Vigen Oregon State rumors.

[onceacat]

It's just a ridiculous distraction when the focus should be on playoffs. Transfer Portal for players and coaches should not happen until the season is over. IMO.

That's how it works in other sports leagues. The way the NCAA has gone from policing the most minor athlete infractions 20 years ago to doing absolutely nothing to protect the integrity of the playoffs is pretty shocking.

[KIX]

Corvallis airport doesn't have commercial service so Portland seems easier if they're interviewing multiple candidates without access to private jets to fly people around. Plus Vigen has a job to do back in Bozeman and likely wanted this to be as quick a trip as possible. I wouldn't be surprised if he's flying back into Bozeman tonight to get to work on playoff prep in the morning.

Why not Eugene? Its an hour closer to OSU campus than PDX.

Only nonstop flight is to Portland.

Well, yeah. But OSU isnt in Portland.

Nor is it in Eugene. It is very common for coaching interviews to happen off-campus in more convenient locations for quick travel in and out. Again, Vigen has a job to do back in Bozeman. The campus tour can wait.

So why not just use Zoom like the rest of the world?

(I'm not saying that anything in college football makes sense, but seriously. This is a level of flabbergastingly stupid that makes everything else at the NCAA look really reasonable by comparison....we drive the interview committee 2 hours rather than making the job applicant come to the place of business? Wow!)

I was assuming that the initial contact or Zoom interview portion of the process has already occurred. These are finalist interviews, the process has probably been ongoing ever since they fired the previous coach.

probably even before he was fired...probably put out feelers to see who was interested.....Coach Vigen has earned it but I hope he doesn't get it....for those who think we will be fine it will take a few years to be fine.

Why?

because finding someone to fill Vigen's shoes is not a given..He will take some quality players and coaches with him, other players might hit the portal others might de-commit ..finding someone with his personality to step in with the boosters will not be easy..fool yourself if you want but if he goes he we lose a lot in the process.

This

[KIX]

It's just a ridiculous distraction when the focus should be on playoffs. Transfer Portal for players and coaches should not happen until the season is over. IMO.

Totally agree. Team has worked hard all year, been focused on a single goal. Then throw this crap into the fold is awful.

[coloradocat]

It's just a ridiculous distraction when the focus should be on playoffs. Transfer Portal for players and coaches should not happen until the season is over. IMO.

Even if they had a hiring window for head coaches it would have to be before the transfer portal opens for players so teams had their coaches in place for it. And it probably wouldn't stop teams from starting their searches early, it would just delay when they sign the contract.

[KIX]

If Vigen goes, it’s possible guys go with him. But let’s be honest, most of those players are probably leaving whether Vigen goes or not. Sucks, but it is what it is. There’s strong depth on this team. MSU is more than one person. And honestly, if they need to get some transfers in for a bridge year or two, that’s a very realistic scenario too. There’s no reason to be pessimistic right now.

I truly believe that if Vigen is here in 2026, guys like Jones, Lamson, Dowlers, Lencioni, Taylor, I could go on and on, would stay. If he leaves, they'll be gone. If he stays, another Top 2 seed.

[MSU01]

It's just a ridiculous distraction when the focus should be on playoffs. Transfer Portal for players and coaches should not happen until the season is over. IMO.

Even if they had a hiring window for head coaches it would have to be before the transfer portal opens for players so teams had their coaches in place for it. And it probably wouldn't stop teams from starting their searches early, it would just delay when they sign the contract.

Yup, thinking somehow that the NCAA could prevent any of these schools from starting their search processes until after the full season ends in mid-January is incredibly naive and unrealistic. I think the MSU players and coaching staff are a lot more focused and resilient than some on this board appear to give them credit for. It'll be somewhat of a distraction until the situation is resolved but I have no reason to believe that it will affect what happens on the field over the next month and a half.

[BelligerentBobcat]

It's just a ridiculous distraction when the focus should be on playoffs. Transfer Portal for players and coaches should not happen until the season is over. IMO.

Well, this is when it is. I’m not trying to be rude, but get over it. No use complaining about it. We’re small fish, the big boys make the rules.

[BelligerentBobcat]

If Vigen goes, it’s possible guys go with him. But let’s be honest, most of those players are probably leaving whether Vigen goes or not. Sucks, but it is what it is. There’s strong depth on this team. MSU is more than one person. And honestly, if they need to get some transfers in for a bridge year or two, that’s a very realistic scenario too. There’s no reason to be pessimistic right now.

I truly believe that if Vigen is here in 2026, guys like Jones, Lamson, Dowlers, Lencioni, Taylor, I could go on and on, would stay. If he leaves, they'll be gone. If he stays, another Top 2 seed.

Maybe a couple of those guys leave. Most of them stay.

[nanacat]

It's just a ridiculous distraction when the focus should be on playoffs. Transfer Portal for players and coaches should not happen until the season is over. IMO.

That's how it works in other sports leagues. The way the NCAA has gone from policing the most minor athlete infractions 20 years ago to doing absolutely nothing to protect the integrity of the playoffs is pretty shocking.

Well the NCAA is just a train wreck.

[nanacat]

It's just a ridiculous distraction when the focus should be on playoffs. Transfer Portal for players and coaches should not happen until the season is over. IMO.

Well, this is when it is. I’m not trying to be rude, but get over it. No use complaining about it. We’re small fish, the big boys make the rules.

I get it, and I'm sure there's been plenty of communication within the walls of the BAC as to what's happening. I think Vigen is pretty transparent with his staff and players, at least that's what he's said in interviews regarding the portal.

My frustration is the timing. Monday morning we should still be celebrating all the great things that happened Saturday and instead we're in this place of unrest and uncertainty. I, for one, am listening to Keaton and Leo's broadcast of the game. They do such a great job!

[coloradocat]

If Vigen goes, it’s possible guys go with him. But let’s be honest, most of those players are probably leaving whether Vigen goes or not. Sucks, but it is what it is. There’s strong depth on this team. MSU is more than one person. And honestly, if they need to get some transfers in for a bridge year or two, that’s a very realistic scenario too. There’s no reason to be pessimistic right now.

I truly believe that if Vigen is here in 2026, guys like Jones, Lamson, Dowlers, Lencioni, Taylor, I could go on and on, would stay. If he leaves, they'll be gone. If he stays, another Top 2 seed.

Maybe a couple of those guys leave. Most of them stay.

If Adam and Taco (and Caden) leave the floodgates will open. Everyone will follow their lead whether they stay or go.

[MSUBobcat04]

I’d absolutely hate to see Coach Vigen move on but completely understand if he did for an opportunity like that. With that said….Maybe Troy Taylor or Ed Lamb would be possible replacements…I’d most certainly be happy with either.

Why not anyone currently on staff? Kind of how NDSU and SDSU have done.

Typically when a program is struggling and fires the head coach, you don't promote from within. NDSU and SDSU promoted from a current staff of proven winners after their head coaches were poached, not terminated.

[ilovethecats]

Corvallis airport doesn't have commercial service so Portland seems easier if they're interviewing multiple candidates without access to private jets to fly people around. Plus Vigen has a job to do back in Bozeman and likely wanted this to be as quick a trip as possible. I wouldn't be surprised if he's flying back into Bozeman tonight to get to work on playoff prep in the morning.

Why not Eugene? Its an hour closer to OSU campus than PDX.

Only nonstop flight is to Portland.

Well, yeah. But OSU isnt in Portland.

Nor is it in Eugene. It is very common for coaching interviews to happen off-campus in more convenient locations for quick travel in and out. Again, Vigen has a job to do back in Bozeman. The campus tour can wait.

So why not just use Zoom like the rest of the world?

(I'm not saying that anything in college football makes sense, but seriously. This is a level of flabbergastingly stupid that makes everything else at the NCAA look really reasonable by comparison....we drive the interview committee 2 hours rather than making the job applicant come to the place of business? Wow!)

I was assuming that the initial contact or Zoom interview portion of the process has already occurred. These are finalist interviews, the process has probably been ongoing ever since they fired the previous coach.

probably even before he was fired...probably put out feelers to see who was interested.....Coach Vigen has earned it but I hope he doesn't get it....for those who think we will be fine it will take a few years to be fine.

Why?

because finding someone to fill Vigen's shoes is not a given..He will take some quality players and coaches with him, other players might hit the portal others might de-commit ..finding someone with his personality to step in with the boosters will not be easy..fool yourself if you want but if he goes he we lose a lot in the process.

I’m not fooled and well aware of the process. I’ve even been a part of the process before. I’m aware of how it works with boosters and everything else.

Obviously anything is possible. I suppose our football could be in shambles if he leaves. I happen to believe our PROGRAM is much bigger than a head coach. Even a very good one. I am VERY confident in our leadership and vision of our athletic director who I think is the best in the biz. He hasn’t made a bad hire yet and I won’t expect him to.

This will be a highly coveted job if and when coach Vigen leaves. We will have every opportunity to bring in the guy who’s the right fit and keep on chugging.

[tdub]

No matter what happens, MSU will still field a team next year that will be near the top of the FCS. There will be portal losses no matter what, but only 9 seniors? This team will still be good. Depth could get hurt, but there A LOT of talent on that depth chart.

[coloradocat]

Why not Eugene? Its an hour closer to OSU campus than PDX.

Only nonstop flight is to Portland.

Well, yeah. But OSU isnt in Portland.

Nor is it in Eugene. It is very common for coaching interviews to happen off-campus in more convenient locations for quick travel in and out. Again, Vigen has a job to do back in Bozeman. The campus tour can wait.

So why not just use Zoom like the rest of the world?

(I'm not saying that anything in college football makes sense, but seriously. This is a level of flabbergastingly stupid that makes everything else at the NCAA look really reasonable by comparison....we drive the interview committee 2 hours rather than making the job applicant come to the place of business? Wow!)

I was assuming that the initial contact or Zoom interview portion of the process has already occurred. These are finalist interviews, the process has probably been ongoing ever since they fired the previous coach.

probably even before he was fired...probably put out feelers to see who was interested.....Coach Vigen has earned it but I hope he doesn't get it....for those who think we will be fine it will take a few years to be fine.

Why?

because finding someone to fill Vigen's shoes is not a given..He will take some quality players and coaches with him, other players might hit the portal others might de-commit ..finding someone with his personality to step in with the boosters will not be easy..fool yourself if you want but if he goes he we lose a lot in the process.

I’m not fooled and well aware of the process. I’ve even been a part of the process before. I’m aware of how it works with boosters and everything else.

Obviously anything is possible. I suppose our football could be in shambles if he leaves. I happen to believe our PROGRAM is much bigger than a head coach. Even a very good one. I am VERY confident in our leadership and vision of our athletic director who I think is the best in the biz. He hasn’t made a bad hire yet and I won’t expect him to.

This will be a highly coveted job if and when coach Vigen leaves. We will have every opportunity to bring in the guy who’s the right fit and keep on chugging.

The counterpoint to this (not my opinion as I don't know enough about the hiring process and what all happened behind the scenes) is that it appears that we dodged some bullets on the last two hiring cycles. The guys we could have had, and maybe would have if they wouldn't have turned us down, didn't all do well in the jobs they ended up in. I don't remember the names but plenty of others on here will.

Now maybe we were always going with Choate and Vigen and so it doesn't matter how the others turned out but if we wanted any of them and couldn't get them then we can't be too confident that everything will work out fine next time.

[MSU01]

The counterpoint to this (not my opinion as I don't know enough about the hiring process and what all happened behind the scenes) is that it appears that we dodged some bullets on the last two hiring cycles. The guys we could have had, and maybe would have if they wouldn't have turned us down, didn't all do well in the jobs they ended up in. I don't remember the names but plenty of others on here will.

Now maybe we were always going with Choate and Vigen and so it doesn't matter how the others turned out but if we wanted any of them and couldn't get them then we can't be too confident that everything will work out fine next time.

One of those names is Ken Wilson, who was Oregon's co-DC in 2021 during the search process to replace Jeff Choate. It was reported that he was offered the MSU job but turned it down, then a year later he took the Nevada job and after two bad years was fired and replaced by...Jeff Choate. Of course, it's entirely possible that Wilson would have done well at MSU as Nevada appears to be a very tough place for anyone to have success these days.

[nanacat]

I looked online and from the perspective of several journalists in Oregon, Polasek is the favorite. Guess we'll see.

[tetoncat]

Future success likely depends on at least some staff retention. If all coaches are gone tough to keep as ma y players. Vigen has had multiple staff changes so he may reach out to several not currently on staff. Keeping someone like Howe or Owens and building around that would be great to retain players and momentum whether they are head coach or assistant. A coach from outside won't necessarily run the program the same as they usually pit their own mark on it.

[Bobcat Sig]

I looked online and from the perspective of several journalists in Oregon, Polasek is the favorite. Guess we'll see.

Selfishly, I hope so. Some distraction over in biSon land would do us well in our march to the chipper

[MSU01]

I was reading the NDSU forum (Bisonville) earlier and they seem rather unbothered by the prospect of Polasek possibly going to Oregon State. I guess if any fanbase should be well aware that losing a successful head coach doesn't necessarily mean that your program will take a huge step backward, it would be them.