WVU tabs Holgorsen as 'coach in waiting'

[A. Jones]

Oklahoma State’s Holgorsen hired at West Virginia

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP)—Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Dana
Holgorsen has been hired for the same position at West Virginia next
season, and the Mountaineers plan to make him head coach in 2012.

In the deal announced Wednesday, Holgorsen will replace Jeff Mullen as
offensive coordinator and become “head coach in waiting” in 2011.

He will replace head coach Bill Stewart for the 2012 season. The
university said Stewart will take an administrative role after the
2011 season.

The Mountaineers released a statement to announce the hiring.

“My goal is to win a national championship at West Virginia
University, and I firmly believe that coach Stewart has built a solid
foundation, which will allow us to compete with the very best in the
country,” Holgorsen said in the statement.

Holgorsen isn’t expected to join the Mountaineers until after West
Virginia (9-3) faces North Carolina State (8-4) in the Champ Sports
Bowl on Dec. 28.

Athletic director Oliver Luck said Holgorsen, who also will coach
quarterbacks next season, will be paid $800,000 in 2011 and that will
increase to $1.4 million, plus incentives, in 2012. The statement
didn’t say how many years the contract is for.

Hologorsen made $360,000 at Oklahoma State this season but did not
have a signed contract with the university. Stewart, 58, is making
$900,000 this season.

West Virginia has gone 28-11 in three seasons under Stewart, whose
six-year contract runs through 2014. When reached by The Associated
Press on Wednesday night, Stewart said he was in a meeting and
couldn’t talk.

“I think the transition year for coach Holgorsen will be very
beneficial to the football program, and the opportunity to learn from
coach Bill Stewart should not be underestimated,” Luck said in the
statement. “Coach Holgorsen is one of the top coaches in college
football. We know that coach Holgorsen will bring a high-powered
offense that will be incredibly entertaining to watch at Milan Puskar
Stadium.”

Waning fan interest may have also contributed to the move. West
Virginia sold out just one home game this season and there were almost
12,000 empty seats for the regular-season finale against Rutgers.

In Holgorsen’s only season at Oklahoma State, the Cowboys led the Bowl
Subdivision with 537.6 yards per game while running back Kendall
Hunter and wide receiver Justin Blackmon were named first-team
all-Americans. His offenses at Houston also were among the most
proficient in the country in 2008 and 2009 with quarterback Case
Keenum.

Before becoming West Virginia’s AD in July, Luck was president of the
Houston Dynamos soccer franchise for five years and was familiar with
Holgorsen’s explosive offenses.

West Virginia could use the offensive help. The Mountaineers ranked
64th in total offense at nearly 377 yards. The Mountaineers surpassed
35 points in three of their last four games and surpassed 30 points
six times this season, but scored 14 points or less in all three
losses and two of those were blamed on turnover problems.

Holgorsen was a finalist for the Broyles Award given annually to the
nation’s top college assistant coach. Oklahoma State was picked to
finish near the bottom of the Big 12 South this season.

A native of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Holgorsen played at Iowa Wesleyan
and has been coaching since 1993. He also was on the staff at Texas
Tech from 2000 to 2007, including as co-offensive coordinator his
final three seasons. He also held jobs at Valdosta State, Mississippi
College and Wingate.

Stewart has been under constant scrutiny since he was named interim
coach after Rich Rodriguez’s sudden departure for Michigan after the
2007 regular season ended. Stewart led the Mountaineers to a win in
the Fiesta Bowl over Oklahoma and was named head coach in the early
morning hours after the game.

Stewart said he is proud of his accomplishments, including three
straight nine-win seasons and a Big East co-championship this season.

“I took over as head coach in a very challenging time, and we have
faced every obstacle with a passion to bring nothing but the best to
West Virginia football.”

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-wvirginia-holgorsen


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DISCUSS THIS TOPIC AT...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WVU-Sports

[J.C. Watts]

xyzzy called it on Bill Stewart

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.sport.football.college/msg/4d007e9d14bc74d4?hl=en

"He'll be pretty good this year with what RichRod left him. But
ultimately, he'll be shown the door after some so-so respectable
seasons that don't live up to WVU's expectations."

Jon

[A. Jones]

On Thu, 16 Dec 2010 07:48:46 -0800 (PST), "J.C. Watts"

Post by J.C. Watts
xyzzy called it on Bill Stewart
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.sport.football.college/msg/4d007e9d14bc74d4?hl=en
"He'll be pretty good this year with what RichRod left him. But
ultimately, he'll be shown the door after some so-so respectable
seasons that don't live up to WVU's expectations."
Jon

Indeed that was a very spot-on forecast from him back in August 2008.
I should also say, without reviewing the thread, I don't recall many,
if any, disagreeing with him. :)

[xyzzy]

Post by A. Jones
On Thu, 16 Dec 2010 07:48:46 -0800 (PST), "J.C. Watts"

Post by J.C. Watts
xyzzy called it on Bill Stewart
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.sport.football.college/msg/4d007e9...
"He'll be pretty good this year with what RichRod left him.  But
ultimately, he'll be shown the door after some so-so respectable
seasons that don't live up to WVU's expectations."
Jon

Indeed that was a very spot-on forecast from him back in August 2008.
I should also say, without reviewing the thread, I don't recall many,
if any, disagreeing with him. :)

I was going to remark that keeping Stewart on as a lame duck for 2011
didn't seem very smrat, but then I remembered that Bill Dooley's lame
duck year at VT (which was also my senior year, GETOFFAMYLAWN) was his
best ever, and arguably the best year ever for VT football up until
that point. Obviously Beamer has since way surpassed him.

[A. Jones]

Post by xyzzy

Post by A. Jones
Indeed that was a very spot-on forecast from him back in August 2008.
I should also say, without reviewing the thread, I don't recall many,
if any, disagreeing with him. :)

I was going to remark that keeping Stewart on as a lame duck for 2011
didn't seem very smrat, but then I remembered that Bill Dooley's lame
duck year at VT (which was also my senior year, GETOFFAMYLAWN) was his
best ever, and arguably the best year ever for VT football up until
that point. Obviously Beamer has since way surpassed him.

I for one didn't have great expectations for Stewart. He's a nice guy
and all but being nice all, or most, of the time is not what the kids
respond to. Unfortunately, they need an asshole like Rodriguez to
motivate them.

[Kyle T. Jones]

Post by A. Jones

Post by xyzzy

Post by A. Jones
Indeed that was a very spot-on forecast from him back in August 2008.
I should also say, without reviewing the thread, I don't recall many,
if any, disagreeing with him. :)

I was going to remark that keeping Stewart on as a lame duck for 2011
didn't seem very smrat, but then I remembered that Bill Dooley's lame
duck year at VT (which was also my senior year, GETOFFAMYLAWN) was his
best ever, and arguably the best year ever for VT football up until
that point. Obviously Beamer has since way surpassed him.

I for one didn't have great expectations for Stewart. He's a nice guy
and all but being nice all, or most, of the time is not what the kids
respond to. Unfortunately, they need an asshole like Rodriguez to
motivate them.

You guys were so darn BITTER over losing RichRod, I figured he was a
real steal.

Is there any kinda return policy in place?

Cheers.

[A. Jones]

On Sat, 18 Dec 2010 20:14:03 -0600, "Kyle T. Jones"

Post by Kyle T. Jones

Post by A. Jones

Post by xyzzy

Post by A. Jones
Indeed that was a very spot-on forecast from him back in August 2008.
I should also say, without reviewing the thread, I don't recall many,
if any, disagreeing with him. :)

I was going to remark that keeping Stewart on as a lame duck for 2011
didn't seem very smrat, but then I remembered that Bill Dooley's lame
duck year at VT (which was also my senior year, GETOFFAMYLAWN) was his
best ever, and arguably the best year ever for VT football up until
that point. Obviously Beamer has since way surpassed him.

I for one didn't have great expectations for Stewart. He's a nice guy
and all but being nice all, or most, of the time is not what the kids
respond to. Unfortunately, they need an asshole like Rodriguez to
motivate them.

You guys were so darn BITTER over losing RichRod, I figured he was a
real steal.

Of course we were bitter over the fiasco and betrayal. He blew the NC,
and then ran off to what he thought would be greener grass. He's to
stupid to appreciate success.

Post by Kyle T. Jones
Is there any kinda return policy in place?
Cheers.

WVU might need an entry level janitor, or just someone extra to pickup
paper after home games.

[Antonio Veranos]

[A. Jones <***@intrtek.com>]
[Sun, 19 Dec 2010 10:00:39 -0500]

: WVU might need an entry level janitor, or just someone extra to pickup
: paper after home games.

Pride aside, WVU would take him back pretty damn quickly.

[xyzzy]

Post by J.C. Watts
xyzzy called it on Bill Stewart
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.sport.football.college/msg/4d007e9...
"He'll be pretty good this year with what RichRod left him.  But
ultimately, he'll be shown the door after some so-so respectable
seasons that don't live up to WVU's expectations."
Jon

Thanks for remembering :)

I also said in that post that Stewart was the WVU version of Carl
Torbush (the coach who replaced Mack Brown at UNC). And indeed he
was, right down to the impressive bowl victory while interim coach
that got him the job, and then steadily declining performance as his
predecessor's recruits and influence on the program waned.

But I think WVU fans are quite happy (and Michigan fans not so happy)
that RichRod's arc didn't turn out much like Mack Brown's.

[A. Jones]

Post by xyzzy
But I think WVU fans are quite happy (and Michigan fans not so happy)
that RichRod's arc didn't turn out much like Mack Brown's.

With Rodriguez, WVU would likely be going to a BCS bowl with one loss
this year but he's not a MNC caliber coach. His fortunes are too
volatile, chaotic. WVU is much better without him.

[J.C. Watts]

Post by A. Jones

Post by xyzzy
But I think WVU fans are quite happy (and Michigan fans not so happy)
that RichRod's arc didn't turn out much like Mack Brown's.

With Rodriguez, WVU would likely be going to a BCS bowl with one loss
this year but he's not a MNC caliber coach. His fortunes are too
volatile, chaotic. WVU is much better without him.

Maybe you are setting your expectations too high, A one-loss team
that goes to a BCS bowl is good enough for me.

[A. Jones]

On Thu, 16 Dec 2010 11:22:10 -0800 (PST), "J.C. Watts"

Post by J.C. Watts

Post by A. Jones

Post by xyzzy
But I think WVU fans are quite happy (and Michigan fans not so happy)
that RichRod's arc didn't turn out much like Mack Brown's.

With Rodriguez, WVU would likely be going to a BCS bowl with one loss
this year but he's not a MNC caliber coach. His fortunes are too
volatile, chaotic. WVU is much better without him.

Maybe you are setting your expectations too high, A one-loss team
that goes to a BCS bowl is good enough for me.

I'd like to see them win a NC for the first time in school history.

[Jaybyrd]

Post by A. Jones
On Thu, 16 Dec 2010 11:22:10 -0800 (PST), "J.C. Watts"

Post by A. Jones

Post by xyzzy
But I think WVU fans are quite happy (and Michigan fans not so happy)
that RichRod's arc didn't turn out much like Mack Brown's.

With Rodriguez, WVU would likely be going to a BCS bowl with one loss
this year but he's not a MNC caliber coach. His fortunes are too
volatile, chaotic. WVU is much better without him.

Maybe you are setting your expectations too high,  A one-loss team
that goes to a BCS bowl is good enough for me.

I'd like to see them win a NC for the first time in school history.

13-9 will end up being Wannstedt's legacy.

[Antonio Veranos]

[Jaybyrd <***@yahoo.com>]
[Thu, 16 Dec 2010 18:34:03 -0800 (PST)]

: > I'd like to see them win a NC for the first time in school history.
:
: 13-9 will end up being Wannstedt's legacy.

Kinda sad, if true.

[Jaybyrd]

Post by Antonio Veranos
[Thu, 16 Dec 2010 18:34:03 -0800 (PST)]
: > I'd like to see them win a NC for the first time in school history.
: 13-9 will end up being Wannstedt's legacy.
Kinda sad, if true.

that's why you get fired. I mean for example if a coach brings a very
talented team forward and loses to a div 1aa school blowing chances
for a MNC wouldn't you fire him too?

[t***@yahoo.com]

Post by J.C. Watts
xyzzy called it on Bill Stewart
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.sport.football.college/msg/4d007e9...
"He'll be pretty good this year with what RichRod left him.  But
ultimately, he'll be shown the door after some so-so respectable
seasons that don't live up to WVU's expectations."

He ended up being pretty even-keel with 9 win seasons.

Given that the defensive staff is being retained for another year, I'd
rather have had them tweak the offensive side (OC) than overhaul the
entire thing. An "air raid" attack in the north worries me, and our
defense has recently been "bend and try not to break." That is a very
dangerous combination if the offense is misfiring on gameday.

It might not be necessary, but at least it will cost us more.

[J.C. Watts]

Post by t***@yahoo.com

Post by J.C. Watts
xyzzy called it on Bill Stewart
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.sport.football.college/msg/4d007e9...
"He'll be pretty good this year with what RichRod left him.  But
ultimately, he'll be shown the door after some so-so respectable
seasons that don't live up to WVU's expectations."

He ended up being pretty even-keel with 9 win seasons.

Then why did they dump him? Does Luck just not like the guy?

Post by t***@yahoo.com
Given that the defensive staff is being retained for another year, I'd
rather have had them tweak the offensive side (OC) than overhaul the
entire thing.  An "air raid" attack in the north worries me, and our
defense has recently been "bend and try not to break."  That is a very
dangerous combination if the offense is misfiring on gameday.

Eh...Brian Kelly has done just fine in the north.

[t***@yahoo.com]

Then why did they dump him?  Does Luck just not like the guy?

There are some donors who have never liked the hire. The guy is 28-11
or so in three years and WVU is one of 6 programs to win 9 games a
year over the past 6 years. Sure, we lost some we should have won,
but we did that with RR too. Big $$$ losses.

Eh...Brian Kelly has done just fine in the north.

When was Cincinnati consider a national power? I mean, here's the
thing, Stewart was less than a TD away from a BCS bid. Yes, the
offense needs tweaked, but they're keeping the defensive staff,
allowing Stewart to remain as head coach for another year ... they
knew about the change in mid-November. The only two guys absolutely
gone are the OC and line coach.

So, really, does the entire thing need to be overhauled? If yes, then
why allow Stewart to remain as HC for 16 more games (the three at the
end of this year, the bowl and the 12 next)? If no, then why overhaul
it with increased expenses and a new HC without ties to the area, the
university, a recruiting base or experience as a HC?

[J.C. Watts]

Then why did they dump him?  Does Luck just not like the guy?

There are some donors who have never liked the hire.  The guy is 28-11
or so in three years and WVU is one of 6 programs to win 9 games a
year over the past 6 years.  Sure, we lost some we should have won,
but we did that with RR too.  Big $$$ losses.

Eh...Brian Kelly has done just fine in the north.

When was Cincinnati consider a national power?  

Well, they went to two BCS bowl games and are in the same conference
as WVU.

I guess the thing that surprises me in this thread is the expectations
of WVU football. Are fans under the impression that it is going to be
any better than it was under RichRod? Because if those are your
expectations, my guess is you are going to spend most of your life
disappointed in your football team.

[t***@yahoo.com]

Post by J.C. Watts
I guess the thing that surprises me in this thread is the expectations
of WVU football.  Are fans under the impression that it is going to be
any better than it was under RichRod?  Because if those are your
expectations, my guess is you are going to spend most of your life
disappointed in your football team.

I'm actually quite happy (for the most part) with the football team
and liked Stewart at the helm. I thought the offense underperformed
this week, but for the most part given our revenue base, WVU did quite
well. There were 6 schools who have 9 wins over the each of the past
6 years ... that is a nice run.

I'm not necessarily under the belief that the entire program needed to
be overhauled, but I don't think that winning the BE once every two or
three years right now is out of the question, or that we cannot be
competitive in the BCS games. TCU does not change that opinion.

If anything, I think the risk of overhauling the program is higher
than simply tweaking it.

[Jaybyrd]

Oklahoma State s Holgorsen hired at West Virginia
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Dana
Holgorsen has been hired for the same position at West Virginia next
season, and the Mountaineers plan to make him head coach in 2012.
In the deal announced Wednesday, Holgorsen will replace Jeff Mullen as
offensive coordinator and become head coach in waiting in 2011.
He will replace head coach Bill Stewart for the 2012 season. The
university said Stewart will take an administrative role after the
2011 season.
The Mountaineers released a statement to announce the hiring.
My goal is to win a national championship at West Virginia
University, and I firmly believe that coach Stewart has built a solid
foundation, which will allow us to compete with the very best in the
country, Holgorsen said in the statement.
Holgorsen isn t expected to join the Mountaineers until after West
Virginia (9-3) faces North Carolina State (8-4) in the Champ Sports
Bowl on Dec. 28.
Athletic director Oliver Luck said Holgorsen, who also will coach
quarterbacks next season, will be paid $800,000 in 2011 and that will
increase to $1.4 million, plus incentives, in 2012. The statement
didn t say how many years the contract is for.
Hologorsen made $360,000 at Oklahoma State this season but did not
have a signed contract with the university. Stewart, 58, is making
$900,000 this season.
West Virginia has gone 28-11 in three seasons under Stewart, whose
six-year contract runs through 2014. When reached by The Associated
Press on Wednesday night, Stewart said he was in a meeting and
couldn t talk.
I think the transition year for coach Holgorsen will be very
beneficial to the football program, and the opportunity to learn from
coach Bill Stewart should not be underestimated, Luck said in the
statement. Coach Holgorsen is one of the top coaches in college
football. We know that coach Holgorsen will bring a high-powered
offense that will be incredibly entertaining to watch at Milan Puskar
Stadium.
Waning fan interest may have also contributed to the move. West
Virginia sold out just one home game this season and there were almost
12,000 empty seats for the regular-season finale against Rutgers.
In Holgorsen s only season at Oklahoma State, the Cowboys led the Bowl
Subdivision with 537.6 yards per game while running back Kendall
Hunter and wide receiver Justin Blackmon were named first-team
all-Americans. His offenses at Houston also were among the most
proficient in the country in 2008 and 2009 with quarterback Case
Keenum.
Before becoming West Virginia s AD in July, Luck was president of the
Houston Dynamos soccer franchise for five years and was familiar with
Holgorsen s explosive offenses.
West Virginia could use the offensive help. The Mountaineers ranked
64th in total offense at nearly 377 yards. The Mountaineers surpassed
35 points in three of their last four games and surpassed 30 points
six times this season, but scored 14 points or less in all three
losses and two of those were blamed on turnover problems.
Holgorsen was a finalist for the Broyles Award given annually to the
nation s top college assistant coach. Oklahoma State was picked to
finish near the bottom of the Big 12 South this season.
A native of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Holgorsen played at Iowa Wesleyan
and has been coaching since 1993. He also was on the staff at Texas
Tech from 2000 to 2007, including as co-offensive coordinator his
final three seasons. He also held jobs at Valdosta State, Mississippi
College and Wingate.
Stewart has been under constant scrutiny since he was named interim
coach after Rich Rodriguez s sudden departure for Michigan after the
2007 regular season ended. Stewart led the Mountaineers to a win in
the Fiesta Bowl over Oklahoma and was named head coach in the early
morning hours after the game.
Stewart said he is proud of his accomplishments, including three
straight nine-win seasons and a Big East co-championship this season.
I took over as head coach in a very challenging time, and we have
faced every obstacle with a passion to bring nothing but the best to
West Virginia football.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-wvirginia-holgorsen
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Yes, all my WVU plas have been moaning that Bill Stewart is too
"nice". I can see that hiring jerks like Huggins = success so I see
their point.