A Case for Bill Clark to AU

[AUDub 11,784]

5 minutes ago, CoffeeTiger said:

I have no idea how clark would do recruiting at Auburn, but according to 247, UAB's averaged about the 8th place recruiting class in C-USA every year Clark's been there. Napier and Louisiana for reference has had the top Sun Belt class for 2 of his 3 years. 

 

Does that mean anything? Probably not, but its a data point regardless. 

It's G5 so it isn't really a 1 to 1 comparison when it comes to translating to P5. Basically racing to see who can sign the most 3 stars.

At worst it's an unknown for both. 

[aubearcat 2,153]

So, for those that believe Clark would be an acceptable hire, why has no other P5 schools tried to hire him? Neither of the Mississippi schools, not Missouri, Arkansas, South Carolina, or heck, Vanderbilt. 

[AUDub 11,784]

Just now, aubearcat said:

So, for those that believe Clark would be an acceptable hire, why had no other P5 schools tried to hire him? Neither of the Mississippi schools, not Missouri, Arkansas, South Carolina, or heck, Vanderbilt. 

Not much interest from his side of the aisle until now. He was content at UAB. Seems he's opened up now that we're calling though. 

[aubearcat 2,153]

I’m sure if AUburn had lucked into hiring Mario, Oregon wasn’t going to run out and sign up Clark before someone else. 

[aubiefifty 18,113]

6 minutes ago, DAG said:

Correct l. I don’t care what anyone says, his rebuild of UAB is remarkable. Majority of coaches would have the CKS record at UAB. I firmly believe if Auburn gives him the autonomy and resources needed to be successful he absolutely can be. I think he is smart enough to know he needs “sharks” at this level. My issue is the leaders don’t seem to want to do that or give anybody that flexibility and want to force people on our coaches. Heck supposedly they did the same thing with Bruce Pearl. The problem was nobody would touch BP as a HC, so he had no leverage .

someone one on this board said he was forced to hire chuck. not sure if it is true but look where that got us. now we are apparently hurting kids who never got a chance to paly a single game. i just do not understnad why some folks at auburn allow these folks to do the damage they do.

[aubearcat 2,153]

However, some of those schools did at least interview Napier. We can’t be so downtrodden to think that AU should be happy to get a coach that literally nobody else in the conference even interviewed. 

[Randman5000 4,265]

We win a NC and finish runner up and this is the best we can do? Laughing stock. 

We may need him because we won't have much of a program left. We know he can handle that job.

[aubearcat 2,153]

This feels like a Tot situation. No coach was going to take a job at a place on probation along with booster interference. The story was oh he’s been great at Samford. 

[tigeraddikt 1,647]

42 minutes ago, Randman5000 said:

We win a NC and finish runner up and this is the best we can do? Laughing stock. 

We may need him because we won't have much of a program left. We know he can handle that job.

We won a natty 10 yrs ago with the best offensive and defensive players in the country that yr, with a good bit of luck and an ability to stop the run. We got runner-up 3 yrs later bc we had the perfect ingredients to run a then-relevant HUNH attack that had not yet been neutered by rule changes, as well as one of the top edge rushers and some more luck.

Look, the perception of AU football is that we are wholly consumed by the shadow of Saban and Bama. We have to share a state, conference, and division with Emperor Nicky I, and that is perceived to choke the life out of the opportunity to consistently win here at this time. Add in the meddlesome politics and power plays, and it should be absolutely no wonder why it is difficult to seal a bigger-name replacement HC. Reality sucks.

As the OP, I stand firmly by my views on Bill Clark. Having said that, I've said all along that AG needs to get his ass on a plane to Lynchburg and not come back without Dani Freeze. 

[ToomersStreet 795]

2 hours ago, ClaytonAU said:

“Hi recruit’s parents! I’m Nick Saban, I’ve had success at LSU and Bama obviously and put hundreds of players in the NFL”

“Hi recruit’s parents! I’m Kirby Smart, I’ve had success at UGA and learned from the guy who you just talked to who was also successful!”

“Hi I’m Bill Clark I was a good high school coach and resurrected UAB”

 

one of these is unlike the other two. 

Solid points however let me throw one in there.

“Hi recruit’s parents! I’m Gus Malzahn, I’ve had success at as a high school coach coordinator at Tulsa and Auburn and have a stale inept offense designed for high school.  I have a proven track record of being unable to develop talent on the offensive side of the ball and will lose at least four games a season. 

 

Yet his worst recruiting class was ranked 12th

 

[The Freak 2,537]

1 minute ago, ToomersStreet said:

Solid points however let me throw one in there.

“Hi recruit’s parents! I’m Gus Malzahn, I’ve had success at as a high school coach coordinator at Tulsa and Auburn and have a stale inept offense designed for high school.  I have a proven track record of being unable to develop talent on the offensive side of the ball and will lose at least four games a season. 

 

Yet his worst recruiting class was ranked 12th

 

You may have missed last Tuesday's results.

[ToomersStreet 795]

Just now, The Freak said:

You may have missed last Tuesday's results.

Oh Im fully aware but I am not counting COVID year.  Gus does not utilize the tight end but somehow convinces them to sign.  Ruins QBs but still get solid ones to sign.  Gus has to be in person to recruit but was unable to do that this year.  I will point out for all of his fans, that say he didnt recruit well enough to compete yearly with Bama or UGA, that wasnt a talent gap that was Gus neglecting his oline

[The Freak 2,537]

2 minutes ago, ToomersStreet said:

Oh Im fully aware but I am not counting COVID year.  Gus does not utilize the tight end but somehow convinces them to sign.  Ruins QBs but still get solid ones to sign.  Gus has to be in person to recruit but was unable to do that this year.  I will point out for all of his fans, that say he didnt recruit well enough to compete yearly with Bama or UGA, that wasnt a talent gap that was Gus neglecting his oline

He had the same challenges as everyone else.  Can't take the year off because of covid.  Can't ignore the results either.

[gr82b4au 5,569]

What are his qualities? Can he recruit? Is he a master play caller?  Can he recruit? Is he a defensive guy? Can he recruit? 

[autkidd1345162876 4]

6 minutes ago, gr82b4au said:

What are his qualities? Can he recruit? Is he a master play caller?  Can he recruit? Is he a defensive guy? Can he recruit? 

Navigate extremely political waters and come out the other side. 

[PoetTiger 1,901]

28 minutes ago, The Freak said:

He had the same challenges as everyone else.  Can't take the year off because of covid.  Can't ignore the results either.

He needs Auburn and the campus to help him close. He is not as charismatic as Saban and does not have the used car slang of Kirby. COVID hurt and took away his greatest recruiting skill - which was getting kids to Auburn. Therefore the class suffered. 

[chizhead 618]

Bill Clark is the SOB that directed his players to go to ala instead of AU, tore up letter and disrespected AU at every opportunity...damn bill clark

[Swamp Eagle 5,214]

4 hours ago, tigeraddikt said:

1. He built Prattville into a team that was able to beat Hoover when Propst owned 6A HS football in the state. I think we can all see the parallel to Saban and Bama.

2. He kept the JSU machine rising after Jack Crowe got it launched about 10 years ago.

3. UAB was buried under Garrick McGee. He was a horrible HC that put them behind even further than where they were under Neal Calloway. For Bill Clark to come in and resurrect that entire thing top to bottom, THEN keep it on life support when they were self-buried, to win multiple CUSA titles with a bunch of 1 and 2 star players...are you kidding me? 

He would have AU relevant and able to consistently hold their own against the Bama machine. Wouldn't happen overnight, but this AU program is nothing close to a total rebuild. What he provides, accountability, is what Gus sorely lacked and what AU surely needs.

Some say he got too much bama in him..

[autan 805]

AU will never hire a big-time coach because of the power guys.  Yet for several years fans have been fantasizing about firing Gus and arguing over which top ten coach we should hire for this dream job.  People all over this country are in an alternate reality right now.

[augolf1716 21,939]

Well before he was at UAB he was one of the biggest turd fans around. Steered all his best players at Prattville away from Auburn the best he could. So that's who we may get for a coach.

God I can't wait.....................

[WDE0007 166]

I had to dust off the ol' cobwebs just to say: 

Do not be so naive and dense. Coaching a high school and UAB to championships is nowhere near the same thing as leading an SEC program to championships. Especially when you have NO prior SEC experience. When Gus was hired, he at least did have SEC experience and won a conference + national championship as an offensive coordinator. You cannot justify hiring Bill Clark. So stop.

[eagle63 14]

It seems evident that no matter whose name is brought up, this board is going to trash them.  I'm not even sure Nick Sabin would satisfy them.  We need to get behind the person that is hired and give them a chance.

[aubiefifty 18,113]

the latest rumor on auburn groups on facebook are saying clark turned us down...........nothing to back it other than the rumor.......

[tigeraddikt 1,647]

1 minute ago, augolf1716 said:

Well before he was at UAB he was one of the biggest turd fans around. Stirred all his best players at Prattville away from Auburn the best he could. So that's who we may get for a coach. 

Yeah, and then the Bama Board unceremoniously tried to swirl his program down the crapper right after he took the job, leaving him twisting in the wind. It was his pavement pounding and incessant calling and behind-the-scenes campaigning that not only sparked the groundswell of support against Ray Watts and the decision to shutter football, but he also almost single-handedly chaired the campaign to raise the financial support from whatever boosters UAB football had. He got a freaking brand new stadium out of the deal, something that the Bammers that controlled UAB athletics had basically said "when hell freezes over" at for YEARS. The Bama PTB have done him zero favors since he's been on the South Side. He has worked his ass off at (re-)birthing that program.

I'd say he's a reformed "bammer-no-more" at worst and would love NOTHING more than to stick it up their candy a$$e$.

[Trakem 86]

Is this Bill Clark?