Big Name Replacements

We've all heard about the recent coaching changes made at big name programs, namely Florida. Florida has been sensational as of late, winning two out of the last five national championships, all five of which were won by an SEC school. Recently Urban Meyer, the genius behind Florida’s attack, recently stepped down from the head coaching position after a down year that was caused by the huge loss of of talent to the NFL, namely losing stars such as QB Tim Tebow, WR Percy Harvin, MLB Brandon Spikes, and CB Joe Haden, OLB Jermaine Cunningham, and TE Aaron Hernandez (Spikes, Cunningham, and Hernandez are key pieces on the Super Bowl favorite Patriots). Meyer is a great coach because he can recruit like no other and he has the formula for winning nailed down. He created an identity for Florida. Florida was desperate for a coach capable of filling the sizable shoes left by Urban Meyer.

To make up for the loss of Meyer, Florida signed the Texas coach in waiting, Will Muschamp. This was a very intriguing move since Muschamp has never really proved himself. Yes, he was the Texas coach-in-waiting and Texas obviously believed in him, but why would such a big name school like Florida do this? Ron Zook, the coach before Urban Meyer had some Gator background. He was a Florida Gator defensive coordinator and he had some coordinator positions in the NFL. But never proved in his previous coaching gigs that he could construct a solid team. He failed to do so at Florida and was fired after three years, enough time for his new recruits to make it to their Sophomore year. This was another example of Florida signing a guy incapable of constructing a dynasty.

Urban Meyer was the coach of Utah before he came to Florida. He turned Utah a very respectable program and one of the best mid-majors in the country before he left. He proved that he could plant a seed and grow it. He continued his excellence at Florida and won 2 National Championships in 5 years. What has Will Muschamp proved? He has shown he is a good defensive coordinator, but is he really a good head coach? We don’t know for sure, and although Florida may have made the right decision here, it just may takes them a few years to realize it, but a big name program such as Florida doesn't need to take the "big name". Florida should have gone with a coach with solid head coaching experience, a coach that could turn the seed that Florida is and grow it into the BCS National Championship contender it needs to be. Instead of hiring a coach who could fill the shoes of Urban Meyer, they hired one who could only fill the name.

By Tejas Kannan