Etheridge out as o-line coach
by Jeff Nusser on Dec 30, 2009 3:57 PM PST
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PrintA team experiences its worst season in school history, and it decides that the best course of action is to fire ...
The offensive line coach?
Hardly the sweeping changes some were hoping for, the Cougs do end up making a change on the football coaching staff by firing offensive line coach Harold Etheridge. (WSU officially says his "contract will not be renewed," but why mince words?)
More interesting to me is that Vince Grippi says there aren't expected to be any more staff changes, which means it looks like Paul Wulff is still hitching is wagon to offensive coordinator Todd Sturdy, for better or worse.
I have mixed emotions. On the one hand, I think there clearly were bigger problems on offense than the line; but on the other hand, I think some make a legitimate argument when they say the offensive coordinator can't do much if he has to only call plays that can develop in two seconds.
I guess we're going to find out if Sturdy really can do the job. I hope for Wulff's sake that he's right.
Cougfan.com has put together this blatantly speculative list of potential candidates; however, Grippi says Keith Gilbertson is not going to be a candidate, and that Jim Michalczik is probably too expensive. Personally, I'd love to see it be Jason McEndoo, a guy who it appears was a candidate for the job back when Wulff was hired, but seemed to step out of turn when he said he was coming, only to be rebuffed.
Any tie to our successful years is a good one.
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Players or coaching?
Certain players were out of position and I think the switch from Yarno’s zone approach meant disaster. They were relying on Pencer and Eppele becoming legit tackles and neither were ready. That meant Hannam kept his left tackle spot instead of maybe moving inside much like Bobby Byrd ultimately did during his career. It also meant Ayers becomes the left tackle. Both Hannam and Ayers are probably guards and bringing in Jacobson and Gonzales shows the staff recognizes they needed to upgrade the position.
I have no problem with the decision to not bring back Etheridge especially if they can find an upgrade but we all know it was even more important to upgrade the position players as well.
I forgot about McEndoo being in the mix when Wulff was hired. The OL Coach hire was strange and a concern from the start. There was no way you could tell me that Etheridge was an upgrade over Yarno as a coach or in recruiting. Maybe his recruiting philosophy needed to change but we knew he could coach and connect with recruits.
Interesting hire and I hope they give Wulff the funds to make a good hire.
Yes.
I love that guy. His halftime interview was awesome. After it was done he points to the camera and says “Stick around for the second half, you will enjoy it.”
He was right.
CougCenter WSU's second main blog
by Craig Powers on Dec 30, 2009 5:22 PM PST up reply actions
Loved Akey's swagger
That comment, after another interview he said go Vandals, then going for the win at the end. Guys like him are great for the game
by thecassino on Dec 30, 2009 9:29 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
You love to see guys like that have success
He was great at WSU. What you see is what you get — there’s absolutely no pretension there whatsoever.
I agree, Akey is easy to like
Every time that I talked to him, he was very cordial. Heck, even after he took over at Idaho I talked to him at a WSU game and he was great.
If he sticks around Idaho he could build them into a nice program
He’s already off to a great start, and is one of those guys that it seems like kids would really want to play for. I’d play for him in a heartbeat.
I'd run through a brick wall for him
He’s that kind of guy.
by Brian Floyd on Dec 31, 2009 12:20 AM PST up reply actions
he is now a legit threat to take high talent eastern Wash kids away from WSU.
Coug fans better start hoping he gets another gig somewhere.
Damn, my eyeball tastes good.
I'm pretty comfortable with this staff's ability to recruit so far.
I’m more concerned about how they’re developed than competing with Idaho for players.
by TiltingRight on Dec 31, 2009 12:43 PM PST up reply actions
Couldn't disagree with that statement more
No high talent Easter Washington kid wants to go to Idaho. Trust me. Besides the fact that it’s the WAC versus the Pac-10, you clearly have no idea what Moscow and that university are like compared to WSU.
Loved seeing that
Nice to see Akey and the UI come through and get that bowl win. Gotta’ give them a lot of credit because that thing was broken and many people thought they should just go back to the Big Sky. I would really like to see them get back to beating BSU.
Kudos to Akey and UI
Woolridge had another nice game and the #77 kid of theirs isn’t too shabby either, is he? Sure helps to have the hosses up front to make things happen. Just saying….
If Wulff doesn't pan out
Is Akey on our list as a possible coach? And more importantly, would he consider it?
Leach
I’d like it if Sterk made a very under the radar, indiscreet call to Mr. Leach to see if he is interested. Lubbock and Pullman aren’t too different from each other.
I hate the idea
I don’t know what happened, and how over the line or not over the line Leach was in this situation. But I don’t want WSU to become the place where we take a coach that gets fired for possibly mistreating a player. Doesn’t send a good message to recruits or players.
Can he win? Yes. But is winning worth the statement that hiring him makes, which is that we don’t care as much about the student part of student-athlete and we strive to be another school that uses our athletes as a way make money and then spits them out when they can’t play or finish eligibility.
I know we haven’t been great at graduation of football players. But that is turning around. At the end of the day, I wouldn’t want to make a short term fix. Leach, if we could afford to get him, would leave at the first chance, I would put money on it.
I sure hope....
Replacing HE turns out to be the only move we needed to make. There’s a long list of those that are ready to turn the page on Coach Wulff, but I’m not one of them.
I’m very interested to see how this all works out, who gets hired for the vacancy and if there is any shuffling of assignments. I like the idea of someone dedicated to special teams but maybe we don’t have the luxury of that happening.
I’m also wondering the impact this has on filling out this class of recruits. Hope it’s a positive. We need some more impact players entering the program.
As far as my choice for new O-line coach, there’s no end to the possibilities with ties to the program. Lots of interesting choices. I think we have talented kids, we just need someone that’s more effective than Etheridge was in getting them to perform.
I don't think this will have an impact on recruits
And I think that’s a big reason why Sturdy’s not going anywhere. When you hear guys like Connor Halliday speak so excitedly about getting to play for Sturdy … well, you’re probably not going to fire the guy no matter what. (At least not until the end of February.)
Just to clarify...
The rumor that McEndoo was hired last go round was pushed from someone at Cougfan trying to get a scoop on pure speculation. That was published before Wulff even interviewed McEndoo, so it wasn’t him acting out of turn. He would be a great O Line coach for the Cougs though, no doubt. Hopefully Wulff takes a longer look this time around…
I would have loved to been a fly on the wall in that meeting with Etheridge
PW: Sorry guy we are not going to renew your contract.
Ether: What?!! Our line has been decimated for 2 years with injuries, you even said it yourself a million times.
PW: Well someone has to take the fall for our past 2 years.
Ether: Why can’t it be Sturdy because obviously he can’t coach himself out of a box.
PW: I am familiar with oline play, but I don’t have a clue about offense so I need him around to help me.
Funny
but Wulff was the OC for 2 or 3 years at EWU before being promoted to HC. And supposedly he had guys like Erickson and Jack Elway on his rolodex.
….just sayin’.
I doubt it was a matter of pressure from upstairs or someone having to “take the fall.” Like he does with the players, I’m sure he did evaluations and thought H.E. was coming up short.
by TiltingRight on Dec 31, 2009 12:36 PM PST up reply actions
wondering what PW's history is with Ethridge
He stuck with and defended Ethridge for far too long. they must go back a ways or PW had some kind of special relationship with and really wanted him to be successful and was loyal to him to the detrament of the team, offense, QB’s and running game. The offensive line WSU has fielded the past two years has been completely embarrassing and undefendable. The second half of the season it was mostly intact (except Roxas) and it only got worse in performance. Obviously the coaching wasn’t there in off season and during game week preperation.
I think odds are Mcendoo will come over from MSU and take over the unit. I doubt we can afford ($) any other option.
McEndoo
McEndoo would be a great choice since he not only has ties to WSU but sucess as a coach. Young, solid experience, excellent recruiter and a good role model. He may have reservations about the longevity of the existing staff and may not want to commit if there is a fear of PW not being here more then another year. He would stand a very good chance of staying even if PW were to go especially if he shows some growth with the O-Line. Thats what happened to him at MT. State.
Hopefully he comes as I think he would make a much needed positive impact and be here for a few years.
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