Are the Gators rolling the dice with Muschamp?
Even when the regular season is over, it ain’t over. So what did we learn, and what do we still want to know?:
1. Are the Gators rolling the dice with Muschamp? Urban Meyer announced his “retirement” last Wednesday after six years as the head coach at Florida. In the next 48 hours everybody from Bob Stoops, to Jon Gruden (there is that name again), to Chris Peterson, to Dan Mullen to Chip Kelly was considered to be the front runner for one of the top five jobs in college football. Then suddenly, at 8:28 p.m. on Saturday (note the time) Florida announces that it had hired Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp as its next head coach. The press conference will be Tuesday. Some consider it a risk by athletics director Jeremy Foley, who got burned the last time he hired an assistant (Ron Zook). But those who know Muschamp know that he’s been groomed for this since he was a player at Georgia for Ray Goff. Muschamp has worked at LSU (for Nick Saban), at Auburn (for Tommy Tuberville), and Texas (for Mack Brown). He is ready.
2. Florida will win the SEC East in 2011: How ready is Muschamp? Well, here’s the first prediction for the 2011 season: Florida will win the SEC East championship. The problem at Florida last season was not talent. It was a lack of focus and a lack of leadership. The team was not focused because too many leaders had left and there was never a coherent offensive strategy. Muschamp can fix the leadership issue and if he hires a top-flight offensive coordinator the other problem can be fixed as well. Media reports say Muschamp is looking at Major Applewhite, an offensive assistant at Texas. My choice would be Dana Holgerson of Oklahoma State (who is in the running for the head coaching job at Pitt.)
3. I’m disappointed in the timing of Florida’s announcement: This is strictly an opinion, but I wish Florida had waited until after the Heisman Trophy presentation to announce its new coach. The official press release came just minutes before Auburn’s Cameron Newton was handed the hardware in New York. The announcement opens Florida up to charges that it was trying to step on the moment of a player from another SEC school. And with Newton’s background at Florida, which includes concerns that academic information about his time at the school was leaked to the media, it is something that simply should have been avoided. I was informed this morning by Florida officials that they had every intention of waiting until after the Heisman Trophy presentation but that once the news leaked out through the social media the school felt it had no choice but to release the information.
4. What does the hiring of Al Golden tell us about the Miami job? First of all, I think Golden is a great hire. Remember that it wasn’t long ago that Temple considered dropping football. The school basically got booted out of the Big East. Golden took over and he took the Owls to a bowl in 2009 and this season went 8-4 (which included a win over Fiesta Bowl bound UConn). But it also tells you that Miami’s job is not one where the school can go out and command the services of a Tier One proven head coach. Jon Gruden wasn’t coming. Neither was a successful head coach at the BCS level. Miami is a tough job because if you don’t win and win big, the people just don’t come. Again, I think Golden is a super coach. He has been named as a possible replacement for Joe Paterno at Penn State. He will win at Miami. I just think Mike Leach would have been a more inspired hire.
5. If he goes to Vandy, how will Gus Malzahn handle the BCS championship? It looks like Vanderbilt is Gus Malzhan’s job to turn down. So what does the Auburn offensive coordinator do if he accepts, which could happen as early as today (Monday)? I certainly believe he would coach Cameron Newton one last time in the BCS championship game with Oregon on Jan. 10. But I’ve seen other coordinators try to get ready for a BCS title game while attempting to build a staff and organize a program at another place. Mark Richt did it at Florida State after he took the Georgia job in 2000. Richt admits now that it was very difficult. The only person I have seen pull it off really well was Bo Pelini, who was the LSU defensive coordinator for the 2007 BCS championship game while organizing his new program at Nebraska.
Stay tuned.
Please follow me on Twitter:
“Barnhart and Durham:” We will break down all of the coaching news on today’s “Barnhart and Durham Show” on 790 The Zone. Among our guests will be UConn coach (and former Georgia Tech assistant) Randy Edsall, who is headed to the Fiesta Bowl. Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun will bring us the latest on Will Muschamp at Florida. Craig Barnes, a former reporter for the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, will bring us reaction to the hiring of Al Golden at Miami. Please join the fun which starts at 10 a.m. www.790thezone.com.
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697 comments Add your comment
Lanier Dawg
December 13th, 2010
8:58 am
Just remember, Tony and everyone’s mother predicted the Gators to win the SEC East this year and we all know how that one turned out. The problem was not focus, it was coaching and talent. You don’t have all that talent that left from a team that lost two games in 2 seasons and not have some drop off. You also don’t have the best OC and DC in the nation leave and not have drop off. Urban was a good coach, but his assistants were better.
The talent is still good, but it was not championship caliber talent. Especially those who are eating crow for the fabulous job Jon Brantley did at QB this year. Still believe he is the best QB in the SEC?
Skitty Fritty
December 13th, 2010
8:59 am
So, Muschamp is actually better than Meyer? The Gator fans have had two coaches, Spurrier and Meyer. Remember your history Gator nation. UF has always had great recruiting even with Zook but you need a coach. Based on history, I wouldn’t bet the house on Muschamp.
Your first SEC championship came under Spurrier. UF fans act like they have Alabama’s tradition, not even close.
Brad
December 13th, 2010
9:01 am
I hope it hurt Cam Newtons feelings Tony.
We don’t know if Muschamp will be a good hire for Florida until next year. What we do know is that they are loaded with talent and he can recruit. We also know that if our Georgia’s coaching situation were in a search situation right now, Muschamp would be on the short list. So, I think they hired a good one and we will see what happens. Hopefully we can get the monkey off our back and start winning that game again with some regularity.
Don
December 13th, 2010
9:01 am
Most of the SEC was afraid that Florida would get Mullen and wreck the League with his schemes and Florida Talent which will be hard to do from Starkville so he is in a “safe Place”. Also, most of the SEC is giddy with anticipation of kicking the Gators Tail with the coach they have chosen – perhaps he knows something about defense but look what this yeahoo did at Texas this year and yep, he knows jack nothing about offense so his smartass and ego will get smacked around for years untill Florida comes to their senses and realize the error of their ways – maybe they wil go after Curly Hallman next time – hey I heard Gerry Dinardo might be available
MURPHY
December 13th, 2010
9:01 am
Reader,
Are you sure Driskell is staying with commit to UF?
Reader of Morons and quite a few idiots
December 13th, 2010
9:01 am
Lanier Dawg it was not talent, they have had 5 consecutive top 5 recruiting classes. It was coaching and youth. The Gators played 18 true freshmen this year, it was the same as in 07 except in 07 they did a better job coaching. Meyer took the year off and had a lousy staff.
Go to believe
December 13th, 2010
9:02 am
Both were great picks..sorry Muschamp wont get his chance at UGA after Richt but thats life dawgs. Love the Cam Heisman! Fairly line-man of the year!
Reader of Morons and quite a few idiots
December 13th, 2010
9:03 am
Murph he said so yesterday. And Skitty Fritty, even the Zooker owned Richt. What is your history: Uncle “they paid me more than Clemson” Walker and Vince Dooley?
Skitty Fritty
December 13th, 2010
9:03 am
I agree, as a non UF fan, I was afraid they would get Mullen and then watch out. What he has done at MSU is amazing. Don’t know why they didn’t get Mullen or Petrino.
voice of reason
December 13th, 2010
9:03 am
Some of you don’t think an AD can pick up the phone and call a couple of high profile coaches in one evening to gauge their interest? I didn’t realize it took two weeks to make a phone call. And like someone noted, Foley probably knew weeks before the announcement that Meyer was stepping down. Plenty of time to contact a few high profile coaches or their agents to gauge interest.
The truth is Muschamp was ticked off that Brown had decided to stay and was chomping at the bit to get out of Austin. Flroida had time to look around behind the scenes and I do not believe that Muschamp was their #1 target. This is a risky move that may or may not end up paying off. This is the opposite of the Urban Meyer hire who had proved his head coaching ability.
One more thing, what is the deal with Meyer sticking around and keeping an office at the Gator complex? Weird. Could this have been the reason some of the high profile coaches said no thanks?
Reader of Morons and quite a few idiots
December 13th, 2010
9:04 am
Don, Richt wont be available though because the Hump Nation still drinks his coolaid.
Skitty Fritty
December 13th, 2010
9:04 am
Reader of Morons and quite a few idiots:
How many SEC titles did UF has before Spurrier? How many times was UF put on probation before Spurrier? You don’t know your history.
JB
December 13th, 2010
9:05 am
THE OC hire in Florida will tell the tale……Defense would be fine without a coach…… I don’t see the team at Georgia next year beating them. Muschamp will have them lathered us for us.
TrishaDishaWarEagle
December 13th, 2010
9:05 am
Congratulations to AUBURN UNIVERSITY and CAMERON NEWTON, for winning the
2010 HEISMAN TROPHY!
It was so cool to see all 3 AU Heisman trophy winners there…Cam, Bo Jackson, Pat sullivan
Bama’s lone Heisman winner was there too.
To Gus Malzahn, as you ponder the Vandy job.. I want to say thank you for a awesome year and I hope you stay at AU..stay at AU and win back to back SEC championships then you could get head coach job offers from places like..i dunno.. uga and bama:)
RxDawg
December 13th, 2010
9:05 am
“As a Dawgs fan I did breathe a big sigh of relief that Mullen wasnt the man.”
DITTO
Skitty Fritty
December 13th, 2010
9:06 am
Why are UF fans commenting abour Richt when you should be celebrating your great coaching hire? You should be happy Richt is at UGA but it sounds like you are worried.
Reader of Morons and quite a few idiots
December 13th, 2010
9:06 am
Skitty Fritty, no titles except when UGA voted to strip them of it. How many has UGA won since 80 and I dont believe we have had anything as shameful as Jan Kemp.
Reader of Morons and quite a few idiots
December 13th, 2010
9:07 am
I finally agree with you SKitty Fuuky, We hope Richt stays long enough for a Georgia boy to go ahead in the series.
shankit
December 13th, 2010
9:08 am
Word down here in Dosta from a reliable source
is Kirby will make the lateral move with Muschamp,
and Major Appleby will be the O. C.
Foley has made an excellent decision to separate
his program from Urban, Mullen, etc. Got rid of
all the garbage. Muschamp will set Saban, Richt
etc. back six years with recruiting.
ntr
December 13th, 2010
9:08 am
tenn had the same record as ga this year and played
#2 oregon
#8 alabama and #10 lsu
tenn will beat the doors off ga next year. losing your wide receiving talent will kill you next year. all those dropped passes…they r coming.
SEC_Analyst
December 13th, 2010
9:08 am
gt
December 13th, 2010
8:49 am
Cam Newton in on the field. Gus Malzahn couldn’t mess this game up if the mob paid him to do so. This guy put Malzahn on the map, he was a high school coach and many wondered why he was coaching in college up until this year.”
I heard an interview with Coach Chizik the other day. He admitted that the 2010 Auburn offense was not at all what the coaching staff had planned. He said that by the time the fourth game was played, they had totally abandoned their preseason offensive schemes and were building their offensive game plans around what Cam was doing on the field instead. I doubt that Cam would miss Gus if he weren’t on the sidelines. Cam Newton plays “backyard football”, and he has the athletic ability to make such an ad lib offensive strategy practically indefensible. Malzahn would be wise to strike while his iron is hot. He will be a superstar at Vandy.
Reader of Morons and quite a few idiots
December 13th, 2010
9:09 am
I heard that Muschamp offered Bobo a chance to run the scout team.
Richie
December 13th, 2010
9:10 am
Mullen had a good yr.It will not contiune,the rest of the sec will be ready next yr.
winterDawg
December 13th, 2010
9:10 am
Well, when Muschamp played here they were the worst teams Athens had seen since the 50’s. Hopefully, he learned well how to do nothing with gobs of talent. Maybe the tide of luck is beginning to turn.
yesUF
December 13th, 2010
9:11 am
Petrino? You don’t understand why we did not talk to Petrino? WoW!
Lanier Dawg
December 13th, 2010
9:12 am
Reader of Morons……thanks for proving my point. When I said it was talent, I also followed up with this little gem: “You don’t have all that talent that left from a team that lost two games in 2 seasons and not have some drop off.” or you might have missed this one too: “The talent is still good, but it was not championship caliber talent.” I did not say Florida didn’t have talent. I said the talent this year was the problem. You don’t win SEC Championships with mostly Freshmen. You also don’t win them in a spread offense being led by a drop back QB. Yes the talent at Florida this year did them in.
winterDawg
December 13th, 2010
9:13 am
It’s not like Urban wasn’t getting top notch recruits every year. It matters what you do when you have them as we at UGA know all too well. The recruiting at Florida will be the same as when Meyer was there. But, there will not be a Tim Tebow there.
JaxGator
December 13th, 2010
9:14 am
It is humerous that some of you have so much knowlege about Florida’s hiring a new coach. Mullen was offered the job and turned Foley down? Really. Funny that not one news organization reported any contact by Foley with anyone other than Muschamp; however, some of you must have better sources than ESPN or the AJC. We Gators are happy with the selection of Muschamp. He might have played for Georgia, but he grew up as a Gator and sounds like he remained one. If Zook could beat Richt 2-1, I feel confident that Muschamp will have no problems with Georgia. Also, you may never get Mullen; I am sure that your AD knows of the issues with Mullen, recruiting, that Foley knew.
Arch Dawg
December 13th, 2010
9:15 am
Actually Richie,
Arkansas loses Mallet, Alabama loses Mcelroy and probably Ingram, Auburn is going to dissentegrate losing Cam, the entire O line and Malzahn, Ole Miss contiunes to stink, and the schedule is going to be easier than it was this year. MSU is a very young team this year. Next year they very well could make it to the SECCG again.
Lanier Dawg
December 13th, 2010
9:16 am
ntr
December 13th, 2010
9:08 am
tenn had the same record as ga this year and played
#2 oregon
#8 alabama and #10 lsu
tenn will beat the doors off ga next year. losing your wide receiving talent will kill you next year. all those dropped passes…they r coming.
Thanks ntr……I needed that laugh this morning.
No Muschamp, No Smart
December 13th, 2010
9:18 am
Count me as one UGA fan who NEVER wants to see Kirby Smart or Will Muschamp patrolling the sidelines at UGA. These guys wouldn’t lift a finger to help UGA in the last several years when we have been struggling in recruiting and on defense. UGA gave these guys an education and they have shown UGA no gratitude and no loyalty. I understand that Muschamp grew up in Gainseville, but it wasn’t UF that gave him an opportunity to play football, it was UGA. For him to say that UF is his dream job is a smack in the face to everyone who cheered for him while he was supposedly trying to beat Florida back in the day.
zig
December 13th, 2010
9:19 am
Amazing how soon the Gay-tors are to changing their tune about UGA and their players once they hire one to fix their sinking ship. Hypocrisy at it’s finest.
poopdawg
December 13th, 2010
9:20 am
Muschamp doesn’t need Meyer still with an office at UF. Good hire though. Questioning the timing of the announcement is showing your feminine side a little too much Tony.
JB
December 13th, 2010
9:21 am
I still don’t see a SEC running back at Florida. I don’t see a SEC caliber WR. Muschamp has work to do.
winterDawg
December 13th, 2010
9:21 am
No Mushchamp, No Smart, I couldn’t agree more!
Sharrif Floyd
December 13th, 2010
9:22 am
Will coach mustache dream of me and him also????
Will
December 13th, 2010
9:26 am
Petrino…$18 million buyout clause! WOW
I am sure by the end of January ‘11 Mullen will have a contract extension with a SEC non-compete much as Petrino does now.
dawgfan
December 13th, 2010
9:27 am
The Jort Nation can spin this anyway they like but Mullen was a no brainer and would have hit the ground running at Florida. If Muschamp was their first choice then I’m the freaking tooth fairy. That’s all there is to it.
Muschamp may win 5 national titles or he may win 5 games. There is no way of knowing. He has never been a head coach.
The timing of the announcement does not surprise me. Florida is the most classless program in the SEC. I like how the AP article described a potential Gus Malzahn move to Florida as a “lateral move.”. LMAO. That won’t sit well with the arrogant Gators.
Gator88
December 13th, 2010
9:27 am
Wow-in the words of others a “Mutt” as the coach of the Gators?!?!?!?1 That shows how bad we have now beaten on them for 20 years-20 years ago this doesn’t happen!!!!! I don’t believe Foley’s spew either-he made some private calls/etc. to find out who was/wasn’t interested. But that being said-I didn’t want Stoops-he can beat the heck out of also-rans but comes up short in big games. Harbaugh is an unknown and probably didn’t want the job, Mullen-I remember the outcry for Mullen’s head when we lost to Ole Miss at home in 2008. 4th and 1 and he calls the Tebow plunge into the line again-no one saw that coming?!?!?!?!?!? We lose. I would have been happy with him though. Let’s see what happens…………if the guy can recruit that’s 60%+ of the battle. No matter how good/bad you are you ain’t winning Champs with bad players-I don’t care what they say…Boise has some talent.
ted brogan
December 13th, 2010
9:27 am
TrishaDishaWarEagle,
So Bama and UGA fans should be worried about Malzahn replacing Saban and Richt. I like how you throw in Bama’s only heisman winner as well. The more crap I hear Auburn fans talk the more I become a duck fan. Remember, bama did it last year with a heisman winner and a national championship, you’re not making history you’re just keeping up.
If Malzahn and Newton leave next year, how’s the program looking. Let’s see this year without Newton, 6-6. Do you think he will go to the NFL, no he’s to loyal to Auburn and not wanting the money now, oh wait…..
Cobb Dawg
December 13th, 2010
9:29 am
Tony, UF trying to steal *Cam Newton’s limelight………..really?!? Do you really believe that or are you trying to stir the pot a little (I hope it’s the latter). You seem to have an infatuation with *Auburn and *Newton that I can’t understand. And you being a college football insider have to know what goes on there. UF wanted to hire a coach as soon as possible so as not to disrupt recruiting season, plain and simple. It had NOTHING to do with *Auburn and the pseudoHeisman.
Tim
December 13th, 2010
9:32 am
Tony,
I would really like to hear your opinion of the Cam situation. Your real opinion. You’ve been around and you know better than many what happens at auburn is not typical of other schools. I think the readers would like to hear from Mr College Football. If you don’t I understand that as well (see Tim Brando backlash).
Thanks
Todd
December 13th, 2010
9:33 am
Not sooooooo fast Tony, Fl to win the SEC East next yr?
Coaching change, Brantley zukes, and look at the schedule.
Then again they only have to get by the Ole Ball Coach at Carolina, I have to rely on Mark Richt and Bobo, that sounds promising!
Meanwhile McGarity and the Ga brass sit asleep at the wheel while Aron Murray and Orson Charles become the next in line of great Ga players to leave with no hardware.
Bama
December 13th, 2010
9:34 am
Since the East has been predicted here is my prediction for the West.
1. Bama 2. LSU 3. Miss. State 4. Auburn 5. Arkansas 6. Ole Miss. I believe that based on returning talent, you will find this is not just ne being a Bama fan but most so called experts will predict it this way as well.
Florida | MrSEC.com
December 13th, 2010
9:34 am
[...] don’t come around very often. (I’ve seen two in 39 years.)* Tony Barnhart of The AJC doesn’t buy the “risk” talk that myself and so many others are tossing around today. In his view, “… those who [...]
David
December 13th, 2010
9:34 am
Oh please Tony, Florida dissapointed you? What a joke, everybody knows Ga fans don’t like Florida. Hell I wouldn’t like them either if they kicked my butt every year. Man could you be more obvious? By the way I don ‘t care for Florida, but they are like death and taxes. They will kick Ga’s butt again. Have you ever thought maybe Ga deserves the annual butt kicking by Florida?
jumbeauxtiger
December 13th, 2010
9:35 am
I don’t believe that Muschamp was Foley’s number one choice. I believe that the current head coaches they put out feelers to weren’t interested. For any successful coach, the job is a no-win situation. Too high of expectations after the job Meyer did.
Under the circumstances, Muschamp was probably the best choice.
Tony, I think that SC is the favorite in the East in 2011 with Garcia, Jeffery and Lattimore coming back.
Bob
December 13th, 2010
9:39 am
I understand that at the end of the day this is a business and these coaches are grown professionals, but I still don’t understand how Muschamp can get up there and say this is his “dream job.”. Wow. Talk about burning bridges. Let’s see how dreamy that job is after a couple of sub-10 win seasons there bud. Urban Meyer won two national titles in 3 years, and Gator fans didn’t exactly have low expectaions BEFORE that happened. Good luck following that act pal.
Good riddance to Kirby Smart too. I personally think its Saban pulling the strings over there anyway.
jmdawginga
December 13th, 2010
9:42 am
Mullen did it when he was hired at MSU, He went back and coached the NC game, He said it was difficult but Byrne felt MSU owed it to Mullen to allow him to be at UF for the final game, It really sparked the players at MSU knowing they had a coach that helped claim a NC.
Cassie
December 13th, 2010
9:43 am
Great hire by Florida and great talent at Florida.–UG is hating it and so happy with the timing of the Heisman, could not have happened at a better time or to a better person. Cam the sociopath that bring Auburn down…watch him smile when it happens..