Didn't Brick and Chavis coach together at LSU?
If my memory serves me correctly, Brick was not treated so well at LSU. They weren't too broke up when he left.
His track record says, like Hale said above, that he's a pretty decent position coach, is a player's coach, but hasn't been one known for his recruiting prowness. He did have an excellent year in recruiting for Texas this year.
If Chavis and Brick were close at LSU, I could understand the desire he might have, especially if they're throwing up more money. However, Sumlin probably doesn't have much left in the tank at aggy.
A general timeline of what went down at LSU:
Early December all defensive coaches are given contract extensions to sign. All do except for CHavis who is upset because the contract doesn't guarantee his salary if Miles is fired.
Late December aggy reaches out to Chavis about becoming their DC, Chavis has still not signed his LSU extension.
End of December/First of the year aggy hires John Chavis as their DC.
Allegedly Chavis is given the option to sacrifice some of his salary so that aggy can buyout and hire some/one of his former assistants at LSU. Doesn't happen.
USC decides not to retain Ed Orgeron as Head Coach. Orgeron sits out the 2014 season in hopes that a HC job will be available for him in 2015. No HC positions look to be available to Ed, so LSU sees a chance to hire him as DL coach.
Brick Haley is 'reassigned' to a closet some where in Tiger stadium and Orgeron is named the new DL coach.
Chavis would love to hire Haley as his DL coach at aggy, but because of the contentious nature of his leaving and possible litigation, LSU declines to waive Haleys buyout and aggy refuses to pay the buyout.
Haley has 900k guaranteed to him by LSU, so he has no interest in quitting and forfeiting that money. Haley also has a son who is autistic and at least one report said Haley was worried about treatment options available elsewhere (The Haley's were very comfortable with treatment LSU had arranged for his son). Haley and his wife are very involved in autism groups/charities around BR.
Chris Rumph informs Charlie Strong in early Feb that he is taking the Florida job.
Charlie Strong reaches out to Brick Haley shortly thereafter about becoming the DL coach at Texas.
Haley is hired Feb 13th as DL coach at Texas.
Haley isn't a 'great coach' and isn't a 'great recruiter'. He definitely had some connections/relationships in LA that helped us with Wilbon, Roach, DCG, and Aucoin - but Traylor played a role and Strong was the closer for those guys.
LSU fans biggest criticism of Haley was that he wasn't someone who could go out and get the big recruit - they thought that Haley was a guy who far too often came in 'second place' in recruiting. On the flip side - at LSU Haley had to work for a guy who didn't/wouldn't recruit in Chavis.
LSU fans also think that their Defensive Lines under-performed far too often considering the level of talent they had. At least part of that can be explained in that Chavis seemed to favor more of a two gap style where the DL occupied blockers so that the athletes Chavis had at LB and Safety could make plays.
I don't want to lose Brick - both for his connections in LA and because I would love to maintain some continuity at the DL coach position. But if Haley wants to reunite with Chavis - and aggy is willing to overpay him to do it - then lets go out and hire the best DL coach money can buy and look ahead to next season.
knowing aggy doesn't have the LBs or safeties to make Chavis D work.
