Rather than saying it's premature, people instead like to defecate on the guy. For what? Because some blogger who is essentially a glorified Cougarboard poster proposes a hypothetical? That's the invitation to trash a guy...one of our own?
It's not like Howell has ever said he's auditioning for the job or even wants the job. All he's done is coach his position, and when he got more responsibilities execute those, and now that he has more responsibilities he'll execute those.
It baffles me. The hypothetical is stupid on the surface for the reasons I pointed out. If Bronco quit tomorrow, Howell wouldn't even make the list...because his resume' doesn't support it. It's not because he's pathetic as some suggest...it's because he's incomplete...as everyone pointed out.
From my foxhole he seems like a hard working, loyal and generally successful coach within the responsibilities he has been given. He seems to recruit well because it appears he has an infectious enthusiasm. He may fall on his face as a play caller and fade into oblivion...at which point the question is pointless. Or he may truly have captured Bronco's insight and be a candidate to go out and prove his mettle. Either way, he's not going to be a candidate until his resume' supports it and until he's actually dorked something up, perhaps we can just consider him one of our own.