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I don't put too much stock in these types of rankings but I was curious how all the first year coaches did last year with their respective programs. According to the linked article, CLF was graded at "C-" and ranked 21st out of 23 first year coaches. FWIW, Randy Edsall finished with a worse record than Fick but was given a "C" grade and ranked 18th. Jeff Tedford (Fresno State) was ranked #1 with an "A+" grade. I realize there are circumstances for every coach that factored into his degree of success. Here is the article link:

Ranking of First Year Seasons

Below is ranking the 23 coaches purely on won/loss record:

Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma (12-2)
Lane Kiffin, FAU (11-3)
Charlie Strong, USF (10-2)
Jeff Tedford, Fresno State (10-4)
Ed Orgeron, LSU (9-4)
Butch Davis, FIU (8-5)
Shawn Elliott, Georgia State (7-5)
Willie Taggart, Oregon (7-5)
Major Applewhite, Houston (7-5)
Jeff Brohm, Purdue (7-6)
Geoff Collins, Temple (7-6)
Tom Herman, Texas (7-6)
Matt Luke, Ole Miss (6-6)
Tim Lester, Western Michigan (6-6)
Mike Sanford, WKU (6-7)
Justin Wilcox, California (5-7)
Tom Allen, Indiana (5-7)
P.J. Fleck, Minnesota (5-7)
Luke Fickell, Cincinnati (4-8)
Randy Edsall, UConn (3-9)
Jay Norvell, Nevada (3-9)
Brent Brennan, San Jose State (2-11)
Matt Rhule, Baylor (1-11)

What was Matt Rhule thinking

Edsall was given a higher grade than Fick because he finished right about where everyone expected. As much as we like to complain about not getting respect, nationally most people think our program can fare much better than 4-8.

(08-27-2018 12:54 PM)CliftonAve Wrote:  Edsall was given a higher grade than Fick because he finished right about where everyone expected. As much as we like to complain about not getting respect, nationally most people think our program can fare much better than 4-8.

Well said. And I'm hoping we can look back after this season and say that questionable play calling or clock management in 2017 were simply rookie mistakes made by a young staff that were cleaned up for a much improved 2018 season.

(08-27-2018 12:36 PM)Cataclysmo Wrote:  What was Matt Rhule thinking

$3.5 million reasons each year.

If he fails he can always get another Temple type gig.

(08-28-2018 08:24 AM)doss2 Wrote:  

(08-27-2018 12:36 PM)Cataclysmo Wrote:  What was Matt Rhule thinking

$3.5 million reasons each year.

If he fails he can always get another Temple type gig.

There were other P5 schools that would have been willing and able to pay him that kind of money.

Baylor has so much taint on it right now- if he bombs there some of the better G5 schools might not come calling after his termination to avoid the association.

I think he earned that C-. The bar wasn't set very high for him and they really weren't much better than the year before... if at all.

I think he's doing a good job of rebuilding a gutted program, but the time will come when he has to be accountable for the on-field results. Expectations are still modest, but the fans will be restless if there isn't at least a little progress this year.

(08-28-2018 09:43 AM)Former Lurker Wrote:  I think he's doing a good job of rebuilding a gutted program, but the time will come when he has to be accountable for the on-field results. Expectations are still modest, but the fans will be restless if there isn't at least a little progress this year.

I think that time will start next year when his recruits are in their 3rd year. Still tough to judge because more than half of his recruits will still need more seasoning, but we can't discount what he's done in recruiting and it'll buy him many extra years.

Year 4 should see big results.

(08-29-2018 07:38 AM)dubcat14 Wrote:  

(08-28-2018 09:43 AM)Former Lurker Wrote:  I think he's doing a good job of rebuilding a gutted program, but the time will come when he has to be accountable for the on-field results. Expectations are still modest, but the fans will be restless if there isn't at least a little progress this year.

I think that time will start next year when his recruits are in their 3rd year. Still tough to judge because more than half of his recruits will still need more seasoning, but we can't discount what he's done in recruiting and it'll buy him many extra years.

Year 4 should see big results.

That's what I said after year 1 of Tuberville. I still said it after year 2. How'd that turn out?

schedule says it is this year or bust. 2019 is going to be awfully difficult if this season isn’t a winning one.

(08-29-2018 04:59 PM)bearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  schedule says it is this year or bust. 2019 is going to be awfully difficult if this season isn’t a winning one.

Go back to dantonio's second year. Team was incredibly young. Had a terrible season. The next year uc played probably the best schedule in Bearcat football history and had a breakthrough season that ended up being a precursor for the best years to come. Don't assume too much.

(08-29-2018 04:39 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  

(08-29-2018 07:38 AM)dubcat14 Wrote:  

(08-28-2018 09:43 AM)Former Lurker Wrote:  I think he's doing a good job of rebuilding a gutted program, but the time will come when he has to be accountable for the on-field results. Expectations are still modest, but the fans will be restless if there isn't at least a little progress this year.

I think that time will start next year when his recruits are in their 3rd year. Still tough to judge because more than half of his recruits will still need more seasoning, but we can't discount what he's done in recruiting and it'll buy him many extra years.

Year 4 should see big results.

That's what I said after year 1 of Tuberville. I still said it after year 2. How'd that turn out?

You have to give them a chance to build something. The biggest sin of a Tuberville was his complete lack of recruiting. It takes a while to fix that.

(08-27-2018 12:36 PM)Cataclysmo Wrote:  What was Matt Rhule thinking

Ask his wife

(08-29-2018 04:59 PM)bearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  schedule says it is this year or bust. 2019 is going to be awfully difficult if this season isn’t a winning one.

Agree. But if this season is a winning one and the excellent recruiting continues, UC should be positioned to compete with the top of this conference once again and it could be a very good 2019.