Football Candidates
- Thread starter umich1817
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DIII Head Coach
DII Head Coach
2-1AA Coordinators
and 1 more that I don't know.
DII Head Coach
2-1AA Coordinators
and 1 more that I don't know.
It seems too quiet, even on this forum, with regard to the head coach search at this point. umich1817 gave us some good clues, yet no one is speculating who the candidates might be? Obviously, the RMU administration is doing a good job of appropriately being confidential in the process. I am sure there are some good rumors out there, that may or may not be based on reality. So, let's have some fun. If umich1817 has good information, who do you think the D-III coach is, Scott Benzel? Or the W&J coach? or someone else? How about the D-II coach, maybe Cal U of Pa or Slippery Rock's coach, or someone from out of the area? Two FCS coordinators,
who might they be? And, one mystery coach, who knows. RMU was able to hire a former NFL head coach to start the program as a non-scholarship team with no stadium, equipment or anything. Just for fun - Marvin Lewis is likely to be out of his NFL job in a few weeks. He is a local guy, maybe he would be interested in coaching the Colonials. I wonder if RMU grad and Steelers' GM, Kevin Colbert, is having any input on the search.
who might they be? And, one mystery coach, who knows. RMU was able to hire a former NFL head coach to start the program as a non-scholarship team with no stadium, equipment or anything. Just for fun - Marvin Lewis is likely to be out of his NFL job in a few weeks. He is a local guy, maybe he would be interested in coaching the Colonials. I wonder if RMU grad and Steelers' GM, Kevin Colbert, is having any input on the search.
GoRMU and Umich1817, with no knowledge, just hunches. I would Think at least one of the two D2 coaches you mentioned would be right. I would prefer Dunn at Cal, due to his NEC experience and success. I would assume the D3 Coach would be Benny. I am not sure there are many at RMU that would have a bad word to say about him so think he would get a shot at the interview, he would likely have to blow them away as he is part of the history.
I would think one of the Coordinators would be Farrison. Think they owe him that, unless maybe they had a chat with him and said we are looking to go in a new direction. I think Doria from Duq could be an attractive candidate as the other Coordinator.
Based on what ORMC theorized before, I think the one unknown would be a fairly large name. Whom that might be, I haven't a clue. Would think, as GoRMU mentioned, that they have Pittsburgh ties, and if Colbert is involved, perhaps its someone that he has contacts with.
I would think one of the Coordinators would be Farrison. Think they owe him that, unless maybe they had a chat with him and said we are looking to go in a new direction. I think Doria from Duq could be an attractive candidate as the other Coordinator.
Based on what ORMC theorized before, I think the one unknown would be a fairly large name. Whom that might be, I haven't a clue. Would think, as GoRMU mentioned, that they have Pittsburgh ties, and if Colbert is involved, perhaps its someone that he has contacts with.
I'm pretty sure one of the candidates coming back for an interview is Youngstown State offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery, according to a couple people I know with YSU connections.
If Benzel/Farison are in the mix, too, it makes for an interesting decision. What's more important: Someone like Montgomery or another candidate with an outside perspective? Or someone like Benzel or Farison who has connections to the program but maybe a different approach to running it?
If Benzel/Farison are in the mix, too, it makes for an interesting decision. What's more important: Someone like Montgomery or another candidate with an outside perspective? Or someone like Benzel or Farison who has connections to the program but maybe a different approach to running it?
One thing is for sure, if Benny would get it, expect to see a lot of Florida guys headed up north.
Thanks for info regarding Montgomery!
Thanks for info regarding Montgomery!
DIII Head Coach - Scott Benzel
DII Head Coach - Gary Dunn
2-1AA Coordinators - Shane Montgomery & Scott Farison
and 1 more that I don't know.
I had been wondering since he joined the NEC broadcast team as the color commentator on ESPN3 broadcasts if Kevin Gilbride would try to get a head coaching job in the conference. He served as the OC for the Steelers and worked for a year in the organization with Colbert (who is on the search committee from what I have heard). Could he be the unknown?
DII Head Coach - Gary Dunn
2-1AA Coordinators - Shane Montgomery & Scott Farison
and 1 more that I don't know.
I had been wondering since he joined the NEC broadcast team as the color commentator on ESPN3 broadcasts if Kevin Gilbride would try to get a head coaching job in the conference. He served as the OC for the Steelers and worked for a year in the organization with Colbert (who is on the search committee from what I have heard). Could he be the unknown?
Good thought on gilbride realRM.
If that is list... I would rank...
1. Dunn
2a. Benny (likely farison stays)
2b. Montgomery (chance farison stays)
4. Garrison
5. Gilbride
If that is list... I would rank...
1. Dunn
2a. Benny (likely farison stays)
2b. Montgomery (chance farison stays)
4. Garrison
5. Gilbride
I won't even know where to start with names or guesses. I have heard so much and actually just waiting until the dust settles.
Montgomery looks to be a very impressive candidate. I am ranking him #1 at this point.
I have heard that they are still doing phone interviews this week, perhaps some conflicts with schedules and you want to ensure you talk to all possible candidates.
Interesting to read the comments and thoughts on who might be ideal to take this program out of the basement and back to its glory at the top of the NEC.
Interesting to read the comments and thoughts on who might be ideal to take this program out of the basement and back to its glory at the top of the NEC.
Just a thought on our unknown person, not sure if he has any desire to Coach, but Charlie Batch has some RMU and obviously Steelers ties. I think he is currently a Masters student at RMU, though not positive on that.
Now that's some insider information right there. So that's done already. Well at least RMU will get some press out of this.
Wrapping up recruits will start to get tough over the next few weeks if the HC isn't named soon. There is a quiet day and dead period coming up Dec17th is a "Quiet Day" then around the holidays Dec18th-Jan11th is "Dead Period" after that it would be a sprint to lock guys in before signing day.
Don't want a rush...however soon would be cool.
Don't want a rush...however soon would be cool.
Just a guess, I would think it may be narrowed down to two or three candidates over the weekend, then intense on-campus interviews next week followed by a decision by the end of the week, and an official announcement at the beginning of the following week.
It appears that the athletic department have their finalists. I have no info as to who are those individuals. I think GoRMU is right with the timeline. It would make sense.
Agreed with M4. Do not want to rush, but can not allow it to drag. Not just for the recruits, but for the guys on the team now. They will be making decisions between semesters if they plan on staying or going elsewhere.
While GoRMU timeline sounds good, I hope they can get it all done, announcement included by end of next week.
Just my thoughts, because I really do like the idea of Dunn and Montgomery, but for some reason they do not work out, I would be shocked if Benny declined the job if offered. In my opinion, could do a hell of a lot worse than Benny.
While GoRMU timeline sounds good, I hope they can get it all done, announcement included by end of next week.
Just my thoughts, because I really do like the idea of Dunn and Montgomery, but for some reason they do not work out, I would be shocked if Benny declined the job if offered. In my opinion, could do a hell of a lot worse than Benny.
A lot has been discussed about the potential candidates themselves, but I'm curious what kind of staffs they might be able to bring with them. Among the candidates that have been discussed, who would you assume could assemble the best staff?
Just some thoughts...
A) Not sure who Farison would bring on board as there is no way the administration would let him keep the current staff and he's never been anywhere else.
B) Assuming Benzel brings some of his Westminster staff with him, it also seems like more of the same as they are mostly former RMU players and coaches. Not that that's 100% a bad thing, as I think anyone who gets the job needs someone who knows the program/university, but I personally would like more distance from the same old same old.
C) I don't know much about Dunn's staff at Cal or if he would be able to pry anyone from the Duquesne staff.
D) I would imagine that Shane Montgomery has connections all over having been an FBS head coach as well as having played at NC State and coached in Tennessee (Chattanooga), and Ohio (Miami, Akron, and YSU). I would assume he could put together the most diverse staff in terms of being able to recruit different areas.
Just some thoughts...
A) Not sure who Farison would bring on board as there is no way the administration would let him keep the current staff and he's never been anywhere else.
B) Assuming Benzel brings some of his Westminster staff with him, it also seems like more of the same as they are mostly former RMU players and coaches. Not that that's 100% a bad thing, as I think anyone who gets the job needs someone who knows the program/university, but I personally would like more distance from the same old same old.
C) I don't know much about Dunn's staff at Cal or if he would be able to pry anyone from the Duquesne staff.
D) I would imagine that Shane Montgomery has connections all over having been an FBS head coach as well as having played at NC State and coached in Tennessee (Chattanooga), and Ohio (Miami, Akron, and YSU). I would assume he could put together the most diverse staff in terms of being able to recruit different areas.
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Interesting realrm. The more I think about it, I think I would put Montgomery as new number 1, with Dunn 2 and Benny 3. Would truly be happy with any of them.
Do you (everyone on this site) think that we have identified all the serious candidates that still may be in the running? These candidates almost seem too obvious. If so, it really was not much of a "National search." I don't have a problem with that, I would prefer someone with strong connections to the area.
I would have a hard time seeing benny get the job over farison. Not that I would disagree with the option either way. But benny worked under farison when he was here, left, got a d3 gig, and is now a candidate for the job. All the while farison has stayed here, committed, and put the time in. If I were farison, I would take that as a slap in the face that he would lose it over a guy like benny. I just want to clarify, this is not a slight against anybody it's just something that crossed my mind. I know I wouldn't be happy I were farison and after all these years I didn't get it over somebody I trained
I think "national search" was more of a turn of phrase than a serious scouring of the country.
Robert Morris needs a coach with ties to the region. It doesn't have to be ties to the area, but it has to be someone who can walk into a Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, or D.C. high school and have some prior relationships with that high school's football coach. RMU is not a school that recruits nationally, so it's better to have someone with those deep ties.
So it doesn't really surprise me that the names that have emerged are familiar to us.
Unless someone else pops up, my pick is Shane Montgomery. He's still fairly young. He has a pedigree for working with quarterbacks and developing consistent offenses. He's coached at a higher level. He's recruited the region.
Second would be Scott Benzel. I have a great admiration for Scott Farison and could maybe be persuaded to have him stay on in some capacity. But I think it's important that the new head coach not be an internal candidate. Benzel is familiar with the school but has had to develop his own system and own approach at Westminster.
Benzel has also kept some Florida ties. RMU has done well in the state in the past (it's the one out-of-region state that RMU recruits well) and it'd be a way to keep some of those relationships or even enhance them.
Gary Dunn is intriguing but I'm not as sold on him as a head coach. He walked into a Cal (Pa) program that was already pretty well-stocked.
I would shocked if benny did I not keep Farison as d coordinator. The guys benny has at Westminster all respect farison. It is truthfully how it should have happened after coach Walton stepped down. The 2 work great together, but the choice of banny was made because of his NFL/local status.
Benny would recruit like wildfire and the guys would love him. He has such a passion for footballl and the guys. Not saying they would turnaround by next year, but I know you would see tangible results. Just would need to get a "true" an coach.
Edit: not sure on this but think benny left to sfu when he realized or told benny was going to to be head coach in waiting.
Benny would recruit like wildfire and the guys would love him. He has such a passion for footballl and the guys. Not saying they would turnaround by next year, but I know you would see tangible results. Just would need to get a "true" an coach.
Edit: not sure on this but think benny left to sfu when he realized or told benny was going to to be head coach in waiting.
Banaszak was named coach-in-waiting because of his previous head coaching experience. Yes, the Steelers ties were important, but he was also already Walton's assistant head coach for several years before that. He was promoted to assistant head coach in 2008 when Dan Radakovich stepped down. So it was a logical progression to go to Banaszak, and frankly it's still surprising that he didn't do better. It was the right move. It just didn't work out.
Benzel left around the time Banaszak was promoted, but it wasn't just because of that. He had some family financial reasons to explore a promotion and RMU just couldn't match St. Francis at the time.
Maybe a way around any potential friction would be a change of pace for Farison. He's a former quarterback. Benzel's top guy at Westminster is his offensive coordinator, Rich DeMaio. Maybe DeMaio gets promoted to head coach and stays at Westminster, Benzel brings Jake Nulph to RMU as his defensive coordinator, and Farison moves to offensive coordinator with a QB coach hired.
As good as the results have been for Farison and as much as everyone likes him, I just wonder about keeping a guy in the same position through a couple of head coaches. Guys can get burned out or it can lead to some friction.
Montgomery has everyone beat on the resume. College QB, FBS OC, FBS HC, FCS OC at a successful program in a tough league. You cannot go wrong with the guy IMO.
But I just like Benzel for some reason. Probably the fact that he came from the defensive side. Not always, but most the time the successful head coaches are defensive guys. OC's can be successful but everything is usually centered around their offense. Offensive guys believe everything will work. Defensive guys worry that nothing will work.
I also like the fact that great coaches climb that ladder. D-III, D-IAA, to who knows. I also like the idea of Farison sticking around in any capacity.
Montgomery, Benzel, Farison, tough to go wrong either way...
But I just like Benzel for some reason. Probably the fact that he came from the defensive side. Not always, but most the time the successful head coaches are defensive guys. OC's can be successful but everything is usually centered around their offense. Offensive guys believe everything will work. Defensive guys worry that nothing will work.
I also like the fact that great coaches climb that ladder. D-III, D-IAA, to who knows. I also like the idea of Farison sticking around in any capacity.Montgomery, Benzel, Farison, tough to go wrong either way...
There could be some sleepers out there that we don't know about. Coaches that are being interviewed that didn't make anyone's list. I think RMU will want a local coach to take over. Local in terms of within the recruiting area; OH-PA-MD. I know RMU talked to some coaches around the nation but those were quick phone interviews. I don't think any of those coaches made it to the onsite interview stage but I could be wrong.
I don't think we will ever know the full list of who applied vs. who was at least phone screened.
I don't think we will ever know the full list of who applied vs. who was at least phone screened.
Last night I got some additional information. I want to state that I heard this 2nd hand from a person who knows someone in the athletic department, but I trust the source. The person confirmed that Benzel, Farison, and Montgomery have all been in for interviews. There were also two additional names that we have not mentioned that I hear have or will be on campus for interviews too.
The first is Tyrone Dixon, who is currently out of coaching. He is a local guy who played at Center High School in the early 80s and went on to play at IUP. He has coached at IUP (1986-89), Akron (1990-91), Temple (1992) James Madison (1993), University of Houston (1994-96), San Diego Chargers (1997), University of Houston (1998-99), University of Cincinnati (2000-01), Kansas (2002-03), IUP (2005), and Geneva (2010-12). His most recent job was at Central Valley High School. He primarily has been a Wide Receivers coach throughout his career and has never been a head coach or even a coordinator. Seems like he is a nomad who was never able to maintain a job and also was accused at Kansas for committing NCAA infractions around the recruitment of a player out of Aliquippa in which he supposedly provided improper benefits. While I am uncertain what came of those allegations, he has not been anywhere of relevance since. Perhaps a coincidence perhaps not.
The other is in fact a UCLA candidate; not Tom Bradley or Hank Fraley, but Rip Scherer. He is another local guy and the cousin of Kevin Colbert. He would be the oldest candidate as he would be 66 at the start of next season. He has also has a laundry list of places he has coached at and has served as the head coach at James Madison (1991-94) and Memphis (1995-2000). He's also had several stops as an offensive coordinator at the college level and spent 2005-10 coaching in the NFL. He most recently has served as the tight ends coach at UCLA.
Other tidbits that I heard were that Dunn may have removed himself from the process and the possibility of one more minority candidate (although no name was provided). Just trying to share what I have heard. Anxious to hear all your thoughts.
The first is Tyrone Dixon, who is currently out of coaching. He is a local guy who played at Center High School in the early 80s and went on to play at IUP. He has coached at IUP (1986-89), Akron (1990-91), Temple (1992) James Madison (1993), University of Houston (1994-96), San Diego Chargers (1997), University of Houston (1998-99), University of Cincinnati (2000-01), Kansas (2002-03), IUP (2005), and Geneva (2010-12). His most recent job was at Central Valley High School. He primarily has been a Wide Receivers coach throughout his career and has never been a head coach or even a coordinator. Seems like he is a nomad who was never able to maintain a job and also was accused at Kansas for committing NCAA infractions around the recruitment of a player out of Aliquippa in which he supposedly provided improper benefits. While I am uncertain what came of those allegations, he has not been anywhere of relevance since. Perhaps a coincidence perhaps not.
The other is in fact a UCLA candidate; not Tom Bradley or Hank Fraley, but Rip Scherer. He is another local guy and the cousin of Kevin Colbert. He would be the oldest candidate as he would be 66 at the start of next season. He has also has a laundry list of places he has coached at and has served as the head coach at James Madison (1991-94) and Memphis (1995-2000). He's also had several stops as an offensive coordinator at the college level and spent 2005-10 coaching in the NFL. He most recently has served as the tight ends coach at UCLA.
Other tidbits that I heard were that Dunn may have removed himself from the process and the possibility of one more minority candidate (although no name was provided). Just trying to share what I have heard. Anxious to hear all your thoughts.
Not sure this would be a good choice. Coach Scherer was unable to keep offensive line coaches, and the offense suffered because of it. One left after just six months at Memphis. Following is a quote from a sports writer, just after he announced he was leaving Memphis: "Without a good offensive line, Memphis could not run or pass. They finished 111 out of 114 teams in total offense."
This is a joke right? To see how far we'd go to believe? Or was your source playing a joke on you?
Dixon is highly unqualified. If someone told me RMU was implementing the Rooney Rule I might understand but think I could also find 15 better minority candidates.
Rip Scherer? The last thing this program needs is another 66 year old ex-NFL wonk.
These must be to appease someone. I hope they do not waste too much more time.
We have what we need in Montgomery, Benzel, Farison. Go with one and lets get rolling.
Agreed, both of the names I would put significantly below Benny, Montgomery and farison.
Not sure, but my guess would be Benny would mean Farison would stay. Imagine he would being guys like demaio, haugh, and others with rmu connections. Which could be seen as a positive or negative.
One, perhaps strange way to evaluate potential hires is guessing what the other conference coaches reactions will be to hire. Will they be think, oh, a horrible choice that will be an easy win, or "oh s, we have have to step our game up"
Not sure, but my guess would be Benny would mean Farison would stay. Imagine he would being guys like demaio, haugh, and others with rmu connections. Which could be seen as a positive or negative.
One, perhaps strange way to evaluate potential hires is guessing what the other conference coaches reactions will be to hire. Will they be think, oh, a horrible choice that will be an easy win, or "oh s, we have have to step our game up"
