More On Danny Hope

Danny kept talking to WLFI and they broke it into a two-part miniseries, like Lonesome Dove. Part two is available on their site.

Among the wonderful nuggets included:

"My players were like my sons."

Coach Hope talked about the "football family" and how he went to the bowl game because he wanted to see his guys play... and that if it had been his son, he'd be there, so since the players were like his sons, he showed up. I know it's nice for football coaches to be the senior figure that perhaps some kids don't have in life, but this just comes across as a big too far to me. Perhaps one more indicator that he was too close to his players to be a disciplinarian or to hold them accountable.

Hope said he "allowed myself to become the scapegoat" for anything that happened with the program.

IMAGINE THAT! The head coach being responsible for any and all aspects of the program. Meager (by comparison) as his $1M salary might have been, he was the head man and thus all aspects of the program are ultimately his responsibility. It seems ludicrous that I even wrote that sentence.

Danny thinks he'd still be in the black and gold had the fans only shown up more. (Oh and another win would have sealed the deal.)

Hope said that he felt that if attendance had remained in the high 50,000s or more, or if he would have won one or two more games, he'd still be there. I guess that's possible, but is he honestly not making the connection between his stewardship and the plummeting attendance and dearth of wins?

Following up on Hope's somewhat petty, vague and completely Hope-like interview with WLFI, the talented Mike Carmin demonstrated how I think many of us gleaned he felt about Hope all along in a very good column you can read here.

Carmin pulls no punches, calling out the odd inconsistencies and lack of details in some of Hope's most overt claims (such as how poorly he claimed Burke handled his firing). Carmin also detailed a meeting Burke had with the coaching staff after the Penn State game back in early November:

During an interview in January with Burke, I asked when Hope was informed of the decision. He told Hope the Sunday following the victory over Indiana, but met with the entire coaching staff after the loss to Penn State in early November.

“I sat with them after Penn State – all of them,” Burke said. “I said, ‘Guys, we’re driving off a cliff. You’ve all been around these games long enough. We’ve got to do the best we can to finish this thing off on a positive note.’

“You can read into that but I wasn’t threatening. I don’t like surprises and I don’t want people to be surprised. I looked around the room and said, ‘You all know where we are, don’t you? The fan base has given up on us and the best thing we can do is try and give these kids the last three games.’ ”

I hadn't heard that before and I find it very interesting, when you consider how Hope reacted at the very end. It sounds like even beyond the fact that it should have been unsurprising to Hope given his results on the field, that Burke essentially told them the end was near earlier in the month.

A few of you have said that @HopefulDanny on Twitter should be adding to this -- but frankly, how could he? This nonsense that the real Danny Hope is spewing forth is hard to top in terms of silliness.

And as an aside, why isn't Mike Cleff -- the Sports Director at WLFI -- not pushing Hope for clarity on his weird answers about Burke, responsibility, etc.? Why didn't he ask about the meeting that Burke had with the coaching staff in early November after the PSU game?

Danny Hope Speaks; Unclear if Anyone is Listening

Mike Cleff of WLFI in Lafayette got a one-on-one sit-down with the former don of Purdue football, Danny Hope. Part 1 aired last night and is available at WLFI's website. Part 2 airs tonight. I hope there isn't a cliffhanger ending... like Cleff asks him about what mustache comb he uses and then we fade to black, with Danny giving his crooked grin.

In the three-minute segment we're allowed to see (out of a purported hourlong interview -- I've asked WLFI if the complete hour will be available somewhere), Hope continues his rambling, sort of entertaining in the drunken uncle sort of way, about Purdue football and how unfairly he was treated.

Hope calls Morgan Burke out in the interview and says he should have "been a little more accountable." Not that I ever like to side with Morgan Burkce, but no, Danny, as head coach, you're actually the one accountable. The buck stops with you, as they say. For Morgan Burke, taking accountability means making the difficult decision to fire a man and to pay him his buyout. Let's not undervalue the fact that that is a big decision. (I did like the "behind the whistle" and "behind the necktie" analogies from the ever-quotable Hope. He kind of took the "behind the wheel" metaphor and applied his usual wire whisk.)

Hope also notes that the players wanted him to be there. That's all well and good, but they wanted him there because he let them run the asylum and get away with not even knowing their assignments on the field at times -- something that was apparent even to non-football experts like me. He and the coaching staff he champions were, quite simply, not at Big Ten level and were not getting the job done. This was made apparent  numerous times over the course of Coach Hope's time at the helm (or behind the whistle, if you will), as we have documented here at BS. Losing to lesser opponents, not rising to the occasion when it was absolutely critical, getting positively walloped by good teams.... all of these are signs of poor preparation and/or coaches who are just in over their heads.

Going back to Hope's comments, I love this one:

"We hoped we had done enough. But I knew it was close. We had a tough stretch there and didn't come through at a critical time of the season and, obviously, had lost the support of our administration, athletic administration, and fan base."

You knew you'd lost basically all support possible... and yet it was still "close"? Nope, it wasn't.

The amazing thing about this is that if Hope actually believes what he is saying here, then he still doesn't understand that it was basically a done deal after the Michigan and Wisconsin embarrassments. And even if you cling to some kind of delusion that it wasn't over then (like if you're, oh, I don't know...Kelly Kitchell), then the bed-wetting at Minnesota where a truly bad Gophers team relentlessly pummeled and listless and disinterested Boiler squad (one we wrote may have actually been the low point) was for sure the end for Hope.

This interview truly means nothing, which is probably why nobody else was scrambling to get this "scoop." Danny Hope is old news and he's really got no feathers in his cap (despite what he surely thinks) that will make many of us look back at his tenure with any sort of fond remembrance. His time in charge was a low-budget experiment by Morgan Burke -- Burke has essentially admitted as much -- that did not work out. He took a program that had clawed its way to respectability after many years of awfulness and in four years presided over them becoming a punchline again.

That's as succinct as I can put it.

Saying the Right Things So Far

We've been tough on Morgan Burke here before and I'm sure we will be tough on him again. However, we also want to give credit where it's due (which we do our best to do) and so I'd like to say here that, so far, Burke is doing and saying the right things.

There are rumors -- seemingly credible ones -- that Burke and company essentially made the decision after the embarrassment vs Wisconsin. Which makes sense in retrospect, because if you haven't already noticed, if Purdue wins that game -- and does nothing else differently this season, blowouts and all -- the Boilermakers are in the Big Ten title game. My point is that this is a plus for Burke on the credibility scale. He's not good at firing people -- doesn't like to do it -- so this shows he realizes what's at stake.

During the press conference, Burke also talked directly and succinctly. He was done with his comments in a mere 7 or 8 minutes and then took questions. He acknowledged the lack of improvement was a factor, the alienation of season ticketholders was a big issues and so forth. These are things worth noting, as in the past we've been critical of him and the athletic department in general of seemingly failing to see the reality of the situation, regardless of whether it was the listing football program or the clumsily-handled Matt Painter situation.

Burke gave credit to the players for their ability to stick to it and win these final three games -- again, something we agree with and give him credit for. That wasn't the result of excellent coaching. It was the result of continued mediocre coaching, bad opponents and, most importantly, the will of the players, especially the seniors. Good for Burke for crediting them.

As an aside, I liked Burke saying that "by tomorrow" coaching candidates will be all over the internet. Someone in the press pool informed him, "They already are." 

I also liked his acknowledgement that they'll need to pay someone. He said clearly that they're aware of what Big Ten coaches get paid and they are prepared to take that on. He didn't give a specific number they're going to pay a head coach, but it's been documented that there is money being raised among JPCers to reportedly fund both a buyout and a first year salary. These are signs of the coaching search being taken very seriously, and I like it. Burke also didn't seem his often-prickly self in response to the questions. Carmin (I think) asked him how he would sell Purdue to a potential coaching candidate and Burke clearly gave it some thought and then talked about Purdue's brand and why Purdue is a good destination. He ticked off points about the incoming President, the brand of football, the trustees, and others and pointed out that they all like to win. That's important. It's also key to me that, as b-dowd pointed out, having "Purdue ties" isn't that critical. He said he thinks "ties to Purdue are tie-breakers; they're not pre-requisites." That, too, makes me feel good. As I said, saying a lot of the right things. 

Another aspect that I really like and that also supports the notion that Burke realizes fully how significant this hire is, is his search committee advisers. Ryan Grigson, Rick Smith and Bill Polian are guys who know football, plain and simple. And Smith, working in Texas, is closer physically to a hotbed of college football coaching, recruits, etc., so his take on what should be considered is interesting to me. There are some who think this committee is window dressing, but regardless of how much advising they're actually doing, it's a good move in practice and optically. Purdue is taking this seriously.

Morgan Burke told us that Pasadena is the goal, which is to say BCS bowl games are the goal. I think it's fair to say that's the kind of thing many of us have wanted to hear for a while. It contradicts statements such as 6-6 being "extremely successful" and referring to yourselves as "bowl champions" following an uninspiring win over a MAC team in a nothing bowl game. We've longed for someone to say this isn't acceptable (besides us low character fans) and, so far, Burke is saying that. He did everything but come out and admit that they tried their patented cheapo approach and it just didn't work.

So far, Morgan Burke is saying the right things. Let's hope it continues, as this hire could be the one that cements his legacy at Purdue.

Raw Footage of Morgan Burke Press Conference

For those who didn't see it and can't get enough Morgan Burke in a sweatervest, below after the jump you'll find the raw footage of the press conference from last night announcing Danny Hope's dismissal from the Purdue football program.

Danny Hope: Player's Coach

Some Purdue fans don't get it...and you can't really blame them.  They don't understand why or how the players are upset that Hope is gone. Many of the people commenting probably didn't play a ton of sports...and I'm not discounting their opinion because of that fact. But from their perspective, there's not a ton to like about Hope's tenure at Purdue.

The inconsistency led to some pretty awful Saturdays for the average fan.  Many of these fans drove for hours or flew half way across the country.  They got to see their friends or family and do so with a Purdue game as the backdrop, but many times, the game was horrible and felt like a waste of time and money.  That's why these people wanted Hope gone.  One of their favorite diversions from the stresses of real life, Purdue football, had become less and less important in their lives and simply not fun.  Anger had become apathy...and they didn't like feeling that way about their alma mater's team. So on the flip side this coin, the players probably don't understand the average fan's perspective.

The interesting part for me, as someone kind of in-between these two ends of the spectrum, is I understand a bit of both perspectives.  Granted, we never played football past high school, but our love for Purdue sports has pushed us to read, research and get to know the program more than the casual fan.

Like J and I have said, we've met Hope...and we like the guy. His high-energy, high-enthusiasm personality made it pretty difficult to not root for him to succeed.  And those personality traits made him a guy that players wanted to play for. Drew Brees said he'd run through a wall for the guy and Matt Light pretty much credits Hope for making him into an NFL lineman...those statements aren't too far off from what the current players have been saying on Twitter.  But Brees, Light and others are not talking about Danny Hope the head coach...they're talking about him as their coach.  And the distinction is important.

Most of the head coaches of successful D-IA football programs act a bit like CEOs.  After all, they're running an organization with a ton of moving parts and never-ending problems to overcome. Their attention to detail is astounding. Their organizational skills are incredible. Their ability to make the right and difficult decision sets them apart from your average joe. They're not universally loved...in fact, some aren't even liked by many, but they do the job they were hired to do quite well.  No one ever wanted Danny Hope to be some cold, calculated robot...but the program probably needed a guy who wasn't always their best buddy, but could make make the very hard calls.

Hope loves the guys that have played for him...and while he has a son, I'm sure he thinks of these kids, these men, as his other sons.  His loyalty to his players drove him to show up other coaches in defense of his players (remember the first time he played Michigan?).  His enthusiasm for his guys drove him to act like a kid toward opposing crowds (remember the game at Oregon his first season?). And his belief that so many of his players were really good probably stunted the growth of the truly great ones within his program.

Many of Purdue's players were given opportunities by Hope that no one else would have given.  From a walk-on that became a starter to a small-town kid who was given one D-IA offer, a lot of these guys feel like they owe Coach Hope. He gave first chances to guys who didn't look like they had a shot, and second and third chances to some that didn't really deserve it...and that's why these guys love their coach.

If you ever watch Brian Kelly or Nick Saban on the sidelines, you can see these guys aren't touch-feely...in fact, they're flat-out cantankerous toward the very guys that they recruited to play for them...but, they win...a lot.  And that in itself is endearing to players- probably after the season's over more so than in the heat of the battle.  These coaches earn respect because they demand greatness.  Conversely, Hope has earned the love of his players because he cared greatly for them.

In the past few weeks, Hope espoused the bunker mentality- the world was against him, so he was going to regard everyone as the enemy...except for his players. He took shots at the media for scrutinizing too hard, the athletic program for not giving him the resources he needed, his agent for not getting him a contract that gave him leverage and the fanbase for being losers of low character because they...we...had the gall to want to see a better-prepared team each Saturday.  But, Hope didn't throw his guys under the bus...and they have noticed that each time he's stayed loyal.  So today's news cuts them pretty deeply.

Hope's teams lost more games than they won...but many of the Purdue players that he coached are focusing on the lessons that they learned off the field, than the victories they earned on it.  Those life lessons are important...and I hope all of the guys that played for him are better men for doing so...that would make the last four years of Purdue's football program worthwhile.

And while many of the players don't want to hear this right now, I hope they eventually understand, it's probably a very good time for the program to change direction.  My hope is that Hope's guys who stick around will be rewarded with a coach who is also loyal...but willing to make the tough decisions that his predecessor would not.  I hope they get to play for a coach that cares for his players enough to let them know when they're not playing to their potential.  I hope they get to play for a coach who represents their university well off the field...but makes them into champions upon it.

Burke Makes it Official: Hope Out

Burke addressing the media Sunday evening

One of the worst-kept secrets in Purdue's athletic department was officially aired this evening as Morgan Burke addressed Danny Hope's firing after four years as a head coach that followed a transitional year under Tiller.

Hope was 22-27 at the helm...and in spite of leading Purdue to a second-straight bowl after another 6-6 season, it seemed like the right time to change direction.

Hope was not at the press conference, but Higgins was there as he has been named the interim coach for the bowl game.  Nord will be Higgins' advisor during bowl prep.  Higgins said he's playing the role of about three or four coaches during the next few weeks.

Perhaps Hope wasn't at the conference because of the way he had handled the press in the last day/weeks? Perhaps not...Burke didn't address it.

Burke touched on a few points:

-He started the conference by saying he accepted some of the responsibility for the current state of the program...but doesn't feel bad for having to change direction at this point.

-He gave credit to the players for being able to recover from the five game slide and win the final three games of the B1G schedule.

-Hope isn't going to coach in the bowl game because he believes that move puts too much pressure on the exiting coach and his family.

-Purdue has lost 1/3 of its season ticket holders.  He said this isn't the sole decider, but was emblematic of the lack of enthusiasm within the fan base.

-Said the move was needed to hold on to ticket holders who have stayed on during this stretch and to get some ex-season ticket holders back into the fold.

-His goal for the program is for Purdue to be a perennial top-25 program and to get back to Pasadena in the near future.

-He said he doesn't have a "quick trigger" when it comes to hires.

Agreed- that might be the reason Sumlin is not at his alma mater right now...and his slow movements on decisions nearly pushed Painter to Missouri.  Let's hope his methodology doesn't lead to losing the right candidate.

-Burke is using Ryan Grigson, Rick Smith and Bill Polian as consultants for the hiring process. Grigson is the current GM for the Colts, and is a Purdue alum...Smith is also a Purdue alum and is GM of the Texans. Polian is the former President of the Colts...and has no connection with Purdue.

-He said the candidate does not need to have Purdue ties, but a Purdue tie might be a tie breaker, of sorts.

-Burke addressed that Purdue fans value Purdue being the Cradle of Quarterbacks...and wants to have a coach that will help bring back an offense that continues that heritage...said the current team had not embodied this philosophy and direction.

-He said he'd prefer a coach with head coaching experience.

-He didn't give a timeframe for when the hire would be made.

Notes:
GBI reported earlier tonight that Dave Doeren (NIU HC), Sonny Dykes (LaTech HC), Butch Jones (Cincy HC), Mark Helfrich (Oregon OC) and Tim DeRuyter (Fresno State HC) have all been contacted by Purdue.

We like this list.

Burke reiterated that he hasn't made a decision and isn't close to doing so...I'm not positive that he isn't a bit further along in the process than he's letting on as we have heard that this search began over a month ago...and Dave Doeren's comments a few weeks ago make me believe he's the guy.

As we learn more, we'll pass it on and let you know our thoughts.

Addendum:
So far two verbal commitments for Purdue's class of 2013 have backed out and are looking elsewhere...I believe this number will go up.  But, as we've always thought, none of these guys are guaranteed to make it to campus until they've signed their LOIs...that doesn't come until after the new year.

Hope officially out per GBI

Not many details yet...we'll have more on this later.