Roman Job

[wcburrs87]

I heard they are down to three finalists.

-Jim Murphy, their former HC and an assistant under Joe McCourt the last few years.

-Sean Woods, another current assistant and former player.

-Bob McNally, who i don't know much about except some that he coached one year at Dougherty in the early 2000's and a few years at Methacton.

Also, I heard that Mark Schmidt applied and they never brought him for an interview. That's a little surprising considering his time at Neshaminy and impressive resume. With that said, I wasn't a fan of his demeanor on the LS sidelines this season, but we'll chalk that up to a small sample size in terms of he and I being on the same sidelines together

For what it's worth, but I get the sense that the job will go to Murphy and that this has been the plan since they let Joe go, if not prior. I can;t say for sure. Just more of a gut instinct. So, we'll see....Good luck to all of the finalists.

 

[Hookman2]

Don't know how a school can interview for a Head Football coach job and not one person on the hiring committee has any knowledge of Football. That right there is a disaster. Nothing will change at that school, and they will never get the recruits Prep or LaSalle get because of administration not giving any money to the program. Murphy will get it most likely because he's at the school as a teacher and Rumor has it Gil Brooks and 4/5 other guys from Prep are going with him that's from a very good source. Brooks will be the DCO from what I hear.

 

[SPEED&JUMP DR.]

This may be more of a philosophical question tHan anything : why would a program limit itself to coaches who were assistants to the coach who was let go ?

 

[IrishCB]

I agree with you on the hiring committee, and the lack of football knowledge present during the interviews. Why is the principal gets the final say in who the coach is and not the AD? I understand the AD being relatively young may play a role in this at Roman, but how may other schools let the principal make decisions on the head coaches?

Rumors of 4/5 guys from the Prep leaving to coach at Roman is just that a rumor. Why would anyone leave the Prep after back to back state titles to be a position coach on a staff who needs to rebuild the whole program? Brooks getting 4/5 coaches to go with him is absurd. Why would they leave to go with Brooks, what has he done for them?

As of right now Sean Woods is the front runner and probably be named the coach on Thursday.

 

[Pafbfan22]

The job is Murphy's unless he doesn't want it and says he will be an assistant. Murphy more than Algeo was responsible for the teams championships. When McCourt took over Murphy stayed to help transition then left. He was asked by administration to return to ensure discipline and a pair of eyes in the school. Murphy is a good dude! He also used to recruit well pulling kids from Ryan and Judge neighborhoods to Roman. I think he can help but Roman does not spend the same as Prep or LaSalle and that was McCourt's issue.

Bob McNally if I am correct was a Roman assistant in the mid to late 90s then went to Dougherty and has been at Methacton for a while but has not been a coordinator ever, just a position coach.

Woods is an unknown to me coaching wise. Yiounger guy, who only gets the job if Murphy doesn't want it and agrees to be his assistant.

Personally I would love to see Schmidt there. Roman's version of Gil Brooks (who will never coach at Roman). I would go to more Catholic League games to watch Schmidt coach against Gordon or Infante. But I don't think that will happen. Roman has not had a coach who wasnt either an alumnus or teacher in the building forever I heard at a game once.

 

[Aragorn]

"Murphy more than Algeo was responsible for the teams championships".
I would disagree with this statement. Dan beat LaSalle in 1999. Jim beat St. Joe's Prep in 2006?! Dan was responsible for the 99 championship, and Murph was responsible for the 2006? Championship. If you're implying that Murph was more responsible for the 99 Championship, that would be incorrect!

This post was edited on 2/6 8:05 PM by Aragorn

 

[Roxy427]

Aragorn,

First off the name is Jim and he won the championship in '07.

Secondly I believe what the gentleman was implying is that Murphy brought in the top talent from that 1999 team (Paxson, McCourt, O'Leary etc....) Murphy was the first guy outside of Gil Brooks to recruit citywide. Murphy got alot of kids from the northeast that would have otherwise went to Judge, Ryan, North, or Dougherty.

Thirdly both of them proved to be successful coaches in their own right so I think its fair to say both guys were responsible.

 

[Pafbfan22]

Thanks Roxy,

You are exactly correct in explaining my statement. Murphy brought in kids like Paxson and McCourt that wouldn't have gone to Roman except for their connection to Murphy. Murphy used to have middle school camps later literally across the street from Father Judge trying to find players.

 

[Hookman2]

With all that being said about recruiting Who do you think brought in Kelly(MVP), Wiggins, Frazier, Chaney, DiWilliams, Mizelle, Cruz, Hack, Mahler all for the last 4 years an next year not to mwntion some freshman an JV guys now? Not McCourt or Murphy. It was all Sean Woods his connection with local CYO is better then a lot of coaches out there. All them kids were on Woods CYO team IHM that was 11-0.... Roman needs a change and now is the time, Murph was great but its time to move on. Hopefully today we hear the news Murphy or Woods. McNally has no shot whatsoever and noted above he has NEVER coached at Roman in the 90s.

 

[Roxy427]

Hook

IHM kids have been going to Roman for about a century. Sean Woods went to Roman. All of the assistants at IHM went to Roman. It's been a major feeder for Roman since it's existence. Murphy and Joe coached Sean. All 3 people get along very well. There was an obvious connection

Now what is this an argument between girls? Which coach brought in this player or that player? People need to grow up and get a life. Or get a new hobby

 

[btm2070]

A couple things here: If Jim Murphy gets the job it has been rumored Gil Brooks would join his staff as well as some of Coach Brook's former assistants. Time will only tell on this rumor.

If it's true Mark Schmidt applied, I believe he would merit an interview.His demeanor would be very similar to Brooks.

Roman needs to get this done! If it's Woods my guess is his ties to CYO and KSL football could go a long way in building Roman Catholic into a top program. I think Roman is a sleeping giant! Location is central. New Jersey, Northeast, Delco, you can do big things there. The administration may not help but the alumni will.

Just my two cents on Roman

 

[Hookman2]

Roxy

If you knew most of the IHM players didn't goto IHM... Kelly Frazier Chaney etc they were recruited to play for IHM by Woods because they were in the same district. And history shows MOST IHM football players don't go to Roman most of them did cause woods and his assistants were at roman or were going to roman. IHMs teams get recruited by Prep Lasalle CHA which they still have some of there best players playing For them still. IHM as a school sends most kids to roman an Carroll.

 

[Saul14]

This post was edited on 2/5 11:40 AM by Saul14

 

[Saul14]

The fact that 2 of 3 finalist are from the previous staff shows how inept Romans administration is. There was not one football person on that search committee or a part of the interviewing process. They should all be fired.

Murphy was in charge of a defense last year that was outscored 130-8 in thier last 3 games! That defense was embarrassing and for all of Mccourts shortcomings that defense was lead by Murphy. Why bring him back for another tour?

Woods is a 26yr old with limited varsity experience and NO coordinator experience. I'll give him that he might be able to pull players from IHM but that won't be enough in the Catholic League. After the ordeal with Mccourt why would you repeat the process by hiring a young immature under qualified coach.

Don't be surprised if Murph joins Woods staff and vice versa. This was Romans chance to blow the thing up and start over fresh but laziness and comfortability prevails on Broad and Vine.

The over/under on Roman hiring there next coach is 3.5yrs.

 

[TDjones22]

Saul where have you ever coached and who crowned you the king of the know it all of quality coaches.

Why does your opinion even matter? Probably Just a typical guy in the stands at a roman game bad mouthing every play or coach. You have no say who the coach will be so keep being mr negative, I think maybe you were a coach but never got your shot to coach roman and now you just hate on everything they do. I think I'm right.

 

[kitwor]

Roxy,

Sean and Joe did not get along.

 

[TDjones22]

Kitwor


That is absurd that they didn't get along and 100% false.

 

[Saul14]

TD never said my opinion mattered but the point of these message board things is to voice your opinions. Now i'm sure since your name is TDjones you scored a lot of TD's and therefore your football knowledge is superior to all.

Now what I really think is that this is very personal for you so you are probably a close friend of the candidate or actually a candidate (probably woods). I don't know why you're so offended by my take on Roman. What did I say that is so inaccurate?

By the way i'm a Prep guy, I would never be caught in Romans stands or sidelines but from what I see they'll let ANYONE coach on that staff so its not really that exclusive.

 

[Roxy427]

Kit

You obviously know nothing about the situation. Joe brough Sean on from IHM and after one year brought him up to varsity. Joe and Sean got along very well.

Everybody is making this out to be a situation that was in total disarray from a football perspective. It was not. The coach and the administration had a fallen out over a variety of issues. Joe almost lost his job a few years back because Joe was caught by the administration having a football funded account to get money for recruits and football related things. On top of that, the administration gave false information to the coaching staff about a few incoming freshman regarding how much money they were to receive via grants and alumni scholarships. This included a top rated QB from Jersey who may have started as a freshman and then decided to stay across the bridge.

Say what you want. McCourt won more games then he lost. Since he was there they played top notch competition top to bottom in their schedule. He coached every individual record breaker in the history of the school. Had 2 championship appearances. Only 2 catholic league teams roman had a losing record to during his tenure was prep and lasalle. I'm not saying mccourt was a great coach, but God almighty he wasn't the worst to ever grace the sidelines in the catholic league. There are a lot of so called good coaches that would have finished 3rd every year in the catholic league 4A.

Woods and Murphy are both good guys who are invested emotionally in the school. In an environment that doesn't get much support from the administration, that is KEY. I wish whoever gets the job nothing but the best. They have a lot to do to get passed Lasalle or Prep.

 

[Pafbfan22]

I am not as filled in on Roman's administration as others but what is the issue there? McCourt referenced it in the article I read about him stepping down. I do know a couple years ago their first scrimmage versus Washington was canceled because of poor field conditions. But for a school in Center City to have a field that the players can walk to has to be a benefit right?

I could be wrong but also isn't one of their administrators a coach, Brian Conroy? I personally believe Roman is a sleeping giant that could be on par with Prep or LaSalle if the alumni wanted football to be. If the coach wants players and he's told the players are coming with scholarships and then that doesn't happen that could definitely be frustrating. If this is the case maybe the administration at Roman needs to be changed after all we all know they did have the money to get kids like Paxson and McCourt which paid off in a title and others to this day for basketball.

 

[kitwor]

Roxy,

I am aware that McCourt brought Woods up from CYO and they did get along. Without starting a big to do here there was some friction at the end. Was I on their sidelines? NO. So maybe I shouldn't be weighing in on this. But my point was brought up because of more than one person that told me (one being a coach).

I think that Woods will eventually (if not this year) be a perfect candidate to be a head coach because he puts his heart and soul into it. He's made to be a coach and approaches his job like someone well beyond his years. Murphy would be more than capable because he can recruit with the best of them and is a real company guy. He spends endless days at the school and in the weight room even now while not even knowing where his future is. I don't care how his defense played last year. He is a very good coach. Either guy would be a good fit and both he and Woods would work well together.

As far as McCourt goes, he was a sensational player and I think he could be more than an adequate assistant somewhere.

Being that, I am standing by my statement.

 

[Roxy427]

Pafb,

The moral of the story is the principal there is inept and needs to retire yesterday. He runs the show. Brian Conroy stepped down in '07 as an asst coach. Conroy is head of academics and in fact has had a few head bumps with the principal regarding other issues in the school. Last year was the first time in quite some time that Roman lost enrollment.

I would be careful using the word sleeping giant. I'm afraid those days have come and gone as far as Roman having the pick of the litter for athletes. Money is a major issue and tuition keeps rising. Catholic schools are closing year after year. You have to recruit public school kids and with that becomes a financial issue. The prep recruits there ass off. But the prep also gives more money out then anybody in the state of Pennsylvania. It's much easier recruiting when you know you can give a recruit financial relief.

Back in the late 90s and early 2000s when tuition was in the 3k range. An alumni grant of 1k was considered a lot of money. Today tuition for schools like roman and judge is around 7k. Which means 1k off their tuition is chump change. The dynamic has completely changed.

 

[Pafbfan22]

Thanks for the info Roxy. Very surprised to hear Roman's enrollment declined. A friend of mine's son applied this year and he was saying Roman has a large waiting list. Also I remember hearing how they bought more real estate and plan on having their own parking lot and a new field house. Roman has lots of $ I would think. I took the parking lot as clear sign they are looking for more kids to commute.

Again I believe if Roman's alumni look at Prep winning state titles and wants to be competing with them they would need to be asked to start writing checks. I believe you get guys like Conroy in charge of Roman and make an effort things can change.

 

[Aragorn]

Roxy, I believe we agree on most things...other than my "Tim" typo. I've been calling him Jim or Murph since I met him in 96/97.

 

[JiveTurkey9]

Inquire had a story this morning saying that Murph will be named the head coach today.

 

[FTLT]

I missed the story in the Inquirer today but saw the advance headline for the Daily New's Weekend Edition with the weekly recap:

Punxsutawney Phil Sees Shadow - 6 More Weeks of Winter;[/B]
Roman Picks Murphy - 6 More Years of Irrelevancy[/B]

It seems like Murphy may have dangled the "Gil Brooks Carrot" to get the job. I would be shocked if he was on those sidelines next year. But let's take a step back and take a look at the jobs he's been linked to over the past few years...Carroll HC...Malvern HC...Judge HC. It seems like he's moving backwards now. Next year the hot rumor will be that he's up for the running backs coach at WB Saul High School of Agricultural Sciences...

Speaking of Saul...it is pretty easy to throw rocks from the Prep stands with your back to back state championships. I'd love to see if you were so cocky if you were sitting somewhere else...so typical

 

[phillysportz]

Brooks will be the DC. Pretty sure about it.

 

[btm2070]

I have confirmation now! No Brooks.