New DC: Rocky Long (now official)

[BANYC]

This discussion also seems to have gotten quiet.

Yesterday there was a lot of buzz about Rocky Long coming in as DC, and then the focus seemed to shift to Monroe getting a full-time promotion.

Is the Rocky Long (or another DC candidate) rumor / reality now dead, or will Monroe be appointed?

Curious minds want to know.

 

[djorange1989]

This discussion also seems to have gotten quiet.

Yesterday there was a lot of buzz about Rocky Long coming in as DC, and then the focus seemed to shift to Monroe getting a full-time promotion.

Is the Rocky Long (or another DC candidate) rumor / reality now dead, or will Monroe be appointed?

Curious minds want to know.

the story came out yesterday so naturally there was a lot of buzz yesterday with it being the day the story broke. Now we are all just waiting to see what happens. SU Dad says it is happening, and he is often in the know, so we shall see

 

[SUDadx2]

I only know what I was told. I’m not in the room or sitting around the table with any of the decision makers.

Yesterday morning I received the following unsolicited text from a reliable source.

“rocky long is our new dc”


The source is reliable, not infallible.

 

[orange44]

I only know what I was told. I’m not in the room or sitting around the table with any of the decision makers.

Yesterday morning I received the following unsolicited text from a reliable source.

“rocky long is our new dc”


The source is reliable, not infallible.

Thank you!

 

[orangepassion]

I only know what I was told. I’m not in the room or sitting around the table with any of the decision makers.

Yesterday morning I received the following unsolicited text from a reliable source.

“rocky long is our new dc”


The source is reliable, not infallible.

That took Long enough

 

[DocFlanders]

That took Long enough

And it was a Rocky road to get there...

 

[SanDiegoCuse]

I wonder if it’s a coincidence that New Mexico’s freshman all American at the Rover position of the 335 entered the portal on Monday. He was visiting Ole Miss yesterday.

 

[qdawgg]

I only know what I was told. I’m not in the room or sitting around the table with any of the decision makers.

Yesterday morning I received the following unsolicited text from a reliable source.

“rocky long is our new dc”


The source is reliable, not infallible.

That text took the road less traveled

 

[Nahson]

That took Long enough

And it was quiet a Long shot

 

[CbusCuse]

I wonder if it’s a coincidence that New Mexico’s freshman all American at the Rover position of the 335 entered the portal on Monday. He was visiting Ole Miss yesterday.

Since he visited Ole Miss I doubt that is the reason. Maybe he knew Rocky was leaving that early but i doubt it. I'm guessing that kid just wants to get to a bigger program and make some money. Having Rocky could help us land him though. He obviously did good in that defense. But he's from the Houston area in Texas. That probably makes it more difficult for us to grab him distance wise. But maybe Rocky coming here is a larger factor.

 

[Lax2020]

I'm told that there are several high-end rentals owned by an LLC very close to the SU Athletics Dept. If so, Long would already have a (very nice) place to live. All he would need to do is pack his bags and show up in March. Between now and then, he could be working with staff, especially Monroe, to keep building the 3-3-5 culture.

 

[orangecuse]

That took Long enough

...the road is Long with a many winding turns...

 

[rrlbees]

I'm told that there are several high-end rentals owned by an LLC very close to the SU Athletics Dept. If so, Long would already have a (very nice) place to live. All he would need to do is pack his bags and show up in March. Between now and then, he could be working with staff, especially Monroe, to keep building the 3-3-5 culture.

There’s also this pesky little thing called a contract. They may have agreed in principal but they and the lawyers could still be reviewing it and/or negotiating dollars, length and other details such as title etc. If he is our next DC or Co-DC, I would expect it to be announced by the end of the week. I have no insight into this but just trying to make sense of what may be happening.

 

[swish7]

I did not see this explicitly posted already (at least the type ahead showed no matches for Defensive Coordinator).

Who are our options?

I like the idea of promoting from within, but then saw this story about the Navy HC being fired, and thought he would be a good option.

I know there is a 70 year old coach, who invented the D White employed.

I think these movements are a wonderful opportunity to bring in some serious talent and hope we take full advantage of it.

 

[swish7]

Any concerns that NM has been all around awful the last 3 seasons since he got there ( and honestly before too).

Seriously. That should be the ONLY thing people are concerned about.

 

[donniesyracuse]

Seriously. That should be the ONLY thing people are concerned about.

What about that climate change stuff?

 

[sutomcat]

Seriously. That should be the ONLY thing people are concerned about.

New Mexico finished 46th in total defense in 2022. 360 ypg.

Their defense was good. I am quite sure the talent wasn't great but they still got good results.

NCAA College Football FBS current team Stats | NCAA.com

Discover the current NCAA FBS Football leaders in every stats category, as well as historic leaders.

www.ncaa.com

 

[swish7]

New Mexico finished 46th in total defense in 2022. 360 ypg.

Their defense was good. I am quite sure the talent wasn't great but they still got good results.

NCAA College Football FBS current team Stats | NCAA.com

Discover the current NCAA FBS Football leaders in every stats category, as well as historic leaders.

www.ncaa.com

OK, but this doesn't excite me as a recruit. And easy to out-recruit as a competing recruiter. 46th in total defense has no zing to it.
Just my opinion.
Could be wrong.
This just seems like a way to justify the dude.
Top 20, fine.

 

[swish7]

What about that climate change stuff?

I come out of a 15 year retirement and you want me to go off topic?

 

[sutomcat]

OK, but this doesn't excite me as a recruit. And easy to out-recruit as a competing recruiter. 46th in total defense has no zing to it.
Just my opinion.
Could be wrong.
This just seems like a way to justify the dude.
Top 20, fine.

I hear you but you have to take context into consideration.

New Mexico is not a football power.

In 2019, they finished 129th in the country in total defense. 129th out of 130 schools at the FBS level.

Rocky was hired as the NM DC in January of 2020. With almost no opportunity to get his type of players on the roster, they finished 104th in total defense in 2021.

In 2021, they moved up to 44th in total defense.

And in 2022, they finished 46th in total defense.

They went from second worst to well above average very quickly.

Rocky is the guy who invented this version of the 3-3-5. We really want to stay with this scheme. We have a roster of players recruited to play it and they have been learning it for a couple of years now. Replacing Tony White with a guy who created the defense is a great way to backfill for Tony.

If Dino is able to pull this off, I think it is a great recovery from losing Tony. Much along the lines of reacting to the loss of Coach Anae by promoting Coach Beck to the Syracuse OC position.

That is how I see things.

And BTW, welcome back to the board old friend!

NCAA Statistics

stats.ncaa.org

 

[orangepassion]

I hear you but you have to take context into consideration.

New Mexico is not a football power.

In 2019, they finished 129th in the country in total defense. 129th out of 130 schools at the FBS level.

Rocky was hired as the NM DC in January of 2020. With almost no opportunity to get his type of players on the roster, they finished 104th in total defense in 2021.

In 2021, they moved up to 44th in total defense.

And in 2022, they finished 46th in total defense.

They went from second worst to well above average very quickly.

Rocky is the guy who invented this version of the 3-3-5. We really want to stay with this scheme. We have a roster of players recruited to play it and they have been learning it for a couple of years now. Replacing Tony White with a guy who created the defense is a great way to backfill for Tony.

If Dino is able to pull this off, I think it is a great recovery from losing Tony. Much along the lines of reacting to the loss of Coach Anae by promoting Coach Beck to the Syracuse OC position.

That is how I see things.

And BTW, welcome back to the board old friend!

NCAA Statistics

stats.ncaa.org

He might be a better game coach than White, but can't imagine he is a big recruiter like White.

 

[qdawgg]

He might be a better game coach than White, but can't imagine he is a big recruiter like White.

You rarely get a good game day coach, teacher and recruiter all in one. That’s why White might be on the fast track to a HC position.

Swag is our main recruiter anyway.

And what’s the evidence he can’t recruit at all?

 

[djorange1989]

Rocky would be a fantastic hire, if it happens it is pretty clear that it is likely a shorter term thing until the job can be transitioned to Nick, or someone else on staff.

 

[CbusCuse]

I come out of a 15 year retirement and you want me to go off topic?

You joined this board when it started in August of 2011...

 

[atlanticuse]

OK, but this doesn't excite me as a recruit.

Grandpa?