Criddle on Hill

[jay santos]

Interesting interview on 1280. Criddle is upset about the firing. He claims there is absolutely no personality conflict involved between coaches or players. Says Hill and everyone close to the situation was shocked. Yes there were practice conflicts where he got heated with another player but those are common. He repeated the same questions I had, how could Bronco praise Hill after Washington game, crediting him for victory, saying he has complete confidence in him to the point he doesn't even bother attending defensive meetings then in just a few weeks you're firing him without even giving him the chance to stay on as a position coach, which Hill claims he wanted.

Very very strange to me.

[byu71]

Interesting interview on 1280. Criddle is upset about the firing. He claims there is absolutely no personality conflict involved between coaches or players. Says Hill and everyone close to the situation was shocked. Yes there were practice conflicts where he got heated with another player but those are common. He repeated the same questions I had, how could Bronco praise Hill after Washington game, crediting him for victory, saying he has complete confidence in him to the point he doesn't even bother attending defensive meetings then in just a few weeks you're firing him without even giving him the chance to stay on as a position coach, which Hill claims he wanted.

Very very strange to me.

Interesting. Jan says it is long overdue and Criddle says he shouldn't have been fired. I don't know if this is so unusual. Some players liking a coach and other players disliking a coach.

I don't know if we will ever know what went down. I will place money on the theory that there are both players and coaches who respect Bronco, think he is a good coach, but aren't thrilled like many fans with him being both a football coach and spokesman for BYU's "mission".

Fans have mumbled about it, but hey when you are winning, it clouds a lot of things going on underneath. The employees at Enron were quite happy management was doing what they were when the stock price was going up.

I hope this whole mess is a wake up call to Bronco that he is football coach in chief. Let President Samuelson be the spokesman for the "mission" of BYU.

[Goatnapper'96]

Interesting interview on 1280. Criddle is upset about the firing. He claims there is absolutely no personality conflict involved between coaches or players. Says Hill and everyone close to the situation was shocked. Yes there were practice conflicts where he got heated with another player but those are common. He repeated the same questions I had, how could Bronco praise Hill after Washington game, crediting him for victory, saying he has complete confidence in him to the point he doesn't even bother attending defensive meetings then in just a few weeks you're firing him without even giving him the chance to stay on as a position coach, which Hill claims he wanted.

Very very strange to me.

Hill strikes me as a calloused type of guy. My guess is that the issues of his personality become more and more pronounced the more you are around him. I think Mendenhall's enormous error here was in promoting him. If he had never done that, perhaps Hill would still be just the DB coach and his zone of influence would be small enough that it did not become such an issue. I will be very surprised if Mendenhall hires another DC very soon. I think he is going to return to being the DC indefinitely.

On the other hand I am of the opinion that the defense underachieved more than the offense. I think BYU's defense should be playing better. It is the HC's job to fix things and time will tell if this was a smart move to make.

[jay santos]

Interesting. Jan says it is long overdue and Criddle says he shouldn't have been fired. I don't know if this is so unusual. Some players liking a coach and other players disliking a coach.

I don't know if we will ever know what went down. I will place money on the theory that there are both players and coaches who respect Bronco, think he is a good coach, but aren't thrilled like many fans with him being both a football coach and spokesman for BYU's "mission".

Fans have mumbled about it, but hey when you are winning, it clouds a lot of things going on underneath. The employees at Enron were quite happy management was doing what they were when the stock price was going up.

I hope this whole mess is a wake up call to Bronco that he is football coach in chief. Let President Samuelson be the spokesman for the "mission" of BYU.

I understand some people like him some don't, and he may not be a good DC. I was down on him for most of his career at BYU, until the end of last season especially bowl game.

I'm just thoroughly confused by the timeline. He's promoted to DC a year or two ago. Over the off season he gets yet another promotion. He's already DC, but he gets full playcalling duties and autonomy to the point Bronco decides not to even attend defensive meetings. After Washington game, Bronco praises him and credits him for victory. Then a few weeks later, he's fired. Aren't there a few steps in between? Doesn't he go on a PIP or anything?

[TripletDaddy]

Criddle also said this morning that Bronco likes to go home by 8 and be with his family but now he will have to stay and work more hours. No wonder BYU can't get over the hump.

It seems satisfying to lop off the scapegoat's head after a 1-4 start, but was this really the right move? How will Bronco fare any better at DC? We have no horses in the stable right now. Frankly, even when everyone was healthy our front 7 was suspect.

Anae is another favorite whipping boy. While I hate his red zone playcalling, is it really wise to can him and hand the keys to Doman?

Statistically, BYU's D is ranked almost last in many categories. But our offense is also ranked quite low, esp compared to previous seasons.

Things are a mess right now and changes need to be made, but personally I think that the greatest change is at the player level. We just don't have a full cupboard right now. I hope I'm wrong, though.

[Sizzle]

Criddle also said this morning that Bronco likes to go home by 8 and be with his family but now he will have to stay and work more hours. No wonder BYU can't get over the hump.

It seems satisfying to lop off the scapegoat's head after a 1-4 start, but was this really the right move? How will Bronco fare any better at DC? We have no horses in the stable right now. Frankly, even when everyone was healthy our front 7 was suspect.

Anae is another favorite whipping boy. While I hate his red zone playcalling, is it really wise to can him and hand the keys to Doman?

Statistically, BYU's D is ranked almost last in many categories. But our offense is also ranked quite low, esp compared to previous seasons.

Things are a mess right now and changes need to be made, but personally I think that the greatest change is at the player level. We just don't have a full cupboard right now. I hope I'm wrong, though.

I think part of what you are alluding to is correct. Hill gets canned because Bronco feels he can make a difference with the defense. Anae doesn't because 1) the offense was somewhat expected to struggle this year where the defense was expected to be a strength, and 2) Bronco doesn't really have a better option to take over the offense on staff. Reynolds is experienced but has never been a play caller. Is there a reason for that or is it just his loyalty to the Y? Doman is green and may be the future, but is he ready to the point that he will be better than Anae? I think those are reasons why Hill goes first and Anae/Offense is safe. Bronco feels he is a better option than Hill as DC. Offensively he may not feel like there is a better option.

[Indy Coug]

For the past few weeks, consistent reports about serious internal issues on defense have been coming out. My guess is that it finally reached critical mass, and thus the timing.

[TripletDaddy]

For the past few weeks, consistent reports about serious internal issues on defense have been coming out. My guess is that it finally reached critical mass, and thus the timing.

what sort of reports? I do not disbelieve you, I'm curious.

Criddle was pretty emphatic that there were no personality conflicts, arguments, or philosophical differences between Hill and Bronco, but I find that hard to believe. I have also heard multiple times that many of the players had a strong dislike for Hill.

The biggest clue to me is that Hill is completely gonzo. He expressed a willingness to take a demotion and coach the DBs but the school showed him the door entirely. That tells me that he was in a bad way at BYU.

[Indy Coug]

Criddle was pretty emphatic that there were no personality conflicts, arguments, or philosophical differences between Hill and Bronco

Interesting that he strictly limited his comments to Hill and Bronco, rather than everyone else.

[Coach McGuirk]

Mrs Hill is funny,

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/lashanda.hill?v=wall&ref=ts


LaShanda Marie Hill I hope they don't egg our cars again.

LaShanda Marie Hill what a day...see what happens when you don't join their church! LOL!

[jay santos]

The biggest clue to me is that Hill is completely gonzo. He expressed a willingness to take a demotion and coach the DBs but the school showed him the door entirely. That tells me that he was in a bad way at BYU.

I think I believe this. I thought Hill was a dick needlessly to Pendleton. I've heard reports he's just generally a grumpy man that makes life hard for people. I understand how things could have come to a head and Bronco decided he best be shown the door. What completely boggles my mind is that Bronco completely turned the reigns over to this guy and not more than a month ago was gushing over him, crediting him with victory, making a point to talk about how he was so confident he didn't even attend defensive meetings. Leopards don't change their spots overnight.

[TripletDaddy]

Interesting that he strictly limited his comments to Hill and Bronco, rather than everyone else.

Criddle acknowledged that some players may have had a hard time with him, but made a point to note that such conflicts are common with any coach. fair point, I guess.

I'm not sad to see Hill go, not in the least. But I'm not convinced that Bronco will make much of a difference given our current player injuries.

I'm totally unconvinced that Doman is the guy to replace Anae.

[jay santos]

Interesting that he strictly limited his comments to Hill and Bronco, rather than everyone else.

Did you hear the interview? I didn't take his comments that way. I think he might have specifically stated there were no issues between Hill/Bronco, Hill/Holmoe, and Hill/other coaches. He talked about various incidents between Hill and players but said they were within normal realms of player/coach interactions and that similar things happen routinely with other coaches at BYU and other places.

Maybe he doesn't know? I'm thinking something has happened behind doors between Hill and Bronco and maybe other coaches that has escalated over the past few weeks. But I still don't understand how a) Bronco misses so badly on his first DC hire/promotion and b) why they couldn't work something out to avoid the PR nightmare of firing their only black coach midseason.

[TripletDaddy]

Mrs Hill is funny,

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/lashanda.hill?v=wall&ref=ts


LaShanda Marie Hill I hope they don't egg our cars again.

LaShanda Marie Hill what a day...see what happens when you don't join their church! LOL!

She must be psychic. She posted this over a week ago:

LaShanda Marie Hill Wow... I feel like slapin somebody today, slap, slap!
September 21 at 1:05pm via Facebook for BlackBerry

[Sizzle]

Maybe he doesn't know? I'm thinking something has happened behind doors between Hill and Bronco and maybe other coaches that has escalated over the past few weeks. But I still don't understand how a) Bronco misses so badly on his first DC hire/promotion and b) why they couldn't work something out to avoid the PR nightmare of firing their only black coach midseason.

I think this is exactly right. How long has Criddle been gone? Since 2007? I ask because I don't know what his role is. Has he been a GA or an Intern? Is he credentialed media? Or is he just a former player 3 years or so removed from the team?