1st off, where in that article does it say that they are splitting the program. Also, what about the current sprint coach, Karen Dennis. She has head coaching experience, and would help with any title nine/minority issues as well. Is she a serious canidate, at least for the women's side?
He said he informed athletics director Gene Smith of his plan. His retirement will be effective Sept. 30.
The past 13 seasons Rogers was coach of the men’s and the women’s teams, but he said Smith intends to hire a men’s coach and a women’s coach.
"I am happy about that," Rogers said.
It is right in the middle of the article and someone who said he (or she) was a member of the OSU team said they told them in the team meeting they would have separate head coaches.
If you are concerned about minority / Title IX issues and you don't know Darryl Anderson and Connie Price-Smith, then you have missed the boat.
I have no idea (nor does probably any one else, right now) if Karen Dennis will have a shot. I don't think she fared very well administratively at her last two jobs (UNLV and Mich State). I do think she did a pretty good job on the track, though. She had some very successful women at UNLV.
But this is all speculation, I will say this, I would be very surprised if this is handled any way, except the right way.
(If you read the article, notice Russ thanks John Cooper for letting the football guys run. OSU fans hated John Cooper and he has been gone for quite a while. Obviously Tressel and Russ didn't cooperate on the Football - Track front. Football players win you Big 10 championships on the track. They are "free points" that you can't get back with only 12.6 track scholarships. He won when he had them and struggled when he didn't.)
Todays' press release...
Subject: Ohio State to Separate Men's and Women's Track and Field Coaching Staffs
June 6, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Track and Field/OSU
Ohio State to Separate Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Coaching Staffs Search begins immediately for two new head coaches COLUMBUS, Ohio – Miechelle Willis, senior associate athletics director at Ohio State, announced Tuesday the department will replace retired head coach Russ Rogers with separate head coaches for both the men’s and women’s programs. Rogers, who retired Monday, served as head coach for both teams since 1994. “We believe having separate coaching staffs for the men’s and women’s programs will maximize the recruitment and development for both genders of our student-athletes,” Willis said. “It enables both programs to grow toward competing consistently at the national level.” Women’s track and field was first implemented in 1982 under then-head coach Mamie Rallins. Rallins stepped down in 1993, leading to Rogers taking over duties for both teams. The men’s team first competed in 1921. Rogers started as men’s coach in 1989 and was the sixth head coach in OSU men’s track and field history. A search for both the men’s and women’s head coach positions will begin immediately.
Take into account a couple things:
1. Karen Dennis has a lot of coaching experience and the sprinters (Although dreadfully slow) really like her. Not sure how you get fired from UNLV as a black female? Swas also the 2000 Olympic coach.
That is a nice feather.
If she does get the job, the women's distance team will continue to stink; they currently do not have a coach (Myers quit last week as well).
2. Gary loves OSU; this is absolutely his dream job and he is done running in another month or two. Do not worry about the his aggressiveness or energy. I can't see him lobbying for it though. Also, like another posted cited, the guy is an Olympian alum. Also a nice feather. He is only 33 though!
Unfortunately, I believe Gary might be left in the cold, while Dennis walks right into the head position. Can you imagine how many coaches will apply for this!
Robert Gary and Karen Dennis would not be pursuing the same position. There is going to be a Head Coach for the Women and a Head Coach for the Men.
What you do bring up is another interesting piece though and that is the Assistant Coaches. In the past, in T&F, when a new Head Coach is hired they usually take over the previous staff. In many other sports when a new Head Coach takes over, they bring in their own staff.
If you are going to be expected to win, shouldn't you have your own people in place? (Don't just apply this to OSU, but to any Head Coaching position...)
Steve Rainbolt would be awesome!
I agree.
I would say Gary would have to apply for the Head Track position. With the split programs, the reality is that if Gary doesn't get the head position, he will be at the mercy of the newly-appointed Head Men's Track coach. I think Van Gogh was saying that K Dennis would be the Head Women's Track coach, while Gary is hoping to be kept on. While there are tons of lazy coaches, college athletics can be a pretty tough business at times and it seems fairly random.
You're right Rainbolt would be an awesome candidate, look at his team success everywhere he's been and he does have an Ohio background.
I think Gary would do a fantastic job and hopefully his loyalty to the program gets paid back.
OSU needs to get rid of everyone there except Gary and begin anew.
To Educated Guess:
Finally someone who actually knows about college coaching, and how things go down. Great posts.
How about Dennis Mitchell from Akron for the women's head coach position? I think that the entire staff from Akron sent to Ohio State for women would be pretty impressive.
Dennis Mitchell has done a nice job at Akron with the women but their men have never been that great. Why is that? Are they fully funded?
How many coaches do they have? They could only have 3 with a single program at OSU right?
Karen Dennis is not in high regards by most in the athletic department. Most likely unfair, but many see her as a friend of Rogers who was hired because Russ was too lazy to do a search. Her previous firings do not help her case for a Head Coaching position.
Present assistants Doyle, Mannon, & Gary all do a good job of on the field coaching and could be retained by one of the head coaches.
Akron is performing at a level higher than the MAC. Place them at Ohio State with more resources and facilities and name recognition and they could be performing at a level higher than the Big 10.
I'll agree that Akron performed at a high level this year with the women, now they graduate a large amount of their points. I'd say their facilities are the same or better than OSU (Akron has better indoor, OSU has better outdoor). I still wonder why their guys haven't been very good.
Back to the topic at hand ... Who would be a better candidate, a mid-major head coach or a major D1 asst coach?
Mitchell would probably do a good job with the women. It's too bad that he is roundly disliked by most that come in contact with him! Why aren't Akron's men any better?
If you are looking for a women's coach from the MAC you shoudl go with Sue Parks at Ball State. She's a winner in track & field and has had some very good distance individuals.
Buckeye Bob wrote:
Back to the topic at hand ... Who would be a better candidate, a mid-major head coach or a major D1 asst coach?
Don't forget OSU's arrogance. They see all of their coaching positions in all sports as one of the top 2-3 respectively in the country. Unless there is an OSU connection, I can't see them even interviewing anyone except a very successful head coach from a high profile program.
The only person who would tout Dennis Mitchell for this job is Dennis Mitchell. It's not hard to do well in the MAC on the women's side because it's not all that great a conference. If you examine the points that Akron scored at MAC, the credit really goes to Scott Jones and LaShaunte Edwards. They should get an award for putting up with Dennis. I'd give their throws coach some props if he wasn't such a horses patoot. The event that Dennis coaches (PV) isn't that impressive on the women's side despite the $$ spent there.
Splitting the program is a great idea if the right coaches are hired. I don't think I would hire Chad Meyers as the women's distance coach, but I would be trying to keep Robert Gary as the men's distance coach.
"Don't forget OSU's arrogance. They see all of their coaching positions in all sports as one of the top 2-3 respectively in the country. Unless there is an OSU connection, I can't see them even interviewing anyone except a very successful head coach from a high profile program."
hmmm. so interviewing only very successful, high-profile coaches is a very bad idea all of a sudden? and holding yourself to a high standard is bad thing in competitive endeavors?
It may have not received much mention, but that's the second big shake-up in the Big 10 this week. Walt Drenth was given the reigns of both the mens and womens programs at Michigan State after Goodman was let go. (Gatson was fired early in the indoor season). If Gary winds up with the OSU job, that might be enough to awaken two dormant programs in the Big 10, making it perhaps the most competitive conference this side of the SEC (in track and field, it's already the most dominant on the grass).
not a vindictive ohioan wrote:
hmmm. so interviewing only very successful, high-profile coaches is a very bad idea all of a sudden? and holding yourself to a high standard is bad thing in competitive endeavors?
Where did you get it was bad? Not at all in this situation. To me it means the idea of bringing in the entire staff of a MAC school like Akron, or giving a head position to Karen Dennis because she is there, are laughable to OSU.