'Win Or Else' Scenario Still A Part Of College Football
November 22, 2016 at 6:03 p.m.
By Mark [email protected]
I like to think stranger things have happened, but the more I think about it, the less strange it becomes.
I’m not shocked that the Notre Dame faithful are beginning to call for Brian Kelly’s ouster in larger numbers; the calls began last month in earnest. While he’s made it two seasons longer than any of his predecessors over the last two decades; five seasons seems to be the magic number.
But in five of the seven seasons, the Fighting Irish have lost four or more games, and that’s not going to get it done at a school where the only football championship available is the national title. Yes, the Irish normally play among the toughest schedules in the country, but as an independent, that’s on them.
On the other hand, Notre Dame has been more than respectable record-wise in each of Kelly’s season except this one. Bowl games aren’t necessarily a sign of great success these days. Still, Notre Dame has the highest standards. I’m just not sure any coach outside of Nick Saban and Urban Meyer can meet those standards.
Deep in the heart of Texas there’s the sad, sad tale of Charlie Strong, who got the Longhorns’ job in spite of objections from several influential boosters. He had crazy-wild success in two seasons at Louisville, going 23-3 in that period after a pair of 7-6 seasons.
As a Kansas Jayhawk, we get very little football satisfaction these days, and traditionally haven’t had much. The athletic history compares favorably to that of Indiana University, if that provides a point of reference. In other words, on occasion KU is good in football, rarely great. More often than not, the Jayhawks are not good. Fans at both schools fill the football stadium but often are talking about basketball.
It was easy and fun to get on YouTube and listen to Texas fans say “we lost to Kansas. I can’t believe we lost to Kansas!”
Texas’ 27-24 overtime loss at KU wasn’t what did Strong in, provided there’s any truth to the reports that he’ll coach the Longhorns on Friday and pack up his office between now and then. The 16-20 record Strong has in Austin weakened the proverbial camel’s back where it couldn’t handle that one extra straw.
Frankly, that camel started having back problems with the Longhorns’ loss at Iowa State last season. The Cyclones are, minimally, in the same category as Kansas and Indiana in terms of football history.
Because there are so few Saban and Meyer-like coaches out there, I’d think Kelly might get another season in South Bend, if he wants it. The rumor mills are alive with the sound of Kelly heading to LSU, which might work out for all concerned.
Strong’s teams at Texas didn’t earn him any wiggle room the first two seasons. The Kansas loss just sealed his fate.
Ironically, three other Big 12 head coaches lost their jobs after getting beat by KU: In 2007, Bill Callahan’s Nebraska squad lost to the Jayhawks for the first and only time since 1969, and he was gone three weeks later. The next season, Ron Prince and Kansas State got beat and Prince was gone four days later. In 2010, Dan Hawkins lost his job at Colorado two days after getting beat by KU.
I guess that’s something to hang on to.
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I like to think stranger things have happened, but the more I think about it, the less strange it becomes.
I’m not shocked that the Notre Dame faithful are beginning to call for Brian Kelly’s ouster in larger numbers; the calls began last month in earnest. While he’s made it two seasons longer than any of his predecessors over the last two decades; five seasons seems to be the magic number.
But in five of the seven seasons, the Fighting Irish have lost four or more games, and that’s not going to get it done at a school where the only football championship available is the national title. Yes, the Irish normally play among the toughest schedules in the country, but as an independent, that’s on them.
On the other hand, Notre Dame has been more than respectable record-wise in each of Kelly’s season except this one. Bowl games aren’t necessarily a sign of great success these days. Still, Notre Dame has the highest standards. I’m just not sure any coach outside of Nick Saban and Urban Meyer can meet those standards.
Deep in the heart of Texas there’s the sad, sad tale of Charlie Strong, who got the Longhorns’ job in spite of objections from several influential boosters. He had crazy-wild success in two seasons at Louisville, going 23-3 in that period after a pair of 7-6 seasons.
As a Kansas Jayhawk, we get very little football satisfaction these days, and traditionally haven’t had much. The athletic history compares favorably to that of Indiana University, if that provides a point of reference. In other words, on occasion KU is good in football, rarely great. More often than not, the Jayhawks are not good. Fans at both schools fill the football stadium but often are talking about basketball.
It was easy and fun to get on YouTube and listen to Texas fans say “we lost to Kansas. I can’t believe we lost to Kansas!”
Texas’ 27-24 overtime loss at KU wasn’t what did Strong in, provided there’s any truth to the reports that he’ll coach the Longhorns on Friday and pack up his office between now and then. The 16-20 record Strong has in Austin weakened the proverbial camel’s back where it couldn’t handle that one extra straw.
Frankly, that camel started having back problems with the Longhorns’ loss at Iowa State last season. The Cyclones are, minimally, in the same category as Kansas and Indiana in terms of football history.
Because there are so few Saban and Meyer-like coaches out there, I’d think Kelly might get another season in South Bend, if he wants it. The rumor mills are alive with the sound of Kelly heading to LSU, which might work out for all concerned.
Strong’s teams at Texas didn’t earn him any wiggle room the first two seasons. The Kansas loss just sealed his fate.
Ironically, three other Big 12 head coaches lost their jobs after getting beat by KU: In 2007, Bill Callahan’s Nebraska squad lost to the Jayhawks for the first and only time since 1969, and he was gone three weeks later. The next season, Ron Prince and Kansas State got beat and Prince was gone four days later. In 2010, Dan Hawkins lost his job at Colorado two days after getting beat by KU.
I guess that’s something to hang on to.
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