The Rest of College Football

[iam416]

Lots of smoke on Mike Gundy to Arkansas.

Exhibit A as to why the SEC is where it is. Okie State is legitimately the 3rd best program in the B12. Arkansas is probably 6th or 7th best in the SEC. Okie State probably offered Gundy about as much job security as you could possible hope for. Arky and the SEC, eh, not so much.

And, yet, he's going to jump -- or is rumored to. Coaches matter. A lot. And right now the B10 is, IMO, lacking. Setting aside OSU and M, I see three guys who do a pretty decent job: Fitzgerald, Dantonio and Bielema. I think O'Brien could be good, but, honestly, I'm not sure how we'll be able to tell with the shit coming the pike for him. Ferentz is totally average, at best. Pelini has some issues. I actually think Wilson is good, but he won't ever last. Beckman has disaster written all over him and who cares about Kill.

Of that group, the ones that really hurt the B10 are Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska. Those programs should be better than what they are. Illinois should be at least competitive. Iowa should be good enough to at least push the top teams. Nebraska should be a legitimately top-shelf program. None of those programs are where they need to be, and coaching -- in terms of HC and staff -- are a huge reason, IMO.

Meanwhile, the SEC arms race has some really good HCs/overall staffs. And the schools that have struggled to find coaching don't just slip a little -- they fall off a cliff because, in part, you're going up against a ton of really well run programs.

In basketball, it's the opposite. The B10 is blessed with some fantastic coaches.

[whodean]

Bielema to Arkansas???

[hack]

Any theories on this, Talent? Of course the midwest seems to be more rich in basketball talent, so that could be a thing. mgoblog has a similar lament up today.

[whodean]

The Big10 doesn't want to spend the $ on coaches.

[whodean]

Bielema to Arkansas???

a second tier SEC team just poached one of the B1G's most successful coaches.

[iam416]

Wow. Well, ignore my Gundy to Arky post!

[iam416]

Bielema has seen the writing on the wall in the Leaders.

If he leaves, I can't imagine Wisky hiring a replacement that will be as successful. Penn State is in the shitter. UFM should start making reservations for Indy for, say, the next 10 years.

[whodean]

Everything revolves around OlieO for you, doesn't it?

[iam416]

On the bad news front for Ohio State, Hazell is rumored to be in strong contention for Purdue job. Unfortunately, he can coach. Fortunately, he'll be in West Lafayette.

[Optimus Prime]

We'll ship Whisky coach Hog, anointing Mattison as Michigan's HC.

Waits for puffs of Blue smoke from Schembechler Hall.

[iam416]

Malzahn to Auburn

[iam416]

And, by process of elimination, Charlie Strong has to be going to Knoxville.

[entropy]

Fuck Wisky. I hope all their men end up spending Saturdays staring at fat women and longing for the days when they had a different reason to drink on Saturdays.

[Hannibal]

Bielema has seen the writing on the wall in the Leaders.

If he leaves, I can't imagine Wisky hiring a replacement that will be as successful. Penn State is in the shitter. UFM should start making reservations for Indy for, say, the next 10 years.

He ain't better off at Arkansas. Especially not right now. Bielema strikes me very much as a pure "fit" guy. He has succeeded running a niche program in a weak conference. Even if he brings his entire staff with him, it will take them a few years to get their program installed. Glad that he's gone, I guess.

And with him bitching about Urban Meyer's recruiting tactics, just wait until every team he faces uses those tactics.

[Pasadena Blue]

amazing to see the Meathead go to the Hogs ... i predict he will flop. Satan, Mad Hatter, Mullen, Sumlin and an Ole Miss program on the rise... not a good choice in my view. I reject Talent's contention --- Meathead would have had a chance to score an occasional victory against the flagship and get to the Rose Bowl on occasion. Do you really thing he is going anywhere in the SEC west .... even Urban left with esophageal spasms due to Satan.