It's a ladder for guys like him. He probably never gets the Nevada job if he hadn't been head coach here, but he didn't stay long enough, probably for financial reasons and his tendency to wander, to jump straight to a MWC head job, clearly. So he had to do the intervening stop on the Texas defensive staff, almost stepping sideways or even down a rung to end up climbing higher. And I'm sure if he wins 6 or 7 there in year 3 he'll be looking to be a candidate in the B12 or someplace. He may get one more shot at a move higher. Maybe, maybe 2 depending on how fast he can climb. But yeah he's purely a hired gun, based on his movement history, but imo our experience was he gives you his best for the time he's your hired gun. I'm sure he always knew he was short term here but he moved the ball a long way on facilities and overall program health while he was here.
Choate to Nevada
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Re: Choate to Nevada
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Re: Choate to Nevada
Choate is a great coach and Nevada is lucky to have him. Couple comments about him not being able to find a QB. I think a few might be forgetting that Chris Murray helped with that mess.
He left us a program on the rise, playoffs, never losing to the rival and our coordinators weren’t driving around town in the tank. I think that’s worth celebrating.
He left us a program on the rise, playoffs, never losing to the rival and our coordinators weren’t driving around town in the tank. I think that’s worth celebrating.

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Re: Choate to Nevada
BelligerentBobcat wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 7:48 amWith some people, it’s better to leave before you run your welcome out.

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Re: Choate to Nevada
Just a general statement.Bocephus wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 8:03 amBelligerentBobcat wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 7:48 amWith some people, it’s better to leave before you run your welcome out.![]()
I don’t think he and Leon got on very well though.
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Re: Choate to Nevada
I think that 99% of college football coaches are "guys like him". It's a very transient profession. As much as G5 schools complain about successful head coaches being plucked by P5 schools, the G5 schools pluck successful coordinators (and position coaches) from P5 schools as well as head coaches from FCS. It's the cycle of the profession and not unlike most industries these days. People don't stay at jobs for long and if they do, they're missing out on moving up the ladder....changing jobs is how you make more money and find new challenges. The whole thing sucks for fans, but it is what it is.GoldstoneCat wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 7:07 amIt's a ladder for guys like him. He probably never gets the Nevada job if he hadn't been head coach here, but he didn't stay long enough, probably for financial reasons and his tendency to wander, to jump straight to a MWC head job, clearly. So he had to do the intervening stop on the Texas defensive staff, almost stepping sideways or even down a rung to end up climbing higher. And I'm sure if he wins 6 or 7 there in year 3 he'll be looking to be a candidate in the B12 or someplace. He may get one more shot at a move higher. Maybe, maybe 2 depending on how fast he can climb. But yeah he's purely a hired gun, based on his movement history, but imo our experience was he gives you his best for the time he's your hired gun. I'm sure he always knew he was short term here but he moved the ball a long way on facilities and overall program health while he was here.
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Re: Choate to Nevada
Yeah I think that's true. Choate doesn't have a lot of kind words to say about MSU behind closed doors and it's too bad.BelligerentBobcat wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 8:30 amJust a general statement.Bocephus wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 8:03 amBelligerentBobcat wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 7:48 amWith some people, it’s better to leave before you run your welcome out.![]()
I don’t think he and Leon got on very well though.

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Re: Choate to Nevada
Man, talk about a curiosity peaker.kennethnoisewater wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 10:29 amYeah I think that's true. Choate doesn't have a lot of kind words to say about MSU behind closed doors and it's too bad.BelligerentBobcat wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 8:30 amJust a general statement.Bocephus wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 8:03 amBelligerentBobcat wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 7:48 amWith some people, it’s better to leave before you run your welcome out.![]()
I don’t think he and Leon got on very well though.
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Re: Choate to Nevada
Yep agreed. He has had a little extra penchant for wandering but i think ultimately he had to to be able to get out of the shadows and start casting his own. It's no sure thing to move up from MSU to the MWC. Might have waited a long time, talent and luck are cyclical in FCS so you don't want to miss your window.Slapdad wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 10:07 amI think that 99% of college football coaches are "guys like him". It's a very transient profession. As much as G5 schools complain about successful head coaches being plucked by P5 schools, the G5 schools pluck successful coordinators (and position coaches) from P5 schools as well as head coaches from FCS. It's the cycle of the profession and not unlike most industries these days. People don't stay at jobs for long and if they do, they're missing out on moving up the ladder....changing jobs is how you make more money and find new challenges. The whole thing sucks for fans, but it is what it is.GoldstoneCat wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 7:07 amIt's a ladder for guys like him. He probably never gets the Nevada job if he hadn't been head coach here, but he didn't stay long enough, probably for financial reasons and his tendency to wander, to jump straight to a MWC head job, clearly. So he had to do the intervening stop on the Texas defensive staff, almost stepping sideways or even down a rung to end up climbing higher. And I'm sure if he wins 6 or 7 there in year 3 he'll be looking to be a candidate in the B12 or someplace. He may get one more shot at a move higher. Maybe, maybe 2 depending on how fast he can climb. But yeah he's purely a hired gun, based on his movement history, but imo our experience was he gives you his best for the time he's your hired gun. I'm sure he always knew he was short term here but he moved the ball a long way on facilities and overall program health while he was here.
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Re: Choate to Nevada
He wasn't retained when Choate became head coach though.
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Re: Choate to Nevada
So, I might have missed the details but it sounds like his BASE is over $1,000,000 per year, not including any incentives. Not sure how they structure the incentives\bonuses but I'm guessing if he hits a bunch of them hw could pull down 2 million a year? I know he was probably doing well at Texas but this is probably more. I have no doubt he can turn that into a championship caliber program but not sure how long it will take.
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Re: Choate to Nevada
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Re: Choate to Nevada
Choate starts with a base salary of $300K and increases $50K/year. Additional $750K/year for media and public appearances. Bonus for goals met isn't too much more.catatac wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 3:28 pmSo, I might have missed the details but it sounds like his BASE is over $1,000,000 per year, not including any incentives. Not sure how they structure the incentives\bonuses but I'm guessing if he hits a bunch of them hw could pull down 2 million a year? I know he was probably doing well at Texas but this is probably more. I have no doubt he can turn that into a championship caliber program but not sure how long it will take.
https://news.yahoo.com/much-nevada-pay- ... %20million.
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Re: Choate to Nevada
That's kind of a chicken-and-egg thing, though. Murray's academic struggles were both a cause and an effect of Choate's inability to fill the QB position
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Re: Choate to Nevada
Murray is one of the examples of a guy who wasn't a good QB. Great runner but couldn't throw at all.
But I agree Choate is a great hire for Nevada, I'll definitely be paying attention to their program now.

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Re: Choate to Nevada
I recall reading he was making over $500,000 as LB coach/assistant DC at Texas.catatac wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2023 3:28 pmSo, I might have missed the details but it sounds like his BASE is over $1,000,000 per year, not including any incentives. Not sure how they structure the incentives\bonuses but I'm guessing if he hits a bunch of them hw could pull down 2 million a year? I know he was probably doing well at Texas but this is probably more. I have no doubt he can turn that into a championship caliber program but not sure how long it will take.
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Re: Choate to Nevada
I do not like unr but will definitely be watching his progress.
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Re: Choate to Nevada
I’ll never understand hiring position coaches before an OC/DC, but a ton of HC’s do it.
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Re: Choate to Nevada
Murray could throw just fine. Better mechanics than a lot of FCS quarterbacks I've seen this year. His mental acumen just hadn't caught up to the speed of the game. Thus the "too bad he was thrown in early" and the "too bad he couldn't keep up in his studies and got disqualified".
Jonsen gets injured slipping on ice(and then turned out to not be good at throwing the ball). Bruggman was the workout(practice) warrior. Anyone know what happened to that guy that Tommy kind of replaced. Came from Washington and backed out of his commitment to go to Western Kentucky or something? A lot of bad luck with guys that were pretty highly rated. Heck we even all thought that Bauman(sp?) was going to be pretty special.
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