Nov 1, 2014; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Bo Pelini yells at an official during the game against Purdue Boilermakers in the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
A college football coach, even a good one, lives with the day to day pressure that today could very well be his last day on the job. In a world where you’re only as good as the last title you delivered, coaches are sometimes easily dismissed.
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Even coaches who seem to have a winning tradition in tow can be sent to the unemployment line, as Nebraksa’s Bo Pelini found out last season. Will the Cornhuskers regret parting ways with Bo and hiring former Oregon State coach Mike Riley? Perhaps one of the two will end up on a best/worst hire list next season.
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But sometimes a coach simply has to go. Even coaches who arrive on campus as the perceived savior or game-changer, things don’t always go as planned. However, coaches are given such ridiculously long and litigious contracts these days that even firing a bad coach isn’t an easy decision with the massive buyouts that can come attached to a pink slip.
Here are ten examples of situations where the buyout didn’t matter and the timing was not a concern, the smartest thing these schools could have done was to move on from these coaches.
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Nov 22, 2014; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Will Muschamp reacts against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels during the second quarter at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Will Muschamp – Florida Gators, 2014
Record With School: 28-21
Replaced by: Jim McElwain
When Will Muschamp was fired following the 2014 season, the Gator Nation let loose with a gigantic “finally!”. Although he had some nice wins leading the boys of Florida, Muschamp never saw the type of success that is expected of a coach in Gainesville.
There are some members of the Florida faithful who are convinced Muschamp, who was a Georgia graduate, was a plant by the rival Bulldogs to keep the Gators pushed down in the SEC East.
Muschamp is back in his comfort zone now, working as a defensive coordinator for the Auburn Tigers. Even if new Florida coach Jim McElwain ends up falling flat, you can’t fault the Gators for moving on from Muschamp and his famous scowl.
Next: Gene Chizik
Gene Chizik was fired Sunday by Auburn two seasons after he took the Tigers to the BCS title.(Photo: John David Mercer, USA TODAY Sports)
Gene Chizik – Auburn Tigers, 2012
Record With School: 33-19
Replaced by: Gus Malzahn
It’s hard to believe that firing a coach two years removed from winning a national championship was a smart thing to do, but in the case of Chizik and the Auburn Tigers, it’s hard to argue that it wasn’t.
Chizik came in following the departure of Tommy Tuberville, and showed immediate results, going 8-5 in his first season and leading the Tigers to an Outback Bowl win. Then came the 2010 season, Cam Newton and the national championship. Things were looking pretty bright on the plains.
But it was becoming apparent that Chizik wasn’t the best recruiter, and as Tuberville’s players moved on, the Tigers depth became transparent, and the losses began to pile up. By 2012, the Tigers went winless in SEC play, and posted an overall 3-9 record.
It was obvious that Cbizik was gifted a talented roster, but couldn’t sustain success beyond what he was given.
Next: Brady Hoke
Nov 8, 2014; Evanston, IL, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Brady Hoke in the first half against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Brady Hoke – Michigan Wolverines, 2014
Record With School: 31-20
Replaced by: Jim Harbaugh
Brady Hoke may have been a “Michigan Man” but, with the exception of one season, he certainly wasn’t much of a Michigan football coach.
GBMWolverine
Hoke came in to pick up the mess left behind by Rich Rodriguez, and at first glance it seemed like Big Blue had found themselves the right guy. In his first season as head of the Wolverines, Hoke coached the team to an 11-2 record, a Sugar Bowl win and a No. 12 national ranking.
Michigan was back, and Hoke was the toast of the town.
For one season.
Declining results and complaints by players over the next few seasons had Michigan fans reeling, and when the 2014 season was winding down, everyone knew it was time to for Hoke to go. His final season ended in a losing 5-7 record, and with the Wolverines missing a bowl game for the first time since the 2010 season.
While Harbaugh has yet to coach his first game in Ann Arbor, there is an obvious feeling of optimism around the Michigan faithful.
Next: Lane Kiffin
Sep 28, 2013; Tempe, AZ, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lane Kiffin reacts during the first half against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Lane Kiffin – USC Trojans, 2013
Record With School: 28-15
Replaced by: Ed Orgeron (interim)
I quote Dr. Peter Venkman (H/T Bill Murray), “Call it fate, call it luck, call it karma, I believe everything happens for a reason. I believe that we were destined to get thrown outta this dump.”
And thrown out Lane Kiffin was. The guy who turned his back on singing Rocky Top after Tennessee Volunteer victories over Alabama (where he is now offensive coordinator…talk about karma), came to USC in 2010 handed a file cabinet full of NCAA violations and an empty scholarship coffer.
But Kiffin made the most of what he had, and when the Trojans finished 10-2, first in the Pac-12 South division, and a 50-0 victory over rival UCLA, the arrogant visor-wearing coach seemed to have things well in hand.
But the cloud of lost scholarships and post-season play weren’t all Kiffin had to overcome. It was obvious after 2011 that he was losing the locker room and the confidence of the Trojan Nation. He was fired just five games into the 2013 season after going 3-2, and losing the first two conference games of the year.
Next: Houston Nutt
Mississippi coach Houston Nutt reacts in the second half of a 41-23 loss to Auburn in their NCAA college football game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Houston Nutt – Ole Miss Rebels, 2011
Record With School: 24-26
Replaced by: Hugh Freeze
Houston Nutt came to Ole Miss to replace Ed Orgeron (he seems to hover around these situations, doesn’t he?) and had left Arkansas as the second all-time winningest coach in school history. The Rebels were primed to become relevant in the SEC again.
At least that was the plan.
For two straight seasons, the Rebels finished 9-4 and came away with Cotton Bowl Classic wins, finishing second and third in the SEC West, respectively.
That kind of record and success would generally be welcomed at most schools, including Ole Miss, which is why there was no talk of replacing Nutt when he entered his third season in Oxford, but then the bottom fell out.
In 2010 the Rebels finished with a 4-8 record, winning only one conference game, and then worsened that by even more the following season, going 2-10 and winless in the SEC. Cap those numbers with three straight losses to rival Mississippi State, and that was all she wrote for Mr. Nutt.
Next: Chan Gailey
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
Image – snipview.com
Rick Neuheisel – UCLA Bruins, 2011
Record With School: 21-29
Replaced by: Jim L. Mora
The good folks at UCLA were tired of USC getting all the good press (and all the good players) and wanted to raise their football program up to a level that was commensurate with the rest of the toughening Pac-12.
Exit Karl Dorrell, enter Rick Neuheisel, a former UCLA quarterback and the perfect guy for the job now that Dorrell had cleaned up the off-field mess left by Bob Toledo.
Neuheisel never really got off the ground with the Bruins, posting losing records in three out of his four seasons as head coach, and losing to rival USC for four straight seasons. It was a match seemingly made in heaven that soured right from the start.
He could recruit — stealing some great potential players from USC — but he couldn’t seem to put it together on the field once those players got to UCLA.
Next: Derek Dooley
Oct 27, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys receivers coach Derek Dooley talks with running back Lance Dunbar (25) during the game against the Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Derek Dooley – Tennessee Volunteers, 2012
Record With School: 15-21
Replaced by: Jim Chaney (interim)
Derek Dooley walked into a buzzsaw in Knoxville and was placed in a true no-win situation. After the Volunteers pulled the knife from their backs left there by Lane Kiffin, Dooley was hired to try and restore order to the Vols program.
Coming from a fine football coaching pedigree, Georgia legend Vince Dooley, the hope was that some of dad’s magic would have followed Derek to Neyland Stadium and that the ghosts of Phil Fulmer would move on.
Dooley was attempting to put out a dumpster fire with dixie cups and it was just never going to work. Add to the mix his stubbornness and some incredibly bad clock management and play-calling, there would be no way that Dooley would survive.
Three losing campaigns later, the inevitable happened when Dooley was fired before the end of the 2012 season.
Next: Charlie Weis
Sep 20, 2014; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Charlie Weis before the game against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
Charlie Weis – Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 2009
Record With School: 35-27
Replaced by: Brian Kelly
The Fighting Irish had been fighting to regain respectability in football again, and what better way than to pluck a successful coordinator from the NFL champion New England Patriots.
With the First Pick
In 2005, Charlie Weis signed a six-year contract withe Notre Dame worth $2 million per year. He was the first Notre Dame graduate to hold the football head coaching position since Hugh Devore in 1963. The Irish are all about tradition, and they wanted Weis to bring back the winning one.
As with a number of the coaches on this list, things started off in good shape, with the Fighting Irish going 9-3 on the season, including an appearance in the BCS Fiesta Bowl. The second year of Weis’ tenure was equally successful (and disappointing) as the Irish finished 10-3, but lost in the BCS Sugar Bowl.
The next three seasons saw a tremendous drop-off in wins and in recruits. This may have been another case of a coach being handed some great players who he ran through their paces, but couldn’t bring in new talent to sustain wins.
Next: Mike Shula
January 24, 2014; Kapolei, HI, USA; Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula during the 2014 Pro Bowl practice at Kapolei High School. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Mike Shula – Alabama Crimson Tide, 2006
Record With School: 26-23
Replaced by: Nick Saban
Did you ever see a head football coach looking like a deer in the headlights? That was Mike Shula during his entire four year stint at Alabama.
The Tide had gone through coach after coach following the departure of Gene Stallings, and it seemed every move turned out to be the wrong one. So how could hiring the son of legendary NFL coach Don Shula possibly be a bad move?
As it turned out, the wins and losses weren’t that bad…but the fact that there were some unsavory things going on behind the scenes that caused Alabama to have to vacate 16 victories from the 2005 and 2006 seasons may have contributed to the end of the younger Shula’s career in Alabama.
Oh, and losing to Auburn.
If you don’t win the Iron Bowl for four straight seasons, you’re living on borrowed time in Tuscaloosa.
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