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Here we are nearly half way through the football season and it’s good to see nothing has changed.
Clemson fired head coach Tommy Bowden Monday, four days after his team lost to Wake Forest in conference play. After 10 years and zero ACC titles, the university finally gave up on the prodigal son of a coaching legend.
Okay, 10 years is a fair shot. I have no problem with Clemson relieving Bowden of his coaching responsibilities. The school showed patience. In fact, even if he had won three ACC titles and a national championship, my thought is a coach’s message begins to fall on deaf ears after 10 years anyway.
Look at some of the greatest football coaches throughout history. Legendary San Francisco 49er field general Bill Walsh stepped down from a Superbowl champion team in 1988 after spending 10 years on the sidelines. His successor, George Seifert lasted eight. Bill Cowher too walked away from a Superbowl team after 14 seasons. Maybe the college game should take notice — paging Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden.
Paterno, who turns 82 in December, has been Penn State’s head coach since 1966. In all, he’s spent 59 years on Penn State’s coaching staff, whether as an assistant or head coach. That is a testament to one man’s commitment and loyalty, no question. But is anyone in Happy Valley paying attention to him anymore?
Over a five-year period beginning at the turn of the century, Penn State’s record would suggest no. Outside of a 9-4 record in 2002, the Nittany Lions posted a 17-29 record from 2000 to 2004. If he hadn’t been Joe Paterno, chances are he wouldn’t have made it past that showing – not in the Big 10. But if you look at the Nittany Lions’ record recently, you might think you’re looking at an almanac from the ‘80’s. If you include Penn State’s perfect 7-0 record this year, Paterno has amassed a 36-9 record with a Big 10 title in 2005. So what gives?Way down the coast, in sunny Florida, Bobby Bowden has been the head coach at Florida State for 32 years. Much like Paterno, Bowden experienced success during the ’80s and especially in the ’90s when the Seminoles won two national championships. From 1987-2000, Florida State compiled a 152-19 record, lost no more than two games in a season and went undefeated twice.
Since Mark Richt left as ’Noles’ offensive coordinator to coach in Georgia in 2001, the wins have gone down while the losses have increased. For a proud program used to dominating the ACC, the ’Noles hit rock bottom so to speak in 2006 and 2007, posting a meager 7-6 record each year while not being a factor in the conference title hunt. Has Bobby’s message failed to make an impact? Has the game passed him by?
Judging by this year’s success, both coaches can still recruit and draw up a game plan. In Paterno’s case, his record this year proves he at least has coaches in place that have kept Penn State in today’s game. For Bobby Bo, I’m not so sure.
Either way, these guys are more popular in their communities than Sarah Palin with hockey moms and it will take an act of God or a self-tendered resignation before either team gets a new coach.
I guess if Penn State runs the table and wins the national championship, or Florida State, which has posted a 4-1 record so far, makes a run at the ACC title, everyone writing columns that say the game has passed them by will be forced to eat their words. I get why they still want to coach. At their advanced ages, it probably would be worse for their health if they didn’t have coaching. But I for one hope they don’t get into a habit of posting .500 records and playing the same style of football that made them so successful 20 years ago.
I’m a football fan first and regardless of loyalty, I don’t want to see these two coots flounder. We all inevitably grow old and sometimes, hold on to the things that brought us so much happiness in our lives. When is enough, enough? I can only hope the football gods don’t make that call. Maybe each coach will get his successor into position and take a less important role before ceremoniously bowing out. Florida State’s defensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher is the Seminoles’ coach in waiting so they seem to have a plan. Paterno, who underwent reconstructive knee surgery in 2006 after a nasty sideline collision, said wasn’t ready to leave Happy Valley and wanted to coach "a couple more years." That was shortly after he came back. He doesn’t move around as well these days and doesn’t have a contract after this season. But with a good chance at a BCS title run, the smart money is on Paterno receiving a contract extension. I mean - how can you not bring back a coach who won the big game?
Paterno and Bobby Bowden are exceptions to the rule. Coaching a top-flight football program, whether NFL or college, is the pinnacle, yet these men seems to be at the bottom of the food chain. Athletic directors, presidents, general managers and off course boosters all seem to have more pull these days.
So far, these two men will be able to call their own shots. Ten years is a lifetime on the sidelines anymore. Forty years is an eternity. Please, football gods, guide these two men to make the right decision before its too late.
