Watching the College Coaching Carousal

The college football coaching comings-and-goings is hot this week.

The Butch Jones soap opera is the most interesting at the moment. Will he leave Cincinnati to accept the Colorado job? Might Wisconsin become a late-day addition to the Jones’ wish list?

Of course, Bret Bielma move to Arkansas from Wisconsin was the most surprising development so far this offseason. Is Arkansas a better job than Wisconsin? Bielema is reportedly receiving about $750,000 more in salary per year, so that sweeten the deal. But Bielma will now go up against Alabama and LSU, whereas at Wisconsin he was frequently in the top portion of the Big Ten. But maybe it’s a status symbol. Bielma now coaches in the best college football league (SEC) in America.

Auburn hired former assistant Gus Malzahn. The Tigers just recently fired Gene Chizik another former Auburn assistant. Malzahn worked for Chizik. You would think Auburn would rid itself of the Chizik era and start over. Maybe Malzahn was Auburn’s only real choice.

Darrell Hazell leaves Kent State to coach Purdue. I have never heard of guy, but that doesn’t matter. I’ve never heard of any of Purdue’s football coaching hires in the last several years. My question: do the Purdue fans care about their coaching hires

So the coaching carousal continues and we are all waiting for more dominos to fall.

This Coach Has Guts

I like University of Louisiana-Monroe’s Todd Berry and I have never met the coach. The guy has spunk and guts.

Berry and his Warhawk football team have received much love from the college football world since ULM knocked off then No. 8 Arkansas in its season opener. College fans paid more attention to the Warhawks when they lost the next week to Auburn in overtime and then fell short last week in a nationally televised Friday night game against Baylor.

Berry’s team features a wide-open spread offense. The coach is not afraid to take major risks on fourth down plays. In the old days, the term “Riverboat Gambler” would apply to such a coach.

But maybe Berry’s greatest risk came last season when he strolled through the tailgate crowd before a home game.

For my international readers and some United States’ ones, you must realize LSU (Louisiana State) is the kingpin of state universities in Louisiana. LSU has a huge fan base and the remaining schools basically pick up the crumbs. It isn’t unusual to see a vehicle on another Louisiana campus proclaiming love for LSU.

Berry understands this. Every coach and athletic department in Louisiana not associated with LSU understands it.

But last year, Berry challenged this big brother-little brother mentality. According to an article from SB Nation, Berry confronted several fans who were showing their allegiance to LSU while at an ULM tailgate. Berry told one fan, which featured a purple-and-gold LSU tailgating tent, “LSU’s playing four hours south.” I say, you tell them, coach.

Berry said in the article that he believed this LSU allegiance showed disrespect to his ULM players. And I agree.

I think LSU Coach Les Miles should challenge Berry to a dual on the football field. And big brother should even travel to Monroe and ULM for the game.

What do you think? Should a fan attend a game at one school while proclaiming obvious love for another school?

Friday Night College Football

Normally, I am not a big fan of the Friday night ESPN college football game.

I always figured Friday night was for high school football. Plus, the Friday night college matchup is usually two teams desperate for national TV exposure.

Well, this week is different and I hope to tune into the action.

The game features early season media darling, University of Louisiana-Monroe (ULM), and Big 12 conference Baylor—a media darling last season because of Robert Griffin III (RG3).

ULM shocked the college football world in week No. 2 with an overtime win over then No. 8 ranked Arkansas. The Warhawks played overtime again last week but Auburn won on a field goal.

Baylor has entered the post-RG3-era with two straight victories. The Bears will be leery of an ULM team that battled two Southeastern Conference squads (SEC) toe-to-toe.

One interesting aspect of the game is the location. Baylor will come to Monroe to play the Warhawks. It’s rare for a Bowl Champion Series (BCS) team to go on the road to oppose a non-BCS school. It’s the biggest named opponent ULM has hosted since Minnesota several years ago.

Will the ULM fans fill the stadium (30,427) for the game? They should. This is a big game and their team is off to an interesting start. ULM fans have been criticized in the past for not showing up, but this week they have little excuse unless they are going to a high school game.

This game should be fun whether you’re in the stands or watching it on your television. Both teams can score points. The question is what defense will play winning football and limit the other team?

A Stunner

It’s safe to say Arkansas will no longer schedule the University of Louisiana-Monroe in football.

Teams like big-boy Arkansas schedule little-boy ULM with a few unwritten rules in play. The big boys gladly provide the little boys with a fat check in the assumption that the little boys will lie down, take their sound defeat and go home.

Well, ULM didn’t follow the script last Saturday as the Warhawks upended the Razorbacks in overtime 34-31.

It was the biggest win in ULM football history. Arkansas came into the game ranked No. 8 in the country and by Sunday fell out of the ratings completely. The Warhawks won for the first time in 10 tries against Arkansas. The ULM general website featured the victory as its top story Sunday

Usually, upset-mind teams lead most of the game and hold on at the end. However, ULM staged an impressive comeback in the second half. Equally impressive was how the Warhawks won the contest in overtime. After Arkansas tallied a field goal on its possession, ULM was faced with a 4-and-1 on its possession within field goal distance. ULM went for the win and quarterback Kolton Browning made a nifty, 13-yard run for the touchdown.

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for ULM. I attended the Monroe school and worked in athletic media relations in the early 80s when it was called Northeast Louisiana University and the team nickname was the Indians.

I’m sure Saturday’s win was highly celebrated on the campus. But it’s time for the football team to get back to work. In the next three weeks, ULM travels to Auburn, hosts Baylor and goes to Tulane.

Now, how about my hankering for a Johnny’s Pizza in Monroe?

John L. Smith and Arkansas

Longtime football coach John L. Smith was introduced as the one-year interim coach at Arkansas this week. Smith takes over for Bobby Petrino who was fired for integrity issues involving a motorcycle accident and cover-up of a relationship with one of his staff members.
Smith and Petrino have coached together at various places. Smith was on Petrino’s staff at Arkansas until taking the head job at Weber State after the 2011 season.

But here is the rub: Smith never coached one down in his new position. Weber State wasn’t just any job for Smith. The Utah school is his alumni mater.

Yet, even though he made a commitment to Weber State, Smith dropped the football and jumped at the opportunity to return to Arkansas.

Smith can make all the excuses he wants to about the special situation at Arkansas, but he divorced his alumni literally after weeks on the job.

Petrino has integrity issues. Smith has them too. Two wrongs do not make a right. You should feel really bad for Weber State. The school is the definite victim in this weird mess involving Arkansas.

Bobby Petrino's Situation

The Bobby Petrino story will not go away.

You can still read plenty of stuff about the former Arkansas football coach and his mistress. It continues to be really sad.

I said in my previous blog that Petrino would eventually dust himself off and probably land another job. If Petrino wants another coaching job, he will find one. Some program will hire him for his success on the football field not his lack off it.

But I think Petrino needs to take a hard look into the mirror before he jumps back into coaching. Petrino struggles with integrity and he should give his best effort to repair it.

Obviously, he needs to start with his family. Then he needs to continue with others. Trust is a wonderful thing. Lack of trust is a terrible thing. Petrino is pretty low on the integrity and trust scales these days. But I think it can be repaired with lots of effort.

Petrino should go after integrity and trust the way he prepared for a game against an opponent: hard work, long hours and leaving no stone unturned.

People are watching. Petrino has another choice. Hopefully, he will make a better one this time around.

Bobby Petrino's Family

Former Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino made his own bed. He was fired this week for lying about a relationship with a staff member.

He will dust himself off eventually and probably land himself another coaching job somewhere. Or he might just become a long-term insurance salesman. The bottom line is Petrino has character issues.

But the victims in this mess are Petrino’s wife and four children. They are the recipients of a husband and father who betrayed their trust. Trust can be lost in moments and then it can take years to regain it.

There has been plenty of men in sports and all walks of life that have cheated on their wives. Bad choices often result in bad consequences. Unfortunately, Petrino’s wife and children now walk the road.

It’s really sad. This game has no winners, only losers.

The BCS is a Mess

I am crying out to a non-SEC (Southeastern Conference) team today. Please, please, somebody move into the No. 2 BCS spot before the national champion game.

The SEC now has a stronghold on the BCS standings with LSU, Alabama and Arkansas in the top three spots. Do we really want a LSU-Alabama rematch? I say no, no and no. I mean how many field goal games can we take?

Upset weekend caused the major shakeup in the standings. Oklahoma State, Oregon, Clemson and Oklahoma all lost games. The Cowboys fell two spots in the BCS rankings to No. 4.

The SEC has owned the national championship in recent years. On this late November day, the conference is sitting in good shape. The SEC has been sticking out their chest boasting and that needs to stop. We need more upsets in the remaining games. The SEC needs some competition in the championship game.

Remember when it seemed like the New York Yankees were going to the World Series every year? Well, the SEC is going to the football World Series every year. The trouble is this year the league doesn’t want to invite anyone else to the party.

We need a choice in the title game. Please, please, somebody help us.

The Coaching Soap Opera

This is the season for plenty of college basketball coaching news. Who has been fired? Who has been hired? Where will a hot NCAA tournament coach end up?

The Internet has fueled the speculation to soap opera proportions. How often have you read the word, ‘report’ or ‘source’ when it comes to a college coach?

Well, my neighbor to the south, Missouri, is looking for a coach due to Mike Anderson leaving for Arkansas. Internet reports on a St. Louis website are documenting the search.

I have been following the progress since I go to the site daily for my St. Louis Cardinals baseball fix. It’s difficult not to read the stuff.

Purdue’s Matt Painter and the Tigers are dating. They had a meeting yesterday in Florida. The website provided not one, but two updates yesterday. Apparently, Painter will announce his decision today (Wednesday).

This story interests me because of Painter’s interest. Here is a Purdue graduate having solid success at his school. Obviously, I don’t know the entire situation, but it seems like a lateral move from Purdue to Missouri. Sounds like Painter thinks the resources are better at Missouri.

And due to the Internet, many Missouri fans will probably become disappointed if Painter stays at Purdue. And then the speculation for another coach will develop and grow.

You gotta love it.

Alabama Proves a Point

Nick Sabin’s bunch looked like world beaters this season. Alabama was the cream of college football until last Saturday.

There’s nothing like a double-digit defeat to South Carolina to give everyone a little taste of reality, however. The old saying is true: “On any given Saturday, one team can beat the other.”

Perfection is a real burden carrier. And maybe the Tide paid too close attention to their press clippings. Arkansas almost beat them earlier in the year. This time, the home team finally whacked Alabama.

The Tide’s role now becomes cheerleaders. They hope undefeated teams fall like they fell. Defending their national title appears unlikely with one loss. Off course, that assumes they win their remaining games.

Leave it to South Carolina to give Alabama pain. The old ball coach, Steve Spurrier, is probably still smiling on this Monday. Smiles have been rare during Spurrier’s time with the Gamecocks.

Suddenly, smiles are definitely on vacation in Alabama. That’s what happens when old sayings become true.

Quiet on the Expansion Front...for Now

If you can believe Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany, he says expansion talk is months away for his league.

Delany and the conference seemed to quiet the expansion talk down this week at the Big Ten meetings. Delany apparently wants to dismiss possible discussion for a while.

His comment about wanting to add a Sun Belt team because that's where the population growth is was interesting, however. He wasn't talking about taking a Sun Belt Conference school either. I'm joking.

Of all the rumored schools, Texas is the only one that fits that group. And Texas pulls lots of weight in the Big 12 now and really, why would it want to join the Big Ten? One rumor had the Longhorns considering the SEC. If they do that, they would rejoin Arkansas from the days of the old Southwest Conference.

But I think Texas is fine with the Big 12. I don't see the Longhorns jumping unless the conference takes a big loss of schools. Would Missouri and Nebraska do that? I doubt it. If Oklahoma and other Texas schools jump, then Texas would have to cover its potential losses.

But for now, I think we can rest on the expansion front. Come late August, all the conference stars will be aligned in their proper places.

Hopefully the cooler talk will go away for a while too. Let the football season begin.