Ball State Coaching Changes, Love Returns

In the Bit-O-Good-News Department to close this Tuesday afternoon, Ball State has announced the hiring of an offensive line coach, as well as the return to the lockerroom of a very familiar face.

For the OLine coach, the position vacated by Pat Perles, the Cardinals and Stan Parrish turn to Jason Eck. From the release:

Eck spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons as the co-offensive coordinator, offensive line and tight ends coach at Winona State. He helped the team to a 10-2 overall record, the 2007 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championship and the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

Eck tutored offensive tackle Nick Urban, who was named to the American Football Coaches Association All-America First Team in 2008. He also coached three all-conference first team selections in each of the last two seasons. Prior to his position at Winona State, Eck was an assistant coach at Idaho from 2004-06 under the tutelage of head coach Dennis Erickson.

Eck was the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator in 2006 after coaching the offensive line in 2004 and 2005. In 2002 and 2003, he served as an offensive graduate assistant at Colorado for head coach Gary Barnett. He assisted with the offensive line and helped the team to the 2002 Big 12 North Championship.

From 1999-2001, Eck was an offensive graduate assistant coach at his alma mater for head coach Barry Alvarez.. He helped the Badgers to the 1999 Big Ten Championship and a second straight Rose Bowl title. Eck played offensive line for Wisconsin from 1995-98 and was a member of the 1998 Big Ten Championship Team, which defeated UCLA in the Rose Bowl and gave the Badgers 11 wins in a season for the first time in school history. Eck was the Athletic Board Scholar for football at Wisconsin and a Big Ten All-Academic choice in 1998. He earned a master’s from Wisconsin in 2001.

Also providing leadership next year to the next nest of Cardinals will be one Dante Love, he of electrifying performances over the last 4 years before his football career was cut short because of injury. Dante will be in a student assistant role while wrapping up coursework, and then he will be a GA for the Cardinals next spring. A full read up on the hire, including some quotes from Parrish, can be found here.

This is, of course, a tremendously good thing for not only the program, but also Dante Love. This entire situation could have ended up dozens of ways, and truthfully, this is on the good end of the spectrum. Welcome back, Eight-Six.

That Didn't Take Long

After the mass exodus from Muncie that followed coach Brady Hoke's departure, it was thought the staff was falling into place nicely for new head man Stan Parrish. He quietly went about building a staff that was long on talent and experience, and with the hiring of Daryl Dixon last week, it looked like the 09 staff was complete. That is until word broke out of Muncie on Thursday morning that newly hired Pat Perles was moving on after only a couple weeks on the job for a positional coaching assignment with the Kansas City Chiefs.

This says nothing about Perles personally or professionally, and outsiders shouldn't make too much of this as an indictment of Parrish, the school, the community, or the program. The bottom line is that this is strictly a dollars and cents kind of move, as NFL position coaches make significantly more than MAC position coaches. Sad, but cash rules everything around me. Get the money. Dollar dollar bills, y'all.

Wu-Tang wisdom aside, I can still selfishly detest this move for Perles, especially given our lack of experience on the offensive line. Now the scramble begins again anew for a coach to take over the most important area of the offense for the 09 Cardinals. Clock's ticking, Stan.

Ball State Shores Up Coaching Staff

Word has broken that Ball State has filled out its coaching staff with the hire of Daryl Dixon to coach the defensive backs. No official word yet from the BSU athletics department, but several independent sources have confirmed this hire. Ball State has that pesky policy of not announcing anything until every ounce of ink on every possible document is signed, sealed, and delivered, so it might be several days until this announcement is officially official, in the official sense of the word.

Dixon's most recent stop was at Illinois, where he was a defensive graduate assistant. His bio from the Illini:

Former All-SEC defensive back and two-year NFL veteran Daryl Dixon joins the Illini coaching staff this season as the defensive graduate assistant. Dixon is not a newcomer to Illinois, as he served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for football in 2006 and 2007.

While working under the direction of strength coach, Lou Hernandez, Dixon implemented both in-season and offseason workout programs. He desiged*** specialized speed workouts for many of the skill positions, while facilitating specific defensive back instruction. He also aided the defensive coaching staffs with opponent game film and scouting reports.

Prior to coming to Illinois, Dixon spent two years on the Indianapolis Colts roster in 2004 and 2005. Dixon was a three-year starter at safety for the University of Florida Gators and the team's captain in 2003 as a senior. During that season, in which the team went to the 2004 Outback Bowl, Dixon was named second-team All-SEC. As a true-freshman in 1999, he earned Freshman All-America honors. Not only did Dixon excel on the field, but off it as well. He was a two-time Academic All-SEC honoree and won numerous leadership awards, such as the UF Alumni Association Leadership Award which selected him from the entire Florida student body.

Dixon graduated from the University of Florida in 2003 with a degree in sociology, while minoring in education

(*** Yes, that's an actual typo in his biography. Kudos on the commitment to excellence, Illinois. - Ed.)

This hire will close the book on additions for the 2009 Coaching Staff, as head man Stan Parrish has compiled an impressive group of coaches with a wide variety of talent, experiences, and history. Dixon brings in a solid background in strength and conditioning, as well as vast knowledge of the defensive secondary, considering he was All-SEC and was a freshman All-American at the safety position.

Welcome, Coach. It isn't 89,000 on a Gainesville afternoon, but at least you no longer have to go water skiing with your boss...

Coaching Changes Galore

Ball State has had a slew of announcements over the last several days regarding coaching changes and shifts in personnel. First and foremost is the hiring of Jay Hood for the defensive coaching staff who will focus on linebackers at BSU. Hood comes from fellow MAC member Miami where he served as the defensive coordinator and associate head coach last season in Oxford. Before the leap to the MAC, Hood kicked around at some smaller schools and junior colleges, but his rise to a MAC coordinator-ship was fairly quick.

It speaks volumes that so many of Parrish's staff has significant experience through years of service, titles, or both. It is a staff comprised of individuals that apparently want to win and do so at BSU. A few have ties to BSU as well, so that's always a plus.

Also announced was new strength and conditioning coach Mark Naylor. Naylor is replacing Aaron Wellman who took a similar job at San Diego State with Brady Hoke. Naylor has been in the weightroom for North Texas, the Baltimore Ravens, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he served at BSU in a grad assistant role for the 04 and 05 seasons.

Losing Wellman, while expected by most in the know, still comes as a major blow to BSU's football operations. In a fairly short amount of time, Wellman was able to build a strength program at BSU that was, by all accounts, extremely productive and effective. The foundation has been laid, and it is simply up to Naylor to continue building.

The good news is that the additions and shake ups to the staff are virtually done. Here's what we're looking at roaming the sidelines and press box for the Cardinals in 09:

Head Coach: Stan Parrish
Coordinators:
Offensive: Eddie Faulkner (RBs as well)
Defensive: Doug Graber

Position Coaches:
Offensive Line: Pat Perles
Tight Ends: John Powers
Wide Recievers: Joey Lynch
Defensive Line: Phil Burnett
Linebackers: Jay Hood/Deion Melvin

Strength & Conditioning: Mark Naylor

I would assume that Parrish will continue to coach the QBs and Graber will most likely take an active role in coaching the secondary. All in all, a solid staff, with a nice mixture of youth, experience, and leadership. The pieces are in place for another solid year.

Ball State Adds More to Staff

Ball State released yesterday that they have promoted two coaches from within the program to fill vacancies on the staff left by the mass exodus to San Diego State on Brady Hoke's departure. Coaches Faulkner and Powers are the new Offensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator, respectively.

The link to the BSU release can be found hyah! In terms of official announcements on staff hires, here's what we know...

Head Coach: Stan Parrish

Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs: Eddie Faulkner
Offensive Line: Pat Perles
Wide Receivers: Joey Lynch
Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator: John Powers

Defensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach: Doug Graber
Linebackers: Deion Melvin

Basically that leaves the secondary, defensive line, special teams, and strength and conditioning as posts without official word. There has been scuttlebutt and the usual internet rumor mongering about who will be staying/leaving/or changing responsibilities, but as of yet, all is quiet on the Cardinal front. And given the recent slew of bad news, no news is good news.

BSU Adds More Staffers

From Joe Hernandez, Associate AD at Ball State:

"Ball State first-year head coach Stan Parrish has announced the additions of Doug Graber, Deion Melvin and Pat Perles to the Ball State football coaching staff.

Graber, who was an assistant at Ball State on Dave McClain’s staff in 1976 and 1977, has been named assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. Melvin, who spent the last two seasons on the staff at Bowling Green, will coach the linebackers. Perles, the son of former Michigan State head coach George Perles, will coach the offensive line.

These three additions join Joey Lynch, who was named the school’s wide receivers coach last week, as the beginning of Parrish’s first coaching staff. Additional assistants will be announced as the information becomes available."

Huzzah. We'll have some thoughts and commentary about the 4 new additions tomorrow.

Hoke Confirms What Everyone Knew

Normally, coaches are fairly mum on the circumstances which necessitate their removal as an institution's football leader. Sometimes it is by the University's choice, and others, like in the case of Brady Hoke, it is the choice of the coach himself. Nearly a month after that choice was made, and Hoke has began the task of compiling a staff at San Diego State, he spoke with Doug Zaleski of the MSP last week. You can read the full article here.

What is surprising in this particular interview is that Hoke basically confirms that the assistants and their pay rate was the sticking point for his contract negotiations that eventually led to his resignation. Hoke said, "Taking care of guys who are doggone good people and work hard and do a great job of teaching life lessons to kids, that was a little bit of a sticking point. If I had an (issue), that would have been it."

Hoke seems like a genuine guy, so I'll take him at his word. However, I don't think it's a long stretch to think regardless of the offer made by BSU Hoke would have been tempted to leave. Though SDSU is a shitheap, the Mountain West Conference is markedly better on a national stage than the the MidAmerican Conference, and he would be recruiting in state that is rich beyond belief in prep talent.

Hoke did a good job at Ball State, and I'm sorry to see him leave. But he had a couple of decent years and one really good year. Let's remember that he has a career sub-.500 record and zero conference titles. Not to mention that it's easy to look smart when you have talent. We call that the Spurrier Effect around these parts.

One thing I do want to point out is Hoke's closing comment in the article. Hoke said, "I can promise you I'll always be looking on Sunday mornings or whenever so see how Ball State did. I'm proud to be a graduate of that school, proud to have been the head coach there, and I look forward to the guys there doing a tremendous job."

Say Hello to Stan Parrish

At the very minimum, regardless of what people think of the quality of the hire, the waiting game is over. Athletic Director Tom Collins named current offensive coordinator Stan Parrish the new head coach at Ball State University yesterday, the 15th person to hold that position. Parrish, as most know, is replacing Brady Hoke, who bid Muncie adieu for San Diego State earlier this week.

[Ed. Note: Embedded video yanked because it annoyingly started on its on. You can access it here if you would like to]

All in all, a solid hire for the Cardinals and Collins, and really the only viable option. It has a good chance to retain recruits and players, and perhaps most importantly, a good number of the assistants. I'm sure some will go, but most will stay, and regardless of what happens, Stan has been around the game long enough to fill their spots with viable options.

My initial reactions seemed to be in line with everyone else's during the Liveblog. I thought Coach Parrish seemed much more energetic and personable than I expected. He was humorous at times, cracking jokes and seeming off the cuff. He also seemed ridiculously human, realizing that his close friend had just left the program. What was overwhelmingly apparent was his focus and desire to get things back to normal as quickly as possible. His media skill needs some work (as does Nate Davis's) but all things considered, I think Parrish passed his first test with flying colors.

Coach Parrish mentioned several times over that the deciding factor in his will-he-or-won't-he couple of days was the players themselves. He seems genuinely connected to the team and the University, and I'm of the opinion, at least for now, that Stan Parrish is the guy to not only continue the current success, but to build on it, both physically in terms of facilities, but metaphorically in the mindset of the coaches, players, fans, and administration.

So, at the end of what could have been one of the worst weeks ever for Cardinal athletics, we're sitting pretty good. Welcome, Coach Parrish... don't make us hate you.

If you'd like to say a few words for Coach P, feel free to in the comments section. We'll be chatting with him after the Bowl Game. So make him feel welcome.

BSU Press Conference Scheduled, Liveblog Ensues

Comedy and humor aside, an actual press conference will take place today at 5:30 in the Alumni Center to, according to the release, "discuss the future of the Ball State football program".

Folks should be able to watch the presser live from BallStateSports.com, or they can follow along with the usual cast of characters here in a Liveblog! Because announcements like this deserve a Liveblog of the Livebloggiest order.

(Ed. Note: We're still holding out hope for RV or Knute Rockne's corpse.)

Get it on!

Tom Collins Has a Message For Us All

Scene: Muncie, IN. LA Pittenger Student Center, Cardinal Hall. Low lighting, one podium, invited members of the media seated in anticipation of the announcement. Ball State Athletic Director Tom Collins walks to the microphone and begins to speak...

Tom Collins: Welcome, everyone! Invited guests, members of the media, distinguished alumni. I'm here because of the growing concern that somehow I am not in complete control of this search for a new head coach for our Cardinals. I am. Because I'm a talented Athletic Director and in complete control. To that end, and to focus more on the search at hand and interviewing some of the thousands of people who have expressed interest in this elite opportunity, I have named a Ball State Information Minister to address all of your concerns. He will be your primary contact. Please welcome, Bob!


Ball State Bob: Hello everyone. I am pleased to be in the service of Tom Collins, and Jo Ann Gora, two exceptional leaders, two beautiful people. Two people who know how to run a search, hire a coach, and lead Ball State athletics into the future. I will now field questions...

Media: Bob, how do you respond to reports about Stan Parrish already being offered the job?

Ball State Bob: By God, I think this is rather very unlikely. This is merely a prattle. Mr. Stan Parrish is good man. But Mr. Tom Collins field hundreds of calls per hour about job of coaching the university of Ball State Cardinals. Mr. Tom Collins good man. Mr. Tom Collins is smart man.

Media: But these were reports were verified by ESPN... the WorldWide Leader in Sports!

BallStateBob: Just look carefully, I only want you to look carefully. Do not repeat the lies of liars. Do not become like them. Mr. Tom Collins is the benchmark of integrity and honor. Mr. Tom Collins got degree. He has paper to prove it! Mr. Tom Collins is good man.

Media: Uh... ok. So back to this team... Can you comment on Ball State's preparation for the GMAC Bowl in Mobile? How does the team expect to win with all this turmoil?

BallStateBob: Tulsa will be burnt. We are going to tackle them. Mr. Tom Collins told team failure is not an option. Everything is going well in preparation for the infidels from Tulsa. Death to Tulsa. Mr. Tom Collins good man. Mr. Tom Collins smart man, good lover. Mr. Tom Collins best leader of university of Ball State ever.

Media: Uh... That's a bit extreme on the whole burning thing.

BallStateBob: Extreme times call for extreme measures. All is well in the land of Ball State football. The coaching search is progressing nicely. Do not believe those liars and infidels from ESPN. Mr. Tom Collins had to buy four new phones for the calls he is receiving. Lane Kiffin called, and said he wasn't good enough but wanted us to know good luck. Mr. Kiffin good man.

Media: Can you speak about the level of interest you've received for the head coach position other than Lane Kiffin?

BallStateBob: Mr. Tom Collins has fielded thousands of calls about the job. Pete Carrol called this morning. Vince Lombardi called as well. We cannot tell you how good this job is progressing. This is the best job in all of college football with the finest administrative support. Mr. Tom Collins gives all his staff what they need to be winners. And backrubs. Lots of backrubs.

Media: How have the current assistants responded to the lack of a new head coach or the lack of naming an interim coach?

BallStateBob: Everything is going well. This was the plan all along. There is no such thing as assistant coaches who are unhappy. All are happy and satisfied under the direction of Mr. Tom Collins and Jo Ann Gora. This is exactly the plan outlined when that traitor and infidel Brady Hoke left this team.

Media: Did you just call Brady Hoke an infidel?

BallStateBob: Brady Hoke is infidel. Mr. Tom Collins true patriot. Mr. Tom Collins smell good and have great personal hygiene. Mr. Tom Collins never show up to work late. Mr. Tom Collins almost as good as Jo Ann Gora, who is great university of Ball State president. She is a woman, though, and as such...

Tom Collins (interrupting): Ok... I think that's enough for this morning, but I welcome you all to contact the athletic office with any questions or media requests. Bob here brings a welcome voice of truth and honesty to the department. I would also like to thank one individual who has brought extreme notoriety and press to this Cardinals team. He trumpets them on a national stage and is committed to use his audience to further our name. Ladies and gentleman...

(Large crashing sound, bricks and rubble fly across the room)


Tom Collins: God damn it, Whitlock. Can't you just use the front door like everyone else?

OTP Consultants in the Service of Tom Collins... The Value Hires

Apparently, Ball State and athletic director Tom Collins sit in a holding pattern while Stan Parrish decides between San Diego, Muncie, or retirement. We here at OverThePylon are happy to help Tom out, and as such, have compiled our own list of candidates should the thumb twiddling grow tiresome and Collins decides to actually consider maybe potentially hiring someone. We've offered our ideal candidates, but with today's economy, the tight purse strings at BSU, and the inability of the administration to figure out how to pay a worthwhile coach, we offer some value alternatives as well...


Dustin Diamond
Experience: Stand up comic, lovable nerd, celebrity fit club drop out.
Last Seen: Wrestling other celebrities on CMT and wrestling sluts in a homemade sex tape.
Intangibles: Has extensive experience in dealing with high school athletic stars, such as AC Slater, star of Bayside High School. Brings a critical element of west coast recruiting. Strong student support at Ball State University.
Value: According to multiple sites, Diamond's fee is 15k to do a standup gig. And to be clear, this is the amount you have to pay him. Not what he pays you to not leave. So his assessment of "talent worth" may be a bit skew.


Knute Rockne
Experience: Former Notre Dame head coach, 6-time National Champion, 89% career winning percentage
Last Seen: At his funeral in 1931
Intangibles: He's, you know, dead
Value: Extremely cheap to get. Even when he was alive he only made $2400 per year coaching the Irish. Figure in the Corpse Discount and we can probably build an office for him too! That's what I call win-win baby!


The Noid
Experience: NES Game star, advertising pitchman for Domino's
Last Seen: Running around in skin tight red spandex, causing people to go batshit insane crazy.
Intangibles: Communicates with giggles and grr's, similar to Coach Ed Orgeron. Loves pizza. Travel food budget may be higher than when Coach Hoke was here.
Value: No need for a costume change, as the colors are already there. A good photoshop job can change the N to a B. Domino's hasn't used this cute little psycho maker in a while, so he may be cheap.


The Blowfish
Experience: Mult-platinum selling recording artists, and the vehicle for more drunken mid-90's frat house hookups than Zima. Huge South Carolina football fans. Pre-Spurrier.
Last Seen: Making solo albums that no one, even themselves, gave a shit about.
Intangibles: Three for the price of one! That's like triple coupon days at Marsh, Tom! Left behind by Hootie for his solo "career".
Value: We're not paying for Hootie, so I would imagine whatever school can match their current salaries at Guitar Center is the frontrunner.


Scott Stapp
Experience: Jesus freak, extreme douchebag. Fronted the band Creed, sued by the city of Chicago for sucking.
Last Seen: Douching it up somewhere.
Intangibles: May know nothing about football. Indecisive as he contemplated suicide and then failed to follow through, resulting in the frustration of...well... the planet.
Value: Stapp would need to pay us for this to even be remotely considered a "good deal"


RV
Experience: Co-runs a Ball State football blog, knowledgeable about team and personnel. Beats the CPU on XBOX all the time. Ball State University experience and knowledge, especially of the female dorms.
Last Seen: In Chicago, IL peddling webspace to car dealerships
Intangibles: Potty mouth. Problem drinker. In love with Charlie Weis. According to booze soaked T-shirt, Jeff Samardzija is his homeboy.
Value: Through unconfirmed reports from RV's agent, all that would be required is an infinite supply of champagne bottles, the keycard to the Chi Omega lounge, and straight cash homey.

OTP Consultants in the Service of Tom Collins

Apparently, Ball State and athletic director Tom Collins sit in a holding pattern while Stan Parrish decides between San Diego, Muncie, or retirement. We here at OverThePylon are happy to help Tom out, and as such, have compiled our own list of candidates should the thumb twiddling grow tiresome and Collins decides to actually consider maybe potentially hiring someone. Our ideal candidates, with our value candidates coming soon...


Stan Parrish
Experience: Head coaching experience at Wabash, Marshall, and Kansas State. OC at Ball State, QB Coach at Michigan and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last Seen: In the pressbox at Scheumann Stadium being the Cardinals Offensive Coordinator
Salary Demands (out of 5): $$ Parrish can go from an underpaid assistant to an underpaid headcoach.
Pros: Knows the offense, knows the players. Good chance at continuity beyond this year. Has head coaching experience, an NFL background, and lands players in the pros.
Cons: Age is a factor, as is potential retirement in the very near future. Has an offer to join Brady Hoke on staff at SDSU. Isn't the world's most energetic fella, may struggle with the demands of booster asskissing and administrative kowtowing.
Would He Take The Job: I have to believe he would, if offered. His wife is in nearby Ann Arbor and the program at BSU is one he built over the last 6 years.


Bernie Parmalee
Experience: BSU running back, NFL running back, Miami Dolphins special teams and tight end coach, Notre Dame tight end coach
Last Seen: In South Bend, IN coaching the tight ends on staff for Charlie Weis
Salary Demands: $$$$ In what would most assuredly be a paycut, Parmalee would have to jump from one of the highest paid assistant coaching staffs in all of football for the head coaching job at BSU
Pros: Alumni of the school, NFL experience, NFL coaching experience and contacts, strong resume of landing players in the pros at the positions he coached
Cons: No head coaching experience, no coordinator experience, nowhere near the same level of institutional support at BSU that is at ND. Just watched an alum get shat on publicly by the admin at BSU.
Would He Take the Job: Longshot, but not impossible. Allegiances run deep for your alma mater and Parmalee's resume is similar, though not as lengthy, as Brady Hoke when he took over.


Chuck Martin
Experience: Eastern Michigan linebackers coach, Grand Valley State head coach
Last Seen: Compiling a 61-5 record at GVSU and two national DII titles
Salary Demands: $$$ Martin currently makes $150k and that will need to be significantly improved.
Pros: MAC experience. Watched Brian Kelly leave GVSU to go to CMU and that worked well for Kelly. Has said in numerous interviews that the right offer monetarily and he will leave. Was a finalist for the NIU job search that ended up with Jerry Kill. The guy is a consistent winner, proven entity, and can boast the second highest consecutive win streak at any level of college football at 40 games.
Cons: No 1-A head coaching experience
Would He Take the Job: Hard to say. Martin has a strong connection and a proven winner with GVSU, despite its status and division. Unsure if BSU could afford to double his salary or higher, which is what it may take for him to leave.


Mike Neu
Experience: BSU QB, Arena football league QB, Arena Football League head coach
Last Seen: Getting canned from the New Orleans VooDoo of the AFL
Salary Demands: $$ Neu, despite being a professional coach in the AFL now simply needs a job. Regardless of how much he used to make, zero is pretty small.
Pros: Ball State connection, still some name recognition around the area. Boosters and alums will remember Neu, and he has the ability to have good rapport with the media and fans. A poor man's Jim Harbaugh if you will.
Cons: Exclusive experience as an AFL coach.
Would He Take the Job: Hard to say, though I don't see a lot of teams, college or otherwise, tripping over themselves to get to New Orleans.


Tommy Tuberville
Experience: Assistant Coach at Miami, defensive coordinator at Texas A&M, head coach at Ole Miss and Auburn
Last Seen: Being forced out by idiots boosters amidst a swirl of controversy at Auburn. Current wherabouts unknown.
Salary Demands: $$$$$+ Currently riding the soft cushion of a $5.1 million buyout from Auburn faithful.
Pros: Significantly less booster involvement than at Auburn. Wife's an alum of BSU. Less pressure, less stress, chance to prove he is a winner, as his 110-60 head coaching record would seem to indicate.
Cons: Almost exclusive experience in the south and plains states. Definite step down in money, prestige, power, and influence.
Would He Take the Job: Extreme extreme longshot. As in, should this happen I would be totally floored. Ecstatic. But totally floored.

We'll be along shortly with our value candidates and then make our recommendations to the Search Team.

Hold Everything...

According to Greg Fallon at The Star Press in Muncie, both athletic director Tom Collins and offensive coordinator Stan Parrish have outright denied the report from ESPN that Parrish has been offered the job at all. Radio reports from central Indiana indicate Parrish is on the shortlist, but nothing has been set or signed.

One thing Parrish did confirm was that he has an open offer from Brady Hoke to join his staff at San Diego State. Not surprising in the least, but still a bit unsettling. This is a critical time for Ball State to go after coaches if they're going to go outside the program. In addition, recruits are watching with what one can assume to be bated breath to see who is actually driving the Cardinal bandwagon come the GMAC Bowl and beyond. If they don't hire Parrish, which in my opinion they should, they need to hire whomever is going to captain this ship expeditiously.

This wouldn't be the first time ESPN has broken a story a bit prematurely, what with the Les Miles to Michigan fiasco last year, but they were right, and first, that Brady would be leaving. So in recap... we know nothing and the shitshow that is CoachSearch08 begins again anew. Fabulous.

Ball State Moves Swiftly, Doesn't Screw Up

CoachSearch08... we hardly knew ye.

Consider the epic fail train derailed at Ball State, at least temporarily. A "source briefed on the decision" tells ESPN that current Offensive Coordinator Stan Parrish will be named successor to Brady Hoke as early as Tuesday. Of course, there is no word or comment from the Ball State athletic department, but I've heard rumblings of the same, though on a longer time table.

You can rest assured that Brady's buyout made this possible, with an extra couple hundred thousand dollars to throw at assistants and make them stay. No word on who is sticking around in Muncie and who is heading for sunny California. We'll have our thoughts on who is staying and who is going later in the week.


The good news is that Stan is staying, but the bad news is that in true Ball State fashion, it's a temporary BandAid on a much bigger problem. Just like when you renovate a stadium and think two bathrooms are sufficient. Just like when you build a football complex and don't put offices in for the coaches. Just like when you have an alum turning the program around and let him escape to San Diego State. This is reactive, and for once, it would be nice for this university to be at least a small bit proactive.

For now, though, it provides the best situation possible for the Cardinals. It allows continuity on the offensive side of the ball, and may help ease the fears of young players or recruits while helping Nate Davis make a clear decision about his future. Parrish has head coaching experience, was a finalist for the Broyles Award, given to the best assistant coach in the game, and the players and alums seem to love him. So he's got that going for him, which is nice.

So congrats to the admin for not entirely screwing this up and leaving us with no one to coach the team except an offspring of Bill Lynch. That would have been bad. Extremely. Bad.

The Presidential Response

Surprisingly enough, Dr. Jo Ann Gora took time out of her busy day to respond to the open letter that was sent to her by OverThePylon. Here is her reply, in its entirety.

Mr. Rucker,

We worked very hard in our efforts to retain Coach Hoke. Recognizing his achievements this season, the university offered him a new deal that would have made Brady Ball State’s highest paid employee. We willingly discussed and resolved issues he raised. Upon learning of his decision, I asked Brady directly if there was any more we could have done to keep him, and he said, simply, “no.” When Brady told me that San Diego State had offered him a guaranteed package of $3.5 million over five years, I knew we had done all we could to keep him, especially in these challenging economic times.

We are fortunate to have passionate fans and supporters of our athletic programs. I understand the sadness and even anger many feel about losing a valued member of the Ball State family. I hope you’ll join me as we move forward and support our student athletes, seek a successful successor, and wish Brady the very best as he and his family transition to San Diego.

Sincerely,
Jo Ann Gora

Well, color me tickled, Dr. Gora. Forgetting for a moment that she:
a.) Probably had someone else respond to the email in the first place since she's traveling and
b.) Didn't answer one single direct question that was asked

Plain and simple, this is a PR spin job of the highest order. She knows her and AD Tom Collins dropped the ball and now its time to make Brady look like a horse's ass. Gora seems like an academic in the truest sense of the word, who sees no point in silly endeavors like football or athletics. Unless we can use those athletics to right injustices of generations past like gender equity. Otherwise, sports are stupid, athletes are big dumb animals, and the fans who support them could never be as smart as her or her fellow academics, in their tweed-coat-leather-elbow-patch crowd.

It is because of this reason that I am neither optimistic nor even remotely excited about the coming coaching search. This is going to be an episode in futility and a shitshow of the highest order. I had considered for all of about 30 seconds sending another email and plainly asking for answers, but I feel that would be a waste as well. Because, you know, us football fans are too stupid to even understand the ramifications of this. I mean, it's all Brady's fault you silly little nitwits.

I have met President Gora on several occasions and can safely say that I have never met anyone like her (and not in that "this person is really special" sort of vibe). As myself and another alum, whose family is quite influential in donations of goods, services, and money to the CVC and the university, boarded an elevator to the press box in the football stadium (pre-renovation) we were brushed past and asked to wait as she and her cronies boarded on past like we didn't exist. It was only after he introduced himself and his father's business that we were welcomed on. That was my first interaction with her, unfortunately not the last, and I can say that none of them got any better.

Since she's been here I have watched numerous friends, mentors, colleagues, and fellow professionals in higher education be shown the door or downgraded to the point where they just quit. You can add Brady Hoke to that list now. It is a shame. It is a travesty. Ball State is simply a pothole on her road to whatever it is she's looking for and she doesn't care who gets caught in the quick fix namemaking she likes to do for herself.

I am no longer a student at Ball State, so it would be completely baseless for me to comment on the student experience there nowadays. But I can safely say that my alumni dollars will be put on hold, in a nice interest bearing account, ready for day 1 of the next president's administration. It isn't much, and guys like Jason Whitlock and David Letterman may continue to cough over millions while Jo Ann Gora and her goon squad fiddle away while Rome burns down around them, but don't say I didn't contribute in some small way.

But, hey, thanks for the response, Doc.

An Open Letter to Jo Ann Gora and Tom Collins

In recent weeks, and especially after the negotiations between Coach Brady Hoke and other schools, there were quite a few folks filled with murderous rage displeased with how the administration at Ball State University handled the financial aspects of keeping Coach Hoke and his assistants. OTP remained neutral and teetered on the side of supporting the administration (President Jo Ann Gora and Athletic Director Tom Collins) giving them the opportunity to impress us before immediately tossing them both under the bus before the end of the Hoke saga played out.

As it stands now, Hoke has left for greener pastures (reportedly 3.5 million greener pastures for 5 years) and it is time for some answers as to how this administration views this program. It is time for them both to hear from fans of the school, former players, and supporters (financially and otherwise) as to the extreme displeasure with their handling, treatment, and disrespect of a Ball State alum and winning football coach. What follows is an open letter sent this morning to Jo Ann Gora and Tom Collins. I encourage you, if you so agree, to undersign in the comments with your own thoughts if you feel the need. Should you wish to email Dr. Gora and Mr. Collins personally, you can do so at jgora@bsu.edu and tjcollins@bsu.edu

Dr. Gora & Mr. Collins,

I write to you today on behalf of Cardinal Nation and readers of OverThePylon.blogspot.com, a site covering the Cardinals, and ask for help in understanding how this day ever came to pass. I write with the hopes that either of you can tell me, and our readers, why Coach Hoke was ever allowed to get away. I write with the hopes that you can tell me that every effort was made to retain Coach Hoke, increase the quality of life for his assistants, and improve the facilities that the coaches utilize in preparing the student athletes for practice and games. I write to you optimistic that either of you can tell me that there was a good faith effort made to reward a Ball State alum and the man who coached this team to a 12-1 record this season and two consecutive Bowl bids. I write to you optimistic that either of you can tell me that there was a good faith effort made to reward the assistant coaches who are some of the lowest paid coaches in the MidAmerican Conference. I write to you optimistic that you can tell me there was a good faith effort to actually build offices for these coaches. I am optimistic that all these things were done, because were they not, I would have to say it was the biggest failure of an administration in Ball State history. These are bare minimum things that could have been achieved to continue the success of the Cardinals on and off the field, and to hear that they were unable to be achieved is simply unacceptable.

I understand that Ball State cannot compete with a BCS conference school, though that is a debate for another day and time, but to lose Coach Hoke to another midmajor program is totally and completely unacceptable. It is a failure of the highest order, a dereliction of both of your duties, and inexcusable. As fans who have supported this program for years, who have played for and supported the Cardinals, I, and my readers, demand answers as to how this man and his assistant coaches were not worthy of more than a standard 3% pay increase. I, and my readers, demand answers as to how this man and his assistant coaches were expected to compete for conference titles and national attention when they do not even have offices in the football complex. I, and my readers, demand answers as to how this program is expected to improve when administrators like you both refuse to allow it to grow, succeed, and improve.

Perhaps it’s because neither of you have any ties to this program, this school, or this area. Maybe that’s why you don’t understand the fans, the students, or the alumni of MY institution. I refuse to even say “our” because neither of you have shown any sort of want, desire, or passion for MY institution to succeed unless it somehow benefited your resume. So since you seem to not care about the people who essentially support this school, I’ll tell you a bit about them… this is a fanbase that was motivated, energized, and passionate about football and athletics in general for the first time in years. After the fiasco of Ronny Thompson (hired under both your watchful eyes, I might add) the athletic program at MY university was looked at as small time. A joke. A program that would never get better because no one in the administration “got it”. Coach Hoke changed that with his performance on the field. He didn’t change the image through fancy billboards or television commercials, though one could argue his four hour commercials on ESPN once a week were fairly good exposure for the school.

I am well aware that Ball State is not Auburn. I am well aware we cannot afford millions of dollars in coaches’ salaries or tens of millions of dollars worth of stadium upgrades. But even with that qualifier, our facilities are substandard, our coaches underpaid, and our administration seems hesitant to allow anyone to succeed. I ask you both, do you think a winning program on the current budget (nearly last in the NCAA FBS division) is possible? If so, why hasn’t it happened? If not, why are we even fielding athletics in the first place?

Because of the inability by both of you to retain a true “Ball Stater”, I have to ask myself if continued support of this program and university, financially (since whether or not I am a donor, and I am, influences your reaction) and otherwise, is truly a wise use of resources. I am proud of MY university, proud of Coach Hoke, but ashamed of the job both of you did. I am embarrassed that you chose to not only let this man get away but negotiated far below your capabilities and far below what he was asking for in an effort to make yourselves look better in the process. It is a disgrace. It is yet another example of not understanding the true capabilities of Ball State University, the student athletes, and the alumni who support the school, and in doing so, allow both of you to remain gainfully employed.

The “efforts” made to retain Coach Hoke and his assistants were a slap in the face to him and to the fans and athletes. It reeks of small-time thinking, and a lack of commitment from the administration to build a winning program in Muncie. If you do not think it is possible, I beg both of you to hire people who do and let them run the program from hiring to fund raising, etc. A winner is possible, but not through the methods both of you utilize to “manage” a program. It is a failure, and one that is inexcusable.

I await your responses to the questions I have posed.

Sincerely yours,
Alan M. Rucker
BSU BS02, MA03
OverThePylon.blogspot.com

Hoke Tells Team He's Done

According to multiple sources at today's quickly called team meeting, Coach Hoke confirmed what everyone already thought... that he has accepted the position at San Diego State University. Sources at the meeting said Hoke was very straightforward in the brief meeting with the standard "best for me and my family" sort of sentiment. Hoke is leaving his alma mater, the program that he built from the ground up, and a 12-1 record this season to take over a 2-10 steaming turd in the Mountain West Conference. A strange move, for sure, but one that comes down to money, the leadership above him, and the commitment from the institution to build a winning program.

It's a sad day for Cardinal nation, and I'll have some more on this in a bit, but for now, it's a sense of thanks for the job he did, but a general quizzical look in his direction for the move.