quote:
Guys, let me set the record straight on how competent ADs higher a coach. They don't "have their guy" before they fire their coach. There are no verbal agreements already set up (except for extraordinary cases like a Saban back from NFL, Urban going back to OSU, or an AD hiring an alum or their best friend). Instead they perform detailed due diligence on a bunch of coaches and start to group them them into rankings for fit and abilities. Then they reach out to their agents to gauge interest level in the job and try to narrow their list down to 3-5 coaches. But the truth is, no coach will have a one-on-one conversation with an AD while that school still has a head coach in place, let alone verbally agree to the job.

Once the AD fires or publicly states that the head coach will not come back next year, that is when they start having the one-on-one conversations with the candidate coaches and they determine which coach is the best fit for the school, AD, and team. That is why A&M fired Jimbo now rather than the end of the season because it gives them a head start on those conversations. That is why Scott publicly stated that Ed O was not coming back so early in the 2021 season.

A&M probably has 2-3 coaches they have identified and have already gauged their interest, but I guarentee you that they do not have a verbal with any coach. The only one that would fit that extraordinary case would be Dan Campbell and the Ags are delusional if they think they are going to pry him away from a Detroit team that is near a complete turnaround.

What you said is pretty accurate. But one note, in most if not all cases they can’t have any direct contact with an existing HC due to contract stipulations. They’d have to get permission.

Even though they have a head start that only works for non working or other fired coaches. Most college coaching contracts stipulate no direct or indirect (agents) contact with other schools without permission.

And it can backfire. If it takes longer to hire then the clock is already ticking on portal jumpers. Players have 30 free days from the firing to jump to portal/another school. If it takes too long to hire there is no HC to convince them to stay. Same with recruits.

So IMO it can also hurt them doing it too early too.

This post was edited on 11/13/23 at 2:37 pm