Here is the sequence of events which resulted in the current state of affairs IMO;
1. The recruiting infractions result in the loss of a key recruiter and recruiting takes a back seat to NCAA rule compliance. Given Gol's age and short term focus, recruiting is not prioritized resulting in a drop in the recruiting talent from that of the 2010 class. Here is where the downward spiral begins.
2. Gol decides to reward the loyalty of his coordinator and makes the necessary moves to place him in a position to take over his job. Thus we have his successor being floated around key positions (recruiting, offensive line, OC) to gather experience and polish his resume. The program suffers from not having the best talent available to take over those positions.
3. Dr. Hitt makes a costly move to make Gol the interim AD thus erasing the checks and balances of power between the football program and the overall athletic department. As a result, Gol lost some of his incentive to perform up to expectations in order to keep his job, and to make things worse, the distractions of managing other athletic programs resulted in additional responsibilities and trust handed down to new and/or inexperienced coordinators.
4. The spiral of the program will probably result in Gol ditching the AD job to focus on the football program, as he may not want to leave on such a sour note. This will result in 2-3 more years of Gol as the HC and most of his coordinators. Due to the recruiting short falls in the past and more than likely future, and the lack of expertise at key coaching positions, the program will not raise above average, at best, for the duration of Gols tenure and more than likely for many years to come.
Solution
1. Convince Gol to retire after this season. He and his staff, have done an incredible job at UCF, all things considered. In the long term he will be remembered as the man who brought success in football to UCF.
2. Hire an AD - there is a reason why the position exists.
3. Start the search for the next phase in the history of football at UCF by hiring the right HC who will bring the necessary pieces together (recruiting, game day planning, experienced coordinators, student success off the field, etc) to ensure that we continue Gol's legacy and surpass it in the long term.
I hope Dr. Hitt acknowledges the cause and effect patterns of the current state of affairs. Given the large amount of funds, both internal and external, invested in athletics and specifically the football program, any decisions have to be made with the University's future in mind, not just personal relationships. We stand at a pivotal point in time and the next decisions made by Dr. Hitt will determine whether the program takes off to P5 glory or is forever left in the shadows of the G5.
1. The recruiting infractions result in the loss of a key recruiter and recruiting takes a back seat to NCAA rule compliance. Given Gol's age and short term focus, recruiting is not prioritized resulting in a drop in the recruiting talent from that of the 2010 class. Here is where the downward spiral begins.
2. Gol decides to reward the loyalty of his coordinator and makes the necessary moves to place him in a position to take over his job. Thus we have his successor being floated around key positions (recruiting, offensive line, OC) to gather experience and polish his resume. The program suffers from not having the best talent available to take over those positions.
3. Dr. Hitt makes a costly move to make Gol the interim AD thus erasing the checks and balances of power between the football program and the overall athletic department. As a result, Gol lost some of his incentive to perform up to expectations in order to keep his job, and to make things worse, the distractions of managing other athletic programs resulted in additional responsibilities and trust handed down to new and/or inexperienced coordinators.
4. The spiral of the program will probably result in Gol ditching the AD job to focus on the football program, as he may not want to leave on such a sour note. This will result in 2-3 more years of Gol as the HC and most of his coordinators. Due to the recruiting short falls in the past and more than likely future, and the lack of expertise at key coaching positions, the program will not raise above average, at best, for the duration of Gols tenure and more than likely for many years to come.
Solution
1. Convince Gol to retire after this season. He and his staff, have done an incredible job at UCF, all things considered. In the long term he will be remembered as the man who brought success in football to UCF.
2. Hire an AD - there is a reason why the position exists.
3. Start the search for the next phase in the history of football at UCF by hiring the right HC who will bring the necessary pieces together (recruiting, game day planning, experienced coordinators, student success off the field, etc) to ensure that we continue Gol's legacy and surpass it in the long term.
I hope Dr. Hitt acknowledges the cause and effect patterns of the current state of affairs. Given the large amount of funds, both internal and external, invested in athletics and specifically the football program, any decisions have to be made with the University's future in mind, not just personal relationships. We stand at a pivotal point in time and the next decisions made by Dr. Hitt will determine whether the program takes off to P5 glory or is forever left in the shadows of the G5.
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