Something else to bring up Red. When JT left, he not only left JH with no staff, Tressel also took all of his financial backers as well. This was a much more empty cupboard than people realize. It should also be pointed out that JT was his own AD, while Heacock had to answer to someone else. It may not seem like much, but it really is quite a change.
Balderdash.
I feel like I'm trying to convince you the sun rises in the East.
There are expected staff changes when there are HC changes. But, let's take your premise seriously that JT left JH with an "empty cupboard." What happened when JH filled the cupboard? Let's look at his first four years as HC:
2001 Youngstown State 8–3 5–2
2002 Youngstown State 7–4 4–3
2003 Youngstown State 5–7 2–5
2004 Youngstown State 4–7 2–5
Wait?! If the cupboard was bare in 2001, wouldn't that have been the worst year, and then the record would've improved after filling the cupboard?
The truth is the cupboard was full in 2001 with a team that was in the playoffs in 2000 and in a National Championship game in 1999. JH set the cupboard on fire and then took a piss on it.
He has the skill set to be an DC. I don't know anyone who would dispute that. He is a proven failure at HC. That's normal and that's OK. No one is good at all things. Paladin said something that is interesting. Maybe at UT, his inadequacies as HC will be masked by a larger budget, fan base, etc. I think that there likely is some truth in that. Also, likely he's learned a few things since his time at YSU. My guess is if he becomes the permanent HC at UT, the slope of decline will be less steep than at YSU, but present nonetheless, and the tolerance for the decline will be very limited, and he'll be gone from UT within 5 years.
I really do not see the point that you are trying to make. Obviously, the immediate players stayed similar, but there was limited input from coach H beyond what he did under JT. Which is also the point that you are making. We differ on the reason why ...you say the decline came because coach H lacked skill and I say it was many other items, none more than a lack of resources. Players are players, they change least of all as they are already there (at least 3-4 years worth). I am talking about staff & in particular coach H's ability to bring in quality staff. There is no denying he had no previous HC experience at the DI collegiate level.
Answer this ...do you think the head coach Jon Heacock had the financial resources to hire DC Jon Heacock? NOT EVEN CLOSE. Coach H left YSU for a much higher paying position with Indiana. He only came back because he knew the HC job was soon to be his and that is what he wanted. Our most recent DC's salary was almost higher than Jon Heacock's entire staff (including himself). We were one of the lowest paying colleges in I-AA and this lack of resources showed. We had limited improvements to existing facilities. We hired coaches "on the cheap" that were close to the program like Cochran, Klasic and frankly Jon Heacock. I understand the lack of resources as we were in a desperate need to meet grossly-neglected Title-IX requirements & Strollo did what had to be done. The difference between you & I their is that I respect Strollo for what he did, as I respect Jon Heacock for the same. You do not.
Give this some thought: Jim Tressel's legacy at YSU was primarily defined by his hiring at OSU. Truly, 9 out of 10 recruits really had no idea whom he was at YSU. To prospective non-local recruits Tressel was no different than any other I-AA coach at the time. The reason non-local recruits came here was because we had "national titles" (as compared to other I-AA programs) and I bet the average recruit did not even realize that they all fell under JT's watch. Now once hired at OSU, many of JT's perspective YSU recruits (most-especially local) for the first-time probably realized how much talent that JT had (that is if he was good enough for the buckeyes, then he is too good for YSU) and they in-turn chose not to come to YSU, as they did not want to play under what is always the inevitable downward trend following a legend. Then factor in how much this was compounded by the university's need and desire to stay as local as possible in recruiting. After all, the gas to Warren is cheaper than plane flights to Florida and California.
Secondly, for your consideration: (If you believe that YSU had some resources to hire a quality staff after Jim Tressel) From the time Jim Tressel first received word he was most-likely going to OSU (which was quite some time before he actually left) he contacted anyone and everyone to see if they had interest in coaching with him in Columbus. Of course he knew it would be at least a year or 2, so these people would refuse any other job offer ...including those from new YSU head-coach Jon Heacock. So JT not only took Heacock's existing staff, but also potential quality staff member hoping to get even a minor roll in the "JT/OSU show". Why not? A year as even an unpaid assistant at OSU gives you tremendous second-job opportunity.
The only reason we kept OC Jon Heacock was because he wanted to stay local with his family. His skills as as OC are average to above; but that is the most I would give him, but he certainly was qualified to be a coach at any FBS program. Furthermore I have never said he was "the cat's meow" of coaching at any position. His skills as a head coach are far better than his skills as an OC (although maybe not the case in 2015). I simply saw a man that gave everything he had to this university & his skills were quite good; in his own way, better than Tressel as he was far more willing to adapt. What I see in coach H is that he is committed. This level of commitment is not unnoticed by the UT administration. This is why he is the interim head coach.
BTW, at no other university (outside of YSU) could JH's perceived inadequacies be masked more than at YSU; he was family. UT is not big school. Can they recruit better than YSU? ...by far. Any recruit would be a fool to chose YSU over UT on purely performance measures. Also, lasting 5-years would be a great accomplishment for JH or any coach.
As to your 1999 title game. I would ask you to recall that game and why we lost as that is what plagued coach H the majority of his head-coaching tenure; none more noticeable than in 2006. This post is already a book so I will not go there.
