Dan Hunt OC

Back-to-back PL champs 2016 and 2017.... but need to get back to relevance in the national FCS scene.
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RichH
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Dan Hunt OC

Post by RichH » Sun Jan 08, 2023 6:32 pm

Per the stellar detective work by LU15 and the rumor mill.
Alex just found the confirmation on the Lehigh Directory.
Head oach at Colgate until his mysterious resignation. Currently the OC at F&M.
An excellent coach without doubt. Interesting choice by Coach Cahill.


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Re: Dan Hunt OC

Post by Go Lehigh TU Owl » Sun Jan 08, 2023 8:01 pm

RichH wrote: Sun Jan 08, 2023 6:32 pm Per the stellar detective work by LU15 and the rumor mill.
Alex just found the confirmation on the Lehigh Directory.
Head oach at Colgate until his mysterious resignation. Currently the OC at F&M.
An excellent coach without doubt. Interesting choice by Coach Cahill.
I don't get this outside of Cahill feeling he truly needs someone with head coaching experience on his staff to help a rookie coach with some of the administrative/in game decision making processes.

Dan Hunt was 40-33 overall at Colgate, his tenure was a complete roller-coaster from one year to the next. Many close to the Raider program believe former Colgate OC Chris Young was the brains behind Hunt's success and once he left the program following to the 2018 season the program inevitably slipped.

Hunt as an OC at Colgate was boring/unimaginative. Lots of zone read and simple passing schemes. That didn't change much when he became head coach. Chris Young simply was a better OC than Hunt who was able to get more out of less.

You also bring in some ethical/negative recruiting aspects. After just getting rid of a head coach who was fired from another PL institution....

There's 100s of far more exciting OC's out there than Hunt. As for a mentor type role? Personally, I would pick someone who wasn't fired from a league rival and basically left the program in shambles....
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Re: Dan Hunt OC

Post by ngineer » Sun Jan 08, 2023 9:14 pm

From 'gate people I communicate with, they were/are very high on Hunt. Lead the Raiders to a few championships, and their offenses were fairly productive. He seems to have done a stellar job at F&M since his return. Supposedly, his leaving Colgate did not involve any improprieties with staff or students, but was characterized as a personal matter. That can lead to endless speculation that doesn't benefit anyone; however, I fully expect that whatever the issue was, has been addressed sufficiently by both Cahill and Sterrett. Having someone on the field who has significant head coaching experience to assist Cahill in his first venture shows Cahill having a good sense of where he will need the most help. No one going into their first HC position expects to have all the answers and I am glad that the HC has the self-awareness to recognize that.

At the same time, I have heard that at least one, and maybe more on the defensive side of the ball will be retained. I think keeping Kashurba as DC would be a good idea. He is a very positive, high energy guy who the players like a lot, and I think our defense has improved the past few years. I also think keeping Fetterman and Jones would be good because of the decent job they have done as, as well as having Lehigh tradition and history. Football annual dinner is February 5, so I suspect much of the dust should be settled by then.
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Re: Dan Hunt OC

Post by Sundayamqb » Sun Jan 08, 2023 10:26 pm

Looks like Hunt and Cahill played about a decade apart at Springfield.
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Re: Dan Hunt OC

Post by ngineer » Sun Jan 08, 2023 10:47 pm

Sundayamqb wrote: Sun Jan 08, 2023 10:26 pm Looks like Hunt and Cahill played about a decade apart at Springfield.
Yes, I saw that and forgot to mention. Quite possible due to 'alum connection' they know each other moreso than just passing ships on the coaching seas. So, there would be a deeper familiarity with one another.
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Re: Dan Hunt OC

Post by HFO » Mon Jan 09, 2023 3:13 pm

Almost all coaching decisions are personal relationships. It ensure job security when you are next one out of a job.
The best talent is in Missouri Valley Conference or certain DII programs including Bloomsburg, West Chester, Kutztown and Indiana University of PA. Like Patriot League, they know how to do more with better on limited scholarships, especially DII. So far, not too thrilled with the direction Lehigh has gone. Proof will be if the guy can win 3 games next year.
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Re: Dan Hunt OC

Post by jimk72 » Mon Jan 09, 2023 3:16 pm

The Franklin & Marshall Diplomats averaged 30+ points per game this season in Hunt's first year as O/C.

Excerpts from his Bio per F&M website:

Dan Hunt will enter his second season as the Franklin & Marshall Offensive Coordinator after joining the staff prior to the 2022 season. In his first season with the Diplomats, Hunt's offense was highlighted by running back Aaron Rascoe '24 breaking the school record for rushing touchdowns in a single season (14), a mark which previously stood for 109 years. The Diplomats also had the second-ranked red zone offense in all of Division III, scoring on 92.7 percent of their trips inside the opponent's 20. While mentoring a young quarterback room, the Diplomats still churned out over 350 yards of offense per and averaged over five yards per play during their 6-4 (5-4 CC season). Prior to joining the staff at Franklin & Marshall, Hunt worked with head coach Tom Blumenauer during the 2021 season as the running backs/tight ends coach at Williams College during the Ephs' undefeated season.

Named the Colgate head coach in 2013, Hunt led the Raiders to three Patriot League Championships as head coach(2015, 17, 18) while compiling a 40-33 career record. Colgate advanced to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) quarterfinals during the 2015 and 2018 seasons after posting undefeated records in the Patriot League both years.

He coached at Colgate in various capacities from 1995-2020. So what happened in the 2020 season.... gone after 0-2 start...? I agree his teams were up and down from year to year, but they couldn't wait 'til the season ended?

PS: Interesting comments on this subject over on the Colgate board....
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Re: Dan Hunt OC

Post by Sundayamqb » Mon Jan 09, 2023 8:31 pm

Is there a reason Hunt would list himself as LU OC on his Linked In page, but Lehigh would not have made an announcement?
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Re: Dan Hunt OC

Post by Lehigh89 » Mon Jan 09, 2023 11:46 pm

I understand how this can be perceived as an "uninspiring " hire but I would disagree. Dan is a smart creative mind with a great ability for preparation and sees the game as it unfolds and makes great in game adjustments. He's a tireless recruiter and I think this helps expedite the rebuilding process.
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Re: Dan Hunt OC

Post by Go Lehigh TU Owl » Tue Jan 10, 2023 10:38 am

Lehigh89 wrote: Mon Jan 09, 2023 11:46 pm I understand how this can be perceived as an "uninspiring " hire but I would disagree. Dan is a smart creative mind with a great ability for preparation and sees the game as it unfolds and makes great in game adjustments. He's a tireless recruiter and I think this helps expedite the rebuilding process.
Hunt is literally the exact opposite of what you posted. He is a boring, unimaginative offensive mind who is a direct chip of the Biddle Block. Colgate's offense only truly "took off" (and I say that in relative terms) when they brought in Chris Young to run the "O". Even then, the offense was still burdened by simple passing schemes and lack of adjustments due to Hunt's ultimate oversight. Colgate's draconian "O" has been the ire of Raider fans for years.

When Young left following 2018 the entire team collapsed thanks to Hunt's inability to lead the offense. A preseason Top 20 team with the PL OPOY became a complete dumpster fire. I attended their season opener against Villanova (then played 9 at Seven Oaks with a Gate supporter). They were not prepared to play that game. I was also at their 2018 playoff win over JMU; all those turnovers/coaching ready to leave for ECU and barely scored 20 points.

The 'Nova game was the beginning of the end for Hunt. Spring was a disaster before he got chased out of Hamilton. Then they hired another Colgate guy to carry on the tradition of unimaginative offense. Granted, Dakosty will be gone after this season if things don't turn around on the Tundra.
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