The worship of college football coaches needs to stop

College football coaches are just human beings. Human beings are flawed. Flawed human beings make poor decisions at any given moment. That’s a tale as old as time. So why do we continue to propel college football coaches to heights that should only be reserved for religious figures upon their death? Why is there a hero-worship concept among college football coaches?

The answer to that question is an easy one. These millionaires are paid to be the face of a program; a program that makes millions of dollars for a university and its athletic department every year.

College football is big business, and the handful of men who represent that business from season to season are your college football coaches. The names on the back of the jerseys change, but the man on the sideline who represents the name on the front of the jersey doesn’t unless he is unsuccessful and doesn’t meet the expectations of the fanbase who are pumping in the dollars to keep the money-making machine known as college football running.

If college football was about producing great men with high character and good values, then at the end of the year it wouldn’t matter how many Ws are in the win column. Sure, every athletic director likes to talk about how their head coach is helping to produce future fathers, community leaders, and men of outstanding character. But we all know that as soon as that coach can’t get the W, it doesn’t matter how good the men are who played for him.

That’s why I’m no longer surprised by college football scandals, accusations of cheating, or when I find out that coaches aren’t really the kind of men we have been told they were. Remember, they are just flawed human beings. No different than most politicians I have met. Give them a little power and their ego can’t handle it.

I know what you are thinking. Most of you probably think that this is an indictment of Pat Fitzgerald and the accusations that have been made that led to his firing at Northwestern. Wrong. That’s just the most recent example of what is a long and growing list of college football coaches who have stumbled and fallen from grace. The list of football coaches fired due to cheating, immoral scandals, and for just being yucky human beings is long and distinguished.

Even when the legends pass or step down, it seems like we learn of things that are shocking.

The Joe Paterno and Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State is a prime example. How about Bobby Bowden’s academic and improper spending scandals at Florida State, or Jim Tressel and tattoo gate at Ohio State? Even Pete Carroll wasn’t above the law at USC as we learned via the Reggie Bush scandal.

Plus, there have been plenty of other terrible scandals at lesser programs with small-named coaches, such as Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss, Bobby Petrino at Arkansas and Louisville, and Art Briles at Baylor.

Let’s not even start with the Miami program, they have been a walking NCAA violation for my entire life no matter who is coaching.

So let this be a warning to all of you. No matter what program you cheer for, the man in charge of that program is just a man. He is a flawed human being. He may win a lot of games, his players may talk about how much he has helped them through difficult times, and his autographed picture may be the centerpiece on your mantel, but I’m telling you, he is just a flawed human being prone to fall if he isn’t careful.

Georgia fans, Kirby Smart is only a man. Michigan fans, Jim Harbaugh is only a man, albeit an odd one. Alabama fans, Nick Saban is still only a man despite winning all those national titles. Clemson fans, Dabo Swinney is only a man no matter how much he talks about his faith. Ohio State fans, Ryan Day is only a man despite giving money to children’s hospitals. USC fans, Lincoln Riley is only a man and might be a little selfish, just ask Oklahoma fans.

So be cautious with your hero worship, college football fans. Love your school. Love your school’s traditions. Love your school’s fight song, mascot, and school colors. But be careful treating your school’s football coach like they’re immortal. Chances are, it won’t end well.