Looking at Bates' football hires while at Miami (OH)

Hiring is tough in any profession. It is even tougher in sports because your hires are so public, as are the results. Even the best Athletic Directors like Louisville Tom Jurich or Florida's Jeremy Foley get it wrong sometimes. Also you can have a good process and hire the wrong coach or have a bad process and luck into a great coach (think of Jerry York at BC). But if you are repeatedly making bad hires, you probably shouldn't be the one making more hires. That brings me to Brad Bates.

Bates has done many things as an Athletic Directer at Miami of Ohio and Boston College. He's also hired dozens of coaches and even more staffers. But his challenges with finding good football coaches remains disconcerting. Addazio still may turn things around, but given track records, I don't know if I trust Brad Bates to handle the football hiring and firing.

We all know about Addazio, so let's look at the three coaches he hired at Miami of Ohio. The MAC school had a great history of developing coaches and winning football. It had even been nicknamed the "Cradle of Coaches." Sid Gillman, Woody Hayes, Ara Parseghian, and Bo Schembechler all coached there. That history creates great opportunities for an AD. Many young assistants would gladly jump at the chance to learn in the place that molded all those previous legends. In fact, the two head coaches prior to Bates' arrival were Randy Walker and Hoeppner. Both left Miami of Ohio with winning records and both got hired away by Big Ten schools where they continued their successes. (Both also died at their next stops, which is an unfortunate coincidence.) Being the AD at Miami of Ohio would seemingly be a dream. Any time you had a football opening, you could tap some of the best and brightest assistants around.

Now I don't know all the politics or issues involved with each decision. Nor do I know exactly how much autonomy Bates had each time, but from afar it seems like he followed the young up and comer model. Also note the win percentages of Walker (.621) and Hoeppner (.657) before Bates' series of coaches took over.

Shane Montgomery -- Four Seaons: 17-31. .357 win percentage
What happened: This seemed like the classic case of hiring the guy who is there in an effort to keep the good times rolling. Montgomery had been a critical part of Hoeppner's staff and credited with developing Ben Roethlisberger as a first round pick. Bates hired him right before their Bowl game when Hoeppner was out the door to Indiana. Miami's own recap of the situation even speaks to it being a surprise move:

In an unprecedented move, Miami University Director of Athletics Brad Bates made a locker room announcement in front of a national television audience prior to the playing of the 2004 Independence Bowl, naming then-offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery head coach of Miami's venerable football program.

Whether he was too young or it came too soon or the challenge of finding another Big Ben, Montgomery had one winning season and three losing ones. He is now as assistant at Youngstown State.

Mike Haywood -- Two Seasons: 10-15. .400 win percentage
What happened: I don't know where to start with the Mike Haywood situation. You could almost call it a successful hire with a major, major asterisks. Following firing Montgomery, Bates hired Haywood from Notre Dame where he served as Charlie Weis' OC. Prior to being on Weis' staff, Haywood was on Mack Brown's at Texas. He was considered one of the next big things. On paper, he was perfect for Miami of Ohio. His first season was terrible (1-11), but his second season saw a huge turnaround (9-4). Haywood leveraged that success into the job at Pitt. As you might know, he never coached a game at Pitt. From the ESPN article:

Pittsburgh fired football coach Mike Haywood on Saturday, saying he could not continue in the job he held for only 2½ weeks because of his arrest on a domestic violence charge.
Haywood was released Saturday from St. Joseph County Jail in Indiana on $1,000 cash bond, said an officer at the jail who declined to give her name, after the charge was upgraded from a misdemeanor to felony domestic battery in the presence of a minor.

Bates is professionally lucky that Haywood's arrest came only two weeks after he left Miami. I don't know if Bates gets the BC job, if that happened on his watch. I know an AD can't monitor the behavior of all his employees 24/7, but it speaks to the need for due diligence in the process. An AD needs to ask all the tough questions and turn over every rock. For better or worse the football coach is often the face of the university. The only defense Bates has of this hire is that Pitt made the same mistakes. Even with the off-the-field issues, Haywood left Miami with a losing record.

 Don Treadwell -- Three Seasons: 8-21. .275 win percentage
What happened: Treadwell was Bates' last football hire before coming to BC. The former TOB assistant came back to his Alma mater after a successful run as Offensive Coordinator at Michigan State. Even going back to his BC days, Treadwell always participated in different programs and workshops designed for black assistants to become head coaches. Getting the Miami job seemed like the next step and a good hire on paper. It didn't work out. His first two seasons saw identical 4-8 records and then, after he started 0-5 in Year 3, they fired him.

I don't know all the challenges at Miami or each coach's issues -- other than not winning enough. Maybe Bates was just unlucky or maybe he can't see that subjective "it" that happens when you put the right guy in the right place at the right time. Since Bates has been gone, Miami's latest football coach Chuck Martin has failed to turn things around. (Martin is now 5-25 at Miami.) Maybe -- like BC -- they need to address why they continue to struggle given their rich history. But every AD is going to face institutional challenges. The good ones work around those challenges and find the right coach.

Coaches to Watch this fall Part 2: Current Head Coaches that need winning 2012 seasons

Since everyone has Spaz on the Hotseat List, now is as good a time as any to look at future BC head coaching candidates. Unlike our past profile series, the timing and style on these posts will be a little different.  Instead of being weeks or days away from a potential change, we have the benefit of a whole season to evaluate these guys. Some stocks will rise, while others will fall and it will make our usual scoreboard watching that much more interesting. 


The second part of the series will look at current head coaches who don't have the resumes to take the job now, but could get consideration if they win this fall. The added twist is that all the guys have some tie to BC or Gene. Our past three head coaches had zero head coaching experience prior to taking the BC job, so prior head coaching experience is not a prerequisite. But I do think it will help any potential transition to BC. In fact if we hire a guy who lost at a previous school until this year, we receive the benefit of his head coaching learning curve without all the loses. 


Dave Clawson
Head Coach, Bowling Green
This name should be familiar to most since Clawson was a surprise candidate during the 2007 search. At the time he was a rising star in DIAA and had worked with Gene back in the Villanova days. BC fans were surprisingly receptive to his candidacy then. The years since have been a rollercoaster for Clawson. He left Richmond to take over play calling at Tennessee. Richmond won a National Championship and Clawson became a scapegoat for all that went wrong in the final Fulmer days. He landed the Bowling Green job, had a great first year, terrible second and losing third. Even if Clawson has a strong year in 2012, I don't think he'll be a hot name nationwide. The stink from Tennessee is still too strong. But I do think Gene would revisit the potential fit. One thing we've learned in this process is that personal relationships with Gene carry a lot of weight (if Gene is still calling the shots).
What to watch for in 2012: Clawson needs to win. Not blow the doors off, MAC Champion type winning, but prove that he can turn a FBS program around. If he goes 8-5 or 7-6, he might be a tolerable replacement for Spaz. If he does really well, that makes it even better. Bowling Green is expected to improve this year, so that will give his candidacy some momentum. If Gene is not involved in the hiring process, Clawson's going to need 10 or 11 wins to even get on BC's radar.




Mike Macintyre
Head Coach, San Jose State
Despite his losing record Macintrye enters 2012 as a "hot" name. He was a well respected assistant and impressed people with how competitive the Spartans were last season. If he has a winning third season, multiple programs will be interested. As far as being a fit at BC, Mac's got ties to the ACC, coached in the northeast at Temple, coached at schools with tough admissions departments, and worked for Parcells. He'd be pretty ideal except for one looming issue -- his ties to Gene. Macintyre's first offensive coordinator at San Jose State was John Defilippo. If Macintryre interviews there will be the perception that he's another Gene puppet. That might not be fair to Mac, John D or Gene, but that is the reality. 
What to watch for in 2012: Winning primarily but also how their offense changes now that John D has returned to the NFL. The young Defilippo actually has a pretty good reputation in coaching circles. If his last name was Smith, BC fans wouldn't care one bit about Macintrye's former OC. But I do think the offense will play a part in his BC candidacy. If they explode will it impact how Gene views Mac? Will it mean that Mac knows how to build a staff and find good replacements? Will it mean that he can bring his new OC with him to the Heights? I actually like the idea of Macinyre right now, but he does need to win this year.

Don Treadwell

Head Coach, Miami (Ohio)

Another familiar name to BC fans. Not only did he interview in 2009, but he was on TOB's first BC staff. The long time assistant finally got a shot at a Head job when he took over Miami of Ohio last season. The Redhawks finished a disappointing 4-8, but they are expected to rebound this year. Treadwell was never the most exciting guy in the room, but he has a solid reputation and could probably have a TOB like career if BC hired him and gave him time to build a program.

What to watch for in 2012: Can Treadwell win enough to leave after just two years? Miami is his alma mater, so walking away won't be easy. If they win seven or eight games and he bails, that will be a burnt bridge and follow him on the recruiting trail. It they win the MAC, he can claim "I've won a championship and now I am ready to move on." Miami is known as the "Cradle of Coaches", but you still have to leave in the right way.

Jason Swepson
Head Coach, Elon
Swepson is a long-time BC assistant who followed TOB to NC State. Last year he became a head coach for the first time at FCS school Elon. Swepson also has the added benefit of being a BC grad and former player.
What to watch for in 2012: Winning big. Real big. That is the only way a Swepson candidacy becomes tolerable. Let's face it, no other BCS program in the country would even consider Swepson after just two years at Elon. The only reason we might is because he's one of us. Swepson's first year was okay (5-7) but he needs to get to 10 wins for this hire not to leave people feeling empty. If he is hired after a seven win season, then you know that our coaching search was a disaster. 

Still no love in the polls and other links

I didn't think we would be ranked after a bye week, but I am surprised BC is not gaining more traction in the polls. We are still in the bottom half of the other team's receiving votes list.

With Mike Dantonio suffering a heart attack Saturday nightl, former BC assistant Don Treadwell is now acting head coach of Michigan State. Treadwell is just the latest assistant from TOB's first year to become a head coach. Treadwell also interviewed with Gene after Jags was fired.

Here's Kevin Armstrong's excellent piece on Kiwi.

Where are they now? The 1997 Football Staff

With Don Treadwell and Mike London in the news, I thought it was as good a time as any to look back at TOB’s first staff. Thrown together during a transitional time at the school, the unheralded group consisted of young unproven guys looking for a break and retreads looking for a second chance. Although the record wasn’t great, the guys began the rebuilding project and many used BC as a stepping stone to bigger and better things.

1997
Tom O’Brien: Head Coach
Jeff Jagodzinski: Offensive Line and Offensive Coordinator
Don Treadwell: Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers, Passing Game Coordinator
Don Horton: Tight Ends
Frank Spaziani: Running Backs
Tim Rose: Defensive Coordinator
Mike London: Defensive Line
Al Golden: Linebackers, Recruiting Coordinator
Jerry Rosburg: Defensive Backs
Jerry Petercuskie: Special Teams Coordinator

2008
Tom O’Brien: Head Coach, NC State
Jeff Jagodzinski: Head Coach, Boston College
Don Treadwell: Offensive Coordinator, Michigan State (and rumored Head Coach at Miami of Ohio)
Don Horton: Offensive Line, NC State
Frank Spaziani: Defensive Coordinator, Boston College
Tim Rose: Defensive Coordinator, Toledo (interesting note on Rose: he was a defensive coordinator for TOB, Steve Logan and Jack Bicknell Jr.)
Mike London: Head Coach, Richmond
Al Golden: Head Coach, Temple
Jerry Rosburg: Special Teams Coordinator, Baltimore Ravens
Jerry Petercuskie: Special Teams and Recruiting Coordinator, NC State


There are many factors into why BC has offered stepping stone opportunities instead of final destination type jobs. I actually think the energy and aggressiveness of guys looking to make a name for themselves is a good thing. In turn, I think many of the young coaches who pass through look back on their time at BC fondly. The next time we are in the market for a head coach, I hope we give preferences to guys who have worked here before. It worked well with Coughlin and we’ve had good returns with Jags.