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  • digits
    digits Member Posts: 1,850
    It's impossible to find another Don James, but I think if you look @ his early career, along with other highly successful HCs today (Meyer, Saban, etc.), there are some similarities:

    1) Worked their way up, extensive assistant coaching experience before appointed HC
    - James: 15 yrs
    - Meyer: 15 yrs
    - Saban: 18 yrs

    2) Coached @ Big Time programs as assistants
    - James: Florida St., Michigan, Colorado
    - Meyer: Ohio St., Notre Dame
    - Saban: Ohio St., Michigan St.

    3) Previous HC experience where they showed immediate (w/in 2 seasons), dramatic improvement compared to before they arrived
    - James: Took Kent St. to their only bowl game in program history in 2nd year as HC
    - Meyer: Took over a Bowling Green team that went 2-9 in 2000; went 8-3 & 9-3 in his 2 seasons as HC
    - Saban: Took over a 6-5 Toledo team, went 9-2 his 1st and only season

    Current HCs that I found to have these similarities or @ least some of them:

    1) Tim DeRuyter
    - Extensive assistant coaching experience before becoming HC: 21 yrs
    - Coached @ Big Time programs as assistant: Texas A&M
    - Immediate, dramatic improvement: Went 9-4 in his 1st season, Fresno St. was 4-9 the previous season

    2) Craig Bohl
    - Extensive assistant coaching experience before becoming HC: 19 yrs
    - Coached @ Big Time programs as assistant: Wisconsin, Nebraska
    - Immediate, dramatic improvement: Went 8-3 in his 1st season, NDSU was 2-8 the previous season

    3) James Franklin
    - Extensive assistant coaching experience before becoming HC: 16 yrs
    - Coached @ Big Time programs as assistant: Maryland, Kansas St.
    - Immediate, dramatic improvement: Went 6-7 and 9-4 in 1st 2 seasons, Vanderbilt was 2-10 the previous season

    I think any of these 3 HCs would do well @ UW. But digging deeper, James Franklin is doing a tremendous job @ Vanderbilt, especially considering:

    1) Vanderbilt had never previously played in a bowl game in consecutive seasons
    2) The 9-4 campaign in 2012 was only the 3rd 9 win season in program history
    3) They beat Georgia last Saturday for the 1st time in 22 seasons!
    4) It's the SEC

    My order goes Franklin, DeRuyter, then Bohl.

    Am I reaching here or what do y'all think?
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