Jackson Martin: And, Now, The Search Begins...

((HT: Dirty South Sports Report))

James Franklin is gone. Now, Vanderbilt Athletic Director David Williams must scramble to find a new head coach in time to salvage what remains of the 2014 recruiting class. Fortunately, Franklin left the program in much better shape than when he arrived and Williams has a plethora of viable, interested candidates to choose from.

We never actually know what’s going on in a coaching search until an offer is made, but let’s go ahead and examine the candidates anyways:

The Top Two:

We know, via various reports and sources, that these two coaches have been contacted and are being pursued by Vanderbilt for the opening. Both are likely to interview this week and will be the top choices for David Williams.

Chad Morris- Clemson Offensive Coordinator

Morris is a rising star in the coaching ranks, having been named Rivals.com Offensive Coordinator of the Year in 2011 and leading Clemson to the ninth-best scoring offense in the country this season. He is only 45, but is already the highest paid assistant coach in the country. Morris was formerly the offensive coordinator at Tulsa (following co-offensive coordinators Herb Hand and Gus Malzahn) and has put up points in all of his seasons as an OC. If you’re looking for a comparison to a current head coach, Morris reminds many of Gus Malzahn — who was offered the Vanderbilt head job in 2010 and reportedly accepted before changing his mind.

Morris has recruited the South extensively and is an offensive genius, making him an excellent fit for the head job in Nashville. He’s also a personal favorite of mine because he wears visors and speaks exactly like Steve Spurrier:
((HT: tigernetdotcom))


The concern with Morris is that he’ll leave again in a few years to take a bigger job. Given the way Franklin just exited that’s a realistic fear, but my thoughts are that if the new coach does a good enough job to leave for a bigger job then the Vanderbilt program will again be in a better place. Maybe ten jobs in the country are “destination jobs” and Vanderbilt likely never will be one. Almost any coach who views Vanderbilt as a destination job is one who will settle and that’s not who the Commodores want.

Morris is my top choice for the job because the Commodores have proven that you can build a good defense with a solid coordinator hire, but Vanderbilt needs an explosive offense to “take the next step” and become truly competitive in the SEC. Morris, like if Malzahn had been hired three years ago, will certainly bring that to Nashville. My ideal scenario would have Morris as the head coach, Herb hand promoted to offensive coordinator, and former Vanderbilt head coach Robbie Caldwell coming with Morris from Clemson as the new offensive line coach.

Derek Mason- Stanford Defensive Coordinator

No, not the former Titans/Ravens wide receiver. Mason is another coordinator on the rise as the architect of a stout Stanford defense since 2011. He has plenty of experience recruiting to an academically excellent school and could easily salvage, if not improve, Vanderbilt’s current recruiting class like Franklin did in 2010 and early 2011. Rightly or not, Mason will draw a lot of comparisons to Franklin as a young, energetic, African-American coordinator from an FBS school.

Like Franklin, Mason is a bit of a coaching nomad who has only recently stabilized at one school (this isn’t uncommon with position coaches and assistants). Before Stanford he coached at Mesa Community College, Weber State, Idaho, Bucknell, Utah, St. Mary’s, New Mexico State, Ohio and the Minnesota Vikings. His time at Stanford has been excellent, with the Cardinal having the tenth-ranked scoring defense in FBS this year by giving up just 19 points per game. Mason had plenty of Talent in Palo Alto, but just imagine what he could do with the young depth in Nashville.

Joe Schad, among others, has reported that Mason is locked in for an interview sometime this week.

The Insider

With Bob Shoop reportedly gone to State College, only one in-house candidate remains. He has been granted an interview for the head job, but remains a long shot.

Herb Hand

If you have ever walked past the Vanderbilt practice field on Natchez Trace, then you have heard Herb Hand’s voice. The current offensive line coach is one of the chief motivators in Nashville, and predates the Franklin era having been brought in by Bobby Johnson in 2009. Hand has stayed active on Twitter, interacting with Vanderbilt fans and staff, leading many to believe that he plans on staying in Nashville.

On the note of social media, Hand has become a favorite of both Vanderbilt fans and national football media by showcasing his gregarious personality on the interwebs. He regularly interacts with fans, athletes and writers, giving an insight into the coaching profession unseen elsewhere. If you haven’t read Spencer Hall’s profile of Hand from August, then stop looking at my website and read this right now.

Hand is my favorite college football coach not named Steve Spurrier, so I would love to see him promoted to the top job in Nashville. I was lucky enough to profile him in 2012 for The Vanderbilt Hustler, and it remains my favorite interview I’ve had with anyone in Vanderbilt Athletics. Questions remain about whether he can be the top man at a program, but Hand is certainly uniquely equipped to handle the challenge. If he were to get the promotion, it’s likely that Hand could keep at least some of the coaching staff together in Nashville, and maintain relationships with current recruits.

Oh yeah, he’s also an incredible chef.

The Small-School Longshot

Many coaches have reached out to David Williams about the opening in Nashville (20-25, by his own estimation) but with the big names already out and scheduled for interviews it seems unlikely many will be considered. One stands out, however, and could get a shot if the top choices decide not to come to Nashville.

Mark Hudspeth

The current head coach of Louisiana-Lafayette, Mark Hudspeth is a small-school coach that will get a big job sooner rather than later. He was the head coach at Division II North Alabama for seven years, going 66-21, before going to Mississippi State as a position coach then taking the head job of the Ragin’ Cajuns in 2011. Since starting in Lafayette, Hudspeth has gone 9-4 and won the New Orleans Bowl in all three of his seasons.

Though a long shot, Hudspeth will be a consideration for the top job. If Morris and Mason decide not to move to Nashville, Hudspeth will be thrust to the top of the pile of outside candidates. He’s been mentioned to fill several head coaching vacancies already this season, and will likely get a big job either this offseason or next. Hudspeth can win, the question is if he can recruit at the high level needed to compete in the SEC.

Just Now Heard This Name And It Won’t Happen But It Would Be Awesome

This was brought up on a sports talk radio show as I was writing this article and I loved it so I’m going to profile him even though it won’t happen.

David Culley

The wide receivers and assistant head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, Culley played quarterback for Vanderbilt in the early 1970s. He was recruited to Nashville by then-linebackers coach Bill Parcells (yes, that Bill Parcells). While his playing career in Nashville was uneventful, he immediately turned to coaching and was back on West End as a wide receivers coach from 1979-1981.

Culley has been in the NFl since 1994, serving essentially as Andy Reid’s right-hand man since he was hired as the Philadelphia Eagles wide receivers coach in 1999. Culley is likely a non-candidate for this job, but it’s an interesting name with plenty of experience.

The Dark Horse No One is Talking About

Giggity.

Houston Nutt

Just kidding.

Dirty South Turns James Franklin's Departure Into An Outkast Tune

((HT: Dirty South Sports Report))

Here's J-Mart's riff on the James Franklin hiring by Penn State/departure from Vanderbilt to put a bow on the tenure and his change of address to Happy Valley...

The HQ wonders just how long it took him to figure out the iambic pentameter...

So...
Lehgo...



James Franklin has officially left Vanderbilt to become the head coach at Penn State. To cope we did the only thing we know what to do, so we wrote him an Outkast song.

[Hook]
Damn damn damn James
Damn damn damn James
Damn damn damn James
Damn damn damn James

[Verse 1 – Sleepy Brown]
Brand new suit & Lincoln’s clean
Leanin’ checking out the scene
Pennsylvania boys, cameras lit; ridin’ out talkin’ shit
Franklin where you wanna go?
You know the ol’ boys club don’t close ’til four
Let’s party ’til we can’t no more
Watch out here come the fans (Damn – oh lord)

[Verse 2 - Andre 3000]
As the plot thickens it gives me the dickens
Reminiscent of Dudley, a lil’ stadium
Nestled in the ghettos of Vandyville, USA
Via Nashville, Tennessee a lil’ spot where
Young men & young women go to experience
They first li’l taste of the SEC life
Me? Well I’ve never been there; well perhaps once
But I, was so engulfed in the tailgate
I never made it to the door you speak of hard core
While the David Williams sweatin’ out all the problems
And the troubles of the day
While this fine sun dressed girl fine as all outdoors
Lulls lukewarm lullabies in your left ear
Competing with “Wagon Wheel,” in the right
But it all blends perfectly, let the liquor tell it
“Hey hey look baby they playin’ our song”
And the crowd goes wild as if
Holyfield has just shotgunned a Natty Light
But in actuality it’s only about 3 P.M
And three freshmen just don’ got hauled
Off in the ambulance (sliced up)
Two kappas don’ start bustin’ (wham wham)
And one senior don’ took his shirt off talkin’ ’bout
“Now who else wanna fuck with Highland Quad?”
It’s just my interpretation of the situation

[Hook]
Damn damn damn James
Damn damn damn James
Damn damn damn James
Damn damn damn James

[Verse 3 - Big Boi]
Yes; when I first met my SpottieOttieCoachalicious Franklin
I can remember that damn thing like yesterday
The way he talked reminded me of a Nick Saban
Horse with skates on, ya know
Smooth like a hot comb in a black and gold suit
I walked up on him and was almost paralyzed
His words was flowing sweeter
Than a plate of yams with extra syrup
Eyes beaming like four karats apiece just blindin’ a Commodore
Felt like I chiefed a whole O of that Presidential
My heart was beating so damn fast
Never knowing this moment would bring another
Coach into this school
Funny how shit come together sometimes (ya dig)
One moment you frequent the bowl games and
The next four years you & somebody’s offensive coordinator
Raisin’ y’all own young team now that’s a beautiful thang
That’s if you’re on top of your game
And man enough to handle real life situations (that is)
Can’t gamble feeding a fanbase on that coach money
Might not always be sufficient but the
Pennsylvania State University & the people at State College
Didn’t call you back because you started 0-6.
So now you back in the trap just that, trapped
Go on and marinate on that for a minute

See the mind he has here...???

DEVELOPING: Franklin Not In Happy Valley Yet... (UPDATED w/7PM Announcement...???)

OSG Sports sources close to the situation at Vanderbilt seem to contradict what Pennsylvania is saying...

Dirty South Sports Report's Jackson Martin is telling us that no one at Vanderbilt- players, coaches, sports information department included- have heard anything about an impending decision for Franklin going back home to take the head coaching gig at Penn State...

Earlier today, ESPN's Brett McMurphy discussed the idea with Jay Crawford that Franklin seems to be going north...


Greg Roman, Mike Munchak, and Al Golden are also candidates...

More when we know more...

1505 UPDATE: Jeff Lockridge of the Tennessean has word from campus via his Twitter...

#Vandy AD David Williams on James Franklin and Penn St. reports: "As of 1:45 p.m. Central, he is still Vanderbilt's football coach.''

1750 UPDATE: From Cory Curtis at WKRN-TV and his Twitter...

Source tells us Vanderbilt expects Penn State to make announcement by 7 PM.

Our Jackson Martin still maintains that no one on campus has any Franklin-based answers on a change of address or a lack of one... so, we'll go with that until we hear otherwise...

Dirty South Looks At The Music City Bowl

((HT: Dirty South Sports Report))

The HQ would like to welcome and add the resources of the Dirty South Sports Report to our stacks from this moment on...

The reason...???

Well, one of the Dirty Southerners, Jackson Martin, is a protege of the HQ and we're glad to see him grow...

He's a regular...

So, to start, he went after the locals, the Music City Bowl...

Two 7-5 teams coming off disappointing losses to hated in-state rivals doesn’t sound like the setup for an exciting bowl game, but this year’s Music City Bowl might just be a thrilling shootout that keeps us glued to our TVs until the final whistle. Or it might be a lackluster slapfight between two teams just ready for the offseason (and two coaches who are ready to play golf).

Mississippi was dreaming of something greater this year. After an impressive recruiting haul, head coach Hugh Freeze looked to turn those offseason wins into victories on the field. The Rebels won a nailbiter in Nashville on the first night of the season to get things started right, but never put together the string of wins needed to truly contend for the SEC West title. Quarterback “Dr.” Bo Wallace had an up-and-down year that culminated in his fumbling away the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State. That overtime loss to the Bulldogs moved the Ole Miss season from 8-4 and optimistic to 7-5 and wondering what went wrong.

Georgia Tech has been stagnant for three years now. Paul Johnson’s triple-option offense is no longer producing the wins it initially did in the ACC and the Yellow Jackets are once again mediocre, as they have been every year since winning the ACC in 2009. This is a matchup of two even teams, but Ole Miss may have the advantage after getting a month to prepare for the triple-option. Tech doesn’t fare well in bowl games — last year’s Sun Bowl win over USC was the first since 2004 for the Yellow Jackets.

Bias Report
In this section, I’ll tell you who I’m rooting for in each matchup and why. My reasons will range from true fandom to whoever has the best uniform and I want to give you a glimpse of what I like and dislike about every bowl team.

I’m a Georgia fan. I don’t like the Yellow Jackets, and I especially don’t like Paul Johnson. There are two things I like about Georgia Tech:

Calvin Johnson


and Reggie Ball


Hoddy Toddy.

Numbers to know

F/+ Rankings: Tech 31, Ole Miss 34
Spread: Ole Miss -4
Over/Under: 55

Picks

To help you figure out exactly who will win each game, we’ve assembled a panel of experts to pick each game. Our panel features myself, Ben Weinrib of The Knuckleblog, our resident gambling expert Jake Kearns, @turntuptina (who makes NFL picks over at The Knuckleblog occasionally), my dad, and a decision on which mascot would win in a fight.

Jackson Martin: Ole Miss

Ben Weinrib: Ole Miss

James Francis Kearns III: Ole Miss

@turntuptina: Ole Miss

Dad: Georgia Tech

Mascot fight: Ole Miss now uses a black bear as its mascot, which I’m pretty sure is the natural enemy of bees.