Unpopular opinion, ahead.
You have to be realistic.
It is really tough to dig out if the bottom of the FBS, especially when resources are limited. To do it, you have to be patient.
1. You cannot afford to pay a fired coach and invest in a new one. Doing so will only put you in a worse position.
2. Until your budget and facilities improve, it is going to be very difficult to attract a quality coaching staff. Who could you possibly attract that would be an improvement? You could take a risk on an FCS or D2 coach, but Akron did that only to become worse. Much worse.
I think part of this falls on Hartwell. He needs to help find ways to get a budget that allows the program to develop and attract kids. The lack of an indoor facility hurts. Dated facilities, hurt. Lack of cool uniforms, hurt.
Lack of solid media support hurts on multiple fronts.
The logo appeals to people with connections to NE LA but it is not very appealing to people who don't, and right now, that is the recruiting landscape, thanks to the portal.
You have a solid fan base and attendance isn't bad, given the records. That's something to build on.
McDonald recommended Kubik. It was probably after a conversation that discussed who they could get to move to Monroe for the money. Maybe we see Bowden move on from him this year, but it is the same quandary he had before: who can you get to move to Monroe for the salary, for a coach with a 1 year contract? Maybe someone will get fired and not sign with another team and be willing to do it, but it would have to take a special situation for that to happen.
Maybe Fobbs can do it, but maybe that isn't the right choice. He has done an incredible job with Special Teams.