Listen, I'm not saying Kill/Claeys was bringing a NC to Dinkytown, but the program had finally reached a place of respectability in the conference. Their teams did beat Iowa twice, Nebraska twice, and Michigan once. Couldn't get over the Wisconsin hump, which was very disappointing. Claeys had only a single season to show what he could do. Didn't get that "signature win," but was competitive. And he made needed changes on the offensive staff -- so he wasn't blind to the need for progress. I was convinced a very solid foundation was in place here, and that we were headed on an upward trajectory. Rome wasn't built in a day. I saw progress in terms of athletes on the field (and in the NFL) and competitive games against top 10 teams.
You can't fire your way to championships, all the while praying you can attract a better coach them you currently have. Programs that "get it" keep coaching staffs -- and therefore styles of play and recruiting contacts -- intact over time, despite bumps in the road. Did Wisconsin rush to fire Alvarez everytime they won less than 10 games after his Rose Bowl season? Of course not. They stuck with him and he brought more Rose Bowls -- as did his hand-picked succesor. Did Iowa fire Ferentz after disappointing seasons and embarrassing losses? I mean, he lost to two of the worst Minnesota teams in our lifetime. No, Iowa has wisely stuck with him and he rewards them every few years with magical runs like last year's near playoff season.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion on this and that should be respected. Personally, I was willing to give Claeys 2 more years to see how it played out. If Mark Coyle is confident things were headed downhill, I guess he needed to make a move -- that's his job after all.
