New staff hire

[ZachTheZip]

http://www.ohio.com/blogs/varsity-letters/varsity-letters-1.279974/john-nemec-retires-at-Can't-roosevelt-accepts-spot-on-university-of-akron-football-staff-1.485828

Coach Nemec is retiring from his head coaching position Can't Roosevelt HS to become the Zips new Director of Player Personnel.

[ZachTheZip]

It's not mentioned in the article, but coach Nemec will also serve as the High School liaison for the staff.

[Staton14]

It's not mentioned in the article, but coach Nemec will also serve as the High School liaison for the staff.

What does that entail?

[ZachTheZip]

What does that entail?

No idea.

If I had to guess, it just means building relationships with the local high schools. Working with HS AD's to help recruits with paperwork, using connections to find local "diamonds in the rough", maybe arranging for HS teams to visit and attend one of our games, things like that.

Edit: looking at similar hires made by other programs, my guess was fairly accurate. It's a position that you find in bigger programs, but isn't that common at the MAC level.

[LZIp]

No idea.

If I had to guess, it just means building relationships with the local high schools. Working with HS AD's to help recruits with paperwork, using connections to find local "diamonds in the rough", maybe arranging for HS teams to visit and attend one of our games, things like that.

Edit: looking at similar hires made by other programs, my guess was fairly accurate. It's a position that you find in bigger programs, but isn't that common at the MAC level.

at least football is "Thinking Bigger"

[Dave in Green]

Supporting the theory that UA is looking beyond the MAC?

[johnnyzip84]

EA of the PD has a little more detail.

I think a major part of his role is highlighted in the following quote:

As part of his role as Director of Player Personnel, Nemec will work with what he called “at-risk” student-athletes who need help academically or socially.

I wonder if it's too late for Nemec to help get one of his former Rough Rider O-linemen eligible to play for the Zips?

[Hilltopper]

This hire is bigger than we think.

Can't STATE MISSES OPPORTUNITY WITH ROOSEVELT COACHING LEGEND JOHN NEMEC

There seems to be a growing divide between expectations and support within the Flashes' athletic programs, namely the "big two."

A .500 men's basketball season last winter is considered a complete bust by most supporters, following a string of 15 straight with 19 wins or more, yet no major upgrades to facilities have been made since 1992. Coaches' salaries are among the lowest in the MAC, and slip another notch every time a program makes a new hire.

While Akron is finalizing plans for a new downtown arena, the M.A.C. Center just gets older and more decrepit by the day.

The football program is asked to not only support virtually the entire athletic program financially, but win as well with an outdated venue of its own on a shoestring budget that can't find a way to wedge in a nominal salary for a legendary local coach looking for a place to wind down his illustrious career.

I know budgets are tight, but winning simply doesn't come dirt cheap.

This is no single person's fault. It's an overall philosophy that needs to change if the Powers That Be at Can't State University truly believe that athletics matter and want their football and basketball programs in particular to succeed, both today and in the years to come.

[K92]

Oh no! You mean the 2012 was a fluke after all and the Flashes are going to reassume their proper position in the football universe?