04/23/24
November 24, 2007
College Coaches Franchione, Callahan and Orgeron Sacked: Say goodbye to Dennis Franchione at Texas A&M, Bill Callahan at Nebraska and Ed Orgeron at Ole Miss. Houston Nutt at Arkansas may be next.
I highly doubt Saban would get booted to the curb after one year, despite the disappointments in recent weeks and the craziness of Alabama fans and boosters. Too much money tied up in him and too much of a history of success to not give him at least 3 years to put something together. As for Nutt, he might suffer from the "you've been mediocre long enough, and you should be better" affliction that cost Glen Mason his job at Minnesota last year (though without blowing a 31-point lead in a bowl game). Callahan will probably end up back in the NFL as a coordinator, where he is a better fit. Nutt would be a good fit for the Baylor job, though he might aspire to higher. Franchione can probably land a head coaching job somewhere, but Orgeron is headed back to a coordinator position.
posted by TheQatarian at 05:32 PM on November 24, 2007
If nothing else, this year has proven two things. One, pro coaches need to respect the college game that is as different from the pro game as night and day. As Charlie Weis has found out, not everyone you recruit is an all-star. Not everyone you teach learns as fast as they learn in the pros. Of course, school course work and homework may impede on an athlete's learning curve for football. Two, if you coach at a place with rabid alums, you'd better win big, often and forever. Personally, I feel sorry for the coaches who work at the BCS schools. They are compensated well, mind you, but their fans refuse to realistically realize that no one team can be champion every year. Some years you're good, some years you're great and other years you just stink out the place as you reload.
posted by sportsdeacon at 05:55 PM on November 24, 2007
Saban's got a few years left in Alabama. The man can recruit and coach. He's the Great Savior who will return Alabama to it's former greatness. Or so their fans hope. Chan Gaily of Georgia Tech might also be gone after tonight's loss to UGA. Seven straight losses to your arch-rival with all mediocre seasons is not going to get it done for the alum. There were also whispers of Phillip Fulmer being on the "hot seat," but he saved his job for a few years with that win tonight. Damn.
posted by jmd82 at 06:29 PM on November 24, 2007
...but their fans refuse to realistically realize that no one team can be champion every year... How does one account for the longevity of Joe Paterno at Penn State? True enough that he has won national championships and has been a consistent winner, but he has done nothing noteworthy of late. Yet, despite a few years of relative mediocrity, the man is still worshipped as a demi-god in State College. What is it that sets him apart from other big-time coaches? There are absolutely no calls for him to resign or retire.
posted by Howard_T at 12:16 PM on November 25, 2007
Les Miles will be in Michigan, and Nutt will be in the Bayou, Callahan will be at UCLA, and Dorell will be in Arkansas.
posted by Joe188 at 12:56 PM on November 25, 2007
Les Miles will be in Michigan, and Nutt will be in the Bayou, Callahan will be at UCLA, and Dorell will be in Arkansas I think Callahan will get back into the pro game as an assistant somewhere. Nutt to LSU? What about Bo Pellini? Nutt goes to Baylor, Pellini takes over at LSU. Miles will wind up in Michigan, but Dorrell and Arkansas really don't seem like a fit. I think UCLA keeps him for another year, especially if they play well against USC next week. It should be really interesting to see how the coaching carousel plays out.
posted by jm_mosier at 01:19 PM on November 25, 2007
Les Miles will be in Michigan, and Nutt will be in the Bayou Why would LSU hire a coach who wasn't particularly great at a program with less prestige (at least currently)? Nutt has not earned a step up, and the LSU job is a step up. I think if Miles goes to Michigan, LSU pushes hard for Tuberville. Tuberville is pretty hated in (LSU) Tiger country, but I think it's probably one of those things where the ill feelings will dissipate once he's on the right sight. He's a very good coach and I'm sure he would love to be in a state without any real internal recruiting competition. Plus, I suspect he's still miffed from when Auburn flew in Bobby Petrino a few years back. As for Miles, this LSU fan will be happy to see him go to Michigan. I think LSU probably has talent that matches up with any in the nation, but there was a lack of discipline and execution in LSU's losses and in several of their wins that has to point back to the coaching staff. I doubt this team would be 10-2 under Nick Saban, the man who recruited most of its key players.
posted by holden at 02:02 PM on November 25, 2007
I don't care if Arkansas record is 8-4, I wish the Rose Bowl had a shot at hosting Darren McFadden. Assuming one last year for McFadden, Arkansas should hand the coaching job over to someone else. Once he's gone you'll still have Houston Nutt and what else? A website for this very subject @ coacheshotseat.com "...Callahan will be at UCLA, and Dorell will be in Arkansas." According to the L.A. Times Dorell's salary is 800,000 a year. If Dorell saves his job it's because UCLA is too tight to buy him out.
posted by Newbie Walker at 05:37 PM on November 25, 2007
No way LSU would hire Nutt. If Arkansas is going to let him go for not being good enough (which I think is ridiculous, I want him to stay), he's definitely not good enough for LSU. The unknown here is that Frank Broyles is finally stepping down from the AD position, and the new guy, Jeff Long from Pitt, will make the decision on Nutt's future. He might want to start off with a new hire, or he may want to keep Nutt on for continuity. Who knows. And McFadden is not going to stay for his senior year, no way no how. He's a top 5 draft pick easy.
posted by mbd1 at 10:13 AM on November 26, 2007
Ha. And let's not forget about my second favorite college football team, Duke. Ted Roof may be out after winning like 4 games in 4 years. What will AD Joe Alleva do? A nation waits.
posted by mbd1 at 10:17 AM on November 26, 2007
How does one account for the longevity of Joe Paterno at Penn State? True enough that he has won national championships and has been a consistent winner, but he has done nothing noteworthy of late. Yet, despite a few years of relative mediocrity, the man is still worshipped as a demi-god in State College. What is it that sets him apart from other big-time coaches? There are absolutely no calls for him to resign or retire. Penn State won a share of the Big 10 and an Orange Bowl 2 years ago, and JoePa has done a lot to build the program and the school there. That aside, there were definitely some rumblings prior to that 2005 season.
posted by bender at 11:57 AM on November 26, 2007
GT fires Gailey after disappointing year.
posted by irunfromclones at 03:12 PM on November 26, 2007
A&M hires Sherman to replace Franchione
posted by irunfromclones at 03:16 PM on November 26, 2007
you called it mbd1, Duke fires Ted Roof after 1-11 season
posted by irunfromclones at 03:19 PM on November 26, 2007
If Les Miles goes to Michigan, don't forget about Nick Saban. He's been there before, he did a good job, and he's available.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 03:22 PM on November 26, 2007
posted by mbd1 at 03:48 PM on November 26, 2007
I can't see Alabama dumping Saban with the amount of money he still has on his contract. A disappointing season yes, but he is going to get at least another year.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 05:14 PM on November 26, 2007
Nutt wasn't gotten rid of for not being good enough but for various off the field controversies.
posted by aerotive at 10:11 PM on November 26, 2007
YYM, the whole point of the joke is, Saban will leave his job if something else better pops up. I don't think he's going to get fired, either, but he has been known to Larry Brown himself from job to job when the mood strikes him.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 09:44 AM on November 27, 2007
Nutt wasn't gotten rid of for not being good enough but for various off the field controversies. Arkansas didn't get rid of Nutt; Nutt got rid of Arkansas. But the reasoning is the same. I guess he was just sick of the whole situation. At Ole Miss he'll get a chance to stick it to the Hogs every year. And vice versa. That should be an interesting matchup for the next few years.
posted by mbd1 at 11:25 AM on November 27, 2007
After last night's upset of LSU, I'm not sure that Houston Nutt is going anywhere anytime soon. Couple an 8-win season with a Heisman candidate (McFadden) and a very entertaining offense to watch, I think Nutt's job is secure. As for the others, Callahan somehow forgot that his team had to play defense once in a while, Franchione might have survived if not for his insiders' club, and Orgeron just couldn't beat the in-state rival. If Alabama can't whip Auburn tonight, Saban's head might be on the block as well.