Comments about ‘USU football: Former Aggie center stage in coaching drama’

Please check with Arizona head coach Mike Stoopes - while the oc with the wildcats, arizona was a very poor offensive team. But of course, it will come down to who will take the job for the $$ that is offered.

Keep in mind all teams he has coached with have not had great or good seasons. Good guy but not head coach material. He has called all his coach friends to put in a good word. Don't think he can get the job done. Why hasn't be been offered a HC job before. Utah State could toss the dice, and give it a try. I don't think so, they need a ringer. They cannot afford to hire another non producer.

Make sure you consider the entire situation at Arizona. Stoops has a rep for being a coach killer. Only when they brought in Sonny Dykes as OC did Stoops back off not having such a heavy hand with the offense. There is more to the story than just stats. Motivating recruiting, and organization; Canales would make a great coach. Ask any of his players.

This sounds like a nice guy but what's his winning percentage in Division I football as a head coach? What's his track record for recruiting impact players? The same things were said about Brent Guy four years ago! Few things are for certain but it's a fact that nice guys finish last and USU needs a "winner" as in a record of winning "football games" not being a real nice position coach!!!!! Yeah let's waste another 4 or 5 years as the WAC doormat. How did Weber get good over the same time period as Brent Guy was USU's head coach. Oh yeah, they hired a proven coach and proven recruiter!!!!!

Listen to what he said RIGHT ON !!!!


Did you hear that AD.

doesnt matter who it is....

Utah State cannot get a ringer coach as mentioned above. We will need to roll the dice and Canalas is as good as anyone else. We need a coach that will end up being a ringer and will stay. Not a stepping stone

Get lost! Go back to the BYU blog where you belong! This site is, I think, for "real" Aggie fans who actually care about the football program and have viable opinions about making a very critical and significant head football coach hire. I firmly believe that the Aggies can be a permanent fixture in the upper echelon of the WAC football standings if, and only if, the right coach is hired "now." If Scott Barnes makes a bad hire, the program is right back to where it was 4 years ago and, I hate to say it, but the University has to assess whether or not to remain in Division I. The time for an intellegent hire is "now." If USU does not have the money to make a competitive offer to quality coach then let's talk about moving to the Big Sky!

Canales has contagious energy, enthusiasm, & drive. He is an offensive guru that would have the Aggies competitive in his first year. C'mon Barnes-- hire Chico as Head Coach, and tell him to bring his buddy Keith Uperesa from UNLV to be OC.

Utah State needs a recruiter and then good coaches.

I was privileged to know and associate myself with Chico when he was at Utah State. He was a dedicated athlete that put in many hours studying films and then going out and performing. He was not the most gifted quarterback but made up for it in effort.
Whether or not he gets the job, I know that his dedication is without reproach. There is also enthusiasm which he would bring to the program. How many coaches can Utah State say had any enthusiasm. Maybe Coach Weatherby, but the rest of them have been dead heads. Athletes need someone who can inspire them to be more than they are. Chico is the man.

It has been good to see that USU has several excellent candidates to choose from. However, when you look at the field, you have to go with John L. Smith because of his experience and name recognition. He would bring a proven track record and instant credibility to the program. If JLS becomes the coach, I would like to see Mike Canales as the OC, or Kent Baer as the DC. This would be a promotion for both of these coaches from the positions they now hold at South Florida and San Jose State. It would also give the Aggies a coach in waiting for when John L. Smith retires. It would be very exciting to see some combination of these coaches who are vying for the head job to come together to form the new coaching staff.

all that was done was a waste

starting over again...

players will leave, recruits taht were coming now arent

who is recruting right now?

i see 0-12 next yr.

What are you his brother or something, If you can't provide results you don't deserve to me a head coach I con't care how hard you work. In this game you win or you are out.

You got to be kidding!!! We are talking about a multimillion dollar program. I hope the leadership at Utah State does not share this mentality. That blog is a joke.

I remeber a guy who had buckets of enthusiasm and commitment that was hired as an Aggie head coach. His name was Dave Arslynian. If I remember correctly, he lasted less than two years after he completely lost control of the team and posted back-to-back 1 or 2 win seasons. Enthusiasm is not enough!!!! As mentioned above, nice guys finish last!!!! I want a guy with a proven track record of winning Division I football games who can recruit impact players and I don't care where they come from. The "RA! RA! I love you guys" approach to player motivation seldom works with today's "big city bad-boy" players! A coach with that approach gets "conn'ed" in a heartbeat. The "you produce or lose your scholarship" approach is a winner. Fear is a tremendous and absolute motivator. Winning coaches "demand respect and performance." They don't "politely" ask for it!

First of all, I have to say, if you think Dave Arslanian had buckets of enthusiasm, then you are going to love Coach Canales. Coach Canales has more enthusiasm and leadership in his pinky than Dave Arslanian had. I don't have enough words remaining to talk about Coach Canales' recruits, his connections to Utah and California (he's from Palm Springs), and his pedigree. If Utah State is really looking for someone to be the "Front Porch" of the University, then it is a no brainer in my opinion. He know's the formula that Utah, BYU, Weber State, and Snow College use to win here in State. He will hire great polynesian coaches, as well as take advantage of all the "meat and potatoes" (OL, DL, LB's, TE's) athletes here in Utah. Utah State would be lucky to have someone as qualified, charismatic, and competent as Mike Canales. The guy is flat out ready for this job...

I think he's a better choice than Walker, only b/c the type of athletes USU gets, we need a HC that will have an offensive gameplan to chuck the ball around, run the spread and score lots of points. BG's gameplan was focused on the defense and that just won't work with the undersized lineman USU. I'm all for the 56-42 type of games.

We are looking for someone who can develop a program and win games. Canales has done neither,
this is like beating a dead horse.

Nice post Toph, You should know all about the enthusiasm and leadership. Living in So. Florida would be a little different that So. Cache. We would be 4 years ahead of where we were before they went too ASU for a coach.
Go Bulls