Early season firings are normally not about making the team better during the year, or even about getting a jump on who is going to come in at the end of the year. They rarely do and an AD can make phone calls to an agent, directly or indirectly, while a coach is focusing on the season somewhere else. They are about getting the boosters/fans off the AD's back.
My guess if he wants to move up to a head coach gig it's Brian Hartline Osu's top recruiter to lose. He knows the guys for the most part Cincy has and also has recruited, and is much more charismatic than Fickell. That would be a gutt punch to Osu to lose him this week. He also would likely be able to garner a veteran staff from all the ex Osu guys out there including possibly keeping Tressel the dc. I'm not sold on Fickell's overall game day coaching, but he gets players and Hartline has an even higher ceiling in that regard. It will also be curious if they look at Garret Riley(Lincoln's brother) who is OC at Tcu. Very young, but the Bengals have Zac Taylor who isn't much older. Deion Sanders may be a long shot as well, but he did spend several years in baseball there and was popular. He'll be a hit anywhere he goes. As for Wisky and Fickell, they are getting a very good coach, but when the B10 goes to no divisions they will be butting heads with everyone so who knows how it works out. No more weak western division or whatever goofy name they call it now.
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Louisville, USF, and Cincinnati were playing schedules that were comparable to a Big East schedule when they joined the Big East. In the year before they joined, Louisville played Kentucky, North Carolina, Miami, USF, Cincinnati, East Carolina, TCU, Boise St.,... and finished 11-1 and ranked #6. Louisville was ready to compete. The Brian Kelly hire is what catapulted Cincinnati. USF's Big East record was 22-34 so they never really got it going.
What is this, a Chippendale audition? The guy who wins. Bob Diaco was a "face". I stand by what I said, he got Wisconsin in the B1G championship game 3 times. B1G is moving away from Divisions supposedly. That will make it harder for Wisconsin, not easier to get there.
I do think Fickell will do better than Chryst...but Chryst did do a pretty good job. I don't think he should have been fired. Chryst won division titles on the very weak side of the B1G. His teams weren't national title contenders...but they were good. I think Fickell will have Wiscy in the national title hunt.
My cousin's ex is a Badger involved in the booster program, such as it is. She claims Leonard had a 'mandate' of bowl eligibility due to his extensive time already with the program in a position of influence. The administration was not satisfied with his performance, point blank period and views Fickel a a superior option. Time will tell.
Yup… the currency printing press is hidden next to the fax machine in the AD office supply closet.
CUSA is equal to trash. UCONN will probably never be a football power, should stay with a schedule similar to this year until expansion somewhere takes football only. Leaving Big East hoops would be a mistake unless Big 10 calls. By then it might be the Big 25.
Time will tell. Guy had 71% win percentage there. Lol at Edsall being anywhere near his level. Gonna talk about winning the BE with 8-4, records while knocking the B1G Western division? It's not a fixation it's an observation that winning 70 percent of your games in that league is damn good. Good for them for aspiring to be better but what is Fickell gonna do win 75% of his games there?
I think you forget what the Big East looked like in 2005:
Right now CUSA is trash as teams have moved on and I would totally be opposed to UConn moving to CUSA for football. But in the 2004/2005 time period, there were 5 schools that are either in or moving to the P5: TCU, Louisville, UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston.
And it's just starting to crank up!
