Building the perfect WVU football candidate for AD Wren Baker
As a West Virginian, I always try to be a friendly, helpful guy. I hold open doors. I say hello on the street. And if you need help moving, hey, I’ll help you find someone.
So, consider this a helping hand for WVU athletic director Wren Baker. He’s tasked with finding the next Mountaineer football coach. And since I spent 38 years covering WVU before joining America’s marketing agency Wheelhouse Creative, I saw what worked and what didn’t regarding the program.
You must learn from the past, right?
So, I put together this de facto blueprint of the perfect WVU candidate/coach for Wren. (You sir are very welcome.)
• Find a coach who can recruit and be a quarterback whisperer. That’s true at any school, but especially WVU. Consider when Don Nehlen jump-started the Mountaineer program: Oliver Luck and Jeff Hostetler, both future NFL QBs. He had Marc Bulger, an NFL quarterback. Bill Stewart and then Dana Holgorsen had success with Geno Smith, now leading the Seattle Seahawks. There was Will Grier. Yet perhaps the most success came from running quarterbacks, Major Harris (national championship game) and even Darren Studstill (who, rotating with Jake Kelchner, led the team to an undefeated regular season) with Nehlen and Pat White (four bowl victories) with Rich Rodriguez.
• This is a MUST. He absolutely, positively must embrace pepperoni rolls, our state food (it really is officially the state food, if you missed the announcement).
• He should have a unique offensive philosophy because of the state’s small recruiting base. Rodriguez offset the disadvantage with the no-huddle, spread offense, born out of Mouse Davis’ Run and Shoot. Dana Holgorsen had early success at WVU with the Air Raid. Just be different.
• Learns how to say the town of “Hurricane” and spell “Colasessano’s.”
• Has adaptability, flexibility. Nehlen had the most success when he moved from drop-back passers Browning Nagle and Mike Timko to Major Harris. The coach and QB both knew how to scramble. Rodriguez flexed by not only using Pat White and Steve Slaton but fullback Owen Schmitt. Bill Stewart and Dana Holgorsen used Tavon Austin as a wide receiver, runner, punt returner, kick returner, you name it. Be flexible, innovative.
• A southern drawl, by the way, is a plus. Just make sure it’s not too southern. (See Bobby Bowden and that hung in effigy ordeal.)
• Ability to spot and develop “projects.” This is huge. Nehlen was the master of that. Consider the paths of players like Bulger, Darryl Talley, Renaldo Turnbull, John Browning, Chris Henry, Anthony Becht, Mike Fox, Mike Compton, John Thornton and Barrett Green. Important: Have the strength to guide and hone unbridled talent like Pac-Man Jones, Jerry Porter, Reggie Rembert and Bruce Irvin.
• Definitely, definitely, definitely know all the words to “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
• Have serious connections and be able to recruit West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida. Perhaps NIL and the transfer portal have made that less of a necessity but considering the prices for top-shelf players and WVU’s coffers perhaps not. Prioritizing those areas for young (and junior college) talent more than other Power Four schools will always be a path for the Mountaineers.
• Say “y’all” a lot.
• Know how to find fast guys. See Austin, Tavon and Devine, Noel.
• Have the ability to spell Monongahela and Monongalia and know the difference between the two.
• Be able to spot and secure the line talent that does come through the Mountain State. Signing guys like Rich Braham, Zach Frazier, Dante Stills and Wyatt Milum are top priorities. It’s inexcusable to let a guy like Darnell Wright escape (thanks Dana!) as he did to Tennessee. The man is now starting for the Chicago Bears.
• Have a Walmart Plus membership and learn how to explain West Virginia with a bird flip hand map.
• Little known point of success: Be kicker keen. WVU has had great success with kickers and punters. Kids, look up Todd Sauerbrun. Look up Paul Woodside, Mike Vanderjagt (aka known in NFL lore as that “idiot kicker,” according to Peyton Manning.) Oh, and there was that Pat McAfee guy. (Wonder whatever happened to him…)
• Know that “creek” and “crick” are interchangeable.
• Can sell recruits on the fact they can visit Booger Hole, Left Hand, Looneyville and/or Big Ugly, WV.
• Oh, and understand the real No. 1 selling point of the Mountain State comes down to two words:
Yann dogs.
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Mitch Vingle covered sports in West Virginia for 38 years. Follow Mitch on Twitter at @MitchVingle and be sure to check out the rest of Wheelhouse Creative’s website for your marketing and advertising needs. If interested, call us at 304-905-6005.