2014 College Track and Field Open Coaching Positions Discussion

Ross Richardson

I have always felt that if an athletic program has a solid assistant coach, then why go hire someone elses assistant coach. If Notre Dame can't get a someone with pretty major head coaching experience why the heck wouldn't they at least make Tim Connelly "interim" head coach, give the guy a year to see how well he does, then re-post next spring if they don't like what they see. This just doesn't make any sense to me.

I am a collegiate coach (DI) and it was surprising to me how many of my head coaching colleagues at Division I were not at all interested in Notre Dame. What does that say? It had nothing to do with academic standards as those are a plus for any elite school. I think Notre Dame's hype is more than its actual reality in cc/track. Very good team, win conference championships, but stop there.

Would like to hear others thoughts as we get down to the final weeks of summer and job searching.

Tim Connelly has not done very well with the women's program, considering the resources they have and the recruits they get. Should be a top five or ten team every year and they often don't even make nationals. This is why he is not being considered for the head job.

Connelly is a very good coach - among the best in the nation for women's distance. He is a model for consistency. Ignorance just oozes out of a comment like "considering the resources." What do you understand about resources? All fully-funded D1 programs get 18 scholarships for the women. Notre Dame has national-class hurdlers, long sprinters, vaulters, and distance runners. They have a very balanced program and Connelly does very well with what I am assuming is a "fair" allotment of scholarship money for a school that will cost $62K next year to attend and has admissions standards that are about as inflexible as they come. Connelly is a stand-up guy, and great coach who has done well by all of his athletes. Shut your mouth.

Mendal wrote:

Fairfield has their guy... be announced next week.

There's some money in the "Gold Coast." This job has some potential if funded decently. Any info on who got interviews?

AD wants nothing to do with track. Fairfield has zero interest in funding the cross country program either. It's in an ideal spot with all that money floating around. New coach is an adjunct professor from a nearby school - no coaching experience at the college level. Probably part-time. Go figure. But it's certainly not the only school in that spot.

Western Illinois appears to be filled... seems like an interesting hire.

A good coach doesn't tell the parents of one of his athletes that their daughter is a mess (wording it kindly).

Those parents let the ND administration know they didn't appreciate Connelly's choice of words toward their child.

Administrations at big athletic departments don't deal well with drama coming from the non-revenue sports... they've got enough on their hands with football/basketball.

This might be why he wasn't considered for the HC role.

Yes, I believe Matt will stay in Peoria. They are hosting the Regional again this year. Missouri assistant was promised before Burns was hired that she still had a job, so no opening for assistant at Mizzu.

With Iowa distance turning out the way it did, that was the only other place I could see him leaving Bradley for with the success and talent they have on the team right now.

uhaul wrote:

A good coach doesn't tell the parents of one of his athletes that their daughter is a mess (wording it kindly).

Those parents let the ND administration know they didn't appreciate Connelly's choice of words toward their child.

Administrations at big athletic departments don't deal well with drama coming from the non-revenue sports... they've got enough on their hands with football/basketball.

This might be why he wasn't considered for the HC role.

There us a difference between what admins tell you they think about a coach saying something like that and the way they really think. Good admins get it and don't overreact. They understand that there are a lot of f-up kids and they usually result from F-Up parents. The problem is F-Up parents make the most noise because they are low class. So an experienced coach knows that sometimes they have to fall on the sword, take a fake "reprimand" in front of the parent to appease the parent and kill the drama. But in actuality the admin knows your daughter is a mess and all they say to the coach is word is softer next time.

Matt Esche spends a lot of time on this forum. Good luck buddy, hope you find a home.

Alan Turner head of ND

http://www.und.com/sports/c-xc/spec-rel/071814aaa.html

Looks like Notre Dame pulled Alan Turner back away from the Ole Miss job he had supposed taken.

http://www.und.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/071814aac.html

Turner not going anywhere. Now who to coach the distance runners?

I love how you call people out on this post, but then you hide behind an unknown name. Matt wouldn't post anything, he's actually pretty private guy. As someone that is close to the program and situation in Peoria, I know that Matt will stay one way or the other and that the Administration said he has a job no matter what, but he is a strong candidate for the Head job.

Matt has helped prove a lot as a coach over the past 4 years after putting in the years as low paid assistant and volunteers at various places. Either way he's got a home in Peoria, it's really up to him if he stays as assistant if they bring in a new head.

Find out the facts before just blurting things out next time...oh wait, you're posting on Let's Run Forum, a place where facts don't matter and speculation, hearsay, and rumor rule.

Matt Sparks - Southern Illinois to coach distance at ND

Ross Richardson what?

Abcdef wrote:

Ross Richardson

Sean Carlson

http://www.und.com/sports/c-track/mtt/carlson_sean00.html

ND Fanboy wrote:

Sean Carlson

http://www.und.com/sports/c-track/mtt/carlson_sean00.html

Not a chance that is happening.

Mid-west wrote:

ND Fanboy wrote:

Sean Carlson

http://www.und.com/sports/c-track/mtt/carlson_sean00.html

Not a chance that is happening.

Explain please....