(10-10-2018 11:31 AM)TerpsNPhoenix Wrote: So when I was setting up the pick’em we have I realized the regular season was about half way over. It made me think about how over the past few years the coaching carousel had already begun. So far, this year has been pretty quiet.
The three coaches who’s seats may have been getting warm, DJ Durkin for Maryland, Chris Ash for Rutgers and Lovie Smith for Illinois, have had an interesting path since the end of last year. If you would have asked me then who’s most likely to be fired out of the three I would have said Smith (although I had plenty of Illini fans telling me his seat wasn’t really that warm). Now??? Durkin has been on administrative leave since before the season due to the death of Jordan McNair. Ash has had the wheels fall of with losses to both Kansas and Illinois who are widely regarded as some of the worst teams in the power 5. Smith it seems has had the best track out of the three. His young team seems to be progressing and really coming together. I would have lost a bunch of money betting this in Vegas.
If you want to see something pretty amusing check out this article by Athlon. These ranking would be pretty different if done now versus when they were done four months ago but hindsight is 20/20. So I'm curious, where do you rank the Big Ten coaches now? Chryst to low? Dantonio to high?
Also to ponder, it seems like DJ Durkin is *probably* not going to be back. Is there anyone else? I'd say probably not but Rutgers probably would like to get rid of Ash but can't due to cost. I think Fleck's seat is getting a little warm but he's not there yet. Brohm isn't getting fired but a bit of the bloom has come off. Frost inherited a TERRIBLE team but he'll have at least two more years to correct that. How are Michigan fans feeling about Harbaugh? Getting frustrated yet?
Good analysis.
I can't see how Durkin is back even if the investigation clears him. How would Maryland expect to recruit players with the Durkin "culture" hanging over them? If he's let go, whoever the new coach is can go into homes and tell parents their sons are safe and the culture has changed. If they expect to keep competing, I don't see how Durkin sticks around.
Chryst, Franklin, Ferentz, Dantonio and Fitzgerald are pretty secure. Apart from the wheels falling off or some "scandal", they'd have to be bad for a few years before their seats warm up.
Allen, Lovie, and Brohm, have some time. Allen and Brohm look like they'll be bowl eligible so they're safe. Lovie's team was SO BAD when he took over that he'll have time as well.
Fleck and Harbaugh better prove something. If Michigan loses to Wisconsin, PSU, and tOSU, the seat could start getting warm. Fleck inherited a 9-4 Holiday Bowl winning team. Another year of missing out on a bowl and his "carnival barker" routine could start to wear thin.
I honestly believe Frost is the safest seat. Nebraska was terrible and it's going to take time to rebuild. Given that and being a favored son, they'll give him the time he needs.
I think Ash is gone. It's one thing to lose close games but show improvement, it's another to take a$$ kickings against Illinois & Kansas and look as bad as they do.
Meyer is the interesting one. After last weekend's headache episode, a conspiracy theorist could say that it would make for convenient timing to have this happen after the abuse scandal and could make for a good cover story for him to "resign" at the end of the season.....
Just sayin.....