Was Rob Mullens Prepared For This?

[Notalot]

From Duck Territory:

I am astounded at Rob Mullen's floundering slow progress in replacing his key employee, the Head Coach for Football.

My shock and amazement is amplified with his history of being unprepared when the last coaches turned over.

An executive supervising division managers typically continually prepares for key employee turnover.

AD Mullens should always have a short-list of best HC candidates watching their performance, contract status, and family news shuffling the list to always have 4-5 viable and desirable prospects (who would likely take the position if offered) for head, and have been grooming his relationship with each.

A rapid hire is not always required and the process can sometimes be more leisurely. In some cases, such as the current Head Coach vacancy, moving quickly is valuable and necessary.

Was Rob Mullens adequately prepared for Cristobal to bolt? Did he read the tea leaves two weeks ago and begin hitting up agents, warming up his top prospects indirectly, etc.? Or, was AD Mullens caught napping with his pants down?

I certainly don't have the answer. but it looks like a Duck and walks like a Duck.

 

Again.

Edited December 9, 2021 by Notalot

[Matty Luau]

Honestly, the rumors have been out there since last season, so I very much doubt anyone was taken aback by this when fans have been expecting it. We don't get to peek behind the curtain and do we even wanna know how the sausage is made? 

 

If a hire is made by next week (and I expect it will), do you think they're just shooting from the hip and didn't already have mechanisms in place? 

[Guest KingT]

There's only so much prep you can do before the Coach leaves. Unfortunately, NCAA CF is set up to leverage the coaches way too much, via schedule, etc. Reform needed - paying these guys circa $10M is nuts. 

[The Constitutionalist]

These things take time.

 

If the rumors that were floating around are true, it's not unreasonable to think that Mullens believed he could keep MC.

 

It hasn't been a week yet -- and I'd much rather this process takes a little bit longer and we hire the right guy, than immediately hire the wrong one. Yes, we may lose some recruits, but if we hire a prominent, winning coach from another program, some of those recruits will likely follow him.

[1Funduck]

I don't think so. MC was hired 3 days after Slick Willie left. Mullens wasn't slow then. But, that was lightening in a bottle. MC was the right guy at the right time and already on the 'Roster' so to speak. Only took 3 days.

[GODUCKS15]

Hasn't it been said that he knew about this several weeks before MC left? Only so much you can do. Did he call the search company and tell

 

them to start working on this weeks before MC left? I bet he did. We only know what they want us to know. What if in fact Fickle is the guy. 

 

He's got Cincy in the playoffs and a distraction would be terrible for his team. Keeping things hush hush would be paramount. FWIW I was

 

listening to The Fan 1080 and Suke was saying the longer it takes the better it will be. Just his opinion of course. RB could have a hire right

 

now if he wanted but would it be the right guy? Waiting and playing the long game with the new HC hire is more important I would think.

[Haywarduck]

I tend to think all this guessing is just causing indigestion for the masses. The way I am trying to look at it is we weren't that happy, we will end up better in the end, and we have no control.

 

Thinking about this process too much is like analyzing the process of sausage making. I love sausage, and take no time analyzing the process, just want to know a few of the ingredients. 

[Matty Luau]

@Haywarduck and I are obviously just hungry. 

[Desert Duck]

"Was Mullens prepared for this?"

 

I think Mullens might still be waiting for that 'heads-up' call from the non-existent Miami AD.

[C J]

On 12/9/2021 at 8:57 AM, Haywarduck said:

I tend to think all this guessing is just causing indigestion for the masses.

Yep, it's not healthy. I have begun to reflect upon this myself. My wife and children have said as much themselves.

 

What will be will be. While I would love to see the Ducks win a NC, I think we all may need to resign ourselves to the fact that the chances are actually quite slim.

 

I am considering taking a long break from Ducks sports, as I am not sure all the angst has been good for me or my family. 

[Guest KingT]

I think Mario led Mullens to believe that he would stay for the right deal...Mullens probably very intelligent but perhaps lacking street smarts...Mario took him for an $8M ride. Mario has been planning his exit for a minimum of a few months to possibly end of last season, best guess anyway.

[OregonRich]

On 12/9/2021 at 10:32 AM, C J said:

What will be will be. While I would love to see the Ducks win a NC, I think we all may need to resign ourselves to the fact that the chances are actually quite slim.

Personally, I'm OK with that. For me, an NC isn't the end-all be-all. I'd rather have a team that strives to win, plays well, and is exciting and fun to watch,...but that may occasionally come up short against better opponents.

 

If we win a NC, great. If not, no sleep lost. I'm certain I'm an outlier here, but that's what I'd be most happy with. 

On 12/9/2021 at 10:32 AM, C J said:

 

I am considering taking a long break from Ducks sports, as I am not sure all the angst has been good for me or my family. 

I hope you don't. I may not agree with everything you say, but I sure enjoy your posts. 

Edited December 9, 2021 by OregonRich

[Jon Joseph]

Let us not forget that when the UGA and A+M AD jobs were open Mullens had his hat in the ring.

 

I hope Mullens is not the only one involved with the new HC hire?

[Grandpa Duck]

Notalot says: 
"AD Mullens should always have a short-list of best HC candidates watching their performance, contract status, and family news shuffling the list to always have 4-5 viable and desirable prospects (who would likely take the position if offered) for head, and have been grooming his relationship with each."

 

Really!  And just how does and AD compile this list?  Take the obvious prospects, Wilcox, Chip Kelly, Aranda, Kiffen, Fickell, for example.  Is Mullens supposed to be calling these guys up to see whether on the off chance that Mario Cristobal leaves at the end of the year: "Would you be interested in becoming our head coach?"

 

Sort of like a married man checking around with all the married women he takes a shine to and seeing whether they will be available to jump to his nest should his wife expire.

 

And does anyone who has every worked on an employment contract want their boss to know that they are considering leaving for the next greener pasture?

 

Is it conceivably possible that Mullens' hypothetical list of potential candidates willing to become a Duck will remain confidential in this world of instant information?

 

My thoughts on the number of people who would allow themselves to be on Mullens' list.  Not many.

[OregonRich]

On 12/9/2021 at 11:57 AM, Grandpa Duck said:

Sort of like a married man checking around with all the married women he takes a shine to and seeing whether they will be available to jump to his nest should his wife expire.

Hilarious. Serious belly laugh...

[duck023]

On 12/9/2021 at 10:32 AM, C J said:

Yep, it's not healthy. I have begun to reflect upon this myself. My wife and children have said as much themselves.

 

What will be will be. While I would love to see the Ducks win a NC, I think we all may need to resign ourselves to the fact that the chances are actually quite slim.

 

I am considering taking a long break from Ducks sports, as I am not sure all the angst has been good for me or my family. 

I understand where you are coming from sometimes rooting for Oregon can cause me to be depressed. If the coaching hire is someone like Taggert I'll likely take a break from watching college football for a while. I enjoy watching the UFC because there are many upsets and great people become champions. However, with college football it is just Alabama winning year after year.