SEC Hotseat chatter

[Beaker 2,457]

Listening to local Dallas radio this morning I heard the TAMU AD crank up the heat on his football program using words like, "disappointing trend" and "must change". K  Sumlin can't tank again this year after week 6 and survive in Aggieland.  

Who else is on the hotseat?   Please exclude any chatter on Gus....that wasn't my intent.

Did UT get 'over the hump' albeit with some lucky endings?

[bigbird 60,369]

Sumlin is definitely feeling a lot of heat. He was given extra time due to Johnny beating Bama, but all that good will has dried up.

[Barnacle 9,064]

Just now, bigbird said:

Sumlin is definitely feeling a lot of heat. He was given extra time due to Johnny beating Bama, but all that good will has dried up.

What's going to be interesting is watching what Tom Herman is able to do at Texas this year. Sumlin had some real momentum over there while UT was on the struggle. If Herman can get UT trending up again, like 7-5 this season or better - Sumlin might as well just leave. A lot of talent in that state, but he's benefited from UT's irrelevancy - and that time is probably about to end.

[bigbird 60,369]

Just now, Barnacle said:

What's going to be interesting is watching what Tom Herman is able to do at Texas this year. Sumlin had some real momentum over there while UT was on the struggle. If Herman can get UT trending up again, like 7-5 this season or better - Sumlin might as well just leave. A lot of talent in that state, but he's benefited from UT's irrelevancy - and that time is probably about to end.

One of my best friends that I played with worked for Herman at Houston as the DB coach and followed him to UT. He raves about Herman and told me that UT will turn the state around within the next year.  TAMU fans are worried about a reemerging UT, and they should be, IMO. A Herman offense, cherry picking the Texas talent, should worry a lot of programs.

[WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737]

22 minutes ago, Beaker said:

Listening to local Dallas radio this morning I heard the TAMU AD crank up the heat on his football program using words like, "disappointing trend" and "must change". K  Sumlin can't tank again this year after week 6 and survive in Aggieland.  

Who else is on the hotseat?   Please exclude any chatter on Gus....that wasn't my intent.

Did UT get 'over the hump' albeit with some lucky endings?

I'd say that Freeze and Jones seats are also warm. 

[Barnacle 9,064]

2 minutes ago, WarDamnEagleWDE said:

I'd say that Freeze and Jones seats are also warm. 

Freeze definitely. I guess he hasn't heard back from the NCAA on his appeal, but I can't imagine that Ole Miss will be obligated to keep him for much longer. It's too bad. I think he's a good coach.

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 minute ago, Barnacle said:

Freeze definitely. I guess he hasn't heard back from the NCAA on his appeal, but I can't imagine that Ole Miss will be obligated to keep him for much longer. It's too bad. I think he's a good coach.

He'd be owning the league if he had UAT's resources (to include, and especially, evident impunity). 

[Barnacle 9,064]

Just now, McLoofus said:

He'd be owning the league if he had UAT's resources (to include, and especially, evident impunity). 

Its going to be very interesting to see what happens when Saban retires. I'm not suggesting Freeze will end up there. He won't. I'm just curious to see what Dabo, or whoever they hire will be able to do with their resources. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

12 minutes ago, Barnacle said:

Its going to be very interesting to see what happens when Saban retires. I'm not suggesting Freeze will end up there. He won't. I'm just curious to see what Dabo, or whoever they hire will be able to do with their resources. 

It won't be what saban has, but it will be more than what they could accomplish at whatever school they were previously at IMO. 

[keesler 5,924]

Freeze is on the brink of combustion.

The NCAA has pinned OleMiss with Lack of Institutional Control and tagged Freeze with Failure to Monitor his staff/players/program.  Now, OM attorney's will put up a defense in front of the COI, but Academic Fraud coupled with OM staffers & players lying to the NCAA, in addition to the Asst Athletic Director orchestrating payments in broad daylight (via cell phone/texts) coupled with actively coordinating boosters and recruit interaction with the boosters making payments to recruits will torch that program and ALL involved.

[Tiger 8,818]

I hope TAMU wins 9 games this coming year with one of his 3 losses to us. I think that'll be just enough to keep Sumlin employed at TAMU. I don't want them making a move for Chip Kelly after this year, which will be one of the 2 or 3 hottest HC candidates for openings next year.

[johnnyAU 3,630]

Bielema's seat isn't terribly hot at the moment, but it'll warm up if he has another lackluster year, and his bread and butter (OL and DL) continue to struggle.

[Barnacle 9,064]

1 hour ago, McLoofus said:

It won't be what saban has, but it will be more than what they could accomplish at whatever school they were previously at IMO. 

On who they will hire? I agree. 

I meant to say that I'm interested to see what another coach can do with the resources Saban has enjoyed. 

[ShocksMyBrain 9,362]

1 hour ago, keesler said:

Freeze is on the bring of combustion.

The NCAA has pinned OleMiss with Lack of Institutional Control and tagged Freeze with Failure to Monitor his staff/players/program.  Now, OM attorney's will put up a defense in front of the COI, but Academic Fraud coupled with OM staffers & players lying to the NCAA, in addition to the Asst Athletic Director orchestrating payments in broad daylight (via cell phone/texts) coupled with actively coordinating boosters and recruit interaction with the boosters making payments to recruits will torch that program and ALL involved.

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/attorney-ncaa-case-vs-ole-miss-close-death-penalty-can-get/

[McLoofus 35,182]

Just now, Barnacle said:

On who they will hire? I agree. 

I meant to say that I'm interested to see what another coach can do with the resources Saban has enjoyed. 

Yeah, I wasn't specific enough w/ the 2nd part of my sentence:
 

Just now, Barnacle said:

It won't be what saban has, but it will be more than what the coach they hire after saban could accomplish at whatever school they were previously at IMO. 

As in, Dabo wouldn't win as much as saban at bama, but he would win more than he did at Clemson. Or at least field better teams. (However far the SEC may or may not have fallen since the late aughts-to-early 10s glory days, an SEC West schedule is likely still tougher than any other. Since 2009, saban's only regular season losses have been in division- to 4 different teams.)

[DAG 33,955]

16 minutes ago, johnnyAU said:

Bielema's seat isn't terribly hot at the moment, but it'll warm up if he has another lackluster year, and his bread and butter (OL and DL) continue to struggle.

He is stuck until the financial obligation of having him around is gone 

[gr82b4au 5,568]

I think there are 4 coaches who could see their time end as head coach in the SEC this year: Sumlin, B Jones, Freeze, and Malzahn. I too think Sumlin is in a world of hurt. He has done the least with the most talent and as referenced, UT could take over again if Herman is successful. 

B Jones has Ga Tech and FL in the first 3 weeks. If they are 1-2, he will be fired. They still would have uga, al, and lsu left on their schedule and their fanbase would implode.

Now that I think about it, I think Freeze may stay (unless he is named again in the final NCAA verdict). OM will need someone to take them through the "bad times" (the next 3-4 years) and they would have a hard time finding a good coach when the NCAA hammers them.

Gus - let's see what happens this year. I think we will win a lot of games. 

[Tiger 8,818]

Usually UT has the easiest close to their seasons but this year they have LSU right before Vandy. Seems like most years they pick up some fake-momentum to close the season when they beat up on Kentucky and Vandy, etc. That could factor into Butch Jones' fate as well

[keesler 5,924]

26 minutes ago, ShocksMyBrain said:

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/attorney-ncaa-case-vs-ole-miss-close-death-penalty-can-get/

My personal opinion on the allegations during Freeze's tenure are that I have no doubt he is a good man, a good family man, and a good coach.  I don't doubt that he preached non-stop to his staff to do things the "right way", he lectured his coaches and players on the importance of staying within the rules and regulations of compliance.  He drove home the message all day about operating within the NCAA rules. 

At the end of the day, it's very apparent Freeze failed to monitor his staff, his own players (Tunsil), and the recruiting practices of his coaches.  There was a system in place within the program at the highest level  (Athletic Dept) where Barney Farrar was facilitating interaction between boosters and recruits.  The Asst AD (Farrar) orchestrated certain boosters and organized meetings and methods for the booster to provide impermissible benefits to active players as well as potential recruits.  It was done multiple times and never ceased even while the NCAA was all up in their business.  More than a few OM people lied to the NCAA investigators and withheld information relative to the investigation.  We all know the NCAA will hammer you harder for lying than for the actual deed.

Rumor has it, OM plans to release the names of the boosters very soon....that should be interesting.  

[jAUSon 2,836]

2 types of coaches in the SEC that are safe: 1. new coaches 2. Nick Scraben. Everyone else is skating. The good news: there isn't a lot of home-run hires out there, undoubtedly causing a lot of "riding it out"

[Win4AU 4,052]

Anything less than 8-5 for Sumlin and Jones could mean trouble.  I'd throw Gus in that boat as well but we're not talking about him.  Personally I'd hate to have to face Chip and Saban every year.  Freeze depends 100% on NCAA.  Ole Miss folks love him and they aren't hiring anyone better.  If NCAA says we will spare Ole Miss if Freeze is fired then he's out.  Wildcard is UK.  If they fall on their face with semi high expectations then they may look around.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

Gus Malzhan can't tank again this year.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

6 hours ago, Barnacle said:

Its going to be very interesting to see what happens when Saban retires. I'm not suggesting Freeze will end up there. He won't. I'm just curious to see what Dabo, or whoever they hire will be able to do with their resources. 

It all depends on how open they are to the "help" they will be offered and how much of the protection from the NCAA goes away when Saban does.  I would think that the NCAA has dug themselves into a hole where they have to keep protecting bama so it isn't evident that they had a pass during the Saban regime. 

[keesler 5,924]

1 hour ago, Win4AU said:

Freeze depends 100% on NCAA.  Ole Miss folks love him and they aren't hiring anyone better.  If NCAA says we will spare Ole Miss if Freeze is fired then he's out.  Wildcard is UK.  If they fall on their face with semi high expectations then they may look around.

JMO, the NCAA will not be negotiating in the least with OleMiss.  They are dealing with Academic Fraud in addition to improprieties in multiple sports, spanning multiple coaching regimes and multiple AD's.  The NCAA doesn't have to make concessions in this case - they spent 4+ years investigating that mess and they have enough on them that if only 1/4 of the allegations stick as Level 1 then OM is screwed to the wall.

[AUcivE09 582]

IMO - Freeze will only leave if OM is forced to fire him. Until then they cannot get anyone better and are better off keeping a good coach with NCAA penalties than firing him and bringing in a "Shula" to ride out the next 4 years or so. Freeze will only come out ahead if he takes the Pete route and heads off to the NFL - which is highly unlikely.