2018-19 College Football Coaching Carousel

Apropos of nothing, I was a big skeptic regarding the Bronco Mendenhall hire, and as 50 percent of the SJ UVA Homer Contingent, I felt like saying this. As Dave Dameshek says, as Jerry Orbach says, "When I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong," and I think I was wrong.

I still think he's a super weird guy, and I doubt I'd like him much personally. That said, two years' improvement is two years' improvement. Going from the London malaise to 2 wins to bowl eligibility to a (very long) shot at double-digit wins is hard to ignore. There's more than one way to skin a cat, and Bronco appears to have the program moving in the right direction. I don't have to want to hang out with the guy to appreciate good football, and we're playing much better football.

It's true that a large (maybe the largest) driver of his success was hitting twice in a row with transfer QBs, but fuck it, good QB play is good QB play. Who am I to say it's not sustainable? He's earned the benefit of the doubt from me. I think he's got five years to work with, and I'm no longer concerned he's further wrecking the program.

 

Les Miles is the 2018 silly season's first big star

 

The first transfer quarterback was kinda lucky, it just happened Ruffin McNeill’s guy was looking for a place to go. But Perkins was just good recruiting. He went out and found the guy who fits what he wants to do.

 

Feel good if they go 9-3. 7-5 - in that league - with non-con wins over Richmond, Liberty and Ohio isn't a sign of sustained success.

Bronco's good at racking up wins against the beatable, though, and that may be all UVA's looking for - 7-8 wins, a bowl, some asses in the seats. Kansas would take it. So will Kentucky.

 

Absolutely right. He's been realistic about the level of talent in the program in terms of scheduling, which is a nice departure from when London and John Oliver would bring in USC and peak Oregon for 50-point ass-whippings. I'd like to see him ramp things up a little bit as the team gets more talent and depth, but he assessed (correctly) that winning games, getting to bowls (along with the attendant extra practice time) and getting fans to give a shit about the program again was the top priority.

 

Great point about the schedule. Playing Ohio instead of Oregon is often the difference between bowl and no bowl.
I'm not sure about this guy. Curious about how he'll recruit over the long term. The JC QB is a difference-maker because he can turn four-yard losses into four-yard gains. Keeps drives alive, etc. But there are a lot of seniors on that team, and I'm wondering what 2019 will be like. I'm not assuming the win total will go up.

 

I don't see them taking a step back. There are a lot of seniors (and Bryce Hall is getting pub as potentially leaving early - when was the last time that happened at UVA?) but a lot of freshmen and sophomores as well. The lines, in particular, should be much improved, and that will make the offense look a lot better. As it is, Perkins gets maybe a three-count before he has to start running.

 

Willie Taggart re-built USF. Strong jumped in for the ass end of that and with Quinton Flowers gone they are back to the 7-8 win team they were for half of Leavitt's years.

 

Issue with OOC is they're done years and years in advance. Pitt announced in August that they've booked a home-and-home with Wisconsin (Yay!) that doesn't start until 2026 (boo!). There's a good chance those Oregon and USC games were scheduled when Groh was grinding out semi-decent teams.

 

Though I realize games scheduled out years in advance are using "Today Dollars" I wonder what the CFB financial landscape will look like in five or six years. Conferences may realign. TV deals will lapse. The cable model will probably collapse.

 

That story originally had some serious mistakes SI apparently edited with out acknowledging.

 

Can you be more specific? I'm guessing it involves tail numbers, but I'm not sure. And I am curious.