Matt Prehm's latest update on coaching search: 5 pm Dec. 7

[latracey]

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. 

 

 

[latracey]

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.

Edited December 8, 2021 by latracey

[NJDuck]

Lane Kiffin would be my choice.  Don't go Chip Kelly, Justin Wilcox, or Kilani Sitake. We need someone who can recruit and with great Xs and Os, game management.  Rob Mullens better not mess this up.  There are other coaches out there that would be a great fit.

[PittDuck]

I think I’d leave Kiffin on the tarmac…

Edited December 8, 2021 by PittDuck
Spelling

[1Ducker1]

Very interesting!

[1Ducker1]

We have to remember people that WE are NOT going to be the ones PICKING the coach. 

OUR job is to be supportive fans and HOPE for the BEST.

Edited December 8, 2021 by 1Ducker1

[Wood Duck]

I not sure exactly why, but hiring Kiffin feels to me like selling your soul for a natty.

[Dr Hilarius]

On 12/7/2021 at 5:23 PM, PittDuck said:

 

I think I’d leave Kiffin an the tarmac…

 

exactly!!

 

i don’t see how anyone who understands this comment could possibly suggest kiffin to dux. 

[DrJacksPlaidPants]

All of those recruits who were scrambling to USC one Riley was hired might have to give Oregon a 2nd look. 

[DrJacksPlaidPants]

On 12/7/2021 at 8:23 PM, PittDuck said:

I think I’d leave Kiffin an the tarmac…

He might get me to join Twitter. Of course, I would have to ditch the Nokia.

[latracey]

"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. 

Edited December 8, 2021 by latracey

[Jarhead1]

Kiffin can recruit and he knows SoCal....Wilcox never looks happy, Chip hates recruiting and look at his record for the last 4 years.....never been a Kiffin fan, but I think he's the best available.

[DrJacksPlaidPants]

I have mixed feelings on Feld. At first, I thought all the injuries fell under the umbrella of his strength and conditioning program. As I dug further, I found out how hard MC liked the guys to go in practice. A lot of full contact drills. I know that’s how Flowe got hurt. Now I’m wondering if their bodies were too beat up come game time. 

[Steven A]

On 12/7/2021 at 5:29 PM, 1Ducker1 said:

We have to remember people that WE are NOT going to be the ones PICKING the coach. 

OUR job is to be supportive fans and HOPE for the BEST.

Unless it is Urban Meyer.  If he was picked, I wouldn't support Duck football until he was gone.  His baggage is land fill.

 

Re Kiffen, I'd be Ok if he was nailed down for x number of years.  This guy moves too much and may be eyeing a return to the pros.

[1Ducker1]

On 12/7/2021 at 5:48 PM, Steven A said:

Unless it is Urban Meyer.  If he was picked, I wouldn't support Duck football until he was gone.  His baggage is land fill.

 

Re Kiffen, I'd be Ok if he was nailed down for x number of years.  This guy moves too much and may be eyeing a return to the pros.

Urban has 0 interest in the Oregon Ducks. so thats the way that goes.

[1Ducker1]

The Urban Meyer thing during his yrs at tOSU would not fly in Oregon--I could just see the protests in Portland and Eugene.

[latracey]

On 12/7/2021 at 5:48 PM, Steven A said:

Unless it is Urban Meyer.  If he was picked, I wouldn't support Duck football until he was gone.  His baggage is land fill.

 

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. 

 

[Dr Hilarius]

guys, believe me, kiffin is slick willy 2. 

 

if OR hires kiffin, OR will be “everything that’s wrong with college football.”

[DrJacksPlaidPants]

On 12/7/2021 at 8:52 PM, 1Ducker1 said:

The Urban Meyer thing during his yrs at tOSU would not fly in Oregon--I could just see the protests in Portland and Eugene.

I don’t think there’s a college campus in this country that wouldn’t protest his hiring.

[1Ducker1]

On 12/7/2021 at 5:47 PM, DrJacksPlaidPants said:

I have mixed feelings on Feld. At first, I thought all the injuries fell under the umbrella of his strength and conditioning program. As I dug further, I found out how hard MC liked the guys to go in practice. A lot of full contact drills. I know that’s how Flowe got hurt. Now I’m wondering if their bodies were too beat up come game time. 

I was telling my son that after the StonyBrook game because their line was shoving around our line pretty good -and I was thinkin something isnt right.

[DrJacksPlaidPants]

On 12/7/2021 at 8:48 PM, Steven A said:

 This guy moves too much and may be eyeing a return to the pros.

This is true. He would be uncomfortably close to Seattle and Pete is getting pretty long in the tooth.

[Steven A]

On 12/7/2021 at 5:52 PM, 1Ducker1 said:

The Urban Meyer thing during his yrs at tOSU would not fly in Oregon-

I thought that was Jim Morrison and Utah

[1Ducker1]

On 12/7/2021 at 5:58 PM, DrJacksPlaidPants said:

This is true. He would be uncomfortably close to Seattle and Pete is getting pretty long in the tooth.

Maybe but why didnt he apply for the Fusky job?

[jrw]

Why not Coach Eric Taylor, played by Kyle Chandler, from Dillon High School in Friday Night Lights? Guy can flat-out coach on television.

Edited December 8, 2021 by jrw

[1Ducker1]

On 12/7/2021 at 5:59 PM, Steven A said:

I thought that was Jim Morrison and Utah

Utah too? I know he had issues at Florida as well. But the one Im thinking of happened at Ohio St

[Charles Fischer]

Notification to EVERYONE about Posting Articles from Subscription Sites!

 

Now I know latracey has his heart in the right place--wanting to share information with this great community, but we cannot do this again. And like you--I love his posts, and latracey is a valued member who is new, and did not know our rules.  So this is an opportunity to explain to everyone, and WHY we do this.

 

Rule No. 28 of our rules is very clear about this; we cannot copy content from subscription sites and bring it here.  If anything was to be posted and get away with it with me...24 hours would need to pass from the publication of the article on the other site, and it would need to be a summary in your own words, and not a copy-and-paste.

 

Why Do I Have This Rule?

 

The sites work together on joint projects, and I am the low-man on the totem pole.  The official photographer for Duck Territory, 247 is Craig Strobeck, who provides incredible pictures that I pay him for to use in our FishDuck articles, and for use in this forum.  He shoots for BOTH sites, but 247 is the primary and ALLOWS me to subcontract with him as well.  Torque 247 off--and it has big implications on so much else we do.

 

The other reason?  People over there pay for fast, immediate information from Matt, who does a good job.  If people think they can get it for free at this site...they will cancel their membership over there.  Enough of that happening and it can threaten the viability of sites like that.  I want them in business to get the information...even if it is a day late.  

 

So...no more from the other sites.  There are ways to discuss things without being blatant about it...

 

One Action can unintendedly blow EVERYTHING up...

[latracey]

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.

Edited December 8, 2021 by latracey

[Duck 1972]

Is mentioning the other sites like I have done taboo also. Plus I saw the same post that latency linked was on Google Ducks FB for free. Does that make a difference. I'm not disagreeing with our rules just looking for clarification thanx Charles.

[DrJacksPlaidPants]

On 12/7/2021 at 9:00 PM, 1Ducker1 said:

Maybe but why didnt he apply for the Fusky job?

They could only afford DeBoer.

[Charles Fischer]

On 12/7/2021 at 6:13 PM, latracey said:

Sorry Charles. It will never happen again.

 

No sweat. We all mess up on occasion, and this was a good opportunity for me to explain it to everyone.

 

Duck 72....Mentioning other sites is fine, and linking their FREE ARTICLES is fine.  But the VIP stuff for only subscribers is off-limits.

 

Everyone--keep in mind that I am a 20 year member of eDuck that turned into Duck Territory, and I do not post the tastiest stuff.  If I mention it?  It is after 24 hours so that their paid subscribers have first dibs to the information.

 

The free articles over there?  I post them here every day, and they want me to for the exposure.  It is the pay-articles that are off-limits..

[GODUCKS15]

Good to know,

Thanks Charles.

[Dr Hilarius]

On 12/7/2021 at 5:57 PM, 1Ducker1 said:

I was thinkin something isnt right.

Agreed. Feld always managed to “find his lense.”  

 

And he also managed to say some pretty obviously wrong things if you followed him on twitter. 

 

all the “unprecedented “ injuries from this year were likely the result of improved detection and recovery protocols. thank goodness!!

 

[Charles Fischer]

Now...my thoughts!

 

I do not see Chip or Wilcox as something that will work to our satisfaction over time.  We would have had much more "clues" from them. Cal, under other coaches recruited well in the past, and have not under Wilcox.

 

Lane Kiffin?  I believe he would do well here, but you do not sign him to a contract.  You rent him until his next gig, which won't be long.  He will be superb on offense, but just his name shouts, "Mercenary" to me.

 

As for ethics?  Ask the Oregon coaches who recruited against him years back?  Kiffin is the poster boy for negative recruiting, and he is an NCAA investigation in-waiting.  In effect...he is "Urban Meyer-Light."

 

This is why I did not want Cristobal to leave; the lack of great candidates coupled with so many openings.  I could take another year of bad coaching with great recruiting...

 

Kiffin will give you great entertainment,

but you'll get kicked in the end.

[Dr Hilarius]

@Charles Fischer endless rofl

[Irascible Duck]

The knock on Kiffen is that he won't stay long. If that is the issue we need to move away from dreaming about: Peterson, Chip, Tedford, Urban. All guys who will age out of coaching in the next 5 years.  Does it matter if a coach retires or goes elsewhere? Same scenario plays out. I am OK to get a coach who'll win and then leave and Mullens being PREPARED for that eventuality with a short list of candidates to strike quickly. 

One day a rockstar coach in waiting will be on our staff and that will be our next Mike Belotti. For now; understand the landscape and win. 

[Haywarduck]

Interesting take on a Thursday or Friday hire date. A new era will begin, look forward to it. Definitely haven't enjoyed looking back!

 

I do think Kiffin would really just be interested in kicking sc's teeth a few times. That wouldn't bother me, but having him on the sideline would take some getting used to.

[latracey]

On 12/7/2021 at 8:06 PM, Haywarduck said:

Interesting take on a Thursday or Friday hire date. A new era will begin, look forward to it. Definitely haven't enjoyed looking back!

 

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 !

Edited December 8, 2021 by latracey

[DuckUp1]

On 12/7/2021 at 5:32 PM, Wood Duck said:

I not sure exactly why, but hiring Kiffin feels to me like selling your soul for a natty.

Sign me up!!

[The Kamikaze Kid]

The down side of Kiffin is he'd only be here a couple years. The good side of Kiffin is he'd only be here a couple years.

[1Ducker1]

On 12/7/2021 at 8:39 PM, DuckUp1 said:

Sign me up!!

its kina like that first real naughty girlfriend

[Chris OLeary]

On 12/7/2021 at 5:52 PM, 1Ducker1 said:

The Urban Meyer thing during his yrs at tOSU would not fly in Oregon--I could just see the protests in Portland and Eugene.

 

Edited December 8, 2021 by Chris OLeary

[Arctuniol]

I am definitely not in on Kiffin or Wilcox, and I would be even more disappointed if Chip was hired than the other two.

[UtahDuck]

On 12/7/2021 at 6:10 PM, latracey said:

From Matt Prehm 247 Sports: 5 pm, December 7

 

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. 

 

 

I know this says Ken wilson, but are you sure this isn't meant to say Jim Mastro? My understanding is that Mastro was the one expected to become HC at Nevada, He coached their from 2000-10. Helped pioneer the pistol offense under Chris Ault. As a fan of oregon football I have no problem if Mastro leaves, Wilson is a fantastic recruiter and a great LB coach I want him to stay.

 

I also just looked and bruce Feldman noted Mastro is the one expected to be hired. This doesn't mean we don't lose Wilson, Mastro and wilson have coached together for nearly 2 decades and I could see Mastro promoting Wilson as his DC. 

[kirklandduck]

It sounds like Dave Aranda might be the best choice for Oregon given that he's got a very recent track record of success, recruits well, and is originally from the West coast.  Plus one of Lincoln Riley's worst losses has come at the hands of Aranda, so USC would be put on notice right away.  The question is whether he would leave Baylor...he's voiced that he'd like to stay and Baylor said they were working on an extension for him but that was a couple weeks ago with no word of any progress.  Sounds like maybe there's a slight opening there for Oregon to get at him?

Edited December 8, 2021 by kirklandduck

[Wood Duck]

I like Aranda best of all the names I've heard floated. Lots of youthful energy, recent success, recruiting ties to So. Cal and Texas, defensive minded.

Seems like solid character, and we already know he looks good in green and yellow!

[Jemangi]

I'll just kick my two cents in because everyone else is,  though I am certain Phi and Rob do not value my opinion in particular.

I am totally for either Aranda 1 and Kiffin two,  and I will use Phils money to get one of them should I get the chance haha.

[kirklandduck]

On 12/8/2021 at 10:46 AM, Jemangi said:

I'll just kick my two cents in because everyone else is,  though I am certain Phi and Rob do not value my opinion in particular.

I am totally for either Aranda 1 and Kiffin two,  and I will use Phils money to get one of them should I get the chance haha.

I would imagine that if Oregon dangled a contract similar to what they offered Mario would at least garner a look from both those guys.  $8 million a year for 10 years?  I'll even throw in scrubbing the toilets once a week for that salary.