latracey

I've also heard that Oregon has told their leading recruits who they are targeting, and the recruits are impressed to the point of remaining solid with Oregon. Could it be Urban Meyer? I hope not, although I've heard Phil likes him. That man is the Devil incarnate, in my humble opinion. Please NOT Urban Meyer!

If I'm getting the scenario from my above post right, it reads something like this: Kiffin is interested in the Oregon opening so he contacts Canzano for assistance getting hooked up with the people at Oregon who matter. Phil, however, doesn't like Kiffin and just says NO! And THAT is why Canzano is tweeting that Kiffin is out of the mix. All trains must first go through that all important station up in Beaverton.

You want confusing? Wrap your mind around this:

Well... Canzano says it's NOT Kiffin and Canzano definitely has some inside connections. Rumors out of Mississippi are saying Kiffin will be announced as Oregon's new head coach on Friday. Anyone feeling the deja vu ?!

I totally agree with you Jon, and I love the big picture perspective you bring here. I also truly believe that this coaching hire for Oregon is all about them demonstrating the "size of their sack". I think that's especially true where Phil Knight is concerned. The University of Oregon is Nike's flagship college football team. Kiffin is all about the size of the stage, the glory, and the money. He's also probably the best offensive mind in college football right now. As you say, this is MUST do for Oregon if there is any chance of success, and those rumors that always seem to be true are saying that Kiffin is definitely interested. Before, I was hearing from eyes and ears on the inside that Chip was the man, but it seems clear to me now that Oregon has moved beyond that. I don't think Phil would sign off on Chip given their past history. I now have a feeling that Lane Kiffin is going to be coming to Lane County. It's going to happen.

The eyes of the college football nation are focused on Oregon and how Mullens/Knight are going to respond to having Cristobal smuggled out. They need a big time hire to show the world that Oregon is up to answering the call and plans to continue being a factor in college football's brave new world where money is no barrier. My spidy senses are telling me that Phil Knight is completely on board with a big, stunning, flashy hire to show these johnny come lately nou-veau rich billionaire boosters of the college football world how the old guard big boys play the game. As I told people who were questioning whether Miami could afford what looks to be close to 30 million dollars to hire Cristobal away, big money to you and me is chump change for these guys. When it comes to big, splashy, sexy, "let's make a statement to the college football world about what our name brand is truly all about" coaching hires, Lane Kiffin is hard to beat. Given that the price seems open ended, I'd rather see Aranda or Campbell, but a Kiffin hire might be the big-time statement Oregon feels like it needs to make for this hire.

I also thought that trying to have the hire by Friday was both interesting and good news. They have to stop the exodus of players and recruits, and having your coach hired by that ESP deadline is pretty critical. The thing about the current round of coaching carousel 2021is how much money is being thrown around. I know these billionaire boosters have deep pockets, but the amount of money paid for Cristobal's new contract, buying out his Oregon contract, and paying off Manny Diaz simply boggles my mind. It seems like Oregon has the spotlight brightly focused on them and this coaching vacancy. It feels like Oregon believes they have to hit this one completely out of the park. They have to make a hire that tells the college football world that Oregon plans to continue being relevant. I also feel like Phil's checkbook is as open as can be in support seeing something really, really big happen here. Time will tell, and the good news is that it looks like the curtains will go up at some point on Friday. This really is getting interesting !

Sorry Charles. It will never happen again. I will immediately read the rules again. I really appreciate this forum. It's by far the best Duck forum in my humble opinion and I'm not a rule breaker by nature.

I'm with you all of the way Steven A on Urban Meyer. He is the antithesis of everything I think a decent person, much less the coach of my Beloved Ducks, should be.

"It sounds like a good chunk of Oregon's recruiting department are going to stay at Oregon, which is a good sign. I do expect Alex Mirabal and Aaron Feld to follow Cristobal after the bowl game." This is exciting news to me. Oregon's recruiting department obviously knows how to recruit really, really well. They are the ones who have the developed relationships with the current commits, and if Oregon can land a guy like say Lane Kiffin, I'd guess a lot of those wavering commits would stay with Oregon. I was expecting a lot than Mirabal and Feld to follow Cristobal.

Kiffin or Aranda. The Matt Prehm coaching update article I just posted on the forum says dependable sources have it that Kiffin is actually interested in the Oregon job. He is the kind of hot coaching commodity right now that I can see going head to head on the recruiting trail with Lincoln Riley. He'd be a grand slam if Mullens could get him. Aranda is obviously a great coach. He seems rooted in at Baylor, but there is a reason why he hasn't signed the contract they have drawn up for him. He isn't as flashy/sexy as Kiffin, but he might fit in better with the hard hat blue collar Oregon mentality. He'd be another grand slam.

Lane Kiffin?! That's an intriguing person to be interested in the Oregon job. Like Matt said in his article, he definitely checks a lot of the Rob Mullen's boxes, and I'd guess that Phil Knight would be happy to sign off on him as well. Given that he just signed a contract with Ole Miss, I thought he would be out of the running, but maybe not. Apparently, a signed contract doesn't legally bind you to a job as long as a pursuer can afford the buyout.

From Matt Prehm 247 Sports: 5 pm, December 7 Chip Kelly, Justin Wilcox, and Kilani Sitake We can report that all three coaches have interest in coming to Oregon, and there is different levels of interest in Oregon in all three names. Justin Wilcox's name was one that had a lot of buzz on Monday afternoon, but that's since died down a little bit. You typically don't want to be the first name that gains steam in these searches as that can oftentimes be a deflection or not a true rep of where things are going. I know Oregon's decision-makers want to speak with him and feel him out. We'll see what transpires from it. Chip Kelly is of interest as well for Oregon, but I don't get a sense that this is an "all-in on Chip Kelly" move for the Ducks. Again, a lot of people think very highly of him, but I also don't think it's anywhere near a lock after talking with a few folks. As for Sitake, there was the report that came out Monday evening saying Oregon has requested permission to speak with him. Like Wilcox and Kelly, I don't get a sense he's the all-in guy. A lot of interest, a lot of vetting, but none of these three are coaches who are going to win over every person associated with the Duck program, not that that needs to be a requirement. Dana Altman didn't fit that bill and today everyone views Altman in a very positive manner. One Note on Chip and Wilcox I think there is a lot of noise around these two programs and figuring out what's legit and what is fake noise is going to be tough. I think on Monday the position of both coaches being so high up the list of go-to hires was a bit inflated. This isn't to say that Oregon isn't really high on them, but yesterday I was hearing from multiple sources that this looks to be the two top guys. It isn't because right now there isn't a leader in the clubhouse. Lane Kiffin Lane Kiffin's name was brought up by the On3 Podcast trio today and he was included in our Hot Board on Monday. We're told that Kiffin is interested in the gig even though he signed a new contract this week with Ole Miss. There's a rumor out there his buyout didn't change with the new deal, so that helps Oregon here. Kiffin has some baggage for sure, but he also checks off a lot of the boxes Oregon would want in a coach. He also spent time working under Nick Saban at Alabama and the style of a program Kiffin runs could easily transition over to what Mario Cristobal did. The Kiffin interest is what Rob Mullens was talking about on Monday when he said there would be a lot of interest in this job. I expect we'll hear more names getting their name floated for a look by Mullens. It's a top job, with elite resources, and full supportive boosters. It's a special place in the coaching world that is thought of in a high manner. Timeline I was able to speak with someone who I trust about just the overall timeline of this decision that will be made by Oregon. This person isn't involved in Oregon's search but knows the process of how these work. I was told the plan would typically be to do some kind of interview either in-person or over zoom in the next two days with multiple candidates, then on Wednesday night or Thursday morning, you make a decision on who you offer the job to. The hope is that person says yes and you fly Thursday to pick them up and either host a press conference on Thursday or Friday. Then that coach gets on the road to visit Oregon's most important recruits Friday, Saturday, Sunday, before returning home Sunday to meet with Oregon's team for a second time and begin building his staff. I was told you need to have this hire done this weekend ideally because if you don't, it'll cause your commits to scramble and visit other schools next weekend even they don't like your coach, thus making it harder for your new coach to keep this good class in place. The next 48 hours for Oregon are going to be very critical. Recruiting Right now I don't expect the Ducks to be able to get Kelvin Banks back into the fold. I also don't think Oregon will land TJ Dudley or Tanner Bailey moving forward. Both Jahlil Florence and Jalil Tucker are teetering on backing off their commitments and opening things up. I'd be really worried about Lincoln Riley and USC for both schools . Tetairoa McMillan is another that is saying the right things, but the longer this plays out, the chances of him opening up improve. Devon Jackson and Harrison Taggart are also getting courted by other programs, but are still in on Oregon for now. Gracen Halton might open things up, but he feels good with Oregon. In-state commits Trejon Williams and Emar'rion Winston are in a good place as long as Don Johnson is still at Oregon. Ben Roberts and Sir Mells are also still locked in right now. Cameron Williams and Landon Hullaby are teetering on opening things up, but could be salvaged with a hire. Staff Changes It sounds like a good chunk of Oregon's recruiting department are going to stay at Oregon, which is a good sign. I do expect Alex Mirabal and Aaron Feld to follow Cristobal after the bowl game. Mirabal was in Miami today for the press conference and was sporting Miami gear. Oregon is also going to have to fight off Nevada for Ken Wilson. Wilson might get the head coaching job in Reno, and that could lead him to taking a few of Oregon's assistants with him should he get the job.

The only candidate on the table who is as dyed in the wool yellow and green as most of us are is Justin Wilcox. He was raised here, grew up hearing Duck football inside stories from his dad and his grandpa, idolized Duck players and had their posters on his bedroom walls, dreamed about being a Duck and playing in Autzen, and followed in his father's and brother's footsteps and played some great Duck football as a defensive back at Autzen. If you want a Duck, Justin Wilcox is an honest to goodness Duck through and through. Like Helfrich, Wilcox would treat being the head football coach at the University of Oregon with a kind of reverence that comes from being born and raised in Oregon. The job would be a destination, and not merely a stepping stone on the road to bigger and better. Anyone else you hire is here to earn great money doing a job at a world class facility with world class resources. They will be loyal to the University of Oregon in the sense that a good and honorable employee is loyal to their good and honorable employer. You can't ask for, and shouldn't expect anything more than that. In that sense, it should surprise no one that Cristobal decided to go home. His true home and his heart are in Miami. He did a good job at the University of Oregon, but it was a job. Miami means more to him than just being a job; and you can see and feel that while listening to his acceptance speech to be head football coach at the University of Miami.

Aranda and Campbell would be my dream come true candidates. Both men are great coaches who I think would do well at Oregon. It's interesting to me that Aranda hasn't signed his Baylor contract yet, as far as we know. The 8 million dollar question is: Would either man leave their present situation for Oregon? Time will tell.

I was talking about Oregon's HC options with a friend and we both came to the conclusion that whomever Mullens chooses, most of us who are involved in this passionate love affair with our team will be unhappy with the choice. A coach's ability to succeed in a given place is all about his ability to utilize and maximize the resources, staff, and players at his disposal there. Also, just because a coach was successful at one place DOES NOT mean it translates to another place. We see examples of this all over the nation every single season. Chris Peterson is amazing at Boise State, but can't really make it happen at Washington. Dan Mullen is successful at Mississippi State, but not so much at Florida. Willie Taggart was a winner until he wasn't at Florida State. Scott Frost is boy wonder at University of Central Florida, but can't make it happen at Nebraska; and the list goes on and on and on. Chip Kelly is not my top choice, but he was the most successful coach Oregon ever had in the modern football era, and he is at least twice as good a coach as Cristobal. His biggest hole is his distaste for recruiting, yet he still manages to get the players he needs to make it happen. It's pretty easy to make recruiting a designated priority when you hire him and make sure he is surrounded by a staff who is good at it. With NIL and Phil Knight in your pocket, Cristobal has proven that Oregon can be a pretty juicy destination. Also, don't tell me about how Kelly wouldn't have the personnel that he had when he coached here the last time because Cristobal probably had it sitting on the bench this season. One need look no further than Justin Herbert to realize that player development isn't Mario's strong suit. Barring a mass exodus, I'm convinced that we are in good shape in the quarterback, running back, and wide receiver departments. The cupboard is far from bare my friends. Chip Kelly and Ty Thompson seem like a match made in heaven. That all said, Mullens gets who he gets and, sadly, we don't get a vote. The only candidate mentioned here that I would absolutely loath is Urban Meyer. He may be a great coach, but he is a horrible human who is neither trustworthy, loyal, nor honest. Never forget Willie Taggart. We don't need the likes of that to lead our team at Oregon.

The sad fact is that, just like happened at Oklahoma when Riley left, some of our player and most of our recruits will be recommitting elsewhere. Also, expect Cristobal to take a fair share of them. It's just the way the cookie crumbles, unfortunately. The one thing that could somewhat stem the outflow would be a quick new HC hire.

If the implication is that this is all handled by the people who represent the people unbeknownst to the people who are represented, then that's hogwash. I will lay you odds that Mullens and Knight knew exactly what was going on in mid November. Joe Moorhead sure did. For that matter, most of the people who post here were well aware of the fact that something was going on the weekend before the Pac 12 Championship game. A news report I just read reported that Mullens/Knight offered Coach Cristobal an updated contract that was along the lines of what he was being offered by Miami right before the second Utah game. Cristobal wouldn't sign it and Knight saw to it that it was immediately retracted. Phil has been there and done that many times, and he doesn't play games when it comes to these kinds of negotiations.

As far as Chip's recruiting weaknesses go, I think he has learned a lot on that front. He certainly is super familiar with recruiting in Southern California at this point, and it won't hurt to have Phil Knight's support when it comes enticing players with NIL. I also think he would make sure to have skilled recruiters on his staff. Could Chip recreate the magic that he brought to Oregon in his first go round? You bet he could. The man is an offensive genius who knows the ropes at Oregon and who knows how to get the most of the resources he has available to him here. It's true he hasn't been able to translate his success at Oregon anywhere else, although he did just have a pretty good season at UCLA. If he can somehow keep the boosters from having his head, I think UCLA's future trajectory is positive. He's a character who rubs many the wrong way, but you have to admit, his brand of football extremely entertaining. His whole persona is pretty entertaining, as far as that goes. That all said, my vote is 100% for Justin Wilcox, however, I don't get a vote. My inside people are telling me the ones who do are casting their nets towards Charles... Kelly that is.

As a side note, Justin Wilcox is a former student of mine, as well as a former player I had the honor of coaching back when he was in middle school in Junction City. He was our skilled beyond his years quarterback, and he led us to an undefeated season. I won't even get into what it was like getting to know his father Dave, who was one of my childhood heroes. I love the man Justin has grown into. He is intelligent, has integrity, is a native Oregonian and former Oregon player, and he is a great coach. While you might question the job he has done at Cal, you have to realize that Cal is hampered in many ways that Oregon is not. Given the resources he would have at his disposal at Oregon, he would do an amazing job here, and as Canzano said in his article in the Oregonian, he would be loyal and true to the Ducks. If things with Kelly fall through, I hope Mullens/Uncle Phil knock on Justin's door. Big and splashy are sexy, but I'm passionate about my love for our Duck sports programs. We don't need another wind bag huckster who can sell ice cubes to Eskimos, but always have their ear to the rails for the next chance to jump on a bigger and better train. We need a real and true solid citizen who is loyal to Oregon and who has a real relationship with the Truth.

Love him, or hate him, my trusty behind the scenes people in The Know tell me Mullens/Uncle Phil have been in negotiations with none other than Charles "Chip" Kelly. They want a quick hire to minimize damage and head off the exodus of players and recruits and Kelly is interested. My sources are almost always right on the money. They told me in mid-November that Cristobal was having an illicit affair with Miami and that he was probably going to go. Now you know...

As I have said in several threads now, I completely understand the draw of going home Mario feels. On top of that, he has an ailing mother and family he wants to be close to, and Miami is his alma mater. In spite of what he said last Friday night, it is now coming out that he has been in negotiations with Miami since at least mid-November, or right about the time Moorhead started looking around to escape the sinking ship. That all said, I can't respect a man who feels a need to be dishonest to further himself and his personal aspirations. I'm sure many will pass it off as just the way business is done these days by coaches, but Cristobal talks about how important it is to him to be a leader of men and to have a real relationship with his players. This move reveals that he is just another huckster who, first and foremost, is looking out for number one. Although Mario is in his 50s, he still has many lessons to learn. Perhaps the biggest one is that before you can ever hope to have a "real relationship" with another person, you have to have a real relationship with the Truth.

The Bleacher Report is a pretty legit news source so I'm sure the sources of their information check out. The question now is is Mario coming to Eugene to compare numbers with what Oregon is offering him, or is he coming to Eugene to meet with his players and staff and bid them a fond fare thee well. If he decides to stay at Oregon (which looks highly doubtful), how much credibility does he lose with the University, his staff, his players, and his recruits over all of this? If he goes, who is on Mullen's short list of replacements. Their are some very interesting names potentially available. It shall all be revealed by high noon.

It's hard keeping all of the goings on straight. Social media is filled with lots and lots of noise.

Come on Matt! Ask him some hard questions. Cristobal is the story here.