re: frank Wilson is coming

Hire Frank Wilson
Posted by: Fletcher Mackel on December 1, 2006 at 12:00AM EST
Dear Rick Dickson,

Please consider Ole Miss asst. football coach Frank Wilson for the Tulane Head Coaching position.

Listening to various Tulane insiders we've heard all the rumored names: Eric Price from UTEP, Ron West from Clemson, Patrick Nix from Auburn, Major Applewhite from Rice, Bobby April from the Buffalo Bills and Jim Harbaugh from the University of San Diego.

Frank Wilson is our suggestion.

The late great Buddy D gratutiously lobbied the Saints to hire Mike Ditka back in 1997, and we're stealing a page from his book.

Except we believe Wilson will have much better results than Ditka did with the Saints.

For too long I've heard about what Tulane doesn't have. How difficult it is to win uptown.

I hate it!

Are there academic guidlines Tulane has to follow that other programs don't have too? Sure.

Will that ever change? No.

Should that ever change? No.

So instead of hiring a guy who wants to complain about what his program doesn't have, please hire a respected guy who's proven he can overcome odds and won't make excuses.

Frank Wilson is that person.

No offense to any of the guys mentioned above, but do they really understand Tulane? Will they be invested in the rebuilding of New Orleans? Probably not. But Wilson will be!

5 years ago Wilson took O. Perry Walker High School to the class 5A state title game in the Superdome. It was the first time an Orleans Parish public school played in the 5A championship. Before Wilson arrived at Walker everyone believed the Orleans Parish Public School System didn't have the resources to compete with the more powerful private schools.

Did Wilson ever complain that he practiced on a field that looked like a goat ranch? No.

Did he complain that his budget was 1/4 that of some of the private schools he routinely beat? No.

Not only did Wilson win, his players stayed out of trouble and passed. In 2003 15 of his kids signed scholarships.

He had kids on his team wearing shirts and ties to class, taking more pride in themselves, their studies and their lives.

The guy is a disciplined winner who doesn't know how to fail.

Ask former Tulane asst. and current West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez about Frank Wilson. He loves the guy.

While at O. Perry Walker Wilson spent countless hours working with Rodgiruez on offensive theory. Rodriguez is now universally praised as one of the best offensive minds in college football, making Wilson, more or less, a protege of his.

Since arriving at Ole Miss Wilson has helped recruit the best class the Rebels have ever signed.

Wilson has also coached back-to-back 1000 yard rushers in Oxford.

Will Tulane hire Wilson? Who knows.

All I know is that this is arguably the most important hire Tulane Athletics Director Rick Dickson will ever make. So, Rick, please don't select someone who merely looks good on paper. Who's a ridicously safe pick. Who has no clue what Tulane is or what it takes to win uptown.

Do something daring. Reach for a young, dynamic, native son who's succeeded at the prep level despite difficult conditions, who's having success in the college coaching ranks and who can once again show the Tulane faithful what success is.

Go for a guy who'll heavily recruit kids from New Orleans and reinvigorant everyone who loves Tulane.

Hire Frank Wilson!

LINK

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