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Football: Nationwide search for new football coach underway
Published: Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
A week and three days after the decision was officially made, the dust surrounding the firing of football head coach Roger Hughes has begun to settle.
A successor has yet to be named and likely won’t be until mid-January ...
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Roger Hughes will be missed as he was truly an ambassador of Princeton Football and very motivational and personable coach and person that I tryly admired. Princeton excels in every level so, it is understandable that Football needed a change. The only issue is the timing.. The first 2 weeks in December is critical recruiting weekends and prospects will be coming in and with no head coach and the uncertainty of any recruiting coach not being there next year leaves the recruits with nothing to compare with other Ivy Football programs. This is a major issue in my opinion. A change was needed, but a better timing might of been to wait till after the recruiting weekends in December were over to secure the future of Princeton Football recruits.
Sounds like the list of candidates is going to be long and full of recognizable names. This is a great opportunity for any football coach. I look forward to seeing where this search for a new head coach leads.
I agree with the timing. Waiting until mid-January will make a major impact on the recruiting.
Most college football programs will make coaching changes at the end of the season and they just have to deal with it in recruiting. If you wait to start the search until mid-January, you may miss some great opportunities for coaches looking to make a move but could have already committed to another school by then. A new coach then doesn't come in until mid March when you should be well into your winter/spring lifting, conditioning and practice. The current players need to get to know the coaching staff in the off-season and start to build a good relationship with them. The recruits coming in will be fine. They will be excited that the program is looking to head to a better place. And don't forget, it's still Princeton and those players and their families will still want to come to Princeton. They wouldn't be looking at the Ivy League if the whole package of football and education wasn't a priority to them.
I agree that Roger Hughes is a wonderful man, but also look forward to a new direction.
There is never a good time, though, if one is to make a change, it is better to do it sooner - right after the season - than later. Imagine how a recruit would feel if shortly after he is recruited by the coach and current staff the coach is fired. It's better to have the potential recruits know a new, unnamed person is coming rather than a bait and switch. It may hurt us the first year, but one has to live with that.
I am excited about the possibilites and a return to a winning program.
Hire Charlie Weiss! Or Bobby Bowden!
We are not talking about waiting a month. I would of suggested just 2 weeks.. After the first 2 weekends of December when your top recruits come on campus. The Coaches that are in the rumor mill now are still playing so we have to wait anyway.. Also, Princeton is the only school in the Ivy League that does not accept transfers and this hurts sports as it is so we need to get the guys we are hunting for in the begining. With all things being equal in the Ivy's regarding academics the deciding factors are campus, winning record and coaches relationships. Thinking you are going to bring in the top athletic football talent and not having 2 of the 3 hurts and their is only 1 door in unlike the others who accept transfers from Stanford or Nebraska because it did not work out for the player for some reason at those schools.. The timing of this change was very poor. I am also very surprised Coach Hughes did not wish the senior class well at the dinner. I know it would of been real uncomfortable for him there, but it would of been the right thing to do.
I agree that the timing is never good and better to be honest and up front with recruits, then turning it upside down later. It will be a positive message that the university is committed to change and takes the Football Program seriously. Lets get someone who has a proven track record and not just someone with potential.. The team has a solid core for next year and need a leader that can move them to the next level and restore the winning ways on the field. 1 Ivy Title in 10 years is not acceptable especially with the talent on the team currently!
Joe Susan for Prez!!!
Being a Notre Dame alumn and now a Princeton grad, I find this situation pretty humorous. A lot of the phrases seem identical to Coach Weiss' ousting: "expects excellence", "needs to bring us to a higher level", "needs a proven record", "name recognition." But the similarity ends there. Princeton doesn't play at an elite level, they can't demand excellence of an FCS team. To act like Princeton cares about being a powerhouse in anything besides US News college rankings is ridiculous. Players come here for a great school and a chance to still play ball for fun, not to be developed into top-tier players.
Plus, this is an IDEAL time to do a coaching change. Waiting later doesn't gain anything, recruits de-commit all the time, signing period isn't until February! Doing it now gives Princeton a chance to start going after coaches, and then lets the new coach get a plan in motion before recruits are gone and spring practices have started. Waiting just lets all the other schools start picking up talented coaches AND recruits.
Coach Steve Verbit for Princeton Head Coach. 22 years experience!!