Is Matt Lubick ASU’s Next Football Coach? Dennis Erickson Seems to Hope So
ASU coach Dennis Erickson recently promoted a 30-something hot shot recruiter with a head coaching pedigree as his assistant head coach. Is Matt Lubick the next head coach of the Sun Devil football program?
Dennis Erickson is 61 years old and not getting any younger. So his weekend promotion of a 30-something wunderkind with head coaching bloodlines and a reputation as a five-star recruiter looks to us like tapping an heir apparent.
ASU’s new assistant head coach, 38-year-old Matt Lubick, is the son of long-time Colorado State coach Sonny Lubick.
He coaches safeties at ASU, but more importantly he coordinates ASU’s recruiting efforts with a primary area of responsibility is Los Angeles where he butts heads against the Pac-10’s heavy hitters—and wins his share of battles.
Lubick was one of the top 25 recruiters of 2009 according to Rivals.com. He was one of only three Pac-10 coaches on the list along with Norm Chow of UCLA and Ken Norton Jr. of USC. Here’s what they said about Lubick:
“In Lubick’s time at ASU, he quickly has established himself as one of the best recruiters in the Pac-10 and in the nation. Pulling off the [Signing Day] surprise with five-star linebacker Vontaze Burfict from USC alone might be enough to get recognition on this list, but his overall body of work is quite impressive. He landed two other four-star recruits, and he’s quickly become a well-respected recruiter in California’s loaded Inland Empire.”
This year alone Lubick’s list of high-profile recruits included Burfict, defensive back Osahon Irabor and athlete Matthew Tucker.
He’s responsible for the Corona pipeline which over the last two seasons has landed six athletes at ASU, and his personal ties to the Rockies have landed him in living rooms from Colorado (Jack Elway) to Montana (Brock Osweiler).
What does this mean for the future of ASU football? Well, nothing if the Sun Devils continue their tailspin from last season.
But if Erickson can guide the program back to respectability this season and then ride the momentum of back-to-back top 30 recruiting classes to big seasons in 2010 and 2011, he’ll be 64 and able to pick his successor when he chooses to retire.
Why not name the assistant head coach that signed your quarterback, built half your defense and recruits the most important metropolitan area on the West Coast?
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I’m a little worried. He looks quite perplexed in that picture. Either that, or he’s trying to look tough for the cheerleaders.
AK47- Maybe he stepped in something…
No offense, but being a good recruiter won’t do it all alone. Any word on how he is as a coach? Sure he’s got a good pedigree from his dad, but he’s never even been a coordinator at any level — all of his previous experience is as a position coach and/or recruiting coordinator. Not sure if his career ladder is blocked at ASU, as Craig Bray seems to be on an upward curve at defensive coordinator. He has WR coaching experience, could he turn that into a gig as the OC when Rich Olson is (pleaseGodpleaseGodpleaseGod) shown the door?
My point is that regardless of how big of a recruiting hotshot he is, I’m not ready to anoint him as the head coach successor just yet. Hopefully ASU will be in a position to get somebody with a little bit higher profile and better resume whenever Erickson moves on. Of course if that is 5 years from now, and Lubick is coming off a 3 year stretch as OC of a conference title winning team with a dynamic offense, that’s different a different story. Based on his experience so far? Still too early to tell.
Second that………….. Olsen be gone!
It certainly takes more than recruiting prowess. Basketball programs these days are funny in that they’d rather have a great recruiter (Josh Pastner comes to mind) rather than a good coach. I think that’s one of the reasons you see so many upsets early in the tournament. The bigger program is simply out-coached.
Finally someone agrees with me……….Olsen HAS TO GO!!!
Looks to me like he is looking at one of the thousands of HOT Tempe women dressed inappropriatly at the game trying to hold back a smile while he thinks: “DAY-UM!!”….
Seem far fetched? Be a sun devil …
You have reason to be worried.