Monday, December 03, 2012

What do we really know?

Really not many people know much of anything...well not much absolute truth, anyway.

Jones spent four hours in West Lafayette and brought his wife along for the trip yesterday...a day later (today), he spent six hours at Colorado...brought his wife again.

Colorado was very public with their thoughts about the interview...perhaps that was because they had reason to be confident (read as a contract signed)...perhaps not.  The called today's meetings "very productive."
Jones seeking a home where the Buffs roam?
Burke has handled the process much more privately and quietly than CU's AD...it could be because he hasn't had confidence or it could be because that's just his chosen tactic.  It still makes no sense to me that Burke allowed Jones to be seen on campus yesterday as it clearly wasn't in the bag; it seems the photos and public exposure could have been avoided.  I read that as an intentional leak and confidence that Jones was the guy...I think I read incorrectly.

There's wiggle room in this process and that's by design...agents are smart enough to take what they're given...if it's silence, it can be used to help their client...if there's talk, it can be used too.  We saw this in Painter's re-negotiations...we're seeing it now as Purdue seeks to find its next head football coach.

In Painter's case, "Buddy" Baker didn't want Purdue to look dumb at the end of the day in order for his client(s) to make money...so he negotiated and pulled strings that helped three of his clients get raises...all as Painter sat back and had Mizzou chase him, and finally Burke had to pony up.

In the football coach candidate case, there are still rumors that Jones is a target of University of Tennessee...probably perpetuated by Trace Armstrong; who, by the way is OK with making Purdue look like a pawn as he and his client make a play for extra cheddar.

Back in 1996, Burke sought Bob Davie and landed on Joe Tiller. That ending was A-OK for Burke and the university.

This time, he wanted Butch Jones...and it sure seems like he's not landing for good in West Lafayette either.  The signs are pointing to Darrell Hazell as the guy now...Burke's not standing pat as Jones seeks a prettier girl.  In fact, the trustees' plane took a trip to Akron this afternoon...which is about 20 miles from Kent State's campus. Then this evening, GBI reported via Twitter that Darrell Hazell is "very much in play"...according to a source.

Hazell took over for Doug Martin at Kent State.  In those seven seasons prior to Hazell's last two years, Kent State's best record was 6-6.  After a 5-7 first season...Hazell's flashes were 11-2 this season.  Kent State's program wins about 39% of their games historically...and has been to two bowls prior to being invited to the GoDaddy.Com Bowl this season.

Hazell was asked today about being named in connection with other program openings...he said nothing to deny it...nothing to confirm it; feels like we've heard this before.

Hazell is 48 years old, has coached from the East Coast to the Midwest and is originally from New Jersey. He went to a small school in Ohio for college and spent most of his coaching years, 7 seasons, at aOSU coaching a ton of very good wide receivers and even being Tressell's Assistant head coach.

A few days ago, it was Jones, then DeRuyter was the second fiddle in this contest...a week ago Jones, Dykes and Doeren...and today Hazell has floated to the top of this nebulous list.  I guess we'll all know soon what's truth and what's conjecture...hope to, anyway.

6 comments:

BoilerBloodline said...

This checking J&C every 10 minutes for the past week is just about run me dry. THE SUSPENSE IS KILLING ME!!! I personally don't believe Vince Lombardi could win in Boulder these days, and I don't believe Jones can either.

COD said...

If Jones is willing to go to Boulder there are a couple of possibilities.

1. It's all about the money. In which case, he really isn't the guy for Purdue as after a couple of good years there he would likely bolt for greener pastures anyway.

2.He relishes the challenge of trying to revive a dead program. In which case, good luck with that.

3. After living in the flat lands of the Midwest for his entire adult life, he and the family thinks being millionaires in the Rocky Mountains would be kind of cool. And he is right. Living as millionaires in the Rocky's would be cool.

None of which are really anything Burke can change. Accounts indicate that we didn't low ball him, so I don't know what the idiots in the Internet calling for Burke's head really expect him to do.

Boilergal said...

I agree with COD. I also think that missing out on Burke's first choice might not be a bad thing. If it ends up being Hazell, he has proven that he can coach a program to success. I think the main things that people have against Hazell is that he seems to be run-first. Perhaps, that is what his personnel calls for this season. If so, kudos to him for recognizing it and riding it! What I wouldn't give for Hope to have been able to recognize the positives of our personnel over the past few years!

Plang said...

Sort of luke-warm on Hazell for no other reason that he hasn't been a head coach very long. Then again, getting Kent State to 11-2 is impressive.
With La. Tech screwing up and not going to a bowl game now, I think the only way Dykes stays there is if Carl Malone ponies up extra money to pay him. Stranger things have happened. But I would put money on Dykes leaving for greener pastures. I suppose that's up to his wife?

Purdue Matt said...

Not getting Jones is a huge failure. I go from buying season tickets again and being excited about Purdue Football again to wait and see mode. I that makes me a fair weather fan, so be it. I'm not gonna spend my time and money on a mediocre product.

I can't get excited about Hazell. Hes only been a HC for 2 years with no coordinator experience prior to that. Some think being an assistant under Tressel is a positive but I don't. They bent the rules and were risk averse on the field due to the inherent advantages of the program. Winning at O$U doesn't require a strategist or any genius.

Mark said...

But Kent St. does!?!