First off, I’m generally a “stay the course” person when it comes to firing coaches provided I see a glimmer of hope. Since the Kush era, DE was probably the only coach I truly wanted gone... and I was embarrassed that we hired him in the first place. In the post Kush era, I’ve been through numerous ASU coaching searches and very few of them resulted in us getting somebody that most of us were really excited about. And the names that have been floated about as Todd’s replacement, save possibly for Sumlin, don’t move my needle very much. So I’m probably in the “retain Todd “ side of this question...but with some reservation.
I appreciate all the good things that Todd has brought to the program. And if I stretch my optimism a lot, I can see Todd someday maturing into a top-notch coach. I can’t guarantee it but I can see it as a possibility. Games like the Notre Dame game in SDS, the UW game this year and others give me tremendous hope.
However, when I let my pessimistic side take over, I see a Todd who frustrates the hell out of me. From the very beginning of his tenure here, I wondered why his recruiting seemed ill-focused. Or why he continued to blitz every other down once opponents got a read on his defense. Or why we too often look unprepared. So when I’m in a pessimistic mood, I wonder if retaining Todd will produce any different results than extending Herb or getting all lathered up over Rob Evans like we did after he took us to the NCAA tournament one year.
Unlike many of you, I have a very favorable impression of RA as our AD. I also appreciate what MC has done for the university. I don’t envy them the discussions that they must be having. And I don’t think for a moment that this is Ray’s decision alone. Whatever is decided will have MC’s blessing.
I think if this were me, I wouldn’t fire Todd. I might not extend him, either, unless I felt that not extending him would label him as a “lame duck” coach. If so, I would make the extension a one-year extension that was very favorable to ASU.
So...I have hope that retaining Todd will work out but I’m not 100% convinced. Which is why I’m so damn conflicted tonight.
But I’m really happy that we won today. And Stanford’s victory tonight was just icing on my cake.
I appreciate all the good things that Todd has brought to the program. And if I stretch my optimism a lot, I can see Todd someday maturing into a top-notch coach. I can’t guarantee it but I can see it as a possibility. Games like the Notre Dame game in SDS, the UW game this year and others give me tremendous hope.
However, when I let my pessimistic side take over, I see a Todd who frustrates the hell out of me. From the very beginning of his tenure here, I wondered why his recruiting seemed ill-focused. Or why he continued to blitz every other down once opponents got a read on his defense. Or why we too often look unprepared. So when I’m in a pessimistic mood, I wonder if retaining Todd will produce any different results than extending Herb or getting all lathered up over Rob Evans like we did after he took us to the NCAA tournament one year.
Unlike many of you, I have a very favorable impression of RA as our AD. I also appreciate what MC has done for the university. I don’t envy them the discussions that they must be having. And I don’t think for a moment that this is Ray’s decision alone. Whatever is decided will have MC’s blessing.
I think if this were me, I wouldn’t fire Todd. I might not extend him, either, unless I felt that not extending him would label him as a “lame duck” coach. If so, I would make the extension a one-year extension that was very favorable to ASU.
So...I have hope that retaining Todd will work out but I’m not 100% convinced. Which is why I’m so damn conflicted tonight.
But I’m really happy that we won today. And Stanford’s victory tonight was just icing on my cake.
