IF Ludwig leaves

[chinngiskhaan]

Unless we can’t replace him with an absolute home-run hire like Brian Johnson (not going to happen) or David Shaw (also not likely) I think we have to give the job to Harding.

I’m not convinced that Harding is ready for it, but I gotta think he gives us the best chance of retaining our offensive recruits (like Fano), and keeping system continuity in place. Ludwig is getting close to retirement and has likely been teaching someone on this staff the ropes. While I don’t have any inside info on who that might be, I gotta think it would be Harding.

The system we are running now is the system we should have been running from the beginning, and it’s the system we should continue to run for the rest of our programs existence IMO. Balanced run/pass with an emphasis on TEs in the passing game. Harding has to be the best option for keeping the current system in place.

Also, Harding is arguably our best recruiter, and arguably our best position coach. If anyone deserves a chance (another chance anyway) at OC, it’s Harding.

[dystopiamembrane]

Whatever will be, will be. Go, Utes.

[dystopiamembrane]

Would you please offer a comment, if you gave a thumbs down to this post?

[Johnny]

Stop trolling. It’s completely obvious what you’re doing. 

[dystopiamembrane]

I do try to bring whimsy and something different to this forum, a place that I have considered my internet home for many years. I do not consider it trolling to do so. As for the above comment, the University of Utah will provide the student athlete product that they see fit to provide. I just enjoy the ride. I honestly don’t even know what dude looks like or what he does or does not offer to this team. And, I am not less of a fan for it.

[dystopiamembrane]

PS Your comment a few weeks ago asking me if I ski, however….not sure what that says.

[Johnny]

You’re just pushing great posters to other places. Slow your roll. Let it flow. Maybe set a goal of how many times you post on this site in a day? Spread your love with moderation.

[dystopiamembrane]

I appreciate your comment. Thank you.

[AZUTE]

Harding will be the next OC as long as Whit is the HC.

He offers the best option to keep continuity plus he a great coach.

I believe if Lud leaves the transition to Harding would be seamless.

Make him OC/OL Coach and go out and hire a QB Coach.

[chinngiskhaan]

I hope it would be seamless, but I’m not as confident as you seem to be. Harding is certainly the one that is the most likely to provide a seamless transition.

Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.

[Ute Dub]

Best case, Ludwig leverages his offer for more money at Utah and stays. But can you imagine Ludwig’s recruiting prowess at Notre Dame? He knows how to evaluate the right talent. The NIL game would also be a step up. 

[Larry B]

Am I the only one who thinks Harding would be an underwhelming and disappointing hire at OC? There’s got to be a better option out there. Let’s not forget that just a few years ago our fans were calling for his job. Our O Line has been mostly mediocre under him.

[EagleMountainUte]

Respectfully to those fans who thought that..they were wrong.

[chinngiskhaan]

Our O-line was mediocre for the first several years, and many including myself, blamed him for this. However, it has become clear that he was likely not the problem. We simply did not have the horses to put together an offensive line that was good in both phases every year. Over the last several years our offensive line has proven to be a strength of the team the last 3 years at least… and his recruiting has been excellent.

I’m not sure any of our early OCs were to blame for our offensive struggles early on. We just didn’t have the players to do well offensively. I guess you could blame the coaches for not recruiting well enough, but I think there is more to it than that.

In some ways, if Ludwig is going to leave, now might be better than after this year. If he leaves now, Harding or whoever else Whitt chooses will at least have a boatload of experienced talent to work with. If the keys were handed to Harding after a mass exedous to the NFL on offense, I’d be far more worried about his ability to succeed. If he was given Rising/JJ/Kuithe in his first year of OC, he’d be able to build confidence and start next year ahead of where he would have otherwise been mentally.

[Ute Dub]

Wrong! The 2016 team put 3 guys into the draft in Bolles, Tevi, Asiata, with Uhatafe and Dielmam being very solid players. A string of injury’s to Capra and several other high recruits took its toll on the depth for a few years. 

[chinngiskhaan]

Did you only read the first sentence of my comment? Jeezuz dude. Hope you feel better now.

[Ute Dub]

Was 2016 mediocre or not? I remember Jor Williams getting 1,500 yards. 

[chinngiskhaan]

give it a rest. I’m not going to engage in this argument. You aren’t even suggesting anything I disagree with.

[Ute2]

Harding had a terrible string of bad luck.  In 2019 our oline was largely underclassman and IMHO were the reason we didn’t go playoff.  We were 1 win away.  

they were underclassman because there was a total slew of medical retirements(capra comes to mind.  And Capra is an nfl name) and unlucky transfers like Empey’s dad getting hired away.

[Ute2]

The major Harding advantage would be continuity.  In a year we’re going for the dynasty, that would be huge.

inexperience would be a major disadvantage…

[Ute2]

Heck I almost like this better.  If the adage is true that it’s not the X’s and O’s but the jimmys and the Joes then hire Harding the day any bad Ludwig news breaks, get a passing game coordinator that week and off you go before there is any player attrition.  

continuity and player retention are worth a toooon on a year when our chips need to be all in.  And I’ll bet Harding could call a mean run game and do game planning.   And Whitt can pull together a village to help with the passing game, adjustments and that special play call.

[Ute2]

Ha. The above post is what happens when you only read half the thread.  

Sorry Chinngiskan!  I agree on all points!

[chinngiskhaan]

No worries. The more I think about it, the more I think that if Ludwig is GOING to leave, now is probably the best time to do it (well, not NOW NOW… the best time was right after signing day, but whatever).

Honestly, I think losing Harding would maybe be harder on the team than losing Ludwig, as strange as that sounds. I’m not convinced, but it has crossed my mind.

[Trailgoat]

Agree, stop gap it this year and see how Harding does. All guess work here, KW calls it after next season moving in to the Barry Alvarez/Wisconsin consultant role at Utah. KW probably gave Ludwig a heads up, either way, KW’s days are numbered as HC and Ludwig is hot right now and probably does not want to stick around with a new HC at this point in his career. Oh, and ND hitting him with a bag of cash.

Sky is not falling if Luwig leaves. Harding is more than capable. Honestly, Rising during his recovery can play coach as well. Kid has a wicked good football IQ and off the chart leadership skills. Rising reminds me of Kellen Moore from Boise State. I could see Scalley stepping in after next year resetting his own staff. My bet is on Harding is part of it.

Crazy looking at Ludwig’s career. Man, life of a journeyman college football coach is crazy. Outside of the jobs he stayed 3 years, he hasn’t stayed at one job more than 2 years over a 35 year career in coaching.   Life of a college football coach. Ludwig’s best years in terms of success have been at Utah under KW. His two stints at Utah, Vandy, and Fresno 20+ years ago are his longest commitments in one place for three years each. Most of his other jobs it’s a cycle of hired as the hot OC at the time than run out (UO, Cal, Wisconsin) a couple years later, restart somewhere else. Ludwig was 12-12 in the Pac10/12 at UO. Ask UO fans what they think of Ludwig. Guessing this is probably the norm for football coaches. 

Ludwig is now at another hot OC phase of his career after Utah’s current success. Could all mean nothing and he stays. Either way, Utes are all good! IMO, the transition to a new era in Utah football coaching is beginning. Grateful Utah has a head coach strongly invested in a smooth succession plan. This is how KW rolls and why Utah football is admired as the gold standard on how to run a successful football program on and off the field. KW has waaaay too much pride in Utah football. No way is the Utah football ship going to get of course.

 

 

[Charlie]

Andy is 58, he may want to finish in the place he wants to live. Don’t know if that is Utah or somewhere else. He may want to make a big splash in his last job, maybe ND does that. At ND he may only be there as long as the HC is, that may or may not be long enough. At Utah he likely can plan to stay longer assuming that is what he wants. I don’t know if he could give Scalley a run for the HC position when Whitt steps down. I do believe Whitt will have volumes to say about the replacement.

If Andy leaves only Whitt would know if Harding is the replacement. Harding is doing awesome in his current assignments, however, play calling is another skill completely. I am not a fan of a run game guy and another pass game guy. The two interact too much, plays on each side help set up plays on the other side and so on. A safe move is having someone with experience and already has much better success than most. Does Utah have the $s required to get that guy? Could Harding step into those shoes and be that guy right off the start? Is this position about the last piece for a bigger than usual run next year?

The offense has had to replace the RB coach and WR coach recently, the OC replacement would maybe be nice to avoid. In the end I hope Utah has the $s to retain Andy if that is our need or bring in someone like BJ such that at the end of the day we can get Whitt’s preference and not be forced into down the line choices. If Whitt has $s we should be in great shape.

[The Miami Ute]

To all you said I would add that not all change is progress. Ludwig previous recent stints in the SEC and B1G didn’t really set any houses on fire. Maybe he’s learned from that or maybe he’s a guy that works best in a Utah like environment. I also have doubts about a guy from Ogden wanting to settle down in the Chicago metropolitan area but who really knows.

[Author]

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