February 27, 2005
Steele a top candidate for FSU head coach
Sounds like the folks at Florida State are picking up on my suggestion to look at Kevin Steele as a possible replacement when Bobby Bowden retires. FSU officials confirmed Steele's status as a top candidate for the Seminoles to a Miami Herald reporter this week.
Comments:
posted on February 28, 2005 8:16 PM — link — abuse?Kevin Donahue said:
Steele would be good, and he's cut in the Bowden mold. I think Richt would come back to FSU in a heartbeat. As far as one of the Bowden sons...eh...I'm not that impressed.
posted on March 1, 2005 6:59 AM — link — abuse?
There's no question that Steele's Baylor teams weren't stellar. Steele was there for three years - so I don't think that's the absolute measure of a head coach (recruiting window, etc). But, Steele's Bears did improve statistically and had a much tougher defense when he left than when he arrived, I seem to recall from up here in Dallas.
That being said, it's freakin BAYLOR. If you can't bring talent to Baylor...well, don't feel bad because no one else managed to in the post-SMU death penalty days. Steele had to hire two offensive coordinators while he was at Baylor, I recall. And, I think it's fair to say that convincing someone to come coach offense is quite a recruiting job in and of itself. I much prefer to judge Steele by his days at OK State, Nebraska, and building the Carolina Panthers versus Baylor.
You may think Steele would bury the 'Noles, I disagree. He recruits very well, has a great defensive scheme which requires smart players making play recognitions at the line, and he would have a bevy of good coaches around him.
Maybe you're right. Maybe Steele sucks as Baylor fans insist. But how would Baylor fans feel watching Steele hoist an ACC trophy and a crystal football, just a few years after hoisting the NFC championship? I suggest to you that Baylor fans were sold a dream of being a more competitive team. They bought it hook, line and sinker. It takes time to lift a program out of the conference doghouse. When it didn't happen right away, they tossed Steele.
I think I'll trust the judgments of Bowden, Osborne, and Capers over that of the Baylor boosters.
Alex said:
posted on March 1, 2005 2:38 PM — 208.255.159.14 — link — abuse?
Kevin D., with all due respect, you've lost your mind. I watched Kevin Steele football for FOUR years and by the fourth year, we got blown out by Cal (previously 1-10 the year before) 70-21 in our first game of the season. He had a wealth of talent in Texas and couldn't do squat with it. Guy Morriss has already pulled in much better recruiting classes than what Steele ever did.
And to say "well you're Baylor" is ridiculous. If he was a good coach, he would've turned us around. Baylor had a very strong football program from 1980-1995. Steele left our program BARELY better and hit a wall at 3-9 during the regular season. We held onto him too long.
posted on March 1, 2005 6:54 PM — link — abuse?
You could be right. I may have lost my mind. As I pointed out, recruiting at Baylor has been hard since the SMU death penalty. You can take that anyway you like. Baylor fans know that Baylor is a distant cousin in Texas recruiting. Even TCU and North Texas have put some distance on Baylor in recruiting.
Ryan said:
posted on March 3, 2005 9:24 AM — 198.185.0.144 — link — abuse?
Steele would be a fabulous candidate to replace Saint Bobby. College football boils down to one thing. Recruiting. And Steele has shown the ability to bring them in. Even with Jeff completely botching our offense up. Individual game breaking plays have kept us winning(albeit not as much). And it takes talent to do that. Steele brings them in. Case in point Coker in Miami. Great coach. Nice guy. Terrible recruiter. He isn't playing with Butch Davis recruited players anymore and it showed last year. Pray for Steele to get the job. I can't handle anymore Jeff Bowden years.
Don VanDemark said:
posted on March 4, 2005 9:03 PM — 65.33.106.10 — link — abuse?
To quote Ryan:
"College football boils down to one thing. Recruiting."That's what Jeremy Foley thought - that's why Ron Zook ended up with a job he shouldn't have had. Recruiting is a big key, but it's not everything. I'm not comparing Steele to Zook, just disputing the statement above.
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Kage said:
posted on February 27, 2005 10:52 PM — 128.186.24.83 — link — abuse?I dont know about Steele, I have always believed it will be another bowden boy taking the job at FSU(the exact reason why Richt n chuck A. left, they would never get the head coach job there). I believe that Tommy(clemson) or Terry (auburn) will get a shot before any other coaches.