Housewright to Akron

[VimSince03]

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.

[AFCAT]

I sure hope we don't see a mass exodus of players or new recruits. I know most of BN was unhappy with him but sure seems like that wasn't the case with the players.
Having the chance to coach back home was probably really appealing. Does he have a wife and kids? I've never really heard that. Anyway, could sure be a draw being closer to family, and a step up to the FBS to boot. Wish him the best. Interested to see who replaces him.

He is married. There won't be a mass exodus for one coach.

[VimSince03]

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.

https://msubobcats.com/news/2024/1/10/b ... nator.aspx

Sounds like all position coaches are staying the same and we'll be bringing in a QBs coach. Search underway. All QB experts on Bobcatnation now have their opportunity!

[HamiltonBobcat]

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

[AFCAT]

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.

https://msubobcats.com/news/2024/1/10/b ... nator.aspx

Sounds like all position coaches are staying the same and we'll be bringing in a QBs coach. Search underway. All QB experts on Bobcatnation now have their opportunity!

I can see it now. "Bring back Denarius!"

[coloradocat]

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.

The promotion coming on the same day Housewright is announced as leaving makes me think (hope) that this was all in the works for at least a few days. It's one thing to hire from within to maintain continuity and not have to re-recruit all the players on one side of the ball and another thing to just lock down the role immediately without doing an extensive search outside the program. I'm not saying Vigen didn't look outside (hence the assumption this wasn't as quick of a promotion as it appears) but is this really the best we could do? That's not a knock on Walker either, just that we should be at the point in this program where coaches with experience are dying to come here and we don't need to hire from within for such an important role.

[ND0479]

My impression is that Vigen is very particular about who he trusts either through prior association or coaches on staff going to bat ie Jody Owen’s.

Must have liked how Tyler was coaching tight ends and trusts will keep same language basics that have successful so far.

Must have patience because this will be learning on job.

The WMG era would contradict your thoughts.

How so? Vigen coached with WMG at NDSU, thus the trust through prior association.

Yeah, maybe it's Vigen's judge of character that should be more in question. I just wouldn't call hiring a former associate with a known drinking problem, being very particular.

[VimSince03]

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.

The promotion coming on the same day Housewright is announced as leaving makes me think (hope) that this was all in the works for at least a few days. It's one thing to hire from within to maintain continuity and not have to re-recruit all the players on one side of the ball and another thing to just lock down the role immediately without doing an extensive search outside the program. I'm not saying Vigen didn't look outside (hence the assumption this wasn't as quick of a promotion as it appears) but is this really the best we could do? That's not a knock on Walker either, just that we should be at the point in this program where coaches with experience are dying to come here and we don't need to hire from within for such an important role.

Vigen was pretty intentional in saying "I wanted continuity and Walker showed me he was ready" so sounds like this was the plan and we didn't even really look outside of the program.

[jgrilley406]

Sounds like beating on a dead horse, but hopefully the TEs coach will utilize our TE weapons all season long. Seems like cats use them a game here game there and then goes games without utilizing them at all.

[Cledus]

[catbooster]

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.

[MSU01]

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.

Freddie Banks: No prior D-1 coordinator experience, did a fantastic job at MSU and was hired away by Colorado State after one year.
Willie Mack Garza: Lots of prior experience, fans wanted him gone almost immediately and his non-renewal was universally praised.

[VimSince03]

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.

Choate also hired a bumbling, washed up, chainsmoker who didn't make it half a year as the OC. Another outside hire before he went internal with Matt Miller. Much like recruiting, it isn't an exact science. You go with you trust will get the job done. The offense definitely isn't broken, we just need a different play caller.

[Prodigal Cat]

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.

Freddie Banks: No prior D-1 coordinator experience, did a fantastic job at MSU and was hired away by Colorado State after one year.
Willie Mack Garza: Lots of prior experience, fans wanted him gone almost immediately and his non-renewal was universally praised.

All of these. If you're getting an experienced guy at the FCS level there is usually something else going on. Sometimes its just someone who likes to fly fish, wants to live in Montana and can mail it in at times. Most of the time its someone with some character issues or failures at a higher level.

Give me the new guy wanting to prove himself.

[CodyCat]

Tyler Walker. New OC

[BelligerentBobcat]

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.

[AFCAT]

[sdsyvie]

Damn Vigen… if you weren’t so quick to pull the trigger on this, you could have talked to Saban. Now we’ll never know if he had any interest in coming here…

Oh my God, thanks for this post this is the exceptional content I scour this board for. Good stuff

[Cataholic]

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.

Yes. And Vigen was an OC at a Mountain West school. I am pretty sure that he knows what qualifications are necessary in a candidate to be a successful OC.

[tetoncat]

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

First DC hire was a home run. Replaced with someone he knew as not a long time with first staff to maybe be comfortable with any one else who improved year 1 to 2. Wasn't housewright his first OC? While he had some inconsistencies he helped produce record setting offenses thru play calling and recruiting. Now Vigen has to replace and has 3 years with an assistant he is comfortable with. I would think keeping someone players are familiar with helps keep players vs getting an outsider.