Housewright to Akron

[tetoncat]

I’ll be honest, I’m just really confused by the Walker promotion. I’m not saying he’s not a good coach, but zero offensive play calling history, and who’s going to be the QB coach? Maybe it’s seeing SDSU hire North Dakota’s OC to replace theirs has me jaded, but this seems underwhelming to me.

Udy could move over to QB coach which was his originally hired position anyway and continue to be passing game coordinator. Hire a new WR coach which is usually a young up and comer anyway. I think fans will be in for a fun experience with Walker running the offense.

Yeah, that all makes sense. I just think optics wise, it’s disappointing.

"Optics"...for hiring an OC? So the optics would be better if we poached an OC from an average Missouri Valley school? I think you're overthinking it here. Sure I'm painting this is a clear positive but its hard to find a negative with Tyler Walker...and maybe that's good for optics.

I think it would have been nice to hire somebody with some experience, as this is a championship contending team. At the same time, I understand the need for continuity.

I probably am overthinking it.

Options are experienced coordinators from Naia, D2, and FCS or up an up and coming guy like Housewright that is a crap shoot. Or you promote from within. We have now shown you can join this staff and see advancement and maybe we prepare some to take Vigens spot when he leaves. Seems like it's worked for the DSU'S

[coloradocat]

Housewright - inexperienced, not in-house because Vigen just got hired
Matt Miller - inexperienced, in-house by Choate
Messingham - lots of experience and from outside by Choate

I'm not sure why this is automatically considered a bad hire by a few of our fans just because he's an in-house hire without OC experience. I'm no expert and don't know the coaches' skills, teaching abilities, relatability to young football players, etc. so I guess I'll just have to trust Vigen's judgment that Walker is the man for the job.

Sometimes it's less stressful to just trust the head coach you've hired to make those decisions instead of second-guessing every decision he makes.

I wouldn't say a bad hire. More like a rushed hire. Even if he's ready for the job it's not like we couldn't do some heavy window shopping first. At the end of the day, Vigen likes him and we're now set at both coordinator positions.

[gtapp]

This is why this is not a promotion:

Akron Attendance:

2018-2022 Attendance Average: 11,606.00
5-Year Filled Stadium Capacity 38.69%
2022 Average Attendance: 11,199
2022 Filled Stadium Capacity 37.33%

[84CatGrad]

This hire has me scratching my head to say the least. National championship expectations this year, we needed to nail this hire and we decide to hire a guy whose only collegiate coordinator experience is on the defensive side of the ball.

This just goes to show the grass is not always greener when it comes to replacing coordinators

I guess that all we can do is trust Vigen and see how this plays out. Vigen's record of replacing coordinators has not been great thus far. Daly and Walker need to be good or 2024 is going to be another disappointing year for us

Neither coordinator has called a play and we are already pre-booing them. Sheesh.

[Counter Assault]

It seems like people are forgetting our head coach is a longstanding OC and will likely have a heavy hand in our future playcalling.

[Joe Bobcat]

This is why this is not a promotion:

Akron Attendance:

2018-2022 Attendance Average: 11,606.00
5-Year Filled Stadium Capacity 38.69%
2022 Average Attendance: 11,199
2022 Filled Stadium Capacity 37.33%

Now I've never been in the college coaching ranks but what you sited there wouldn't make the top 5 on my list of attributes that I'd look at in deciding if a potential new school would be a promotion and a good career move for me. I won't bother listing out my top 5 or more things I think are more important for any coach to look at. Personally once I did finally get down to looking at the fan attendance and capacity utilization % numbers at Akron I might say great there's lots of room for improvement on those numbers. One thing that can quickly draw in more fans is a dynamic offense that creates more wins, and it's not unreasonable to think that Housewright can deliver dynamic offense and more wins at Akron.

Good luck coach Housewright and for the sake of yourself, your family, and your career take this opportunity to conduct yourself in a more mature and responsible way in all you do.

[mslacatfan]

Everyone keeps saying this is a “rushed hire”…

You don’t think vigen knew this was coming for several weeks/months at this point……. He has known it’s been a possibility since last summer.

It’s not like he just made this decision today on a whim. I guarantee he has been planning for this scenario for a while now.

[Cataholic]

This is why this is not a promotion:

Akron Attendance:

2018-2022 Attendance Average: 11,606.00
5-Year Filled Stadium Capacity 38.69%
2022 Average Attendance: 11,199
2022 Filled Stadium Capacity 37.33%

Now I've never been in the college coaching ranks but what you sited there wouldn't make the top 5 on my list of attributes that I'd look at in deciding if a potential new school would be a promotion and a good career move for me. I won't bother listing out my top 5 or more things I think are more important for any coach to look at. Personally once I did finally get down to looking at the fan attendance and capacity utilization % numbers at Akron I might say great there's lots of room for improvement on those numbers. One thing that can quickly draw in more fans is a dynamic offense that creates more wins, and it's not unreasonable to think that Housewright can deliver dynamic offense and more wins at Akron.

Good luck coach Housewright and for the sake of yourself, your family, and your career take this opportunity to conduct yourself in a more mature and responsible way in all you do.

Akron is a terrible program. 2-10 in 2023, 2022 and 2021. 0-12 in 2019. And a 4-8 program in 2018.

[nanacat]

Everyone keeps saying this is a “rushed hire”…

You don’t think vigen knew this was coming for several weeks/months at this point……. He has known it’s been a possibility since last summer.

It’s not like he just made this decision today on a whim. I guarantee he has been planning for this scenario for a while now.

My thoughts exactly. And he's been working with the guy for 3 years. Guessing he's seen alot more than we have that caused him to make this decision. I'm trusting Vigen.

[tetoncat]

Housewright - inexperienced, not in-house because Vigen just got hired
Matt Miller - inexperienced, in-house by Choate
Messingham - lots of experience and from outside by Choate

I'm not sure why this is automatically considered a bad hire by a few of our fans just because he's an in-house hire without OC experience. I'm no expert and don't know the coaches' skills, teaching abilities, relatability to young football players, etc. so I guess I'll just have to trust Vigen's judgment that Walker is the man for the job.

Sometimes it's less stressful to just trust the head coach you've hired to make those decisions instead of second-guessing every decision he makes.

I wouldn't say a bad hire. More like a rushed hire. Even if he's ready for the job it's not like we couldn't do some heavy window shopping first. At the end of the day, Vigen likes him and we're now set at both coordinator positions.

How do you know they havent?

[tetoncat]

This is why this is not a promotion:

Akron Attendance:

2018-2022 Attendance Average: 11,606.00
5-Year Filled Stadium Capacity 38.69%
2022 Average Attendance: 11,199
2022 Filled Stadium Capacity 37.33%

Odd, I would think a promotion is defined by pay and responsibility. So if you moved from a company with $10 million in sales to one with $5 million in sales but more profitable, paid you more and better title, you wouldn't take that because it isn't a promotion

[tetoncat]

This is why this is not a promotion:

Akron Attendance:

2018-2022 Attendance Average: 11,606.00
5-Year Filled Stadium Capacity 38.69%
2022 Average Attendance: 11,199
2022 Filled Stadium Capacity 37.33%

Now I've never been in the college coaching ranks but what you sited there wouldn't make the top 5 on my list of attributes that I'd look at in deciding if a potential new school would be a promotion and a good career move for me. I won't bother listing out my top 5 or more things I think are more important for any coach to look at. Personally once I did finally get down to looking at the fan attendance and capacity utilization % numbers at Akron I might say great there's lots of room for improvement on those numbers. One thing that can quickly draw in more fans is a dynamic offense that creates more wins, and it's not unreasonable to think that Housewright can deliver dynamic offense and more wins at Akron.

Good luck coach Housewright and for the sake of yourself, your family, and your career take this opportunity to conduct yourself in a more mature and responsible way in all you do.

Akron is a terrible program. 2-10 in 2023, 2022 and 2021. 0-12 in 2019. And a 4-8 program in 2018.

So, it is still FBS. likely a raise and step to higher level job.

[kwcat]

https://www.ideastream.org/sports/2021- ... n-football

According to Akron‘s records he made 620,000 for the 2023 season.
Haven’t found a comparison for HW

[MTnative]

I’ve heard of failing upward, but is this failing sideways?

Akron of all places, just strange. Either way, this needed to happen. A big opportunity to start new and GET THE TIGHT ENDS INVOLVED in the passing game more.

[VimSince03]

I’ve heard of failing upward, but is this failing sideways?

Akron of all places, just strange. Either way, this needed to happen. A big opportunity to start new and GET THE TIGHT ENDS INVOLVED in the passing game more.

Joe Moorhead is the HC of Akron and Joe is Housewright's mentor for the past decade. Makes a lot of sense from that angle.

[tetoncat]

I’ve heard of failing upward, but is this failing sideways?

Akron of all places, just strange. Either way, this needed to happen. A big opportunity to start new and GET THE TIGHT ENDS INVOLVED in the passing game more.

Joe Moorhead is the HC of Akron and Joe is Housewright's mentor for the past decade. Makes a lot of sense from that angle.

And Housewright is from Ohio.

[ilovethecats]

I’ve heard of failing upward, but is this failing sideways?

Akron of all places, just strange. Either way, this needed to happen. A big opportunity to start new and GET THE TIGHT ENDS INVOLVED in the passing game more.

Joe Moorhead is the HC of Akron and Joe is Housewright's mentor for the past decade. Makes a lot of sense from that angle.

And Housewright is from Ohio.

And likely a lot more money.

Sports are so funny. Has to be the only profession I can think of where a guy leaves for an opportunity he feels is better for himself and his family, he can make more money doing something he loves, and random people will talk about what a crazy move it is.

[Cat Grad]

Here's one reason, other than significant pay increase and a great deal better cost of living advantage:

https://ohiosteelheaders.com/ohio-fishing/

If not mistaken, Ohio still has the countries largest steelhead runs. Plus, Akron is only ~40 miles from Cleveland. Great Lakes fishing or Canyon Ferry and Hebgen? No comparison. Absolutely none.

[Joe Bobcat]

This is why this is not a promotion:

Akron Attendance:

2018-2022 Attendance Average: 11,606.00
5-Year Filled Stadium Capacity 38.69%
2022 Average Attendance: 11,199
2022 Filled Stadium Capacity 37.33%

Now I've never been in the college coaching ranks but what you sited there wouldn't make the top 5 on my list of attributes that I'd look at in deciding if a potential new school would be a promotion and a good career move for me. I won't bother listing out my top 5 or more things I think are more important for any coach to look at. Personally once I did finally get down to looking at the fan attendance and capacity utilization % numbers at Akron I might say great there's lots of room for improvement on those numbers. One thing that can quickly draw in more fans is a dynamic offense that creates more wins, and it's not unreasonable to think that Housewright can deliver dynamic offense and more wins at Akron.

Good luck coach Housewright and for the sake of yourself, your family, and your career take this opportunity to conduct yourself in a more mature and responsible way in all you do.

Akron is a terrible program. 2-10 in 2023, 2022 and 2021. 0-12 in 2019. And a 4-8 program in 2018.

Yeah that's a terrible win/loss record. So what! Immediately his paycheck is substantially bigger, his resume will now show that he's been an OC at the FBS level. If Akron's offensive numbers improve and their w/l record improves in the coming years that'll be a plus on his resume as well, and if their record remains unchanged it doesn't have to mean the end of his career. The OC who presided over the past few years of losing seasons is reportedly headed to UCLA as QB coach. The Akron OC that left in 2018 spent this year as a co-offensive coordinator coach with the Texas Longhorns. It would appear that being the OC at Akron isn't a dead-end career killer position. Becoming the OC at Akron wouldn't be the biggest and best step up and forward for every OC from MSU but maybe it's the best offer and situation available to Housewright.

[Cat Grad]

This is why this is not a promotion:

Akron Attendance:

2018-2022 Attendance Average: 11,606.00
5-Year Filled Stadium Capacity 38.69%
2022 Average Attendance: 11,199
2022 Filled Stadium Capacity 37.33%

Now I've never been in the college coaching ranks but what you sited there wouldn't make the top 5 on my list of attributes that I'd look at in deciding if a potential new school would be a promotion and a good career move for me. I won't bother listing out my top 5 or more things I think are more important for any coach to look at. Personally once I did finally get down to looking at the fan attendance and capacity utilization % numbers at Akron I might say great there's lots of room for improvement on those numbers. One thing that can quickly draw in more fans is a dynamic offense that creates more wins, and it's not unreasonable to think that Housewright can deliver dynamic offense and more wins at Akron.

Good luck coach Housewright and for the sake of yourself, your family, and your career take this opportunity to conduct yourself in a more mature and responsible way in all you do.

Akron is a terrible program. 2-10 in 2023, 2022 and 2021. 0-12 in 2019. And a 4-8 program in 2018.

Yeah that's a terrible win/loss record. So what! Immediately his paycheck is substantially bigger, his resume will now show that he's been an OC at the FBS level. If Akron's offensive numbers improve and their w/l record improves in the coming years that'll be a plus on his resume as well, and if their record remains unchanged it doesn't have to mean the end of his career. The OC who presided over the past few years of losing seasons is reportedly headed to UCLA as QB coach. The Akron OC that left in 2018 spent this year as a co-offensive coordinator coach with the Texas Longhorns. It would appear that being the OC at Akron isn't a dead-end career killer position. Becoming the OC at Akron wouldn't be the biggest and best step up and forward for every OC from MSU but maybe it's the best offer and situation available to Housewright.

I admit I no longer follow college athletics as I once did. I appreciate your frequent factoids and persuasive facts and data. It's really hilarious to go back and read the comments about Messingham's play calling while at MSU, then look at his record at NDSU utilizing the same play calling. Even at KSU.

Do you think the OL will get to the same level as the Dakota schools? I'm a great believer in the beef capable of running the A-Gap Power. Just curious as to your thoughts.