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10 College football coaches who probably didn’t deserve to be fired

By Michael Collins

Oct 3, 2015; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt reacts during the third quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 3, 2015; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt reacts during the third quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 26, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach David Cutcliffe looks on during the 2015 New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. The Blue Devils won 44-41 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 26, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach David Cutcliffe looks on during the 2015 New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. The Blue Devils won 44-41 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 3: David Cutcliffe – Ole Miss, 2004

Head Coaching Years: 1999-2004
Overall record with school: 44-29
Reason for dismissal: Job performance

Things might be great in Oxford now (or maybe not, depending on how the prying eyes of the NCAA see things this year), but the struggle was real for quite a while after David Cutcliffe was dismissed.

Ole Miss Rebels
Ole Miss Rebels /

Ole Miss Rebels

Cutcliffe came to Ole Miss a highly-decorated assistant, having coached practically every aspect of Tennessee’s offense that was imaginable over 17 years. He also helped Peyton Manning become Peyton Manning,

When Cutcliffe came to Oxford, the Ole Miss football program was middling at best and it was believed he could inject some life into a stagnant offense.

Enter Eli Manning.

Manning arrived as a Rebel in Cutcliffe’s second full season on the job, and he immediately made an impact, with the Cutcliff-Manning magic working their way to the Rebels’ first 10-win season in 30 years in 2003.

But, despite that10-win mark, five straight winning seasons, and guiding the team to four bowl games, Cutcliffe was fired by Ole Miss’s Athletic Director Pete Boone in December 2004 after Ole Miss started the season with a 4–7 record and tallied three consecutive losses to LSU in the process.

Lose to the rivals, lose your job, no matter what your overall body of work says. Ole Miss’ loss has absolutely been Duke’s gain.

Next: Texas Tech

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