Welcome to the Friday Feedback, which would like to take you on a hypothetical trip inside the office of defensive coordinator Tony Gibson yesterday. Somewhere around 12:30 in the afternoon, the dings or beeps or whatever noise his cell phone(s) make(s) to notify him he has a new text message or email or voicemail begin.

And for like eight hours, it doesn’t stop. He leaves the phone(s) behind for meetings, for meals, for a workout, and he cherry-picks which calls and messages to answer and when. Gibson needs a new cornerbacks coach. He knew that a few hours earlier, and probably even longer because Brian Mitchell interviewed the day before for the job he’d accept Thursday at Virginia Tech.

Some of the people reaching out to Gibson are reporters and friends and colleagues. They’re the people wondering if it’s true and how or why it happened. The others are coaches who need a job, and while they’re good coaches, many or most of them don’t have a job in February, and there’s a reasons. But they know what Gibson knows: They’re candidates. In February, and there’s a reason.

This is a loose rendition of Gibson’s present and near future. Like every head coach and coordinator, he has that list of names he’d hire for certain positions, but those transactions happen in December and January. Figure a lot of those names will answer the phone and listen to Gibson and probably decline out of loyalty or logic. Not all of them, mind you, but a bunch of them.

But say someone who Gibson wants — or someone who wants this job — is on the phone and the conversation gets real. Things click, and it makes sense for everyone. Here’s Gibson’s pitch: I can promise you 10 months.

That’s the blockade he’s dealing with right now. It’s why Brian Mitchell is on the way to Blacksburg, Va. It’s probably why Virginia Tech, which was looking for an assistant for two weeks — the Hokies lost a coach on signing day — called Mitchell. Coaches and administrators are sharp. When it gets this late, they know they might not get an ideal candidate, so they look for vulnerabilities. “Who’s a really, really good cornerbacks coach in an unstable situation?”

It doesn’t take long to put together a list, and Mitchell would be near the top of it. And this is probably what Gibson tries now. He’ll have his names and some people will find him and bend his ear, but he’ll also look around for people who he can poach. Considering he has Mark Scott, who is good and green, and Matt Caponi, who’s good and not-as-green and new, Gibson needs someone with some credentials. But then it comes to his pitch: 10 months.

I think this could be done by this time next week, but I’m sure it won’t be easy.

Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, keep busy.

tls62pa said:

Replacement will be Chip West.

He’s like the Tevita Finau of coaches. I’ll be floored if this happens.

The 25314 said:

Lyons would be crazy to offer Holgorsen an extension whereby Holgorsen was guaranteed more money than he already is. And Holgorsen would be crazy to sign an extension that didn’t guarantee him more money. So there is no extension.

I partly agree. Why would Dana sign a X-year extension with no guarantee? But why wouldn’t WVU extend him for X-years with some guarantee? It doesn’t need to be 100-percent guaranteed. A partial guarantee is OK, like, say, 50 percent. Lyons is also partially guaranteeing assistant coach salaries, in which WVU can fire a coach and pay the salary until the assistant gets a job. If the new salary is higher, WVU is off the hook. If the salary is lower, WVU offsets the difference. This isn’t a popular take, but losing money on buyouts is the cost of business. 

Foul Shot said:

This seems pretty obvious.
The coaches are jumping ship as they are guaranteed nothing.
Anyone in the same position would look out for their best interest.
It is interesting how the AD put out this statement about Holgs staying another year, that they were negotiating, etc., but then you hear of prized Asst. Coaches moving on.
You would guess that, with all the money out there, that they could just buy out the coach if they felt that he was not going to work out and get started on the new staff. Why wait and delay the inevitable?
Pinching pennies is not going to help, unless this is Holgs ultimatum – make or break this year.
Hard to read. But, does not seem to be getting handled too well.

Bingo.

netbros said:

Is it possible that Shane Lyons has had “his guy” all along, but that he simply wasn’t available in the 2015-2016 off-season… and, that perhaps Lyons knows he will be available in the 2016-2017 off-season?

Having a departing coaching staff that is at, or near completion of their contracts sure saves a helluva lot of cash. WVU is only just now beginning to reap the full membership rewards from the Big 12, so they could be a little cash strapped at this moment.

The risks, obviously, are what happened with Mitchell, and the potential to lose player recruits now, and in the future.

Holgorsen has certainly been quiet this winter. If he is not happy about the lack of an extension, his handlers have probably recommended he keep it to himself. Maybe Lyons surprises everyone in the next few weeks and announces a blockbuster renewal for Dana, but I’ve got to believe if it was going to happen, it would be done by now.

If the two men go into next season with the same original contract still in place, that sends quite the message that the seat under Holgorsen to perform will be scalding.

I suppose it’s possible, but it’s an extreme leap of faith. I still think this: There should have been an extension or a fresh start. One or the other. An A or an F. Nobody wants limbo. Honestly, if WVU goes 6-7 (or whatever) next season, what did anyone accomplish? They’d save about $4 million in buyout fees, but I don’t think WVU’s in that kind of a financial position. It should be hard for the athletic department to cry poverty these days and get much sympathy.

CC Team said:

JP has something. Mitchell was going to have to basically start all over with a green group. It will likely not be pretty at corner next year. He jumped while his stock was higher than it will be next year. And I disagree with Mike. H gets 1 more year to prove his worth. Lyons gets to pick his guy if it doesn’t work. Mitchell was not deemed essential or he would have been guaranteed 2 years like Gibson and Wickline. Lyons call and a good one in my opinion.

Well, we’re allowed to disagree. Anyhow, Lyons will do two years for coordinators and one for assistants. I have to think that was a dispute. As for Mitchell, I’m not sure one year, good or bad, changes the perception of his career. Plus, what if he does really well in 2016? Maybe the team does well and everyone stays. Don’t you have to bet on your hand? Losing Mitchell weakened the defense, which weakened the team, which weakens your hand.  

Wayward Eer said:

I personally think too much is being made of one coach leaving. Maybe it was the uncertainty of HCDH’s/staffs contract situation, personal relationship with another VT coach, the extent of the work to be done with the corners, etc…. It really does not matter. Mitchell was an average (slightly above if you listen to some) coach. There are a reasonable amount of those still around. There have been several of those that have left for greener pastures that are now looking for any pasture. In short, life goes on.

On to what number of wins HCDH needs to keep his job, I just think it is an effort in futility. Is an 8 win season enough when your team stays healthy and you catch a break when your opponents don’t ( reverse of this year when we got most teams at full strength) or that year when you lose those key guys and battle through. At the end of the day each season is judged on its own merits, nothing more, no hidden agendas (Lyons guy wasn’t available or it cost too much to change over the staffs).

Lyons was/is right not to extend HCDH. The season results alone will dictate whether we are discussing a new head coach and staff at this time next year.

We can differ on what losing a coach means. To me, it’s part of a story. It’s not the story. But I still need to cover it, and doing so means I cover the departure as part of the larger story. Sorry if I’m making it seem overbearing. Not my intention. And you do have a good point about greener pasture and and any pastures. It’s possible that Mitchell simply went somewhere else because he knew he’d have more time there. Even getting, say, another guaranteed year at WVU doesn’t guarantee he has a job in 2017. And I do admire that Lyons is dug in on one point or another as it relates to this situation. That’s good to see. I just happen to think there isn’t a stated destination. 

BobbyHeenan said:

Agree with the theory that:

1. Dana is on thin ice, assistants (other than Gibby and Wickline) are guaranteed nothing
2. High chance that the CB’s and secondary look VERY shaky next year
3. So if you’re looking for a job in 2016/2017 and your most recent crew just got torched all year long, you may not have as much bargaining power.

Yes, he has a whole resume to fall back on if 2016 is a CB disaster year, but your last year does matter. Can’t help but think if Worley came back this might look different. Maybe I’m wrong, but losing your 3 best corners (Worley, Chestnut, Rumph) heading into the year with modest job stability at best has to be taken into account.

All good points, No. 3 in particular. As for No. 1, even if Lyons wipes the slate clean after next season, Gibson and Wickline are likely taking new jobs at higher salaries. WVU is off the hook then. Again, it’s not an enormous commitment to guarantee an extra year. I do not believe Lonnie Galloway, for example, wouldn’t make more at his next school than he does here. 

Karl said:

We beat two teams .500 or better last year: Georgia Southern (or whatever they’re called) and 7-6 Texas Tech. This is regarded by some as Dana’s finest job I’m not out there burning him in effigy but I definitely don’t understand why people rise in defense of his work so vehemently. What exactly are we so afraid of losing?

I get all of that, but if that’s not cutting it, why mess around and roll it out there again in 2016? But the crew was welcomed back and now one coach who could have helped the team get better and beat more .500 teams — just using your metric — is gone because he was not made to feel secure. 

CC Team said:

Texas Tech isn’t looking like a great draw either. Great depth in this tournament field and all the top teams have some cracks in their armour as well. Going to be interesting. No less than 6 teams could win it. WV needs to get healthy very quickly.

Sort of frightening, actually. Super athletic. Sneaky good defense. Good guard play. Surging confidence. And they’re playing different styles to win games. That is not a lock. Not at all.

ffejjbboc said:

So Texas has become Baylor.

WVU couldn’t beat the Bears last year and they can’t beat the Longhorns this season.

Technically, Baylor became Texas last season, and Texas is Texas again. Longhorns were 3-0 against WVU in the 2012-13 season.

jtmountaineer said:

Huggs was as matter-of-fact, i.e. not grumpy, in a post-loss post-game as I’ve heard him in a couple of years, if not longer. Saturday’s tough, obviously, but weirdly I like our chances coming off a loss more than coming off a win. If Paige plays, of course. If Paige is out, we’re potentially in for it. Either way, thank God it’s a Saturday/Monday swing with both games at home for a change.

WVU has been a bit unlucky this season. Road game for the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Lattin’s putback at Oklahoma. Red-hot shooters for Virginia, Florida and Texas who are not as good as they were against WVU. Starting guard strains a hammy five seconds after an inbound play starts. Leading scorer steps on a teammate’s foot during a pause in play. Sort of feels like the Mountaineers were due for a home/home Saturday/Monday.

Joe Dryler said:

What did Texas hit, six straight 3’s? Combine that with the shock of losing Paige and Miles not there – that’s going to be a tough road get. Even if Paige/Miles are out Saturday, being able to prepare knowing they will be out will make a difference. I think we can still win without them at home. That being said, feel like Paige will play. Just rolled an ankle, day off, little soreness, he will practice by Friday and be ready to go.

If they can’t go — or if one can’t go — I have to think Huggins reverts to the Iowa State game and concentrates minutes, curtails the press and goes half-court man-to-man a bunch. A lousy zone against Oklahoma will not work.

TAFKA EERS96 said:

Well, I hope Macon is preparing for a “Elijah Macon Reads Mean Tweets” segment. I have a feeling he is getting some…

Enjoy the weekend!