October 14, 2008

Fans: Beware of Coaching Fatigue

Tommy Bowden - a coach who led his team to eight bowl games in nine seasons - has been fired at Clemson.

Despite seven wins against South Carolina and three straight wins against Florida State, Bowden is no longer the Tigers coach.

Despite holding the Clemson record for the highest scoring season, second highest scoring season, third highest scoring season and fourth highest scoring season in team history... Tommy's days have passed at CU.

While Bowden never won an ACC championship and never sniffed a BCS bowl appearance, he produced a winner on & off the field for Clemson.

But -- after ten years -- the Tiger faithful have grown tired of Tommy Bowden.

And that fatigue, writes Tony Barnhardt, is a dangerous thing in college football.

But to [Clemson, Auburn & Tennessee] and their fans I simply offer these words of caution: Be careful what you wish for because the wrong decision here can put you into the football wilderness for a very long time.

There is something going on in all three cases that transcends the number of football games the coach has won. For lack of a better term I call it Coaching Fatigue. In short, I think we have gotten to the point where it is irrelevant whether or not these men are good coaches.

There are a certain number of fans who simply want something different. After 10 years of Bowden and Tuberville and 16 years of Fulmer, some fans want change for the sake of change. They want something fresh and new. They are convinced that the next Nick Saban waiting by the phone.

There are cases where making a change has worked. Barnhardt cites Jim Donnan's transition.

Jim Donnan had won 40 games and four bowls in five years at Georgia but he struggled against the Bulldogs’ top rivals. Mark Richt came in and Georgia has won two SEC championships and began this season ranked No. 1.

But, for every Mark Richt revival, there's Mike DuBose... and Dennis Franchione... and Mike Shula... and Joe Kines....

Barnhardt mentions the once mighty Nebraska, who still hasn't rebounded from firing a 9-win coach for fear of falling behind in the Big XII. Frank Solich was fired in 2003 and Nebraska has one nine games just once since then.

Spike Dykes, the old Texas Tech coach, once said that no matter how good a coach is, he loses about 10 percent of his support every year he is at a school. By that measure, the meter has run out on all three of these coaches.

But remember this: In football, as well as in politics, not all change is good. It could be that change is what is needed at Auburn and Tennessee because the support has eroded and cannot be rebuilt. But the administration at those schools had better get it right. It can get worse. Just ask Nebraska.

As Mr. College Football says... be careful what you wish for.

Posted by Kevin Donahue

Comments:

Fans: Beware of Coaching Fatigue
Tommy Bowden - a coach who led his team to eight bowl games in nine seasons - has been fired at Clemson. Despite seven wins against South Carolina and three straight wins against Florida State, Bowden is no longer the Tigers coach. Despite holding the Clemson record for the highest scoring season, second highest scoring season, third highest scoring season and fourth highest scoring season in team history... Tommy's days have passed at CU. While Bowden never won an ACC championship and never sniffed a BCS bowl appearance, he produced a winner on & off the field for Clemson. But -- after ten years -- the Tiger faithful have grown tired of Tommy Bowden. And that fatigue, writes Tony Barnhardt, is a dangerous thing in college football.
But to [Clemson, Auburn & Tennessee] and their fans I simply offer these words of caution: Be careful what you wish for because the wrong decision here can put you into the football wilderness for a very long time. There is something going on in all three cases that transcends the number of football games the coach has won. For lack of a better term I call it Coaching Fatigue. In short, I think we have gotten to the point where it is irrelevant whether or not these men are good coaches. There are a certain number of fans who simply want something different. After 10 years of Bowden and Tuberville and 16 years of Fulmer, some fans want change for the sake of change. They want something fresh and new. They are convinced that the next Nick Saban waiting by the phone.
There are cases where making a change has worked. Barnhardt cites Jim Donnan's transition.
Jim Donnan had won 40 games and four bowls in five years at Georgia but he struggled against the Bulldogs’ top rivals. Mark Richt came in and Georgia has won two SEC championships and began this season ranked No. 1.
But, for every Mark Richt revival, there's Mike DuBose... and Dennis Franchione... and Mike Shula... and Joe Kines.... Barnhardt mentions the once mighty Nebraska, who still hasn't rebounded from firing a 9-win coach for fear of falling behind in the Big XII. Frank Solich was fired in 2003 and Nebraska has one nine games just once since then.
Spike Dykes, the old Texas Tech coach, once said that no matter how good a coach is, he loses about 10 percent of his support every year he is at a school. By that measure, the meter has run out on all three of these coaches. But remember this: In football, as well as in politics, not all change is good. It could be that change is what is needed at Auburn and Tennessee because the support has eroded and cannot be rebuilt. But the administration at those schools had better get it right. It can get worse. Just ask Nebraska.
As Mr. College Football says... be careful what you wish for.