Horns247 Board

Of the guys on staff, I think it would be either Major or Diaz. I think either would be excellent head coaches and shepherds and leaders of a college program.

Depending on timing, I'm anxious to see how guys like Gary Patterson and Art Briles do. Then there's a guy like Paul Rhodes who I know Deloss has a lot of respect for.

Two guys out west are very interesting to me - Jim Mora and Steve Sarkisian.

From the south, I think Dan Mullen will be a no go for a variety of reasons. Larry Fedora, if he does well in Chapel Hill, might be someone to consider because of his Texas ties.

I'm obviously not Bobby but I'll drop in with my

Dodds and Mack made it clear that they were willing to hand over the keys to someone with no HC experience when they made Muschamp the coach in waiting and I don't think they would hesitate to turn it over to any of the coordinators on staff.

My personal preference would be Major. He is a great football mind and a student of the game. He has watched Mack build and rebuild this program for almost 15 years. He is a great recruiter and a legend in the state where the teams recruiting base is located. Being a player at Texas makes it personal to him. I would sure hate to lose him to another school... again.

Want to see More from Mullen, but I like him.

Sarkesian
Diaz
Applewhite.

Honestly, I think a lot of the discussion should be centered around who has the ability to build a great coaching staff from top to bottom. I think Sarkesian has a very extensive network and could grab almost anyone he wanted to be on his staff.

I would love to ask Diaz and Applewhite who would fill out their staffs from the ground up.

Paul Rhoades is a perfect fit for a school like ISU, I don't think his "us against the world rah rah" crap would do well at any major D1 program.

One thing for sure, I think Mack will probably "make the hire". Which he should.

I'm a huge Diaz believer, but any of these guys will work as long as Akina is still coaching DB's (he's only 54!!!)

i think there are at least three major conference head coaches on staff with Mack. Applewhite, Diaz and Harsin. I think most of us love all of those three, and respect their knowledge and what appears to be their ability to impart that knowledge to the athletes that they coach. I expect each of them to go on and have full successful careers as head coaches.

that said, personally i would LOVE Applewhite to be the next head coach at UT. Reasons are obvious to those of us who have been around UT for a long time. Kid is a LEADER, always has been. Has all the skills a coach needs. GREAT recruiter. And knows Texas recruiting now about as well as anyone in the state. The thing that holds me back on this is my question of why Mack had to go out and get Harsin and make Major "co-coordinator". And in fact the reality seems to be that Harsin is "the guy" as OC. (someone more knowledgeable then me, please correct that last comment if it is not true, please). I also wonder if Major is the sort to be more like Mack. Maybe the CEO type HC who runs the whole program and finds the best of the best to be his staff and coach the kids.

Diaz seems to me to have a personality that could make him really shine at the next level. He could continually teach his DC' his philosophies and leave the offensive to guys like Harsin or Major.

Harsin for some reason does not hit me as UT HC guy. Here again i am more asking than claiming something as a fact, but it hits me that Harsin is that obsessed, single focused kind of guy, that may not be as ready to deal with all the issues that a HC needs. Does he have the personality to take on all the issues that a Texas HC has to deal with beyond coaching. I see him maybe as more like his ex boss Peterson who seems to me to want to "coach football" and nothing else. Someone help me out here if i am misjudging Harsin.

But i would be shocked, seriously, if we stepped outside of these three guys to get a new HC if Mack decided to take a hike in the next year or so

oh and kind of a ps, i figure that we automatically lose Major the minute we pick someone else as the new HC. Lordie i just had this horrible thought flash through my brain. We hire someone else,the aggies hire Major. And he proves us wrong for not hiring him. Remember DKR was a Sooner when he played college ball.

Diaz
Briles
Muschamp

You hire a major or diaz you need to help them out by opening up the wallet for the best stud coordinators out there.

This is where I come from. The ability to sell the program is legitimate and from the heart.

Mike Gundy feels the same way at Okie State.

That being said, it can't be the only factor or the single biggest one. You have to think he has what it takes to be a leader at a place like Texas, and there again, I think he does.

Bobby,

One thing I've always wondered about Applewhite is how he was able to move beyond the experience he had here as a player. I would think he would have had some major resentment towards Mack. Maybe that dicipated over time, but my gosh, I don't know how I would have handled that situation.

Three key factors for me:

1. Charisma and personal character required to represent The University of Texas. Has to be able to connect with the HS coaches in Texas and make them feel valued. Same with the big money donors.
2. Rolodex. Does he have the network required to build a staff of the best and brightest.
3. Ability to lead without micro managing. This guy has to be able to get out of the way and let his coordinators do their thing.

Diaz and Applewhite appear to have number 1. Both are bright guys and I'll assume that even with their relative youth they have built strong networks (plus they would have the lure of the Texas brand backing them). Unknown on number 3. Some could argue that until recently Mack Brown wasn't the best at this either.

I'd be fine with Diaz, Applewhite, Sarkisian, Mora or Patterson.

I don't think people realize just how limited Major was physically later in his career. That's part of it. The other part is that he is/was a team player first and foremost.

Bobby, I know we had the HCIW thing set up with Muschamp, but do you really think DeLoss would really hand over the keys to someone with no head coaching experience? I guess at one time they were, with Muschamp, but do you believe that could still occur?

I love Major and Diaz both and think they will both be great head coaches. I tend to lean towards Diaz myself.