PSU Potluck - Meat with Gravy

This ain't your run of the mill dinner. This is braciole, sausage, meatballs, and pork shoulder slowly braised in a spicy tomato sauce. Tuck your napkin in your neck, because that sauce stains.

Let's talk about Penn State's defense for a minute. We lost our DC, Bob Shoop, to Tennessee this year. That's a tough loss, but it gets worse. We also lost three of our starting four defensive linemen...all to the NFL draft. We knew they were good...and so did your team's quarterback!

The players move on, so we say, "Next man up." But coordinators are a different story. Coaching changes can bring system changes, for good or bad. Penn State decided to promote from within the coaching staff. We elevated our former co-defensive coordinator Brent Pry to full DC mode.

We didn't do a search, but just moved him into the new role. How do you feel about promoting from within for continuity? Do you think it's better or worse than poaching someone else's coordinator?

Aaron Yorke: Promoting from within is great if you don't need a full system overhaul. And Penn State was pretty good on defense last year, so we don't need an overhaul here, even with all that talent leaving the defensive line. This season will be a bit different without all those impact players up front, but there is more than enough returning talent in the back seven to form a productive unit if Pry manages it properly.

GF3: I say again...ask OSU how Warriner/Beck worked out...

DJ: My take on that is that promoting from within works if the person you're promoting has an extensive knowledge of the system that was being ran, what was being run was working well and intends to continue to run said system.  I'll agree with GF3 on this though, you can't replace competence at calling the correct plays for the situation you're in and fitting those plays around the talent you have.

Stew: As others have stated, promoting from within can provide some stability with design.  But they also have to be capable.  Iowa promoted Phil Parker after Norm retired, seems to be working pretty well.  Really, it just depends on the situation and how capable the person is.

C4B: Promoting from within can work, and work very well at times. The staff obviously thinks he's capable, so we'll see if their faith can be rewarded.

Brian: I'm not very bullish on promoting assistants or coordinators to the head coach position, but have fewer qualms about filing a coordinator role by promoting from within - particularly since it's still the head coach who largely defines the program's culture and strategy.

AlNamiasIV: I'm a big fan of promoting from within; continuity is an important thing in building an athletic (or academic or any sort of) program. However, as was mentioned yesterday, everybody within the system is an extension of the head coach, and the book is still out on Franklin. Personally, I expect PSU to continue to field a solid defense.

MNW: I would think it's more situational than a one-size-fits-all rule. For example, if Northwestern were to be hiring a new Offensive Coordinator (Hi. Fire Mick McCall.), I would hope that they nuke the offensive staff to the fucking ground, possibly maintaining a position coach who's good at recruiting, then rebuild it with outside hires (say, someone who's been on Indiana's staff in the last five years). I'm with Al and DJ. Penn State's been good on defense, so why change it?