Report: Tennessee parts ways with running backs coach Robert Gillespie

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F all them Buttchuggers, Noles and Bammers for dissin' a Gator like that.
 

Double Gator Dad

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I still associate him with falling down at the 3 yd line, untouched going into the endzone in 98 against toothless

I still associate him with the 360 he did in the Orange Bowl against Maryland (SOS's last game). It was a thing of beauty
 

BMF

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Weinke getting $350K/year (2 year contract). Gillespie was getting paid $515K:

 

GatorBart

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Former Tennessee RB coach Robert Gillespie headed to North Carolina

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/t...coach-robert-gillespie-headed-north-carolina/





Gillespie is a nice pickup for North Carolina but should also help balance Tennessee’s checkbook a bit. The Volunteers will only have to pay Gillespie any amount that the Tarheels don’t match of his scheduled 2018 salary he was supposed to make with Tennessee.

Offer him a $1 and let the those ****ers pick up the rest.
 

GatorInGeorgia

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Given that he was about 35 when he won the Heisman, how old is Weinke Dink these days? 50? 55?

Not sure how he can help recruiting when he won a Heisman more than 15 years ago while playing a different position but clearly UT know exactly what they are doing.

Damn, you were close! The guy will be 46 in a few months. I knew he was older but didn’t realize he was closer to 50 than 40. :giggle:
 

GatorInGeorgia

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He's younger than Dan Mullen, fyi.

Mullen’s been a head coach for almost a decade, while Weinke, in his late 40s, is still a position coach. That’s my point. I know their situations aren’t identical as far as post college playing careers, etc. but I would think that being a grunt o somebody’s staff at that age would get old for a guy like Weinke. But yes, you are correct that Mullen is about 3 months older.
 

BMF

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Mullen’s been a head coach for almost a decade, while Weinke, in his late 40s, is still a position coach. That’s my point. I know their situations aren’t identical as far as post college playing careers, etc. but I would think that being a grunt o somebody’s staff at that age would get old for a guy like Weinke. But yes, you are correct that Mullen is about 3 months older.

Sure. Not defending Weinke at all. While Mullen was getting his coaching career going, Weinke was 1) playing professional baseball 2) winning a Heisman Trophy and a national championship....and 3) playing in the NFL.

Not sure where you're going w/ this, but plenty of guys start coaching after an NFL career.
 

GatorInGeorgia

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Sure. Not defending Weinke at all. While Mullen was getting his coaching career going, Weinke was 1) playing professional baseball 2) winning a Heisman Trophy and a national championship....and 3) playing in the NFL.

Not sure where you're going w/ this, but plenty of guys start coaching after an NFL career.

Where I’m going with this should be clear...it’s got to be difficult starting your college/pro coaching career in your mid 40’s and grinding your way up to position coach, dealing with the demands including recruiting, even more so when you’re 10 years removed from your playing career (a very average one at that) and very few of your recruits know who you are.

I also don’t think the list of guys who start coaching pro/college football at age 43/44 is nearly as deep as you suggest, the list of those that are successful and make it to the HC ranks even less so.
 
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Alagator

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Weird...:scratchhead: I thought that asshat hated the SEC.?.?.?. :dunno:
 

BMF

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Where I’m going with this should be clear...it’s got to be difficult starting your college/pro coaching career in your mid 40’s and grinding your way up to position coach, dealing with the demands including recruiting, even more so when you’re 10 years removed from your playing career (a very average one at that) and very few of your recruits know who you are.

I also don’t think the list of guys who start coaching pro/college football at age 43/44 is nearly as deep as you suggest, the list of those that are successful and make it to the HC ranks even less so.

Look, I don't like the guy either....because he's an FSU guy. I get it. But I can give credit where credit is due. I know we're supposed to disparage him because he's from FSU, but you're way off base.

The guy is extremely calculating. He was financially independent from investing his baseball money. He won the Heisman Trophy - so even if a kid doesn't know him, he can say, "Oh, you never heard of me? I won a Heisman Trophy and a National Championship." He played 7 years in the NFL, I don't care how mediocre his career was, 7 years in the NFL is 7 years in the NFL. He then coached at IMG for 5 years....then spent 2 years as an NFL QB coach, followed by a year as an analyst at Alabama, and now a RB coach at Tenn. He started his coaching career in his late 30's because he was playing pro football. Only 2 years after his NFL career ended he becomes the head coach at IMG (can you imagine the connections he made there w/ every major school in the country stopping in to see his kids?). The guy is financially independent and is doing it because he enjoys it, not because he needs a job.

Honestly, you're going to disparage that life? You're going to poke fun at a guy who was a 2nd round MLB draft choice, played pro baseball AND pro football...AND won the Heisman Trophy AND a national championship?

Um, okay.

But I get it. He went to FSU, so he's a loser.
 

GatorInGeorgia

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Look, I don't like the guy either....because he's an FSU guy. I get it. But I can give credit where credit is due. I know we're supposed to disparage him because he's from FSU, but you're way off base.

The guy is extremely calculating. He was financially independent from investing his baseball money. He won the Heisman Trophy - so even if a kid doesn't know him, he can say, "Oh, you never heard of me? I won a Heisman Trophy and a National Championship." He played 7 years in the NFL, I don't care how mediocre his career was, 7 years in the NFL is 7 years in the NFL. He then coached at IMG for 5 years....then spent 2 years as an NFL QB coach, followed by a year as an analyst at Alabama, and now a RB coach at Tenn. He started his coaching career in his late 30's because he was playing pro football. Only 2 years after his NFL career ended he becomes the head coach at IMG (can you imagine the connections he made there w/ every major school in the country stopping in to see his kids?). The guy is financially independent and is doing it because he enjoys it, not because he needs a job.

Honestly, you're going to disparage that life? You're going to poke fun at a guy who was a 2nd round MLB draft choice, played pro baseball AND pro football...AND won the Heisman Trophy AND a national championship?

Um, okay.

But I get it. He went to FSU, so he's a loser.

You’re trying to make connections to my comments where none exist. First it was comparing his age to Mullen’s when I never referenced Mullen’s age in my initial comment. Then you compare Mullen’s career arc to Weinke’s and rattle off Weinke’s accomplishments despite me having already acknowledged that they were quite different because of their post college career differences and now you go on a rant that I’m not giving credit where it’s due, I’m disparaging him b/c he’s a Nole and also disparaging his career and his life while rattling off his accomplishments again...even though I didn’t do any of that. Plain and simple, breaking in as a college coach in your mid 40s is a tough task, probably even more so if a guy is set for life financially. The travel, the BS of recruiting prima donnas, moving to a new state every few years, etc. to try and climb the ranks is not an easy task for a mid 40s person. All the other stuff you brought up is irrelevant to what I’ve said. I also don’t know what his end goal is but if he is trying to become a head coach at a decent D-1A program or in the NFL, I think he’s going to be deeply disappointed. Time is not on his side. By the time he gets enough OTJ experience as a coordinator (if that ever happens) and then a HC job at a small school to warrant a shot at a quality big school job, he’s most likely going to pushing mid to late 50s at the earliest and IMO, I highly doubt a school would hire him when they can go with a much younger coach that has the same or better coaching experience and credentials. Age matters, that’s just the reality of life.
 

BMF

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You’re trying to make connections to my comments where none exist. First it was comparing his age to Mullen’s when I never referenced Mullen’s age in my initial comment. Then you compare Mullen’s career arc to Weinke’s and rattle off Weinke’s accomplishments despite me having already acknowledged that they were quite different because of their post college career differences and now you go on a rant that I’m not giving credit where it’s due, I’m disparaging him b/c he’s a Nole and also disparaging his career and his life while rattling off his accomplishments again...even though I didn’t do any of that. Plain and simple, breaking in as a college coach in your mid 40s is a tough task, probably even more so if a guy is set for life financially. The travel, the BS of recruiting prima donnas, moving to a new state every few years, etc. to try and climb the ranks is not an easy task for a mid 40s person. All the other stuff you brought up is irrelevant to what I’ve said. I also don’t know what his end goal is but if he is trying to become a head coach at a decent D-1A program or in the NFL, I think he’s going to be deeply disappointed. Time is not on his side. By the time he gets enough OTJ experience as a coordinator (if that ever happens) and then a HC job at a small school to warrant a shot at a quality big school job, he’s most likely going to pushing mid to late 50s at the earliest and IMO, I highly doubt a school would hire him when they can go with a much younger coach that has the same or better coaching experience and credentials. Age matters, that’s just the reality of life.

Not trying to get into a pissing contest w/ you. I get what you're saying. He was in the running for the OC job at Tenn last year, didn't get it...and made a very calculating move in taking the analyst job at Alabama, which in turn landed him the RB job w/ Pruitt (who he worked w/ at Alabama). The word on the coaching sites is he'll be an OC within one or two years. I do think his end goal is a head coach gig. Jim McElwain's first HC job was at 50 years old, so it's not unheard of. I imagine if he gets an OC job and has success, he'll be a head coach by the time he's 50. But I do agree w/ you, not many get into coaching in their 40's (maybe even their 30's). He's had an unusual life to be sure. But I don't think he's so ancient that he can't end up as a head coach within 4-5 years.
 

GatorInGeorgia

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Not trying to get into a pissing contest w/ you. I get what you're saying. He was in the running for the OC job at Tenn last year, didn't get it...and made a very calculating move in taking the analyst job at Alabama, which in turn landed him the RB job w/ Pruitt (who he worked w/ at Alabama). The word on the coaching sites is he'll be an OC within one or two years. I do think his end goal is a head coach gig. Jim McElwain's first HC job was at 50 years old, so it's not unheard of. I imagine if he gets an OC job and has success, he'll be a head coach by the time he's 50. But I do agree w/ you, not many get into coaching in their 40's (maybe even their 30's). He's had an unusual life to be sure. But I don't think he's so ancient that he can't end up as a head coach within 4-5 years.

Agree with you on his life, and the pissing contest comment, too. :lol: His schedule has definitely been on a different time frame compared to most pro football players. Maybe he defies the odds, I guess we’ll know in the next 3-5 years. Certainly not impossible but he would be one of the few if he can land a prime HC gig after getting such a late start.
 

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