Coaching Changes thread

[DesignatedT]

Hires/Fires/Prospects:

Dooley is out at Tennessee.
Chizik is out at Auburn
John L out at Arkansas
Jeff Tedford out at Cal
Joker Phillips out at Kentucky

Mack Brown staying? What about Tuberville?

[DesignatedT]

Here's link to Auburn firing Chizik:

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2012/11/auburn_fires_gene_chizik_after.html

[Bill_Brasky]

I wouldn't be mad over a Dykes hiring in Lubbock. Tubs probably scraped by enough to stay though.

[DesignatedT]

Would you prefer he stay or leave?

[Bill_Brasky]

Kinda prefer him to leave at this point. If we had been in all the games and played hard and still lost it would be one thing, but this is the second year in a row where I felt like the team stopped giving full effort at some points and overall to end the season, and I'm not happy with it at all. He's been here 3 years now and they haven't been good. 7 win seasons, getting embarrassed by OSU two years in a row, losing Baylor two years in a row, and not being able to beat a shitty UT team even once is pretty Fucking shitty if you ask me.

[Bill_Brasky]

I'm also completely done with NB and though I liked Doege, if this season was gonna end shittily anyway I would have preferred Brewer to be our starter this season.

[DesignatedT]

N.C State coach Tom O'brien has been canned as well. He was 7-5 this year with a win over Florida State.

[Homeland Security]

Colorado dumps Embree; Embree plays race card, proving why he never should have gotten job in first place.

[Homeland Security]

Kinda prefer him to leave at this point. If we had been in all the games and played hard and still lost it would be one thing, but this is the second year in a row where I felt like the team stopped giving full effort at some points and overall to end the season, and I'm not happy with it at all. He's been here 3 years now and they haven't been good. 7 win seasons, getting embarrassed by OSU two years in a row, losing Baylor two years in a row, and not being able to beat a shitty UT team even once is pretty Fucking shitty if you ask me.
I'd give him one more year. If Tubs is accomplishing what he says he wants to do, next year should start showing dividends to the tune of 9-3.

[coyotes_geek]

Mizzou announces Pinkel will be back.

[DesignatedT]

Prob the right choice for them.

[Homeland Security]

Mizzou announces Pinkel will be back.
No reason to cut him loose as decimated as they were by injuries. I don't know why MU fan wanted him fired. Oh wait, yeah I do -- whiny fan base with a sense of entitlement completely out of proportion to historical results and a tendency to eat their own. They were, after all, in the Big XII.

[coyotes_geek]

Prob the right choice for them.

I think so too. Good coach in a bad situation.

[symple19]

Ugh... Auburn keeps JJ. Expect an underwhelming choice for the new HC

[coyotes_geek]

Ugh... Auburn keeps JJ. Expect an underwhelming choice for the new HC

Any idea how serious the new NCAA investion is? If sanctions are coming Auburn may be better off just hiring some patsy to ride out the storm and then make their run at a big name guy a few years from now.

[Monostradamus]

Tennessee and Arkansas are apparently in a bidding war for Jon Gruden.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/jason-la-canfora/21041240

[DrRich96]

Klingsbury would love to return to Lubbock!! He is definitely on the rise!!

[DesignatedT]

Gruden at 49 years old is younger than I thought tbqh. I've been kind of skeptical about going the old man NFL route when hiring but he's still pretty young. I guess it would be a good hire. I'd still look at Charlie Strong though.

[stretch]

Bring Chizik back to UT to run the defense. Diaz blows.

[Kermit]

Bring Chizik back to UT to run the defense. Diaz blows.

Fuck the Chiz. I don't want that asshole anywhere near Texas.

[DesignatedT]

Mark Stoops to Kentucky.

[symple19]

Any idea how serious the new NCAA investion is? If sanctions are coming Auburn may be better off just hiring some patsy to ride out the storm and then make their run at a big name guy a few years from now.

Nobody at Auburn seems very worried about it. Seems to be secondary violation type stuff. Both of the guys involved will be gone once the new staff comes in

[symple19]

I'll worry when a LOI shows up

[Homeland Security]

Tennessee and Arkansas are apparently in a bidding war for Jon Gruden.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/jason-la-canfora/21041240

That article is from over a week ago. My understanding is that each school has offered him the job, he has turned both of them down, and there are no further discussions ongoing in that vein.

[Clipper Nation]

Any idea how serious the new NCAA investion is? If sanctions are coming Auburn may be better off just hiring some patsy to ride out the storm and then make their run at a big name guy a few years from now.
It's the SEC, Auburn will get slapped on the wrist no matter how bad their scandal is.....

[coyotes_geek]

It's the SEC, Auburn will get slapped on the wrist no matter how bad their scandal is.....

Membership has it's privledges.

[Homeland Security]

It's the SEC, Auburn will get slapped on the wrist no matter how bad their scandal is.....
The violations are not that severe from what I understand and probably don't warrant more than a self-imposed postseason ban for one season and some scholarship reductions.

[DesignatedT]

NC State interviewing Sonny Dykes.

[symple19]

The Auburn list right now is rumored to contain the names of Patterson(TCU), Petersen(BSU), Strong(UL), Petrino(Motorcycle), Kirby Smart(UA DC), and Malzahn(Ark St.)

[DesignatedT]

Petrino(Motorcycle)

:lol




Out of that list this would be my preference if I was an Auburn fan.

1.Petrino
2.Strong
3.Petersen
4.Smart
5.Patterson
6.Malzahn

[symple19]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/21141063/anyone-offered-auburn-job-at-this-time-place-would-be-a-fool-to-take-it

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2012-11-25/gene-chizik-fired-auburn-bobby-petrino-coach-search

[BRHornet45]

Arkansas and Wal-Mart have offered Les Miles 5 years, $27.5M!!! do it Miles please if there is a God!!!

[symple19]

Arkansas and Wal-Mart have offered Les Miles 5 years, $27.5M!!! do it Miles please if there is a God!!!

You're insane to want to get rid of Miles

No way he'd take that to go to Arky, anyway. Massive downgrade

[BRHornet45]

You're insane to want to get rid of Miles

No way he'd take that to go to Arky, anyway. Massive downgrade

for $5.5M a year over the current $3.8M is pretty damn significant. this could very well be a move by Miles to get another undeserving pay raise, but hopefully he takes it.

oh and no I'm not insane for wanting to get rid of Miles. what most fans outside of LSU see with him are all of the hilarious interviews and crazy play calling (when it occasionally works and is shown on ESPN every hour) ... but when it comes down to decision making and overall coaching he is not a good coach plain and simple. most fans outside of LSU don't see the ridiculous and predictable offensive play calling, overriding his offensive coordinators (past and present) anytime they attempt to try something different than running the ball up the middle 80% of the game, and him freezing/shutting down the offense when gaining any type of a lead in the second halves of games. Miles became the luckiest coach in the country when he inherited LSU's program after Nick Saban single handily made them a top 5 program at the time. I like to call Miles a trust fund baby/lottery winner. with all of the talent that Saban recruited and the reputation he built for the program to attract future recruits years down the road to come here .... a donkey could be the head coach at LSU and win 10 games every year.

Miles has shown his true colors in the last couple of seasons, but unfortunately LSU has dug themselves into a Texas/Mack Brown-like situation to where they are stuck with him because of one National Championship. A National Championship by the way that was of course legit because other teams had the same record, but in a season where luck was the reason LSU ended up in the title game with 2 losses. look at where he came from with Oklahoma State (a much weaker program than LSU) for a wonderful example of how overrated he is as a head coach. Oklahoma State was a crappy/borderline average team and program for the most part with Miles, but have improved tremendously since he left and nearly got into the National Championship game last year. something Miles never came close to until he became a trust fund baby.


Oklahoma State under Miles

28-21

Oklahoma State under Gundy

66-34

[Homeland Security]

oh and no I'm not insane for wanting to get rid of Miles.
Wanting to get rid of Miles in and of itself is not insane, but LSU better have another blue-chip replacement lined up. Perennial 10-win seasons are nobody's birthright, and the margin for error is razor-thin with Saban planted in Tuscaloosa until he retires and A&M becoming a powerhouse out of nowhere.

I think Gary Patterson would be a perfect fit in Baton Rouge were it to come to that.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

The way Miles handled the Jefferson/Lee situation alone would make me OK with losing him if I were LSU. That was totally unprofessional and done simply to spite the LSU fans who have been critical of him even though it fucked Lee over when he did nothing to deserve it.

Miles isn't a terrible coach but there are plenty of coaches who can routinely win 10+ games at LSU the way Miles has. They have virtually no in-state recruiting competition and their in-state recruits alone provide a top class every year.

[dirk4mvp]

Can't wait until Pastor Dan Mullen loses a couple egg bowls in a row and fans of the least likeable farm school in the sec start calling for his head.

[CubanMustGo]

It's probably not WalMart making the Arky offer to Miles so rich, it's probably none other than Jerry "I've destroyed one football team, let me do my worst in the college ranks too" Jones.

[elbamba]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8687452/les-miles-remain-football-coach-lsu-tigers-receive-extension-raise


No need to worth Hornet45, you get 7 more years.

[BRHornet45]

Miles gets big raise and longer contract. Congrats LSU for locking yourself into a Texas/Mack Brown and Oklahoma/Bob Stoops situation. Overrated and overpaid. Get ready for more BS offensive play calling, shutting down the offense in the second half when gaining a lead, and limiting the ability of the team.

[symple19]

Wanting to get rid of Miles in and of itself is not insane, but LSU better have another blue-chip replacement lined up. Perennial 10-win seasons are nobody's birthright, and the margin for error is razor-thin with Saban planted in Tuscaloosa until he retires and A&M becoming a powerhouse out of nowhere.

I think Gary Patterson would be a perfect fit in Baton Rouge were it to come to that.

Miles has been the only guy to stand up to Saban in the Western division and pump out 10 win seasons...The above take is spot on. Imo, all he needs is a legit OC and LSU is right back there alongside Bama as the class of the SEC

Btw, Br, some of what you say makes sense, but you also can't argue with the success LSU has had. If you think 10+ win seasons are easy and that anyone can do it, especially in the SEC, you're just flat out wrong.

[symple19]

:lol

Sumlin has supposedly been added to the list

[DesignatedT]

:lol

[symple19]

:lol

Fucking rumors...

You'll love this, Auburn fans on another board were posting about the flight plan of a plane that left Auburn/Opelika airport last night. It was supposedly heading to Dallas and then Boise :lmao

lol infiltrating the airport to find out where planes are going and thinking it may have something to do with the coaching search...Only in the great state of Alabama

[DesignatedT]

We had the same thing going on after we fired Sherman and during conference reallignment. People were trying to track planes from Birmingham saying it was Mike Slive and everything :lol

Cuppycup on Texags came up with this gif:

http://cuppygifs.com/wp-content/uploads/flightaware-shame.gif

[symple19]

:lmao

:lmao

That's awesome

[symple19]

There is somewhat of a reason for Auburn people sky-watching. Anybody remember "jetgate"? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Lowder#Jetgate_Scandal :lol

[DesignatedT]

@Flint_HolyTurf: Chris Petersen wants to bring Harsin as OC from Texas, Wilcox as DC from Wash, + Marcel Yates from A&M as assistant. Not sure if he can, but will try

[symple19]

What the hell is that twitter in regards to?

[symple19]

Cal?

[DesignatedT]

Chris Petersen and Arkansas.

[symple19]

Chris Petersen and Arkansas.

I might actually cry if he picked Arky over Auburn. Auburn is a million times better of a job and can pay just as much, if not more.

[symple19]

Just took a look around and I don't think that has any legs, brah

[symple19]

Meanwhile, the Kirby Smart talk is building around the plains. Not sure how I feel about that, tbh

[DesignatedT]

Yeah I don't see Petersen going to Arkansas at all, was posting more about if he does leave he might be poaching some assistants.

As for Smart, you know more about him then I do but I think you could do better.

[symple19]

As for Smart, you know more about him then I do but I think you could do better.

He's comparable to Muschamp, IMO, in terms of where he is in his career before getting his first HC job. But, i'm not sure he's ready to step into a clusterfuck like Auburn and right the ship. Would much rather have Petrino/Patterson/Petersen or even Jimbo Fisher.

[DesignatedT]

I still think whoever and whenever someone steals Charlie Strong, they are going to be getting a good one.

[symple19]

I still think whoever and whenever someone steals Charlie Strong, they are going to be getting a good one.

eh, he still doesn't get me going. I don't think he would be awful, but I continue to believe there are better guys out there. Plus, Auburn may have already burned that bridge when somebody leaked that there had been contact made

[DesignatedT]

Arkansas hires Bret Bielema, current Wisconsin Head Coach.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf--sources--arkansas-to-hire-bret-bielema-195732340.html

[leemajors]

Arkansas hires Bret Bielema, current Wisconsin Head Coach.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf--sources--arkansas-to-hire-bret-bielema-195732340.html

wasn't he just extended last year? seems like a lateral move to me

[DesignatedT]

Not sure how I feel about this move for them tbh. I'm glad they didn't hire a spread coach like we did though.

[DesignatedT]

and wasn't Bielema publicly bashing Urban Meyer's recruiting tactics at Ohio State :lol. We'll see how that goes down in the SEC.

[DesignatedT]

Auburn hires Gus Malzahn

http://auburn.247sports.com/Article/Gus-Malzahn-to-be-named-Auburn-head-coach-105055

[symple19]

Lots of people angry about it, but I'm not. I think it will be a good hire. No more jizz rag to hold his offense back, and he'll leave the defense alone. Also recruits incredibly well.

[DesignatedT]

I think its the smart play for Auburn. He should be able to hold the recruiting together and he knows that area and all that. If it doesn't work out then they can look somewhere else in 3 years but there was no "cant miss" guy out there at the moment.

[symple19]

At least I know that Auburn will get kids back in the weight room and score points. What will really be interesting about this will be whether or not he keeps many of the coaches, since he knows them so well. I would also imagine that there won't be an OC since he'll run it himself

Good hire, and a guy that knows what you have to do to beat Saban.

Would I have liked some other guys more? Sure. But he's young, hungry, respected by the kids as well as other coaches around the south (HS and SEC), and should return Auburn to competitiveness next year. Definitely a bowl

Hopefully, he can also keep the rest of the recruiting class together. Should still come in top 10, imo.

[DesignatedT]

Saturday Down South ‏@SDS
Bret Beliema once said: "We at the Big 10 don't want to be anything like the SEC - in any way, shape, or form."

:lol

[symple19]

Looks like full meltdown from the Auburn faithful here in the early going. So many morons had their expectations through the roof. Maybe I'm wrong about him, but I doubt it. Not really expecting another natty or anything, but we'll be back to bowling and out of the jailhouse (literally)

[symple19]

:lol

You can cut it with a knife :lol

I'll look forward to Auburn raping his boring-ass offense for the foreseeable future

:lmao hiring Big-10 coaches

[Clipper Nation]

Auburn hires Gus Malzahn

http://auburn.247sports.com/Article/Gus-Malzahn-to-be-named-Auburn-head-coach-105055
Solid hire by Auburn tbh.... now they just need to pull a Cam Newton and purchase Johnny Football from :lol Aggie....

[JoeTait75]

Good hire for Auburn, imo. I'm surprised Arkansas didn't hire Malzahn.


:lmao hiring Big-10 coaches

Saban was a Big 10 coach, fwiw...

[Pelicans78]

Bielsma was a home run hire for Arkansas.

[NFO]

Saban was a Big 10 coach, fwiw...

Shhh his SEC team might lose its SEC speed if word got out Saban was a B1G coach.

[symple19]

Good hire for Auburn, imo. I'm surprised Arkansas didn't hire Malzahn.



Saban was a Big 10 coach, fwiw...

[symple19]

saban was a shitload of other places beforehand. Bielema wasn't. Plus, fuck saban. His pedigree isn't strictly big ten, like ol brett's is...

[JoeTait75]

But saban was a shitload of other places beforehand. Bielema wasn't. Plus, fuck saban. His pedigree isn't strictly big ten, like ol brett's is...

Fair point.

[DesignatedT]

I don't think Bielema is a home run hire at all. Good guy, good coach but I don't think his philosophies (if he's running the same type he did at Whisky) will work at Arkansas. That slow down ground and pound will have a hard time working without those big ole O lineman he could get up there and with the speed of SEC defenses.

Arkansas should have went the spread route, similar to what we did. Bielsma's style requires certain players to be effective, and if he doesn't have those guys it's going to fail. Running the spread allows you to hide a lot of weaknesses in many different ways.

I can't see Arkansas be successful when they are trying to emulate Florida. They don't have the resources.

[symple19]

Bielsma was a home run hire for Arkansas.

I could be wrong, as I often am, but this guy was disparaging the SEC only a few years ago and then bolts for the "promised land" when the money is right. Wisconsin is a big-time, Big-Ten school, with an entire state fanatically behind it. To leave for Arky is unconscionable, IMO. He has a better chance to win in Madison, year in and year out, and can make comparable money.


His playbook is Miles-ish without the dominating defense and he has ZERO knowledge of how to recruit in this region. I would love to hear you justify how this is a "home-run" hire.

That being said.. His coaching style is pure SEC. Dominating run offense, massive O-line, solid defense, and a squad that doesn't turn it over. He benefited massively from a transfer QB last year and has shown that he can run a clean program. But good god, this guy has known nothing in his life but Iowa and Wisconsin, and Fayettville is a long goddamn way from home, both professionally and personally. He may adapt and overcome, but I seriously doubt it.

[DesignatedT]

That being said.. His coaching style is pure SEC. Dominating run offense, massive O-line, solid defense, and a squad that doesn't turn it over.

I don't think Arkansas trying to go this route is the smart move. I don't see it working out for them and I don't think it would have worked out for us if we went down that road as well. The SEC and College Football is changing. This philosophy has dominated at places like Alabama, LSU. Florida and such but Arkansas does not come close to those programs and I don't see a bottom tier program being able to really be successful running that type of offense. He will never have an O line like Alabama to run behind and he will never have the athletes on defense to play this style.

Best Jobs/Programs in the SEC:

Florida,Bama,LSU,Georgia,Auburn,A&M,SC,UT are all superior jobs to Arkansas. Missouri is a comparable program.

[symple19]

I don't think Arkansas trying to go this route is the smart move. I don't see it working out for them and I don't think it would have worked out for us if we went down that road as well. The SEC and College Football is changing. This philosophy has dominated at places like Alabama, LSU. Florida and such but Arkansas does not come close to those programs and I don't see a bottom tier program being able to really be successful running that type of offense. He will never have an O line like Alabama to run behind and he will never have the athletes on defense to play this style.

Best Jobs/Programs in the SEC:

Florida,Bama,LSU,Georgia,Auburn,A&M,SC,UT are all superior jobs to Arkansas. Missouri is a comparable program.

But think about this, T. Half of the Natty's won in the SEC (in the current streak) have been won by "boring offensive" teams that also have ridiculous defenses. The other half are Florida and Auburn, both of which had, if not dominant defenses (florida), then at least dominant defensive players (Auburn and Fairley). It makes sense on paper to hire a guy like Beliema. However, I agree with you in general. The SEC is changing. LSU, Bama, and teams of their ilk are becoming the minority while everyone else is moving towards the spread. Vandy, USCe, and Tenn are, more or less, sticking with the old formula while the rest are adapting.

The SEC, best conference in America (whether you like it or not), is becoming ground zero for a fundamental battle ground over which philosophy will rule. Auburn made an emphatic statement by hiring Malzahn, while Arky went toward the "Saban Model." Most Auburn people wanted that old school way of doing things. That's why they wanted Patterson, Smart, or Strong. On the other end of the spectrum, those like myself wanted an innovative guy who would push the envelope. Malzahn fits the bill. Now it's time to see which way UT will go.

What's awesome, is that the SEC will be almost evenly divided between the old and new school. It's the ultimate proving ground. What emerges should be the dominant force in college football for the foreseeable future.

[symple19]

By the way. I'm so happy about the Auburn hire that I am getting completely obliterated tonight. I apologize in advance for all the youtube music videos that I will inevitably post later on

:lol

[JoeTait75]

I don't think Arkansas trying to go this route is the smart move. I don't see it working out for them and I don't think it would have worked out for us if we went down that road as well. The SEC and College Football is changing. This philosophy has dominated at places like Alabama, LSU. Florida and such but Arkansas does not come close to those programs and I don't see a bottom tier program being able to really be successful running that type of offense. He will never have an O line like Alabama to run behind and he will never have the athletes on defense to play this style.

Thing is, "bottom-tier" is exactly what Wisconsin was when Barry Alvarez first came in and implemented that style. And Arkansas historically is a more prestigious program than Wisconsin, imo. I don't see why what worked at Wisky won't work at Arky.

[JoeTait75]

BTW, Darrell Hazell is going to Purdue: http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/12/04/kent-state-coach-darrell-hazell-to-take-job-at-purdue-according-to-reports/

So both Kent and Arkansas State will likely have interim head coaches in their bowl game. At least we'll be even on that score.

[symple19]

Thing is, "bottom-tier" is exactly what Wisconsin was when Barry Alvarez first came in and implemented that style. And Arkansas historically is a more prestigious program than Wisconsin, imo. I don't see why what worked at Wisky won't work at Arky.

Would love for you to respond to my post above. I have a lot of respect for your takes and would love to hear what you have to say.

I think that BB may be successful at Arky, but he is at a huge disadvantage in terms of recruiting and a cultural understanding of what the SEC is all about. I realize this sounds conceited, but it is what it is.I know because I live in Big 10 country now. It's a whole new ballgame. Nobody in this part of the country takes this shit as seriously as we do.

[symple19]

Hornets78

Still haven't heard why you think BB is a homerun

[symple19]

And by the way, I'm wrong all the goddamn time. Not trying to piss anyone off. JMO

[symple19]

BTW, Darrell Hazell is going to Purdue: http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/12/04/kent-state-coach-darrell-hazell-to-take-job-at-purdue-according-to-reports/

So both Kent and Arkansas State will likely have interim head coaches in their bowl game. At least we'll be even on that score.

It's crazy that Freeze and Malzahn bounced after their first year. Feel sorry for Ark St.

[DesignatedT]

Thing is, "bottom-tier" is exactly what Wisconsin was when Barry Alvarez first came in and implemented that style. And Arkansas historically is a more prestigious program than Wisconsin, imo. I don't see why what worked at Wisky won't work at Arky.

Symple already hit on it but this conference is a lot different in a lot of areas. Caliber of players, recruiting styles, level of competition, etc.

[JoeTait75]

I think that BB may be successful at Arky, but he is at a huge disadvantage in terms of recruiting and a cultural understanding of what the SEC is all about. I realize this sounds conceited, but it is what it is.I know because I live in Big 10 country now. It's a whole new ballgame. Nobody in this part of the country takes this shit as seriously as we do.

It is completely different. Really, if you take Ohio out of the equation the midwest is probably more of a basketball region than a football region. Even in Ohio we love our football, we know it and take it seriously- but the south is still on another level.

I have no idea how Bielema will make that transition. tbh he's one of the last guys I saw leaving his current position. He could have gone on posting 8-5 records at Wisky for the next twenty years and probably kept his job.

[symple19]

Symple already hit on it but this conference is a lot different in a lot of areas. Caliber of players, recruiting styles, level of competition, etc.
And pressure... What other school outside of the state of Alabama would, no matter how bad he is, fire a guy 2 motherfucking years after winning a natty? Look at Iowa. Kirk Ferentz is making a top ten salary by winning ten games every third year. Penn State is a kid fucking nightmare. Michigan is content with a fat guy who says all the right things but loses when it matters. Ohio State is the only school that took shit seriously and hired a guy who can conceivably make them into a legit national powerhouse instead of the sperm that runs down the corner of the SEC's mouth.

[symple19]

The PAc 12? Completely irrelevant except for the one team that plays "SEC football"... And Oregon, which lost to the one team that plays sound fundamental football

ACC? :lmao

[JoeTait75]

That's why I don't get into the SEC-vs-Big 10 thing. It's an apples-to-oranges comparison. Different levels of talent, different levels of commitment, etc. There is one basketball school in the SEC (Kentucky) vs. three in the Big 10 (Indiana, Purdue, Illinois) for example. There isn't as much football talent in the midwest as there is in the south. It's just different.

[symple19]

That's why I don't get into the SEC-vs-Big 10 thing. It's an apples-to-oranges comparison. Different levels of talent, different levels of commitment, etc. There is one basketball school in the SEC (Kentucky) vs. three in the Big 10 (Indiana, Purdue, Illinois) for example. There isn't as much football talent in the midwest as there is in the south. It's just different.

Completely agree about B-ball, although now that Missouri is in the SEC it will help it's stature in a big way.

However, people in the south have almost nothing to be proud about other than sports, specifically football. The midwest has academics, prosperity, racial equality (kinda), jobs, and a more prosperous way of life than does the south. It also has a plethora of pro teams to get behind while the south has Atlanta and New Orleans.

See, even you don't understand it JT?! The South clings to the few things it has to be proud of; football, religion, and guns... In that order

[symple19]

Texas doesn't really count in my assessment. You guys are a special kind of crazy, :lol

[symple19]

Big 10 is ludicrous this year in Basketball, BTW


What, 6 teams are legit Final Four competitors?

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

The PAc 12? Completely irrelevant except for the one team that plays "SEC football"... And Oregon, which lost to the one team that plays sound fundamental football

ACC? :lmao
The Pac is the 2nd best conference in football this year. Idk why you've been jerking the Big-12 off all season.

[symple19]

The Pac is the 2nd best conference in football this year. Idk why you've been jerking the Big-12 off all season.

Eh, I was hammered last night

I still think it's the best conference this year, despite the lack of defense. (top to bottom)

Pac, like the SEC, is probably is probably better at the top than is the Big-12, but the two conferences suffer for having dogshit teams at the bottom, imo

Oregon (as well as Stanford, obviously) is legit and OSU/UCLA aren't far behind. I guess when I look at conferences I place as much importance on the bottom as I do the top, if that makes any sense. Practically every team in the Big12 is competitive, and that counts a lot for me. fwiw

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Eh, I was hammered last night

I still think it's the best conference this year, despite the lack of defense. (top to bottom)

Pac, like the SEC, is probably is probably better at the top than is the Big-12, but the two conferences suffer for having dogshit teams at the bottom, imo

Oregon (as well as Stanford, obviously) is legit and OSU/UCLA aren't far behind. I guess when I look at conferences I place as much importance on the bottom as I do the top, if that makes any sense. Practically every team in the Big12 is competitive, and that counts a lot for me. fwiw
I think you're confusing competition with parity similar to what people did with the Pac-10 in 2009 before it actually got better (mostly due to coaching improvements since then).

I think if you take the top 8 teams in the pac (Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, Oregon State, USC, ASU, Washington, UA) and the top 8 teams in the B12 (KSU, OU, Texas, OK State, Baylor, TCU, Tech, WVU) it's not a close call in any way. Top to bottom the Pac is better. The top teams in the B12 being weak is what has made the middle-of-the-pack teams in the B12 look better. The way OU has close calls against teams like TCU speaks more to how weak OU is than how good TCu is imo. The B12 has also become the new Pac-12 as far as the horrible defense is plays.

There are also a few several specific examples. The 8th best team in the pac destroyed the 4th best team in the B12 this season. Notre Dame at home against Stanford barely scraped by in OT while they went into Norman and destroyed Oklahoma. Their win against USC w/o Barkley was a lot closer than their win against Oklahoma. Those are just off the top of my head.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Also, the top 6 teams in the SEC (Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, LSU, A&M) make it impossible for me to rank any other conference ahead of it, regardless of how shitty the rest of the conference is.

[leemajors]

Yeah, the Big 12 had a down year and trended down over the whole year in quality. Err, got totally exposed for a mostly no defense conference. I think TCU's defense did play much, much better in the second half of the season, though. Can't really comment on PAC 12 since I didn't see too much of them outside of Oregon and USC. both conferences are littered with teams that can throw up a ridiculous amount of points in any game.

[Pelicans78]

Hornets78

Still haven't heard why you think BB is a homerun

Its pretty simple. He just didn't win the Big 10. He won pretty big. Three straight Rose Bowl appearances. That's impressive with any kind of style of play.

There's a myth that Arkansas needs to run a spread to be successful in the SEC. That's just not true. They were successful with power running games with Houston Nutt and he couldn't recruit nearly as good as BB. BB will bring in talent and win with that talent.

This isn't just some guy who was a coordinator or won at a small school in a small conference. BB consistently won big in the Big 10. He can win big in a big conference regardless of style of coaching. Basically, Arkansas has hired a proven winner who knows how to coach.

Plus, who knows what kind of offense he will run since he is a defensive coach. Probably a pro style with running the ball and play-action like at Wisconsin and if he finds a good QB, then his offenses will succeed.

Can't argue with his resume.

[Pelicans78]

I don't think Arkansas trying to go this route is the smart move. I don't see it working out for them and I don't think it would have worked out for us if we went down that road as well. The SEC and College Football is changing. This philosophy has dominated at places like Alabama, LSU. Florida and such but Arkansas does not come close to those programs and I don't see a bottom tier program being able to really be successful running that type of offense. He will never have an O line like Alabama to run behind and he will never have the athletes on defense to play this style.

Best Jobs/Programs in the SEC:

Florida,Bama,LSU,Georgia,Auburn,A&M,SC,UT are all superior jobs to Arkansas. Missouri is a comparable program.

Arkansas is on the same level as SC if not better. Much better winning tradition. A much better job than Missouri.

Florida, Bama, UF, and Georgia are the elite jobs in conference.

[DesignatedT]

Florida
Bama
LSU
Georgia

A&M
Auburn
Tennessee

South Carolina
Arkansas
Mizzou

Ole Miss
Vandy
Miss State



Kentucky

[Pelicans78]

Arkansas has alot more money than Tennessee from what I hear.

[coyotes_geek]

Arkansas has alot more money than Tennessee from what I hear.

More money, closer to Texas, no in-state BCS competitor. I definitely think Arky's a better job than Tennessee right now.

[coyotes_geek]

Butch Jones to Tennessee.

Arkansas gets a Big10 coach. Tennessee gets a Big East coach.

[DesignatedT]

I like Butch Jones.

[DesignatedT]

FootballScoop Staff ‏@footballscoop
Breaking: FootballScoop has learned that Tommy Tuberville will be the next head coach at Cincinnati http://FootballScoop.com/the-scoop
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[DesignatedT]

Bobby Petrino to Western Kentucky.

[coyotes_geek]

Petrino's obviously got more skeletons in the closet than we know about. He's too good a coach to not get a serious sniff at any of the top tier openings.

[symple19]

Western is gonna be good

[FkLA]

Western is gonna be good

Relative to their conference, maybe. Its still a Sunbelt school though so I doubt they make any noise nationally. Probably a conference title or two before he bolts imo.

[leemajors]

Report states Harsin to Arky State:

http://www.burntorangenation.com/2012/12/12/3757598/bryan-harsin-to-arkansas-state-as-head-coach-leaving-texas-report-says

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Relative to their conference, maybe. Its still a Sunbelt school though so I doubt they make any noise nationally. Probably a conference title or two before he bolts imo.
Still gonna be better than :lmao UTSA

[leemajors]

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/188vctsq7e4cugif/xlarge.gif

[DesignatedT]

Chip Kelly turns down NFL and stays at Oregon.

[coyotes_geek]

Good call on his part.

[NFO]

Chip Kelly turns down NFL and stays at Oregon.

Not so fast my friend.

[benefactor]

Yup...getting out before all hell breaks lose at Oregon.

[DesignatedT]

lol Chip Kelly.

[tlongII]

YES!

[DesignatedT]

CBSSports has learned the 48-year-old Sumlin was pursued by three NFL teams as well as one major university this past month. Before this new deal, Sumlin, who led the Aggies to a road victory over No. 1 Alabama and a top-five finish, was the lowest-paid head coach in the SEC.



Texas A&M has given Kevin Sumlin a pay raise after his first season, the school announced Saturday, with a source telling ESPN's Joe Schad the new deal is for five years, taking the coach's contract through 2017.

[DMX7]

Is A&M's athletics department still in debt?

[DesignatedT]

No.

A&M borrowed $16M from the University interest free to pay for numerous things including infrastructure and facilities. They were never "in debt". They paid back the 16M loan which was interest free on time and is now profiting very well. Bill Byrne had his own way of doing things and he is since gone.

[DesignatedT]

Brent Zwerneman ‏@BrentZwerneman
Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin was offered gigs by Philadelphia Eagles and Auburn but said no thanks, says @billyliucci

[symple19]

Yeah, I had heard that Auburn approached him as well. He would be nuts to leave Aggieland