OK, so we've all heard the rumors about Leach going to MD for over a year now and it finally looks like it's going to happen. Let me know what you think. I'm personally glad he ended up there and not at Da U(by the way, they claim Leach showed up at his first interview with Da U a few years back dressed just like the pic above) where he would have run shit. I still like the hire by MD and think Leach will do exactly what they need(create a brand/great, entertaining football and fan support), but don't really like how they handled the letting go of "The Fridge".Speaking of "The Fridge", most of you probably don't know much about him and think he's just some fat slob. Well he is just that, but he's also one of the greatest offensive minds in all of football. A little history lesson on Ralphie: It all started when I went to the GT BobbyRoss/Bobby Dodd football camp in '87. Big Ralph was the guy who pretty much ran the show and he was a fat asshole back then. Little did I know this cat was about to lead my team to an NC in a couple of years with Shawn Jones at the helm. Four years after that he would lead the San Diego Chargers to a Super Bowl where they ran into a buzz saw known as the 'niners. Then his old friend George O'Leary(the DC at GT during the Ross years) takes over at GT, after the Bill Lewis debacle, and talks old Ralph into coming back to lead the Jackets on O. Well if you're any kind of a football fan you remember the Joe Hamilton years and just how good Tech was on O. Then comes 2001 when he wins an ACC title in his first year as MD's HC. He had several 10 win seasons which is pretty impressive at MD. Wins coach of the year this year and is told to walk after the bowl game.
With all of the above said, this is how I think Ralph's future is going to pan out in one of two ways:
1. He's either going to retire, get fatter, and ride off into the sunset or...
2. Beamer is going to call him and ask him to lead his talent at VT. If Fridge is pissed and decides to take the position as OC at VT, the whole nation better watch out. We all know what VT has had on D and special teams. We also know they've never had that great of an offense. If the fat asshole takes the job(and this is just pure speculation from me) VT will be fucking tough to roll with.
I don't like Maryland for Leach. Maryland is like Vandy. Once every 15 years you might have a chance to win the ACC but he is not going to out recruit Beamer, Fisher, or probably even Sweeny, not to mention the SEC. My point being I think a South Florida, Central Florida, Troy, and Southern Miss are all better coaching jobs. The reason I think they are better than a Maryland or Vandy is in those smaller schools you get athletes that are just as good if not better and you actually have a chance to win your conference. I think if you take the Maryland job you either retire there or get fired.
ReplyDeleteYou could be right but he built TT into what we knew them as. I don't think he got first pick in the state of Texas. He was probably 3rd or 4th in a recruits eyes. With that being said, I'm no expert in recruiting but I "think" MD/Virginia has a pretty fertile recruting area(not like FL or TX)and believe he'll average 9 wins a year there. Time will tell.
ReplyDeleteI think its a great hire by Maryland. He'll land a national recruit at QB and WR b/c they know what kind of offense he runs. He'll never get a top RB recruit for those same reasons. He'll make a splash in the ACC.
ReplyDeletei understand what pepper is saying about the talent. the 8th best QB/WR in Texas is probably better than the 4th best in the Maryland area.
ReplyDeleteI think Leach is a GREAT hire for Maryland. I think the question is how good of hire it is for LEach.
I'm trying to think of the paths that some of the most successful coaches took.
Myer, Saban, Brown, etc..