One year in the PAC-12, how did it feel?

[leftybuff]

My point is not every coach is deserving of getting the time to build a program as Mac was. This is how we got stuck with Hawkins for five years.

We got stuck with the pigeon for the fifth year because of a lack of leadersship. Nothing more, nothing less.

I believe in the five year rule for HC's. But like every rule, it has exceptions. In D II's case, EVERYONE, expected the Boise moron to be given his walking papers after year four based on an utter lack of improvement and a failure to succeed on very nearly every level (he did succeed in getting his boy on the field). There were three who, for whatever reason, could not grasp the concept. They were MB, Dr. Phil and Benson.

Embo had the team playing better by the end of the season. I expect an upward trend. If that continues he will be safe. I happen to think he is a good pick based on what I have seen so far.

 

[leftybuff]

I think of the Big 12 as Peg Bundy. The Big 12 had a similar effect on CU as Peg had on Al's life.

Big hair, big trailer...a very good simile 'nik.

 

[sackman]

You could safely say the Big 12 lost 4 of their Top 6 ot 7 teams...that is a big hit for any conference.

Although they would never admit it, you're absolutely correct in this. In the history of the Big 12, only 6 teams ever won a football conference championship. Three of those teams are now gone. But, they reap what they sow. UT and to a lesser extent OU wanted the power in the South. Well, they have it. They probably don't realize that THEY are the reason the conference broke up the way it did.

 

[MtnBuff]

We got stuck with the pigeon for the fifth year because of a lack of leadersship. Nothing more, nothing less.

I believe in the five year rule for HC's. But like every rule, it has exceptions. In D II's case, EVERYONE, expected the Boise moron to be given his walking papers after year four based on an utter lack of improvement and a failure to succeed on very nearly every level (he did succeed in getting his boy on the field). There were three who, for whatever reason, could not grasp the concept. They were MB, Dr. Phil and Benson.

Embo had the team playing better by the end of the season. I expect an upward trend. If that continues he will be safe. I happen to think he is a good pick based on what I have seen so far.

I believe in the 5 year rule as well. The exception is that at the ends of years 3 and 4 there has to be clear signs of progress. Is the talent getting better, is the team building an identity, is the team demonstrating areas of domination on the field?

With Hawkins all of these answers were no. The talent was declining due to so many top recruits either not qualifying or not staying with the program. The offense was changing every year but getting worse not better with each change, the team was losing it's identity and the loser attitude was settling in, and you couldn't identify one thing that the team did noticably well.

In hindsight Hawkins should have been fired after year 3 but it was clear by the middle of year 4. His extra year can be chalked up to politics and money. CU had recently fired Barnett and the $3 million he got was still fresh in the publics mind. Even though the AD budget is completely independent from state and school funding paying another coach in excess of $3 million was a political football that Bensen didn't want to have to deal with in an election year.

Keeping him the extra year probably set us back by more than 2 years but from a political standpoint I can understand the reasoning behind it.

 

[Dark Bohner]

Although they would never admit it, you're absolutely correct in this. In the history of the Big 12, only 6 teams ever won a football conference championship. Three of those teams are now gone. But, they reap what they sow. UT and to a lesser extent OU wanted the power in the South. Well, they have it. They probably don't realize that THEY are the reason the conference broke up the way it did.

Agreed, and the 4th team that left played in multiple conference championships. Outside of OU, Texas, and KSU none of the remaining teams ever even played in the CCG.