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Pflu reminds me a lot of Mick Dennehy

CO's#1GrizFan

Well-known member
Interested in your thoughts.... I see a lot of similarities between these to coaches. Both have the "Players Coach" mentality, both came after being successful position coaches under winning U of M coaches, both had big shoes to fill etc...

Here are Micks numbers:
1996 Mick went 14-1 Big Sky Champs loosing to a very good Marshall team in the NC (Had mostly Don Reed Players)

1997 Mick went 8-4 2nd in the Big Sky and lost on the road in the first round to Mcneese

1998 Mick went 8-4 won the Big Sky and lost in the first round

1999 Mick went 9-3 won the big sky and lost during the first round of the playoffs

Time will tell, but I have a feeling this is what we have to look forward too.
 
Here is a bit more info on Mick...


Mick Dennehy
Under the direction of all-time winningest coach Don Read, The University of Montana football team won a then school record 13 games in 1995. That magical season culminated with a 22-20 victory over Marshall University in the I-AA national championship game.
The following spring Read announced his retirement, stunning both the Grizzly football squad and their fans who were still energized from the previous season's title run.
Without the greatest football coach in Grizzly history, what could Montana do to maintain their prestige?
Insert veteran coach Mick Dennehy.
Michael "Mick" Dennehy was named the 31st head football coach at The University of Montana on April 19, 1996. He had unprecedented success in his four seasons as head coach at his alma mater (1973), winning 39 games and three Big Sky Conference championships.
Dennehy carried on the high-powered, wide-open passing attack that had become a staple for Grizzly football. In his nine seasons at UM as both head coach (1996-1999) and offensive coordinator (1991-1995), the Grizzlies ranked in the top four in the country in passing offense and boasted a mark of 86-28 (.754) overall and 55-13 (.809) against Big Sky foes.
In his first year as mentor at Montana, Dennehy's Grizzlies won a school-record 14 games en route to a Big Sky championship, and a berth in the 1996 I-AA national championship game. That season he was named Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year, as the Grizzlies went a perfect 8-0 in league play and 14-1 overall. Montana lost 49-29 to host Marshall University in the I-AA title game.
In 1997, UM finished with an 8-4 overall mark and qualified for the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs where they lost 19-14 to eventual finalist McNeese State in a first round road contest. The Grizzlies also went 8-4 overall in 1998 and finished first in the Big Sky Conference with a 6-2 record, but lost another first-round road contest in the I-AA playoffs, this time to Western Illinois.
Montana finished 9-3 overall and captured the conference championship with a 7-1 record in 1999. The Griz made it to the I-AA playoffs for the fourth consecutive season under Dennehy's tutelage, but eventually lost 30-27 to perennial powerhouse Youngstown State in a first round game at Washington Grizzly Stadium.
Dennehy was also entrenched in tradition rich Grizzly football in previous years as a player. He was a standout safety for UM from 1971-1972. Dennehy led the Big Sky Conference in 1972 with 10 interceptions, a performance that garnered him first team all-conference accolades. His 16 career interceptions place him ninth (tie) all-time in league history. He also earned the coveted Golden Helmet Award his senior year, an honor given to the hardest hitter on the team.
Prior to UM, Dennehy started his coaching career at Colton High School in Washington where he compiled a four-year record of 40-4 and won state championships in 1975 and 1976. He then moved to Helena High School where he was the head coach for three seasons. Dennehy also served as head football coach at Campbell Co. High School (Gillette, Wyo.) from 1983 to 1987 where he was named Coach of the Year in his first season at the helm.
Following a prep coaching career in which he had an overall record of 88-60, Dennehy spent two seasons as head man at Western Montana College. He led the Bulldogs to a 5-3 mark in 1990 and was named Frontier Conference Coach of the Year. Dennehy finished with a 10-13 record at Western.
In December of 1999, Dennehy became the 24th head football coach at Utah State where he has set a solid foundation for success both on and off the field for their football
program. Dennehy maintained a 19-37 record in five seasons with the Aggies.
 
What do you define as a “players Coach”?

If this is to mean he doesn't come off as an “in your face” tough love sort of coach than yes he is a bit like Mick ... but also Papa Bear and Joe Glenn for that matter.

As I've noted before I do like tough love, in your face coaches like Mike Van Diest, etc. However, I don't think that's the highest priority for the head coach. Players coaches like Read, Glenn, etc. often have assistants that help with the “in your face requirements”.
 
Phlu reminds me of Dan Hawkins; nice guy, unacceptable results. Dan would be a great next door neighbor, but was not a great coach for the buffs.

Who was the previous coach at Nebraska? I can't remember his name, but he attempted to transform a power based offense into a 21st century passing team, with disastrous results.
 
Mick was and is MONTANA and what it represents. Pflu is not and IMO never will be. Mick was a leader, Pflu is not. My favorite was the quote from Mick after the cat/GRIZ, I cant remember the exact quote so I wont post it. But Pflugrad is no Mick Dennehy.
 
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