The Coaching Conundrum

If you are a sports fan, you hear every year about coaches that need to be fired, hired, slapped in the face, etc. Sometimes, very successful coaches are shown the door. Other times, mediocre coaches are kept around. It's puzzling to say the least.

I consider myself pretty objective when it comes to gauging a coach's success. And, I basically think there are three types of coaches: (1) Not good enough for the job; (2) Perfect fit for the job; and (3) Program changers. Below is a list of coaches and where I think they fall in the coaching hierarchy. For the purposes of this analysis, I am limiting myself to college football and college basketball.

Mark Richt: Perfect fit. Richt has Georgia football where Georgia football should be. Georgia is better than the vast majority of college football programs. But, at the same time, Georgia isn't USC or Ohio State either. Rich averages ten wins a year. He's a perfect fit.

Phil Fulmer: Not good enough. Tennessee football is better than Phil Fulmer. Sure, he won a championship early on, but what has he done lately? He's had two losing seasons in his last three years. That shouldn't happen at Tennessee.

Tommy Bowden: Perfect fit. I know, I know, he's already been fired. But who does Clemson think it is? Bowden routinely won eight games and went to respectable bowl games. That's Clemson. In the grand scheme of things, Clemson is a notch above the Mississippi States and Kentuckys of the football world, but not as good as a Georgia, Florida or Tennessee.

Billy Donovan: Program changer. Florida was nothing in basketball before Donovan arrived. Lon Kruger had made it decent, but Donovan has made it a national power. He's doing to Florida what Coach K did at Duke ten years before.

Tubby Smith: Perfect fit.....for Minnesota. Tubby is a class act and a good coach, but he wasn't good enough for Kentucky. He just wasn't. Five good years in ten tries won't work at Kentucky. Tubby inherited a team that had been to back-to-back championship games. Tubby led it to back-to-back 8-seeds. On the other hand, he's perfect for a place like Minnesota. he'll go to the tournament, win 20 games, and they'll love him. Kentucky asks for more.

Billy Gillispie: The jury is out at Kentucky, but I think this guy is a program changer. Keep in mind he inherited a Kentucky team that had been fading for years. Also, keep in mind what he did at Texas A&M. He made that school relevant in basketball for the first time ever. I think by the end of this year, people will see what I'm talking about.

Dennis Felton: Perfect fit. This guy has received a lot of criticism. But, again, who does Georgia basketball think it is? The only time it's ever been great is when Herrick was there...and cheating. Georgia basketball is a .500 program. Some years, it'll make the Dance. Others it'll be awful. That's the way it's always been.

Rich Rodriguez: Program changer. Give him time at Michigan. Look what he did at West Virginia. It took Lloyd Carr ten years to slow down the Michigan football team. Give Rodriguez more than one to speed it up again.

Ron Zook: Perfect fit....for Illinois. The Zooker couldn't cut it at Florida. The proof is what Urban Meyer has been doing the last four years. Zook is perfect for Illinois though. Win seven games, and you're a hero.

Steve Lavin: Not good enough. UCLA caught heat for firing this guy. I mean, really? UCLA basketball is better than Steve Lavin. Want proof?

Ben Howland: Program changer. He took over the mess Lavin had left behind. After a tough couple years, he's now been in the Final Four three straight times.


The point of all this is, certain programs have certain expectations. It takes a program changer to take a middle-of-the-road school to the next level. Those guys are few and far between. If you're at Clemson, don't be so quick to think you're better than Tommy Bowden. If you're one of the crazies calling for Mark Richt's head, you're an idiot.

But, if you're at a top notch program, don't settle for a Phil Fulmer, Lloyd Carr or Steve Lavin. You're better than that. Hey, I didn't make the rules. I just play by them.