Okay, if one assumes that rumors that Jon Gruden is in discussions about becoming the next University of Louisville football coach have substance, just what would U of L fans be getting if talks are successful.
- A highly respected 46-year-old coach with great name recognition, a tremendous boost for Louisville’s recruiting eforts, and an individual much of his career still in front of him.
- The youngest coach to ever win a Super Bowl. His Tampa Bay team won the ring in 2002 with a 12-4 won-lost record. Over the next six seasons, however, his teams were 45-51. Prior to going to Tampa Bay, he coached the Oakland Raiders, compiling a 38-26 record in four seasons.
Chucky
- A coach known for having quite a temper. When Gruden has one of his frequent fits, he scrunches his face up and gains a remarkable resemblance to Chucky from the old horror movies.
With all these credentials, however, comes a significant challenge. Gruden will always be among the top three candidates for any coaching job that becomes vacant — college or professional. He already is at the top of list of numerous competing interests, possibly including Notre Dame.
Louisville will have to have deep pockets to attract and retain him. The bidding wars have already begun.
What the heck is the worst that happens, they go DEEEEP into their pockets and pay for Gruden, he comes here and wins countless Big East titles(there is NO coach in the BE of his caliber) and puts UofL back on track and maybe even wins a NC. Then leaves us. Oh darn he left us in great shap and then Tom can evaluate from there, but he’s gotta be careful not to get Kragthorped again, but I don’t suspect if that happens that he’ll take as big of a leap on an up-and-coming coach as he did with Krags. I really never liked that hire to begin with; his resume was very weak in my opinion for coming from a C-USA school to a BCS school coming off of some of the best seasons we have had since Browning Naegle.
What next? Sources close to a friend of an insider report that Gruden was at the homecoming celebration at Kye’s disguised as a off duty cop and tased Jennings because he refused to consider going out for defensive end next year. Then he tased Fulmer, Tuberville and Strong to keep them away from the buffet table.
some of these bozos have to be posers or morons for believing it. Jurich and Gruden are out in the open public in full view playing golf and only one person sees this. Yeah, whatever. Get lost.
Jurich couldn’t tear himself away from the golf course long enough to attend the basketball tip-off luncheon? Interesting.
Heard from reliable source Gruden and Jurich have been smacking balls at Valhalla all week. And Gruden has hired a real estate agent.
Trent Guy is not big name enough for us to care about what his “tweets” say — for that matter, people aren’t paying attention to what T.O. tweets.
I’d love for Gruden to come to the Ville — he’d add INSTANT excitement and national attention….now, I’d say 75% of college football fans don’t even know who our coach is — meaning, many recruits don’t either!! If Gruden were coach, I’d bet more than 90% of football fans would know he coaches the University of Louisville — same with potential recurits.
C’mon Jurich — GIT R DUN!!!!!!!!
I would like Gruden or Florida’s Charlie Strong. I’m not feeling hiring fulmer or tuberville, I think they are both past their prime, especially after seeing what Gene Chizik has done with tubervilles 5-7 auburn team. For all the UK fans saying Gruden won’t want to coach college ball, as soon as the bucs dump him he said he wants to coach again, whether it be college, high school, or pee wee. So I think we have a great chance to hire him, and get his brother, Jay on the staff. maybe we can get a few brohms back and start winning again.
Good point, Tony. I remember Jay well, especially the game in which he led U of L to a win over Virginia. The fairgrounds’ roof was shaking that day.
Maybe Jon’s brother Jay, who was the starting QB for the Louisville Cardinals (and my nephew’s roommate back in the late 80s) could convince big bro to signup and take us higher. :o) Jay was a pretty good baller himself and did well in the Arena One league as a player and a coach or GM on that level.
I don’t know about Leach. He’s too much of a flake.
I prefer the Mike Leach rumor myself. He would probably hang around longer and know he would have it made for life in Louisville.
Paul, et al…
Don’t know directly –my source is mum. Other reliable sources on ITV and elsewhere indicate Gruden is at least a candidate….others mention he has been already offered $3 -$3.5 mil/yr…
I can’t verify like i say– i can only indicate what other usually reliable posters have indicated.
Also… Trent Guy just tweeted this: WTF jus got some crazy news don’t kno if its tru, so imma keep Quiet for now…
He has to be a great guy – he went to the University of Dayton!!
Paul, I will tell u what I and others have been told by their sources: Money is not an issue.
Frankly, it wasn’t with K either….there are deep pockets at U of L to make a coaching change at one of the 2 major sports happen.
$3-3.5 mil a yr for Gruden has been the recent rumor …I’m sure Tuberville would not be small change either
Frankpos,
I understand the Cardinal vault is able to deep into the vault to get their desired candidate. With the pizza guy and the liquor baron’s monetary liquidity, they could probably hire Gruden, Tuberville and Fulmer without batting an eyelash.
I have to wonder, though, if Gruden is seriously consudering us?
I know, youngest coach to win a Super Bowl..all the NFL experience..but no college head coach experience.
And, why would be make the plunge when several NFL jobs are probably going to open at the end of this season? Basically, I believe that MNF is just a dog and pony show for him and it’s all designed to keep his face and name out in front of the public. He’s just an average analyst and average personality on there.
Not saying I wouldn’t be thrilled if he took the job. I’m just speculating that we’re not on the front burner in his mindset of returning to coaching…
Not concerned about Notre Dame’s graduation rates or, for that matter, competing with them for a coach. I like our chances on this one.
Wonder why Brian Brohm didn’t go to Notre Dame then? Home towns are home towns, but Notre Dame is not a home town school. It’s more of a global institution. Hard to get the warm fuzzies about a place like that. We’re not talking graduation rates here, we’re talking football.
Paul, if the info is correct, these donors don’t ask what something costs because they can afford not to.
Interesting times, indeed. Recruits would flock to play for a guy who knows what talent level it takes to get to the next level, since he coached there, but can we afford him? This Chucky rumor reminds me of the hub-bub when we were courting Howard.
Honestly, we need a coach who can get in someone’s face and get them fired up to perform. I don’t think Chucky would have any difficulties with that.
That might be a good assumption, Ed, but you should never assume. Notre Dame has not been a good destination for the last several coaches, not much job security and too many self-imposed restrictions make ND less than an ideal situation for any coach.
I think none of that matters. Gruden grew up In South Bend,his dad couched at ND. He didn’t go to ND because he thought he wasn’t good enough to play. Self imposed resections are, they do expect a player to go to class. Thats why ND has over a 95% graduation rate. I have no Idea what Louisville grad rate is however I don’t think its anywhere close to ND.
95% would be difficult for anyone to match but the relevance eludes me.
Well what do you mean by “self-imposed restrictions.”
Contradictory I know.
What a legacy some deep pockets could leave their city by getting Jon Gruden as the next Louisville football coach. The individuals reportedly involved have already made more contributions than all the other benefactors combined in the city’s history. We are indeed fortunate to have them on our side.
I think he would go to Notre Dame before he would go to Louisville. So If Notre Dame Offered Louisville wouldn’t stand a chance.