Smartest College Football Coach Firings of the Past 10 Years

Image – ramblinwreck.com

Chan Gailey – Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 2007

Record With School: 44-32
Replaced by: Paul Johnson

Georgia Tech was looking to build on the success of George O’Leary, who had left (along with his doctored resume) for greener pastures and bigger budgets, and they thought the NFL experience of Gailey could help.

There may have never been coach who had a more middling career at a school for more than three seasons, with Gailey and the Yellow Jackets going 7-6, 7-6, 7-5, 7-5, 9-5, 7-5 in his six seasons in Atlanta. Five loss seasons in that kind of abundance aren’t even acceptable at nerdetoriums like Georgia Tech.

Within those six pedestrian seasons, the Yellow Jackets also lost to in-state rival Georgia six times, never won the ACC, never went to a BCS bowl, never won more than 9 games, and never finished the season ranked the top 25 – all reasons why Gailey had to be cut loose from his deal, despite the school having to buy out the remainder of his $1 million per year deal.

Next: Rick Neuheisel