It was obvious that Muschamp would get another HC gig relatively soon. At most I think he wouldve stayed at Auburn 1 more year. Hopefully he learned from his mistakes in Florida and will actually think about the offense this time around. Richt to Miami is huge for them. He is going to recruit the hell out of Florida. The guy could never seem to get over the championship hump, but damn did they recruit well.
Arizona State OC <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Source: Mike Norvell will be the next coach at Memphis.</p>— Pete Thamel (@SIPeteThamel) <a href="https://twitter.com/SIPeteThamel/status/672574423828996096">December 4, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Missouri DC Barry Odom is new head coach at Missouri, sources told <a href="https://twitter.com/espn">@ESPN</a></p>— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/McMurphyESPN/status/672597366818676736">December 4, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Interestingly, if Odom somehow wasn't in the running for the Missouri opening, he was probably going to end up right in the middle of the search at Memphis. He was an assistant there under Fuente from 2012-2014.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">East Carolina announces Ruffin McNeill relieved of duties</p>— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) <a href="https://twitter.com/schadjoe/status/672810682375630849">December 4, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Updated as of 12/4: Georgia - Kirby Smart USC - Clay Helton Virginia Tech - Justin Fuente Miami - Mark Richt South Carolina - Missouri - Barry Odom Maryland - DJ Durkin Virginia - Memphis - Mike Norvell Central Florida - Scott Frost Minnesota - Tracy Claeys Iowa State- Matt Campbell Toledo - Jason Candle Illinois - Bill Cubit Hawaii - Nick Rolovich Syracuse - North Texas - Tulane - LA Monroe -
I'm usually not one for over-the-top instant analysis on stuff like this, but unless there's something going on behind the scenes that we don't know about, this is a dumb move. ECU won ten games just two years ago, sandwiched in between two eight-win seasons. Heck, this year they went 5-7 in what turned out to be a pretty AAC, so it's not like they completely fell off the map and went 2-10 or anything. To me, this is one of those clear cases (such as when FIU fired Mario Cristobal a few years back) of a program getting bored with their current level of success, thinking that those successes are the new baseline, and then assuming that they can find someone better who can take them to the next level. This is East Carolina, not the University of Georgia. ECU might also have torpedoed their efforts to find the next head coach by firing McNeill so abruptly because of how popular McNeill is around the country and with the people he has worked with. In particular, Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma's OC, is an obvious name for this opening as a former ECU OC under McNeill, but Bruce Feldman mentioned on Twitter that he doesn't even think Riley would take ECU's call because of how closer he is with Ruffin McNeill.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall will be Virginia's new coach per source.</p>— Thayer Evans (@ThayerEvansSI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThayerEvansSI/status/672903100890411008">December 4, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">North Carolina OC Seth Littrell will be named coach at North Texas, sources told <a href="https://twitter.com/espn">@ESPN</a></p>— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/McMurphyESPN/status/673138702172975104">December 5, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Syracuse will reportedly hire Bowling Green coach Dino Babers Rutgers will reportedly hire Ohio State DC Chris Ash
I'm surprised that Maryland didn't make more of a run at Dino Babers. Bruce Feldman brought it up on his podcast the other day, and I couldn't agree more. If Maryland wants to fancy itself as the Oregon of the east thanks to their partnership with Under Armour and an exciting brand of football, putting an Art Briles disciple who runs that type of offense in place wouldn't be a bad way to do that. As it is, I think it's a great hire for Syracuse. Babers's offense will stand out there and set them apart from what is largely a staid conference as far as offensive football goes, save for Clemson and Georgia Tech, given that the old-school triple option has become "exotic" these days. It also helps that they play indoors. Running that type of offense is much easier to do on turf in a climate-controlled environment.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">North Carolina and Larry Fedora have agreed to a new 7-year deal to keep him at UNC, according to a source. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ACCFCG?src=hash">#ACCFCG</a></p>— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) <a href="https://twitter.com/schadjoe/status/673216871752212480">December 5, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WIllie Taggart, who interviewed at South Carolina, reached agreement in principle w/USF for 5-year deal thru 2020 season, source told <a href="https://twitter.com/espn">@ESPN</a></p>— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/McMurphyESPN/status/673250689871577088">December 5, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Great news! <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachRodAZ">@CoachRodAZ</a> did not commit to the offer from S. Carolina. He's an Arizona Wildcat. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BearDown?src=hash">#BearDown</a></p>— Greg Byrne (@Greg_Byrne) <a href="https://twitter.com/Greg_Byrne/status/673351576975572993">December 6, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
How did he get a HC job again so quickly? He wasn't terrible where he doesn't "deserve" a second chance but wasn't great(or even good...meh) where he's only one year removed to get another HC job. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Source says a deal for Muschamp to SC is "all but done." <a href="https://t.co/DJVnfKfEkp">https://t.co/DJVnfKfEkp</a></p>— Pete Thamel (@SIPeteThamel) <a href="https://twitter.com/SIPeteThamel/status/673373339826716672">December 6, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
From what I've understood: -They wanted Dantonio (who is a SCe alum) but he said no. -Smart was their next choice, he went to Georgia -Herman was their third choice, he stayed at Houston -They interviewed Taggert and he signed an extension with USF -They offered the job to Rich Rod, he turned it down to stay in Arizona -So they just said **** it and hired Muschamp Strange hire for sure. Muschamp was unable to win in Florida which was loaded with talent. Winning in South Carolina would be tougher. I guess they figured he is a guy who has proven to recruit the region well. He was forced to have Charlie Weis running his offense in Florida which was a bad situation. And that he could maybe succeed.
The last part is key. Muschamp can clearly recruit and he has an eye for talent, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Lack of offense was his undoing at Florida, though, so his coordinator hire on that side of the ball is going to be important. Charlie Weis's one year under Muschamp didn't inspire confidence, and after he bolted for Kansas, things got worse under Brent Pease. Desperation is clearly setting in for teams as well, as another poster mentioned. All of the hot names that were bandied about at the start of the coaching carousel have either already taken other jobs or re-committed to their current school. It was inevitable that some relatively big program was going to get left out in the cold, and it looks like it was South Carolina.
I think this will be the key for any DC getting the nod. Muschamp trying to install a pro style system with Urbans kids was never going to work. Even if he had more time to bring in his own recruits, Florida kids, much like Texas, are all raised on the spread making the adjustment to college that more difficult if you want to run something else. Seems like Strong has learned (hopefully) going into year 3 so we'll see if Muschamp has as well. One thing Smart has going for him is a talented roster of kids better suited for the offense he probably wants to run.
I think people overrate South Carolina's appeal. Before Steve Spurrier (and even for much of his time there), they were a crap program. Lou Holtz was there for 6 years and won 8+ games twice. Spurrier was there for 11 years and only really had a 3 year run where they were in any kind of national discussion. They never made a BCS Bowl or played in an SEC Title Game despite being in the much weaker SEC East and they never lost less than 2 conference games. South Carolina is basically a random mid-tier gig that had a short run of success due to a genius coach.
