Annual CFB coaching carousel thread

[sagegrouse]

More often what happens when you fire a good coach is that you accelerate downward momentum. Transition of a coaching staff is a huge cost. It often messes up recruiting for a whole year.

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The problem with readily dismissing coaches at the first sign of trouble is that, believe it or not, NO ONE ANY GOOD WILL ACCEPT A COACHING JOB THERE. I mean, if you beat Bama six years in a row and then lose once and are fired -- who would want this job and work under such threats? And how are you going to get a better coach than Tuberville?

sagegrouse

[A-Tex Devil]

Will the residents of Oxford, Mississippi burn Auburn, Alabama to the ground if Auburn steals Houston Nutt?

Pine Box for you, too, Houston?

[throatybeard]

I've updated the top post, with the news that Sarkisian is going to UW.

Ole Miss has rolled Nutt over, so he's not going anywhere.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3748072

[throatybeard]

New Mexico hires Mike Locksley, Illinois OC. So now there are 4 AfAm I-A coaches.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3754006

[Duvall]

New Mexico hires Mike Locksley, Illinois OC. So now there are 4 AfAm I-A coaches.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3754006

But still only one at a BCS school, which is just baffling.

[Duke84Blue]

Terry Bowden went 47-16-1 (73%) and 30-14-1 (66%) in SEC play over 5 and half years from 1993-1998. He resigned midway through the 1998 season after a very poor 1-5 start. He was 11-0 and COY in his first season (1993) while the team was ineligible for post season play. He made bowl games in all 3 seasons his team was eligible and his team was ranked all 5 years including several top 10 finishes. He too felt pressure heading into his final season even though he had won nearly 80% of his games in his first 4 seasons! Here is an interesting read from almost 3 years ago about Bobby Lowder and his influence on Auburn.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2285976

[SoCalDukeFan]

You mean Duke's current Athletic Director?

I have some friends who follow Notre Dame very closely. Their input is that White wanted to keep Willingham and did not want to give Weis the big contract. Some of the reason why he left.

I can not confirm, just what I heard. I hope its true.

SoCal

[ugadevil]

Terry Bowden went 47-16-1 (73%) and 30-14-1 (66%) in SEC play over 5 and half years from 1993-1998. He resigned midway through the 1998 season after a very poor 1-5 start. He was 11-0 and COY in his first season (1993) while the team was ineligible for post season play. He made bowl games in all 3 seasons his team was eligible and his team was ranked all 5 years including several top 10 finishes. He too felt pressure heading into his final season even though he had won nearly 80% of his games in his first 4 seasons! Here is an interesting read from almost 3 years ago about Bobby Lowder and his influence on Auburn.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2285976

I thought there were some off the field incidents with Bowden that had something to do with his resignation? I can't find anything concrete online but I've always heard there was more to it than the poor start to the season. Maybe those were just rumors to justify getting rid of him?

[AuburnDukeGirl]

I graduated from Auburn in 2002 and worked as a tutor for the Athletic Department so I might have a little perspective on the Auburn situation.

Bowden was an okay coach but his bad recruiting caught up with him. His players got into trouble with the law frequently and a lot dropped out due to poor grades. In 1997 and 1998 our running backs were tiny and were terrible. That's not good when you're known as "Running Back U". After his teams started to do poorly in 96,97,98 the fans had had enough and wanted him gone. The AD handled it badly and for some reason the administration never learns from it's mistakes.

Tuberville had a lot of rebuilding to do after Bowden left the cupboard bare. He was given time and the fans were on board. He recruited great kids who were successful on and off the field and he was known for his discipline. However, in 2003 when it was assumed that Auburn would be competing for a National Championship and instead had several losses, people started to get frustrated. The fans were still with him for the most part but Bobby Lowder-from the Board of Trustees had enough and tried to get another coach without anyone knowing-that didn't work out so well and that led to the horrible embarassment of Auburn University and the future paranoia of Tuberville about his job safety and therefore always being the part of rumors of going to other schools to coach. 2004 was awesome but that led to insane expectations on the part of Auburn fans. 2005-2007 weren't bad years but we wanted to be competing for Championship. During this period Auburn went through several Offensive and Defensive Coordinators due to the AD not being able to hang on to good coaches and the perceived notion that Tuberville wouldn't give enough control over to his OC and DC.

Fastforward to this year where expectations weren't too high based on the new offensive coordinator and new QB. However, the spread just didn't work at Auburn and the fans hated it and wanted to see our usual offense. Tuberville fired the OC after 6 games and gave the reins over to his Barbecue boys (coaches who had been with him since his Ole Miss days who he kept on even though the fans hated them and their ineptness). This angered the fans and then add in Alabama likely headed for a National Championship and our fans and AD were screaming for change. Auburn hates Alabama-especially when they are successful-they are obnoxious and ignorant and the rivalry gets that much worse. Unfortunately, I do think the Alabama situation with Saban did lead to Tuberville leaving. I think by this time Tommy had had enough of everything and decided he was going to "resign". Now we are left looking for a new coach with a terrible AD who has no clue who he is going to hire. The Auburn fans are in an uproar about the whole situation and how it was handled and the fact that there is no coach in place. Just the usual terrible mishandling by the Administration. I think we are way too used to it by now.

[pbc2]

I visited my brother-in-law, who is an Auburn alum and die-hard fan this past weekend. He said he was hoping that they would give both Cutcliffe and Davis a call to try and lure one of them out of NC. He thought they could offer more $$, but still wasn't optimistic, given the way Auburn has handled its coaches lately. He still thought it would be well worth the phone call, to get someone with current head coaching experience.

I feel pretty confident that Cutcliffe is committed to winning at Duke. Is Butch Davis being considered for any of these openings?

[AuburnDukeGirl]

I visited my brother-in-law, who is an Auburn alum and die-hard fan this past weekend. He said he was hoping that they would give both Cutcliffe and Davis a call to try and lure one of them out of NC. He thought they could offer more $$, but still wasn't optimistic, given the way Auburn has handled its coaches lately. He still thought it would be well worth the phone call, to get someone with current head coaching experience.

I feel pretty confident that Cutcliffe is committed to winning at Duke. Is Butch Davis being considered for any of these openings?

I've heard Butch Davis' name brought up quite a few times by people would like the AD to go after him but I haven't heard Cutcliffe. I just don't think Davis would come to Auburn. He has it made at Carolina. The main names I am hearing in contention are Mike Leach, Jimbo Fisher(OC during our 11-0 season in 1993), Steve Spurrier (I think that's crazy),Chris Peterson, Will Muschamp, and Turner Gill. Most fans want either Will Muschamp-Texas' DC or Turner Gill-Buffalo's coach-who has NFL and college experience. I actually think Turner Gill is the fan's choice and I would be excited for our program if they hired him. I want Auburn to make a statement with this hire and turn the school upside down. I think that might do it. We need things shaken up.

[A-Tex Devil]

I've heard Butch Davis' name brought up quite a few times by people would like the AD to go after him but I haven't heard Cutcliffe. I just don't think Davis would come to Auburn. He has it made at Carolina. The main names I am hearing in contention are Mike Leach, Jimbo Fisher(OC during our 11-0 season in 1993), Steve Spurrier (I think that's crazy),Chris Peterson, Will Muschamp, and Turner Gill. Most fans want either Will Muschamp-Texas' DC or Turner Gill-Buffalo's coach-who has NFL and college experience. I actually think Turner Gill is the fan's choice and I would be excited for our program if they hired him. I want Auburn to make a statement with this hire and turn the school upside down. I think that might do it. We need things shaken up.

Rumor has it that Leach threw himself at Auburn's door and Auburn turned him down. That's good or bad for Auburn depending on how you feel about Leach's offense working in the SEC. Will Muschamp is locked up at Texas, at least for a while. Jimbo Fisher is supposed to be at FSU as well. I know Muschamp ain't leaving UT this year. I guess there is a slim chance Jimbo Fisher breaks his promise to FSU.

Turner Gill would be a great hire, I think, and a true "CEO." Probably only an adequate X's and O's guy from a coordinator standpoint from what I've read. But his success at Buffalo tells me he is an excellent head coach.

The REALLY funny name being thrown out there is Patrick Nix, former Auburn QB and current OC at Miami which hasn't had much of an offense to speak of recently against top 25 competition. Ties to the school, but not sure he's earned it based on results.

[throatybeard]

Huge bit on Turner Gill on CFB Live just now. Skip Holtz is supposedly the frontrunner at SU, where Gill is also under consideration.

What Gill has done at Buffalo is insane.

[ugadevil]

Rumor has it that Leach threw himself at Auburn's door and Auburn turned him down. That's good or bad for Auburn depending on how you feel about Leach's offense working in the SEC. Will Muschamp is locked up at Texas, at least for a while. Jimbo Fisher is supposed to be at FSU as well. I know Muschamp ain't leaving UT this year. I guess there is a slim chance Jimbo Fisher breaks his promise to FSU.

You're right about Muschamp. Auburn gave him a call and he told them to take a walk. If they had increased his salary last year and kept him at Auburn through this season, I think they'd be looking at an entirely different situation.

[AuburnDukeGirl]

The REALLY funny name being thrown out there is Patrick Nix, former Auburn QB and current OC at Miami which hasn't had much of an offense to speak of recently against top 25 competition. Ties to the school, but not sure he's earned it based on results.

Patrick Nix is a great guy but he would be a terrible hire. He has no experience and his offenses have not been the greatest to say the least.

I don't think Fisher is so solid at FSU. We could buy them out. He really liked Auburn and his wife is an Auburn grad. However, he's way down on the list of people that I want as our coach with Turner Gill being #1. I think a lot of people are impressed with Leach's record but scared of how his offense would translate at Auburn.

[throatybeard]

AU is even crazier than I thought if they turned down Leach. This "that won't work in that league" business is silly. Ask Paul Johnson.

Mississippi State has hired Florida OC Dan Mullen. I have no idea how I feel about this yet. He's white, so at least the portion of the fanbase who likes to scream about how Croom was an affirmative action hire has to shut up now, at least until/unless Mullen wins 9 games.

[ugadevil]

Mississippi State has hired Florida OC Dan Mullen. I have no idea how I feel about this yet. He's white, so at least the portion of the fanbase who likes to scream about how Croom was an affirmative action hire has to shut up now, at least until/unless Mullen wins 9 games.

Hmmmm...I wonder what this means for the senior season of Saint Tebow?

[Acymetric]

Hmmmm...I wonder what this means for the senior season of Saint Tebow?

I thought the exact same thing. Has he said whether he's planning to come back, or did he just say that the championship wouldn't affect his decision, which isn't public knowledge?

[Stray Gator]

Hmmmm...I wonder what this means for the senior season of Saint Tebow?

I seriously doubt that Mullen's departure will influence Tebow's decision in the least, in part because it is expected that Gonzales will be promoted from within to OC, and in part because Tebow's ties to Meyer are considered stronger than his ties to Mullen. For that matter, I doubt that the outcome of the Heisman voting or even the BCSCG will affect Tebow's decision. Ironically, what may ultimately prove to be the deciding factor is that loss to Ole Miss back in September. As Tebow said after the game, the team's goal was to go through the entire season undefeated, which has never been done at UF (although they were undefeated in 1995 until getting clobbered by Nebraska in the national championship game). Given the fact that there are only three senior starters, he knows that the prospects for achieving that goal are much better for the Gators next year, even if Harvin and Spikes jump to the NFL. I won't be shocked if Tebow decides not to come back, but having observed and listened to him for three seasons now, I'll be very surprised. The kid grew up dreaming of being the Gator QB, and he gushes about how much he loves being a student at UF and enjoys the comraderie of his teammates.

[Wander]

AU is even crazier than I thought if they turned down Leach. This "that won't work in that league" business is silly. Ask Paul Johnson.

Or Urban Meyer.