Hero Sports: College Football Coaches Who Were Fired Too Soon (Minnesota: Glen Mason)

BleedGopher

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GLEN MASON - MINNESOTA

Glen Mason was building stability at one of the most unstable programs in America. Then he blew a 38-7 lead against Texas Tech in the 2006 Insight Bowl and was fired.

The epitome of a quick-trigger dismissal, Mason was canned despite four-straight seasons with at least seven wins and just three years after winning 10 games. Both achievements hadn't been done in nearly a century.

Mason was replaced with Tim Brewster, who believed the best remedy was lighting a match to the program.

http://herosports.com/college-footb...ches-fired-soon-philip-fulmer-glen-mason-ahah

Go Gophers!!
 

Hero Sports is trolling GH.


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Bleed where do you find this stuff? Not trying to be a smartass but how do you find stuff like hero sports?
 

That was a very hard game to watch blowing a 38-7 half-time lead.
 

from the outside looking in, I can understand this point of view. But, from the inside looking out, things look a lot different.

I didn't hate Mason - I thought he was a competent coach. But it just felt like the program was stagnant - and the 4th-quarter debacles just got to be too much. Couple that with Glen's unfortunate comment about being in a 'rebuilding' mode after 10 years with the program, and it just became too much. Not to mention the fact that the guy just didn't seem to be interested in promoting the program.

I remind everyone - that was one of the reasons why Brewster got the job, and why at least some people were excited. Brewster came in as this upbeat guy who was going to promote the program and stir up interest. It seemed like a shot of energy after the complacent attitude Glen was giving off at the end. It wasn't until later that we found out Brewster had no coaching philosophy.
 


Hero sports is forgetting about a few other heroic meltdowns
 

I'll go to my death bed wondering if he would have been given new life with the stadium. I think he did get complacent in recruiting and he didn't have the recruiting staff to carry the load. In the last two years it was vitually Mitch Browning Carey Bailey and Gordie Shaw carrying the load. He lost two or three ass't coaches because Maturi wouldn't pony up .David Gibbs being one. Mason never did bolt, and he still lives in Minnie.
 

from the outside looking in, I can understand this point of view. But, from the inside looking out, things look a lot different.

I didn't hate Mason - I thought he was a competent coach. But it just felt like the program was stagnant - and the 4th-quarter debacles just got to be too much. Couple that with Glen's unfortunate comment about being in a 'rebuilding' mode after 10 years with the program, and it just became too much. Not to mention the fact that the guy just didn't seem to be interested in promoting the program.

I remind everyone - that was one of the reasons why Brewster got the job, and why at least some people were excited. Brewster came in as this upbeat guy who was going to promote the program and stir up interest. It seemed like a shot of energy after the complacent attitude Glen was giving off at the end. It wasn't until later that we found out Brewster had no coaching philosophy.

His defense stunk.
 

I'll go to my death bed wondering if he would have been given new life with the stadium. I think he did get complacent in recruiting and he didn't have the recruiting staff to carry the load. In the last two years it was vitually Mitch Browning Carey Bailey and Gordie Shaw carrying the load. He lost two or three ass't coaches because Maturi wouldn't pony up .David Gibbs being one. Mason never did bolt, and he still lives in Minnie.

All great points rupperty...my main complaint with Mas was his constant angling for other jobs and how we should thank him for getting us back to respectable, the constant "we're Minnesota what do you expect?" "Rose Bowls, what we're Minnesota, we are not Ohio State!" Drove me nuts. Even if he didn't believe it per say he alienated a lot of loyal fans myself included. But the guy could coach and you do have to wonder if he had what Kill had and Fleck have (and will have) in terms of resources.
 



Fired too soon sounds like he still would have been fired at some point. I guess they didn't see him going out in style and retiring after beating USC in the Rose Bowl.

Go Gophers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Hero sports is forgetting about a few other heroic meltdowns

Can't remember if it was Michigan or Ohio St, but didn't he blow like a 28-7/35-7 lead against one of them? I couldn't go to the game cause it was a Friday night and I was playing in the homecoming game for my high school team. Someone told us the score at halftime and I was pretty excited, and then we lost to our rivals on a late TD in the homecoming game and when I got home my dad told me the Gophers blew their lead. Not a good night for me.

Still liked Mason, and would not have fired him.
 

Can't remember if it was Michigan or Ohio St, but didn't he blow like a 28-7/35-7 lead against one of them? I couldn't go to the game cause it was a Friday night and I was playing in the homecoming game for my high school team. Someone told us the score at halftime and I was pretty excited, and then we lost to our rivals on a late TD in the homecoming game and when I got home my dad told me the Gophers blew their lead. Not a good night for me.

Still liked Mason, and would not have fired him.

I realize you were busy playing in your own game but you honestly don't know who we played in that one by heart? Some Gopher fan you are!

We're not even supposed to talk about that game. That is the ultimate "what if" game in Gopher lore. Win and Pasadena bound.
 

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I realize you were busy playing in your own game but you honestly don't know who we played in that one by heart? Some Gopher fan you are!

We're not even supposed to talk about that game. That is the ultimate "what if" game in Gopher lore. Win and Pasadena bound.

Maybe I blocked it out. Think I went to petty much every other home game that year. Was only 17 at the time. Still don't think it would be my worst memory. Was in the student section for the Iowa game at the dome when they shut us out 55-0. In the second quarter this fat a-hole from Iowa sitting in front of me (don't know how he got there) took his shirt off and said he wouldn't put it back on until we scored. That was a long day. On the bright side, I was also there for the last win over the badgers. Still think the way Rhys went to the Axe was pretty badass.
 

So, many have said they could tell after 1 year what Claeys' ceiling was. How can anyone argue they couldn't see Mason's after 10 years?


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So, many have said they could tell after 1 year what Claeys' ceiling was. How can anyone argue they couldn't see Mason's after 10 years?


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The glint off his overly white crowns blinded them?
 

I doubt Mason would've done much better if he was kept another year or two. The roster he left for Brewster had very little talent.
 

Two words for Mace's success. Gordy Shaw. Mace wanted to run the ball. You need an offensive line coach who makes things happen. Enter Gordy Shaw.
 

Hahahaha. Good one hero sports. I don't think anyone would disagree that 10 years was enough time.


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Hahahaha. Good one hero sports. I don't think anyone would disagree that 10 years was enough time.
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Have you read ANY post on this board from the last 5 years? Because 90% of them devolved into a Brewster vs. Mason argument circling around whether Mason should have been fired. There is still a large contingent of "never should have fired Mason" folks here. I had no problem with them firing him (I think it was a matter of time either way) it was just they hired the wrong coach.

Though, I will say this - had they not hired Brewster, had they kept Mason or hired say Charlie Strong or Lane Kiffen - would anyone be talking about wining the division? Brew was the one that put Pasadena in the crosshairs of the program. Under Mason (and supposedly Claeys) they had no thought whatsoever that they could make it there. As much as I think Brew was a clown, he at least changed the conversation from the Gophers can never be better than X to why can't the Gophers be better than this? Unfortunately, his plan (or lack thereof) how to get there was beyond flawed...

I doubt Mason would've done much better if he was kept another year or two. The roster he left for Brewster had very little talent.

I'd agree he probably wouldn't have had another 10 win season or anything, but it's so hard to say. A lot of people (especially O-line) did not fit Brewster's style of play and looked much worse than they probably were. On top of that the coaching was atrocious. I knew an O-lineman back then and he said it was bad enough changing systems from Mason to Brew, but the original O-line coach and Brew didn't agree on philosophy, so when Brew wasn't micromanaging they got told to do one thing, when he was they got told to do another thing. Then when they were in the game, which were they supposed to do, and what was the guy next to them going to do? Davis stabilized it somewhat (it was at least a consistent message), but he was borderline psychotic, so nobody wanted to ask a question if they didn't understand something because they didn't know what the response was going to be. He told me similar things were happening at other positions as well. Where it wasn't, it was coach of the day practically with how quickly coaches were coming and going. Finally, as much as everyone rips on his recruiting, he had three future NFL players that decommitted when Mason was fired (most famously JJ Watt). Again, not trying to say they were headed to Pasadena but they could have had better teams than Brew did. Or not. That's the fun of looking back and wondering...
 

Though, I will say this - had they not hired Brewster... ... would anyone be talking about wining the division? Brew was the one that put Pasadena in the crosshairs of the program. Under Mason (and supposedly Claeys) they had no thought whatsoever that they could make it there.

This is 100% not true. 2003 under Mason the talk around the program was of Rose Bowl. Rose Bowl was always the goal, unfortunately most years it was obviously impossible.
 

Have you read ANY post on this board from the last 5 years? Because 90% of them devolved into a Brewster vs. Mason argument circling around whether Mason should have been fired. There is still a large contingent of "never should have fired Mason" folks here. I had no problem with them firing him (I think it was a matter of time either way) it was just they hired the wrong coach.

Though, I will say this - had they not hired Brewster, had they kept Mason or hired say Charlie Strong or Lane Kiffen - would anyone be talking about wining the division? Brew was the one that put Pasadena in the crosshairs of the program. Under Mason (and supposedly Claeys) they had no thought whatsoever that they could make it there. As much as I think Brew was a clown, he at least changed the conversation from the Gophers can never be better than X to why can't the Gophers be better than this? Unfortunately, his plan (or lack thereof) how to get there was beyond flawed...



I'd agree he probably wouldn't have had another 10 win season or anything, but it's so hard to say. A lot of people (especially O-line) did not fit Brewster's style of play and looked much worse than they probably were. On top of that the coaching was atrocious. I knew an O-lineman back then and he said it was bad enough changing systems from Mason to Brew, but the original O-line coach and Brew didn't agree on philosophy, so when Brew wasn't micromanaging they got told to do one thing, when he was they got told to do another thing. Then when they were in the game, which were they supposed to do, and what was the guy next to them going to do? Davis stabilized it somewhat (it was at least a consistent message), but he was borderline psychotic, so nobody wanted to ask a question if they didn't understand something because they didn't know what the response was going to be. He told me similar things were happening at other positions as well. Where it wasn't, it was coach of the day practically with how quickly coaches were coming and going. Finally, as much as everyone rips on his recruiting, he had three future NFL players that decommitted when Mason was fired (most famously JJ Watt). Again, not trying to say they were headed to Pasadena but they could have had better teams than Brew did. Or not. That's the fun of looking back and wondering...

That doesn't mean it wasn't time for him to go after 10 years. There will always be comparisons and discussion. That has nothing to do with it though.


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That doesn't mean it wasn't time for him to go after 10 years. There will always be comparisons and discussion. That has nothing to do with it though.


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I really liked Mason, but I do agree that he probably wasn't going to get us over the hump and into the Rose Bowl. My biggest problem with firing him (and Tubby) was that there was no obvious plan in place. We just fired him and then did a search. I get the whole "some fans are getting really upset because we are settling into a position where we win some games, but don't take the next step" mindset, but I think if you are going to fire a coach who has at least been moderately successful you have to have a plan. Don't want to turn this into another thread about Coyle/Kaler, but I appreciated that Coyle had a plan when he fired Claeys and that is why I'm more optimistic about Fleck. When we hired Brewster it was because other people had turned us down and he was willing to take the job. When we hired Fleck it was because he was who we wanted. That's the difference between having a plan and not having a plan.
 

We can certainly speculate on what might have been regarding Mason. I do know for a fact he and Maturi never saw eye to eye. When you have issues with the AD you're running against the wind. I have reported before the couple of sessions Mason had over on Capitol Hill was a big reason we got TCF built. State Senator Carrie Ruud said herself and many of her college's were
on the fence until Mason came over with a passionate message on the need for TCF. I was against the fire of Mason. He never had the resources that Brewster, Kill, and Clayes had.
 

The firing of Mason and hiring of Brewster were two separate actions. Some people like to lump them together. Just because Brewster was a failure doesn't mean firing Mason was the wrong move.
 

I really liked Mason, but I do agree that he probably wasn't going to get us over the hump and into the Rose Bowl. My biggest problem with firing him (and Tubby) was that there was no obvious plan in place. We just fired him and then did a search. I get the whole "some fans are getting really upset because we are settling into a position where we win some games, but don't take the next step" mindset, but I think if you are going to fire a coach who has at least been moderately successful you have to have a plan. Don't want to turn this into another thread about Coyle/Kaler, but I appreciated that Coyle had a plan when he fired Claeys and that is why I'm more optimistic about Fleck. When we hired Brewster it was because other people had turned us down and he was willing to take the job. When we hired Fleck it was because he was who we wanted. That's the difference between having a plan and not having a plan.

It's not that they didn't have a plan it's that their plan didn't work. Put it like this what if Fleck had said no? Odds are we would be having the same conversation in five years about how Coyle didn't have a plan. Norwood thought he could get Shaka. He failed and fortunately Billy D. Guided him to Pitino. As bad as Coyle looked in the Clayes firing presser he does deserve credit for getting the B of R to put up the funding necessary to get Fleck because he was able to communicate his vision for a football program and Athletic Department. In the pass we weren't willing to pony up for a coach after Mason. The board seemed up set about having to pay Mason and Monson buyouts on top of the new salaries. When you hire cheap you get cheap results like Brewster
 

The firing of Mason and hiring of Brewster were two separate actions. Some people like to lump them together. Just because Brewster was a failure doesn't mean firing Mason was the wrong move.

Absolutely!


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The firing of Mason and hiring of Brewster were two separate actions. Some people like to lump them together. Just because Brewster was a failure doesn't mean firing Mason was the wrong move.

+1


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The firing of Mason and hiring of Brewster were two separate actions. Some people like to lump them together. Just because Brewster was a failure doesn't mean firing Mason was the wrong move.

Completely agree.
 




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