I really don’t understand why Applewhite isn’t getting more play in the news and on social media & the boards…
Just hear me out:
If I were running a business, he has the resume: OC at Rice, OC at Alabama, OC at UT, OC at UH
He’s had experience under several big names like Saban & Mack Brown
He knows the state of Texas. He’s recruited Texas, and virtually every High School Coach in Texas will know who he is…
I’ve heard some people complain about the offense this year, but remember that we were playing a QB who had a torn labrum in his throwing arm, and the team had lost MAJOR players to NFL like RB Farrow & Receiver Ayers. At the end of the day, this team went 13-1 and won a Peach Bowl over Florida State last year, so I’m pretty confident that when Applewhite gets his players he can win…
We need a head coach who under stands Xs & Os, and there’s no question Applewhite is that kind of guy. It was obvious that Levine wasn’t an Xs & Os guy, he just wanted to be a CEO/manager. But Applewhite has called plays at the highest level… SEC (alabama), Big12 (UT), and American (UH)
Frankly, people who worry about his playcalling need to realize that he WILL be hiring an Offensive Cooridnator, which means that most like he will just be overseeing the playcalling… Yes, he needs to understand the Xs & Os of offense, but most likely he won’t actually be calling the plays. When a coach doesn’t understand Xs & Os, they go out and hire bad assistants like Mike Nesbitt to run their offense. Applewhite won’t do that… anyone who has met him will tell you that he’s a smart/sharp guy
He was a leader when he was in college, even though he wasn’t the most physically gifted player on the field. He was a smart kid, who managed to become the starting QB at UT… so he did pretty well for himself. I think he will have LOTS of ex-teammates that want to see him succeed and would be willing to help him out.
Lastly, I have heard that he has a chip on his shoulder about the “forced resignation” from his Alma mater. I think he’d love nothing more than to kick ass and send a message… basically giving them the finger and saying “See, I could have been your Head Coach.”
I’d be perfectly happy with hiring Applewhite. I know a lot of people are soft on him… but I’ll say this, when he was first named as part of the UH staff a lot of people were skeptical given his UT background. However, I saw him win a lot of people over during his opening introduction when the assistants were introduced… and I think he has grown A LOT over the past 2 years. He deserves a chance, and I believe he would do well.
I’ve met them all several times at 46er’s events… he’s obviously a SMART guy.
I get the feeling he gets overlooked because he still looks so YOUNG. Look at the video…He’s getting close to 40 years old and he still looks like a little kid LOL #babyface
I think that you will see things change a lot if he were HC and overseeing the offensive coordinator… I bet you he would be able to find an OC who really fit our players & program.
Applewhite would be a good hire. I believe the reason that folks disregard him is because CTO’s defense has been the lifeblood of the program and he was named interim coach. I think if most people had to choose, they’d choose CTO because we don’t want to lose the defense.
I agree with you; CMA has the chops and would be a much better option as a recruiter since he has deep Texas ties. CTO is a relative newcomer to the area and we don’t know how well he’ll be able to recruit, especially without Oscar Giles.
It’s a tough choice between the two because if you pick one, you probably lose the other.
I think recruiting has more to do with the assistants than the head coach. Remember the HC by NCAA rule spends a lot less time on the road than the assistants do. That’s why Herman did so great IMO; his hiring of assts who knew the state. Whoever is hired as HC I’m sure will hire assts who can recruit the state as well.
Personally, I don’t see him as the front man/face of the program type of guy. Part of being a HC is being media savvy, I don’t see it. Also, he was one of the least active coaches on Twitter, etc. I sense that he is more of an introvert, but perhaps I’m wrong on all counts.
While I wasn’t a fan of the extended commitment to the inside run with our weak OL this year I do appreciate how Major developed G Ward as a passer. Also curious how much of the inside run play calling was TH vs MA but we will probably never know on that one.
That is interesting and relates to Kiffin. All I hear down here in Georgia is how he only calls run plays because Saban tells him too. If he gets to run his own offense again we’ll be a finesse, pass first offense again. I guess we’ll see on that one too, if he’s hired.
I think this is a big part of what makes people nervous. The last thing I want to see is a bunch of hie ex-teammates on our sidelines trying to position themselves for “better” jobs while the learn on our dime. Think about the coaching staff Kingsbury has assembled…
I will say, a lot of people say they were really impressed with Orlando’s press conference. If you click on the links provided to Applewhites press conference opportunities, you will see he blows Orlando out of the water. Applewhite definitely appears to be more of a smooth confident presence in a press conference setting. Not that that should be a reason to make him head coach—I simply mention it because there were those ready to give the job to Orlando based on little more than an adequate performance at his first press conference outing as acting head coach. .
Applewhite and Herman are both Greg Davis disciples. The UH offense for the last two years looked a lot like UT with Vince Young and tOSU during Herman’s last two seasons in Columbus in terms of play calling. It’s the execution and the OL play in particular that make the inside runs look so ugly.
Why not Applewhite? Because he tries something that doesn’t work and does it again and again. When you have fans yelling, oh here comes that play again, the defense obviously knows it. Gain 8 to 9 yards on first down and have your team run up to the line with 3 receivers bunched on one side and run off tackle with 6 defenders in the box. When your special teams coach has more imagination than you do, you should probably work on your playbook.
This is a very common statement said all the time. Not as blatant as saying “I had lunch with him and he is the smartest coach since Yeoman” said about Levine the week he was promoted to head coach. It’s just that fans tend to get a little blinded when they get too close.