It really depends on the expectations the school has for the program, doesn't it? Is the assignment to win trophies? Or is it to complement and enrich the student-athlete's academics? If it's the latter, presumably with a "just don't embarrass us" addendum, it's a much different job than if it were the former.
I would agree with you stphnsn! If the NW Athletic Admin. is comfortable funding that program to 60% relative to their in conference competitors (at sometimes 2X the cost) I would suspect the ONLY missive from that Ath. Dept. is to "be competitive and graduate all your kids". My uninformed opinion is that any candidate for this position would need to have "eyes wide open" when dealing with uniqueness of the job. All coaches coach because they love to win and although they also love their ability to enrich kids college experiences it is a Win/Loss game at the end of the season. As Bill Parcels used to say "you are what your record says you are!"
Vacant South Carolina (retirement after the spring) Northwestern (retirement after the spring) Radford (Chris Barrett - current interim) Filled Robert Morris - Jason O'Keefe (former Appalachian State HC) UTRGV - Bryheem Hancock (former Radford HC)
I don't think Northwestern mindset is different than any other Big Ten school. If you see what the football team is doing this year, their expectations are high and this is not your father's Northwestern. Just expected to do it with less $$$, higher academic standards and cost... but it's been proven it can be done. Almost a hybrid Ivy approach except you are in a conference with Maryland and Indiana. Won't ever be able to win a national championship but a Big Ten Championship once in a while and an occasional NCAA run most likely part of the expectations as they are at any other Big Ten school.
Why would Bryheen Hancock leave Radford for UTRGV? Surely it is much easier to win at Radford then at UTRGV, seems like it was a strange move to get rid of the last coach to begin with as he was doing well. Seemed like that would of been a good job for a D1 assistant who wanted to risk being a head coach, but leaving Radford for UTRGV seems a big risk for a sitting head coach, maybe they pay better, but recruiting there will be tougher then Radford.
Why would you let go a better coach than you hire at UTRGV? The coach you let go was doing a good job building the program. The Radford guy has done very little in his time there. In fact the program went backwards after inheriting a good program.
Don't know the situation but very much believe that something happened behind the scenes at UTRGV to not extend the contract at least through the season. From what I've heard the Radford job isn't full funded with only 1 full-time assistant, and UTRGV looks like they have a lot of support. Bryheem had a tough year last year due to their top 3 players being ruled ineligible, but I think he can create a good program there.
It was a full funded program until recently, which seemed COVID related. Not sure what they have now. Only been 1 full-time assistant for awhile. They should still have been better than every other Big South team apart from High Point and Campbell, who they should be competing with on a yearly basis, though that should no longer be the expectation.
Who's fault is that? A coach should know if/when players are there who is eligible and who isn't. If there is eligibility issues, shouldn't the coach adjust to sort that out so it doesn't hurt one year? Just thinking out loud.
Normally would agree with you but multiple players mentioned played games before being eligibility issues came up (one being Macky Diop I believe who scored a hat trick vs UNCG then was ruled ineligible the following week). Definitely on the coach, but can only do so much if the player isn't being honest about background
I am not sure that is the case. To the best of my knowledge they cut funding and that is why the previous coach (before Bryheem) left and then did so again over a year ago. It has been a number of years since they were fully scholarshiped.
SC thinking of cutting Men’s soccer; https://www.thestate.com/sports/col...h-carolina/usc-football/article247864800.html
Vacant South Carolina (retirement after the spring) Northwestern (retirement after the spring) Radford (Chris Barrett - current interim) Grand Canyon (retirement after the spring) Filled Robert Morris - Jason O'Keefe (former Appalachian State HC) UTRGV - Bryheem Hancock (former Radford HC)
Vacant South Carolina (retirement after the spring) Northwestern (retirement after the spring) Radford (Chris Barrett - current interim) Grand Canyon (retirement after the spring) Filled Robert Morris - Jason O'Keefe (former Appalachian State HC) UTRGV - Bryheem Hancock (former Radford HC) Utah Valley - Kyle Beckerman (former RSL/USMNT player)
Completely respectable program. Don't think the Beckerman hire is for PR (a la New Amsterdam FC hiring Eric Wynalda for about a week...) And we can't forget this gem:
https://goexplorers.com/news/2021/7/16/rob-irvine-steps-down-as-head-mens-soccer-coach.aspx La Salle is open
https://goexplorers.com/news/2021/8/9/taylor-thames-named-head-mens-soccer-coach.aspx La Salle filled with Taylor Thames