Tuberville right choice for Tech

It certainly is a new day at Texas Tech.

Something just doesn't seem right watching Tommy Tuberville being introduced as the Red Raiders coach. We have questioned this hire, but his initial impression is solid. It was like watching the anti-Mike Leach.

Tuberville is a more traditional coaching choice for Texas Tech, especially since he is a defense-first guy. But he says he embraces the wide-open offense that was employed under Leach. We'll see how long that lasts, especially if you remember how well the Tony Franklin experiment went in his final season at Auburn.

Tuberville can build on Leach's success and that could mean more good days in Lubbock.

Bonus for Tuberville: It appears he found a way to re-use his Auburn sport coat and tie.

Podcast: Episode 48

What a weekend!

Ohio State is back in the Big Ten race and looks like a good bet to represent the conference in the Rose Bowl. So Buckeye fans are raucous again. West Virginia has a chance to remain in the hunt for the Big East title as the Mountaineers travel to Nippert Stadium and face undefeated Cincinnati. Would it be better for the Big East to have Cincy win or lose? We'll tell you what we think.

As much as we hate to do it, Charlie Weis and Rich Rodriguez are back on the program. How can you leave them off? These two jokes are ruining once proud programs. We give our opinion on where we think Tommy Tuberville and Phil Fulmer may be coaching next season as well as potential replacements for Weis and Rodriguez (can you say Brian Kelly and Les Miles?).

First impressions

We noted yesterday that the hiring of Gene Chizik as Auburn's replacement for Tommy Tuberville caught us off guard. Clearly the reaction of the Tiger fans (OK, maybe just one fan) at the airport Saturday wasn't a great start.

Dr. Saturday at YahooSports.com noted today that this is in stark contrast to the welcome that Nick Saban received when he became Alabama's coach.

Who's up for the 'Cuse?

Reports out of North Carolina this morning are saying that East Carolina's Skip Holtz has turned down the Syracuse job and the $12 million offer. If that's the case, who's up next?

Maybe now Syracuse AD Daryl Gross will get serious about the best candidate—Buffalo's Turner Gill. Rumors coming out of The Plains are that Gill isn't going to get the Auburn job to replace Tommy Tuberville. Gill just seems like a great fit for the Orange.

He's a proven winner, overall good person and better recruiter than Greg Robinson. Hey Daryl, don't mess this one up buddy. Go get Gill now.

For the latest on the Orange go to the blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician.

Is it a protest ...

... If no one really shows up?

OK. So a few dozen people rallied through the Auburn campus to the president's house to voice their displeasure in the "firing" of Tommy Tuberville. According to SI.com there were about 70 people chanting and waving signs. "You don't throw a man's career away for one lousy season," said alumnus Linda Ashurst.

Really? 70 people. That's all the love the Tiger Nation has for Tuberville? His mother can't be pleased about this. While Tuberville has been pretty hush-hush on what happened (of course $5.1 million would keep most of us pretty quiet), his mommy is all about talking.

Mama Tuberville says her son was fired, so it sparked a whole 70 folks to protest. That's worse than Bush's approval rating right now.

Protest? Don't think so. Sounds more like a few students and alumni with nothing better to do on a Tuesday. Once Turner Gill is finally hired the "protests" should stop.

Tuberville "resigns" at Auburn

Beating Bama six of the last seven years apparently wasn't enough on The Plains, as Tommy Tuberville "resigned" Wednesday after 10 years as the coach of Auburn.

I'm not sure exactly who Auburn thinks they're going to hire that's better than Tommy Tuberville. Going up in state against the monolithic Tide and their evil master Saban every year in recruiting with a second-hand budget is not going to appeal to the elite level coaches. Although Bobby Petrino might be looking.

Tuberville did sort of aim the gun at his own head this season with the Tony Franklin debacle. Five offensive coordinators in the last seven years while retaining the rest of his offensive staff was just an odd way to run things.

According to the above ESPN article the Plainsmen/Tigers/War Eagles have already made contact with Mike Leach. If you listened to the podcast, this is exactly the type of crap I'm talking about. Auburn figures it's going to have a decent offense come hell or high water - they don't care how good a fit Leach would actually be.

If Leach isn't interested, look for Auburn to hire an offensive "guru." Maybe those guys in California who invented the A-11 should send in a resume.

Observations from Saturday's Games (Nov. 29)

While flipping between Notre Dame-USC and Oklahoma-Oklahoma State it's time for my weekly obligation. Here are some random observations from today's games.

1. Coaching purge is not over. Today we saw Sylvester Croom resign at Mississippi State and Shane Montgomery step down at Miami of Ohio after going 2-10. This is not the end. Who could be next? How about Marshall's Mark Snyder. He entered this season with a 12-23 record and this was supposed to be the year the Herd competed at the top levels of Conference USA. Instead Marshall finished 4-8. And let's not forget 5-7 Auburn. Tommy Tuberville is talking about sticking around to rebuild the Tigers, but the fans may not allow him any more time.

2. Georgia can never complain again. That goes for the president of UGA, fans, players, coaches, or the waterboy. The Bulldogs, who felt they were snubbed last year and should have played for the national title despite not making the SEC championship game, entered this season No. 1. Mark Richt's team didn't handle the pressure very well. Georgia's three losses were all embarrassing. Ripped by Alabama and Florida and they blowing a nice lead against rival Georgia Tech at home. Hey Georgia, win a big game and then we'll consider you an elite program again.

3. Enough with the pre-game squirmishes. I just don't get this. Teams are warming up before the game and they decide to start jawing at each other and pushing matches. Don't you know you get to hit each other, legally, when the game starts? This stupid 2008 trend happened again before the ND-USC game. We don't need this.

4. Crazy for Dabo. Maybe the interim coach at Clemson, Dabo Swinney, has earned a shot at having interim removed from his title. Look, I question some of his quirky ways, but he has managed to get the Tigers to 7-5 and bowl eligible. This team was in shambles under Tommy Bowden and things seem to be better.

5. Working on a payout. Notre Dame's Athletic Department or Development Office has people on the phone right now trying to figure out how to raise enough funds to buy out Charlie Weis. The Fighting Irish have no fight left in them. USC is so much more talented and is totally outplaying them. This is the worst 6-6 team ever. According to the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette it will cost ND at least $12 million. Better work those phones.

6. Where was this Tennessee? The Vols played great the past two weeks. It was a nice send off for Phil Fulmer, and he was extremely emotional as it all came to an end. UT really took it to Kentucky and it was clear his players really like him.

7. SEC Championship. Not sure I have looked forward more to a game in the past few years (OK, I don't mention the Pitt-WVU game of last year). Florida and Alabama are playing as well as any two teams. Each have great players and it pits the two most egotistical coaches in the nation. This game could be an instant classic. Also, think how great the tailgating will be.

8. Deserving champ. Others around the nation can make fun of the Big East, but Cincinnati is a good football team and will represent the conference well in a BCS bowl game. Brian Kelly is an excellent coach, the Bearcats are 10-2 and won some emotional contests down the stretch. Don't be shocked if the Big East wins its fourth consecutive BCS bowl game.

9. Nice run. But it looks like Oregon State's outside run at the Rose Bowl will not happen as Oregon is outplaying the Beavers, who are without Jacquizz Rodgers. This is actually good news for Boise State, Ohio State and USC. I was kind of pulling for Oregon State because of the novelty of it, but USC is the best in a weak Pac-10.

10. Sorry Buckeyes. Tim Tebow is about to become the second person to win consecutive Heisman Trophys. I didn't think he deserved it last year. But after watching TT against Florida State it's hard to argue against his value and ability. Apologies also to Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford and Graham Harrell.

Iron Bowl fans

Rivalries are what make college football. Auburn-Alabama in the Iron Bowl is as good as it gets.

For some reason, the pure hate that Alabama and Auburn feel toward each other has hit an all-time high this year. Bama fans really are having a great year. Nick Saban has the Tide at No. 1 in the nation, Tennessee canned Fat Phil Fulmer and Auburn is on the verge of sending Tommy Tuberville packing.

But what if Auburn pulls the upset at Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday?

ACC Report

Special Report

Retired Coach Rick
ACC Correspondent

The ACC is the most balanced conference in the country. Eight out of 12 teams have winning records. Eleven members of the conference still have a chance to become bowl eligible. I think eight will participate in a bowl game.

The biggest disappointment is going to be the conference championship game. The Atlantic division needs Florida State in the game, not Wake Forest. We want excitement not a sleeping pill. North Carolina vs. FSU would be perfect.

The ACC is gaining more respect now than at any other time. They have the best group of coaches in the country.
I have to say I was surprised when Duke's David Cutcliffe said he was not interested in the Tennessee job. I don't think Clemson will keep the interim coach. They will do a national search and find a better fit. Some rumors are they would like to sign Tommy Tuberville from Auburn. Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster seems to make a lot of people's short list for coaching vacancies. He always seems to finish second on those lists in the end. There has to be a reason.

Maryland pulled their normal stuff again. Win a big game, get everybody excited then lose one they shouldn't. Boston College had a great win. Any time Notre Dame loses it is great. They haven't had any class since Ara retired. We will find out how real Miami is over the next couple weeks.

Final thought: Isn't it strange that the ACC has two head coaches that never played college football?

Coaching carnage

College football has entered a new era. Four head coaches (and at least one high profile coordinator) have been fired during the season.

With the firing of Ron Prince today, Kansas State officially joined the coaching carousel. The Wildcats also entered the daily rumor mill. The hot target? South Florida's Jim Leavitt, who coached under program architect Bill Snyder. Leavitt hasn't officially denied interest in the position. Instead, he was quoted in the St. Petersburg Times as saying, "You guys know this (South Florida) is my heart and soul. I'm very fortunate to be here. I think it's the best job in the country."

Leavitt to K-State makes so much more sense than many of the other rumors surrounding Tennessee, Clemson and Washington right now. Leavitt built the Bulls from the ground up, but he's taken this program as far as he can get it. He's probably ready for the new challenge on a much bigger stage. Only reason to stay is the better athletes available in Florida.

So the only thing left to figure out? Who's next? Syracuse may announce Greg Robinson's fate real soon, but don't be surprised if they don't wait until after the final game. Auburn's Tommy Tuberville could get an early exit as well if the Tigers can't get two more victories in 2008.

Clearly, some of these coaches needed to go. But other schools could take a lesson from Ball State. Coach Brady Hoke had a miserable first three years (10-24) before the Cardinals finally turned it around starting in Year 4. Since 2006, Hoke's teams have gone 21-13 (which includes an apparent victory tonight against Northern Illinois) -- thanks Nate Davis.

Patience can pay off. Unfortunately no one at the big time programs are willing to wait.

Auburn - WVU

- Noel Devine takes over down the stretch and this one has officially become a bit of a blowout. 34-17, 'Eers.

- Second half has been all WVU so far as the Eers have taken a 27-17 lead. The way Auburn looks on offense, WVU might as well be up by 50.

I'm assuming this has been WVU's best half of the season. Pat White has looked sharp and Noel Devine dangerous. WVU is doing a nice job not forcing the pass like they did in the first half, but passing when they've got Auburn off balance. This is the offense WVU fans expected to see all season.

On a side note, not coincidentally, I can't recall an Auburn team in recent years that tackles as poorly as this group.

- It's about halfway through the second quarter and Auburn (yes, Auburn!) had 17 points that includes (gasp!) TWO offensive touchdowns. But the score's a little deceiving. WVU has moved the ball, but two interceptions have been costly.

Auburn seems to be running some kind of combination of it's old I-Formation, pound-it-out offense and a few plays from Tony Franklin's spread. Interesting. The Tigers/War Eagle/Plainsmen look far comfortable tonight then any game previously.

WVU needs to score on this drive before halftime, even it's just a FG.
Oh, never mind. Pat White hits a long pass and it's 17-10.

This is looking like a real good game.

Side complaints:

- I really don't care about the basketball coach at any school enough to see a sideline interview with him during the game. And I sure don't need to see Huggybear's fat mug in the camera while there's actual things happening on the field.

- Why is Tommy Tuberville dressed like he's going hiking in the arctic? it's not THAT freaking cold. And why is the jacket burnt orange? Did he really not have a parka in Auburn colors?

- Auburn has a commercial promoting their school in which some Auburn grad is fishing in Alaska and claims to have seen no one in three days until a plane pulls up with two Auburn grads in it.
Huh.
I'm not sure what this means. i've been a lot of places and i've met exactly one Auburn grad.

- Each year Auburn has a good tight end, who wears a single digit jersey number and has a classically Southern name. This year's edition? Tommy Trott.

This is what losing to Vanderbilt does...

"The System" got canned.
It's not weird that Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville fired offensive coordinator Tony Franklin.
After all, the Tigers offense has been horrific.
But it is weird that he got fired in the middle of the season and two games into the SEC schedule.
And it's especially weird that Franklin was axed a day after Tuberville said this:

"This is what we're going run," he said Tuesday without mentioning Franklin. "We're going to run it, we're going to keep running it and we're going to get better at it. Sometimes people will say, 'Why don't you go back to doing what you did?' Well, if you do that, then you are asking for major disaster."

yes, Tommy, you are asking for a major disaster. Maybe the Tigers/War Eagles/Plainsmen hire back Al Borges. He's still looking for work.

So does Auburn stick with the spread and just not have Tony Franklin call the plays? Or do they revert to last year's offensive system?

Either way, doesn't look like the Tigers/War Eagles/Plainsmen will become an offensive powerhouse any day soon.