Five years from now, we'll know for certain if East
Carolina's hiring of Skip Holtz was a sound decision. At that point, the
Pirates' ultimate league affiliation and place in the college football
pecking order should be known.
Until then, making a definitive judgment on his hiring is
little more than a hunch. Holtz hasn't coached a game or even inked a
recruiting class, let alone compiled a winning record filled with bowl
appearances and Top 25 finishes.
That said, the Pirates coach is off to a pretty good
start.
In what easily is the most important task at the beginning
of any coach's tenure hiring a staff Holtz has more than delivered.
Donnie Thompson and
Steve Shankweiler are the kind of
exceptionally-seasoned veterans that can help form a granite foundation on
which to build a staff that is proficient in recruiting and player
development.
And yet another prominent assistant coach
may be in the wings. Several Minnesota media outlets have reported in recent
days that Greg Hudson, who resigned last week as Minnesota's defensive
coordinator, is in line to take over East Carolina's defense.
Even the younger members of Holtz's emerging staff bring
compelling traits to their jobs.
Junior Smith combines seven years of
coaching experience with the upsides of relative youth and demonstrated
mastery of ECU's football and academic cultures, while
Phil Petty comes aboard with an
intimate understanding of the Holtz offensive philosophy from both an
assistant's and player's perspective.
The mix of assistants so far seems to be in line with the
mandate recently set forth by ECU athletics director Terry Holland.
"High profile, but more than that an experienced staff,"
Holland said with regards to staff needs. "And certainly a combination of
experienced guys and young guys.
"There's got to be new blood coming into the program all
the time. And I think again, he (Holtz) has that ability to attract the
young coaches who are going to be successful in the future as well as guys
who have already been successful."
The importance of a strong supporting cast can't be
overstated. Assistants are responsible for most of the heavy lifting on the
recruiting trail and on the practice field.
Regardless of the program or head coach, you won't go far
without chemistry and continuity on staff, a reality borne out by some
notable examples.
Florida State's descent can be directly traced to staff
defections. The exodus of both Mark Richt and Chuck Amato correlates with
the Seminoles' unseating from college football's throne.
Steve Spurrier also saw his grip on the Southeastern
Conference somewhat slip when Bob Stoops, Carl Franks, and Ron Zook left
Florida for other gigs. Without them, recruiting slowly eroded and the
Gators were beaten for players regularly by in-state rivals.
Because Holtz can't rely on blue-chip talent, the
situation is magnified at East Carolina.
"I don't think that's going to be our answer here, is
pulling out the nation's Top 50 and chasing them all over the country,"
Holtz said after being hired. "I think what we have to do a good job of is
evaluating talent, evaluating personality, evaluating character, evaluating
students, to bring in people who are going to be here for the
four-to-five-year long haul.
"Because if they come in here and they are here for the
four-to-five-year long haul, they will have worked hard enough. They will
develop into a player. Maybe they won't be a four-year starter for us, but
they have a chance."
In Thompson, Holtz secured one of this state's most
recognized recruiters. North Carolina high school coaches won't require an
introduction and will no doubt embrace his presence in their halls.
While Mack Brown often was credited for his relentless
work in recruiting, it was Thompson who harvested the state's most talented
defensive linemen for the Tar Heels. Once on campus, he developed his
charges into a dominant unit that was fundamentally sound and always
prepared.
It's the latter at which the Pirates can't afford failure.
Chances are, East Carolina won't mine players of the
caliber courted by Miami and Texas. But given the staff that already is in
place, there should be better evaluations, personnel decisions, and gameday
preparation than over the last two years.
And as a result, a few more wins.
Staff support
Continuity in the coaching staff played a large role in
East Carolina's success under Steve Logan. Though a few assistants did seek
other opportunities, the nucleus of his staff remained in place throughout
much of his tenure.
Holland is committed to fending of potential predators who
may prey on Pirates coaches in the future.
"We've told (Coach Holtz) that he has a budget, but that
we're going to work with him," Holland said. "It will depend on the
individuals that we're after.
"Hopefully in the future, we're not going to criticize our
coaches for leaving. We're going to do whatever is necessary to keep them.
That means creating an environment that not only includes compensation
that's fair and reasonable, but it also means creating an environment where
obviously they are loved and welcomed and have tremendous support. That's up
to the Pirate Nation and all of us to create that environment."
Translated: If East Carolina donors want to ensure that
Holtz is able to retain his top lieutenants, they had better ante up.