By many accounts, it's a good hire for Baylor. It's a guy who's rebuilt 2 programs. This is a whole different cat, though. Nowhere he's worked has had the issues Baylor has had and still might have if the NCAA decides to do something. The complete lack of ties in Texas isn't going to be a good thing but it can be overcome (see KC Keeler at Sam Houston for a good example). You don't get why people would seriously dislike a school who's 2 major scandals involved a player being murdered and another where multiple women were raped and had the school cover it up and protect the players...and have a large portion of it's fans back the sh**bag head coach who helped to cover it up?
If you guys are prepared to give Rhule a long leash, like 5-6 years of 8 or fewer wins, it may work out just fine. I just can't see a lifelong Northeastern guy (he has only spent 5 years of his life outside of NY-PA) coming down to Waco Texas and immediately setting the world on fire. Plus Rhule's Temple teams are basically the anti-thesis of Baylor's current roster makeup. I can't see the transition being smooth or accelerated unless the Big 12 sucks so bad that Baylor doesn't end up with much competition.
That's how I see it. Weird/bad fit. With the Big 12 it seems like you have to come in and play Big 12 ball or get buried. If you aren't slinging it you have to have better talent and we're not sure this guy can recruit Texas. But again, hopefully it works out for them.
Rhule is a good leader and coach. He doesn't do anything special or innovative but he has his players prepared and he leads them well. He got a 7 year deal because that it what it took to get him to agree to take the job. The situation at Baylor is toxic right now and the product on the field is going to really suffer the next 3-4 years. The recruiting class is not good. The 7 year contract doesn't mean he will be there 7 years, if Baylor isn't good in 2-3 years, there will be a lot of pressure to replace him. The facilities at Baylor are very nice and certainly good enough to complete with the top tier programs in the Big XII. There is also a lot of money and support for the football program, which overall is a good thing and if Baylor wins Rhule will be supported. Rhule has ties to NJ/PA and Florida. He has no ties to Texas and that is a major problem. He can rely on second tier talent out of Florida in a school like Temple, but not in the Big XII where most the talent comes from the state of Texas. Florida is already well mined by the Florida schools and the SEC. Rhule has to recruit well in Texas or he is toast. Recruiting in Texas is very must based on who you know.... it is why Briles recruited so well at Baylor. Rhule is about the quality of hire I expected Baylor to get based on the toxic situation. He is the right sort of hire though, he will not allow the kind of stuff that happened under Briles. He also knows how to coach, but I suspect that recruiting will do him in eventually.
The guy Rhule (I will probably type his name Ruhle, like Vern, 100 times before it sticks in my head) hired from UT, Jeff Traylor, is a madman when it comes to recruiting Texas. That was a great hire.
That was a critical hire then. Matt Rhule is basically a giant nobody in Texas football circles. He will need some heavy lifting done for him in this state.
Boy does it feel good to have a real head coach. 4* QB Myles Brennan (MS) scheduled a visit today for early 2017 and so has 4* CB Chris Henderson out of FL.
Nook - you don't want to eat crow and that's fine. Baylor was too toxic they said. They would have to settle for a losing head coach like Dykes they said. The facts are is that he turned down Missouri last season and chose Baylor over Oregon. He even met with Phil Knight
That's pretty weird though. Like Petersen turning down big jobs then taking Washington. What was his reasoning?
Art Briles sues Baylor officials for libel and conspiracy AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Former Baylor football coach Art Briles is suing three school regents and a vice president for libel and slander, accusing them of falsely stating he knew of reported assaults and alleged gang rapes by players and didn't report them. The lawsuit also asserts that Baylor officials conspired to keep him from getting another coaching job. Briles was fired last May after an investigation determined Baylor mishandled reports of alleged sexual and physical assaults, some by football players. Briles denies he knew about and failed to report alleged assaults. The lawsuit was filed in Llano County in Central Texas. It names Baylor regents Chairman Ronald Murff, board members J. Cary Gray and David Harper, and Baylor Vice President Reagan Ramsower. Baylor officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...briles-sues-baylor-officials-libel-conspiracy The lawsuit also asserts that Baylor officials conspired to damage his reputation and keep him from getting another coaching job. It also seeks damages for emotional distress and likely ending his career as a coach "on any level." "Some people think themselves above the law, but the laws of Texas establish accountability for everyone, even renegade, self-dealing regents of a Christian university," Briles' lawsuit states. The lawsuit accuses the regents and Ramsower of spreading false information through media interviews with Texas and national outlets on the advice of a recently hired media relations firm, G.F. Bunting + Co., which was not named as a defendant. Regents first told The Wall Street Journal in October that 17 women had reported domestic violence or sexual assaults that involved 19 football players since 2011, including four gang rapes. Those figures had never been disclosed to Briles when he was fired or during his settlement after he sued for wrongful termination, Briles' lawsuit said. Briles argues that releasing those figures was intended to falsely portray him as hiding knowledge of alleged attacks. Allegations that he knew about and failed to report the alleged attacks are "false" and created to "expose Coach Briles to public hatred, contempt, ridicule and cause him financial injury," the lawsuit says. "These defendants have been relentless in their false attacks upon Coach Briles in the media despite his repeated requests they cease and retract their onslaught of untruths," the lawsuit said. The Briles lawsuit notes the Pepper Hamilton report criticized said the university failed to set up proper investigation procedures. Regents are now trying to hide their failures by scapegoating Briles, the lawsuit says. "By their actions, the (Baylor officials) are allowing the alleged rapists and assaulters to walk free, thereby confirming that they are more interested in ruining Coach Briles' name, reputation and career than they ae bringing criminals to justice," the lawsuit said.
He may be a fantastic coach, but let's not pretend he was the name you were looking for. When you were talking weeks and months ago, you were talking guys like Les Miles and Tom Herman and names like that. Never once did you mention Rhule as the hot up and coming coach you wanted or thought Baylor would get.
I'm taking Rhule all day over Miles. That was me passing on rumors. Herman was my number one choice.. this guy might be better when it's said and done. Rhule is going to bring an interesting style to the Big 12. Miles could have been had. UH is gonna pass on him too
