TFB with a weird ass update
So let’s go back a bit. Last Monday, January 11th, in a post titled “The Likely Leader”, we reported the following regarding Pete Golding (link here):
Source also said that it sounds more and more like Pete Golding may end up being the guy at Texas.
***On January 13th we noted that we had begun to hear Jeremey Pruitt as a possible candidate for the DC job at Texas, pending the outcome of his situation at Tennessee (link here).
An added note here, while I was in the process of digging up additional information on the prospect of Pruitt being a candidate, I spoke to someone who told me that Pruitt told one of his transfer kids to hold off on a decision as he (Pruitt) might be able to get said player to Texas. That by itself isn’t dispositive but it certainly felt like evidence supporting the word of those who told me Sark was interested in Pruitt.
***On January 14th, we reported that Arnett was finally set to officially interview with Sark (link here).
***On Friday it was reported by Georgia outlets that Sark offered Dan Lanning. As I said, previously, that didn’t pass the smell test and a source with knowledge of the DC search confirmed that indeed an offer was not made to Lanning – although I suspect he got a raise out of the report.
***This weekend, there are reports on the Bama side that Pete Golding has been offered and the reports indicate the offer was made at a premium.
Before I address this I will note…
***I was told that another DC target who has not been mentioned by us or anyone else is in play for the job. I was asked not to publish the name, yet. So, I will not. Again this isn’t a guy who has been mentioned at all. But said DC’s camp was under the impression that things could get done as early as this morning. That has not happened.
Again, this is not a name you’ve heard. It isn’t Odom or Muschamp or Lupoi or Golding or Arnett or Lanning or Pruitt or, again, anyone else you’ve heard mentioned.
***So, the question is, what is the hold up?
***It very well could be Golding. As I said, we reported last Monday that we’d been told he had emerged as the leader.
But there are a few things to consider…
There are folks in the building at Bama who believe Nick wants to keep Golding. They say Nick thinks that while Golding isn’t seasoned, he is extremely bright.
There are others I’ve spoken to who believe that if Nick can get one of his old guys back (Muschamp or Pruitt) then he’d rather part ways with Golding. I tend to believe this theory. Given the turnover currently taking place at Bama, if Saban’s choice is between Golding or hiring someone completely new to him, then he’d prefer Golding. But again, if he can get say, Lanning or Pruitt or Muschamp, then I think he’d push Golding out.
The other thing is Golding is also in the hunt for the LSU job. A report indicating that Texas is about to pay a premium would be a nice play by Sexton (the agent) to either get LSU to offer Golding faster or pay Golding more (assuming, of course, Nick wants to go in another direction).
What I’m not understanding is Sark being patient and on the cusp of hiring someone outside of the the Saban circle (again, I’m withholding the name per their camp’s request) only to offer a bunch of money to Golding. Sark knows Golding very well. If he knew Golding was that good, why not come out guns blazing from jump?
Now, perhaps he just wanted to vet some other guys. That’s very possible. And I’ll add this, Mike Stoops was offered the North Texas DC job and our ties to Mike told us that he was unlikely to take it (and he didn’t) because he was still waiting on a few other possible things to shake out, including the possibility of going to Texas as a position coach (I’m not saying that’s happening and don’t worry either way – Mike’s actually a good position coach). And, that would only happen, I believe, if he thought Golding had a real shot at being the DC at Texas.
If you don’t see Golding announced to Texas in the very near future or you see him announced to LSU, then I’d say chances are Texas never offered him and they slowed the unnamed DC’s offer in order to help Golding and Nick find Golding a good landing spot.
If Golding stays at Bama then it’s unclear what happened. Either Bama outbid Sark or the report helped Sexton get Golding a raise. Either way, I’d expect them to then pivot back to the unnamed DC.
Should have a clearer picture in the next day or two as even no news on Golding would likely mean an offer was not yet made