Coach Morgan fired - Time to pick a new coach

[TexGator]

So, who do we bring in to get the program pointed in the right direction?

[SportsGuy]

Kevin Barbay!

[WildCard]

New administration does the right thing!

[TexGator]

Kevin Barbay!

 

I like the idea of Barbay- he's from the area, knows the schools, and has worked at Lamar (and SFA, so 2 Southland schools) for multiple years.

 

It feels too obvious to hire him, though.

[TexGator]

Thoughts on Jim Svoboda, OC at Tulane?

Went 52–19 at Nebraska Wesleyan... and 82-37 (or so) in his first decade at Central Missouri (before COVID and a rough year)... but we see the difference in Tulane's first year with him running the offense.

[lamarfan360]

I like the idea of Barbay- he's from the area, knows the schools, and has worked at Lamar (and SFA, so 2 Southland schools) for multiple years.

 

It feels too obvious to hire him, though.

 

Barbay is a Lamar alumnus too.

[coachacola]

Couple of young coaches at FBS schools probably in the right salary range:

 

Willy Korn, Co-Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks coach at Coastal Carolina.

https://goccusports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/willy-korn/2162

 

Will Stein, , Co-Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks coach at UTSA.

https://goutsa.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/will-stein/1298

[WildCard]

The administration has made a habit of bringing in people from Marshall for other jobs so I checked their coaching staff. I'll toss out a name; Marshall's DC is McNeese grad, Lance Guidry. https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/lance-guidry/773

[lamarfan360]

The administration has made a habit of bringing in people from Marshall for other jobs so I checked their coaching staff. I'll toss out a name; Marshall's DC is McNeese grad, Lance Guidry. https://herdzone.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/lance-guidry/773

 

Negative, he was head coach at McNeese for three years. Was unsuccessful.

[geezer]

Negative, he was head coach at McNeese for three years. Was unsuccessful.

I don't care one way or the other, but not having success in his first head coach gig shouldn't be a disqualifier, but should send up red flags that need to be carefully looked at. Personally, I would be more in favor of an OC or head coach that has proven some success at a D-II level minimum.

[geezer]

I wish Morgan the best in the future and sorry he didn't work out successfully at Lamar, but I am glad that it appears O'Malley was ready to make the move immediately and allready has a search firm hired. If my memory is any good, which it isn't, the last time it was maybe a week after they terminated Schultz before they hired a consultant.

[NorthoftheBorder]

Never want to see someone unsuccessful and fired, so I am sad for Morgan and wish him well. That said, something had to be done or we were really in danger of losing the program again at the pace we were on. We will find out if our President and AD know a damn thing about athletics based on this hire. It is critical to bring in someone who has the ability to turn around a program and right the ship before they leave for greener pastures. We need a great coach for about 5 years to get us to where we want to be. In the age of million dollar NIL deals, It is harder than ever to run a great FCS program.

[puddin tane]

Trying to write with the apostrophe gremlin lurkin

 

Gotta admit, ida lost money on this. I figured one more year.

[puddin tane]

Never want to see someone unsuccessful and fired, so I am sad for Morgan and wish him well. That said, something had to be done or we were really in danger of losing the program again at the pace we were on. We will find out if our President and AD know a damn thing about athletics based on this hire. It is critical to bring in someone who has the ability to turn around a program and right the ship before they leave for greener pastures. We need a great coach for about 5 years to get us to where we want to be. In the age of million dollar NIL deals, It is harder than ever to run a great FCS program.

 

yup

 

and it seems quite a few of this years team are already hitting the portal.

[KATatonic]

yup

 

and it seems quite a few of this years team are already hitting the portal.

 

I really hope whoever you get turns the program around. I don't know squat, but it seems like you never really had institutional buy-in from the administration for the beginning. Just reading the posts tells me it seems like that may change.

[LU17]

Thank you LU Administration!

[coachacola]

It's a good sign LU didn't sit on their hands deciding what to do. Now comes the easy part - quickly picking the right coach so they have time to recruit good players.

[PeckEm]

I like the idea of Barbay- he's from the area, knows the schools, and has worked at Lamar (and SFA, so 2 Southland schools) for multiple years.

 

It feels too obvious to hire him, though.

 

What head coaching experience does he have?

[PeckEm]

I don't care one way or the other, but not having success in his first head coach gig shouldn't be a disqualifier, but should send up red flags that need to be carefully looked at. Personally, I would be more in favor of an OC or head coach that has proven some success at a D-II level minimum.

Yes it should be a disqualifier. I agree with latter portion but head coach, no assistants

[PeckEm]

yup

 

and it seems quite a few of this years team are already hitting the portal.

 

For the most part, I do not care about the portal. It is something every school has to deal with now. And if they are leaving a 1-9 team, maybe it is best they leave.

[TexGator]

Negative, he was head coach at McNeese for three years. Was unsuccessful.

 

21–12 isn't exactly "unsuccessful"- the only qualifier is that Viator got the ULM job and Guidry wasn't as successful as his predecessor.

[lamarfan360]

Well there is something up when an administration fires a coach who is an alumnus with 12 years on staff and a 21-12 record as a head coach.

[coachacola]

Kevin Barbay bio - https://appstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/kevin-barbay/1164

[NorthoftheBorder]

My take on the coaching search: nobody should be excluded because they know someone at LU, but no one should be hired because they know someone. The absolute best coach should be hired! The good ole boy system has for the most part kept LU athletics mediocre for most of the last 60 years. The only

[PeckEm]

Couple of young coaches at FBS schools probably in the right salary range:

 

Willy Korn, Co-Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks coach at Coastal Carolina.

https://goccusports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/willy-korn/2162

 

Will Stein, , Co-Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks coach at UTSA.

https://goutsa.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/will-stein/1298

No and No.