What if...Larry Kehres, Mount Union coach

[Akron1]

What would it take from The U of A to get him?Would he be the right fit?Is now the right time for Kehres to cash in and take such a job?

[ZachTheZip]

It's not going to happen under any circumstances.

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

I'm not sure what small college coaches make these days. I also don't know what UA's plans really are for this program. I have been voicing my hopes about their plans, but none of us knows where they see this program 5 and 10 years from now. If I'm in my own little slice of college football heaven the way Kehres is, I would surely want to know the answers to those questions before I'd commit to any MAC program. Is UA going to continue to be a low-rent low-budget program where coaches "take a shot" at success and much bigger paydays as soon as they can bust out? Or will UA become a place where a winner can be well-compensated and settle in for the long term as UA grows into bigger and better?

[zip37]

I'm confident that LK has had MANY offers from richer schools than Akron, and has not left, I therefore conclude that there are 2 chances of LK leaving Mt. Union, and Slim has left the building.I believe LK is in the top 3 coaches in the US at any level; just as Caleb is.

[72 Roo]

If I could get Kehres out of Mount I would give a run at him. He run a program as sophisticated as any in D1. He is disciplined, demands a lot of his players and develops each to their max potential. He never gets out-coached and is close enough to commute to Akron. He has a staff of 13 of which four are paid. The rest volunteer just to be part of what he is doing. Most of his volunteer assistants come from D! programs and many have HC or pro experience. He would make more money at Akron, but he is a guy who money holds no allure. Can't made a serious run at him years ago. He was not impressed by the money. That may portend that we can't get him, but I'd still try if he says he would talk.Most people would kill TW if he made that hire. For me, I think he is just what we need, he'd stay until retiring and could take us to beyond our dreams.Nice discussion topic. Thanks for starting it.

[Jalapeño Zippy]

Seriously? Kehres is a great coach, but he doesn't have to recruit, all scholarships are academic and talent trips over itself to be coached by him and by talent I mean D3 talent. He would be lost in D1 with all the variables attached at this level and frankly at his age, I highly doubt he cares to take the time to learn.

[ZippyTuba11]

If perhaps many years ago, Akron was in the same position it is in now, LK may make the move. But now? There is no reason for him to leave. He has dynasty there. I don't think you could convince somebody to leave an amazing success like that for the stress and uncertainty that is Akron Football. Especially since he is, IIRC, 59 years old and probably close to retirement. If I were him, I'd go out on top with the best football program in college football, than risk taking on an Akron team that may not turn into a success.

[Dr Z]

I hear that Terry Pluto will transfer back to the Beacon if Kehres gets hired. He is busy using the replace all function to change "Mount Union" to "Akron" in all his previous BJ stories on Mount Union. He figures he has enough articles to last 10 years. Terry is the first one to figure out "early retirement" in this shaky economy. Now if Tom can just make it happen. This will be bigger than his porn addiction piece (which I can't find to link here...anybody?).

[GP1]

Seriously? Kehres is a great coach, but he doesn't have to recruit, all scholarships are academic and talent trips over itself to be coached by him and by talent I mean D3 talent. He would be lost in D1 with all the variables attached at this level and frankly at his age, I highly doubt he cares to take the time to learn.

Excellent post! Mt. Union gets a ton of players trying out for their team....I once heard they have around 200 players. I'm sure he can find 22 good ones from that group.A coach needs to at least have experience managing scholarships.

[InTheZone]

Count me for "ABSOLUTELY NOT" on Larry Kehres.... D3 and D1 are very different beasts... which is a moot point, being that he wouldn't want the job anyways.

[Buckzip]

I agree. I look at it similarly as Faust to ND.He was a great coach in HS, but a flop at ND.Mount Union is a great team, but that doesn't mean Kehres would succeed at D!AA, let alone DI

Count me for "ABSOLUTELY NOT" on Larry Kehres.... D3 and D1 are very different beasts... which is a moot point, being that he wouldn't want the job anyways.

[TheMACer]

I agree. I look at it similarly as Faust to ND.He was a great coach in HS, but a flop at ND.Mount Union is a great team, but that doesn't mean Kehres would succeed at D!AA, let alone DI

Count me for "ABSOLUTELY NOT" on Larry Kehres.... D3 and D1 are very different beasts... which is a moot point, being that he wouldn't want the job anyways.

To play Devil's Advocate, Brian Kelly certainly made the jump from D-II to the big time. Just look at how Cincy played today.Personally, I think that Akron needs to be very careful with this move. There are a lot of good things going for the Zips right now. A bad hire here could put UA back for years. My case in point, Notre Dame.

[GP1]

I agree. I look at it similarly as Faust to ND.He was a great coach in HS, but a flop at ND.Mount Union is a great team, but that doesn't mean Kehres would succeed at D!AA, let alone DI

Count me for "ABSOLUTELY NOT" on Larry Kehres.... D3 and D1 are very different beasts... which is a moot point, being that he wouldn't want the job anyways.

To play Devil's Advocate, Brian Kelly certainly made the jump from D-II to the big time. Just look at how Cincy played today.Personally, I think that Akron needs to be very careful with this move. There are a lot of good things going for the Zips right now. A bad hire here could put UA back for years. My case in point, Notre Dame.

Kelly was in a situation at GVS where he had to manage scholarships and go get talent. Kehres just shows up for work and talent falls in his lap.Akron needs to hire a good coach because they need to win. Akron can win in the MAC next year. Notre Dame isn't losing because they haven't hired the right coaches. ND loses because they put so many barriers up between them and winning that they don't win. ND is just another midwest school that kids no longer want to go to. Look at the best teams in college football, they are all in warm weather states. Save me the Cincy argument, they would not win another BCS conference other than the BE. ND is a relic of the past and unless it changes it will continue to be that forever.

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

I agree. I look at it similarly as Faust to ND.He was a great coach in HS, but a flop at ND.Mount Union is a great team, but that doesn't mean Kehres would succeed at D!AA, let alone DI

Count me for "ABSOLUTELY NOT" on Larry Kehres.... D3 and D1 are very different beasts... which is a moot point, being that he wouldn't want the job anyways.

To play Devil's Advocate, Brian Kelly certainly made the jump from D-II to the big time. Just look at how Cincy played today.Personally, I think that Akron needs to be very careful with this move. There are a lot of good things going for the Zips right now. A bad hire here could put UA back for years. My case in point, Notre Dame.

Kelly was in a situation at GVS where he had to manage scholarships and go get talent. Kehres just shows up for work and talent falls in his lap.Akron needs to hire a good coach because they need to win. Akron can win in the MAC next year. Notre Dame isn't losing because they haven't hired the right coaches. ND loses because they put so many barriers up between them and winning that they don't win. ND is just another midwest school that kids no longer want to go to. Look at the best teams in college football, they are all in warm weather states. Save me the Cincy argument, they would not win another BCS conference other than the BE. ND is a relic of the past and unless it changes it will continue to be that forever.

And that's why 11 of the current top 25 BCS teams are in....drumroll....NON WARM WEATHER LOCALES. GP1, is it possible for you to post anything without pointing out your love of all things non-Midwest? You do realize that many of the posters here have visited and/or lived all over the US right? It's not as if we are all trapped here in Akron, Ohio and you ventured all alone to the Shangra La that is....the freaking swamp-hot-hick podunk Carolinas? You need to get around more, because if you think the deep south is nice you have not seen much of the US. You also managed to do what you frequently do in your posts by contradicting yourself from one sentence to the next. You argue ND loses because they put too many barriers between them and winning. Next sentence you say ND is just another cold-weather school that kids don't want to go to. So which is it? Last time I checked ND is one of the finest universities in the country. Plenty of kids, and plenty of blue chip recruits want to go to ND. Lastly, your argument about Cinci is lame. Cinci is a great team and has been building toward greatness for years now. Take a look at the college polls before you post such drivel please.

[akronad]

Jerry Yeagley built a dynasty with IU soccer the same way Kehres has built a fb dynasty at Mount. Larry is very happy there and I know he has had many offers to coach elsewhere. Each coach needs to find there own niche. Some would rather coach or are only able to coach at a D3 program, while others are more suited to coach at hgher levels. That does not mean than coach at D3 school is less of a coach than the D1 coach.Whoever we get, let's just hope they can turn this program around and take it to a winning level.

[indiandad4]

I agree. I look at it similarly as Faust to ND.He was a great coach in HS, but a flop at ND.Mount Union is a great team, but that doesn't mean Kehres would succeed at D!AA, let alone DI

Count me for "ABSOLUTELY NOT" on Larry Kehres.... D3 and D1 are very different beasts... which is a moot point, being that he wouldn't want the job anyways.

To play Devil's Advocate, Brian Kelly certainly made the jump from D-II to the big time. Just look at how Cincy played today.Personally, I think that Akron needs to be very careful with this move. There are a lot of good things going for the Zips right now. A bad hire here could put UA back for years. My case in point, Notre Dame.

Kelly was in a situation at GVS where he had to manage scholarships and go get talent. Kehres just shows up for work and talent falls in his lap.Akron needs to hire a good coach because they need to win. Akron can win in the MAC next year. Notre Dame isn't losing because they haven't hired the right coaches. ND loses because they put so many barriers up between them and winning that they don't win. ND is just another midwest school that kids no longer want to go to. Look at the best teams in college football, they are all in warm weather states. Save me the Cincy argument, they would not win another BCS conference other than the BE. ND is a relic of the past and unless it changes it will continue to be that forever.

Dumbest comment i have ever heard anyone make. Notre Dame could have won 10 games easily this year with a break here and there. Florida got lucky twice this year. Alabama got lucky twice this year. Texas was beat three times. A great coach makes a difference in the tough games. Notre Dame will hire a great college coach., and if not they will still have the highest graduation rate and kids will be lined up to play there. As far as Cincy, you must be a closet OSU fan who can't stand that you are not the best college team in ohio.

[TheMACer]

I agree. I look at it similarly as Faust to ND.He was a great coach in HS, but a flop at ND.Mount Union is a great team, but that doesn't mean Kehres would succeed at D!AA, let alone DI

Count me for "ABSOLUTELY NOT" on Larry Kehres.... D3 and D1 are very different beasts... which is a moot point, being that he wouldn't want the job anyways.

To play Devil's Advocate, Brian Kelly certainly made the jump from D-II to the big time. Just look at how Cincy played today.Personally, I think that Akron needs to be very careful with this move. There are a lot of good things going for the Zips right now. A bad hire here could put UA back for years. My case in point, Notre Dame.

Kelly was in a situation at GVS where he had to manage scholarships and go get talent. Kehres just shows up for work and talent falls in his lap.Akron needs to hire a good coach because they need to win. Akron can win in the MAC next year. Notre Dame isn't losing because they haven't hired the right coaches. ND loses because they put so many barriers up between them and winning that they don't win. ND is just another midwest school that kids no longer want to go to. Look at the best teams in college football, they are all in warm weather states. Save me the Cincy argument, they would not win another BCS conference other than the BE. ND is a relic of the past and unless it changes it will continue to be that forever.

Dumbest comment i have ever heard anyone make. Notre Dame could have won 10 games easily this year with a break here and there. Florida got lucky twice this year. Alabama got lucky twice this year. Texas was beat three times. A great coach makes a difference in the tough games. Notre Dame will hire a great college coach., and if not they will still have the highest graduation rate and kids will be lined up to play there. As far as Cincy, you must be a closet OSU fan who can't stand that you are not the best college team in ohio.

I'll agree that I think ND's problems were coaching related. I'm not an Irish fan, but that was a talented team that went to waste. That's why I think UA's next coaching choice is so important. This team has some great talent coming back. That talent must be utilized though.

[TheMACer]

I honestly don't care if the next coach comes from HS or if its Urban Meyer. The key will be if they know how to A) recruit, keep kids out of trouble and C) harness the talent that is already here. Coach Brookhart was decent with A, mediocre with B and struggled with C, which is why he's gone.

[zen]

how do you "keep kids out of trouble".no really, serious question.Since you can't keep in practice 14 hours a day, I am assuming there are some abstract but important subtleties about creating a culture among your athletes and their lifestyles?Or are you just barking up the tree of recruiting kids with good character to start with? ... because that's not keeping kids out of trouble, that is keeping trouble out of your locker room.

[GP1]

I agree. I look at it similarly as Faust to ND.He was a great coach in HS, but a flop at ND.Mount Union is a great team, but that doesn't mean Kehres would succeed at D!AA, let alone DI

Count me for "ABSOLUTELY NOT" on Larry Kehres.... D3 and D1 are very different beasts... which is a moot point, being that he wouldn't want the job anyways.

To play Devil's Advocate, Brian Kelly certainly made the jump from D-II to the big time. Just look at how Cincy played today.Personally, I think that Akron needs to be very careful with this move. There are a lot of good things going for the Zips right now. A bad hire here could put UA back for years. My case in point, Notre Dame.

Kelly was in a situation at GVS where he had to manage scholarships and go get talent. Kehres just shows up for work and talent falls in his lap.Akron needs to hire a good coach because they need to win. Akron can win in the MAC next year. Notre Dame isn't losing because they haven't hired the right coaches. ND loses because they put so many barriers up between them and winning that they don't win. ND is just another midwest school that kids no longer want to go to. Look at the best teams in college football, they are all in warm weather states. Save me the Cincy argument, they would not win another BCS conference other than the BE. ND is a relic of the past and unless it changes it will continue to be that forever.

Dumbest comment i have ever heard anyone make. Notre Dame could have won 10 games easily this year with a break here and there. Florida got lucky twice this year. Alabama got lucky twice this year. Texas was beat three times. A great coach makes a difference in the tough games. Notre Dame will hire a great college coach., and if not they will still have the highest graduation rate and kids will be lined up to play there. As far as Cincy, you must be a closet OSU fan who can't stand that you are not the best college team in ohio.

Thank you for the view from the 1950s.Notre Dame could have also lost 8 games. Teams make their own breaks and ND doesn't have the talent to make their breaks. At the end of the day, teams win or lose. They went 6-6 against the easiest schedule they have produced in decades. The talent does not exist at ND to win games or they would have won more against the likes of Michigan (sub-.550 record), Navy, Pitt (third place BE), Stanford (4th place PAC 10?) and the rest of the garbage they schedule. ND doesn't win for a lot of reasons and I think they are the same reasons Big Ten teams aren't competitive any longer. Talent players just don't want to play in rain and snow. ND also misses out on a lot of talented players because they just can't get through the doors. One actually has to be smart to go to ND. Someone could be borderline retarded and get into an SEC school of they are a good enough football player. I don't think the ND alumni is looking at graduation rates right now. If they were, Mr. Personality would still be the coach. ND wants wins and I don't blame them. They pour millions into that program every year and 6-6 sure wouldn't sit well if I was a graduate. The alumni gives money when they win, not for graduation rates.I could care less about Cincy or tOSU. Again, thank you for the view from the 1950s. ND has not been relevent in college football for many years and will continue to be so in the future. It is a great place to go break the bank if you are a coach, but not a place to go to win big games.

[GP1]

I'll agree that I think ND's problems were coaching related. I'm not an Irish fan, but that was a talented team that went to waste. That's why I think UA's next coaching choice is so important. This team has some great talent coming back. That talent must be utilized though.

This is a general question for everyone. Did anyone watch the SEC Championship game, Big 12 Championship game or even a guy like CJ Spiller from Clemson yesterday? You would see one NFL player after another on those teams. Do you see that level of talent with ND? Maybe Golden Tate, but that's the end of it.

[Zip Watcher]

This is a general question for everyone. Did anyone watch the SEC Championship game, Big 12 Championship game or even a guy like CJ Spiller from Clemson yesterday? You would see one NFL player after another on those teams. Do you see that level of talent with ND? Maybe Golden Tate, but that's the end of it.

Great post.There's probably an O Lineman or two there .. but it's pretty middle / lower Big Ten at this point.

[zippy5]

This is a general question for everyone. Did anyone watch the SEC Championship game, Big 12 Championship game or even a guy like CJ Spiller from Clemson yesterday? You would see one NFL player after another on those teams. Do you see that level of talent with ND? Maybe Golden Tate, but that's the end of it.

Great post.There's probably an O Lineman or two there .. but it's pretty middle / lower Big Ten at this point.

I beg to differ. ND has had recruiting classes ranked 18th, 21st, 2nd, and 8th in the nation in the past 4 years. Kids want to play there. The reason the players aren't NFL caliber is the coaching while they are at ND.

[GP1]

This is a general question for everyone. Did anyone watch the SEC Championship game, Big 12 Championship game or even a guy like CJ Spiller from Clemson yesterday? You would see one NFL player after another on those teams. Do you see that level of talent with ND? Maybe Golden Tate, but that's the end of it.

Great post.There's probably an O Lineman or two there .. but it's pretty middle / lower Big Ten at this point.

I beg to differ. ND has had recruiting classes ranked 18th, 21st, 2nd, and 8th in the nation in the past 4 years. Kids want to play there. The reason the players aren't NFL caliber is the coaching while they are at ND.

Other than Tate, name them.

[zippy5]

This is a general question for everyone. Did anyone watch the SEC Championship game, Big 12 Championship game or even a guy like CJ Spiller from Clemson yesterday? You would see one NFL player after another on those teams. Do you see that level of talent with ND? Maybe Golden Tate, but that's the end of it.

Great post.There's probably an O Lineman or two there .. but it's pretty middle / lower Big Ten at this point.

I beg to differ. ND has had recruiting classes ranked 18th, 21st, 2nd, and 8th in the nation in the past 4 years. Kids want to play there. The reason the players aren't NFL caliber is the coaching while they are at ND.

Other than Tate, name them.

Name what? I'll post the links if you want. The recruiting classes were all top 20~ ...just because the players stink now doesn't mean talent isn't coming to ND. It means the talent isn't getting developed.