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Message
re: Is Baker to Tulane the right decision for him?
Posted on 12/4/25 at 8:20 pm to BilJ
Posted on 12/4/25 at 8:20 pm to BilJ
quote:
heavier investment likely wouldn’t yield much past that
I think with the players now being bought opening through NIL, heavier investment would bring more opportunities past that. Would it ever be a Bama, LSU, etc with multiple championships in 10 years? No. I don't think. But many ACC, SEC, etc programs does very well just being middle of the pack with an occasional run mixed in.
0
Posted on 12/4/25 at 8:27 pm to Joe Edwards
quote:
They can't keep having to hire a new coach every few years, eventually that will bite them in the a**
I present to you Chris Scelfo, Bob Toledo and Curtis Johnson.
Those three coaches were considered ‘forever’ coaches and we see how well that worked out.
As long as Tulane can keep their NIL stuff going and can keep the same people in on who has helped with hiring the last couple of coaches then we are good.
Posted on 12/4/25 at 8:27 pm to John Rambeaux
I think it’s a good move
Posted on 12/4/25 at 8:38 pm to John Rambeaux
I got down voted by a bunch of people on here for saying something similar. Probably all the Tulane people on here.
Posted on 12/4/25 at 9:29 pm to Joe Edwards
quote:
That's possible but Tulane gotta get some longevity with a coach. They can't keep having to hire a new coach every few years, eventually that will bite them in the a**. So hopefully Baker stays there for that to happen. I hate to see him go but I wish him the best
Hiring a coach because you think they will stay is the wrong mentality for Tulane
It’s a stepping stone job. Need to embrace that and keep hiring guys who want to win and then leave
Posted on 12/4/25 at 9:31 pm to Jacobowitz
quote:
Need to embrace that and keep hiring guys who want to win and then leave
Pretty sure that was the thought process behind hiring Sumrall and going after Baker.
Posted on 12/4/25 at 10:01 pm to SulphursFinest
quote:
Considering the last Tulane coach just went to Florida, I don’t think it’s a bad decision
Hypothetical
Let’s say that Baker coaches the next two seasons at LSU compared to the next two seasons at Tulane.
LSU D dominates and even improved and performs slightly better than this years D over two years and we have some playoff runs.
Vs.
Tulane similar under Sumrall.
I’m not sure which resume looks better for a Florida type of job in n that scenario. We win big for the next 2 years, I would think he’d be approaching a reputation as a coordinator line Venebles, Kirby, Pruett, etc had to land big time jobs.
Posted on 12/4/25 at 10:15 pm to John Rambeaux
It’s best for your career to win some games as a coach.
Winning at tulane is a lot easier than winning at a mid/bottom tier p4 school, which is probably his ceiling for a first time HC job if he sticks to being a coordinator the next few years.
There’s exceptions, sure. But someone with wins as a HC on their resume will get better looks from the high end programs vs someone who has only ever been a coordinator.
Winning at tulane is a lot easier than winning at a mid/bottom tier p4 school, which is probably his ceiling for a first time HC job if he sticks to being a coordinator the next few years.
There’s exceptions, sure. But someone with wins as a HC on their resume will get better looks from the high end programs vs someone who has only ever been a coordinator.
Posted on 12/4/25 at 10:18 pm to Former_5_Star
quote:
LSU D dominates and even improved and performs slightly better than this years D over two years and we have some playoff runs. Vs. Tulane similar under Sumrall.
Sumrall is on the cusp of bringing fricking tulane to the playoffs. Replicate that and you are going to have a ton of interest from big programs
Posted on 12/4/25 at 10:35 pm to Former_5_Star
quote:
Hypothetical
Let’s say that Baker coaches the next two seasons at LSU compared to the next two seasons at Tulane.
LSU D dominates and even improved and performs slightly better than this years D over two years and we have some playoff runs.
Vs.
Tulane similar under Sumrall.
I’m not sure which resume looks better for a Florida type of job in n that scenario. We win big for the next 2 years, I would think he’d be approaching a reputation as a coordinator line Venebles, Kirby, Pruett, etc had to land big time jobs.
Jon Sumrall is the head coach of Florida. Glenn Schumann is still the defensive coordinator for Georgia
Posted on 12/4/25 at 10:41 pm to Former_5_Star
quote:
I’m not sure which resume looks better for a Florida type of job in n that scenario. We win big for the next 2 years, I would think he’d be approaching a reputation as a coordinator line Venebles, Kirby, Pruett, etc had to land big time jobs.
Honestly neither approach is 'wrong'.
BB might want to be a HC sooner than later.
He wants to prove to a Power Conference programs that he can keep Tulane winning and also that he can run the entire program not just defense. While maybe not, you think that maintaining a program like Tulane could looking favorable to potential future jobs.
Take staying at LSU off the table....would staying the DC be more valuable then sticking becoming an HC?
Plus if he accept the Tulane offer he is more familiar with the area. This or USL would probably be deceiving programs to start as. If they both were open
Posted on 12/4/25 at 10:43 pm to John Rambeaux
Something something when mama calls something
Posted on 12/4/25 at 10:44 pm to John Rambeaux
Very well written.Blake played at Tulane.His wife is from the area.Tulane has been competitive and they are getting decent players for the conference they play in. Couple of decent seasons and getting his feet wet in running his own program n he will get his opportunity.
Posted on 12/4/25 at 10:45 pm to dupergreenie
quote:
I present to you Chris Scelfo, Bob Toledo and Curtis Johnson. Those three coaches were considered ‘forever’ coaches and we see how well that worked out.
Reminds of something I learned as a young coach when a boss of mine told me “I’d rather have a great coach for one year then a below average one forever because I can’t get rid of him”
Posted on 12/4/25 at 11:23 pm to John Rambeaux
People hate to hear this…but Baker is pretty overrated as a DC. We are just used to sucking on D and also blaming the offense. He is a solid coach, got us to get our shite together, but we had legit the best 2 corners in the sec. If you can shut that down how do people put up the yards and score like they do? He legit is awful at playcalling
Posted on 12/4/25 at 11:29 pm to John Rambeaux
I think Baker could drastically improve his defenses by working with Kiffin for a year or two. We all know he can struggle against certain offenses and this would be the perfect opportunity to shore that deficiency up.
Posted on 12/4/25 at 11:33 pm to Mingo Was His NameO
quote:
Jon Sumrall is the head coach of Florida. Glenn Schumann is still the defensive coordinator for Georgia
The difference is the defense here is ALL Baker. Any DC under Kirby you have to wonder how much of that is Kirby vs Schumann.
Posted on 12/4/25 at 11:41 pm to PortCityTiger82
quote:
The difference is the defense here is ALL Baker. Any DC under Kirby you have to wonder how much of that is Kirby vs Schumann.
Ok now explain why sitting head coaches got every other job except one, where there were hometown ties
Posted on 12/4/25 at 11:45 pm to Mingo Was His NameO
This cycle but not always. This has been a weird coaching changes season anyways.
Posted on 12/5/25 at 1:24 am to John Rambeaux
quote:
To clarify, I don't mean can you get hired by a big school after taking a G5 job, but is it better for your career development as a coach.
It's a fair question. I don't know if there's really a conclusion. There are examples of success and failures you can point at for each route
Day
Kirby
Dabo
Jimbo
These guys got major HC jobs straight from being assistants and won titles
But then Saban (Toledo - Sparty - LSU - Dolphins - Bama) and Meyer (Bowling Green - Utah - Florida - Ohio St) started as HC at lower programs and climbed the HC ladder progressively from there. Jim Tressel and Mack Brown fall into this camp as well
Which is better for Baker in particular? Who can say. Financially it's a wash, LSU won't be outbid for him if they really want to keep him. Tulane is his alma mater so there's an emotional tie involved. If he continues the success that Fritz and Sumrall had then he'll get major job offers and quick. If he fails then he'll always have a place as DC at a major program but it would be a major setback to getting a bigtime HC job, it'll be a black mark even if he starts having good success as a DC again. If he stays as DC at LSU and continues to have success I'm sure a bigtime offer will come, though it might take a little more time. Smart, Muschamp, Venables, Pruitt, etc were assistants for quite a while before their big breaks came. Lanning's came pretty quickly but that's not usually the norm. Day and Riley and Freeman were quick too but unlike Lanning they were promotions from within and Baker can't really bank on that since it's year 1 of a new coach. He also has a chance at contending for a title as the DC especially since his defense won't have to put the whole team on his back with Lane.
It's a tough choice he'll have to make, I don't think either path is so cut and dry the right or wrong choice. I'll respect whatever his decision is though obviously I'm biased as an LSU fan and want him to stay, but I won't be upset if he leaves.
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