S
SEC Sports
The worst coach firings of the last 15 years
Little divides a college football fanbase more than debates about the head coach’s job security. When changes are made during the annual coaching carousel, we often
247sports.com
Little divides a college football fanbase more than debates about the head coach’s job security. When changes are made during the annual coaching carousel, we often see segments of fanbases – seemingly vocal minorities – lament firings and state that a coaching change could set the program back for years.
Though this rarely seems to happen as much as feared, there are instances of programs and athletic directors (often new ones) making the wrong call.
With the benefit of hindsight, here are some coaching firings within the last 15 years that immediately jump out as bad decisions (many that seemed rash in real time) which were further compounded by the hire or hires that immediately followed. For these purposes we’ve largely excluded coaches that were dismissed for violations or moral improprieties. And yes, that includes falling off a motorcycle.
RALPH FRIEDGEN, MARYLAND
Longtime Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen entered the 2010 season needing to prove himself to new athletic director Kevin Anderson. The Terps were coming off a 2-10 campaign in 2009 and had plateaued a bit following three-straight double-digit win seasons to kick off Friedgen’s tenure earlier in the decade. Friedgen answered the call, going 8-4 in 2010 en route to being named the ACC’s Coach of the Year. The Terrapins looked to be trending up with a freshman All-American and ACC Rookie of the Year in quarterback Danny O’Brien and an explosive outside target in Torrey Smith.
That December saw then-Maryland offensive coordinator and head coach-in-waiting James Franklin leave for the head job at Vanderbilt, taking several staff members with him to Nashville. Anderson saw this as an opening to part ways with Friedgen. News of the impending dismissal broke as Friedgen was eating crab cakes with recruits who were on campus for official visits. Friedgen would stay on to coach his final game in the Military Bowl, a 51-20 blowout win over East Carolina.
Friedgen ended with a 75-50 record at Maryland, making bowl appearances in seven of his ten seasons. In the nine seasons since, the Terps have gone 41-70 over three head coaching tenures: Randy Edsall, DJ Durkin (Matt Canada was interim after Durkin was dismissed) and Mike Locksley, with the high mark being two seven win seasons under Edsall in 2013 and 2014.
MARIO CRISTOBAL, FIU
Prior to Mario Cristobal’s tenure, you probably didn't know FIU had a football program. The Miami native took over the upstart, maligned program in 2007, inheriting a winless team. Cristobal slowly built up the Panthers roster, culminating in back-to-back winning seasons in 2007 (Sun Belt co-champions) and 2008 (8-5 record with a bowl win). Cristobal showed the ability to lure and develop talent. The program’s two highest drafted players, TY Hilton and Jonathan Cyprien, were Cristobal recruits. He also had a strong staff, especially at the Group of Five level with Scott Satterfield (current Louisville head coach) and Todd Orlando (USC defensive coordinator) serving as coordinators during his tenure.
In a decision that was criticized in real time, Cristobal was dismissed by FIU athletic director Pete Garcia following a 3-9 season in 2012. This is following an offseason where Cristobal was considered a hot name on the coaching carousel and drew heavy interest from Power Five programs like Pittsburgh. He was replaced by former Illinois head coach and NFL assistant Ron Turner who went 10-30 before being let go midway through his fourth season. The Panthers look to have gotten back on track by hiring another former Miami Hurricane coach and Cristobal’s former boss in Coral Gables, Butch Davis.
To say Cristobal landed on his feet after FIU would be an understatement. He went to Alabama where he continued to shine as a recruiter, being named 247Sports’ Recruiter of the Year and landing future first-rounders like Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy, Daron Payne, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Jonah Williams and Quinnen Williams. After a year on Willie Taggart’s staff at Oregon, he was named the head coach for the Ducks and has gone 21-6 in two seasons, winning the Pac-12 and Rose Bowl in 2019.
MIKE LEACH, TEXAS TECH
Ok, so we’re going to make a slight exception here as Mike Leach was fired in the aftermath of a player mistreatment claim in 2009 which coincided with a rocky relationship with Texas Tech brass and days prior to a guaranteed bonus in his contract. The circumstances and claims have been hotly debated and disputed in the time since and Leach has been vetted and hired by two Power Five programs since that time.
Leach’s resume at Texas Tech is well known. He led the program to its best run in about 40 years and reshaping modern offensive football along the way. The high mark of Leach’s tenure was the 11-win campaign in 2008 (his next to last season in Lubbock) that saw the Red Raiders take down then No. 1 Texas, reach No. 2 in the polls and finish with a 7-1 conference record among what might be the strongest group of teams in Big 12 history.
In the decade since Leach was fired, Texas Tech has had three head coaches – Tommy Tuberville (who bolted for Cincinnati in the middle of a recruiting dinner), now NFL head coach Kliff Kingsbury and current Red Raiders head coach Matt Wells. They’ve yet to have a winning record in the Big 12 since Leach was let go. We saw the conference and Texas High School Football remodeled in Leach’s image over that time, leveling the playing field and eliminating the schematic advantage we saw Leach enjoy during his tenure in Lubbock. By the mid-2010s, former Leach assistants were all over the Big 12, running wide open schemes, typically with more talent and well-rounded teams at their disposal.
Rewinding back to Leach’s dismissal in 2009 – then defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill coached Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl, leading the Red Raiders to a 41-31 win over Michigan State. The play-caller for that game? A 26 year-old Lincoln Riley. Which leads us to...
RUFFIN MCNEILL, EAST CAROLINA
Following his short stint as Texas Tech’s interim head coach, Ruffin McNeill took the job at his alma mater, East Carolina. McNeill brought along Lincoln Riley as his offensive coordinator and had things on the right track by Year 3. McNeill led the East Carolina to 8-5, 10-3 and 8-5 seasons from 2012-2014. Riley was hired as Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator following the 2014 season. East Carolina dipped to 5-7 in 2015, leading to McNeill’s dismissal.
McNeill finished with a 42-34 record at East Carolina, going 23-15 in his last three seasons and made bowl appearances in four of his six campaigns. The Pirates were also very successful against Power Five competition during that time, including six wins over North Carolina, NC State and Virginia Tech – beating each twice.
East Carolina hired former Duke offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery to replace McNeill. Montgomery posted a 9-26 record in three seasons, never winning more than three games. The Pirates hired Mike Houston from James Madison in 2019 and posted a 4-8 record in Houston’s first season.
BO PELINI, NEBRASKA
You could make a case for Frank Solich, one of Pelini’s predecessors at Nebraska coach here as well. Both were victims of the high expectations that come with coaching one of college football’s winningest programs.
Pelini took over the Nebraska program in 2008 after coordinating LSU’s defense to a national title. He posted a 67-27 record over seven seasons and two different conferences, never winning less than nine games in Lincoln. Pelini’s tenure included four 10-win seasons, finishing ranked in the Top 25 in his last six. The high mark was his 2009 team which featured dominant defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and nearly upset Texas in the 2009 Big 12 title game.
Nebraska athletic director Shawn Eichorst let Pelini go in November of 2014, citing the coach’s inability to win the big game. Pelini’s prickly personality reportedly played a part in the dismissal. Tapes of profane outbursts were leaked prior to and after firing.
Mike Riley was hired from Oregon State to replace Pelini. Riley was an odd fit at Nebraska and in the Big Ten and went 19-19 before being fired. He was replaced by former Nebraska quarterback Scott Frost, who was hired following an undefeated season at UCF in 2017. Frost is 9-15 through his first two years in Lincoln. Nebraska is 15-34 overall and has had one winning season in the five since Pelini’s firing.
JEFF JAGODZINSKI, BOSTON COLLEGE
This one is included primarily because it’s such a weird story. Jagodzinski was wildly successful in his two years at Boston College, going 20-8 and winning the ACC Atlantic division in both seasons. He inherited an experienced team after Tom O’Brien left Chestnut Hill for NC State, led by star quarterback and future No. 3 pick, Matt Ryan.
Jagodzinski was fired by Boston College athletic director Gene DeFilippo following the 2008 season after disobeying an order to not interview for the vacant New York Jets’ head coaching job, which ended up going to Rex Ryan. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired Jagodzinski as offensive coordinator but he didn’t make it to the first game of the season after struggling to communicate play calls during preseason games. He’s bounced around since that time, coaching in the Group of Five, small colleges, high schools and even in the now-defunct XFL this spring.
Boston College promoted defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani to replace Jagodzinski. Spaziani finished with a 22-29 record in four seasons and was replaced by Steve Addazio who went 44-44 before being replaced by former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley this offseason. The Eagles have had one winning season in the ACC since Jagodzinski’s firing in 2008.
HONORABLE MENTION
Larry Coker, Miami
Overall Record: 60-15
High Point: 24 straight wins to start his tenure, 2001 BCS national title
Fired After: 25-12 record last three years, 7-6 record in 2006
Miami record since firing: 92-67
Coaches since firing: 4- Randy Shannon (28-22), Al Golden (32-25), Mark Richt (26-13), Manny Diaz (6-7)
Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee
Overall Record: 152-52
High Point: Undefeated, BCS national title in 1998, five straight top ten finishes 1995-1999 (Peyton Manning)
Fired After: 5-7 season in 2006
Tennessee record since firing: 69-66
Coaches since firing: 4- Lane Kiffin (7-6), Derek Dooley (15-21), Butch Jones (34-27), Jeremy Pruitt (13-12)
Paul Pasqualoni, Syracuse
Overall Record: 107-59
High Point: 10 win seasons in 1991, 1992 and 2001
Fired After: 16-20 record in last three seasons, 2002-2004
Syracuse record since firing: 72-111
Coaches since firing: 4- Greg Robinson (10-37), Doug Marrone (25-25), Scott Shafer (14-23), Dino Babers (23-26)
Glen Mason, Minnesota
Overall Record: 64-57
High Point: 10-3 season in 2003
Fired After: 6-7 season in 2006
Minnesota record since firing: 79-82
Coaches since firing: 4- Tim Brewster (15-30), Jerry Kill (29-29), Tracy Claeys (11-8), PJ Fleck (23-15)
