So here is a question. If Luke doesn't keep the HC job this year, maybe he gets fired, maybe he steps aside, whatever, could he come back?
Say we go out and hire someone else this year, Urban Meyer, Gruden, Dantonio, Pelini, Hazell, whoever. They coach us to great success over 10-15yrs and retire. Most of those coaching replacements are old or have health issues or both. 10-15yrs would a realistic estimate of how long they would hang around. So meanwhile, Luke goes out and gets some HC experience at a MAC school, maybe even a Big East/ACC school or something (although, I don't think he'd leave Ohio if he has the choice). So he's a great candidate in 10-15yrs with some great experience. Do you think we hire him back at that point?
I like the guy. He's just not ready yet. He could be when we need our next coach.
Not 100% sure he has to leave. The offense has to be fixed, but the defense is ok right now (tough 3 week stretch coming). If an offensive minded head coach is hired and if he decided that he wanted Luke as dc and if Luke wanted the job I could see him staying. It's a lot of ifs but could work out.
I think he has to go, but he could definitely eventually end up coming back in a decade or so. I, for one, would welcome him back with open arms.
Real fans stay for Carmen.
Actually I think it would be a major mistake to fire Luke because of the deadweight on the offensive coaching staff that he never had a chance to clear. This is going to be a difficult situation.
Luke back down to DC would be fine with me. Would it be fine with Luke? I don't think the guy has a huge ego, but even the less egotisical among us have to think that would be a blow to be demoted back down.
It's going to depend on a lot of variables. Who's the AD? What's our final record? Did we beat Michigan?
Right now, I question whether Luke Fickell really has the reigns of this team. Could Fickell really fire Bollman right now if he wanted to? Would Luke feel out of place or over stepping his bounds if he did that?
“Any time you give a man something he doesn't earn, you cheapen him. Our kids earn what they get, and that includes respect.” - Woody
Perception is reality, Gene Smith.
Jim Tressel is gone. And yet, we have more infractions and suspensions.
If LF is honest with himself he may see that he just wasn't ready to be the HBIC yet and accept staying on as a DC. I'd be cool with that for sure. Probably more likely is that he goes on to coach at a smaller school with the hope of coming back.
Would love for him to stay, but I fear that this might derail his career for a little while. Which is a borderline tragedy IMHO.
vacuuming sucks
There was a major split between the Cooper and Bruce players. It even spilled over in recruiting where Cooper would lose recruiting battles in Northern Ohio to scUM. Tressel healed the rift by treating them both with emeritus status and by creating the link between the past and present. Showing Luke the door after he stepped up and took one for the team will cause problems and ruffle many feathers instate. Didn't let him do anything except be babysitter this year and live through the chaos of scandal and NCAA distractions, but honestly expected him to go what 10-2? 8-4 was probably best case scenario with the turmoil and suspensions.
Either let him hire his own coaches and give him 3 more years else if replace him new coach should be classy and keep him & Vrable for recruiting assuming Luke would be comfortable staying. Treat him unfairly and you will reap what you sow.
Winning obviously cures much, but screwing over ohio bred and born Luke just makes it more difficult for the next guy, especially if not Ohio guy and wants to recruit Ohio.
If Luke would come back as DC i think that would be awesome, I dont know if he would be willing after bein HC, but he can look at it two different ways, Either my first HC experience was arguably the toughest and most scrutinized programs in a year full of injuries and the NCAA killing my roster, and i feel like it can only go up from here, or he just wasnt ready for all the demands of being a HC as he is more comfortable with the defensive side. Maybe if Meyer comes in he could convince Luke to stay as DC. Imagine Luke and Vrabes walking into the the livingroom of 18yr old kids, how could you say no. Then hire a good Offensive mind, we can take the B1G right back to the 614
I think if Fickell gets replaced, the new HC would not even consider this. Plus, I think Luke has too much self-respect even if it were an option.
I bet this experience will have cemented in him the desire to get on with his coaching career should the ties finally be cut to C-bus. If I were him as I was clearing out my office, I'd be emailing my resume to all of the NFL coaches in my address book. 4-5 years in the pros then I'd look for HC opportunities in the MAC, Sunbelt, Conference USA, or Mountain West.
But I fully expect to never see him on the Ohio State sidelines again. Which would be a damn shame in my book. Felt the same about Fred Pagac being passed over when Cooper was fired. And Pagac is still a hell of a coach BTW. Maybe Pagac could hook Fickell up with a spot on the Vikings staff.
Ultimately I see him resurrecting another B1G program like Purdue or Illinois and becoming the C-bus version of the Bambino Curse.
#fistpumpgobuckeyes
Burning the bridge effecting recruiting is something I never thought about. Maybe he does stay as DC just because he loves OSU and defense that much. Plus that would help with the transition, the recruiting, etc. I think that would be the ideal situation.
“Any time you give a man something he doesn't earn, you cheapen him. Our kids earn what they get, and that includes respect.” - Woody