Ash vs Read (thru 8 years)

[[cat_bracket]]

Ash is 65-32 with four playoffs and three league titles thru eight years.
Read was 61-31 with three playoffs and one league title thru his first eight years.

Read went 24-5 with a league title and trips to the semis and a NC his last two years.

[catscat]

Ash is 65-32 with four playoffs and three league titles thru eight years.
Read was 61-31 with three playoffs and one league title thru his first eight years.

Read went 24-5 with a league title and trips to the semis and a NC his last two years.

Interesting comparison. So if the parallel continues, we should be in the semis and an NC in the next two years. For which year do I make my reservations for the NC - this year or next year?????

[Weltercat]

Read did take over a way worse team than Ash did.

[allcat]

Didn't they send Read packing once he won the NC?

[CelticCat]

Read did take over a way worse team than Ash did.

Yes but was he fresh off a scandal that rocked the city, state and university? Where the fanbase was torn on the fact that the previous coach was fired?

I'd rather take over a program with no talent, than one with a nice fresh black eye.

[Weltercat]

Didn't they send Read packing once he won the NC?

No he packed up himself. I think he thought the offers would come rolling in after what he did at UM. I think the only offer he got was an assistant job at NAU.

[Weltercat]

Read did take over a way worse team than Ash did.

Yes but was he fresh off a scandal that rocked the city, state and university? Where the fanbase was torn on the fact that the previous coach was fired?

I'd rather take over a program with no talent, than one with a nice fresh black eye.

True enough but that team Ash took over had a ton of talent if I remember correctly. The griz really did suck when Read took them over, they were 9-16-1 the three years prior to him getting there and you can also argue that the BSC was quite a bit harder to win than it is now.

[CelticCat]

Good grief I just looked at Don Read's head coaching record before Missoula - how did he ever get the UM job? I guess because UM wasn't a power at that point. UM wouldn't hire Read today, that's for sure.

Read was 20-19 at Portland State for 4 years. 3 years later he was HC of the Oregon Ducks, went 9-24 in 3 seasons there. Dropped down, down to Oregon Tech and went 21-15. Then he want back to Portland State for 5 more years, went 19-33-1. Then landed at UM in 86.

[allcat]

Didn't they send Read packing once he won the NC?

No he packed up himself. I think he thought the offers would come rolling in after what he did at UM. I think the only offer he got was an assistant job at NAU.

I've always understood they pretty much pushed him out the door. Nobody quits before they get the new gig.

[Weltercat]

Didn't they send Read packing once he won the NC?

No he packed up himself. I think he thought the offers would come rolling in after what he did at UM. I think the only offer he got was an assistant job at NAU.

I've always understood they pretty much pushed him out the door. Nobody quits before they get the new gig.

You're probably right, I hadn't heard that but it wouldn't surprise me a bit.

[catgrad05]

Ash is 65-32 with four playoffs and three league titles thru eight years.
Read was 61-31 with three playoffs and one league title thru his first eight years.

Read went 24-5 with a league title and trips to the semis and a NC his last two years.

Interesting comparison. So if the parallel continues, we should be in the semis and an NC in the next two years. For which year do I make my reservations for the NC - this year or next year?????

I think we all would agree that if we do not make at least the semis in the next year or two with our offense we all would be very very disappointed

[allcat]

Ash is 65-32 with four playoffs and three league titles thru eight years.
Read was 61-31 with three playoffs and one league title thru his first eight years.

Read went 24-5 with a league title and trips to the semis and a NC his last two years.

Interesting comparison. So if the parallel continues, we should be in the semis and an NC in the next two years. For which year do I make my reservations for the NC - this year or next year?????

I think we all would agree that if we do not make at least the semis in the next year or two with our offense we all would be very very disappointed

Heck if we don't win the NC in that time I would vote to take away Ash's birthday.

[TIrwin24]

I just found out that my dad had Don Read as a football coach at Oregon Tech during his time there. He said that Don was a "great coach, and all his teammates really respected him."

[Toucat]

Didn't they send Read packing once he won the NC?

No he packed up himself. I think he thought the offers would come rolling in after what he did at UM. I think the only offer he got was an assistant job at NAU.

I've always understood they pretty much pushed him out the door. Nobody quits before they get the new gig.

I don't think UM let him go after winning the championship. He retired. Several year later UM did bring him back as interim Athletic Director though, and I think he wanted to keep the job, but they let him go when they hired O'Day.

[Mr Lisle]

Good grief I just looked at Don Read's head coaching record before Missoula - how did he ever get the UM job? I guess because UM wasn't a power at that point. UM wouldn't hire Read today, that's for sure.

Read was 20-19 at Portland State for 4 years. 3 years later he was HC of the Oregon Ducks, went 9-24 in 3 seasons there. Dropped down, down to Oregon Tech and went 21-15. Then he want back to Portland State for 5 more years, went 19-33-1. Then landed at UM in 86.

I don't think there can be any doubt Read got the griz job solely as a result of his DII PSU teams performance in the opening game of 1985. The defending 1AA National Champion Bobcats came to Portland loaded with talent and experience, highly favored to repeat as nat'l champs and were destroyed by PSU 46-28. If I ever saw a team get outcoached on every level it was that day. Read only went 4-5-1 that year, but also managed to beat the giz 21-16 along the way.
Maybe this isn't a well know fact, but MSU made a play for Read before hiring Cliff.

[John K]

Good grief I just looked at Don Read's head coaching record before Missoula - how did he ever get the UM job? I guess because UM wasn't a power at that point. UM wouldn't hire Read today, that's for sure.

Read was 20-19 at Portland State for 4 years. 3 years later he was HC of the Oregon Ducks, went 9-24 in 3 seasons there. Dropped down, down to Oregon Tech and went 21-15. Then he want back to Portland State for 5 more years, went 19-33-1. Then landed at UM in 86.

I don't think there can be any doubt Read got the griz job solely as a result of his DII PSU teams performance in the opening game of 1985. The defending 1AA National Champion Bobcats came to Portland loaded with talent and experience, highly favored to repeat as nat'l champs and were destroyed by PSU 46-28. If I ever saw a team get outcoached on every level it was that day. Read only went 4-5-1 that year, but also managed to beat the giz 21-16 along the way.
Maybe this isn't a well know fact, but MSU made a play for Read before hiring Cliff.

You mean MSU actually tried to hire Read away from UM? He was in the middle of his tenure in Missoula, when Cliff was hired in late 1991. I'd think that must have been a pretty tough sell, given that MSU's program was at an all-time low at that point, and UM"s was in the early stages of a major resurgence, with a brand new stadium. I don't know why he would have made that move, especially since there couldn't have been much difference in salary between MSU and UM.

[Mr Lisle]

Good grief I just looked at Don Read's head coaching record before Missoula - how did he ever get the UM job? I guess because UM wasn't a power at that point. UM wouldn't hire Read today, that's for sure.

Read was 20-19 at Portland State for 4 years. 3 years later he was HC of the Oregon Ducks, went 9-24 in 3 seasons there. Dropped down, down to Oregon Tech and went 21-15. Then he want back to Portland State for 5 more years, went 19-33-1. Then landed at UM in 86.

I don't think there can be any doubt Read got the griz job solely as a result of his DII PSU teams performance in the opening game of 1985. The defending 1AA National Champion Bobcats came to Portland loaded with talent and experience, highly favored to repeat as nat'l champs and were destroyed by PSU 46-28. If I ever saw a team get outcoached on every level it was that day. Read only went 4-5-1 that year, but also managed to beat the giz 21-16 along the way.
Maybe this isn't a well know fact, but MSU made a play for Read before hiring Cliff.

You mean MSU actually tried to hire Read away from UM? He was in the middle of his tenure in Missoula, when Cliff was hired in late 1991. I'd think that must have been a pretty tough sell, given that MSU's program was at an all-time low at that point, and UM"s was in the early stages of a major resurgence, with a brand new stadium. I don't know why he would have made that move, especially since there couldn't have been much difference in salary between MSU and UM.

Ooops...had it backwards. The approach and some serious converstation with Read occurred AFTER Cliff left. Read had been retired for 4-5 years. He was in his mid-60 at the time, but the Bobcats were serious. Read came to his senses and called it all off.

[GRIZ1STCATS2ND]

I'm curious. How many of you think Ash has what it takes to get MSU to the National Championship game this year or in 16, and more importantly win it? I know he gets his share of criticism throughout the season but with the kids you have now, and the staff that is in place can he do it?

Disclaimer: Not meant to be a trash talk post. It's just that some pretty harsh things are said about him when you have a rough game. Clean slate, off season, bad memories fading away, Prukop at the wheel, defense hopefully making some big improvements. What are your expectations for this year and next?

[KittieKop]

I'm curious. How many of you think Ash has what it takes to get MSU to the National Championship game this year or in 16, and more importantly win it? I know he gets his share of criticism throughout the season but with the kids you have now, and the staff that is in place can he do it?

Disclaimer: Not meant to be a trash talk post. It's just that some pretty harsh things are said about him when you have a rough game. Clean slate, off season, bad memories fading away, Prukop at the wheel, defense hopefully making some big improvements. What are your expectations for this year and next?

Yes, I do. However, I'm not sure anyone in the FCS is in a position to win a championship until NDSU shows they're vulnerable.

[GRIZ1STCATS2ND]

I'm curious. How many of you think Ash has what it takes to get MSU to the National Championship game this year or in 16, and more importantly win it? I know he gets his share of criticism throughout the season but with the kids you have now, and the staff that is in place can he do it?

Disclaimer: Not meant to be a trash talk post. It's just that some pretty harsh things are said about him when you have a rough game. Clean slate, off season, bad memories fading away, Prukop at the wheel, defense hopefully making some big improvements. What are your expectations for this year and next?

Yes, I do. However, I'm not sure anyone in the FCS is in a position to win a championship until NDSU shows they're vulnerable.

I think they could get a run for their money from a few different teams this year. Will they crash? Most certainly not but I see the gap closing little by little starting this fall. I honestly don't know what to expect when they come to Zootown. Too many unknowns with us. I guess if the road to a NC goes through Fargo Ash may just have to find an answer for their consistency. I think the Big Sky begins to make a little more noise in the near future.