BIG Rumor - KC Keeler OUT at UD!!

[bluehenbillk]

Just broke a few minutes ago on Twitter & the Wilmington News Journal:


kevintresolini ‏@kevintresolini
Keeler was called into a meeting w/AD Eric Ziady, exec.VP Scott Douglass and UD attorney and told #UDel wanted to move in new direction.

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20130107/SPORTS07/130107025/UD-fires-KC-Keeler?odyssey=mod|breaking|text|Home

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Wow, is that a surprise to you Delaware guys? It is to me so was just wondering if something was swirling on this?

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Judging from your sig on second look you were sort of expecting it...xlolx

[bluehenbillk]

Nope Ursus, total surprise. No reason given, he has like 5 years left on his deal and is one of highest paid FCS coaches in country & UD reportedly is having $$ problems. Doesn't make sense. Awaiting more info....

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Nope Ursus, total surprise. No reason given, he has like 5 years left on his deal and is one of highest paid FCS coaches in country & UD reportedly is having $$ problems. Doesn't make sense. Awaiting more info....

Seeing what happened to us with Pflu and his release my first thought of course was if something might have happened along those lines but THE ONLY REASON I even had that thought was because of what we have been through.

Your speculation at this early time makes much more sense right now. In order for a financially struggling school to justify a big salary they really have to have results for sure. If he has that much time left though they are still gonna have to pay a big chunk of that anyway aren't they?

[bluehenbillk]

No longer a rumor. - Official.

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20130107/SPORTS07/130107025/UD-fires-football-coach-K-C-Keeler

[bluehenbillk]

http://www.bluehens.com/teams/football/stories/2013/january/010713a.html

[ursus arctos horribilis]

This the part that has me scratching my head as well on this matter.


The timing is odd, as Delaware is in the middle of recruiting and hosted a large group of high school seniors over the weekend. It has already received verbal commitments from nine prospects heading toward the February signing day.

[citdog]

WOW! Didn't see that coming.


http://mimg.ugo.com/201101/8/2/3/162328/cuts/anchorman-fleshwound_528_poster.jpg

[bluehenbillk]

You'd think/hope they have someone in mind or this recruiting class has the potential of a disaster....

[superman7515]

Missed the playoffs 4 out of the last 5 seasons, feast or famine at UD football with no consistency.

[citdog]

You'd think/hope they have someone in mind or this recruiting class has the potential of a disaster....


UD should try and hire satterfield from app. he's the next bear bryant

[superman7515]

I hear Chip Kelly is taking offers.

[The Moody1]

UD should try and hire satterfield from app. he's the next bear bryant

When its all said and done the Bear wouldn't even deserve to carry Satterfield's jock. xlolx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Holy crap!

[RichH2]

Recent lack of success making playoffs may be reason for firing, my guess. But why now? If that was the only reason , he should have been fired over a month ago. A new HC s/b in place already, if they intend to keep this yr's recruits. As it is UD has left enuf time for recruits to move on but not enuf time to get a new staff in place, unless they keep KC's. Surprising.

[RichH2]

Speculation on UD board that if Harker forced firing, UD headed to PL. Dont see it. UD had bad yr and hasn't been great for the last 5 yrs. Zlady likely wants to stem slide and get program to the top of CAA. . Bound to start another damn expansion thread.

[Neighbor2]

This is a real surprise. Even if Delaware would be moving to the Patriot League, why should that not include Keeler? Delaware would be an excellent addition to the PL in all sports, but I'm not expecting this to happen either, RichH2. Their fans would be very unhappy, even though the PL could well be comparable to the CAA within 5 years.

[HailSzczur]

I hear Chip Kelly is taking offers.

Is that why Chip turned down the Eagles?

[caribbeanhen]

Is that why Chip turned down the Eagles?

more prestige comes with being the head football coach at the U of Delaware

[citdog]

even though the PL could well be comparable to the CAA within 5 years.


Christ y'all are delusional

[HailSzczur]

Wow, huge surprise. I thought they would have given him 1 more year. Lot of $$$ involved in this move, someone must think it's in Delaware's best interest financially.

Must been that 4-7 record against Nova that did him in :D

[Fear the Bird]

Can't say I'm disappointed but absolutely blown away by it

[DSUrocks07]

Keeler was a BIG proponent of UD staying in FCS. With him gone and a new AD at the helm to try to stem the tide of declining home attemdance...would word of a move up re-energize the Blue Hen faithful?

Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk 2

[superman7515]

50/50 on the "faithful" and probably 90/10 on the students. But as the "faithful" are fond of saying, the students don't matter.

[93henfan]

A welcome change. KC finally got us the trophy we'd been waiting for, but he was wildly inconsistent (two bad years for every good one) and relied far too heavily on the transfer QB. The season ticket base dropped from 11K to 6K over the last four seasons. Gameday atmosphere dropped to mausoleum level in the past two seasons. I was planning on dropping my season tickets. Now I may renew them. Mission accomplished.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

A welcome change. KC finally got us the trophy we'd been waiting for, but he was wildly inconsistent (two bad years for every good one) and relied far too heavily on the transfer QB. The season ticket base dropped from 11K to 6K over the last four seasons. Gameday atmosphere dropped to mausoleum level in the past two seasons. I was planning on dropping my season tickets. Now I may renew them. Mission accomplished.

I thought that was mostly due to what the AthDept. had regarding pricing and other manuevers as far as seating and not due to Keeler?

[DSUrocks07]

I thought that was mostly due to what the AthDept. had regarding pricing and other maneuvers as far as seating and not due to Keeler?

Which is true. KC is the scapegoat here. The new AD wants to make a splash and show that there's a new sheriff in town. Looks like this is only the beginning.

Godspeed UD xsalutex

[superman7515]

I thought that was mostly due to what the AthDept. had regarding pricing and other manuevers as far as seating and not due to Keeler?

Shhh... Let's not let facts get in the way here.

[Pard4Life]

Aw shucks!
Gosh darn!
Golly gee!

I wish him the best of... oh, wait, never mind...

[93henfan]

Shhh... Let's not let facts get in the way here.

The facts are KC Keeler won a championship with Tubby's recruits, got curb-stomped by App State in Chatty, and committed an epic choke in Frisco. Sprinkled among those three signature years were some of the most horrid and boring years of football UD has ever seen.

Premier programs don't finish season 1-6.

Don't let the door hit you in the *** KC. See ya!

[superman7515]

Hopefully it works out for the best for UD football, that's all I care about.

[RichH2]

Regardless of the merits of his axing, agree with supe. Now UD has to get their program on track. Zlady has made it tough by waiting so deep into recruit season. Does he have his new HC? If not how long before he gets one? Are assts axed also?
Clear that Zlady wanted his own man rather than compete with KC. Past season gave him the chance.
Whoever he gets will have a very tough start if UD lose this year's class.
Still wonder why he waited so long to do it.

[superman7515]

I have to say it's odd they are willing to eat 5 years of Keeler's contract after being to 3 national championship games but continue to employ Monte Ross, supposedly because they don't want to buy out the two years remaining on his contract.

[SpeedkingATL]

Wow, strange timing.

[cougarpines]

The facts are KC Keeler won a championship with Tubby's recruits, got curb-stomped by App State in Chatty, and committed an epic choke in Frisco. Sprinkled among those three signature years were some of the most horrid and boring years of football UD has ever seen.

Premier programs don't finish season 1-6.

Don't let the door hit you in the *** KC. See ya!

Then why couldn't Tubby do anything in his waining years with his recruits.

[BEAR]

Heard Fritz of Sam Houston would like a pay raise...Hey Hens..go after him! Please! xlolx

[Mr. C]

I thought that was mostly due to what the AthDept. had regarding pricing and other manuevers as far as seating and not due to Keeler?

That definitely is something that was on Bernard Muir's head, not Keeler's. ADs do some of the dumbest things.

[93henfan]

Then why couldn't Tubby do anything in his waining years with his recruits.

I wouldn't call losing in the semis to a Paul Johnson-led GaSou team with AP not doing anything.

[BlueHenSinfonian]

I have to say it's odd they are willing to eat 5 years of Keeler's contract after being to 3 national championship games but continue to employ Monte Ross, supposedly because they don't want to buy out the two years remaining on his contract.

If we don't win the CAA and head to the NCAA tournament this year, at least this gives me hope that Ross will be tossed out (IMO he's already been given three more years than he should have been).

I don't know if I agree with cutting KC loose - I think it will be tough to find a new coach with that much talent at this stage in the game.

As far as wild unsubstantiated rumors go, with the Big East getting increasingly desperate, could this be a play to put someone at the helm who could guide UD into the big leagues?

[DFW HOYA]

Why wasn't Keeler at the AFCA convention instead? Asked to stay behind?

[superman7515]

If we don't win the CAA and head to the NCAA tournament this year, at least this gives me hope that Ross will be tossed out (IMO he's already been given three more years than he should have been).

I don't know if I agree with cutting KC loose - I think it will be tough to find a new coach with that much talent at this stage in the game.

As far as wild unsubstantiated rumors go, with the Big East getting increasingly desperate, could this be a play to put someone at the helm who could guide UD into the big leagues?

Well with names like Jeff Jagodzinski and Chuck Priore being thrown out, it's possible. It would be nice to have men's basketball back as an option though. The Lady Hens are picking up but short of becoming Tennessee or UConn will never have the same support/interest as a strong men's program.

[CFBfan]

I have to say it's odd they are willing to eat 5 years of Keeler's contract after being to 3 national championship games but continue to employ Monte Ross, supposedly because they don't want to buy out the two years remaining on his contract.

it would seem that there is way more then "meets the eye" here.....

[MR. CHICKEN]

17472.....FIVE PAGES IN....AN' NOT UH NORFF DAKOTA STATESMAN...ON RECORD....COOD BE DUH SKANDIES.....STILL SPILLIN' WINE...OR..WHIFF DAT RETURNIN' D + HEAGLE.....NOT REALLY WORRYIN'...'BOUT NEW-ARK...ONE WAY..O'...TUH OTHER.....xdontknowx...AWK!

[asumike83]

I thought I heard some UD folks on here rumbling about the possibility of K.C. getting the ax for a little while now, maybe I am thinking of someone else. I know the timing was odd but was the move completely out of the blue or somewhat expected?

[93henfan]

I thought I heard some UD folks on here rumbling about the possibility of K.C. getting the ax for a little while now, maybe I am thinking of someone else. I know the timing was odd but was the move completely out of the blue or somewhat expected?

Some of us were hoping for it, but the timing is completely unexpected. The OC was let go and most of us were anticipating that hire anxiously. And then this.

Not to mention, Keeler has five years remaining on a ten-year deal, at roughly $350K/year. Gonna be an expensive buyout.

[citdog]

it would seem that there is way more then "meets the eye" here.....

I was kind of thinking the same thing.

[Bill]

Certainly a surprise to me.

3 final appearances in 13+ years not good enough. There's a lot of FCS teams that would sign for that right now!

As for KC, I wonder where he'll end up...5 years left on contract? Go volunteer somehwere? Rowan could use some help since he left :)

[The Eagle's Cliff]

But I look so cool with my shades..
http://thecoachnotebook.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/kc-keeler.jpg?w=327&h=200&crop=1


...even when it's cloudy and freezing outside!
http://www.bluehens.com/teams/football/stories/images/fb10-keeler-gsu(dc)_lg.jpg

[ASUMountaineer]

UD should try and hire satterfield from app. he's the next bear bryant

Jealousy is very unbecoming.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Does this have anything to do with the direction of the program? FCS vs FBS?

[superman7515]

Some speculation that the new hire will tell us where we are headed. Some guys with inside information have said that we're looking strongly at FBS, but others are worried that with Harker coming from Penn we will de-emphasize football and take a look at the Patriot League.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Very interesting...

Should UD move to the PL and remain in FCS I don't see it as a de-emphasizing of football. ODU and JMU will be bolting so two of the large state schools with bigger followings are leaving. It's no secret that Delaware has suffered inconsistent attendance over the last 6-7 years. At this point I don't think quality games would diminish it any further. Big games against Lehigh, Lafayette, Colgate etc would still be big games.

The key would be getting one more team on board imo. If the PL could convince W&M, 'Nova, UR or UNH to come along the balance of power in FCS in the Northeast shifts. I think a scholarship line-up of Lehigh, Delaware, W&M, Colgate, Lafayette, Holy Cross, Fordham and Bucknell would be very attractive.

With the above said, I think UD needs to explore the option of FBS because I think it's the only way the younger alums will be happy. Try to catch on with Temple, JMU, UCONN, Cincy, ECU, USF perhaps.

[aust42]

Some speculation that the new hire will tell us where we are headed. Some guys with inside information have said that we're looking strongly at FBS, but others are worried that with Harker coming from Penn we will de-emphasize football and take a look at the Patriot League.

De-emphasize football and take a look at the Patriot League? Not gonna happen. Don't pay any attention to the yahoo's that post rumor after rumor on Gohens.net. :)

[93henfan]

...even when it's cloudy and freezing outside!
http://www.bluehens.com/teams/football/stories/images/fb10-keeler-gsu(dc)_lg.jpg

Scoreboard! xsmiley_wix

[superman7515]

I didn't say that they would de-emphasize football and go to the Patriot League (and despite what some people would like to believe, if the majority of your customers see you do something and see it as downgrading, you downgraded), I said there are people who are worried that is the direction the school will go. I know what I've been told and it isn't the Patriot League, but it isn't the CAA either, so we shall see.

[93henfan]

Ziady's comments certainly seemed to indicate an upgrade rather than a downgrade. I think the prudent thing to do is become consistent in the CAA again, as in two good years for every bad one instead of vice versa. Then you position yourself for a move to mid-major FBS if the right opportunity presents itself. Perhaps the opportunity already did present itself and this is a shot of adrenaline to wake the beast quickly.

Delaware has some inherent advantages being a state flagship school with a $1B endowment, a winning tradition, and a fanbase that tops 22K quickly when they have something to get excited about.

[superman7515]

An interesting commentary piece in today's News Journal...

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20130108/SPORTS07/301080057/Levine-Timing-firing-sets-program-back?nclick_check=1


Keeler was not the perfect football coach – as his last two seasons in Newark showed. But, to this observer, he was not primarily to blame for the growing frustration of the fanbase, as Ziady so strongly implies.

In fact, Keeler still held some appeal because he was a UD grad who played for the school’s most famous coach. The next UD coach almost certainly won’t fit that bill, which will likely make the fans far less forgiving and much more willing to stay home if the team isn’t winning.

While UD rooters were certainly not pleased with this season, they remain more vocal about what they perceive as poor treatment by the administration. Season-ticket holders especially have complained about being told to pay more to attend games at a stadium that still lags well behind most others in the CAA when it comes to comfort and amenities.

Strangely, while UD recently spent millions on a new basketball building, it has yet to raise or spend the money needed to bring its football facilities up to the standards of the schools who will now be poaching their recruits.

(Speaking of basketball, who would have ever thought Monte Ross would outlast K.C. Keeler?)

So what’s next?

Assuming he doesn’t have Bill Cowher waiting in the wings, how is Ziady going to find a legit coach who can come in and secure a decent recruiting class in about three weeks?
What proven coach is going to come to a program with a mediocre stadium and a disgruntled fan base – perhaps even more so after Monday’s news – and no obvious solution for remedying either situation?

What coach would come to a school that, despite a winning tradition, now doesn’t seem to understand how college football works?

[danefan]

I think its funny that some on Go Hens are referencing Chuck Priore.....Delaware is a relative lateral move from Stony Brook these days....

[aust42]

An interesting commentary piece in today's News Journal...

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20130108/SPORTS07/301080057/Levine-Timing-firing-sets-program-back?nclick_check=1

The timing is what baffles me. Did they just now decide they were "going in another direction"? KC should have been fired immediately after the football season if they wanted to go in another direction. This potentially screws up an entire recruiting class and what coach is gonna want to step into this situation? KC and the new AD must have butted heads on too many issues. Maybe they'll have Greg Perry run the show and bring back the Wing-T!

[henfan]

It's no secret that Delaware has suffered inconsistent attendance over the last 6-7 years. At this point I don't think quality games would diminish it any further. Big games against Lehigh, Lafayette, Colgate etc would still be big games.

I have a lot of respect for LU, LC and Colgate and the direction that PL FB is heading. That said, it's not the 1960's anymore and these games will be perceived by the majority of UD FB fandom as anything but "big games". In terms of its potential effect on attendance, a PL affiliation would be akin bleeding a patient to cure his hemophilia. In fact, I can't imagine a faster way to kill public interest in UD FB.

[PAllen]

I didn't say that they would de-emphasize football and go to the Patriot League (and despite what some people would like to believe, if the majority of your customers see you do something and see it as downgrading, you downgraded), I said there are people who are worried that is the direction the school will go. I know what I've been told and it isn't the Patriot League, but it isn't the CAA either, so we shall see.

UD to the NEC in a MAJOR coup. You heard it here first ;)

[danefan]

The timing is what baffles me. Did they just now decide they were "going in another direction"? KC should have been fired immediately after the football season if they wanted to go in another direction. This potentially screws up an entire recruiting class and what coach is gonna want to step into this situation? KC and the new AD must have butted heads on too many issues. Maybe they'll have Greg Perry run the show and bring back the Wing-T!

The AD was pretty clear on the timing - he needed time to review the program after getting hired. I'm sure people would be up in arms if he came in and fired Keeler after 15 days on the job. If I were a Delaware fan, I'd be more comfortable that a thorough review of the program was done and despite the inoportune timing within the recruiting season, the decision was thought out.

[henfan]

I think its funny that some on Go Hens are referencing Chuck Priore.....Delaware is a relative lateral move from Stony Brook these days....

I think Priore was referenced at GoHens in relation to HIS rumored interest in UD. If UD was indeed a lateral move, why would Priore have any interest?

Are you suggesting that SBU offers similar pay, bennies, and support as UD or that the Seawolf job is supported by as strong a tradition and fanbase and has the same resume building potential as the Hen job? Help me understand your comment.

[The Eagle's Cliff]

Scoreboard! xsmiley_wix

Georgia Southern doesn't count playoff losses occurring in cold weather, airplane hangers, or with ridiculous turnovers and sorry coachesxblehx:

12-2-1995 Montana doesn't count
12-19-1999 UMass doesn't count
2006-2009 doesn't count (exception 10-20-2007 App St in Boone, NC)
12-18-2010 Delaware doesn't count
12-17-2011 NDSU doesn't count
12-14-2012 NDSU doesn't count

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

I have a lot of respect for LU, LC and Colgate and the direction that PL FB is heading. That said, it's not the 1960's anymore and these games will be perceived by the majority of UD FB fandom as anything but "big games". In terms of its potential effect on attendance, a PL affiliation would be akin bleeding a patient to cure his hemophilia. In fact, I can't imagine a faster way to kill public interest in UD FB.

It's not 1999 either.

There isn't a conference left in FCS that will capture UD's imagination imo. What will be left of the CAA will be marginal at best when you consider all sports.

Really, the only option for UD is to move to FBS imo.

[TheRevSFA]

Missed the playoffs 4 out of the last 5 seasons, feast or famine at UD football with no consistency.

That was going to be my point...you went to the NC, but haven't been back to the playoffs..was that the driving factor?

[Sader87]

There's no way a state school is joining the PL (maybe W&M, but I doubt that as well). The AI simply precludes this from happening, does it not? That being said, how did it work (the AI that is) when Towson was in the PL a decade or so back?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I have no idea who the next coach will be, but two things leap to mind:

1. It has to be a splashy name that will "reinvigorate the base", quoting the AD. It can't involve promoting an assistant or rolling the dice on an unknown, it has to be someone known, with proven success. Even D-II success might not be enough, since that's where they got K.C. to begin with.

2. I doubt they did this unless they had someone in mind already, because of the fact that they need to eat 5 years (unheard of in FCS!) of K.C.'s contract. Either they found out something horrible about K.C. and the program (no reason to believe that) or this was a planned coup and the new HC is essentially already selected.

[superman7515]

There's no way a state school is joining the PL (maybe W&M, but I doubt that as well). The AI simply precludes this from happening, does it not? That being said, how did it work (the AI that is) when Towson was in the PL a decade or so back?

Not that it matters because I see no way they "reinvigorate" the fan base by going to the PL, but the University of Delaware is a private school that receives some state funding (a relatively small portion of its annual budget if you believe the UD Pres and far less as a percentage of the total budget than Delaware State receives).

[RichH2]

UD timing, unless aHC.already picked, puzzling. Been saying the same ever since news. Still no clue, why the delay. A month to 2/6. How many recruits will stay? Pretty sure no other quality recruits will sign up now. Does seem that Zlady setting stage for a move. What?
Perhaps his lure for new HC is the promise of FBS?
A real confuzzlement.

[DFW HOYA]

There's no way a state school is joining the PL (maybe W&M, but I doubt that as well). The AI simply precludes this from happening, does it not? That being said, how did it work (the AI that is) when Towson was in the PL a decade or so back?

The league's continued devotion to the AI astounds me. But if a state school wants to play by these rules, they will. if they don't, they won't. But I think Delaware has less interest than most in an accomodation towards the Ivy League.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Not that it matters because I see no way they "reinvigorate" the fan base by going to the PL, but the University of Delaware is a private school that receives some state funding (a relatively small portion of its annual budget if you believe the UD Pres and far less as a percentage of the total budget than Delaware State receives).

There is no option for UD in FCS that will "reinvigorate" the Hen faithful. My point is, if UD wants to commit to FCS long term the PL is a very attractive option when you consider the all sports aspect. The CAA, as a whole, is a train wreck right now. There are only 4 all sports members with football programs.

IMO, the only option for UD is to head to FBS and give it a shot. FCS football at the school has run its course imo.

[ccd494]

I think Priore was referenced at GoHens in relation to HIS rumored interest in UD. If UD was indeed a lateral move, why would Priore have any interest?

Are you suggesting that SBU offers similar pay, bennies, and support as UD or that the Seawolf job is supported by as strong a tradition and fanbase and has the same resume building potential as the Hen job? Help me understand your comment.

Because Priore can walk into the Stony Brook AD's office and say, "Hey, my salary is $X. Delaware is offering me $X and a half. What can you do for me?"

And believe you me, Stony Brook will pay.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Because Priore can walk into the Stony Brook AD's office and say, "Hey, my salary is $X. Delaware is offering me $X and a half. What can you do for me?"

And believe you me, Stony Brook will pay.

I believe that move is called the O'Brien. Or the Kelly. Not sure which.

[danefan]

I think Priore was referenced at GoHens in relation to HIS rumored interest in UD. If UD was indeed a lateral move, why would Priore have any interest?

Are you suggesting that SBU offers similar pay, bennies, and support as UD or that the Seawolf job is supported by as strong a tradition and fanbase and has the same resume building potential as the Hen job? Help me understand your comment.

SBU would pay as much as Delaware if it needed to.
SBU has as much upside as Delaware does right now, IMO.
SBU does not have the history of Delaware (which is just that, history)

If I'm Priore - I'm not moving anywhere but an FBS job.

I'd be interested to know where the source of Priore's interst in Delaware came from? Was it something he expressed a few years ago? SBU and Albany are much different coaching jobs than they were a few years ago.

If I could draw a graph of the programs it would be an almost perfect X. SBU moving up from left to right and Delaware moving down. They are almost exactly in the middle meeting each other at this point.

[M Ruler]

The only place Chuck Priore is headed is to FBS land. Take it to the bank. His days at SBU are soon coming to an end so he can look towards greener pastures.

[Ivytalk]

xcoolxThe Terminator got terminated!

[Franks Tanks]

SBU would pay as much as Delaware if it needed to.
SBU has as much upside as Delaware does right now, IMO.
SBU does not have the history of Delaware (which is just that, history)

If I'm Priore - I'm not moving anywhere but an FBS job.

I'd be interested to know where the source of Priore's interst in Delaware came from? Was it something he expressed a few years ago? SBU and Albany are much different coaching jobs than they were a few years ago.

If I could draw a graph of the programs it would be an almost perfect X. SBU moving up from left to right and Delaware moving down. They are almost exactly in the middle meeting each other at this point.

Perhaps that is true from a football standpoint right at this moment, but Delaware is a much better job overall. The Hens are one of the FCS bluebloods and average 2-3x SBU's attendance even in a down year. I also have a hard time believing that SBU has the ability to pay Piore 350k or so. I understand this was Keeler's salary, and may have been the highest in FCS. Delaware may be handicapped a bit wit salary given Keeler's contract, but I think you can get more $ with the hens. It is much easier to recruit at Delaware. They are often the 1st choice for players all over the East coast who do not get an FBS offer. SBU is down the list a bit despite their recent success. Also the head coach of Delaware can be a celebrity in the state, and people actually care about Delaware football. Nobody on LI really cares all that much about SBU football, despite decent attendance this past year.

Piore may still want FBS, but Delaware would be attractive to virtually any coach in FCS.

[HenZoneNation]

Keeler loved playing easier competition and generally did very well at it. His weakness was getting the job done against better competition in his own conference. If we were going to PL he would have stayed. Why buy out a guy' with 5 years 300k a year in guarenteed money and then move down? It's pretty clear from most of the Blue Hen fans that post on this site, it would do much more harm then good, in regards to fan interest, to do this.

[PAllen]

Not that it matters because I see no way they "reinvigorate" the fan base by going to the PL, but the University of Delaware is a private school that receives some state funding (a relatively small portion of its annual budget if you believe the UD Pres and far less as a percentage of the total budget than Delaware State receives).

Sorry, UD much like UVa, and Penn State are state schools no matter how they try to spin it. UPenn, Northwestern, and Southern Cal are private schools. Honestly, I don't understand the hangup on this (having gone to both Lehigh (private) and Purdue (public)).

[UD77]

The facts are KC Keeler won a championship with Tubby's recruits, got curb-stomped by App State in Chatty, and committed an epic choke in Frisco. Sprinkled among those three signature years were some of the most horrid and boring years of football UD has ever seen.

Premier programs don't finish season 1-6.

Don't let the door hit you in the *** KC. See ya!

Flag on the play. Tubby gave KC a team that didn't have a QB and didn't even fill all of the scholarship slots available (6 were available when KC took over). If KC didn't bring in the transfers with those six slots there would not have been a championship in 2003. There were some really good kids that were on the 2002 team but ALL of the offense were picked to run a WING-T. You want small fast linemen for that type of team, you want multiple running backs and receivers aren't needed. For the offense that KC brought in you needed bigger O line men and about 24 WR's. The coach did a great job coaching kids that were picked for a different offense to win a national championship. In addition he brought in the players he needed to make it work with the 6 open slots. Plus the first game that he coached he beat GSU. Can't get any better.

[93henfan]

Flag on the play. Tubby gave KC a team that didn't have a QB and didn't even fill all of the scholarship slots available (6 were available when KC took over). If KC didn't bring in the transfers with those six slots there would not have been a championship in 2003. There were some really good kids that were on the 2002 team but ALL of the offense were picked to run a WING-T. You want small fast linemen for that type of team, you want multiple running backs and receivers aren't needed. For the offense that KC brought in you needed bigger O line men and about 24 WR's. The coach did a great job coaching kids that were picked for a different offense to win a national championship. In addition he brought in the players he needed to make it work with the 6 open slots. Plus the first game that he coached he beat GSU. Can't get any better.

Fair enough, but as we all know, the major reason he is gone are these ugly stats:

1. No playoffs in six of the past eight seasons.
2. 1-6 to finish up a losing season in 2012.
3. Most losses in the history of the program in 2008. I mean, we had a rotating tandem of TE and WR playing QB! Just a complete and utter embarrassment at this level of football.
4. 19-0 well into the 3rd quarter of the National Championship Game and... loss.

In summary, wild inconsistency and inability to recruit a QB from HS.

[ccd494]

I also have a hard time believing that SBU has the ability to pay Piore 350k or so.

I wouldn't have a hard time believing that AT ALL.

[Franks Tanks]

I wouldn't have a hard time believing that AT ALL.

Please explain.

How does SBU have the ability to pay it's head coach more than any other FCS coach in the country?

[bluehenbillk]

Fair enough, but as we all know, the major reason he is gone are these ugly stats:

1. No playoffs in six of the past eight seasons.
2. 1-6 to finish up a losing season in 2012.
3. Most losses in the history of the program in 2008. I mean, we had a rotating tandem of TE and WR playing QB! Just a complete and utter embarrassment at this level of football.
4. 19-0 well into the 3rd quarter of the National Championship Game and... loss.

In summary, wild inconsistency and inability to recruit a QB from HS.

Add to that the most embarassing loss of the modern era when lowly Albany beat the Hens in 2006.

[danefan]

Please explain.

How does SBU have the ability to pay it's head coach more than any other FCS coach in the country?

Most school could pay it if they wanted to. They just allocate funds differently.

SBU has a $23m athletic budget. One of the highest (probably top 5) budget in all of FCS. Priore is already paid very well.

They also have a number of very wealthy donors to tap.

I have no doubt they will compete with any FCS team trying to court Priore. He'll leave for FBS only, which will happen at some point in the next two years, IMO.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

Add to that the most embarassing loss of the modern era when lowly Albany beat the Hens in 2006.

Albany notched road wins over Delaware and Lehigh that year. The Danes were pretty good. UD has had far more embarrassing losses than that.

[93henfan]

Albany notched road wins over Delaware and Lehigh that year. The Danes were pretty good. UD has had far more embarrassing losses than that.

Heck, I'd start with the loss to URI in 2011.

[TrueBlueHen]

Wow, huge surprise. I thought they would have given him 1 more year. Lot of $$$ involved in this move, someone must think it's in Delaware's best interest financially.

Must been that 4-7 record against Nova that did him in :D

Talley would have been fired decades ago if he was in Newark!

[TrueBlueHen]

There's no way a state school is joining the PL (maybe W&M, but I doubt that as well). The AI simply precludes this from happening, does it not? That being said, how did it work (the AI that is) when Towson was in the PL a decade or so back?

Delaware is NOT a state school - Delaware State is THE state school!

[danefan]

Delaware is NOT a state school - Delaware State is THE state school!

I was going to say that I thought Delaware was privately chartered.

Its old and big, but I thought it was private.

[superman7515]

Just to play devil's advocate since I have nothing else going on at this minute... In 2011 Stony Brook's athletic budget was $17,765,884, Northeastern had a budget of $22,050,696 and Virginia Commonwealth was $21,113,708 and they both said they can't afford football.

The budget at Stony Brook ranks below FCS schools at Yale, Delaware, Georgetown*, James Madison, Penn, Villanova*, Old Dominion, New Hampshire, Lehigh, Fordham, Georgia State, William & Mary, Rhode Island, Southern Illinois, Richmond, Sacred Heart, Dayton, Columbia, Colgate, Dartmouth, Holy Cross, Liberty, Princeton, Harvard, Cornell, Towson, Appalachian State, and Furman. So just good enough to have them in the Top 30.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

I was going to say that I thought Delaware was privately chartered.

Its old and big, but I thought it was private.

Temple, Delaware and Pitt have followed similar paths. At the end of the day they're public schools.

[superman7515]

I was going to say that I thought Delaware was privately chartered.

Its old and big, but I thought it was private.

Yeah, but we won't let facts get in the way.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Just to play devil's advocate since I have nothing else going on at this minute... In 2011 Stony Brook's athletic budget was $17,765,884, Northeastern had a budget of $22,050,696 and Virginia Commonwealth was $21,113,708 and they both said they can't afford football.

The budget at Stony Brook ranks below FCS schools at Yale, Delaware, Georgetown*, James Madison, Penn, Villanova*, Old Dominion, New Hampshire, Lehigh, Fordham, Georgia State, William & Mary, Rhode Island, Southern Illinois, Richmond, Sacred Heart, Dayton, Columbia, Colgate, Dartmouth, Holy Cross, Liberty, Princeton, Harvard, Cornell, Towson, Appalachian State, and Furman. So just good enough to have them in the Top 30.

Nice way of showing how baloney the decision was for Northeastern to drop football. All they needed was a stadium.

[henfan]

Delaware is NOT a state school - Delaware State is THE state school!

DSU is NOT the state school.

Both UD and DSU are afforded identical status according to Delaware code. Both are land grant, state-sponsored private institutions. Both Boards of Trustees are defined by Delaware law to be "public bodies" and certain activities of the BOT are subject to FOIA.

[93henfan]

University of Delaware has a private charter and receives state funding. A hybrid, so to speak.

[danefan]

Just to play devil's advocate since I have nothing else going on at this minute... In 2011 Stony Brook's athletic budget was $17,765,884, Northeastern had a budget of $22,050,696 and Virginia Commonwealth was $21,113,708 and they both said they can't afford football.

The budget at Stony Brook ranks below FCS schools at Yale, Delaware, Georgetown*, James Madison, Penn, Villanova*, Old Dominion, New Hampshire, Lehigh, Fordham, Georgia State, William & Mary, Rhode Island, Southern Illinois, Richmond, Sacred Heart, Dayton, Columbia, Colgate, Dartmouth, Holy Cross, Liberty, Princeton, Harvard, Cornell, Towson, Appalachian State, and Furman. So just good enough to have them in the Top 30.

EADA reporting has Stony Brook at $20m for 7/1/2011 - 6/30/2012.

I was looking at the wrong line when I wrote $22m.

The point is academic anyway. I contend that Priore is not a realistic candidate for any FCS team. I may be wrong, but I doubt I am.

[UD77]

"Fair enough, but as we all know, the major reason he is gone are these ugly stats:

1. No playoffs in six of the past eight seasons.
2. 1-6 to finish up a losing season in 2012.
3. Most losses in the history of the program in 2008. I mean, we had a rotating tandem of TE and WR playing QB! Just a complete and utter embarrassment at this level of football.
4. 19-0 well into the 3rd quarter of the National Championship Game and... loss.

In summary, wild inconsistency and inability to recruit a QB from HS."


Now that is better, although I don't agree with the QB comment. KC's record with cast off QB's has been nothing but great (one fail, but the rest were damn good). And if you look at most teams today you will find that UD has about the same number of transfers if not less than many of the higher performing teams. The transfer U sig came about because Tubby didn't fill up the 6 slots that he had available in the 2001 season. Unfortunately, that also means that those slots turn over more often as they are not in the system as long as the 5 year kids.

UD's graduation rate has dropped to be in the lower end of the CAA. Not terrible but certainly not as good as it should be.

[henfan]

SBU would pay as much as Delaware if it needed to.
SBU has as much upside as Delaware does right now, IMO.
SBU does not have the history of Delaware (which is just that, history)

If I'm Priore - I'm not moving anywhere but an FBS job.

I'd be interested to know where the source of Priore's interst in Delaware came from? Was it something he expressed a few years ago? SBU and Albany are much different coaching jobs than they were a few years ago.

If I could draw a graph of the programs it would be an almost perfect X. SBU moving up from left to right and Delaware moving down. They are almost exactly in the middle meeting each other at this point.

You're entitled to your opinion that SBU has more upside than UD, no matter how non-reality based it might be.

As for the source of Priore's interest in UD, I already stated it was the GoHens message board. You indicated incorrectly that Hen fans were clamoring for Priore. I merely indicated that the latter just wasn't true but that one poster did mention that Priore was interested in the job. Frankly, I couldn't care less about the veracity of the GoHens' poster or if Priore has any interest at all. If Priore is indeed interested, he'll likely be one of many.

As a fan, I'm more interested in UD getting the most qualified candidate, no matter where he comes from, so that the Hens can resume making deep playoff runs and compete for NC's. This is something a guy like Priore has yet to accomplish with his two early playoff exits and gaudy .580 winning percentage.

[UD77]

Add to that the most embarassing loss of the modern era when lowly Albany beat the Hens in 2006.

I think that happened when Nova lost to Monmouth.

[henfan]

I think that happened when Nova lost to Monmouth.

I dunno. A lot of fans are still smarting from Tubby's loss to Wittenberg. That is without question the worst in the modern era. A couple of the losses to WCUPA were pretty horrific as well; 1988 especially.

[bluehenbillk]

I dunno. A lot of fans are still smarting from Tubby's loss to Wittenberg. That is without question the worst in the modern era. A couple of the losses to WCUPA were pretty horrific as well; 1988 especially.

Nah, West Chester would've won the A-10 in '88. True statement.

[henfan]

Nah, West Chester would've won the A-10 in '88. True statement.

Come on, Bill. That '88 WCUPA squad couldn't even win a D-II playoff game. The '88 loss to WCUPA was UD's most lopsided loss in history of the series. This was a I-AA playoff squad that featured Rich Gannon. No way around it being a bad, bad loss.

[GannonFan]

Nah, West Chester would've won the A-10 in '88. True statement.

BHBK is right - that '88 West Chester team with Niemela and Hess were legit. And they were probably better than UD for 3 of the years prior to that, but Gannon got in the way in two of those years to singlehandidly win those games and then WCUPA flopped in '87. Remember, the UD team that got handled by West Chester in '88 also went on to win the Yankee Conference that year. The 80's were not the best of times for the Yankee Conference.

[GannonFan]

Come on, Bill. That '88 WCUPA squad couldn't even win a D-II playoff game. The '88 loss to WCUPA was UD's most lopsided loss in history of the series. This was a I-AA playoff squad that featured Rich Gannon. No way around it being a bad, bad loss.

Uh, Gannon graduated in the Spring of '87 and played his last game at UD in the beatdown by Arkansas St in the '86 playoffs. I still have the playoff stub from that game.

I forget who the QB was in '88 - might have been David Sieer (badly mispelled). I know Vergantino came on board as a freshman QB in '89.

The reason why West Chester in '88 didn't win a DII playoff game was that they played without Niemela (the QB) in the playoffs - he got hurt in the last regular season game that year.

No way around it - West Chester was a better team than UD was for some of those years in the mid to late 80's.

[superman7515]

Uh, Gannon graduated in the Spring of '87 and played his last game at UD in the beatdown by Arkansas St in the '86 playoffs. I still have the playoff stub from that game.

I forget who the QB was in '88 - might have been David Sieer (badly mispelled). I know Vergantino came on board as a freshman QB in '89.

The reason why West Chester in '88 didn't win a DII playoff game was that they played without Niemela (the QB) in the playoffs - he got hurt in the last regular season game that year.

No way around it - West Chester was a better team than UD was for some of those years in the mid to late 80's.

Craig McCoy and Dave Sierer

[henfan]

No way around it - West Chester was a better team than UD was for some of those years in the mid to late 80's.

You're right; my bad. It would have been Dave Sierer in '88. If I recall, WCUPA got spanked in the first round of the D-II playoffs that year, something like 62-17 by someone like Portland St. or was it Jacksonville St.? Anyway, I'm not arguing that the Rams had a decent team (Yankee Con. winners though? Come on!) I respectfully beg to differ that the '88 loss wasn't a bad one for UD. I remember going home very upset that it would cost us if we made the playoffs.

[GannonFan]

You're right; my bad. It would have been Dave Sierer in '88. If I recall, WCUPA got spanked in the first round of the D-II playoffs that year, something like 62-17 by someone like Portland St. or was it Jacksonville St.? Anyway, I'm not arguing that the Rams had a decent team (Yankee Con. winners though? Come on!) I respectfully beg to differ that the '88 loss wasn't a bad one for UD. I remember going home very upset that it would cost us if we made the playoffs.

West Chester beat us 33-13 that year, and it was later in the year (November game) that year. Other than Navy, that was by far the worse loss we had that year, even worse than the 21-7 loss to Furman in the first round of the playoffs (interesting that West Chester beat us by a wider margin). And considering that we did win the Yankee that year, it is very conceivable that a team that beat us by 20, at home, could have done the same.

West Chester lost to Jacksonville (might have been State) that year, but again, the guy who made them great that year, Niemela, didn't play. It would've been like UD playing without Gannon in the years that came before that - significant difference maker..

[ccd494]

Nice way of showing how baloney the decision was for Northeastern to drop football. All they needed was a stadium.

All they needed was a stadium?????? That's not some brush off statement for a Boston school. You can't build a freaking doghouse in the city of Boston at this point.

[Mattymc727]

Does anyone think UD would consider former UD QB and now UNH OC Ryan Carty?

[superman7515]

Does anyone think UD would consider former UD QB and now UNH OC Ryan Carty?

I believe the article on the demanded nepotism by the former head coach in the News Journal this morning said he was putting in for it.

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20130109/SPORTS07/301090045/Some-say-next-coach-must-ties-UD


Among former Delaware players who now coach, many names immediately surfaced as prospective candidates.

They included Villanova offensive coordinator Sam Venuto, West Chester coach Bill Zwaan, Bucknell coach Joe Susan, Illinois offensive coordinator Bill Cubit, recently dismissed as Western Michigan coach, and Delaware offensive line coach Gregg Perry. Zwaan, Cubit and Perry were candidates in 2002.

Though just 29, former backup UD quarterback Ryan Carty expects to apply. Carty just completed his sixth season as an assistant and first as offensive coordinator at New Hampshire operating the schemes developed by Oregon coach Chip Kelly when he was at UNH. The Wildcats have made nine straight NCAA playoff appearances.

[walliver]

I believe the article on the demanded nepotism by the former head coach in the News Journal this morning said he was putting in for it.

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20130109/SPORTS07/301090045/Some-say-next-coach-must-ties-UD

I saw UNH's offense in action, it did not remind me of Oregon's offense in any way.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Susan is a part of the Delaware coaching tree, and seems like a very good coach, but he hasn't been able to make the jump to compete for the PL title, which you might think would hurt his chances.

[MR. CHICKEN]

Susan is a part of the Delaware coaching tree, and seems like a very good coach, but he hasn't been able to make the jump to compete for the PL title, which you might think would hurt his chances.

HE COOD ROUND-UP....BETTERAH HORSES @ UD....AWK!

[Mattymc727]

I saw UNH's offense in action, it did not remind me of Oregon's offense in any way.

Nope, not anymore. Since Chip Kelly left the program, it has never been the same. However, UNH still had a pretty good offense under Carty, plus he is a UD guy.

[CFBfan]

Susan is a part of the Delaware coaching tree, and seems like a very good coach, but he hasn't been able to make the jump to compete for the PL title, which you might think would hurt his chances.

Susan (IMO) would drag UD down not lift them up

[caribbeanhen]

Add to that the most embarassing loss of the modern era when lowly Albany beat the Hens in 2006.

with Joe Flacco at QB no less, also Ben Patrick (Arizona Cards) at TE and Omar Cuff at RB...... A real stunner

what was the name of the MLB for Albany for that game? he played a great game

[BlueHenSinfonian]

Susan (IMO) would drag UD down not lift them up

My memory of the UD vs Bucknell game may be a bit fuzzy, but I seem to remember them doing a good job of exploiting the weaknesses they saw in our D and just falling short due to the difference in skill and talent.

I wouldn't be against seeing him as the new coach, but I don't think it will happen. I'm guessing that whoever is hired will either be a big name or a younger coach with a fresh take on on-field strategy. Coaching changes at UD don't happen very often, so whoever it is will pretty much guarantee a sell-out for the opening game of the season, the administration just needs to make sure they can put an exciting and productive team on the field so that the crowd doesn't dwindle over time.

[danefan]

with Joe Flacco at QB no less, also Ben Patrick (Arizona Cards) at TE and Omar Cuff at RB...... A real stunner

what was the name of the MLB for Albany for that game? he played a great game

Colin Disch. He had 15 tackles

[caribbeanhen]

Colin Disch. He had 15 tackles

thats him, thanks Danefan

[CFBfan]

My memory of the UD vs Bucknell game may be a bit fuzzy, but I seem to remember them doing a good job of exploiting the weaknesses they saw in our D and just falling short due to the difference in skill and talent.

I wouldn't be against seeing him as the new coach, but I don't think it will happen. I'm guessing that whoever is hired will either be a big name or a younger coach with a fresh take on on-field strategy. Coaching changes at UD don't happen very often, so whoever it is will pretty much guarantee a sell-out for the opening game of the season, the administration just needs to make sure they can put an exciting and productive team on the field so that the crowd doesn't dwindle over time.

So somewhat to your point, bringing in Susan (or a Susan) would not be why you would fire Keeler
(or a Keeler)