GoGamecocks.com

Commentary: Genius coaches are feeling the burn

Posted on 11.27.09
email print reprint or license
Comments (0)

Related Content

Seth Emerson

Staff writer

An occasional column

Read Seth's blog: Quotes by Emerson
semerson@thestate.com

WOW, TOUGH CROWD.

It seemed there was no chance any SEC coaches would lose their job this season, thanks to all the turnover last year. And none probably will be fired - but some formerly smart coaches are suddenly on the hot seat.

LSU's Les Miles placed himself in the hot seat Saturday with the kind of end-of-game decision making that normally earns you a spot on the AIG board of directors. LSU is now 8-3, which is unacceptable. Yes, Miles won a national championship, but that was all the way back in the Bush Administration!

Mark Richt has a winning percentage of .786 at Georgia, and has won two SEC titles. But oh no, the Dogs might not finish in first or second place in the East for only the THIRD time since he got there. So he better get back on the 11-win train next year, or that'll be it for him!

Steve Spurrier - same guy who won those six SEC titles at Florida and used to be an offensive genius - has gone 33-27 at South Carolina. Not great, for sure, but still one of the best five-year runs in Gamecock history (sad as it is), and they've been bowl-eligible every year.

But Spurrier better win next year, or else.

What is this, the NFL? ... Well, yeah, it might as well be. These guys are getting paid a lot of money, and recession or not, if you don't do good enough, someone's gotta pay. (Someone being the taxpayers of the state.)

Hey Urban Meyer: You better beat Alabama and win your third national championship in four years ... or else.

Clemson (-3) at South Carolina: All these negative nellies around Columbia picking Clemson to win, these so-called experts who say C.J. Spiller and Jacoby Ford will be too much, these simpletons who think the Gamecocks can't block well enough ... well, they're probably right. Pick: Clemson covers.

Alabama (-12) at Auburn: In an effort to inspire, Auburn coach Gene Chizik showed his team the tape of the 1989 Iron Bowl, when the Tigers upset unbeaten and second-ranked Crimson Tide. Fired up Auburn players immediately went home, plugged in their Ataris and had a Tecmo Bowl tournament. Pick: Auburn covers, but Alabama wins.

Georgia at Georgia Tech (-7): PETA suggests Georgia replace its live Uga mascot with an animatronic one. Strangely, Georgia fans already had the same idea with Willie Martinez. Pick: Georgia Tech covers.

Mississippi (-7) at Mississippi State: First-year Bulldogs coach Dan Mullen is refusing to say the name of his instate rival, saying he was inspired by Woody Hayes. Memo to Clemson: Keep your players outside of punching distance from Dan Mullen. Pick: Mississippi covers.

Florida State at Florida (-23): Urban Meyer actually said this week that "there's not a guy on FSU's roster that we did not recruit." And yet the Seminoles are 6-5. Well, that's gotta make Seminoles fans feel even better about their coaching staff. Pick: Florida covers.

The rest:

Arkansas covers, but LSU (-6) wins ... Kentucky beats Tennessee (-3.5) ... Virginia Tech (-13) covers against Virginia ... North Carolina (-5.5) covers against N.C. State ... Boston College (-6) covers against Maryland ... Duke beats Wake Forest (-3) ... Miami (-5.5) covers against South Florida ... Cincinnati (-17.5) covers against Illinois ... Boise State (-11) covers against Nevada ... New Mexico covers, but TCU (-43) wins.

Last week: 5-10 vs. spread, 12-3 overall.

Season: 88-88-3 vs. spread, 144-39 overall.

  • Search
  • GoGamecocks.com
  • Web Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH

Recent Video

Latest Forum posts