snuffy
11-08-2008, 11:58 AM
COMMENTARY: KIRK BOHLS
For coaches, the end is coming sooner and sooner
Earlier dismissals are latest college football trend - and that may not be a bad thing.
By Kirk Bohls
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Saturday, November 08, 2008
http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/longhorns/11/08/1108bohls.html
Kansas State's Ron Prince is out on the streets before he's finished even three seasons at Manhattan.
Tennessee forced out Phil Fulmer with three games left in the season, just months after a lucrative contract extension.
Washington reached a settlement with Ty Willingham in October.
Clemson's Tommy Bowden fell before the fall leaves did.
Is Tommy Tuberville next? Or Sylvester Croom?
We're seeing the latest trend in college football. Fire now. Do not delay. If you think your head coach isn't getting the job done, make that 1-800 call to Donald Trump to come in and do the deed.
And this is a good thing for college football.
Maybe not the best for long-term employment and job security of these head-coach flops — although they leave with gilded parachutes — but this pattern is the best alternative for these programs in the long run for any number of reasons.
It's fairer. Rather than forcing Fulmer and Bowden to twist in the wind and have to answer questions about their future that they can't answer, schools can handle it in the open.
It's smarter. Athletic directors are about the bottom line, and if they've already decided to make a change, they can get an earlier start on filling the vacancy and beat other schools for the most desirable candidates.
It's more ethical. This way, those ADs they can be up front with their head coaches and not lie to the media. Or at least lie less. They can conduct their nationwide searches for successors in full daylight rather than playing out the charade, insisting they will evaluate the head coaches when the season ends, then fire them minutes after the final whistle and announce a replacement whom they had secretly courted behind the scenes for weeks.
It's better for the help. Assistant coaches, who are the ones who have the most to lose because of smaller salaries, shorter contracts and absolutely no leverage, can learn their fate long before December or January and can start looking for future employment sooner to aid their traumatized families.
It's a win-win-win-win situation, especially if you're Fulmer, who will pocket $6 million worth of buyout cash with a national championship ring as well as a gold watch.
Even Mack Brown supports the trend.
"I would think if you're going to make a change, I have no problem with it as long as the coach has the right to stay the rest of the season," the Texas coach said. "We're professionals. If somebody doesn't want you any more, that's their right. If the athletic director knows he's going to make a change, I would rather be told."
The trend is not without negatives.
Making such a decision before the end of year is a real downer for the players, particularly the seniors who are playing out the string. But they're on a losing team, or no change would be necessary. Losing their coach in mid-season doesn't exactly present a favorable environment for them.
"I think doing it during the middle of the season is disruptive to the kids and the seniors playing out their last year," Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said. "We owe them stability."
Moreover, the transition can be even more difficult for potential successors at other schools because those candidates must deal with the distraction of interviewing for another job. Take Will Muschamp, for instance.
The Texas defensive coordinator's name has been linked to Tennessee, Clemson and Washington already, forcing him to try not to let the potential next job adversely affect the one he has now. He's done a good job of that and should again today in what will be a 48-21 Texas victory.
Some wondered if Gene Chizik was already considering the Iowa State vacancy he eventually filled and wasn't devoting his full attention to his job with the Longhorns. Hard to blame him since head coaching jobs don't grow on trees.
Dodds declined to answer if any school's representative has contacted him for permission to talk to Muschamp already, "I don't go into that. If I start answering one question, it'll never end. He's a good, young coach, and he's ready for a head coaching job."
I put the chances of Muschamp leaving at 50-50. It's very early, so don't expect any hard news about Muschamp any time soon. He's too serious about finishing this year strong.
In the last couple of years, one Texas head coach was approached about a job elsewhere through back-door channels. When the school's AD came under pressure because there was no news concerning the chances of landing the Longhorn coach, the AD phoned Dodds to ask for permission.
"I said, 'Bud, you already have, without getting permission," a miffed Dodds said. "You're just trying to look good to your alums.' "
Dodds labels the breach simple "Ethics One."
The problem has reached such heights — or depths — that Dodds raised the issue at the national convention of the Division I-A athletic directors a year ago. He even suggested their association put some teeth into a plan that would prohibit schools from contacting candidates through agents, alumni, a search firm or a representative of a conference office rather than contacting the prospective hire's own school directly.
"I got a lot of support," Dodds said, "but when it got around to (voting), there wasn't a lot of hands up."
It's a complicated issue with a greater sense of urgency about winning and large amounts of money at stake. Firing head coaches after three seasons or less is totally wrong, but replacing them early is the new trend.
Is it going away?
"Probably not," Dodds said.
For coaches, the end is coming sooner and sooner
Earlier dismissals are latest college football trend - and that may not be a bad thing.
By Kirk Bohls
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Saturday, November 08, 2008
http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/longhorns/11/08/1108bohls.html
Kansas State's Ron Prince is out on the streets before he's finished even three seasons at Manhattan.
Tennessee forced out Phil Fulmer with three games left in the season, just months after a lucrative contract extension.
Washington reached a settlement with Ty Willingham in October.
Clemson's Tommy Bowden fell before the fall leaves did.
Is Tommy Tuberville next? Or Sylvester Croom?
We're seeing the latest trend in college football. Fire now. Do not delay. If you think your head coach isn't getting the job done, make that 1-800 call to Donald Trump to come in and do the deed.
And this is a good thing for college football.
Maybe not the best for long-term employment and job security of these head-coach flops — although they leave with gilded parachutes — but this pattern is the best alternative for these programs in the long run for any number of reasons.
It's fairer. Rather than forcing Fulmer and Bowden to twist in the wind and have to answer questions about their future that they can't answer, schools can handle it in the open.
It's smarter. Athletic directors are about the bottom line, and if they've already decided to make a change, they can get an earlier start on filling the vacancy and beat other schools for the most desirable candidates.
It's more ethical. This way, those ADs they can be up front with their head coaches and not lie to the media. Or at least lie less. They can conduct their nationwide searches for successors in full daylight rather than playing out the charade, insisting they will evaluate the head coaches when the season ends, then fire them minutes after the final whistle and announce a replacement whom they had secretly courted behind the scenes for weeks.
It's better for the help. Assistant coaches, who are the ones who have the most to lose because of smaller salaries, shorter contracts and absolutely no leverage, can learn their fate long before December or January and can start looking for future employment sooner to aid their traumatized families.
It's a win-win-win-win situation, especially if you're Fulmer, who will pocket $6 million worth of buyout cash with a national championship ring as well as a gold watch.
Even Mack Brown supports the trend.
"I would think if you're going to make a change, I have no problem with it as long as the coach has the right to stay the rest of the season," the Texas coach said. "We're professionals. If somebody doesn't want you any more, that's their right. If the athletic director knows he's going to make a change, I would rather be told."
The trend is not without negatives.
Making such a decision before the end of year is a real downer for the players, particularly the seniors who are playing out the string. But they're on a losing team, or no change would be necessary. Losing their coach in mid-season doesn't exactly present a favorable environment for them.
"I think doing it during the middle of the season is disruptive to the kids and the seniors playing out their last year," Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said. "We owe them stability."
Moreover, the transition can be even more difficult for potential successors at other schools because those candidates must deal with the distraction of interviewing for another job. Take Will Muschamp, for instance.
The Texas defensive coordinator's name has been linked to Tennessee, Clemson and Washington already, forcing him to try not to let the potential next job adversely affect the one he has now. He's done a good job of that and should again today in what will be a 48-21 Texas victory.
Some wondered if Gene Chizik was already considering the Iowa State vacancy he eventually filled and wasn't devoting his full attention to his job with the Longhorns. Hard to blame him since head coaching jobs don't grow on trees.
Dodds declined to answer if any school's representative has contacted him for permission to talk to Muschamp already, "I don't go into that. If I start answering one question, it'll never end. He's a good, young coach, and he's ready for a head coaching job."
I put the chances of Muschamp leaving at 50-50. It's very early, so don't expect any hard news about Muschamp any time soon. He's too serious about finishing this year strong.
In the last couple of years, one Texas head coach was approached about a job elsewhere through back-door channels. When the school's AD came under pressure because there was no news concerning the chances of landing the Longhorn coach, the AD phoned Dodds to ask for permission.
"I said, 'Bud, you already have, without getting permission," a miffed Dodds said. "You're just trying to look good to your alums.' "
Dodds labels the breach simple "Ethics One."
The problem has reached such heights — or depths — that Dodds raised the issue at the national convention of the Division I-A athletic directors a year ago. He even suggested their association put some teeth into a plan that would prohibit schools from contacting candidates through agents, alumni, a search firm or a representative of a conference office rather than contacting the prospective hire's own school directly.
"I got a lot of support," Dodds said, "but when it got around to (voting), there wasn't a lot of hands up."
It's a complicated issue with a greater sense of urgency about winning and large amounts of money at stake. Firing head coaches after three seasons or less is totally wrong, but replacing them early is the new trend.
Is it going away?
"Probably not," Dodds said.