So, now what?

Back-to-back PL champs 2016 and 2017.... but need to get back to relevance in the national FCS scene.
StablerBum
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So, now what?

Post by StablerBum » Sat Oct 01, 2022 4:07 pm

The Gilmore hire was so obviously horrible from Day 1, I think it raises questions about why he was hired in the first place. The man had an extensive history of mediocrity in the Patriot League and was fired midseason from a peer that is historically worse than Lehigh. It was like the equivalent of Michigan hiring the guy that Indiana fired midseason. And then as soon as he is gone, Indiana becomes the best team in the Big 10. Just painful.

The hire was so bad, it makes me wonder two things. 1) Was the applicant pool so bad that Gilmore was actually the "best" candidate? and/or 2) Is the compensation and adminsitrative support so poor to Lehigh that no one wants the job? To me, the only way Sterrett hires Gilmore is either that he is so gullible he thought some magic "Lehigh dust" would all of a sudden make Gilmore a good coach. Or, his hands were tied for some reason and Gilmore was the pick for reasons other than resume.

Anyway, to get started on who might be a better fit:
Nate Milne - Has been head man at Muhlenburg for 5 years with a 28-3 conference record and made the national quarters three times and semis twice.
Drew Folmar - Former Lehigh OC, now at Elon. Prior to OC at Lehigh, he was head man at Kutztown for a year and OC prior. Pretty good resume and still young.
Duke Greco - HC at Delaware Valley. Has a 70-12 record in eight years.
Phil Stambaugh - This one has already come up. I think the jump from small school HS ball to FCS is too big, but ya never know.


Mountain Hawk
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Re: So, now what?

Post by Mountain Hawk » Sat Oct 01, 2022 4:12 pm

Stambaugh would be moving laterally at present LU football level.
DF2002
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Re: So, now what?

Post by DF2002 » Sat Oct 01, 2022 4:28 pm

StablerBum wrote: Sat Oct 01, 2022 4:07 pm The Gilmore hire was so obviously horrible from Day 1, I think it raises questions about why he was hired in the first place. The man had an extensive history of mediocrity in the Patriot League and was fired midseason from a peer that is historically worse than Lehigh. It was like the equivalent of Michigan hiring the guy that Indiana fired midseason. And then as soon as he is gone, Indiana becomes the best team in the Big 10. Just painful.

The hire was so bad, it makes me wonder two things. 1) Was the applicant pool so bad that Gilmore was actually the "best" candidate? and/or 2) Is the compensation and adminsitrative support so poor to Lehigh that no one wants the job? To me, the only way Sterrett hires Gilmore is either that he is so gullible he thought some magic "Lehigh dust" would all of a sudden make Gilmore a good coach. Or, his hands were tied for some reason and Gilmore was the pick for reasons other than resume.

Anyway, to get started on who might be a better fit:
Nate Milne - Has been head man at Muhlenburg for 5 years with a 28-3 conference record and made the national quarters three times and semis twice.
Drew Folmar - Former Lehigh OC, now at Elon. Prior to OC at Lehigh, he was head man at Kutztown for a year and OC prior. Pretty good resume and still young.
Duke Greco - HC at Delaware Valley. Has a 70-12 record in eight years.
Phil Stambaugh - This one has already come up. I think the jump from small school HS ball to FCS is too big, but ya never know.
I’ve wondered the same thing…. How many quality coaches don’t want this job due to pay or some other reason?

A mature competent HS coach may be willing to take it for the opportunity to break into the collegiate level. It’s worth a shot. We simply can’t do worse than we are now.
mookie
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Re: So, now what?

Post by mookie » Sat Oct 01, 2022 5:19 pm

Our primary concern should be with our student-athletes. A lifetime of dedication to a sometimes thankless sport and many lifelong dreams dashed. All for what? When I see them praying in the endzone before the games my heart just breaks.

Some could be scarred for life.
Mountain Hawk
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Re: So, now what?

Post by Mountain Hawk » Sat Oct 01, 2022 5:38 pm

mookie wrote: Sat Oct 01, 2022 5:19 pm Our primary concern should be with our student-athletes. A lifetime of dedication to a sometimes thankless sport and many lifelong dreams dashed. All for what? When I see them praying in the endzone before the games my heart just breaks.

Some could be scarred for life.
Lol
IPSY1975
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Re: So, now what?

Post by IPSY1975 » Sat Oct 01, 2022 5:40 pm

StablerBum wrote: Sat Oct 01, 2022 4:07 pm The Gilmore hire was so obviously horrible from Day 1, I think it raises questions about why he was hired in the first place. The man had an extensive history of mediocrity in the Patriot League and was fired midseason from a peer that is historically worse than Lehigh. It was like the equivalent of Michigan hiring the guy that Indiana fired midseason. And then as soon as he is gone, Indiana becomes the best team in the Big 10. Just painful.

The hire was so bad, it makes me wonder two things. 1) Was the applicant pool so bad that Gilmore was actually the "best" candidate? and/or 2) Is the compensation and adminsitrative support so poor to Lehigh that no one wants the job? To me, the only way Sterrett hires Gilmore is either that he is so gullible he thought some magic "Lehigh dust" would all of a sudden make Gilmore a good coach. Or, his hands were tied for some reason and Gilmore was the pick for reasons other than resume.

Anyway, to get started on who might be a better fit:
Nate Milne - Has been head man at Muhlenburg for 5 years with a 28-3 conference record and made the national quarters three times and semis twice.
Drew Folmar - Former Lehigh OC, now at Elon. Prior to OC at Lehigh, he was head man at Kutztown for a year and OC prior. Pretty good resume and still young.
Duke Greco - HC at Delaware Valley. Has a 70-12 record in eight years.
Phil Stambaugh - This one has already come up. I think the jump from small school HS ball to FCS is too big, but ya never know.

Good Post

And the best part is that if the Decision Makers at Lehigh Admin have gone through your line of reasoning they are
on the right track to correct things ..now!

If it's a Salary thing that turns off candidates the time has come to get competitive and not low ball good potential candidates ....and when you think about it ...who else would want to hire TG given his suspect Resume??? He got Lehigh to take him and accepted the position because he knew he couldn't get a good salary elsewhere is my guess

OTOH if the Salary was competitive it was a poor decision . One I don't understand a former Player like Sterret would make although it might have been an emotional one coming on the heels of a tragic passing of Coach Coen

There is plenty of talent on this Lehigh Team that is not benefitting from the CS...take a flyer on someone who
has a winning record and knows how to teach fundamentals eg hold on to the football heh
DF2002
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Re: So, now what?

Post by DF2002 » Sat Oct 01, 2022 7:34 pm

mookie wrote: Sat Oct 01, 2022 5:19 pm Our primary concern should be with our student-athletes. A lifetime of dedication to a sometimes thankless sport and many lifelong dreams dashed. All for what? When I see them praying in the endzone before the games my heart just breaks.

Some could be scarred for life.
Go back to the kids’ table. The adults are still talking.
LUFAN
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Re: So, now what?

Post by LUFAN » Sat Oct 01, 2022 7:49 pm

The "story" I was once told is that Kevin Higgins and Dave Clawson were instrumental in Gilmore being hired. The AD trusted their judgment and they were probably looking to get the guy out of Wake Forest where he was a special assistant on defense...aka...charted in the booth.

Gilmore was despised by his players and staff at Holy Cross. He was fired because there was mutiny underway. He is despised by high school coaches all over the northeast, which impacts recruiting. His reputation among the coaching ranks makes hiring quality assistants nearly impossible.

I would guess that Gilmore was anxious to get a Head Coach job and he likely took a very skinny financial package. Well, you get what you pay for.
Sundayamqb
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Re: So, now what?

Post by Sundayamqb » Sun Oct 02, 2022 1:10 am

I'm all about accountability, and there is only one head coach, so Gilmore must be accountable, but:

If you recall, one of the reasons people wanted Coen bounced was that after Coach Kotulski left the D was a sieve. Gilmore, as a defensive specialist, was looked upon a guy to bring back that hard-nosed D with good tackling. Sure enough, our rushing D was ranked 19th in the nation before Saturday.

The D (on the field way too much and giving up some big plays) isn't THE problem now.

Also, maybe there was a mutiny at some level at HC before Gilmore was fired. That said, I have a friend whose son played for Gilmore there (on O). The son (who probably could have played more) loved him, as did his teammates. The son graduated a year or two before Gilmore got canned.

I would believe the assertion Gilmore was supported by Clawson and Higgins. Frankly, based on that duo's record of success, how would you go against what they said? They worked with him before he went to Wake Forest. And Sterrett knew him from Lehigh.
IPSY1975
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Re: So, now what?

Post by IPSY1975 » Sun Oct 02, 2022 7:58 am

LUFAN wrote: Sat Oct 01, 2022 7:49 pm The "story" I was once told is that Kevin Higgins and Dave Clawson were instrumental in Gilmore being hired. The AD trusted their judgment and they were probably looking to get the guy out of Wake Forest where he was a special assistant on defense...aka...charted in the booth.

Gilmore was despised by his players and staff at Holy Cross. He was fired because there was mutiny underway. He is despised by high school coaches all over the northeast, which impacts recruiting. His reputation among the coaching ranks makes hiring quality assistants nearly impossible.

I would guess that Gilmore was anxious to get a Head Coach job and he likely took a very skinny financial package. Well, you get what you pay for.

I posted the same above. My thinking as well.

The AD and Admin have to stop Bargain Shopping and come up with an attractive Salary

I just read a NY Times article that Columbia U attracted its new Coach with a base salary of $250K (senior admin salary) plus perks like a Manhattan apt

Average Ivy League Coaches get 90K

So where do you think Lehigh University stands with peers?

Did they pay Gilmore 100K plus free service electric cable ? haha
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