I grew up in Eugene. Lived 1 1/2 blocks from the campus (my playground). I've been a Duck since Norm Van Brocklin was quarterback (For those whoo don't know, he was an All-American and All-Pro). I remember fist fights and brawls on the field after a "Civil War" football game. Went to Stanford, Lived most of my life in California. I was on the Oregon Club Board (Is there still an Oregon Club?), Helped recruit for and traveled with the basketball team during the Harter Kamikaze Kids era. I still cheer for Oregon.
All that said, right now I have moved the Beavers to the top of my "Cheer and root for" list. I want to see them succeed big!.
I guess it's like Oregonians of my era to root for the underdog. We were perennially in that role.
We (the Vikings) also had your second most legendary player from Oregon, Bobby Moore, though he was Ahmad Rashad by the time he got to Minnesota. He was just finishing his NFL career when I graduated and moved there. Boy he was fun to watch. I don't know if I can compare Rashad to Stef Diggs, Justin Jefferson, Chris Carter or Randy Moss. All I know, is we have had a lot of great (HoF) receivers in Minnesota.
BTW, Brian...not sure Bobby Moore was the "second most legendary player from Oregon". Marcus Mariota, LaMike, Mel Renfro, Dan Fouts...just to name a few, might be in the hunt. Maybe one of them is actually no. 1. You can reasonably argue that...
As I wrote that, I thought about Fouts. But for someone who stood out at his position with no real equals while he played, it was Rashad. Fouts had Marino and others to contend with. Renfro benefited from playing for Dallas. He was not as good as Rashad. Mariota has had a lackluster NFL career (I am only going by their NFL standings) similar to Derek Anderson (never a Heisman candidate). Van Brocklin was better known as a coach in the NFL than a player, but that might also be just how long ago he was a player so hard to compare.
Yeah, I misunderstood...you're talking about their pro performance, and I was speaking about their college careers. Agree with you on the pro performance, although Van Brocklin and Fouts were clearly the 1-2 (in either order) in the pros...IMHO.
Sometimes John makes me laugh because he intends for any reader to laugh at what he writes. Mostly, humor is meant to garner a laugh. But the photographers snapping Trent Bray thinking he was the head coach made me laugh because their error reveals a truth about both Bray and Jonathan Smith. That writing is being funny without humor. And, by being an independent reporter/columnist, John comes across things he would never find as an employee.
Ok, I get that there's an urge to pile on Smith right now, and not without some justification. However, there are coach's who have been hall of fame level at both college and professional levels from fire breathers like Ditka to to testy curmudgeons like Belicheck, to cool and steady guys like Marv Levy and Bud Grant. Smith has always had the personna of being the cool, unflappable poker player, that's not a failing. I agree that JC finds some unique perspectives that many of us wouldn't come up with, that's why he continues to make a living at it while we opine from the peanut gallery.
He just gets us the TRUTH so we can really “read and chew “ on it one way or the other.
I am anxiously waiting for the announcement of who the D C AND O C WILL BE AS THIS WILl EITHER MAKE US”rich” or “break” us for both recruiting and winning.
As J C, there might be some surprises!!! which hope is true and Chiles and the team will excited about and WANT TO STAY AND THE RECRUITS WILL AS WELL, BE EXCITED 🙏🙏🦫🦫
The hiring of Bray puts me at ease. After Smith leaving and that turmoil, I actually really happy. I would not be surprised if this ends up being a step up.
I hope so. The key players to watch will be Martinez, Chiles, Gould & Bolden. Taliese Fuaga is another, but he's so good that NFL is where he'll be next year.
Martinez just got arrested for driving while intoxicated.
"Oregon State running back Damien Martinez was arrested Wednesday night for driving under the influence of intoxicants, Corvallis Police told KEZI 9. According to police, officers stopped Martinez's vehicle after watching him run a red light and noted the smell of marijuana as they approached. Martinez was booked and released.
A DUII is considered a misdemeanor, with first-time offenders facing a year in jail and/or up to $6,000 in fines."
Expect a trial, the CPD has a history of inventive policing when it comes to DUIs. Have paid a lot of money in damages for crooked arrests over the years.
I served on a Benton County DUI jury several years ago, cops tried to railroad a guy who blew an 0.04. Took us 20 minutes to find him innocent, and that was only because we sat around and talked for 10 minutes after reaching a decision.
The thing is Matt, some players were going to leave no matter what. I'm confident Bray is going to keep as many as is humanly possible, more than an other hire would've been able to do. Any player that hits the portal now would've left no matter who the hire was. It's the very best OSU and Barnes could do in a once in a lifetime tough situation.
Yeah, I mostly agree with you. The other side of the coin (which we'll never know) is what players might have come to OSU to follow an outside hire. The other thing still to drop is the '24 schedule that I hope will include at least five P5 opponents (Oregon, WSU, Purdue, Cal & Stanford). It would be fantastic if Oregon State could stretch it to 6 P5 teams by snagging someone like Utah, too. But that may be a reach...
Right on, Matt. I saw the video: lots of applause and cheering, but was I the only one who saw that it wasn't a standing ovation? Am I reading too much into this? Dec. 4th. Stay tuned.
John, great piece as always. As a Beaver fan, the ending resonated with me in a way few things have over the past four months. I think Bray is the guy to lead OSU through the next couple years of uncertainly and back to the Power 4.
Enough with the Phil Knight BS. You buck toothed bastids would love to have a benefactor beyond the potato salad people. You're so sour grapes about everything.
Our objection is you duckies act like you earned your lofty status instead of being bought and paid for by uncle Phil. Now that you’re going up against schools with much larger budgets you’re gonna find out the limitations of your ego trips.
If you could buy success Texas A&M and Oklahoma State would be vying for a playoff spot. Oregons successes have been earned and Phils investment can't buy Pac-12 championships which the Ducks have 6, Rose Bowl wins, Fiesta Bowl wins, a #8 ranking in all of college football for wins in the last 20 years, or a spot Friday night to get into the playoffs for a second time. Beavers won a Fiesta bowl 23 years ago and never won the Pac once. Thats why no conference wanted you, not because of anything the big bad Ducks did to you. Now go have the sour grapes pity party someplace else, you're stinking up the state with your buck-toothed BS.
How successful were the ducks before Uncle Phil? The innovative offense of Chip Kelly plus your never-ending uniform combos brought national attention. Now that you’re up against MUCH larger AD budgets and fan support you’re gonna find out just how far you still have to go. As for the Beavers we’re still a UNIVERSITY first ( oldest, largest, two campuses, more research $$, etc.) which is a more lasting legacy and a greater contribution to our BEAVER State than an nfl minor league team. We didn’t abandon our colleagues for money to destroy a 108 year-old conference. We still have our integrity!
Thanks John, great writing. I went to OSU at age 18 in '71. That year was the start of a football losing streak that lasted for 28 years. I was 46 by the time OSU had a winning football season again. So, while the sand seems to be shifting under our feet don't panic, we've seen worse. A lot worse.
The grief here before yesterday was that many of us have nightmares about the 70s-90s and did not want to see another 30 years of flailing. I won't make it that long.
I agree. My biggest fear was that I won't live long enough to see this turn around. I don't have 28 years left. I now have hope I'll see the sun come up again on the Beavers before I die.
Hey you guys, I am probably older than you, and I am sure not counting the “short days” I think I might have left, but I am looking ahead for many more good years and Bray leading the OSU football to the highest we have ever been and we need to stay “above the grass” and support him 100%.
Even though we have come to expect a level of detail in your writing, this is above and beyond. I can't tell you how much this OSU fan appreciates you.
Also, very, very interesting how people took photos of Trent Bray, assuming he was the HC. Prescient, no?
Agree 100%. JS had $30 million over six years locked in at OSU, so that seems like plenty of dough to take care of your family. Uprooting your kids after 6 years of stability in Corvallis and hauling them off to East Lansing is the "best thing for your famly"? Please. No, this is all about ego and ambition, and JS fearing that the new landscape of challenges facing OSU and would render him irrelevant in his quest for coaching fame. Can't blame the guy for aspiring to reach the top of his profession, but God, spare me the fairy tale about his move being for the best interest of his family.
Interesting stat from The Athletic yesterday about Smith’s record with and without Bray as DC. Before Bray got promoted to DC, Smith’s record was well below .500, and well above .500 after Bray became DC. Seems like a good hire and fit for Corvallis.
Correlation is not necessarily causation. The incidence of drownings goes up in a near 100% correlation with the consumption of ice cream. I do think Bray contributed to the higher winning pct., but other factors were improving as well.
Many who watch OSU football closely wanted Smith to promote Bray a full year before he finally did. Smith stuck with Tibisar far too long and we lost games because of it.
One game after Bray was made DC the D performed much better. He made an instant impact in 2021 and 2022 was huge, much better than any D in the history of Oregon State, from what I can tell from available stats. Even better than Erickson's 2000-01 teams. And Bray did not have the benefit of Erickson going and raiding JCs all over the country for stud LBs and secondary. Erickson's team was #18 in points allowed in 2001. Bray was #16 last year. In 2021, OSU lost to Cal 25-39 and then lost to Colorado 34-37. The next week Bray was promoted to DC and the Beavs beat Stanford 35-14 and then ASU 24-10. They did then lose to Oregon 29-38 and Utah State (bowl game) 13-24 but the statement had been made that OSU's defense was going to be a focus. Then came 2022 when OSU road Bray's D to the Vegas Bowl trouncing of Florida, who did not score till the end of Q4 Bray's D was so effective. And I don't care if a handful of Florida players held out of that game.
Bray is being compared to a younger version of Brent Venables, who oddly enough has improved Oklahoma in many respects even after Lincoln Riley left. But time will tell with Bray.
Great column, again. Great hire, again. Thanks to Scott Barnes for obviously beginning his search five weeks ago when JS telegraphed his departure. Nuff said.
I guarantee no take on this hire will be as nuanced or revealing as this. Thanks, Mr. Canzano. Each of these reminds me why I subscribe.
As a detached observer w/ties to the conference who wants to see OSU (and WSU) thrive going forward, I genuinely hope Bray works out and that my Beaver fellow subscribers are happy long term.
I will, though, always wonder:
1. Would Brennan actually have come if offered the job under present circumstances?
2. A year ago, I couldn’t imagine Brent not returning to Corvallis to coach in the PAC12. Obvious huge step forward for him. Now ... very different situation contextually.
3. Brent will have SJSU contending in whatever reconfigured conference emerges from MWC/OSU/WSU collaboration. If he isn’t hired away in the next cycle. Which could happen. I would not, for example, necessarily bet against an opening in Boulder by end of next season.
4. Intriguing point, Barnes being “backed into a corner.” The portal deadline, I get. Players pushing to keep Bray, I understand. Alumni/donors, same. But isn’t an AD supposed to “lead” vs “follow”? And doesn’t that sometimes mean pushing against the emotional tides?
5. I’m not saying Bray isn’t the best choice. Time will tell. Only that, as JC noted, Brennan was a clear option 1(a).
6. And no matter what anyone says, a lightning round of seven interviews in a single day cannot have been intended to be a thoughtful inquiry into candidate’s qualifications, fit, or potential interest.
7. Barnes surely would say he was open to being “blown away.” My suspicion? The press conference announcing Bray was being planned before any “candidate” interviews on Monday took place.
I concur with 4-7. It does seem a little like taking the available over the accomplished. That sounds harsh, and not really meant that way. I just worry that the self-prioritized deadline of portal decisions led to a short-term solution. Perhaps Barnes really has had informal contacts with potential candidates over the last 3-4 weeks, and along with financial uncertainties, knew this was his very best option days ago.
With more time to evaluate and if the team wasn't hanging by a thread over a cliff (mixed metaphor intended) Brennan seems very attractive for a lot of reasons (though I would worry about a defensive focus from a former WR and WR coach). But given that there may have been no team to coach if Barnes waited for a complete hiring process taking 4 weeks or more, Barnes had to act. Rebuilding a team from scratch today would be incredibly difficult, with no P5 conference to sell and perhaps no CFP possibilities in a couple years. I disagree that an AD's job is to buck the tide. If every informed constituency is in agreement about something, it is usually best to go along with the constituents. They probably are right.
Fair points. Especially the harrowing circumstances. Easy to forget that.
On the role of the AD: I was just trying to say that leadership sometimes demands what at the time are unpopular decisions. (This was after JC’s reporting suggested Bray had strong internal support.) I still feel that way.
Under these circumstances, Barnes’ choice makes sense. (I still think Brennan might have been a better long term choice … we’ll never know.)
I grew up in Eugene. Lived 1 1/2 blocks from the campus (my playground). I've been a Duck since Norm Van Brocklin was quarterback (For those whoo don't know, he was an All-American and All-Pro). I remember fist fights and brawls on the field after a "Civil War" football game. Went to Stanford, Lived most of my life in California. I was on the Oregon Club Board (Is there still an Oregon Club?), Helped recruit for and traveled with the basketball team during the Harter Kamikaze Kids era. I still cheer for Oregon.
All that said, right now I have moved the Beavers to the top of my "Cheer and root for" list. I want to see them succeed big!.
I guess it's like Oregonians of my era to root for the underdog. We were perennially in that role.
As a good Minnesota Vikings fan, I know Van Brocklin from Vikings lore (before my time in Minnesota). He is famously called "the Flying Dutchman"!
Norm Van Brocklin and the Philadelphia Eagles of 1960 were the only group that beat Vince Lombardi in a title game. Ever.
We (the Vikings) also had your second most legendary player from Oregon, Bobby Moore, though he was Ahmad Rashad by the time he got to Minnesota. He was just finishing his NFL career when I graduated and moved there. Boy he was fun to watch. I don't know if I can compare Rashad to Stef Diggs, Justin Jefferson, Chris Carter or Randy Moss. All I know, is we have had a lot of great (HoF) receivers in Minnesota.
I think Rashad compares favorably with several you named. He was a better runner after the catch than almost all of them.
BTW, Brian...not sure Bobby Moore was the "second most legendary player from Oregon". Marcus Mariota, LaMike, Mel Renfro, Dan Fouts...just to name a few, might be in the hunt. Maybe one of them is actually no. 1. You can reasonably argue that...
As I wrote that, I thought about Fouts. But for someone who stood out at his position with no real equals while he played, it was Rashad. Fouts had Marino and others to contend with. Renfro benefited from playing for Dallas. He was not as good as Rashad. Mariota has had a lackluster NFL career (I am only going by their NFL standings) similar to Derek Anderson (never a Heisman candidate). Van Brocklin was better known as a coach in the NFL than a player, but that might also be just how long ago he was a player so hard to compare.
Yeah, I misunderstood...you're talking about their pro performance, and I was speaking about their college careers. Agree with you on the pro performance, although Van Brocklin and Fouts were clearly the 1-2 (in either order) in the pros...IMHO.
You are officially appointed another "Honorary Beaver" Terry!!! We will take all of the support we can and appreciate your thoughtful comments!!!
"Insert a bozo at USC and you win seven or eight games a year." Thank you for that mid week humor John.
Any bozo in particular? 🤔
*insert name of coach post-Carroll, pre-Riley*
At 7-5, I thought Lincoln might be included. 🤣
I mean, you may not be wrong! 😂
This year it could apply to not only the coach but the QB.
Really awesome article Mr. Canzano...thank you!
Sometimes John makes me laugh because he intends for any reader to laugh at what he writes. Mostly, humor is meant to garner a laugh. But the photographers snapping Trent Bray thinking he was the head coach made me laugh because their error reveals a truth about both Bray and Jonathan Smith. That writing is being funny without humor. And, by being an independent reporter/columnist, John comes across things he would never find as an employee.
Ok, I get that there's an urge to pile on Smith right now, and not without some justification. However, there are coach's who have been hall of fame level at both college and professional levels from fire breathers like Ditka to to testy curmudgeons like Belicheck, to cool and steady guys like Marv Levy and Bud Grant. Smith has always had the personna of being the cool, unflappable poker player, that's not a failing. I agree that JC finds some unique perspectives that many of us wouldn't come up with, that's why he continues to make a living at it while we opine from the peanut gallery.
He just gets us the TRUTH so we can really “read and chew “ on it one way or the other.
I am anxiously waiting for the announcement of who the D C AND O C WILL BE AS THIS WILl EITHER MAKE US”rich” or “break” us for both recruiting and winning.
As J C, there might be some surprises!!! which hope is true and Chiles and the team will excited about and WANT TO STAY AND THE RECRUITS WILL AS WELL, BE EXCITED 🙏🙏🦫🦫
The hiring of Bray puts me at ease. After Smith leaving and that turmoil, I actually really happy. I would not be surprised if this ends up being a step up.
From one of my BeaverFriends during our discussion yesterday after reading your Breaking News post;
“👏🏻 Love the hire! A Beav through and through and he was the guy that the players, fans and boosters all wanted”
‘nuff said. Barnes did well
GO DAWGS
I think Beaver fans should pump the brakes just a wee bit. Wait and see how many current players stay vs. test the transfer portal come Dec 4…
A much better chance of more players remaining with this hire than by bringing in an outsider.
I hope so. The key players to watch will be Martinez, Chiles, Gould & Bolden. Taliese Fuaga is another, but he's so good that NFL is where he'll be next year.
Martinez has repeatedly said he's staying. Bolden with a very supportive tweet after the hire. I believe Gould is out of eligibility.
Martinez just got arrested for driving while intoxicated.
"Oregon State running back Damien Martinez was arrested Wednesday night for driving under the influence of intoxicants, Corvallis Police told KEZI 9. According to police, officers stopped Martinez's vehicle after watching him run a red light and noted the smell of marijuana as they approached. Martinez was booked and released.
A DUII is considered a misdemeanor, with first-time offenders facing a year in jail and/or up to $6,000 in fines."
When it rains it pours.
Expect a trial, the CPD has a history of inventive policing when it comes to DUIs. Have paid a lot of money in damages for crooked arrests over the years.
I served on a Benton County DUI jury several years ago, cops tried to railroad a guy who blew an 0.04. Took us 20 minutes to find him innocent, and that was only because we sat around and talked for 10 minutes after reaching a decision.
The thing is Matt, some players were going to leave no matter what. I'm confident Bray is going to keep as many as is humanly possible, more than an other hire would've been able to do. Any player that hits the portal now would've left no matter who the hire was. It's the very best OSU and Barnes could do in a once in a lifetime tough situation.
Yeah, I mostly agree with you. The other side of the coin (which we'll never know) is what players might have come to OSU to follow an outside hire. The other thing still to drop is the '24 schedule that I hope will include at least five P5 opponents (Oregon, WSU, Purdue, Cal & Stanford). It would be fantastic if Oregon State could stretch it to 6 P5 teams by snagging someone like Utah, too. But that may be a reach...
Right on, Matt. I saw the video: lots of applause and cheering, but was I the only one who saw that it wasn't a standing ovation? Am I reading too much into this? Dec. 4th. Stay tuned.
John, great piece as always. As a Beaver fan, the ending resonated with me in a way few things have over the past four months. I think Bray is the guy to lead OSU through the next couple years of uncertainly and back to the Power 4.
Beavers > Leavers
31-7
Go kiss Phil's wallet.
Enough with the Phil Knight BS. You buck toothed bastids would love to have a benefactor beyond the potato salad people. You're so sour grapes about everything.
Hit a nerve eh?
It's just enough already. We get it. You're scorned and hate us. It's tired.
Then why do you keep coming back for more?
Our objection is you duckies act like you earned your lofty status instead of being bought and paid for by uncle Phil. Now that you’re going up against schools with much larger budgets you’re gonna find out the limitations of your ego trips.
If you could buy success Texas A&M and Oklahoma State would be vying for a playoff spot. Oregons successes have been earned and Phils investment can't buy Pac-12 championships which the Ducks have 6, Rose Bowl wins, Fiesta Bowl wins, a #8 ranking in all of college football for wins in the last 20 years, or a spot Friday night to get into the playoffs for a second time. Beavers won a Fiesta bowl 23 years ago and never won the Pac once. Thats why no conference wanted you, not because of anything the big bad Ducks did to you. Now go have the sour grapes pity party someplace else, you're stinking up the state with your buck-toothed BS.
Calm down.
https://media1.tenor.com/images/f06e6633b626d39d41a89b279dc5e66b/tenor.gif?itemid=5596362
How successful were the ducks before Uncle Phil? The innovative offense of Chip Kelly plus your never-ending uniform combos brought national attention. Now that you’re up against MUCH larger AD budgets and fan support you’re gonna find out just how far you still have to go. As for the Beavers we’re still a UNIVERSITY first ( oldest, largest, two campuses, more research $$, etc.) which is a more lasting legacy and a greater contribution to our BEAVER State than an nfl minor league team. We didn’t abandon our colleagues for money to destroy a 108 year-old conference. We still have our integrity!
Against a thoroughly demoralized team with some holding out of the game in protest.
Thanks John, great writing. I went to OSU at age 18 in '71. That year was the start of a football losing streak that lasted for 28 years. I was 46 by the time OSU had a winning football season again. So, while the sand seems to be shifting under our feet don't panic, we've seen worse. A lot worse.
The grief here before yesterday was that many of us have nightmares about the 70s-90s and did not want to see another 30 years of flailing. I won't make it that long.
I agree. My biggest fear was that I won't live long enough to see this turn around. I don't have 28 years left. I now have hope I'll see the sun come up again on the Beavers before I die.
Hey you guys, I am probably older than you, and I am sure not counting the “short days” I think I might have left, but I am looking ahead for many more good years and Bray leading the OSU football to the highest we have ever been and we need to stay “above the grass” and support him 100%.
Have a great day everyone 🙏😆🦫
Even though we have come to expect a level of detail in your writing, this is above and beyond. I can't tell you how much this OSU fan appreciates you.
Also, very, very interesting how people took photos of Trent Bray, assuming he was the HC. Prescient, no?
I don’t get the malarkey about JS doing the best thing for his family ! “ Oh Daddy, we need three million more dinero to be happy!”
Agree 100%. JS had $30 million over six years locked in at OSU, so that seems like plenty of dough to take care of your family. Uprooting your kids after 6 years of stability in Corvallis and hauling them off to East Lansing is the "best thing for your famly"? Please. No, this is all about ego and ambition, and JS fearing that the new landscape of challenges facing OSU and would render him irrelevant in his quest for coaching fame. Can't blame the guy for aspiring to reach the top of his profession, but God, spare me the fairy tale about his move being for the best interest of his family.
Interesting stat from The Athletic yesterday about Smith’s record with and without Bray as DC. Before Bray got promoted to DC, Smith’s record was well below .500, and well above .500 after Bray became DC. Seems like a good hire and fit for Corvallis.
Correlation is not necessarily causation. The incidence of drownings goes up in a near 100% correlation with the consumption of ice cream. I do think Bray contributed to the higher winning pct., but other factors were improving as well.
Many who watch OSU football closely wanted Smith to promote Bray a full year before he finally did. Smith stuck with Tibisar far too long and we lost games because of it.
One game after Bray was made DC the D performed much better. He made an instant impact in 2021 and 2022 was huge, much better than any D in the history of Oregon State, from what I can tell from available stats. Even better than Erickson's 2000-01 teams. And Bray did not have the benefit of Erickson going and raiding JCs all over the country for stud LBs and secondary. Erickson's team was #18 in points allowed in 2001. Bray was #16 last year. In 2021, OSU lost to Cal 25-39 and then lost to Colorado 34-37. The next week Bray was promoted to DC and the Beavs beat Stanford 35-14 and then ASU 24-10. They did then lose to Oregon 29-38 and Utah State (bowl game) 13-24 but the statement had been made that OSU's defense was going to be a focus. Then came 2022 when OSU road Bray's D to the Vegas Bowl trouncing of Florida, who did not score till the end of Q4 Bray's D was so effective. And I don't care if a handful of Florida players held out of that game.
Bray is being compared to a younger version of Brent Venables, who oddly enough has improved Oklahoma in many respects even after Lincoln Riley left. But time will tell with Bray.
Hopefully we now have a coach that knows when to take the freaking three points, and not gamble like he's playing with 'house money' all the time.
No kidding! Too many stupid calls by JS... starting with the CW game.
Great column, again. Great hire, again. Thanks to Scott Barnes for obviously beginning his search five weeks ago when JS telegraphed his departure. Nuff said.
If we need somebody to "punch back" at the departing 10, I'd much rather it be a fighter like Trent Bray than a quitter like Smith.
I guarantee no take on this hire will be as nuanced or revealing as this. Thanks, Mr. Canzano. Each of these reminds me why I subscribe.
As a detached observer w/ties to the conference who wants to see OSU (and WSU) thrive going forward, I genuinely hope Bray works out and that my Beaver fellow subscribers are happy long term.
I will, though, always wonder:
1. Would Brennan actually have come if offered the job under present circumstances?
2. A year ago, I couldn’t imagine Brent not returning to Corvallis to coach in the PAC12. Obvious huge step forward for him. Now ... very different situation contextually.
3. Brent will have SJSU contending in whatever reconfigured conference emerges from MWC/OSU/WSU collaboration. If he isn’t hired away in the next cycle. Which could happen. I would not, for example, necessarily bet against an opening in Boulder by end of next season.
4. Intriguing point, Barnes being “backed into a corner.” The portal deadline, I get. Players pushing to keep Bray, I understand. Alumni/donors, same. But isn’t an AD supposed to “lead” vs “follow”? And doesn’t that sometimes mean pushing against the emotional tides?
5. I’m not saying Bray isn’t the best choice. Time will tell. Only that, as JC noted, Brennan was a clear option 1(a).
6. And no matter what anyone says, a lightning round of seven interviews in a single day cannot have been intended to be a thoughtful inquiry into candidate’s qualifications, fit, or potential interest.
7. Barnes surely would say he was open to being “blown away.” My suspicion? The press conference announcing Bray was being planned before any “candidate” interviews on Monday took place.
I concur with 4-7. It does seem a little like taking the available over the accomplished. That sounds harsh, and not really meant that way. I just worry that the self-prioritized deadline of portal decisions led to a short-term solution. Perhaps Barnes really has had informal contacts with potential candidates over the last 3-4 weeks, and along with financial uncertainties, knew this was his very best option days ago.
It surely wasn’t put together in the last few days. And you’re not sounding harsh. It’s the diff between a proven and unproven commodity.
With more time to evaluate and if the team wasn't hanging by a thread over a cliff (mixed metaphor intended) Brennan seems very attractive for a lot of reasons (though I would worry about a defensive focus from a former WR and WR coach). But given that there may have been no team to coach if Barnes waited for a complete hiring process taking 4 weeks or more, Barnes had to act. Rebuilding a team from scratch today would be incredibly difficult, with no P5 conference to sell and perhaps no CFP possibilities in a couple years. I disagree that an AD's job is to buck the tide. If every informed constituency is in agreement about something, it is usually best to go along with the constituents. They probably are right.
Fair points. Especially the harrowing circumstances. Easy to forget that.
On the role of the AD: I was just trying to say that leadership sometimes demands what at the time are unpopular decisions. (This was after JC’s reporting suggested Bray had strong internal support.) I still feel that way.
Under these circumstances, Barnes’ choice makes sense. (I still think Brennan might have been a better long term choice … we’ll never know.)
Well said!