ACC football: Does that ‘A’ stand for ‘awfully managed’?
Tech coach Paul Johnson: By ACC standards, he's an institution. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
Here’s a fun fact: Paul Johnson, who’s about to enter his fourth season at Georgia Tech, ranks fourth among football coaches in his 12-team league in on-the-job seniority, and the only reason he’s not third is that North Carolina State hired Tom O’Brien instead of PJ in December 2006.
Think about that. The ACC isn’t some fly-by-night conference. It has been in operation since 1953. And yet it has taken to operating as if it’s some geographically incorrect start-up.
North Carolina fired Butch Davis on Wednesday, two days after he was allowed to meet the media assembled in Pinehurst, N.C. This was but the latest in a series of weird ACC coaching maneuvers. Since 2007 the conference has seen two Bowdens nudged aside — one at Clemson, the other at Florida State — and one Fridge moved. (Ralph Friedgen was bought out by Maryland last December after going 8-4, but not before James Franklin, who had been designated the Terps’ coach-in-waiting, had bolted to Vanderbilt.)
In January 2009 Jeff Jagodzinski was canned by Boston College AD Gene DeFillippo after interviewing for the New York Jets’ head coaching position. (Jagodzinski, best known as Matt Ryan’s college coach, has since lost jobs as Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator and as head coach of the UFL Omaha Nighthawks.) That same year Al Groh, who’s now Georgia Tech’s defensive coordinator, was fired by Virginia, and his final act in Charlottesville was reciting a poem. Last fall Miami dumped Randy Shannon; back in 2006, the U had promoted Shannon after dumping Larry Coker, who’d won the 2001 BCS title.
If you’re keeping score, Frank Beamer, who became Virginia Tech’s coach in 1987, has been in his current job the longest, although technically Beamer has worked in the ACC only since 2004. (That’s when the Hokies joined.) If you count his time at Boston College, O’Brien has been the head coach at an ACC school since 2005. (He worked at BC when the Eagles moved from the Big East.) And Jim Grobe has been in place — at both Wake Forest and in the ACC — since 20o1. So he’s the dean, I guess.
Oh, one thing more: Even the unshakable Beamer had a tough offseason. It has been revealed that he invested with alleged Ponzi schemer Jim Donnan, who played at — wouldn’t you know? — N.C. State. (Though Beamer says he didn’t lose any money.)
And this, too: Carolina AD Dick Baddour announced today he’s stepping down.
By Mark Bradley
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163 comments Add your comment
bro
July 28th, 2011
1:10 pm
TRADE THE HEAD COACH-TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF- BEFORE THE INVESTIGATION UNCOVERS THE REAL BAD GUY AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL AT UNC.
tom
July 28th, 2011
1:10 pm
ajc news. does the a stand for asinine
ToccoaDawg
July 28th, 2011
1:12 pm
Another Juvenile Communist
Burdell
July 28th, 2011
1:14 pm
ToccoaDawg…we are 7-2 against UNC in our last nine games against them. Probably better than that but ESPN only has schedules going back to 2002. Nice try though.
Chris
July 28th, 2011
1:17 pm
Why omit where Donnan coached and not played? Seems that would be an important topic considering he was likely starting his ponzi while a coach at the aforementioned school. Let’s look at the sec. Gators coach quits. Then comes back and quits again. Tenn fires Fulmer, hires Kiffin who bolts after a year. Saban leaves lsu, goes to the nfl, and now back to the sec. Arky fires it’s coach and then hires the joke petrino who deserted the falcons. Aubbie fires tubs and bring in chizik. And then there’s the ky firing and ole miss hiring the ex coach at ark. So come on Bradley. The sec has more weird things going on than the acc. It’s actually not even close. And add in richt on the “hot seat” Lose the first two, and he’s done unless he finishes 9-3, which ain’t happening under that scenario.
Chris
July 28th, 2011
1:18 pm
Oh and didn’t sylvester get canned at miss st? Keep it real Bradley. This article is awfully much ado about nothing.
ormewood
July 28th, 2011
1:21 pm
The ACC has been a mediocre football conference for a long time, yet they continue to crank out NFL talent. I think 15 of the first 60 picks were from the ACC, more than even from the SEC. I think you have to blame the coaching.
Oh and the turnover is not limited to football. In hoops, seven of the 12 coaches have turned in just the last 18 months.
Atlanta87
July 28th, 2011
1:21 pm
Once again ToccoaDawg shows how stupid UGA fans are when it comes to football and anything in general. GT beat UNC @ UNC last year 30-24. One of their 6 wins, which I believe tied UGA if I’m not mistakn.
Atlanta87
July 28th, 2011
1:22 pm
Testing
amau2009
July 28th, 2011
1:23 pm
Once again ToccoaDawg shows how stupid Dog Fans are when it comes to football and anything in general. Tech beat UNC @ UNC last year 30-24. It was one of their 6 wins, which tied how many UGA had if I am not mistaken.
GT 88
July 28th, 2011
1:23 pm
I would say A for academics
Atlanta87
July 28th, 2011
1:24 pm
Does the M in Mark stand for Moron?!?!?!
T3
July 28th, 2011
1:27 pm
Kentucky has super-whore John Calipari.
AJ
July 28th, 2011
1:29 pm
mark must have been given the job to bash the acc this year and pump up richt and the sec. it will be funny in 45 days to see him making excuses for the 0-2 start
boise 27 ga 21
sc 30 ga 18
RedandBlackDAWG
July 28th, 2011
1:35 pm
UNC made the conference look bad for having waiting so long to fire their head coach since they probably knew a while back that was what they were going to do. Now their AD has resigned so you have to wonder whats going on up there. Tech. does itself no good, by complaining and filing an appeal with their latest NCAA probation and then suspending a coach for one game for having illegal contact with recruits. Doesn’t help out the appeal.
All conferences have a pretty good sized turn over of head coaches, because at the salary they get paid at, the demands for a great season are always expected. The ACC, SEC, Big Ten, all have had a fair amount of coaching changes either because the coach left, was fired or retired. Some coaches are even forced to resign because they violated rules.
What makes all the difference in the world is if the Administrators use a little common sense in letting a coach go. Less than six weeks before you play your first game, as in UNC’s case, is a pretty stupid thing to do. They will have a hard time getting ready for the season, and they have probably severely hindered the recruiting efforts for 2012. If the NCAA doesn’t blame a whole lot on the coach, it appears that the school, didn’t use a lot of common sense and simply sacrificed this season. I wonder if this will also make it that hard to get a new coach, with a good reputation, after he sees the situation they have put themselves in.
One thing that needs to be dropped is to consider a schools academic standing when talking football. Do you really think 90% of these players are hoping to leave school as a Rhodes Scholar,or are most of them likely there because of their football talents? Being a math or engineering major doesn’t make you a better athlete on the field of football.
T3
July 28th, 2011
1:35 pm
Bradley:
I hope you’lll explain why your article about the topic of ACC conference management
chosen to use a picture of Paul Johnson.
Why not John Swofford?
RedandBlackDAWG
July 28th, 2011
1:37 pm
T3,
His picture was easier to get.
T3
July 28th, 2011
1:38 pm
S – Signing
E – Everyone for
C – Cash
T3
July 28th, 2011
1:39 pm
redandblackdoofus
You’re not THAT stupid enough to REALLY believe that, are you ?
T3
July 28th, 2011
1:41 pm
Bradley just pissed at GT because Bradley
is now “Persona Non Grata” at the Edge.
Arent cha Bradley ??
Atlanta87
July 28th, 2011
1:42 pm
The B must mean Butt head
Skeezix
July 28th, 2011
1:53 pm
Can’t understand why UNC waited so long to fire Butch Davis. It wasn’t just agent contacts and money/favors to players, etc– as there also was serious academic fraud committed by many of the UNC footballers. The “tutor” who was helping the “student” athletes cheat was even employed by the Davis family. The assistant coach who generated the agent contacts had a questionable past and was hired by Butch. And these are facts—i.e., they aren’t just allegations and haven’t been for a very long time. After seeing what happened to Ga. Tech (for less offenses), I think the dunces over Butch have just figured out how hard UNC is going to get hit by the NCAA. The NCAA needs to crack down very hard on all the cheaters.
Paul in RDU
July 28th, 2011
1:55 pm
GT is 11-2 against UNC since Mack Brown left.
Paul in RDU
July 28th, 2011
1:57 pm
I agree that it is strange how long UNC waited to fire Davis. It is probably not a coincidence that he was fired on the same day that the UNC Board of Trustees elected a new Chairman.
Alabama Jack
July 28th, 2011
1:58 pm
Too bad we can’t have that kind of turnover in the AJC sports department. Might eventually get some sports writers,
T3
July 28th, 2011
1:59 pm
BamaJack:
Now THAT…was funny !!
Paul in RDU
July 28th, 2011
2:01 pm
Davis was fired on the same day that the UNC Board of Trustees elected a new Chairman and 2 new members. Probably not a coincidence
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/4652/68/
5150 UOAD
July 28th, 2011
2:07 pm
Mike leach has a better shot at UNC than CPJ.
stinger2
July 28th, 2011
2:07 pm
Bradley: Your recent columns indicate you can find nothing positive or good to write about no matter what topic you choose. Enough bashing and negative stuff for a while. Write what you choose but make it positive for a change.
T3
July 28th, 2011
2:10 pm
With UNC dealing with big issue:
my forcast of GT going 10-2 just got stronger.
1. (W) Western Carolina
2. (W) @ Middle Tennessee
3. (W) Kansas
4. (W) UNC: Its-in-the-bag now (Thanks Butch)
5. (W/L) @ NCState
6. (W) Maryland
7. (W) @ UVA
8. (L) @ Miami
9. (W) Clemson
10. (W) VT
(Note: Chuck Oliver will look like a
“Kang” size A-hole for predicting VT will crush GT.
GT will BLAST VT: 49-24)
(Famous Kang quote: “GT cant block Auburn.”
2003: GT:17 Auburn:3
2005: GT: 23 Auburn:14
Kang = FAIL !!)
11 (W) @ Duke
12 (W) UGA (Will another loss in 2011 to GT cost Richt his job?)
DawginLex
July 28th, 2011
2:10 pm
UNC is waiting for the hammer to drop and struck a premptive strike.
T3,
You don’t know John Calipari. He was told by the NCAA that a player was completely eligible to play and was cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse. Any coach in America would have played him based on the information received. Your own school is now a victim of the NCAA and its warped antics. I have met him, his wife and children. They are all very nice people and he is trying to raise a family just like most folks are.
Kentucky is lucky to have him and he is perfect for this pressure cooker of a job because he understands, if you can’t win at Kentucky, you can’t win anywhere. Haven’t seen anyone trying to take the UK Final Four away. Truth is, your own coach Hewitt has done more wrong than Calipari.
5150 UOAD
July 28th, 2011
2:16 pm
DILex that is the truth. the Academic cheating was really what pizzed UNC off. I believe.
Mike BOBO for the new coach at UNC.
BOBO is an Offensive Genius. Maybe he can hire Pat Nix as his OC.
Ryan GA
July 28th, 2011
2:17 pm
Yeha right dawg in lex. Anyone and everyone knows John C is a shady coach. When you have shady events at every school you go to, it’s not a coincidence.
DawginLex
July 28th, 2011
2:18 pm
Ryan
Ignoring facts and basing your beliefs on an organization as idiotic as the NCAA borders on stupidity.
Gillislee
July 28th, 2011
2:20 pm
It’s the WeakCC actually
Ryan GA
July 28th, 2011
2:23 pm
I rest my case
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&xhr=t&q=john+calipari+shady&cp=19&pf=p&sclient=psy&site=&source=hp&aq=0v&aqi=g-v3&aql=&oq=john+calipari+shady&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=379f8f2fda529b02&biw=1366&bih=499
GT
July 28th, 2011
2:24 pm
The ACC is second best. They sit and watch recruits be taken from their areas for the SEC and other leagues. Yesterday with Miami and FSU, a strong Tech, Clemson and Va. Tech, UNC and Maryland making progress, the ACC was a player. Then they went straight with running their programs, just like the book says. The reward is second best, very little attention from the national press except to underline how weak they are, to the point of over stating it, and loss revenues. They are the only clothed bodies on the beach. Now they take their clothes off and the police go right by the tanned bodies to get to the white pasty ACC ones. Maybe just maybe someone does not want to see the ACC wake up again.
Peter
July 28th, 2011
2:24 pm
Wasn’t weak last year
UNC > Tenn
Fsu > SC
And clemson on the road came the closest of any team to beating auburn.
Big A
July 28th, 2011
2:35 pm
All this sports talk will be moot in a year when the economy is even worse, our credit rating gets downgraded(soon) and unemployment goes to 12%
Tallest midget
July 28th, 2011
2:41 pm
ACC and Big east neck and Neck for the worst BCS college football has to offer. Should be replaced by the MWC.
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
July 28th, 2011
2:42 pm
Wow…Butch Davis put NC right up there (or down there) with “thug u” and “free shoe u”.
Petty funny…{”:}
Gator Mike
July 28th, 2011
2:43 pm
It will be great for all of us and all of our teams when the games begin in September. At that time, it will be fun once again.
Wolfman
July 28th, 2011
2:44 pm
Somehow you failed to mention that Jim Donnan is an ex-UGA coach… Talk about a crook!
BigTimeTechFan
July 28th, 2011
2:48 pm
Oh and Papa Joe’s comment today hit Mark exactly where it hurts.
When ask what is the key to being a head coach a one university for so long is:
His response was “There is less of you guys around Penn St”, meaning the press. Joe Paterno just called Mark out for articles just like this.
Born2Buzz
July 28th, 2011
2:48 pm
Big A, the sports talk will be all we can do to keep our mind off the economy. Why do you think the NFL is still making $12B in revenue in a down economy.
5150, your last comment made me laugh. Thanks.
T3
July 28th, 2011
2:49 pm
OK dawginlex:
Since you seem to want to “defend” Calipari:
This, straight from his wiki page:
“…the only head coach to have a Final Four appearance vacated at more than one school.”
I guessed you CONVENIENTLY left out the cluster-pille he left at UMass.
SEC R
July 28th, 2011
2:52 pm
ACC coaches–most of them are cheating but they still aren’t any good. What gives???
Beast from the East
July 28th, 2011
2:58 pm
Mark,
The “A” stands for arrogant.
And it’s starting to cost them with the NCAA.
juvenal
July 28th, 2011
3:07 pm
oh for the days sports reporters reported sports…..got lots of E$PN $ for basketball……
ACC
July 28th, 2011
3:12 pm
Well, if we are discussing coaching moves, let’s examine a little further. Saban, Meyer, or Lane Kiffen QUIT their respective head coaching positions for other schools (except for Meyer). And he’ll probably end up at Ohio State or Penn State w/in the next 1-2 years anyway. SEC fans are delusional and head coaches cannot stand the pressure too long before they give up and walk away.