Choate to Texas - Co-DC - Inside LB Coach - Confirmed

[imacat]

Colton Pool article ...

https://406mtsports.com/college/big-sky ... 4cc84.html

[onceacat]

There are lots of good posts and thoughts that have come out after the first 2-3 hours of frustration on the board last night. Colter Nuanez’ post at 1:00 AM and PortlanCat90’s post this afternoon to name a couple. Here is my story I have weaved together. I don’t know Jeff Choate; I have never met any of his family; I don’t know any coaches or players. I have no sources. All I have is a knowledge of human nature; some understanding of the coaching profession; experience as an employer for 30 years and a lot of speculation. Just pulling together the pieces. (I did have this all laid out before Colter Nuanez put together his spot on post at 1:00 AM this morning. I just had work to do today!! His post is great.) Still think this story helps draw it all together. Take it for what it is.

Coach Choate since day one of his career has been a mover. That is his fundamental nature. His wife and family either support him or tolerate it but they know that is him. In nearly 30 years of coaching, he has held 14 different job titles (some different titles at the same school). In the last 20 years, he has moved nine different times and averaged 2.2 years per job.

The opportunity at MSU was perfect for his career and he came in and did a great job. He took a failing program and brought MSU to #4 in the nation and the semi-finals. Not a national championship but close to it. He had done a tremendous job in those 4 years.

Then the pandemic hit and Coach Choate (from what I read) was not happy with Big Sky conference leadership and the decision not to play in the fall and play in the spring. This was likely a common feeling among many BSC coaches. The spring schedule was one more irritant.

Last month, when the Boise State head coach position came open, Choate either threw his name in the hat or was asked to by key BSU alumni/etc. It is unclear from what I read. This was an ideal opportunity and while perhaps a long shot, it was worth considering. He was the number 2 choice and did not get the job.

Coach Choate is a smart man. Simultaneously, he knew the following about himself and the future.
1) The MSU head coach position was a way station. Maybe Choate thought he would stay 3-5 years. I don’t know. But he was going to move on. That is simply his nature. He was not going to stay at MSU for 6-10 years no matter what any of us thought.
2) He understood what another poster has laid out in this thread. He clearly knew that the last MSU coach to move up in the coaching ranks (get another job) was in 1967 (Jim Sweeney). That is 53 years ago!! Nine coaches had retired or been fired. Coach Choate was not going to retire and knew that if he did not go out on top, he would likely be fired if the cards did not turn his way. #4 in the nation was pretty close to on top.
3) Once he had been in consideration for the BSU HC job, his name was in play for all sorts of options. Not only in play by other teams but by Coach Choate himself. He knew he was perhaps at the top of the pile at MSU and the pandemic had seriously disrupted his future plans. He knew there were other options. The “new job” bug was in Choate’s mind and once someone thinks about leaving, it is difficult to change minds.
4) His family and future is important. Even though the MSU position was a Head Coach, the money at MSU was paltry by football standards and would way in any one’s minds. He wanted to do better for his family.

From this point, it was simply the circumstances of life. Pete Kwiatkowski was a key figure. As we all know, coach K. was at MSU from 2000-2005 and Choate and Coach K have long connections from their time at Boise State and Washington. Obviously, Coach K has respect for Choate. So then the dice roll in ways that no one predicts. Texas fires Herman and hires Coach Sark. After a short time, Coach K is pulled away from UW to be DC. Now, there is a DC position at UW and I am sure Choate is interested or thinking about it. Maybe someone contacted him, maybe not. But there is certainly changes afoot.

Then the rest is serendipity. Coach Sark at Texas intends to hire Mike Stoop (Bob Stoop’s son of Oklahoma fame.). The deal goes so far that Stoop informs Saban he is leaving Alabama and starts looking for a home. Then the Texas Alumni go ballistic. Basically, you cannot hire the son of our number #1 nemesis (Oklahoma). Forget the fact Stoops was fired and no longer connected to OU. Emotions run deep. (Think Ty Gregorak). Coach Sark is forced to eat crow, call up Mike Stoops and say the deal is off. Now Sark and Coach K are in a bind. They need someone now and they need someone to rebuild the awful Texas defense. Coach K tells Sark, “I know the guy.” They talk and Coach K calls up Choate and offers a position. There is some conversation and give and take and the bottom line -- Coach Choate gets an extra title and a huge raise (2.5-4 times what he made at MSU from what I have read). The deal is done.

Jeff Choate has improved his salary; he has leveraged his success at MSU; he has created a much better financial situation for his family. From an outsider’s viewpoint, it all makes sense. Even if only 2 or 3 years there, he has done a great job of securing his family's financial future.

While all speculation on my part, it fits rather nicely. There was no animosity with Costello or Cruzado. Maybe just the cold facts that MSU could not give Choate much of a raise. There is likely some dislike for the BSC leadership. And the unfortunate aspects of the pandemic. It was simply an opportunity that came to be when everything fell into place.

Think of it from your perspective. You have a nice job at a Bozeman corporation. You make $70,000 a year and you do a pretty darn good job. You are not exactly pining to move but you and your wife have talked about it. Suddenly, due to a variety of circumstances related to an old college buddy, you have an opportunity to move to Houston and take a job for $300,000 with tremendous potential. Though you are key at your current corporation, no one things you are disloyal or stupid or a traitor because you have improved your family’s lot in life and improved your personal career. Sure, your co-workers and friends are disappointed you are leaving but they want nothing but the best for you. That is how life works. You are taking the risk the new job might not work out but isn’t that the American way?

Somehow we have come to believe that coaches (who have the least job protection of nearly any profession in America) are somehow beholden to the players and institution and the fans for some level of loyalty that we don’t expect from ANY other job. It really isn’t fair or right that we think this way.

I wish Coach Choate the best and hope he is successful. I pray the Cats get a great coach but I will be a supporter regardless.

All great thoughts with a couple caveats. Houston is a total s****hole. A 4x raise isn’t really enough to get you to move. Austin, on the other hand has a ton going for it, especially if you have money & the kids have moved out.

And, nobody has been willing to say it, so I will: Choate and the Cats are still light years from being able to compete with NDSU or JMU. The odds of Choate improving his resume by staying are something like 100-1. The odds of Choate losing in the QF next year? I dunno, but the Cats are way more likely to lose in the QF than make the finals next year.

Choate has maxed out his potential here. I’m really happy about what he’s built & really happy for his big promotion. Excited to see what the next chapter holds.

[KittieKop]

Thanks to Jeff Choate for his 4 years here. He was the right Cat at the right time and has MSU at a good place. I have confidence in the athletic department and the hiring board put together to do the best thing for MSU. Congrats coach on the new job and best of luck in your future.

[wbtfg]

Thanks to Jeff Choate for his 4 years here. He was the right Cat at the right time and has MSU at a good place. I have confidence in the athletic department and the hiring board put together to do the best thing for MSU. Congrats coach on the new job and best of luck in your future.

Hear hear!

[lutecat]

Man some people writing books. I don't have time to read a 2000 word essay by Catprint. Kidding man, but shoot you had a lot to say.

I want to clarify, I said TX fan base is delusional and they are. Look how many coaches in how many years they've had since Mack Brown "retired" was fired. They don't give people a chance to turn it around. They replace fast. So I fear Choate won't have a job there of they aren't awesome from day 3. That's all.

I learned alot from Choate. I'm not getting into how and I've never met him. But I learned alot. Only interacted with him once. He held the door open for me. (I did talk beer with Ash at Rosauers once. He likes IPAs) I'll miss him and I'll miss his press conferences. I wish him the best.

This wasn't easy for him. Watch the presser. You can see his eyes are red. This was tough for him. And he says he didn't do it from his office because of the wave of emotion. He pauses a couple times so he doesn't choke up.

I wish him the best. I'm disappointed he's leaving but that's because I'm selfish. For him I get it.

Do us proud Choate. Because every sack, every int, every forced fumble, every 3 and out that the UT D causes, I'm going to feel a little proud of, because I know that some of the growth of the guy that coaches that D came, for a little while, at a university that I love in a town I love, and is a place that he feels love for too.

Go Cats!

[onceacat]

Man some people writing books. I don't have time to read a 2000 word essay by Catprint. Kidding man, but shoot you had a lot to say.

I want to clarify, I said TX fan base is delusional and they are. Look how many coaches in how many years they've had since Mack Brown "retired" was fired. They don't give people a chance to turn it around. They replace fast. So I fear Choate won't have a job there of they aren't awesome from day 3. That's all.

I learned alot from Choate. I'm not getting into how and I've never met him. But I learned alot. Only interacted with him once. He held the door open for me. (I did talk beer with Ash at Rosauers once. He likes IPAs) I'll miss him and I'll miss his press conferences. I wish him the best.

This wasn't easy for him. Watch the presser. You can see his eyes are red. This was tough for him. And he says he didn't do it from his office because of the wave of emotion. He pauses a couple times so he doesn't choke up.

I wish him the best. I'm disappointed he's leaving but that's because I'm selfish. For him I get it.

Do us proud Choate. Because every sack, every int, every forced fumble, every 3 and out that the UT D causes, I'm going to feel a little proud of, because I know that some of the growth of the guy that coaches that D came, for a little while, at a university that I love in a town I love, and is a place that he feels love for too.

Go Cats!

[BleedingBLue]

The best thing about Texas, is that they aren't nearly the program they think they are! They have 3 conferences championships since 1996, when the Big 12 first started. 3!!! 1 national championship in that time. Choate is going to a school that has possibly the most unforgiving fan base in college football. After all the crap with not playing in the fall, and barely missing the Boise job, I get it. I think he just went to a bad place.

[Montanabob]

The best thing about Texas, is that they aren't nearly the program they think they are! They have 3 conferences championships since 1996, when the Big 12 first started. 3!!! 1 national championship in that time. Choate is going to a school that has possibly the most unforgiving fan base in college football. After all the crap with not playing in the fall, and barely missing the Boise job, I get it. I think he just went to a bad place.

That is one more national championship than MSU has since the 1980's.

[BleedingBLue]

The best thing about Texas, is that they aren't nearly the program they think they are! They have 3 conferences championships since 1996, when the Big 12 first started. 3!!! 1 national championship in that time. Choate is going to a school that has possibly the most unforgiving fan base in college football. After all the crap with not playing in the fall, and barely missing the Boise job, I get it. I think he just went to a bad place.

That is one more national championship than MSU has since the 1980's.

What's your point? MSU doesn't fire a coach who goes 7-6, 10-4, 8-5 and 7-3 over the last 4 years. I said a couple weeks ago that Texas is just like UM. Always overhyped and way too full of themselves. Like I said, I get the move. Just don't think the place is great.

[Joe Bobcat]

The best thing about Texas, is that they aren't nearly the program they think they are! They have 3 conferences championships since 1996, when the Big 12 first started. 3!!! 1 national championship in that time. Choate is going to a school that has possibly the most unforgiving fan base in college football. After all the crap with not playing in the fall, and barely missing the Boise job, I get it. I think he just went to a bad place.

That is one more national championship than MSU has since the 1980's.

What's your point? MSU doesn't fire a coach who goes 7-6, 10-4, 8-5 and 7-3 over the last 4 years. I said a couple weeks ago that Texas is just like UM. Always overhyped and way too full of themselves. Like I said, I get the move. Just don't think the place is great.

What's weird here bleedingblue is that I can't figure out what your point is. The thing you say is best about Texas is the very thing I think is worst about Texas. Maybe that's how you meant it.

[Cat Grad]

Look what Nebraska did to Bo Pelini. Delusional fan base? How about Colorado in the PAC 12. I know, one could make the argument that it's actually Academia that somehow feels Boulder ought to be aligned with a school such as Stanford rather than the lowly Kansas school but that's another issue.

MSU and the BOR's contrived search committee process will find another individual to take Coach Choate's position. We'll sit here on our cell or laptop and babble incoherently (because we have no idea whether the receiver even ran the correct route and completely forget that five to as many as ten passes were dropped after hitting the receiver in the hands) about how poor an individual is at "developing" a quarterback...

At least now there's television and we'll get to watch other schools play football.

[PortlandCat90]

"What's your point? MSU doesn't fire a coach who goes 7-6, 10-4, 8-5 and 7-3 over the last 4 years. I said a couple weeks ago that Texas is just like UM. Always overhyped and way too full of themselves. Like I said, I get the move. Just don't think the place is great."

Huh?

Tom Herman (32-18 four year tenure - fired)
Rob Ash (31-18 last four years - fired)

I guess that means MSU = UT = UM in terms of overhype and full of ourselves?

Not sure how anyone could compare UT with UM. Worlds apart if you simply look at the facts.

[Cledus]

"What's your point? MSU doesn't fire a coach who goes 7-6, 10-4, 8-5 and 7-3 over the last 4 years. I said a couple weeks ago that Texas is just like UM. Always overhyped and way too full of themselves. Like I said, I get the move. Just don't think the place is great."

Huh?

Tom Herman (32-18 four year tenure - fired)
Rob Ash (31-18 last four years - fired)

I guess that means MSU = UT = UM in terms of overhype and full of ourselves?

Not sure how anyone could compare UT with UM. Worlds apart if you simply look at the facts.

Ash’s teams peaked in 2012. There was a downward trend from 2013 on in meaningful metrics, which isn’t apparent when you only show the record.

[onceacat]

"What's your point? MSU doesn't fire a coach who goes 7-6, 10-4, 8-5 and 7-3 over the last 4 years. I said a couple weeks ago that Texas is just like UM. Always overhyped and way too full of themselves. Like I said, I get the move. Just don't think the place is great."

Huh?

Tom Herman (32-18 four year tenure - fired)
Rob Ash (31-18 last four years - fired)

I guess that means MSU = UT = UM in terms of overhype and full of ourselves?

Not sure how anyone could compare UT with UM. Worlds apart if you simply look at the facts.

Ash’s teams peaked in 2012. There was a downward trend from 2013 on in meaningful metrics, which isn’t apparent when you only show the record.

It’s almost impossible NOT to be on a downward trend when you start from 11-2.

[The MICKSTER]

It sure seems as something significant had to have happened in the last week. Possibly at the MSU level, possibly at the BSC level. We might not ever know. There’s some hypocrisy here in that Choate spoke negatively about the player portal and how it made it too easy for players to change schools. I know coaches are different, but leaving for a position coach job is similar to a WR leaving MT State because they don’t throw the ball enough. Neither seems right to me.

[stevo]

Man some people writing books. I don't have time to read a 2000 word essay by Catprint. Kidding man, but shoot you had a lot to say.

I want to clarify, I said TX fan base is delusional and they are. Look how many coaches in how many years they've had since Mack Brown "retired" was fired. They don't give people a chance to turn it around. They replace fast. So I fear Choate won't have a job there of they aren't awesome from day 3. That's all.

I learned alot from Choate. I'm not getting into how and I've never met him. But I learned alot. Only interacted with him once. He held the door open for me. (I did talk beer with Ash at Rosauers once. He likes IPAs) I'll miss him and I'll miss his press conferences. I wish him the best.

This wasn't easy for him. Watch the presser. You can see his eyes are red. This was tough for him. And he says he didn't do it from his office because of the wave of emotion. He pauses a couple times so he doesn't choke up.

I wish him the best. I'm disappointed he's leaving but that's because I'm selfish. For him I get it.

Do us proud Choate. Because every sack, every int, every forced fumble, every 3 and out that the UT D causes, I'm going to feel a little proud of, because I know that some of the growth of the guy that coaches that D came, for a little while, at a university that I love in a town I love, and is a place that he feels love for too.

Go Cats!

[bpcats20]

I understand why Choate made the move if you are feeling that restless in your profession and the urge to move on. I just think he did a year or two too early.

He built a tremendous program, assembled a tremendous staff that complimented each other. Just feels like it is an incomplete picture ...built the program but didn’t stick around to establish the program to enjoy what he was building (take advantage of new complex)...having a complete team with passing game...

Mostly I will miss the feeling that we had a coach that could go head to head with Bobby and the Griz and hold our own.

Hope our next coach gets what we are about and not someone that was like Stitt for the Griz.

[grizzh8r]

It sure seems as something significant had to have happened in the last week. Possibly at the MSU level, possibly at the BSC level. We might not ever know. There’s some hypocrisy here in that Choate spoke negatively about the player portal and how it made it too easy for players to change schools. I know coaches are different, but leaving for a position coach job is similar to a WR leaving MT State because they don’t throw the ball enough. Neither seems right to me.

Yep, a $500k+ payday is pretty significant, no doubt about that.

[BleedingBLue]

The best thing about Texas, is that they aren't nearly the program they think they are! They have 3 conferences championships since 1996, when the Big 12 first started. 3!!! 1 national championship in that time. Choate is going to a school that has possibly the most unforgiving fan base in college football. After all the crap with not playing in the fall, and barely missing the Boise job, I get it. I think he just went to a bad place.

That is one more national championship than MSU has since the 1980's.

What's your point? MSU doesn't fire a coach who goes 7-6, 10-4, 8-5 and 7-3 over the last 4 years. I said a couple weeks ago that Texas is just like UM. Always overhyped and way too full of themselves. Like I said, I get the move. Just don't think the place is great.

What's weird here bleedingblue is that I can't figure out what your point is. The thing you say is best about Texas is the very thing I think is worst about Texas. Maybe that's how you meant it.

That's exactly how I meant it.

[WalkOn79]

Long time reader, first time poster here... the kids, the community, and the university are and always will be the only constants in college sports. Coaches are nothing more than interchangeable gypsies looking for their next job. Choate, Kane and others enjoy these opportunities because of your continued support of the school and program. To the next staff I say welcome and take care of our boys, to those leaving I say good luck and don't let the door hit you in the ass.

This is a healthy view BTW