[NU Sports] Fitz' future

[Michael Vance]

At 11/27/2005 01:41 PM, Mike Nolan wrote:
>Why could Vanderlinden do a good job of grooming Fitz and Walker not
>do the same thing?  I think Fitz is a few years away from being ready
>to move up to DC.  Unfortunately, I don't know if Walker can wait that
>long to do something about the quality of his defensive teams.

Since this whole discussion of Fitz as heir apparent began, there's been 
one thing nagging at me: Is it realistic, or even desirable, to expect Fitz 
to spend the remainder of his coaching career at NU?  And actually, would 
it be best for him and the program to do that or would it be better for him 
to learn from as many people as he can, perhaps taking the LB or DC job 
under an established defensive guru (any names are escaping me at the 
moment) before returning to NU as DC or Head Coach?

I see some substantial problems with the idea of him staying at NU for the 
duration:

1) For him to move up, Greg Colby would have to move out.  For that to 
happen, the defense would either have to not improve significantly, 
resulting in Colby's firing, or it would have to improve drastically, 
resulting in Colby getting a higher-prestige DC or head coaching offer.

2) In the first of these scenarios (the defense not improving), it's 
doubtful that we would continue to win enough games for Walker to keep his 
job.  If Walker gets canned, the whole staff probably goes with him.  There 
are always exceptions to that, and out of everyone on the current coaching 
staff, Fitz would be the most likely to be retained by a new coach.  But 
it's still unlikely.

3) If the defense improves enough for Colby to keep his job, but for 
whatever reason not move on to another opportunity, that leaves Fitz stuck 
at a position coaching spot indefinitely.  He would have to look for a DC 
job elsewhere.

4) Once Colby is gone, he would still have to wait out Walker 
retiring.  The same rules apply.  If we continue to be a winning program, 
Fitz would probably be a hot commodity on the coaching market.  If we lose, 
especially because of defensive woes, then Fitz "loses," too.  Would he 
have the patience to wait out Walker's retirement, even for the head 
coaching job at his alma mater?  Maybe, maybe not.  Would the money and 
potential prestige of a head coaching job elsewhere be to much to resist?

A lot of coaches start out their coaching careers at their alma mater, as a 
grad assistant or low-level position coach, and then move on, intending to 
return.  Sometimes that happens, sometimes it doesn't.  One example that we 
are all familiar with is Gary Barnett.  Writers on this list have often 
said that GB is in his "dream job" at Colorado.  But if you remember from 
his book (for those who haven't burned it), his dream job is actually at 
his alma mater, Missouri.  CU is just a very close second.  Would GB ditch 
Colorado for Missouri if he was offered the job today?  Who knows.

Personally, I would have no problem with Fitz leaving to take a DC position 
elsewhere, especially if it was under a head coach or at a school with a 
strong defensive tradition.  Aside from the fact that he'd be on the other 
side of the field, I would even understand if he went to PSU as LB coach if 
JoePa retired and Vandy moved up to DC.  It is "Linebacker U."  I don't see 
that happening -- I don't think he'd go to another Big Ten school, although 
working for VanderLinden would be tempting -- but something along those 
lines is perfectly within the realm of possibility.  I wouldn't even mind 
him getting his first head coaching experience somewhere else and then 
coming back with that under his belt.  It would be a shame to lose him for 
the years he was gone, but it might pay off in the long run.

Any thoughts?

-Michael