Sign up for those willing to wait and see.

[IHateRobPhenicie]

I was firmly in the "bad hire camp" at the beginning based on a number of things. Record at DII, lack of conference titles and playoff record. However, after looking into it more, and watching the press conference I am now in the wait and see category. We'll see how he'll do with the kind of talent he gets at this level. Guys who don't have to carry 4.0 GPA and 1500 SATs. Concerns I had also dealt with his ability to evaluate talent. But I am willing to give it a shot.

 

[bearister]

If Stitt runs a relatively clean program, he'll get a good long trial before they cut him loose. I think Engstrom is the only one who can fire him, and he's not going to demand an instant NC. Like it or not, his perspective is the good of the University as a whole, and in his mind Ws and Ls are just part of the equation. His expectations just don't coincide with the most demanding fans.

 

[UMGriz75]

"Well he was there for so long. How come he didn't move up if he was so good?" Again, it's a comfort level. He and his family were happy where they were. I know some on here have said that they have had opportunity to move from where they like it for more coin, but they haven't because they like where they were. Funny how that works.

Reading through his comments, this guy's not a "social climber" to take a job offer just because it's a "step up." I gather he's had plenty of job offers over the past 15 years. I also gather that he wasn't interested in just a "step up." He has a high regard for himself (meant as a compliment), and obviously has been biding his time until a real opportunity for him came along.

"This is the best job in the FCS and I want to win a national championship. I can do that here."

This wasn't so much a program looking for the right coach. This was a coach looking for the right program. The happy harmony is that it happened at the same time.

I think it says nearly all that can be said about what the University of Montana has created over the past 28 years. A coach like Joe Glenn can be a great success here, and fall flat on his face at Wyoming. A coach like Bobby Hauck can achieve great success, and go nowhere at UNLV. Although Don Read gets the credit, many have noted that he was not a particularly successful coach elsewhere. The common denominator of their successes is the University of Montana. I would give Jud Heathcote a starring role in creating the modern sport culture of success at UM and Larry Donovan for knowing how to translate that into football. The "program" matters, and all the intangibles that go into one.

What impresses me the most about Stitt, so far, is his patience and willingness to wait until that "right" moment. This is a guy that isn't willing to take seconds.

 

[grizatwork]

"Well he was there for so long. How come he didn't move up if he was so good?" Again, it's a comfort level. He and his family were happy where they were. I know some on here have said that they have had opportunity to move from where they like it for more coin, but they haven't because they like where they were. Funny how that works.

Reading through his comments, this guy's not a "social climber" to take a job offer just because it's a "step up." I gather he's had plenty of job offers over the past 15 years. I also gather that he wasn't interested in just a "step up." He has a high regard for himself (meant as a compliment), and obviously has been biding his time until a real opportunity for him came along.

"This is the best job in the FCS and I want to win a national championship. I can do that here."

This wasn't so much a program looking for the right coach. This was a coach looking for the right program. The happy harmony is that it happened at the same time.

I think it says nearly all that can be said about what the University of Montana has created over the past 28 years. A coach like Joe Glenn can be a great success here, and fall flat on his face at Wyoming. A coach like Bobby Hauck can achieve great success, and go nowhere at UNLV. Although Don Read gets the credit, many have noted that he was not a particularly successful coach elsewhere. I would give Jud Heathcote a starring role in creating the modern sport culture of success at UM. The "program" matters, and all the intangibles that go into one.

What so far impresses me the most about Stitt, so far, is his patience and willingness to wait until that "right" moment. This is a guy that isn't willing to take seconds.

Best post on the subject to date.

 

[AZDoc]

"Well he was there for so long. How come he didn't move up if he was so good?" Again, it's a comfort level. He and his family were happy where they were. I know some on here have said that they have had opportunity to move from where they like it for more coin, but they haven't because they like where they were. Funny how that works.

Reading through his comments, this guy's not a "social climber" to take a job offer just because it's a "step up." I gather he's had plenty of job offers over the past 15 years. I also gather that he wasn't interested in just a "step up." He has a high regard for himself (meant as a compliment), and obviously has been biding his time until a real opportunity for him came along.

"This is the best job in the FCS and I want to win a national championship. I can do that here."

This wasn't so much a program looking for the right coach. This was a coach looking for the right program. The happy harmony is that it happened at the same time.

I think it says nearly all that can be said about what the University of Montana has created over the past 28 years. A coach like Joe Glenn can be a great success here, and fall flat on his face at Wyoming. A coach like Bobby Hauck can achieve great success, and go nowhere at UNLV. Although Don Read gets the credit, many have noted that he was not a particularly successful coach elsewhere. The common denominator of their successes is the University of Montana. I would give Jud Heathcote a starring role in creating the modern sport culture of success at UM and Larry Donovan for knowing how to translate that into football. The "program" matters, and all the intangibles that go into one.

What impresses me the most about Stitt, so far, is his patience and willingness to wait until that "right" moment. This is a guy that isn't willing to take seconds.

I don't disagree with you. he did say he has been looking at FBS, was never looking FCS. My point was really that if that opportunity he's always wanted came along in FBS, then he's gone. And really, only as a head coach I'd think.

 

[UMGriz75]

I don't disagree with you. he did say he has been looking at FBS, was never looking FCS. My point was really that if that opportunity he's always wanted came along in FBS, then he's gone. And really, only as a head coach I'd think.

I get the impression that this guy is not about the money. He's a "quality of life" kind of guy.

What seems to be important to him is to have "his" program where he can do "his" thing with football in a setting that supports what he wants to do for football and provides an important place and quality for his family. Maybe a big FBS offer would be too good to pass up.

However, he just hasn't been playing the salary game for the past 15 years, and it sounds like he surely could have.

I hosted a training camp on campus this summer; kids and coaches from across the country. These are rugged affairs and by the end of camp, everybody is usually pretty worn out and torn up, and just glad to be headed home. Yet, the most common kind of comment on our survey sheets done on the last day of camp was "this is really an extraordinary place. I don't want to leave." Two of the coaches (one from the East, George Washington U, one from Stanford) wanted the info on scheduling their own camps here.

The place grows on people from their first day on campus.

 

[UMGriz75]

"I wasn't leaving for just any job; I planned on being there the rest of my life," said Stitt, who was head coach at the Golden, Colorado, school for 15 years. "But (athletic director Kent Haslam's) call got my wheels spinning."

"Since (former UM head coach) Joe Glenn started talking about Montana when I joined his staff in '88-89 (at Northern Colorado), I never fathomed standing here and talking to you about being the head coach at Montana," he added. "You've got to pinch me right now."

I think we might have a "catch."

 

[AZDoc]

I don't disagree with you. he did say he has been looking at FBS, was never looking FCS. My point was really that if that opportunity he's always wanted came along in FBS, then he's gone. And really, only as a head coach I'd think.

I get the impression that this guy is not about the money. He's a "quality of life" kind of guy.

What seems to be important to him is to have "his" program where he can do "his" thing with football in a setting that supports what he wants to do for football and provides an important place and quality for his family. Maybe a big FBS offer would be too good to pass up.

However, he just hasn't been playing the salary game for the past 15 years, and it sounds like he surely could have.

I hosted a training camp on campus this summer; kids and coaches from across the country. These are rugged affairs and by the end of camp, everybody is usually pretty worn out and torn up, and just glad to be headed home. Yet, the most common kind of comment on our survey sheets done on the last day of camp was "this is really an extraordinary place. I don't want to leave." Two of the coaches (one from the East, George Washington U, one from Stanford) wanted the info on scheduling their own camps here.

The place grows on people from their first day on campus.

I certainly hope so. hope a lot of championships