Originally published at: https://pistolsfiringblog.com/daily-bullets-nov-11-to-hauss-or-not-to-hauss/
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Makes no sense to play him now, unless he wants to, go for the medical hardship!
Realistically the only game left there may be a chance to win is UCF. Just let the kid medical redshirt at this point. Hopefully we can see him next year but who the hell knows with the portal and everything these days.
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Yea in this weeks press conference Meacham said he would have to sit down and talk with Hauss about what he wants to do. That could be true or it could be that he knows the answer but doesn’t want to say and to avoid an out and out lie makes that statement instead.
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Meach is a players coach and looking after the best interests of Hauss, who followed Meacham to oSu so of course he should do as per the wishes of the kid and not convince him to come back just to get a potential win. I don’t think Doug is that type of person at all.
This is why I think he may not stay. I doubt Meacham is back next year, so if he followed him here, we’re basically recruiting him from scratch. We may have a slight advantage since he’s here, and honestly, we don’t actually know if he’s any good.
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The new HC will almost certainly be an offensive guy. Meacham may get an opportunity to stay as a bit of an ode to being a good soldier, but it would be in a very minimal role. Certainly not enough to have a say in who the QB is. So the new guy will either A) bring a QB with him or B) bring in the guy he wants from the portal. Hauss will be told he can compete for a job that in all reality he has no chance of winning. He really doesnt gain anything by playing right now. The Hauss Hejny era is over in Stillwater.
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In that regard, I think they should let him play. He’s probably auditioning for his next team. I won’t put it at 0% chance he stays, though. This year has shown that injuries happen all the time. Even if he wouldn’t be the starter, he could likely get a chance to play and then who knows? Hauss is also a freshman. Any portal guy would likely be an older classification. I think any coach would appreciate a player who would be willing to sit a year or two in this day and age and he’d have a real chance to start later.
Maybe he’ll follow Meacham to wherever he goes or maybe he’d follow Gundy. I’ve seen Gundy linked to potentially the UAB or Arkansas State jobs. I’d speculate that maybe he’d bring Meacham as his OC, but Cale Gundy has said he wants to coach with Mike, so I’m assuming if Mike takes another job, Cale is coming with him as OC.
Theyll “let him” play if he wants to. Im just saying if im Hejny, coming off an injury, id be done for the year. Im not putting it at 0% that he stays. He will only be as committed as his opportunities. If he gets a better opportunity for him, hell leave. I will say its 0% that hes the starter at OSU next year.
Ill make you a bet right now. Neither Mike Gundy nor Cale will coach D-1 football again. Seeing as this is between someone named KetchupSicle and heychamp… The terms will be as follows: if they do coach at the D-1 level, I will change my name to HeyChampIsAGenius. If they do not, you will change yours to ImAnIdiot.
Feel free to negotiate better terms. But this is a forum, so im doing my best
What is the allure to hiring Gundy? In the era of NIL/Portal, you have to find a guy who will embrace that. He isnt going to do that. Hes not exactly known for his “good ol boy” relationship skills with his bosses. Cale, has never been a coordinator and has a little stain from being fired for something that would make recruiting potentially difficult. Im not coming after you. Just having a discussion here
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Agreed. Even if he took a job with a G5/6 program, the portal/NIL is still something he’s going to have to deal with. That’s why I said if he truly wants to continue coaching and do it his way, he’s needs to find a job at the FCS level. At that level, the portal/NIL is nearly as much of a factor. Would that happen? I highly doubt it.
Mike never came off as a guy who just loved the job of coaching. Mike loves the attention. The spotlight. Hes not going to have that at a lower level. Certainly not at the FCS level. I think hed be GREAT at the commentating, studio shows at one of the networks. Id love to see him in that role. Cale has been someone that ive heard some of my OSU contacts mention and I just dont see the allure at all. He was a really good recruiter. But hes getting older and its not the same job now that it was when he left. Hes never been a coordinator. Hes gotta be in his mid 50’s, which isnt “old” by any stretch. But it is at an age in which guys tend to lose the desire to be recruiting all year.
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Eh… “never again” bets don’t really end until the guy’s dead, right? Pass.
Exactly. He should angle for an analyst gig on a show.
I was trying to give you the better end of the bet.
So let’s amend it. Neither Cale nor Mike will coach D-1 within the next 2 years.
And you didn’t answer my question. What is the allure of hiring Mike (or Cale) right now?
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1.) If you’re a team that’s been struggling to find consistency, you might view Mike as a stabilizing presence since he ran a good program for 20 years.
2.) If you’re a team that’s flamed out making coordinator hires and want someone who is a proven head coach, you could have one.
3.) If you’re a school lacking identity, he is known for being a culture builder.
As for Cale, he still has those Texas pipeline ties. If you’re a school that wants to recruit Texas, he can do it. He’s also coached a lot of NFL talent. He has playoff coaching experience.
I don’t know if Mike is a great hire in 2026 or not, but I do know schools take swings on big names. Belichick, Herm Edwards, Charlie Weiss, Mack Brown, Jimbo Fisher, Bobby Petrino. On the more positive side, sometimes coaching reclamation projects work… Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian… if nothing else, it generates buzz around schools that don’t have any.
I dont completely disagree with the points. 1) “Might view Mike as a stabilizing…” I do agree on what he did for OSU for the vast majority of his tenure. But I also think that theres a lot that will think that the turmoil the last few years, coupled with his perceived distain for the portal/NIL will be too much to handle. 2) Dont disagree. But see the problems listed above. 3) He is. But, I think the term “culture” is not nearly as valuable as it once was as it pertains to making a hire.
Cale…very good recruiter. No argument here. But Cale has also done it with the OU logo on his chest while walking the halls. He wont be near as effective without it. And hes got a little stain on his resume that youd have to worry about when recruiting. Again, I dont disagree with your point on the recruiting benefit of Cale. But I would be willing to hire Meaham as my OC much quicker than I would Cale.
Pre NIL/Portal, I think Mike could get a really good job post-firing. But in this era, someone would be taking a massive leap hiring him. Could it work? Absolutely. Mike didnt forget how to coach. But the two single biggest things a coach has got to do nowadays is Booster schmooze and recruit 24/7. You have to recruit your own roster just as hard as you recruit the portal and HS. Mike has shown zero desire to want to do any of those things. I dont blame him at all. Thats a dirty business now. But, its also the main job you have to do.
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