Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008

QB woes fire high-profile hot seat

Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer. Auburn's Tommy Tuberville. UCF's George O'Leary.

These three coaches share much in common.

They’ve all been honored as national coach of the year. They’ve all won conference championships. They’ve all orchestrated historic achievements at their respective schools. They’ve all landed huge contracts designed to keep them in place for years.

Yet all three coaches landed on the hot seat this season largely because of something they all do not have this fall: a decent quarterback.

They are three high-profile examples of how the lack of a competent, experienced signal-caller can quickly burn all the funds in the coaching bank of goodwill.

Will a few too many three-and-outs lead to three buyouts?

In Fulmer’s case, we know the answer. Tennessee announced last week that it would pay the second-winningest coach in its history $6 million to go away. He’ll finish the season, though it’s clear from Saturday’s 13-7 home loss to horrid Wyoming that Fulmer is already done.

Tennessee ranks last or next-to-last in the SEC in every offensive category. Of the 119 Division I-A teams counted, the Vols rank 111th in passing efficiency, 115th in scoring and 116th in total offense.

New quarterbacks Jonathan Crompton and Nick Stephens have combined to complete less than 50 percent of their passes. Between them, they have seven touchdown passes. It’s no wonder the Vols (3-7) won’t be playing in a bowl game.

Less than a year removed from playing in the SEC Championship Game as East Division champion, Fulmer will coach his final game at Tennessee against Kentucky on Nov. 29.

Tuberville on Nov. 29 will carry an unprecedented six-game winning streak into his game with rival Alabama. He entered this season having led Auburn to the most SEC wins since 2000, including a 13-0 overall record in 2004.

However, a brutal offense has him catching serious heat and could cause Auburn to pony up the $6 million buyout required to send him packing. An ill-fated switch to the spread didn’t pan out, led Tuberville to fire first-year offensive coordinator Tony Franklin at midseason and has Auburn (5-5) likely in line for its first losing record since 1999.

New quarterbacks Kodi Burns and Chris Todd have combined to account for only 1,600 yards passing and the Tigers rank 100th in total offense, 102nd in scoring and 108th in passing efficiency.

O’Leary probably would happily take those numbers at UCF, where it would cost $5 million to buy him out. The school might not have that kind of cash, but it hasn’t stopped many fans from wishing.

A year removed from their first conference title, the Knights (2-7) have the worst offense in Division I-A. They rank 116th in passing efficiency, 116th in scoring, 117th in third-down conversions and dead last in total offense. O’Leary’s game of musical chairs with inexperienced quarterbacks Rob Calabrese and Michael Greco has left both looking shell-shocked. Every snap is a game of ugly roulette defined by sacks, awkward passes, stumbles, fumbles and goofs.

So did these coaches suddenly forget how to win? Doubtful. Is it the quarterbacks’ fault? Maybe. But coaches also bear the responsibility of having put unprepared players in positions to fail.

How does O’Leary, in his fifth year, end up so thin at the most important position on the field? And isn’t that simply inexcusable at a place like Tennessee or Auburn, led by veteran entrenched coaches?

Perhaps Burns at Auburn and Calabrese at UCF will some day develop into All-Americans. But one wonders if their coaches will be around to see it or if they’ll be forced to join Fulmer.

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