Screaming difference to me: Dino and Fran

[Cuse12]

In my opinion this is the comment that silently started the new coaching search.

Not a direct quote:

But, Dino acknowledged our lack of depth essentially when a reporter mentioned it and here was the response -

“Our depth is being bought away, look where our guys ended up”

That was the silent nail in the coffin I think. That had to tick off our AD. Like yea it’s absolutely true! But it’s the way he said it almost in a defeated manner and as a fan I personally said, jeez so that’s the answer in this NIL world? He didn’t say something more rah rah like mora at Uconn. He could’ve said the same thing but with a tone of “listen we recruited elite talent which shows by our guys transferring to major programs. We as a community and fanbase need to see that and recognize that we need all your help on NIL. We need to keep these guys orange. I’m calling on every fan and alum to step up and if we come together as a community I know we will retain these guys going forward.

But instead it was like a throwing your hands up moment like “well what do you expect me to do?!”


Now we have Mr FRAN BROWN in town.

That will never be his answer. He will find a way says my orange clouded brain to get our NIL right.

He is going to be in our community connecting everyone to his team. I feel like he already has pushed NIL necessities from the average fan more than dino did. This is why I believe we will be successful on the talent front. He gets it. He doesn’t shy away and take a back seat to ANY ONE.

 

[baggerbob]

In my opinion this is the comment that silently started the new coaching search.

Not a direct quote:

Dino when speaking of depth
“Our depth is being bought away, look where our guys ended up”

That was the silent nail in the coffin I think. That had to tick off our AD. Like yea it’s absolutely true! But it’s the way he said it almost in a defeated manner and as a fan I personally said, jeez so that’s the answer in this NIL world? He didn’t say something more rah rah like mora at Uconn. He could’ve said the same thing but with a tone of “listen we recruited elite talent which shows by our guys transferring to major programs. We as a community and fanbase need to see that and recognize that we need all your help on NIL. We need to keep these guys orange. I’m calling on every fan and alum to step up and if we come together as a community I know we will retain these guys going forward.

But instead it was like a throwing your hands up moment like “well what do you expect me to do?!”


Now we have Mr FRAN BROWN in town.

That will never be his answer. He will find a way says my orange clouded brain to get our NIL right.

He is going to be in our community connecting everyone to his team. I feel like he already has pushed NIL necessities from the average fan more than dino did. This is why I believe we will be successful on the talent front. He gets it. He doesn’t shy away and take a back seat to ANY ONE.

And he told the former players we want you around the team, we'll talk money later. But be around, and then if you have a complaint come into the office and see me. But if you don't come to practice, I don't want to hear any Complaints.
He put everything up front, you have to like that, honest and straightforward.

 

[orangepassion]

The biggest difference between them is Fran is going to work nonstop to get us better. I love Dino, but I heard from an excellent source a while ago (who would definitely know) that Dino was not exactly a grinder, to put it mildly.

 

[tep624]

No accountability.

 

[SuFTW]

I think it was not winning enough after 8 years that was the nail in the coffin.

 

[tep624]

In my opinion this is the comment that silently started the new coaching search.

Not a direct quote:

Dino when speaking of depth
“Our depth is being bought away, look where our guys ended up”

That was the silent nail in the coffin I think. That had to tick off our AD. Like yea it’s absolutely true! But it’s the way he said it almost in a defeated manner and as a fan I personally said, jeez so that’s the answer in this NIL world? He didn’t say something more rah rah like mora at Uconn. He could’ve said the same thing but with a tone of “listen we recruited elite talent which shows by our guys transferring to major programs. We as a community and fanbase need to see that and recognize that we need all your help on NIL. We need to keep these guys orange. I’m calling on every fan and alum to step up and if we come together as a community I know we will retain these guys going forward.

But instead it was like a throwing your hands up moment like “well what do you expect me to do?!”


Now we have Mr FRAN BROWN in town.

That will never be his answer. He will find a way says my orange clouded brain to get our NIL right.

He is going to be in our community connecting everyone to his team. I feel like he already has pushed NIL necessities from the average fan more than dino did. This is why I believe we will be successful on the talent front. He gets it. He doesn’t shy away and take a back seat to ANY ONE.

He will stay on the bleeding edge. He’s committed to that. That’s how you maintain success.

I’d rather have a guy innovating and embracing change proactively than have a guy sitting on his hands and looking around wondering what happened.

After the portal season last year there should have been regular messaging from Dino about the need for NIL, the importance of the fan base participation in it, etc.

 

[Cuse12]

Maybe I should’ve said straw that broke Dino’s back lol. Yes of course it’s lack of Ws. But that message he sent in this NIL era was horroble

 

[ClkWrkOrange]

. We as a community and fanbase need to see that and recognize that we need all your help on NIL. We need to keep these guys orange. I’m calling on every fan and alum to step up and if we come together as a community I know we will retain these guys going forward.

Kind of a big ask when you've completely cut off the community from the program.

 

[David332]

Dino seemed to have given up, but JOHN FREAKING WILDHACK did not!

ADJW and Fran are on the warpath.

 

[syrBossHogg]

Good observation

 

[kingtidge]

Kind of a big ask when you've completely cut off the community from the program.

Ohana... For the team... Not for the fans.

I think that was a big part of the disconnect.

The closed practices, the pressers where he spoke words and nothing of substance, the loss of quality players to the portal and no proactive messaging on NIL.

It was well past time.

Really hope Brown can actually head coach... Lord knows he's a PR mastermind... Worried about the "too good to be true" argument, if I am being honest. Would love to see that worry proven 100% wrong, of course.

 

[CanadianSU]

It’s almost like Dino knew his fate a long time before the firing a bit.

 

[rocklloyd]

I think the “bought away“ comment did him in as well, but I never voiced it before.

 

[Cuse12]

I think the “bought away“ comment did him in as well, but I never voiced it before.

Yeah it just seemed like the tipping point to me, just seemed like Dino’s first and only time he really seemed to focus on a scape goat of sorts to explain something he failed at: roster depth.

 

[SUskibum]

Agreed

A more general observation for me is that looking back Dino is very passive aggressive, and Fran is the polar opposite

For example Dino looking up at the crowd every game but never having the gumption to bring it up directly to the community/alumni

Contrast with Fran, who DAY 1 calls out every single stakeholder associated with Cuse to get off their duffs and contribute, with presence, attendance and dollars.

Fran doesn’t have any F’s to give about how you feel about him. He has a job to do, thinks everyone will be better off for it and if your not with him, you’re dead to him

 

[orlandoorange]

Dino was a career assistant who benefited from the coattails of Briles system. There's nothing wrong with that, he has had a great career.

HCFB is not of the same mold. They're likely both great people, but they're drivers and hunger are different and their work and leadership will reflect that.

 

[SmilinBob]

I'm hoping fans are screaming for instead of screaming at.

 

[PhatOrange]

Everything started to become an excuse. It got tired and he stopped controlling the controlables.

 

[NKR1978]

Everything started to become an excuse. It got tired and he stopped controlling the controlables.

He was not the same guy after 2019. I’ll be forever grateful for 2018 and for the Clemson and Virginia Tech wins. And he lifted our floor from a 3 win program to 5 wins. I hope in a couple years we can focus on the good times with under him, because there was a lot of good. Just not enough.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Age and the approach because of it are the biggest difference to me

 

[kcsu]

Age and the approach because of it are the biggest difference to me

There backgrounds are completely different. Dino is an army kid west coast. Frans Mom was 13 and he is from Camden. They do both share a faith-based life which is great but other than that they have very little in common.

 

[JRHEETER]

The biggest difference between them is Fran is going to work nonstop to get us better. I love Dino, but I heard from an excellent source a while ago (who would definitely know) that Dino was not exactly a grinder, to put it mildly.

Same

Some stories are mind blowing really

 

[IthacaBarrel]

There backgrounds are completely different. Dino is an army kid west coast. Frans Mom was 13 and he is from Camden. They do both share a faith-based life which is great but other than that they have very little in common.

That too. And coaches Dino's age don't embrace change much either. Either embrace the portal/ NIL era, adapt and figure out how to make it work or don't and get passed like a parked car. I think Dino tried to make it work but he was toast and burned out, IMO. Get a few years out West probably working for Lewis maybe some media and he will be retired in Hawaii and California after a really good coaching career. Could also see him sneaking onto the A&M staff, they will pay him.

 

[JRHEETER]

I think one of the biggest differences between Coach Fran and Babers is that HCFB is a north east guy, he talks and acts like someone from the north east

Dino talked like a west coast guy, calm, cool etc.

It’s not a knock on Dino but there is a difference and shockingly (not really) the North East guy connects immediately better with a fan base largely from the North East

 

[Cusefan95]

The biggest difference between them is Fran is going to work nonstop to get us better. I love Dino, but I heard from an excellent source a while ago (who would definitely know) that Dino was not exactly a grinder, to put it mildly.

Age is a big factor - I think any program looking to build needs to be looking at a head coach in his early 40s. If you’re expecting a 60 year old to be a grinder, you’ll be disappointed most of the time.

Even listening to Lavar Arrington and Brady Quinn, they’ve commented they don't have the energy and endurance they did in their 20s - and the way the game has evolved and the demands on coaches have increased, college head coaching is now a young man’s game.