Good Fires, Bad Hires, and Vice Versa

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IceBoxGopher

IceBoxGopher

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Paul Chryst being fired from his position at Wisconsin was a bit of a shocker, and it got me thinking about some of the other situations where a coach who was having relative success was fired, and where their successor either over or underperformed. Here are some of the ones I thought of.

Minnesota - Glen Mason was fired after losing the 2006 Insight Bowl, 44-41 (OT)
Glen Mason
  • 10 Seasons
  • 64-57 Record
  • 32-48 Conference Record
  • 3-4 Bowl Record
  • 2 Ranked Finishes
  • 5 Winning Seasons
Successor, Tim Brewster
  • 4 Seasons
  • 15-30 Record
  • 6-21 Conference Record
  • 0-2 Bowl Record
  • 1 Winning Season
Ohio State - John Cooper was fired after losing the 2000 Outback Bowl 24-7
John Cooper
  • 13 Seasons
  • 111-43-4 Record
  • 70-30-4 Conference Record
  • Bowl Record: 1-7
  • BCS Record: 2-1
  • 8 Ranked Finishes
  • 3 Conference Championships
Successor Jim Tressel
  • 10 Seasons
  • 106-22 Record
  • 63-14 Conference Record
  • Bowl Record: 1-1
  • BCS Record: 4-1
  • NCG Record: 1-2
  • 9 Ranked Finishes
  • 7 Conference Championships
  • 1 National Championship
Nebraska - Bo Pelini was fired after defeating Iowa in the final game of the 2014 season
Bo Pelini
  • 7 Seasons
  • 67-27 Record
  • 39-17 Conference Record
  • 3-3 Bowl Record
  • 6 Ranked Finishes
  • 4 Division Titles
Successor Mike Riley
  • 3 seasons
  • 19-19 record
  • 12-14 conference record
  • 1-1 bowl record
LSU - Les Miles was fired in 2016 mid-season after losing to Auburn, 18-13
Les Miles
  • 11 Seasons
  • 114-34 Record
  • 62-28 Conference Record
  • Bowl Record: 3-3
  • BCS Record: 4-0
  • NCG Record: 1-1
  • 9 Ranked Finishes
  • 3 Division Titles
  • 2 Conference Titles
  • 1 National Title
Successor: Ed Orgeron
  • 6 Seasons
  • 51-20 Record
  • 31-17 Conference Record
  • Bowl Record: 1-1
  • NY6 Record: 1-0
  • CFP Semi: 1-0
  • CFP Champ: 1-0
  • 4 Ranked Finishes
  • 1 Division Title
  • 1 Conference Title
  • 1 National Championship
Georgia - Mark Richt was fired after defeating Georgia Tech 13-7, in the 2015 regular season finale.
Mark Right
  • 15 seasons
  • 145-51 record
  • 83-37 conference record
  • Bowl Record: 7-4
  • BCS Record: 2-1
  • 12 ranked finishes
  • 6 division titles
  • 2 conference titles
Successor: Kirby Smart
  • 6 Seasons
  • 71-15 Record
  • 42-9 Conference Record
  • Bowl Record: 1-0
  • NY6: 2-1
  • CFP Semi: 2-0
  • CFP Champ: 1-1
  • 5 Ranked Finishes
  • 4 Division Titles
  • 2 Conference Titles
  • 1 National Championship
Miami - Larry Coker was fired after defeating Nevada in the 2006 MPC Computers Bowl
Larry Coker
  • 6 Seasons
  • 60-15 Record
  • 34-11 Conference Record
  • Bowl Record: 1-0
  • BCS Record: 2-1
  • NCG Record: 1-1
  • 5 Ranked Finishes
  • 3 Conference Titles
  • 1 National Championship
Successor: Randy Shannon
  • 4 Seasons
  • 28-22 Record
  • 16-16 Conference Record
  • 0-2 Bowl Record
  • 1 Ranked Finish
 

I wanted Mase out but did think he should have had a chance to coach on campus. Some of the schools mentioned are easy to coach based on the talent pool. At the time Pelini was fired, I thought they were crazy to fire him. I predict Wisconsin will have a very difficult time finding the right guy to continue their success just like Nebraska discovered.
 

I've always felt that the firing and hiring are two separate moves in most cases. Brewster being a disaster doesn't mean firing Mason wasn't the right move. Now the Wisconsin move is potentially unique. Did they make the move because of Leonhard? If he had left for a different job last year, would they have fired Chryst when they did?

Interesting to look at. Thanks for putting it together.
 

just my guess:

when you have a program that wins every year, it's easier to step in and maintain that program.

when you have a more mid-level program, a coaching change can upset the balance and cause the program to take a step back.

in a weird way, coaching matters more at the mid-level program. at an Ohio State or Alabama, you're driving on cruise control. at a lower-rung program, the right coach can make a big difference, but the wrong coach can be a train wreck.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
just my guess:

when you have a program that wins every year, it's easier to step in and maintain that program.

when you have a more mid-level program, a coaching change can upset the balance and cause the program to take a step back.

in a weird way, coaching matters more at the mid-level program. at an Ohio State or Alabama, you're driving on cruise control. at a lower-rung program, the right coach can make a big difference, but the wrong coach can be a train wreck.
Click to expand...
In the 10 years pre-Saban Alabama was 68-55 (I think, I counted fast). A couple really nice years in that run but nothing like what he has done. Because he has out coached and outrecruited everyone. He has finished outside the top 10 once (year 1).

It isn’t the school. The coach matters a great deal.
 


IceBoxGopher said:
Paul Chryst being fired from his position at Wisconsin was a bit of a shocker, and it got me thinking about some of the other situations where a coach who was having relative success was fired, and where their successor either over or underperformed. Here are some of the ones I thought of.

Minnesota - Glen Mason was fired after losing the 2006 Insight Bowl, 44-41 (OT)
Glen Mason
  • 10 Seasons
  • 64-57 Record
  • 32-48 Conference Record
  • 3-4 Bowl Record
  • 2 Ranked Finishes
  • 5 Winning Seasons
Successor, Tim Brewster
  • 4 Seasons
  • 15-30 Record
  • 6-21 Conference Record
  • 0-2 Bowl Record
  • 1 Winning Season
Ohio State - John Cooper was fired after losing the 2000 Outback Bowl 24-7
John Cooper
  • 13 Seasons
  • 111-43-4 Record
  • 70-30-4 Conference Record
  • Bowl Record: 1-7
  • BCS Record: 2-1
  • 8 Ranked Finishes
  • 3 Conference Championships
Successor Jim Tressel
  • 10 Seasons
  • 106-22 Record
  • 63-14 Conference Record
  • Bowl Record: 1-1
  • BCS Record: 4-1
  • NCG Record: 1-2
  • 9 Ranked Finishes
  • 7 Conference Championships
  • 1 National Championship
Nebraska - Bo Pelini was fired after defeating Iowa in the final game of the 2014 season
Bo Pelini
  • 7 Seasons
  • 67-27 Record
  • 39-17 Conference Record
  • 3-3 Bowl Record
  • 6 Ranked Finishes
  • 4 Division Titles
Successor Mike Riley
  • 3 seasons
  • 19-19 record
  • 12-14 conference record
  • 1-1 bowl record
LSU - Les Miles was fired in 2016 mid-season after losing to Auburn, 18-13
Les Miles
  • 11 Seasons
  • 114-34 Record
  • 62-28 Conference Record
  • Bowl Record: 3-3
  • BCS Record: 4-0
  • NCG Record: 1-1
  • 9 Ranked Finishes
  • 3 Division Titles
  • 2 Conference Titles
  • 1 National Title
Successor: Ed Orgeron
  • 6 Seasons
  • 51-20 Record
  • 31-17 Conference Record
  • Bowl Record: 1-1
  • NY6 Record: 1-0
  • CFP Semi: 1-0
  • CFP Champ: 1-0
  • 4 Ranked Finishes
  • 1 Division Title
  • 1 Conference Title
  • 1 National Championship
Georgia - Mark Richt was fired after defeating Georgia Tech 13-7, in the 2015 regular season finale.
Mark Right
  • 15 seasons
  • 145-51 record
  • 83-37 conference record
  • Bowl Record: 7-4
  • BCS Record: 2-1
  • 12 ranked finishes
  • 6 division titles
  • 2 conference titles
Successor: Kirby Smart
  • 6 Seasons
  • 71-15 Record
  • 42-9 Conference Record
  • Bowl Record: 1-0
  • NY6: 2-1
  • CFP Semi: 2-0
  • CFP Champ: 1-1
  • 5 Ranked Finishes
  • 4 Division Titles
  • 2 Conference Titles
  • 1 National Championship
Miami - Larry Coker was fired after defeating Nevada in the 2006 MPC Computers Bowl
Larry Coker
  • 6 Seasons
  • 60-15 Record
  • 34-11 Conference Record
  • Bowl Record: 1-0
  • BCS Record: 2-1
  • NCG Record: 1-1
  • 5 Ranked Finishes
  • 3 Conference Titles
  • 1 National Championship
Successor: Randy Shannon
  • 4 Seasons
  • 28-22 Record
  • 16-16 Conference Record
  • 0-2 Bowl Record
  • 1 Ranked Finish
Click to expand...

Nice work 👍
 

GophersInIowa said:
I've always felt that the firing and hiring are two separate moves in most cases. Brewster being a disaster doesn't mean firing Mason wasn't the right move. Now the Wisconsin move is potentially unique. Did they make the move because of Leonhard? If he had left for a different job last year, would they have fired Chryst when they did?

Interesting to look at. Thanks for putting it together.
Click to expand...
Yeah, they shouldn't really be grouped together because like you said, just because the next coach fails it doesn't mean it was the wrong decision to get rid of the previous coach.

I'm honestly not sure how well suited Chryst was to the current college football landscape. That as much as anything else might have played a large roll in them making the move now if they feel Leonhard is better suited to deal with the new challenges of being a head coach.

Said in another thread that I don't think Ferentz has long left at Iowa and I could see him decide to hang it up after this year. The old school coaches aren't going to do well in the Transfer Portal/NIL world.
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
In the 10 years pre-Saban Alabama was 68-55 (I think, I counted fast). A couple really nice years in that run but nothing like what he has done. Because he has out coached and outrecruited everyone. He has finished outside the top 10 once (year 1).

It isn’t the school. The coach matters a great deal.
Click to expand...
Yep people are forgetting that Alabama in the early to mid 2000's was not in great shape. Saban definitely put in work to get them where they are. As you said, it's the coach more than the school.
 





MNVCGUY said:
Yeah, they shouldn't really be grouped together because like you said, just because the next coach fails it doesn't mean it was the wrong decision to get rid of the previous coach.

I'm honestly not sure how well suited Chryst was to the current college football landscape. That as much as anything else might have played a large roll in them making the move now if they feel Leonhard is better suited to deal with the new challenges of being a head coach.

Said in another thread that I don't think Ferentz has long left at Iowa and I could see him decide to hang it up after this year. The old school coaches aren't going to do well in the Transfer Portal/NIL world.
Click to expand...
I tend to disagree. When you fire a coach, you are effectively trading one coach for another coach. If you aren't going to be in a position to attract, afford, and sign a coach who is better than the one you are firing, you are downgrading at the position. The same person who decided on the firing also was responsible for deciding on (and convincing) the hire, so I think it is fair to evaluate them in tandem with respect to how the move turned out.
 

idagopher said:
Larry Coker should have been fired just for accepting the MPC Computers bowl in Boise, has to be the worst of the worst in bowls. More of a penalty than a reward, Geez.
Click to expand...
We call that bowl " the Punishment" bowl
 

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