UTC Narrows Search to 3 Candidates

[utcfan]

http://timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/16/university-tennessee-chattanooga-search-down-simps/?sports

Jason Simpson UT-Martin--HC
Hugh Freeze Lambuth--HC

New coach by Monday. We think.

[appfan2008]

progress... nice...

[GeauxLions94]

http://timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/16/university-tennessee-chattanooga-search-down-simps/?sports

Jason Simpson UT-Martin--HC
Hugh Freeze Lambuth--HC

New coach by Monday. We think.

Couldn't he have been named Hugh Jazz???

Seriously, think that Simpson will be making the trip East to Moc-Land

[UNIFanSince1983]

Serious question it UTC actually a better job than UT-Martin? I only ask because I have no idea, and I am sure it is subjective. But he seems to have done a nice job at UTM. I know it is a step up in conference. Would it also be a step up pay wise for him?

[utcfan]

UTC is a step up in conference--higher profile if he wants to move up

UTC will be a pay increase

UTC has the potential to have much larger crowds than UTM. A winning team at UTC will draw at least 10,000 fans per game (conservative estimate).

UTC has a plan for facility upgrades that will be equal to or better than UTM

Finley far superior to UTM stadium

[Cocky]

Serious question it UTC actually a better job than UT-Martin? I only ask because I have no idea, and I am sure it is subjective. But he seems to have done a nice job at UTM. I know it is a step up in conference. Would it also be a step up pay wise for him?

In most ways other than winning.

[utcfan]

In most ways other than winning.

Sad, but true. Hopefully that will change over the next few years.

[utcfan]

Jason Simpson spent more than 10 hours Tuesday visiting the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus and meeting with university officials and members of athletic director Rick Hart’s search committee.

Full story at link below.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/17/simpson-returns-university-tennessee-chattanooga-t/?sports

[hawkeye]

Serious question it UTC actually a better job than UT-Martin? I only ask because I have no idea, and I am sure it is subjective. But he seems to have done a nice job at UTM. I know it is a step up in conference. Would it also be a step up pay wise for him?

Excellent question. The money would be better. Both are hard places to win. If anyone could do it, Simpson can and has proven it at Martin. I think the athletic budget is 10M at UTC. UT Martin is not even close to that budget yet he made them a winner. His first year was loaded w talent from Matt Griff years but his third year were a lot of recruits he and his coaches put in their system and they once again played for OVC Championship. Simpson Offense is wide open and if D Coord. Boone goes with him, look for him to bring in many good Juco transfers from talent loaded Mississippi. Would it be a step up for him, yes.

[jaxstatealum]

No offense to the Martin folks, but yes a big step up. :)

[utcfan]

Lambuth University football coach Hugh Freeze said his on-campus interview Thursday for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga coaching job was more thorough and more detailed than any interview he’d experienced before.

“No doubt that was the most thorough when you consider the number of people I talked to from so many different departments within the university,” Freeze said Thursday night. “When I interviewed for the offensive coordinator job at Ole Miss a few years ago, I think I talked to just three or four people.”

Athletic director Rick Hart said Wednesday that the format of Freeze’s interviews would be the same as for UT-Martin coach Jason Simpson’s on Tuesday. The meetings began around 8 a.m. and continued throughout the day, including sessions with Hart, chancellor Roger Brown, members of the faculty and staff, some alumni and donors and numerous senior staff members in the athletic department.

for the rest of the article see link below

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/19/chattanooga-freeze-session--depth/?sports

[AppMan]

Jason Simpson spent more than 10 hours Tuesday visiting the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus and meeting with university officials and members of athletic director Rick Hart’s search committee.

Full story at link below.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/17/simpson-returns-university-tennessee-chattanooga-t/?sports

Ya'll are making a big mistake by not taking Dale Jones.

[jaxstatealum]

Apparantly Simpson's 10 hours on campus is the norm for this search and not the exception. I'm glad to see that UTC is taking this serious. I guess after the last gaff they've got to.

[utcfan]

Ya'll are making a big mistake by not taking Dale Jones.

I respectfully disagree

[utcfan]

Russ Huesman will interview for the UTC job Saturday.

[DTSpider]

You can't take Huesman!!!

Seriously, he's a great guy and will do an amazing job for you.

[UNIFanSince1983]

Thank you for the answers. I thought if he were to interview for such a position it would have to be at least somewhat a step up. Good luck in finding a great coach UTC!

[AppMan]

I respectfully disagree

You don't know what you're missing out on! Just ask some of our fans.

[utcfan]

I do not know who we will hire, but Jones was not the man for the UTC job. On mocfans.com, Huesman is the favorite. I wouldn't us choosing an FCS assistant, over an FCS DC that played for UTC.

[GATA]

http://timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/16/university-tennessee-chattanooga-search-down-simps/?sports

Jason Simpson UT-Martin--HC
Hugh Freeze Lambuth--HC

New coach by Monday. We think.

I would go with Hugh Freeze...I read about him in the book "meat market"...it talks about Ed Orgeron and recruiting at Ole Miss. That's not a good reason to hire the guy...but it's good enough for me.

[Weems]

Man, i hope that yall don't get Jason Simpson... He is a great guy and i have talked to him briefly on a few occasions and he is real down to earth.

[utcfan]

Richmond defensive coordinator Russ Huesman, a former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga defensive back, will interview for the head coaching position at his alma mater today - less than 24 hours after helping the Spiders win the FCS national championship Friday night at Finley Stadium, the Mocs' home field.

His is the third and final interview before athletic director Rick Hart makes a decision on who will be named the 22nd head coach in the program's history. That announcement could come as early as Monday.

from Chattanooga Times Free Press

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/20/huesman-interview-university-tennessee-chattanooga/



If University of Tennessee at Chattanooga athletic director Rick Hart didn't have Huesman at the top of his list to become the school's next head football coach before this game, he surely must now.

"He turned our defense into something special," said Richmond fullback Shawn White. "It was like we knew what they were going to run before they did."


Pointing to the fact that London once starred for the Spiders at roughly the same time Huesman was a standout for UTC, Healy said, "Chattanooga was able to see tonight what an alum can do for a football program. Coach London has a lot invested in this program beyond it being his job. I'm sure Coach Huesman would do the same tremendous job for UTC."

All he needs now is the chance


from Times-Free Press

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/20/wiedmer-huesman-continues-impress/

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

They picked the best two candidates IMO. Looks like they've learned their lesson about picking a random FBS assistant coach.

I think Simpson is the best choice. Even when UTM was DII they had few winning seasons and he had winning seaons in 2 of his 3 years there.

[catamount man]

I was told last night by several sources that Hugh Freeze will get the job.

[utcfan]

I have heard that as well. But a lot of people are pushing for Huesman.

[AppMan]

UTC doesn't know what it's missing out on. Dale Jones will take your Moc's to the FCS Promised Land.

[utcfan]

A little before midnight Friday, Richmond defensive coordinator Russ Huesman was still on the field at Finley Stadium being congratulated after winning a national championship. By 8 Saturday morning, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga graduate was interviewing for the Mocs’ coaching job.

“It’s kind of hard to digest everything that’s happened in the last 24 hours,” said Huesman, who played football and baseball at UTC and graduated in 1982. “From talking to the UTC people today and winning a national championship, it’s been pretty remarkable.”



http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/21/ex-moc-huesman-has-utc-interview/?sportscollege

[utcfan]

The decision will come down to three candidates: Huesman, the alum who has developed into one of the top defensive coordinators in the FCS but has never been a head coach; UT-Martin coach Jason Simpson, the Mocs’ 2003-05 offensive coordinator who is 21-14 in three seasons with the Skyhawks; and Lambuth University coach Hugh Freeze, who went 8-4 in his first season with the Eagles, reaching the NAIA playoffs, after being the Ole Miss recruiting coordinator for two seasons.



http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/dec/21/ex-moc-huesman-has-utc-interview/?sportscollege

[catamount man]

I say Huesman is gonna get it. Let's start a poll. xthumbsupx

GO CATAMOUNTS!!!

[utcfan]

catamount man, you sound like mocfans--and their various sources--all three have people either on local talk radio or mocfans.com saying their man is a lock. I do think there is a lot of momentum for Huesman.

[chattanoogamocs]

well, it's official, Russ Huesman has accepted the job. Press conference tomorrow at 2pm

[catamount man]

good hire! Can't wait until we come to 'nooga next year.