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Lubick: ties to Montana important
By SCOTT MANSCH
Tribune Asst. Sports Editor
Butte native Sonny Lubick is a highly successful head coach at Colorado State who has never forgotten his Treasure State roots.
And Lubick, who was the Montana State head coach from 1978-81, said a connection to the state should be highly considered when determining the next boss of the Bobcat football program.
"I think it's fairly important," Lubick said. "I don't think you have to be a player there, or be born and raised there, but I do believe that if you have some connections you have a feel for recruiting the state. Montana's kind of an expansive state but at the same time it's a small state. If people know you in Great Falls, they know you in Butte and all those things are going to help you out.
Montana State Athletic Director Peter Fields, who fired head coach Mike Kramer a week ago following the arrest of a former player, has received more than 60 official applications for the job. Among those who have applied are Don Bailey, Kramer's longtime offensive coordinator and currently MSU's interim head coach, and Carroll College head coach Mike Van Diest.
Lubick said several of his assistant coaches, including offensive coordinator Dan Hammerschmidt, have expressed interest in the job.
"He's a good man and a great coach," Lubick said.
Lubick's CSU staff also includes former Montana State head coach Dave Arnold, whose son E.J. worked under Kramer last year as a tight ends assistant, and former MSU assistant coach Mick Delaney. Dave Arnold recently had knee-replacement surgery.
The MSU search committee isn't making public the list of official candidates. Perhaps as many as a dozen will be given phone interviews next week, and at least three finalists are expected to visit the Bozeman campus for formal interviews and public forums, possibly by a week from now.
Lubick said ties to the Treasure State are important.
"Living in Montana, hell, that's all you knew, the Cats and the Griz," Lubick said. "You knew the importance of it."
Lubick said he felt badly for Kramer, who was dismissed following yet another of his former players ran afoul of the law. In the last year, six former MSU athletes, five of them football players, have been charged with crimes.
"It's difficult for everybody," Lubick said. "From what my understanding is Mike did a heckuva good job there, really did a lot of good things."
Lubick realizes, though, that coaches are hired to be fired.
"When things go bad, I guess the program and the school are going to be bigger than the coach," Lubick said. "You can't get rid of the whole damn school."
Lubick was also fired by Montana State, more than 25 years ago. He went on to assistant's jobs at CSU, Stanford and Miami and has taken the Rams to nine bowls in 14 successful years as head coach in Fort Collins, Colo.
"You never know," Lubick said when reminded of his dismissal from MSU. "I think sometimes it works out for the best for everybody. You hope in this situation it works out good for Mike, because he is a good coach and a good man, and you hope it works out good for Montana State, too.
"Montana State is a great school and there's a lot of people who care a lot about it."
Lubick chuckled when asked for his opinion on which direction Fields should turn in the coming days.
"You know the old saying, the longer you're away the more of an expert you are," he said. "I'm not much of an expert, but I know everybody cares at Montana State. And I hope the program lands on its feet and will be very good after this."
By SCOTT MANSCH
Tribune Asst. Sports Editor
Butte native Sonny Lubick is a highly successful head coach at Colorado State who has never forgotten his Treasure State roots.
And Lubick, who was the Montana State head coach from 1978-81, said a connection to the state should be highly considered when determining the next boss of the Bobcat football program.
"I think it's fairly important," Lubick said. "I don't think you have to be a player there, or be born and raised there, but I do believe that if you have some connections you have a feel for recruiting the state. Montana's kind of an expansive state but at the same time it's a small state. If people know you in Great Falls, they know you in Butte and all those things are going to help you out.
Montana State Athletic Director Peter Fields, who fired head coach Mike Kramer a week ago following the arrest of a former player, has received more than 60 official applications for the job. Among those who have applied are Don Bailey, Kramer's longtime offensive coordinator and currently MSU's interim head coach, and Carroll College head coach Mike Van Diest.
Lubick said several of his assistant coaches, including offensive coordinator Dan Hammerschmidt, have expressed interest in the job.
"He's a good man and a great coach," Lubick said.
Lubick's CSU staff also includes former Montana State head coach Dave Arnold, whose son E.J. worked under Kramer last year as a tight ends assistant, and former MSU assistant coach Mick Delaney. Dave Arnold recently had knee-replacement surgery.
The MSU search committee isn't making public the list of official candidates. Perhaps as many as a dozen will be given phone interviews next week, and at least three finalists are expected to visit the Bozeman campus for formal interviews and public forums, possibly by a week from now.
Lubick said ties to the Treasure State are important.
"Living in Montana, hell, that's all you knew, the Cats and the Griz," Lubick said. "You knew the importance of it."
Lubick said he felt badly for Kramer, who was dismissed following yet another of his former players ran afoul of the law. In the last year, six former MSU athletes, five of them football players, have been charged with crimes.
"It's difficult for everybody," Lubick said. "From what my understanding is Mike did a heckuva good job there, really did a lot of good things."
Lubick realizes, though, that coaches are hired to be fired.
"When things go bad, I guess the program and the school are going to be bigger than the coach," Lubick said. "You can't get rid of the whole damn school."
Lubick was also fired by Montana State, more than 25 years ago. He went on to assistant's jobs at CSU, Stanford and Miami and has taken the Rams to nine bowls in 14 successful years as head coach in Fort Collins, Colo.
"You never know," Lubick said when reminded of his dismissal from MSU. "I think sometimes it works out for the best for everybody. You hope in this situation it works out good for Mike, because he is a good coach and a good man, and you hope it works out good for Montana State, too.
"Montana State is a great school and there's a lot of people who care a lot about it."
Lubick chuckled when asked for his opinion on which direction Fields should turn in the coming days.
"You know the old saying, the longer you're away the more of an expert you are," he said. "I'm not much of an expert, but I know everybody cares at Montana State. And I hope the program lands on its feet and will be very good after this."
