense (362.2 yards per game allowed) after finishing last (475.7 yards per game allowed) in 2019. The following year, the Rockets were first in the MAC in scoring defense with 21.8 points per game allowed and second in total defense with 349.7 yards per game allowed. They also ranked in the top three in other metrics like defensive pass efficiency and passing yards allowed (198.2 per game).

Before Kehres went to Toledo, he worked his way up the ranks at his alma mater, Division III Mount Union. As the team’s head coach for seven seasons, he went 95-6, which was more wins than any other collegiate coach at any level during that time. He led Mount Union to national championships in 2015 and 2017.

He worked with the team’s defensive line from 2000-03 and with the program’s offensive line in 2004 before becoming its defensive coordinator from 2005-12. He was Mount Union’s head coach from 2013-19.

Kehres is obviously familiar with the MAC and has proven he can be a successful head coach.

Tennessee Running Backs Coach Jerry Mack

Jerry Mack’s resume includes time as a head coach and a coordinator. He’s also recruited and coached all across the country.

Mack has been Tennessee’s running backs coach since 2021. This last year, the Volunteers were ninth in the country with 204.8 rushing yards per game.

Before this, he was an associate head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach at Rice. He’s also been a head coach at North Carolina Central, a wide receivers coach at Memphis and South Alabama, an OC and quarterbacks coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, a passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at Central Arkansas, and a wide receivers/tight ends coach at Jackson State.

Mack certainly deserves to be a head coaching candidate for the Bulls.

UNLV Offensive Coordinator Brennan Marion

Brennan Marion was in just his first season as UNLV’s offensive coordinator in 2023. However, he’s done well with the Rebels and has other coaching experience as a coordinator.

He also has some experience coaching on the eastern side of the country.

Marion helped UNLV’s offense thrive in 2023. The Rebels were 22nd in the FBS in scoring offense with 34.4 points per game and were 42nd with 412.7 yards per game gained.

Before this, Marion was a passing game coordinator at Texas in 2022, a wide receivers coach at Pitt in 2021, a wide receivers coach at Hawaii in 2020, an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at William & Mary in 2019, an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Howard in 2017 and 2018, and a running backs coach at Oklahoma Baptist in 2016.

The expertise he brings would benefit Buffalo.

Kansas Co-Offensive Coordinator Jim Zebrowski

Jim Zebrowski was promoted to co-offensive coordinator at Kansas before this past season. He followed Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold to Kansas from Buffalo, so maybe Zebrowski would be open to returning to the Bulls as their head coach.

At Kansas, Zebrowski worked with Jalon Daniels and Jason Bean. Those two are top five in KU’s record books in career passing touchdowns and top 10 in career passing yards.

He was Buffalo’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach previously from 2017-20. In 2018, he coached quarterback Tyree Jackson, who was the first player in Buffalo history to become the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and first quarterback to earn all-conference accolades. Jackson threw for 3,131 yards and 28 touchdowns, both single-season school records. In 2017, the Bulls set a school record with 3,490 passing yards with Zebrowski’s guidance despite starting three different quarterbacks.

Before that, he was a quarterbacks coach at Minnesota (2011-15) and Northern Illinois (2010). If Zebrowski was willing to leave Kansas, he would make plenty of sense for Buffalo.

I like the sound of Babers, Kehres and Zebrowski. Mack and Marion not so much.

[TawJackson]

I'm starting to really warm to the idea of Kehres. If you're looking for Lance Leipold Part II, he probably most closely fits the bill there. . . 

[UBinMD]

On 1/19/2024 at 5:33 AM, ChubbyHubby said:

I'd hate to be the 2 new assistant coaches that Mo just brought in a week or 2 ago

Coach Pickering has been very active on X promoting UB, so I think he wants to stay on!

[TheCommish]

36 minutes ago, UBinMD said:

Coach Pickering has been very active on X promoting UB, so I think he wants to stay on!

Not a lot of jobs open. I'd be doing cartwheels to keep my job

[UBinMD]

Here is our previous mercenary, no shame for tanking a Top 25 program. Good riddance, the Alabama fans can have him:

[UBinMD]

[ukbro00]

1 hour ago, UBinMD said:

Coach Pickering has been very active on X promoting UB, so I think he wants to stay on!

At this point, let's give him the HC job. He has HC experience (in HS) and seems to have the right attitude. 

[UBinMD]

1 minute ago, ukbro00 said:

At this point, let's give him the HC job. He has HC experience (in HS) and seems to have the right attitude. 

Works for me! He’s been more active than anyone else promoting UB Football 😂

[UB92]

57 minutes ago, UBinMD said:

Here is our previous mercenary, no shame for tanking a Top 25 program. Good riddance, the Alabama fans can have him:

For those young(er) folks, there was a time (pre-Saban) where Alabama had some bad seasons and some mediocre seasons.  I know it is hard to believe since Alabama is the gold standard now.

After Coach Bryant, all future coaches were compared to this unreasonable expectation.  Heck...they drove out Ray Perkins off the back of 9-2-1 and 10-3 seasons, not to mention what they did to Bill Curry!!

This feels like the beginning of those times of unreasonable expectations, where 8 -4 gets the new coach fired after 3 years.

At any rate, while coach Mo might have done well in recruiting, his players underachieved on the field.   Bringing him to the premier program in the nation seems off.   He lost back-to-back years to FCS schools.

 

[UBinMD]

30 minutes ago, UB92 said:

For those young(er) folks, there was a time (pre-Saban) where Alabama had some bad seasons and some mediocre seasons.  I know it is hard to believe since Alabama is the gold standard now.

After Coach Bryant, all future coaches were compared to this unreasonable expectation.  Heck...they drove out Ray Perkins off the back of 9-2-1 and 10-3 seasons, not to mention what they did to Bill Curry!!

This feels like the beginning of those times of unreasonable expectations, where 8 -4 gets the new coach fired after 3 years.

At any rate, while coach Mo might have done well in recruiting, his players underachieved on the field.   Bringing him to the premier program in the nation seems off.   He lost back-to-back years to FCS schools.

 

I’m figuring 8-9 wins this year for Alabama. Not sure what they saw in Mo to put him on the staff, but whatever I guess. Maybe he’s going to be their recruiter and the guys that know how to coach can take it from there.

[MuchMany]

38 minutes ago, UB92 said:

For those young(er) folks, there was a time (pre-Saban) where Alabama had some bad seasons and some mediocre seasons.  I know it is hard to believe since Alabama is the gold standard now.

After Coach Bryant, all future coaches were compared to this unreasonable expectation.  Heck...they drove out Ray Perkins off the back of 9-2-1 and 10-3 seasons, not to mention what they did to Bill Curry!!

This feels like the beginning of those times of unreasonable expectations, where 8 -4 gets the new coach fired after 3 years.

At any rate, while coach Mo might have done well in recruiting, his players underachieved on the field.   Bringing him to the premier program in the nation seems off.   He lost back-to-back years to FCS schools.

 

He's there to be a slick-talking NIL bag man on the recruiting trail. That's all he ever was here, minus having an NIL bag. 

[DaBulls99]

There’s a reason he’s the “co-DC” and not just the DC. Even at Michigan was going to be co-DC. He’s a recruiter who can’t coach. Good riddance.  

[RapidsFan]

 

Edited January 20 by RapidsFan

[DaBulls99]

Gag

[Tee4three]

If Pete lembo is the guy, what happened at ball st from his first couple seasons to his last couple? 

Seems his record went down hill when his coordinators left 

[RapidsFan]

32 minutes ago, Tee4three said:

If Pete lembo is the guy, what happened at ball st from his first couple seasons to his last couple? 

Seems his record went down hill when his coordinators left 

Got paid, stopped trying

Ball State football coach Pete Lembo contract extended, pay raised $79,000

The Board approved a personnel report that included giving Lembo the title of associate athletic director, a contract extension and a $79,000 raise to set his salary at $475,000. Based on last year's contract information, that would put him in the upper echelon of coaching salaries in the Mid-American Conference, but the change in title will bring with it additional duties.

Ball State coach Pete Lembo resigns, takes job on Maryland staff

A Georgetown alumnus, Lembo coached at Lehigh and Elon before he was hired by the Cardinals ahead of the 2011 season. At Ball State, he compiled a 33-29 record and went 23-17 in the MAC. He led the Cardinals to consecutive winning seasons in 2012 and 2013, with Ball State going to bowl games in each. Lembo then signed a five-year contract extension following the 2013 season, but he has since experienced his two worst seasons, going 5-7 in 2014 and 3-9 this season.

Edited January 20 by RapidsFan

[skrabukes]

How telling is it when pretty much the entire fan base (as small as it seems to be these days anyway) is either happy that Mo is gone or basically in the mindset of "whatever"? It's incredible to me that someone who made $2mil+ here, with incredibly subpar results, is being hailed as a "great hire" by those online and by the fans of Alabama. What has he ever done? Prior to UB's <.400 record (including .333 versus FCS teams) he left the "co-DC" job before even coaching a game. What a racket this guy has made for himself.