USU's new football coach has something old, new
Just checking: Did the Aggies hire Dave Arslanian again?
The long-suffering Aggies introduced the 26th football coach in their history on Thursday, handing the reins to former Utah defensive coordinator Gary Andersen. The move was met with general goodwill, especially at the press conference/pep rally at the Laub Athletics Complex.
Optimism was everywhere. When you're hiring coaches, that's the only way to go. They did it when Mick Dennehy was hired; Brent Guy and Arslanian, too. They probably did it when George P. Campbell took over in 1902, after which someone surely got up and said they had found the perfect fit.
Hiring day is no time for gloomy reflections.
"There's a major commitment here to not be just a good football program, but a great program," said Andersen.
Considering where it has been, "good" would be fantastic.
"I think I look pretty dang good in blue," added Andersen.
Arslanian was a head coach at Snow College and Weber State, but only coached two years at USU before getting dumped. Pella went 9-24 as the Aggies' head coach before being fired after the 1985 season.
So strong local ties and a layout of the land aren't necessarily the answer. You need that extra something (money?) that has been missing in Big Blue country for a millennium or so.
In that light, Andersen vowed to recruit Utah players, mixed with Polynesia, Texas and California talent. It's working at Utah, why not USU?
Although this isn't the first Utahn the Aggies have employed, it's not like local coaches have done worse than anyone else. USU has tried just about every avenue, hoping to return to the glory days of the 1960s and '70s. It has hired assistant coaches from big programs (Guy, Charlie Weatherbie) and head coaches from smaller programs (Chuck Shelton, John L. Smith, Dennehy, Arslanian). Pella came from within the ranks.
Nothing, but nothing, has worked. Even Smith and Weatherbie, who converted mediocre success into better jobs, had overall losing records. The last Aggie coach to leave town with a winning record was Phil Krueger in 1975.
Recent comments
Rock,
You mention some good things....It's a good thing BYU
& UTAH...
Rock--Get a Life | Dec. 5, 2008 at 9:53 p.m.
...if Andersen leaves on his own after a few successful years at USU....
So what... | Dec. 5, 2008 at 9:46 p.m.
USU picked the top assistant from a two time BCS qualifing program....
to "disappointed".2 | Dec. 5, 2008 at 7:39 p.m.
- Favre to Rice helps Vikings win 4:19 p.m.
- Photos: A Royal welcome 3:58 p.m.
- Bengals beat Steelers, lead AFC North 3:06 p.m.
- Johnson, Titans beats Bills 41-17 3:05 p.m.
- Bush helps Saints stay unbeaten 3:04 p.m.
- Redskins end skid with 27-17 win 2:58 p.m.
- Keys may help identify body 2:57 p.m.
- Scobee's FG lifts Jags over Jets 2:56 p.m.
- Panthers harass Ryan, beat Falcons 2:50 p.m.
- Henne helps Dolphins rally by Bucs 2:45 p.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
360 - BYU happy to escape with victory
223 - TCU creams U.
214 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
200 - Will state consider gay rights law?
148 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
133 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
130 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - RSL heads to MLS title game
114 - Celtics crush Jazz
104
Why are Utah republicans so eager to restore/raise a tax that hits the poor...
Genesis 18 never clearly states homosexuality...in fact, it never states...
Yeah, and we eeked out a win over the third place team from the Big 10 to win...
No, no... didn't you see the BYU thread? Those aren't the real numbers. You...
The award is a curse. More of them lose their jobs than keep them. I...
We may never see Koufos play again unless we go to Orem.
I find very little difference between a Democrat and a Republican. Both have...
You're absolutely right, and all churches are losing members in developed...
right because letting the Attorney General whose job it is make the...
I dont care if you lost by 1 or by 100, both the Utes and the Cougars were...
