Hazell to KSU

[pup]

Sources: Darrell Hazell hired at Kent St.

Kent State will name Ohio State assistant Darrell Hazell as its new football coach at a news conference on Monday, school sources said Sunday night.

Hazell has been assistant head coach to Jim Tressel since 2005 and has also coached wide receivers.

The school has been searching for its 20th coach since Doug Martin resigned with a few weeks left in the season.



http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5937582

[Loo]

I like a lot of his intangibles, integrity and recruiting pitch (although selling Ohio State and Kent State are completely different things), but there's a lot that remains to be seen. He has a good base, but can he manage and motivate a team, and how will his in-game decisions and game-plans come out? Also, Nielsen said he was known as one of the best recruiters in the country and knows Ohio--but Hazell admitted he recruited only a small area around Columbus to go along with the east coast.

This hire looks eerily similar to the Akron hire.

[neoleo]

I like a lot of his intangibles, integrity and recruiting pitch (although selling Ohio State and Kent State are completely different things), but there's a lot that remains to be seen. He has a good base, but can he manage and motivate a team, and how will his in-game decisions and game-plans come out? Also, Nielsen said he was known as one of the best recruiters in the country and knows Ohio--but Hazell admitted he recruited only a small area around Columbus to go along with the east coast.

This hire looks eerily similar to the Akron hire.

From all reports, the players absolutely loved him. Mike Brewster said he would shed a tear over Hazell leaving.

He was also a huge factor in the game plans for OSU the past couple of years, including the Rose Bowl victory last year, which was easily the best game plan of the post Troy Smith era.

There's always a huge question mark next to a first time head coach, but Hazell got a lot of quality experience at OSU in terms of game planning and calling plays.

[mikeperry]

Loo...don't worry about Hazell motivating the players. His group at Ohio State would run through a wall for him. Without hesitation.

[Loo]

I'm less worried about the motivation factor and was more-so just making a point that there are a lot of intangibles missing at the moment. He has a glare at him that makes you feel as though he's looking through you.

One other thing though--as far as "selling" the university and motivating players--Ohio State and Kent State are in two different dimensions. He had any resource any school in the country could ask for--he now has the lowest recruiting budget in the country to go along with one of the lowest budgets and poor facilities, even for the MAC.

[mikeperry]

I think you are underrating the facilities a tad. Sure, the field house is not as bright, shiny and new as it was when I was there at Kent, but the facilities are not horrible. What is horrible is the support from the student body, and I have no idea how Hazell or anyone else can fix this. To get the students to care he is going to have to win right out of the gate. As for the recruiting budget, I'm pretty confident the school is going to fix this. I don't know if you read my column about the candidates for the Kent position. I mentioned how the school would have to loosen the purse strings a little bit to get someone like Hazell. Doug Martin, after six years, was making $190,000 a year, plus bonuses and incentives. Hazell is starting at $300,000, with his bonuses and incentives still being worked out. So I'm pretty confident Nielsen is going to dedicate more to the football program overall...he spent more on his coach so it would be logical that he would spend more on the other parts of the program. But you never know. I think he was the best possible person for Kent to hire. I also think people need to give Ianello a chance at Akron. The guy has been there one year and people are already talking like the guy is a failure. Ianello deserves a few years to build that program because, honestly, he was starting with virtually nothing.

[Loo]

Purdue is reporting Brian Rock, former WR coach, is leaving the team to become Kent State's OC.

[jb]

I mentioned how the school would have to loosen the purse strings a little bit to get someone like Hazell. Doug Martin, after six years, was making $190,000 a year, plus bonuses and incentives. Hazell is starting at $300,000, with his bonuses and incentives still being worked out.

Hi Mike. I've enjoyed reading your MAC coverage and seeing you on STO.

As an alumnus, I'm sure that you are aware of the financial situation at Kent and most of the other MAC schools dfependant on state funding as well as how their FBS programs simply hemmohrage red ink. Throwing $ 300 large at a new HC is an incredible investment for Kent. I wish him well.

Long term, however, I hope part of all this year's BCS AQ fall out is a MAC-wide movement from the neitherworlds of door mat FBS to a more budget friendly FCS championship calibur program. FBS budgets and illusions pretty much demonstrates poor fuduciary responsibility to the taxpayers of Ohio.

BTW - I agree with you about the facilities. Just becasue most of the MAC schools aren't as nice as Massillon Washington doesn't mean they suck for what they are. I think the biggest problem is that Dix is just too far from campus. Sounds lame, but getting there took effort on a bloody eyed Sartuday morning after too much Loft, Shroom and Rays (showing my era). Dix should have been built where the new rec center is located.

[Loo]

I mentioned how the school would have to loosen the purse strings a little bit to get someone like Hazell. Doug Martin, after six years, was making $190,000 a year, plus bonuses and incentives. Hazell is starting at $300,000, with his bonuses and incentives still being worked out.

Hi Mike. I've enjoyed reading your MAC coverage and seeing you on STO.

As an alumnus, I'm sure that you are aware of the financial situation at Kent and most of the other MAC schools dfependant on state funding as well as how their FBS programs simply hemmohrage red ink. Throwing $ 300 large at a new HC is an incredible investment for Kent. I wish him well.

Long term, however, I hope part of all this year's BCS AQ fall out is a MAC-wide movement from the neitherworlds of door mat FBS to a more budget friendly FCS championship calibur program. FBS budgets and illusions pretty much demonstrates poor fuduciary responsibility to the taxpayers of Ohio.

BTW - I agree with you about the facilities. Just becasue most of the MAC schools aren't as nice as Massillon Washington doesn't mean they suck for what they are. I think the biggest problem is that Dix is just too far from campus. Sounds lame, but getting there took effort on a bloody eyed Sartuday morning after too much Loft, Shroom and Rays (showing my era). Dix should have been built where the new rec center is located.

I've heard several 2012 recruits mention the facilities as a huge plus for Akron and some other schools. Kent State's facilities aren't even average for the MAC and with the AD bumping up the HC and assistant salaries (around $125,000-$150,000), there still won't be any money to improve.

[jb]

Specifically what facilities? Dix? Indoor facility? Dorms? Weight & locker rooms?

Lack of or maintenance of?

Curious...

[Triple-S]

Specifically what facilities? Dix? Indoor facility? Dorms? Weight & locker rooms?

Lack of or maintenance of?

Curious...

Facilities are so-so last time I was up there.

You really should check out Ashland's setup, all but the visitor stands are high grade.

I am not sure if going TOSU guy was how I wanted to see Kent go, I'd prefer of all things to go get a guy who knows how to take advantage of the area and my schools -cough- low academic standards-cough- to get some of the local talent in the NEOhio area.

wishing him well, but am not holding out anything that he'll make KSU Football the class of the MAC.

[Loo]

Specifically what facilities? Dix? Indoor facility? Dorms? Weight & locker rooms?

Lack of or maintenance of?

Curious...

I've heard mention of the all of the above except the dorms.

[jb]

Specifically what facilities? Dix? Indoor facility? Dorms? Weight & locker rooms?

Lack of or maintenance of?

Curious...

I've heard mention of the all of the above except the dorms.

Other than being empty, what's wrong with Dix? I've been to just about 1/2 of the MAC stadiums and the renovated Dix is better than any of them. Its clearly better than Yeager, to name one. It's also one of the biggest in the MAC; bigger than the new one Akron built.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_football_stadiums_by_capacity

Do all the MAC schools now have indoor facilities and they've caught up and lapped Kent?

Anyhow, I don't think talent has been Kents issue the past half decade on field. Lots of bad luck and injuries.

[Loo]

Specifically what facilities? Dix? Indoor facility? Dorms? Weight & locker rooms?

Lack of or maintenance of?

Curious...

I've heard mention of the all of the above except the dorms.

Other than being empty, what's wrong with Dix? I've been to just about 1/2 of the MAC stadiums and the renovated Dix is better than any of them. Its clearly better than Yeager, to name one. It's also one of the biggest in the MAC; bigger than the new one Akron built.

Size isn't the issue with Dix. Ask 100 recruits where they would like to play based on stadium alone and set 95 as the over/under, and I'll take the over.

It's also worthless to have a stadium that big when you can only fill it once every two years. Funny thing is Akron is having the exact same problem Kent has had in the past even with their shiny new toy.

I said in the past Akron was in the same boat as Kent as far as attendance (the audited NCAA number that actually counts, not the announced attendance numbers) and was flamed for it. I haven't looked up 2010 yet or even know if they came out, but I'm betting they are pretty close. Then again, the guy who flamed me for saying that also thought Akron football had a better shot at the MAC title than KSU.

[jb]

If Spin gets bent for a reaistic tke on Akron, it doen't cound as a flame.

[jb]

Specifically what facilities? Dix? Indoor facility? Dorms? Weight & locker rooms?

Lack of or maintenance of?

Curious...

I've heard mention of the all of the above except the dorms.

Other than being empty, what's wrong with Dix? I've been to just about 1/2 of the MAC stadiums and the renovated Dix is better than any of them. Its clearly better than Yeager, to name one. It's also one of the biggest in the MAC; bigger than the new one Akron built.

Size isn't the issue with Dix. Ask 100 recruits where they would like to play based on stadium alone and set 95 as the over/under, and I'll take the over.

It's also worthless to have a stadium that big when you can only fill it once every two years. Funny thing is Akron is having the exact same problem Kent has had in the past even with their shiny new toy.

Right.

IOW, facilities is beng used as a cructh.

It's the lack of any football culture.

[Erie Warrior]

Get rid of Small Group, the Honors dorm and WKSU and fill in the damn swamp next to it and put the stadium on campus, then the culture will improve. It's a real pain in the ass to drive down to Dix. The beer helps, but still inconvenient.

EDIT: They did get rid of small group, but the issue still stands, stadium on campus!