Maynard knows what he is doing. It's been no secret that the UCLA program has been in a slump the past ten years. The staff needs revitalization because the top notch recruits HS recruits continue to attend.
Curran is not leaving. His position has been reorganized. He is an asset to the UCLA program. He has two other jobs - making surfing films and cutting music CD's. He is going to stay with the team as a volunteer. it's cool.
Curran took on the jumps events but that was simply not right. Athletes and alums were putting pressure on UCLA to find a true jumps coach. The writing was on the wall.
Hoyt is neither a no name nor is he mediocre... Just call Harry Marra, Dan O'Brian, Frank Zarnowski, Ashton Eaton, Briann Theisen, or Kevin Reid... They are in the know (not you) and they will explain what a coup Hiring Jack Hoyt is for UCLA's revitalization plan. UCLA doesn't give a rip about PAC 12 points BTW, they are focused on a national title.
Sharon Day was coached by Sheldon Blockberger at Cal Poly before Blockberger took the Arizona job and Hoyt took the Cal Poly job. Sharon Day broke her foot but Hoyt trained her through a year of rehab and soccer and she made the 2008 Olympic team as she graduated college. She is only 5' 8" and she jumped 6' 4". Hoyt then taught her 6 new events from scratch - events Day had not done in high school or college - and she has been ranked number 1 in the US in the heptathlon and made the Olympic team in a brand new event in 4 years' time. COACHES notice.
Blockberger has had seven national titles in the high jump and decathlon during that time. That looks dang good on paper! But he didn't even try to get Sharon Day into the heptathlon, nor did he try to get a hep/dec program going at Cal Poly. Hoyt did that. Sharon Day's little sister Jasmin Day went to Arizona for high jump, got injured and that was the end of that. Ask Sharon and Jasmin which coach they would recommend.
Blockberger coached Jake Arnold in the decathlon to a national title. Hoyt coached Chris Randolph to a national title in Div II with virtually the same score. But Randolph came in to college as a walk on with only experience in the high jump and 400 meters - not a blue chip. And his Div II college in Seattle had no track and crummy training weather.
Hoyt also recruited Jessica Pixler to Seattle Pacific just as he left the program for Cal Poly.
This year Hoyt coached two vaulters to almost 18 feet. He coached Aris Borjas to the Olympic Trials in the Javelin. Cal Poly is a distance program so he gets about 1.75 scholarships to work with for hep, dec, high jump, pole vault, shot, discus, Jav, hammer, men's and women's. He is still the coach whose athletes score strong at conference - many of them walk ons- and go to nationals. He may not be getting full ride athletes to pad his resume with national titles, but coaches in the know give him full respect.