Hey All,
It is that time year again! Summer is in full swing, tans are coming along in the bright sun. However, many a young man is involved in those last summer workouts before football camps start in earnest around the land. Many will be playing for new HCs. So, let's take a look at who went where with another trip on the ol' coaching carousel. We still miss you, Alan Malamud.
USC
OUT: Clay Helton (I have been waiting years to put OUT next to his name!)
IN: Lincoln Riley
Clay Helton spent 13 years at USC. The last seven plus of which he oversaw Trojan football's slide into mediocrity. Helton was enabled to do this by a series of ADs, Trustees and a past USC president who truly were a confederacy of dunces. The Helton era all came to a crashing halt last September 11th when the Trojans were obliterated at the Coliseum by Stanford, 42-28. The loss was bad, but the crowd, what little of it there was, had finally had enough. "Fire Helton" chants rose from vast corners of the Coliseum while students and other fans got into verbal clashes with the players on the sideline. Objects were thrown from the stands too. To use the much overused trigger word of the last decade or so, the environment had become toxic at the Old Gray Lady. About 48 hours after the game Helton was fired. Relief spread throughout the Trojan Family. Everyone knew that the season was now an exercise in futility, but Helton's ouster also brought a little hope that a better coach would be hired. Nobody expected what came next. In a span of about 12 hours after Oklahoma was beaten by Oklahoma State last November 27th to claim a berth in the Big XII title game, USC AD Mike Bohn, his top assistant Brandon Sosna and a select few others made an exhaustive late-night pitch to Lincoln Riley. Riley was blown away and accepted the job. He was vetted by the USC legal department and the deal was done early on Sunday morning, the 28th. Riley was announced as the next HC of the Trojans on Sunday night, less than 24 hours after he coached his last game for the Sooners. The news of the hire rocked the college football world, especially at OU where their anger and shock will last until the next millennium. Riley then kept the shockwaves coming bringing almost his whole staff from OU to SC and several players including his QB, Caleb Williams. USC has done a full 180 in the days since Helton was fired. Now, the expectations and the hype for USC this year are off the charts. I now give this little piece of advice to myself and everyone else that bleeds Cardinal & Gold. SC will be better, a lot better, but that doesn't mean greatness will come right away. Savor the journey. This team needs time to gel. Some ugly wins and bad losses will occur. Just be grateful that much better days are ahead.
Akron
OUT: Tom Arth
IN: Joe Moorhead
Tom Arth was just who Akron wanted. He was that sturdy son of Ohio who was supposed to lead the Zips out of mediocrity. Unfortunately, he did just that. He led them out of mediocrity and straight into the dumpster. Arth's Zips went just 3-24 and he was fired nine games into the 2021 season. Akron then had a pretty good coach fall into their lap. Joe Morehead had coached at Akron before from 2004-2010. Then his career really took off as he was the OC/QB coach for James Franklin at Penn State. Moorhead was a hot commodity and became the HC the Mississippi State. After two pedestrian seasons in Starkville, he was canned and then became Mario Cristobal's OC at Oregon for the past two years. When Moorhead didn't follow Cristobal to Miami, Akron took a shot at getting the now seven figure coach to come back for short pay. Surprisingly, he accepted the Zips offer. Moorhead will now be closer to his family and his son, Mason who is an OT for Grove City college which is about 80 miles from Akron.
Alabama-Birmingham
OUT: Bill Clark
IN: Bryan Vincent
This coaching change happened just about a month ago when Clark stepped down due to medical reasons. In his statement on the matter, Clark said that longstanding back issues have forced him to step away, "I have reached this difficult decision after consultation with a number of world-class medical experts and much family discussion, reflection and prayer." OC Bryan Vincent was named the interim HC and will lead the Blazers this season. Vincent was a successful prep HC leading both Greenville High and Spanish Fort High to Alabama state titles. Vincent's offense has broken many records at UAB and with just a little defense, the Blazers will be a tough opponent.
Colorado State
OUT: Steve Addazio
IN: Jay Norvell
Addazio's Todd Graham-like personality and 44-44 record got him fired from Boston College in 2019. Then, he ended up with the CSU job thanks in part to a recommendation from his buddy, Urban Meyer. Now, we all know that maybe folks shouldn't be listening much to Urban Meyer, but the Rams did and immediately regretted it. Addazio went 4-12 over two seasons and he was sent packing by the CSU admin. The Rams then threw some money at Nevada HC Jay Norvell and he took it. While this move may look like lateral move for Norvell in the Mountain West Conference, CSU has a new stadium, new football facilities and the cash to compete for league titles with the right coach. Jay Norvell could be that coach.
Connecticut
OUT: Randy Edsall
IN: Jim Mora
Randy Edsall proved that you can't go home again. Edsall first led the Huskies from 1999-2010. He shepherded the program from the FCS level to the FBS. Back in the old Big East Conference, Edsall led the Huskies to respectability, then bolted for seemingly greener pastures at Maryland. He compiled a dismal 10-24 record with the Terrapins which included the rare feat of last place finishes in both the ACC Atlantic and the Big Ten East. After being fired in the middle of the 2015 season by the Terps, Edsall returned to UConn in 2017 and it was a disaster. The Huskies went 6-22 in his second stint in Storrs. Edsall was let go two games into the 2021 season. His replacement is Jim Mora. Yes, that Jim Mora, the man who preceded Chip Kelly at UCLA and also was the HC at Washington. Mora is a competent HC, but man you really have to want to get back on the field to take the UConn job. UConn is a football graveyard. If Mora goes .500 there it will be a miracle.
Duke
OUT: David Cutcliffe
IN: Mike Elko
David Cutcliffe spent 14 years as the HC at Duke. During that time he took the traditionally moribund program and guided the Blue Devils to six bowl games and their first bowl win since 1961, when they beat Arizona State, 36-31 in the 2014 Sun Bowl. However the last three seasons saw the program regress badly including last year's squad that went 0-8 in ACC play. Cutcliffe and the Duke admin agreed it was time to move on from each other. In comes Mike Elko who has risen in the coaching ranks as the DC at Wake Forest, Notre Dame and Texas A&M. Elko has great knowledge of the ACC and he knows what football at a school with high academics is like as he played Safety at Penn from 1995-98. If he just does what Cutcliffe was able to do early on, he might have a long run in Durham.
Florida
OUT: Dan Mullen
IN: Billy Napier
Dan Mullen's personality and coaching tenure had a shelf life at UF and the expiration date was in 2021 when he ran out of predecessor Jim McIlwaine's recruits. Mullen couldn't pull in the talent and the Gators went downhill. Giving up 52 points to FCS also ran Samford combined with UF's first loss at Kentucky since 1986 and an embarrassing 24-23 OT loss to SEC tail-ender Mizzou were enough send Mullen packing. UF then tabbed Billy Napier as their next HC. Napier comes form Louisiana, the school formerly known as Louisiana-Lafayete where he was 39-12 in four years and led the Ragin' Cajuns to their first ever AP top 25 finish. After the last two crazy UF HC's Napier is being brought in to "stabilize" the program. The hope is that he can win while stabilizing the program. Just ask USC how fans "stabilizing" HCs work out.
Florida International
OUT: Butch Davis
IN: Mike MacIntyre
FIU is just one of those programs that is career-ender for coaches. Even for the already disgraced ones. Butch Davis took over the program in 2017 after being fired amid sanctions and scandals at North Carolina back in 2010. The Panthers only went 24-32 in Davis' five years at the helm. Davis maintained that the school admin had sabotaged his final season. When you consider that FIU posted online for a new HC in the middle of the 2021 season, I tend to believe him. Anyway, Davis is gone form University Park and in comes Mike MacIntyre. MacIntyre has a proven track record of reviving down programs as he did with San Jose State and Colorado. Seriously, he got Colorado to the Pac 12 title game and the Buffaloes hadn't been remotely successful since Arsenio Hall had a talk show. The guy does more with less and should be successful at FIU.
Fresno State
OUT: Kalen DeBoer
IN: Jeff Tedford
Kalen DeBoer took over as the HC at Fresno State in 2020 after Jeff Tedford left the job for health reasons. After two seasons that produced a 12-6 record that included a win at the Rose Bowl over UCLA DeBoer fled the Central Valley for Seattle and the HC job at Washington. That left the door open for a now healthy again Jeff Tedford to return to the Fresno State sidelines. Tedford is beloved in Fresno and will most likely ride this job into retirement. Tedford is no dummy. He comes back to a team he knows has MWC Championship aspirations. Those are solid aspirations that come along with 15 returning starters including QB Jake Heaner.
Georgia Southern
OUT: Chad Lunsford
IN: Clay Helton (Facepalm)
Chad Lunsford was named the HC at GSU during the 2017 season where he took over first as the interim HC after Tyson Summers was canned. Lunsford had the program spiraling downward and he too was fired in midseason after his Eagles started off 1-3 last year. So, who was tabbed to step in and turn around GSU with great leadership and football acumen? Clay Helton, (insert laughter and derision here). Yeah, that Clay Helton that made everyone think that maybe Paul Hackett wasn't so bad at USC. The Clay Helton that thought Laser Tag and Ice Cream breaks in fall camp were the way to prepare for the season. The Clay Helton that thanked every team he lost to for showing up and kicking his ass. The Clay Helton that talked about how his players all "fought like warriors," every game and never made a single halftime adjustment. Who after every loss couldn't tell you what happened until "He saw thew tape." He's your problem now, GSU.
Hawaii
OUT: Todd Graham
IN: Timmy Chang
The fact that Todd Graham doesn't treat his players well has been well documented, from when he broke up with his Pitt Panther squad via text telling them that he is taking the Arizona State HC job. After being just mediocre in Tempe, Graham moved on to Hawaii where accusations of verbal abuse by multiple players led to his "resignation" from the program last season. The next HC of the Warriors is a genuine Hawaii football hero, Timmy Chang. A prep legend at The St. Louis School, he went to Hawaii where he was a record-shattering QB for June Jones in the run-and-shoot offense. After a few years bouncing around from NFL Europe, the CFL and the NFL, Chang entered the coaching ranks. He started out as a GA at SMU for his former HC at Hawaii. The last five years saw Chang coach various offensive positions at Nevada. This will be Chang's first ever HC gig at any level. The Hawaii braintrust is hoping his hero status will help ease the time it will take to make Hawaii relevant again in the Mountain West Conference.
Louisiana
OUT: Billy Napier
IN: Michael Desormeaux
With Billy Napier gone off to the SEC, the Ragin' Cajuns promoted form within to fill the void left in his abscence. Former UL QB and Co-OC on Napier's staff, Michael Desormeaux was tabbed to lead the program. Desormeaux's only HC experience on his limited resume is a three season stint as the leader of Ascension Episcopal School in Lafayette, LA. He won 24 games there and got his squad deep into the state playoffs. However, his only college experience is at Louisiana where he rose form RB coach to Co-OC in six seasons. Then pressure is on for the 36-year old Desormeaux to build on Napier's 34 wins over the last three seasons.
LSU
OUT: Ed Orgeron
IN: Brian Kelly
The amazing story that is the life of Ed Orgeron went from an incredible high to incredible low in a very short time. Coach O took over for Les Miles at LSU and in three seasons won a national title with a team that should go down as one for the greatest college teams to ever hit the field. Then, due to his hubris and abrupt nature, he and the program went downhill in two seasons which led to his ouster last year. Into the breach steps Brian Kelly who dropped Notre Dame like a hot rock for the SEC. Kelly showed up with a fake southern accent and a pen to sign a contract that gives his family generational money. Kelly's main lament in South Bend was how the ND admin wouldn't take the last step needed to win it all. He has now gotten his wish. He's at a school that has given him the resources to win it all. Can he do it? One also has to wonder if he can handle the rabid LSU media circus and fanbase. They make the Chicago press, Domers and the Subway Alumni look like a quiet bridge club. Good luck, Brian.
Louisiana Tech
OUT: Skip Holtz
IN: Sonny Cumbie
Sometimes, a firing is just needed. Skip Holtz was let go after going 64-50 over nine seasons in Ruston. He did lead the Bulldogs to three nine-win seasons and the school's only 10-win season. However, it seemed that Holtz just couldn't get the Bulldogs to take that next step towards being a perennial power in C-USA. Cumbie comes to LA-Tech from his Alma Mater of Texas Tech where he not only played QB there, he also had two coaching stints in Lubbock as well as the OC/QB coach. It is hoped that Cumbie will install an up tempo offense capable of shorting out a few scoreboards. Cumbie has never been a HC but he did coach under Kliff Kingsbury and Gary Patterson. Maybe they mentored him well for this job. Time will tell.
Massachusetts
OUT: Walt Bell
IN: Don Brown
If you've only been slightly aware of college football over the past number of years, you have read at least once about just how bad the Umass Minutemen are. Ever since they made the move to the FBS back in 2012 they have been awful to stay the least. Even Mark Whipple, who guided Umass to an FCS national title way back when couldn't get many W's on the FBS level. Then came Walt Bell who went 2-19 as the HC before being relieved of his coaching duties in the middle of last season. Now, the Minutemen look to another former coach to reverse their fortunes. 66-year old Don Brown spent last year as the DC at Arizona, but he has spent the vast majority of his coaching days in the northeast. Brown was born in Spencer, MA and played his college ball as a fullback at Norwich College. His college coaching career has seen stops at Dartmouth, Yale, Plymouth, Brown, UMass, Northeastern, Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan and Boston College. He always been a DC and has never been a HC anywhere. Looks to me like this is Don Brown's sunset gig. We will see if he grabs some wins for this lackluster program.
Miami
OUT: Manny Diaz
IN: Mario Cristobal
Mario Cristobal possibly leaving Nike U and all of Uncle Phil's money behind was one of the worst kept secrets in college football last year. As soon as Manny Diaz first started to feel the flames of the coaching hot seat, Cristobal's bags were packed for Coral Gables. Diaz's Miami squads went a dull 21-15 in his three seasons which made it very easy to bring the former Miami star player back to his alma mater. Cristobal is a relentless recruiter and should raise the talent level of the Hurricanes quickly. Also, with Clemson seeming to regress a bit, Miami could make a strong run sooner than later for the ACC title.
New Mexico State
OUT: Doug Martin
IN: Jerry Kill
New Mexico State is a football wasteland. It has been for some time and it claimed another coaching victim last November. Doug Martin led the Aggies to their first bowl win in 60 years when his squad beat Utah State, 26-20 in the 2017 Arizona Bowl. Martin also compiled a 25-74 record over nine seasons in Las Cruces. He was let go at the end of the 2021 season. The Aggies then gave Jerry Kill another chance to run a program. Kill is a football lifer that had a pretty good run at Minnesota before P.J. Fleck figured out which way to row the boat. The red flag with Kill is his health. Seizures off the field and during games knocked Kill out of the Golden Gophers job and he just recently had a bout of kidney cancer. The path is always uphill for any NMSU HC, but it is a lot harder for someone in Kill's position. The NMSU admin are hoping the wins and the health of Kill will be on the upswing in the coming years.
Nevada
OUT: Jay Norvell
IN: Ken Wilson
After Jay Norvell left the "Biggest Little City In The World" for Fort Collins, the admin for the Wolfpack brought a familiar face home. Ken Wilson has spent the last eight years as the LB coach at both Wazzu and Oregon, but before that he spent 19 season as a defensive assistant at Nevada. He goes all the way back to being on Chris Ault's staff back in 1989. Wilson's whole coaching life has been on the defensive side of the ball. He has no HC experience, but has a great deal of experience as a DC and AHC. Wilson still has strong ties to the region and should succeed early with he talent left to him by Jay Norvell.
Notre Dame
OUT: Brian Kelly
IN: Marcus Freeman
No HC just decides to leave ND. The guy retires or ND lets their contract run out, then declines to rehire them. Well, Brian Kelly dropped the Irish like third period French for LSU. Kelly won over 100 games in 12 seasons in South Bend. However, Kelly's teams couldn't win the big one. ND constantly hit a wall in the playoff or title game named Alabama or Clemson and the losses weren't pretty. Kelly spent time last season with the cadre of collars that run the school and concluded that they had gone as far as they could together in pursuit of a National Title. Meanwhile LSU was looking everywhere for a replacement for Coach Ed Orgeron after the dumpster fire started in Baton Rouge. The Bayou Bengals came knocking on Kelly's door around Thanksgiving and he was wiling to listen. So, Kelly went form ND where football is religion to LSU where it is a full-fledged cult of the gridiron with fans that make Domer alums and subway alumni look tame. Left with a departed HC, Irish AD Jack Swarbrick could have launched a nationwide search for the next HC or hire form within. Swarbrick took the easy route with and hired popular DC Marcus Freeman. Freeman spent his playing days as a LB for Theee Ohio State then bounced around with a handful of NFL squads before entering the coaching ranks. Freeman has spent his career on the defensive side of the ball coaching LBs at Kent State before becoming the DC at Purdue and Cincinnati before coming to work in South Bend. Freeman has never been a HC at any level. He joins a very unimpressive list of former ND HCs who had no D-1/FBS HC experience. The three names on this list are Gerry Faust, Bob Davie, and Mr. Schematic Advantage himself, Charlie Weis.
Oklahoma
OUT: Lincoln Riley
IN: Brent Venables
When Lincoln Riley left Norman in his rearview mirror to go to the land of swimming pools and movie stars, the Oklahoma admin and fanbase were left dumbfounded, angry and shocked. OU seems to have turned a great deal of those ill feelings around when they coaxed Brent Venables to take the reins in Norman. How in demand has Mr. Venabkes been? If this was Bridgerton, Venables has been the Queen's Diamond for a good decade or so. From 2004-11 he was the AHC/DC/LB coach at OU, then he moved on to Clemson where he's held the same position for the last 10 seasons. He's been the defensive mastermind that has helped put the Tigers in the CFP almost every year. The fact that OU finally got Venables to finally take a HC gig is an impressive feat. How impressive dear readers? Only time will tell if the perennial diamond was worth the wait.
Oregon
OUT: Mario Cristobal
IN: Dan Lanning
When Mario Cristobal followed his desire to return to his Alma Mater of Miami, Oregon went out and grabbed the DC of the National Champs. Dan Lanning has spent the last three season as the DC/OLB coach for Georgia where he earned kudos for defensive knowledge and his recruiting chops. Lanning has always been hailed as a prime recruiter. A skill that will be sorely needed when the Ducks are all but shutout of Southern California by USC and UCLA's move to the Big Ten. Lanning has no HC experience but has been tutored by Nick Saban and Kirby Smart. That should count for something towards running a program.
SMU
OUT: Sonny Dykes
IN: Rhett Lashlee
While Sonny Dykes decided to head across the Metroplex from Dallas to Ft. Worth, The Mustangs reached out to a former assistant under Dykes from 2018-19, Rhett Lashlee. Lashlee comes to the Ponies with an interesting resume. He played for Shiloh High in Springdale, Arkansas. He played there for HC Gus Malzahn and then played QB at Arkansas from 2002-2004. Lashlee also spent eight years on various staffs for Malzahn from Arkansas Sate to Auburn. This will be Lashlee's first stint as a HC on any level and if it doesn't work out, he can market his name to be used for a character in a southern romance novel.
Texas Tech
OUT: Matt Wells
IN: Joey McGuire
The Matt Wells era in Lubbock was pretty disappointing. In his two plus seasons in Lubbock, Wells' Red Raiders went 13-17 with a 70-35 pasting from Texas and an embarrassing 25-24 loss to a Kansas State team that had lost their last eight Big XII conference games. Wells replacement didn't really move the needle for most fans, unless you're familiar with Texas High School football. McGuire comes to Texas Tech from Baylor where he was a defensive assistant under both Matt Rhule and Dave Aranda. However, McGuire's name is big at the prep level where he spent 20 years at Cedar Hill High School which is just a little southwest of Dallas. McGuire worked his way up to the HC job at Cedar Hill. He compiled a record of 141-42 with 12 straight playoff appearances and three state titles. The Texas Tech admin hopes his deep Texas roots and winning ways make the Red Raiders relevant in the Big XII.
TCU
OUT: Gary Patterson
IN: Sonny Dykes
The powers that be forced out Patterson early last year in Ft. Worth. Patterson resigned on 11/1 of last year rather than be fired. The admin and big boosters decided to cut ties with their HC of 22 seasons who had led the program through three different conferences, won a championship in each of those conferences and brought TCU back to a level of football glory they hadn't since the early years of the old Southwest Conference. So, who did TCU make way for? Sonny Dykes. Yes, that Sonny Dykes who was abysmal as the HC at Cal from 2013-16 with a 19-30 record. Then again a Texan like Dykes fit into Berkeley about as well as ribeye steak at a vegan restaurant. From 2017-21 Dykes led SMU to a 33-17 record. That record caught the eye of folks in Ft. Worth who always seem to be looking towards nearby Dallas. TCU wanted to grab Dykes before he had a chance to take a legacy gig as the HC at Texas Tech where his father Spike Dykes ran the show there from 1986-99. Dykes won't have OU and Texas to deal with after 2023, so he does have an excellent shot to lead the Horned Frogs to the top of the Big XII in whatever form it takes by then.
Temple
OUT: Rod Carey
IN: Stan Drayton
Carey came to Temple with high expectations after he returned Northern Illinois back to the upper echelon of the MAC with four division titles and two conference crowns in his seven years at the helm. His first year was moderately successful with the Owls going 8-5, but being blown out, 55-13 in the Military bowl by North Carolina. The Owls then took a nose dive the next two seasons going 4-15. Temple then turned to Texas for help. First, they hired Arthur Johnson as their new AD who had been a Senior Associate AD for the Longhorns. Johnson then in turn hired former Texas RB/Associate HC Stan Drayton to lead the Owls. Drayton does have Pennsylvania ties as he played RB at Allegheny college, then served various stints as an assistant at Allegheny, Penn and Villanova over the years. He also has NFL experience as the RB coach of the Chicago Bears during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. While those at Temple are happy with the hire, at least one preseason publication has called this the worst HC hire of the offseason.
Troy
OUT: Chip Lindsey
IN: Jon Sumrall
Chip Lindsey had a pretty decent resume built when he was hired at Troy. He is a born and raised southerner who had risen to the ranks of an SEC OC for Auburn before getting his own program. However, his Trojans were average at best, going just 15-19 over the past three years. This time, Troy has hired an SEC DC to take Lindsey's place. Jon Sumrall comes to Troy form Kentucky where he was the Co-DC/ILB coach for Mark Stoops. Most important though is that Sumrall was the AHC/LB/ST coach for the Trojans the last time they were good from 2015-2017. The Troy faithful hope Sumrall can revive their winning ways in the Sun Belt Conference.
Virginia
OUT: Broncio Mendenhall
IN: Tony Elliott
Bronco Mendenhall came from BYU to lead the Cavaliers. For the past six seasons he compiled a 36-38 record in the ACC trying to lead the Wahoos back to respectability. Then, seemingly out of the blue, he resigned early last December. He states that he had reached a sense of clarity about himself and the game and that basically 31 years in the profession was enough for now. He was asked to stay on by his AD Carla Williams, but declined. He wants a reset of his life as he says in this SI article. A Step Back. While being caught off guard by Mendenhall's departure, Williams and the rest of the Wahoos admin landed a pretty decent hire in Tony Elliott. Elliott comes to UVa from Clemson where he played WR there from 2000-03 and has spent the last 12 seasons as an assistant under Dabo Swinney. Elliott has filled roles as the RB coach, Co-OC, OC and AHC/OC/TE coach for the Tigers. Now, Eliott has never been a HC before on any level and that lack of experience may be a tough hurdle to overcome. Elliot has never coached outside of the state of South Carolina.
Virginia Tech
OUT: Justin Fuente
IN: Brent Pry
Justin Fuente came to VaTech with a great deal of fanfare as the offensive mind that turned Memphis into a point-a-minute offense. He was hailed as the perfect man to replace the Hokie legend himself, Frank Beamer. After two strong seasons to start, the program quickly imploded under Fuente. The Hokies became average, going just 24-23 over the last four years under Fuente. He was fired with two games remaining last season. VaTech hopes to return to defense first football with new HC Brent Pry. Pry is a Pennsylvania native who played safety at Maryville College and has spent his entire coaching career on the defensive side of the ball. Pry was a GA at VaTech from 1995-97 and bounced around until he was hired as the AHC/Co-DC/LB coach at Vandy under James Franklin. He followed Franklin to Penn State ands has Benn the DC/LB coach there the last eight years. Pry has been working to win over the Hokie faithful since his initial press conference by interacting with fans and having meetings with groups of former players. However, nothing will win over fans bette than winning games.
Washington
OUT: Jimmy Lake
IN: Kalen DeBoer
When Chris Petersen suddenly decided to retire after the 2019 season, The Huskies head honchos handed the job to Petersen's outspoken DC Jimmy Lake. Lake's combative style of coaching included many altercations with his own players and the university admin. Lake's personality along with many losses got him fired. However, forgetting everything else, I think that Lake's days were numbered as of 9/4/2021 when the Huskies were embarrassed at home, 13-7 by the Big Sky little brother, Montana. Kalen DeBoer may have been off most people's radar when he was announced as the next UW HC as he was only known for his taking over Fresno State when Jeff Tedford left for health reasons. DeBoer went 12-6 with the Bulldogs, but his best HC tenure was in his only other HC job at Sioux Falls. DeBoer took the Cougars from South Dakota and went 67-3 in five seasons with three NAIA National Titles. In fact, the Cougars went 49-1 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. If the 47-year old DeBoer hits it right on Montlake, he could be the next Don James.
Washington State
OUT: Nick Rolovich
IN: Jake Dickert
Here's a summary of the last two seasons in the Palouse. Nick Rolovich comes to Wazzu from Hawaii where he had a successful stint leading the Rainbow Warriors. His first year at Wazzu was the COVID year of 2020 where his Cougars went a dismal 1-4. Then came 2021 and Rolovich decided that his right to not get vaxxed superseded the State of Washington's mandate that required all state employees to get vaccinated. Nick fought the law and the law won. Nick also lost the last several million dollars left on his contract as he was fired for cause. WSU AD Pat Chun installed DC Jake Dickert in Rolo's place. Dickert went 3-3 the rest of the way as the interim HC. That 3-3 record included a 3-1 in mark in conference play down the stretch. The best of those wins was a 40-13 whipping of Washington in the Apple Cup. That helped Chun take the interim tag off Dickert and make him the next official HC of the Cougs. There is no truth to the rumor that Dickert was going to leave Wazzu for a job in the Mountain West Conference. After all, Wazzu may be there in 2024.
This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...
I'm a sucker for Briarwood Lane doormats and garden flags.
I really enjoy watching our pumpkins grow in the backyard.
Sunsets after eight PM are really cool.
Until next time folks, remember that your athletic department has to be in order for a new HC to succeed.
-The Commissioner
