What's Taking So Long?

When Pat Hobbs was hired last weekend, the consensus was we would likely know who the next Rutgers football coach is by this weekend.  But still no announcement. Set phasers to "speculate" -- what can we take from a longer than anticipated delay, and the other changes in the coaching board this week?

Possible reasons for delay

There are a couple potential reasons to delay.

1. Rutgers doesn't know who the coach is yet. Obvious, but needs to be said.  There could be a couple reasons for this: RU hired a search firm, and perhaps they identified some off-the-wall candidates that need to be discussed and vetted. Perhaps RU is simply interviewing a lot of candidates. Perhaps the top choices turned Rutgers down, and the AD is exploring plan D.
   
2. Rutgers has a deal in place, but it has to be secret for now because of the coach's obligations. A number of rumored candidates have important games this weekend: Cristobal, Rhule, Chip Kelly (he has this job until Tom Brady beats him out of it . . .). Maybe it's possible there's a deal in principle, but it needs to stay quiet at the coach's request.
   
3. Rutgers has a deal in place, but is keeping it quiet BECAUSE OUR WOMEN FUTBOLERS MADE THE FINAL FOUR(!)
   Rutgers hasn't had a team in any Final Four, in any sport, in a damn long time. Makes sense that the AD would not want to bigfoot their moment with a coaching announcement that would suck up all the media attention and take it away from the ladies as long as they are still playing.
   

Impact of Delay on Individual Candidates

Dan Mullen - No championship game this weekend, and bowl is a long way off, so unlikely secrecy on his end is a requirement. Maybe they are trying to find extra dump trucks to deliver all the cash to him. That can take time.

Chip Kelly - Who knows. This is a crazy long-shot anyway, but maybe there have been encouraging talks, and they are waiting for him officially not to be the coach of the Philadelphia Eagles (see Brady comment above). Unlikely.

Mario Cristobal - SEC Championship game this weekend. It did not stop Kirby Smart from taking the Georgia job, but maybe the timing is such that as the week progressed, MC either had to table job searching activities entirely to concentrate on preparing, or a deal is worked out but he does not want to create a distraction before the game.

Matt Rhule - Championship game this week. Early indications were he was not interested in RU (typical ttfp snobbery on display) and was going to Mizzou. That obviously didn't happen, so who knows if he is reevaluating his options, or if he back-burnered job-searching to prep for the game.

Chris Ash/Ed Warriner -- the Buckeye coordinators do not have a game this weekend, and various Buckeye coaches have been out and about recruiting. No obvious reason why either of these two could not be wrapped up and announced soon, unless Urbz is whispering mean things in their ears. If an announcement comes soon, one of these guys might be the one.

Dino Babers - MAC championship Friday night. Also probably going to Syracuse.

Moglia/your favorite MAC-type coach here

No obvious reason for delay.

Al Golden/Greg Schiano

If either of these unemployed Floridians is the guy, what's taking so long? These dudes are both sitting in Florida drinking mojitos waiting for the phone to ring and someone to offer them several million dollars to coach in an area they both know very well. The Miami job is filled. Virgina is filled. Maryland is filled. Syracuse and USCe are the only other P-5 teams left. Unless Hobbs is pocketing the announcement to keep the lights on women's soccer (maybe), my guess is a delay means it is NOT one of these two, especially Schiano (Golden could sit out a year or two and pocket Hurricane checks, but GS has already sat out two seasons).

. . .Tick . . . tock . . .tick . .  tock