Coordinator Candidates

[Born Boiler]

Now that we know who’s coming back, time to pick some fixers.

For defensive coordinator, I nominate Mike Hankwitz, who taught my football coaching class at Purdue. At least one of my classmates learned a lot ... Keena Turner won four Super Bowl rings.

Mike played tight end at Michigan for Bo and was an "up and coming young coach" while here. He now has 45 years of college coaching experience, but he could save us some bucks because he’s well beyond the age to collect Social Security.

You can check him out in person on Saturday. He’s the defensive coordinator for Northwestern.

His tours of duty …

Michigan, 1970-72 Defensive Graduate Assistant
Arizona, 1973-76 Outside Linebackers/Defensive Backs
Purdue, 1977-81 Outside Linebackers/Punters
Western Michigan, 1982-84 Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs
Colorado, 1985-94 Defensive Coordinator/OLB/ILB/Secondary
Kansas, 1995-96 Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers
Texas A&M, 1997-2002 Defensive Coordinator/Outside Linebackers
Arizona, 2003 Defensive Coordinator/Outside Linebackers
Colorado, 2004-05 Defensive Coordinator/Outside Linebackers
Wisconsin, 2006-07 Defensive Coordinator
Northwestern, 2008-present Defensive Coordinator

Only half kidding …

 

[New Pal Boiler]

And he would want to come here to coach under Dead man walking Darrell because....?

 

[Born Boiler]

And he would want to come here to coach under Dead man walking Darrell because....?

... because he is one, too.

(Thanks for the oop, P.J. -- A.J.)

 

[uelnesm]

No one in their right mind would come to Purdue. Just look at all of the job openings. And then once people take those jobs the openings after that.

If you are any good at what you do, or are young and upcoming. Purdue is just poison. We are so screwed.

 

[Born Boiler]

On further review, I have to retract my Dead Man Walking, too, crack. Thought it was funny, but my wife didn't like it.

(Geez, now we really do belong to the ages.)

 

[Born Boiler]

Time to revive this old discussion ...

I re-nominate Mike Hankwitz to return to the place from where he sprang into decades of coordinating.

For offense, we'll reach back even further and get another golf cart for Mouse Davis (which he can also use on our Pete Dye courses).

Or will we just punt and promote from within, filling the staff with a couple of grad assistants?

 

[studed]

No one in their right mind would come to Purdue. Just look at all of the job openings. And then once people take those jobs the openings after that.

If you are any good at what you do, or are young and upcoming. Purdue is just poison. We are so screwed.

they wont come to purdue because the head coach is a dead man walking.

 

[fcboiler46]

I think it will be difficult to find someone willing to come here with D-1 experience considering the HC is likely a lame duck.

I would bet ultimately they promote from within and hire some position coaches. Not what we are looking for, but likely what happens.

What they need to do is go to the D2 level and find some of the best offenses there and find somebody who wants a D1 shot and serious pay upgrade. They did it at Ok State a few years ago and it's worked out pretty well for them. Some of the top offenses in D-2 include Angelo State, Ferris State and Colorado Mines. That's where I'd start.

 

[BeerbellyBoiler]

Freeman will get the DC spot. Not sure who gets the OC job. Freeman will become a top recruiter, so hopefully whoever they hire also will be able to recruit and keep guys like Jones, Sindelar, Bentley, etc from transferring.

 

[RegionWarrior101]

I think it will be difficult to find someone willing to come here with D-1 experience considering the HC is likely a lame duck.

I would bet ultimately they promote from within and hire some position coaches. Not what we are looking for, but likely what happens.

What they need to do is go to the D2 level and find some of the best offenses there and find somebody who wants a D1 shot and serious pay upgrade. They did it at Ok State a few years ago and it's worked out pretty well for them. Some of the top offenses in D-2 include Angelo State, Ferris State and Colorado Mines. That's where I'd start.

Tony Anesse at Ferris!

 

[RegionWarrior101]

Freeman will get the DC spot. Not sure who gets the OC job. Freeman will become a top recruiter, so hopefully whoever they hire also will be able to recruit and keep guys like Jones, Sindelar, Bentley, etc from transferring.

What has Freeman done to show he is a DC candidate? Does he have his own scheme?

 

[BeerbellyBoiler]

What has Freeman done to show he is a DC candidate? Does he have his own scheme?

I just think it'll be one of the guys who he brought with him from Kent St. If you look at current resumes then Taver Johnson for DC and Terry Malone for OC if they promote within. Hazell was just soooo loyal to Hudson and Shoop is why I think he'll just go with what is comfortable.

 

[PBoiler84]

Comfortable is not what we need....we need change! Drastic change.

 

[Summy1]

Hazell is the one that needed to go but we have to settle for this. Imagine they hire from within.

 

[Born Boiler]

It wouldn't be surprising to see Malone and Freeman, but the nowhere-to-go-but-up approach could lure outsiders on the rise, not to mention the sooner-than-later potential for taking the helm.

 

[4IUSox2]

Hankwitz just put together his best defense since he has been at Northwestern. If he is leaving there, which I doubt, he would be going to a better gig.

What about former NU DC and current AFA LB's coach, Ron Vanderlinden?

 

[BeerbellyBoiler]

All assumptions are he will land somewhere as a HC, but M.Richt said he would listen to anyone willing to talk to him and he wants to call plays or Coach QB'S again. Why not offer him any amount he wants as the OC and let him slide into job after Hazell fades off in Sunset after next season?