Coaches Swimming in the Dead Pool: 10/8/15

Coaches Swimming in the Dead Pool 10/08/15

 

There have already been some developments in the coaching ranks this week, with more coming in regards to the Dead Pool. Those of you have been reading this feature for some time realize that this piece differs from the Hot Seat in that I am basically calling out these coaches as likely to be fired by the end of the season. Here is this week’s look at the Dead Pool…

Randy Edsell, Maryland

247sports.com and Yahoo’s Doctor Saturday blog are now both reporting that Randy Edsell is likely to be fired after this week’s game with Ohio State, as the Terrapins have the following week off. Edsell is now just 22-33 in his 5^th season, and have now lost to West Virginia and Michigan by a combined score of 73-6. Edsell is also 0-11 against ranked opponents, and the program is in a tail spin. Once again, I was never gushing about this hire to begin with when he was brought over from a moderately successful run at U Conn, so this turn of events would not be surprising. What would be surprising is that they would not allow him to finish out the season. Edsell signed a three year extension last off season, but the buyout would be moderate, at about 4.7 to 5.2 million dollars. No word on who the Terps will go after at this point, but there have already been the prerequisite Chip Kelly rumors flowing about. I would think that if Charlie Strong were to get fired at Texas that his name would fit prominently in this search as well.

Mike London, Virginia

The only surprise here is that Edsell would get fired at Maryland before London would get fired at UVA. London was highly fortunate to be brought back for the 2015 season, as most felt it was the right thing to do to move on him after last season. Virginia is off to a miserable start, and the likelihood of winning 8 games this season is as far away as Pluto.

Darrell Hazell, Purdue

When your losses are to the likes of Marshall, Bowling Green, and a really bad Virginia Tech club, and you are a Power 5 conference member in the Big 10 no less, that is unacceptable. The fan base is more than ready to move on. Remember, Hazell did get Kent State winning, but he stayed there a very short time, so this hire was a knee jerk job anyway. There should be plenty of high profile mid-major coaches or high profile assistants that could take this bull by the horns.

Kyle Flood, Rutgers

The latest news here is that an independent law office has been contracted by the NCAA to investigate Rutgers football from top to bottom and back again this week. That’s more than likely very bad news for Flood, and he really doesn’t need more of that. As I have said, there is zero chance Flood comes back after this season, if he even makes it to the end of this season.

Norm Chow
Chow is back in the pool, as the Rainbows have been shut out in all three of their losses as they are off to a 2-3 start. UH has been outscored by 168-75 count this fall, and is coming off of a 55-0 loss to Boise State. After a decent start, Hawaii is sinking like a stone once again, and this is more than likely the end of Chow’s tenure. Good luck, however, attracting anyone worth anything to this unstable program and athletic department.

Derek Mason, Vanderbilt
There are some in the Commodore circles that are starting to make public statements about this looking like a mistake hire. That spells certain doom for a guy like Mason. I actually thought he would be a good fit for this program given his background at Stanford, but the on-field product has been a disaster. A loss to Middle Tennessee last weekend would have likely sealed his fate, but Vandy pulled out the win. I don’t see him being the long term answer at this point, and others feel the same way.

Todd Berry, UL-Monroe

Berry’s welcome is wearing thin at ULM after a 1-3 start in a season that was deemed crucial by many for his actual survival. I know that the season is only a third over for them, but if you follow trends, the War Hawks aren’t going anywhere near up. This may likely be the end of the road.

Doug Martin, New Mexico State

The Aggies are off to yet another 0-4 start. They have won five games in three years. I don’t know what anyone else needs to see at this point to realize that this is not working, and it is not going to at any point in the near future. And while I am piling on, they lost to Georgia State, a team that now has a whopping two wins in the last three seasons.

Trent Miles, Georgia State

Miles has won twice in three years. The talent level is non-existent on defense. He has won twice in three years. Have I mentioned that he’s only won twice in three seasons? Miles needs to go, and the end of this season is a logical time frame for this to occur. There is no future for this program with Miles at the helm, and the reality is that this was a cheap and terrible hire. End of story.

DROWNED ALREADY

Tim Beckman, Illinois
Harold Jackson, Jackson State
Michael Morand, St. Augustine’s (D2)

Michael Morand was placed on an administrative leave at D2 St. Augustine’s in September and was never allowed to return.

Harold Jackson was fired last Tuesday at Jackson State after compiling a 6-11 record in just a season and a half. Coaches are hired and fired at a rapid rate and for completely random reasons in the SWAC (FCS), so this should not surprise anyone. He was unconcerned with outside opinions of his program last week, but according to local sources in Jackson, it was exactly those outside sources that led to his ouster as head coach.

Tim Beckman was fired a week before the season started at Illinois after an investigation found that he likely verbally and physically abused players in the Illini program. Bill Cubit was named interim head coach, and at this point seems a candidate to be named permanent head coach after a shocking 4-1 start.