mbBear;842019857 said:

---

Maybe. Just as much about his mindset-is he so anxious to get a HC position, that the numbers work for him, or does he wait it out? Certainly no gun to his head to make the move this year....it will be interesting to see how it plays out. But, I agree with your initial thought-a real nice candidate for us outsiders.

---

Wait it out for what? Cal is one of the top HC positions available right now. Maybe a better one will open up soon, but Cal will pay competitively, we are in an attractive location, we have brand new facilities, the conference has a brand new, expanding TV network, we have good talent on the roster to win quickly, we're in fertile recruiting territory. We have a LOT of things in our favor. This is a pretty freaking plum job for a hotshot HC prospect.

DCGoldenBear;842019880 said:

---

I'd support him if I were sure he didn't hold the abhorrent views of Notre Dame University.

---

Cal's AD Sandy Barbour herself used to work at Notre Dame. I don't think there's some sort of ideological litmus test to work there. Nor is there one for the University of California.

some good redzone stops by Diaco's Defense.

A lot more people know him now after the goal line stand. Getting a Coordinator from a team playing in the NCG, yeah, that carries some "knowledge".
The "knowing" factor is a low priority, and very subjective. The Cal fan base is bigger than it was when Tedford was hired. Winning is still the bottom line.

mbBear;842019969 said:

---

A lot more people know him now after the goal line stand. Getting a Coordinator from a team playing in the NCG, yeah, that carries some "knowledge".
The "knowing" factor is a low priority, and very subjective. The Cal fan base is bigger than it was when Tedford was hired. Winning is still the bottom line.

---

He won't be cheap now. I am thinking $2 million a year or more. I would hope we can get a guy with HC experience for that kind of dough.

I have been on the HC bandwagon also. But, a ND background means attention to academics, it means recruiting knowledge of important areas, and it means week to week pressure from fans and media. I want the next great one-if Dykes (and I am just using as an example,not saying its true) is all smoke and mirrors and gets swallowed up on a bigger stage, then HC experience doesn't matter.

beelzebear;842019584 said:

---

Fair enough and correct. It is blue like suburban Chicago but there's still plenty of IND weirdness...drive a bit off the beaten path and you can hear the Deliverance theme song in the back of your head.

---

Will you people knock it off? How many of you have spent a significant amount of time in the MidWest, let alone the South Bend area? Sure there are some cultural differences, but cultural assassination like this?

Let's see: the South? Rednecks. The Midwest? Milquetoasts. The East? Pantywaists.

But, California, drowning in a sea of red ink, public schools sinking below mediocrity, traffic/crime/COL on the rise, pot still illegal? Cool.

C'mon. If you look closely at Diaco, you might see someone interesting. I don't know any more about him than the next person, but no reason to dismiss him out of hand.

By the way, what is the protocol for Coordinators staying through their team's bowl game? HCs are supposed to wait, although Brian Kelly didn't when he left Cincinnati.

And, the ND connection for SB - she must have several, still. Suddenly, this gets more intriquing.

Of the coordinator candidates this guy is the guy I like best. He could be very good. I personally want a current HC, but this guy is worth looking at for sure.

HaasBear04;842019445 said:

---

I like him more than Dykes or Franklin.

---

Count me in with him.

Rushinbear;842020189 said:

---

By the way, what is the protocol for Coordinators staying through their team's bowl game? HCs are supposed to wait, although Brian Kelly didn't when he left Cincinnati.

---

Nick Saban also left Michigan State after the regular season in 99 to coach LSU.

Bobby Williams took the HC job over and helped Michigan State win the Citrus bowl against Florida, but then ran the program into the ground until 2002. Now Williams is again under Saban as special teams coach.

Diaco might indeed be a good candidate, but how much of his success at ND stems from him being at ND, arguably the #1 brand in college football, and a place where it's very easy to recruit top talent nationally?

atoms;842019889 said:

---

Cal's AD Sandy Barbour herself used to work at Notre Dame. I don't think there's some sort of ideological litmus test to work there. Nor is there one for the University of California.

---

I would guess that Sandy considers her current gig as a dream job/terminal destination because her personal cultural fit at Cal is much better than what it was in South Bend or at most other leading universities.


I agree with atoms, the excitement from a "big name" won't carry on past the first half of the first season, the product on the field will quickly take over and become the major driver in ticket sales and fan enthusiasm.

Also, salary should not be a major consideration, a coach who's hired cheaper and becomes successful will have to be upgraded to a competitive package, and a cheaper coach who doesn't succeed could eventually cost far more in lost revenues than the savings from his lower salary (see Holmoe).

Basically you want the coach who is most likely to succeed at Cal and who is a good long-term cultural fit.

For all of their alleged brand, they have had plenty of down years before Kelly and crew got there. ND plays a great schedule every year, so their coaches are game planning week in and week out.
Also, ND's recruiting isn't automatic-its still work, and, as I said before, if you work at ND, you have West Coast exposure.
No offense to you personally, but the "too much talent" thing is a non-starter for me. You scratch Kirby Smart for the same reason? He had as many NFL draft picks on D as Cal has had in the last 5 years(hyperbole, but you get the point).
I agree with the "big name," plus, not even sure who qualifies as that anyway, except I guess Petersen...

My only comeback would be if he sees himself as a Midwest guy, or more enthralled with the Big 10, Big 12, or SEC.
As much as Cal is in a great conference, all the new facilities, etc. there is going to be the issue of fan support. There isn't a lot of wiggle room at Cal-you lose some games, the crowds are down quickly. Iowa, 4-7, had almost 70,000 yesterday. Tennessee isn't even worth discussing, with Arkansas right there too. Does he wait out the Texas job? I don't disagree, but jobs open every year, he doesn't have to make a move because he is at ND, he is not under the radar.

Notre Dame's talent is ok, not SC quality, but their coaching is elite. Diaco is also their chief recruiter

Cal88;842020195 said:

---

Diaco might indeed be a good candidate, but how much of his success at ND stems from him being at ND, arguably the #1 brand in college football, and a place where it's very easy to recruit top talent nationally?

---

That's true, but he also ran a top defense in Cincinnati, which had pretty much ZERO national brand before Brian Kelly. Also, it's not like Notre Dame had been good for the last decade prior. They have a great, historic national brand, but compared to the Alabamas and Floridas and USCs and Texases, they weren't the hot flavor of the moment. Kelly and his staff, including Diaco, really turned it around. And Diaco is supposed to be a great recruiter; there's a story floating around about how at 4:30 in the morning, he went to visit blue chip defensive recruit Ishaq Williams, who was about to visit and commit to Penn State, and got him to cancel his trip, visit South Bend, and commit to Notre Dame instead.

Sounds ballsy and charismatic and exactly the kind of go-get-'em spirit you want.

atoms;842019447 said:

---

One more thing about Notre Dame's culture:

Notre Dame tops in NCAA GSR

Also, their football team has a 970 APR, and they have many many teams with top APR scores:

Notre Dame Leads The Way On 2012 NCAA APR Honors List

---

I am sure however Sandy hires will have a background in improving a programs academics. Minor correction- Sandy was the Asst AD at ND. No one in their right mind leaves the job of AD at ND.

I think Alabama's D will stop the Irish a lot better than the Trojans did.
However, Alabama does not have Wittek and Lee.

GBMARIN;842020381 said:

---

I think Alabama's D will stop the Irish a lot better than the Trojans did.
However, Alabama does not have Wittek and Lee.

---

Sure, but relevant the question is, how well will Notre Dame's D stop Alabama's O? Diaco is the Irish DEFENSIVE coordinator.

GB54;842020331 said:

---

Notre Dame's talent is ok, not SC quality, but their coaching is elite. Diaco is also their chief recruiter

---

atoms;842020397 said:

---

Sure, but relevant the question is, how well will Notre Dame's D stop Alabama's O? Diaco is the Irish DEFENSIVE coordinator.

---

+2!

under Diaco (since 2009 season, 2010 recruiting class), Notre Dame's classes:

year / rivals class rank / scout class rank / overall record / regular season record

2010: #14, #19, 6-6 (6-5)
2011: #10, #8, 8-5 (7-5)
2012: #20, #16, 8-5 (8-4)
2013: #3, #2, (11-0)

mbBear;842020306 said:

---

My only comeback would be if he sees himself as a Midwest guy, or more enthralled with the Big 10, Big 12, or SEC.

---

Maybe, but as a Big Ten guy (Diaco = Iowa '95 grad), maybe the opportunity to play Northwestern and Ohio State right out of the gate is intriguing to him? Plus of course I imagine he must know what it means to make it to the Rose Bowl, and the prospect of getting Cal there and beating a Big Ten team might be enticing. Though, maybe he might covet a job at his alma mater and wait for Ferentz to be fired... but I don't think it'll happen quite so soon, considering the ridiculous contract Ferentz has.

mbBear;842020306 said:

---

As much as Cal is in a great conference, all the new facilities, etc. there is going to be the issue of fan support. There isn't a lot of wiggle room at Cal-you lose some games, the crowds are down quickly. Iowa, 4-7, had almost 70,000 yesterday.

---

If a candidate is wondering about "what happens to fan support if/when my team will start to suck", I don't want him. I want a guy who is confident that he will win and attract the fanbase to come out and support. When Cal is doing well, we have a pretty enthusiastic fanbase.

mbBear;842020306 said:

---

Tennessee isn't even worth discussing, with Arkansas right there too. Does he wait out the Texas job? I don't disagree, but jobs open every year, he doesn't have to make a move because he is at ND, he is not under the radar.

---

Maybe we might be competing with Tennessee, but everything I've read about it makes it sound like they're going for a big name like a Gruden, and are prepared to throw $4M+ per year, so I don't think they're going to go for a coordinator necessarily. I haven't seen Diaco's name linked with the Tennessee job. Nor with Arkansas, yet. I have seen it linked with Boston College, but BC hasn't even fired its coach yet, so we've got the jump on them there. As for Texas, they have THREE up-and-coming coordinators in-house (Harsin, Diaz, Applewhite) already probably hoping to inherit the HC job once Mack Brown retires, and besides, with a job like Texas, nobody would just assume that they are a shoo-in and put all their eggs in that basket waiting for it to be available.

Maybe you should go start negotiations with him! I actually didn't mention BC because I definitely see that as a step down from Cal.

mbBear;842020537 said:

---

Maybe you should go start negotiations with him! I actually didn't mention BC because I definitely see that as a step down from Cal.

---

Haha, I wish. Actually he's still probably my second choice after Petersen, but he's a strong second.

This is my top 10 right now (not counting Strong or Gruden or guys that seem truly unrealistic):

1. Petersen
2. Diaco
3. Doeren
4. Smart
5. Roman
6. Helfrich
7. McIntyre
8. Dykes
9. Harsin
10. Andersen I guess

This thread has made me want Diaco as coach

SkyBear;842022492 said:

---

I mentioned him way back on the thread asking who we want as our next head coach (I think this thread started before it was officially announced that Tedford was fired).

I believe I was the first person to say Diaco, and only 1 person answered to say to give a mild approval.

Glad that more people are willing to finally give him a look.

---

I said it before you . I also saw Ode Besar first!

atoms;842020481 said:

---

Maybe, but as a Big Ten guy (Diaco = Iowa '95 grad)...

---

If he can hold out one more year (or sooner), I think he might be able to land the Iowa job, his alma mater.

Some people are getting tired of Kirk Ferentz over there (4-8, 6 game losing streak), the Tedford of the Big Ten.

Our Domicile;842022840 said:

---

If he can hold out one more year (or sooner), I think he might be able to land the Iowa job, his alma mater.

Some people are getting tired of Kirk Ferentz over there (4-8, 6 game losing streak), the Tedford of the Big Ten.

---

From what I understand, Ferentz has an absolutely ludicrous $4M/year contract through 2020, and a buyout of 75% of the value of the contract. So, unless Iowa has upwards of $24 million sitting around, plus whatever they might owe their assistants, plus several million more to pay for a new coaching staff.... then I think Ferentz is probably going to be coaching Iowa a little longer.

atoms;842023422 said:

---

From what I understand, Ferentz has an absolutely ludicrous $4M/year contract through 2020, and a buyout of 75% of the value of the contract. So, unless Iowa has upwards of $24 million sitting around, plus whatever they might owe their assistants, plus several million more to pay for a new coaching staff.... then I think Ferentz is probably going to be coaching Iowa a little longer.

---

Thanks for the info. Feel truly sorry for Iowa, lol.

This Diaco guy is very, very intriguing. Hope he gets an interview.

The adage "PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY" would rule out the personal agendas of some/most of our players (the Oline vs. the QB) from this past season so maybe it wouldn't be bad to have someone with Diaco's ND background after all.

Thanks for the heads-up.

atoms;842023422 said:

---

From what I understand, Ferentz has an absolutely ludicrous $4M/year contract through 2020, and a buyout of 75% of the value of the contract. So, unless Iowa has upwards of $24 million sitting around, plus whatever they might owe their assistants, plus several million more to pay for a new coaching staff.... then I think Ferentz is probably going to be coaching Iowa a little longer.

---

Although many people have complained about the terms of Tedford's buyout, it's seems as if it's a bargain relative to many of these other contacts we've been learning about...

Nice write up. I would move him up to my top three which is Peterson, Mac from San Jose State, and this guy.

atoms;842023422 said:

---

From what I understand, Ferentz has an absolutely ludicrous $4M/year contract through 2020, and a buyout of 75% of the value of the contract. So, unless Iowa has upwards of $24 million sitting around, plus whatever they might owe their assistants, plus several million more to pay for a new coaching staff.... then I think Ferentz is probably going to be coaching Iowa a little longer.

---

That's a lot of corn.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Davie_(American_football)

Etchebeary;842023502 said:

---

That's a lot of corn.

---

Not if you include the federal subsidies...

beelzebear;842019372 said:

---

Nice research, definitely on the rise.

That said, Midwesterners tend to give me a lukewarm feeling. They tend to like the predictable, middle America, way of living. Thus they like the retired community that is Stanfurd but tend not to "get" or like Berkeley, you know too weird.

For Berkeley, personally I think a West Coast kinda guy works best...they're not afraid of hippies, pinkos, 420, "weird" food like vegetables or any of that.

That said, if the guy can coach and he's game...why not. We need a football coach.

---

Your definition of Cal makes me want to be a Stanford fan! There are plenty of mainstream Cal people out there- even conservatives (I know, dirty word). Let's just get a great coach- period!

SRBear;842023504 said:

---

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Davie_(American_football)

---

hahaha they have the same initials! DOOOOM

beelzebear;842019372 said:

---

Nice research, definitely on the rise.

That said, Midwesterners tend to give me a lukewarm feeling. They tend to like the predictable, middle America, way of living. Thus they like the retired community that is Stanfurd but tend not to "get" or like Berkeley, you know too weird.

For Berkeley, personally I think a West Coast kinda guy works best...they're not afraid of hippies, pinkos, 420, "weird" food like vegetables or any of that.

That said, if the guy can coach and he's game...why not. We need a football coach.

---

Plenty of wildness in South Bend and the school has social liberal element to it. South Bend could never be compared to Stanford and the surrounding environment. Not trying to disparage anyone, they just are very different. I do agree that South Bend is very red meat, compared to the left coast.