From 2005-2015 we had a HOF coach who took us where we had never been before (Yes, Will Muschamp, we have been there.) and got us excited about football. We had a businessman AD and an academic (PhD) school President. They did their jobs and there were very few missteps. Those that occurred were handled diplomatically and confidently. We had 3 consecutive 11 win seasons and were considered by many as a "hot program." (At least we were in the news a lot.)
When our experienced AD left for another school we hired a baseball coach with 2 National Championships to replace him. Meanwhile, our HOF coach was approaching 70. He was not as engaged in recruiting, coaching and hiring, and things began to grind a bit. For reasons that are probably best explained by inexperience, this new AD did not see the age of our HC as an issue so instead of planning for a graceful exit (retirement) he encouraged the coach to stay. In a press conference in early 2014 our HOF coach famously said, "2 or 3 more years". Then very next year, when it was clear the team had fallen on hard times said HOF coach resigned mid-season. (Doing what he had wanted to do the year before.)
An interim coach was appointed and that team ended the year 3-9 losing to the Citadel.
Meanwhile, the coaching search began and seemed to be going well. Names like Tom Herman, Lincoln Riley and Kirby Smart were on the tip of everyone's tongue. Then things came unraveled, and names like Rich Rodriguez and Will Muschamp emerged in the discussion. So we hired a guy who had been fired 1 year before by a division rival and tried to claim he was always considered a top choice. (when everyone knew he was fall back) We explained his failure at UF by claiming (1) Florida fired him too soon; and (2) his problems on offense were due to interference by the school; and (3) He has learned from his mistakes.
That head coach then hired a QC coach from the Cleveland Browns as OC and an inexperienced and young DB coach as DC. (Instead of hiring the best and most experienced coordinators he could find.) So much for learning from mistakes.
Then the much respected University President decided to retire. A search was launched for his replacement. The University faculty and student organizations rightfully demanded a say in the hire for University President. (A reasonable and appropriate thing to do in a public university.)
Over the objections of those organizations one of the candidates for President was strong armed into the job raising questions undue and inappropriate political influence in a decision that should have been entirely based on ability and experience. This raised the spectre of a review by SACS which tainted the hire.
Meanwhile, back to the football program. After a 7-6 season in 2018, which included an embarrassing 28-0 loss to UVA in the Belk Bowl, the AD saw fit to extend the contract of the football coach until 2024 and included a raise and a buyout which at the time was 25.2 million. This made a coach with an average record the 5th highest paid coach in the SEC.
Now, at the end of this coach's 4th season that record has dropped to 4-7 and will probably be 4-8 a week from Saturday. Public and fan sentiment has shifted from support of this coaching to staff to against it. (not scientific polling I know, but that's the way it feels)
As that sentiment has shifted the following has also happened.
I'd say we have quite a mess and the people who would normally sort it out have actually made it worse.
When our experienced AD left for another school we hired a baseball coach with 2 National Championships to replace him. Meanwhile, our HOF coach was approaching 70. He was not as engaged in recruiting, coaching and hiring, and things began to grind a bit. For reasons that are probably best explained by inexperience, this new AD did not see the age of our HC as an issue so instead of planning for a graceful exit (retirement) he encouraged the coach to stay. In a press conference in early 2014 our HOF coach famously said, "2 or 3 more years". Then very next year, when it was clear the team had fallen on hard times said HOF coach resigned mid-season. (Doing what he had wanted to do the year before.)
An interim coach was appointed and that team ended the year 3-9 losing to the Citadel.
Meanwhile, the coaching search began and seemed to be going well. Names like Tom Herman, Lincoln Riley and Kirby Smart were on the tip of everyone's tongue. Then things came unraveled, and names like Rich Rodriguez and Will Muschamp emerged in the discussion. So we hired a guy who had been fired 1 year before by a division rival and tried to claim he was always considered a top choice. (when everyone knew he was fall back) We explained his failure at UF by claiming (1) Florida fired him too soon; and (2) his problems on offense were due to interference by the school; and (3) He has learned from his mistakes.
That head coach then hired a QC coach from the Cleveland Browns as OC and an inexperienced and young DB coach as DC. (Instead of hiring the best and most experienced coordinators he could find.) So much for learning from mistakes.
Then the much respected University President decided to retire. A search was launched for his replacement. The University faculty and student organizations rightfully demanded a say in the hire for University President. (A reasonable and appropriate thing to do in a public university.)
Over the objections of those organizations one of the candidates for President was strong armed into the job raising questions undue and inappropriate political influence in a decision that should have been entirely based on ability and experience. This raised the spectre of a review by SACS which tainted the hire.
Meanwhile, back to the football program. After a 7-6 season in 2018, which included an embarrassing 28-0 loss to UVA in the Belk Bowl, the AD saw fit to extend the contract of the football coach until 2024 and included a raise and a buyout which at the time was 25.2 million. This made a coach with an average record the 5th highest paid coach in the SEC.
Now, at the end of this coach's 4th season that record has dropped to 4-7 and will probably be 4-8 a week from Saturday. Public and fan sentiment has shifted from support of this coaching to staff to against it. (not scientific polling I know, but that's the way it feels)
As that sentiment has shifted the following has also happened.
- One or more members of the BOT have had contact with a former player serving as AD at another school and possibly one other candidate for AD.
- The University President and the current AD have made what most consider to be statements which point to equivocal (lukewarm) support of the football coach
- The University President publicly stated that the AD had contacted another school to ask how a large buyout for their football coach was handled.
- The University President (through a press release) denied making that statement.
- The two media outlets have now said they stand by their statements and that the President did in fact say that the AD had contacted this other school about the buyout.
I'd say we have quite a mess and the people who would normally sort it out have actually made it worse.