[Husker] Monte Kiffin ?

[weldoc at juno.com]

Rome's final thought on the matter was that "If they wanted to hire a NFL
coach, Kiffin was the one to hire.  He was and is far, far more respected
than Bill Callahan."

Monte Kiffin was 63 at the time of the last coaching change.  He is 67 or
68 now.  He is one of the most respected coaches, and one of the most
respected defensive minds in the NFL.  Hiring him now would mean bringing
in a great coach, but for how long?  Maybe until Turner is ready.  --
Dave Strong
________________________

I have mixed feelings on this. 

Was "The Callahan Experiment" basically a failure because of 

1) He failed as a coach ? (0-16 record if losing at halftime, etc.)

or

2) NFL means & methods don't work so well in college ball ? (players more
emotional, don't keep 1st string in constantly, one loss is more
devastating to ratings, complicated schemes take too long to learn, etc.)


I'm not expert enough to know, but I suspect 2) is more key here. If so,
unless Kiffin would be willing to shift gears and coach with a 
college-level mentality, I don't know how much more successful he'd be. 

His name surely strikes a great deal of respect, though. Too bad indeed
that it wasn't him in place of BC at the end of the Solich era. Then we
would have found out sooner if ab NFL coach can be equally successful
coaching at the college level.

Bill Laughlin
Wichita, KS

P.S. I think it was Sports Ill. (but could have been Sporting News -- I
get them both)--that had an interesting article a few issues back wherein
the writer looked at the relative successes of several college coaches.
In particular he singled out two -- Urban Meyer and another (don't
recall) and attributed a lot of their success, in a quick turnarounds, to
the way they deal with players.

The statement was made that today's Gen-Y players need a ton more
"family-type" time with the coach, a more family-atmosphere approach,
etc. and that they do not respond to more traditional means of
motivation. Not only has Meyer learned this but apparently he's a master
AT it. Something BC (M. Kiffin ?) may not easily accept.