* It’s that time of year in college football: coaching changes and bowl bids.
As for the former, imagine–for now–Gainesville, Tallahassee and Orlando impacted in the same year. And what a contrast between FSU and UCF. Jimbo Fisher is going to Texas A&M for more money and less prestige. His grumpy exit, which did not include coaching FSU’s last regular season game, was less than classy.
Scott Frost leaving UCF for Nebraska is understandable. He grew up there, went to high school there and quarterbacked the Huskers to a national championship in 1997. Plus, he handled the awkward situation with his players, president and media with class while leading his team to an undefeated season and a major bowl bid. In two years, UCF went from 0-12 to 12-0. UCF is as grateful as it is disappointed.
* The final College Football Playoff rankings have UCF at 12. The 11 teams ranked higher include five two-loss teams and one (Auburn) three-loss team. The Knights deserve better.
* We’re reminded again that there are too many (38) bowls and, thus, too many (76) participants who shouldn’t be rewarded for lackluster seasons. FSU, for example. The 6-6 Seminoles have to beat Southern Mississippi in Shreveport, Louisiana’s Independence Bowl to avoid a losing season. Ridiculous.
* We know Oregon’s Willie Taggart, formerly of Western Kentucky and USF, is still a hot commodity. He has a track record of turning around programs. At USF, the Bulls went 8-5 and 10-2 in his last two seasons. Only one anomaly. Has there ever been a hot commodity coach with a losing record? Overall, he’s 47-50, including 24-25 at USF.
* Whenever prominent college coaches get fired, there’s often an issue about a “buy out” clause and whether somebody was fired for “cause.” Let’s get real, at the highest level, college coaching–reflected in often obscene salaries–is all about winning and its economic ripple effects. Coaches are bought to win. Shouldn’t not winning enough be sufficient “cause” for firing?