So... pick the next Portland State football coach
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2009/12/post_1.html
Portland State will likely announce it's next football head coach sometime next week. Interviews going down all this week on campus in Portland. And you all know who I think PSU should hire --- and I'd do it in a heartbeat --- but here is the run-down from sources close to the hiring process on where the candidates may currently stand.
Al Borges (San Diego State offensive coordinator): If we're going on resumes alone, the 54-
Al Borges has a strong resume.year old Borges is tough to beat. He's run the offenses at Auburn, Indiana, Cal, UCLA, Oregon, Boise State, and Portland State. He's a strong tie to PSU's successful past, but the big question is whether or not Borges can recapture the magic Pokey Allen had when the Vikings were competing at Division II. He's had resources at his more recent stops and his success-to-fail ratio is so-so. San Diego State went 4-8. A source on the hiring committee said that Borges brought his wife, Nikki, who is from Oregon, into the interview. Smart gamble. He also spent time in the interview talking about this being his dream job, and perhaps, final job. Several current football players at PSU expressed concerns over Borges being less energetic than some of the other candidates. Borges would be a safe hire for PSU, but is safe what the Vikings need?
Insider Odds to get the job: 3 to 1.
Former OSU assistant is getting a strong internal push.Nigel Burton (Nevada defensive coordinator): With Mark Banker running the defense in Corvallis there was no upward mobility available to Burton when he was at Oregon State as a position coach and assistant. So Burton left for Nevada to run the Wolfpack defense. He played at Washington, and coached at PSU (defensive backs and special teams in 2001-02). Insiders say Burton is getting a serious push internally from Rashad Floyd, a Burton friend and former Arena Football League player who graduated from PSU in 2001. Floyd is charged with being the "football voice" of the hiring committee. OSU coach Mike Riley gave Burton a positive recommendation this week. Nevada went 8-4 this season --- very respectable --- but Burton's defense gave up 28 or more points 15 times in two seasons. Some obvious questions there, and you have to wonder if PSU can afford to go with another defensive-minded coach in the wake of Jerry Glanville.
Insider Odds to get the job: 5 to 1.
Willamette coach was the subject of USA Today feature story.Mark Speckman (Willamette University coach): Speckman interviewed on Monday, toured the Portland State campus and conducted what one person on the interview committee called, "a seminar on the Fly offense." He's a terrific candidate, and has won everywhere he's coached. The 54-year old has an endorsement from Ducks coach Chip Kelly, who tried to hire Speckman as his quarterbacks coach last summer, and Oregon State coach Mike Riley, who called PSU on the eve of the Civil War as well to give a recommendation on Speckman. Both OSU and Oregon ran Speckman's "fly sweep" on Thursday night during the Civil War. Speckman has energy, fresh ideas, and would bring added national exposure to the program by virtue of his disability (he was born without hands). He's be a fascinating hire, and he's an offensive-minded coach who has put up big numbers. The big question here is whether PSU has the confidence in itself to set ego aside, look in the backyard and hire a Division III coach who runs an offense the football-light hiring committee likely doesn't understand.
Insider Odds to get the job: 8 to 1.
Greg Lupfer is an assistant for Tim Walsh at Cal Poly.Greg Lupfer (Cal Poly defensive coordinator): Lupfer is a former Tim Walsh assistant who was considered for the job when Jerry Glanville got it. He is still getting a nice push from recruits and there's a Facebook page dedicated to "Hire Greg Lupfer" even now. Lupfer, 39, played linebacker at PSU from 1991-93 and spent 12 seasons as a Vikings' assistant. One current PSU player said, "He's exactly the kind of young, energetic coach we need." Players want him. He knows the landscape, but I'm not sure the Viks are looking for a defensive-minded coach, and I'm not sure the Walsh era was sexy enough for the hiring committee. Lupfer interviewed on Thursday, and it went well. He has a ringing endorsement from Walsh, who carries some juice still on campus, but it feels like the timing may not be right this time as well.
Insider Odds to get the job: 10 to 1
Stan Brock (former Army head coach): Brock was born in Portland, and knows the
Stan Brock played high school ball at Jesuit.challenges at PSU. The 51-year old coach was let go after going 6-18 in two seasons at Army. Insider on the search process said that Brock wasn't prepared as well as the other candidates for his interview. Too bad, because on paper he just doesn't stack up to the possibilities. You figure he had to win this job in an interview phase, not on paper. Offensively, Army was a disaster under Brock, who went to the "Brock Bone" in year two and basically handed the ball to the fullback. He was a great player, and a Hall of Famer in the state, but he has to be a looooooong shot in this process given the circumstances. This pool is too deep for Brock to walk off with the job.
Insider Odds to get the job: 15 to 1.
So who do you hire?
