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Post by trimster on Nov 30, 2020 12:50:39 GMT -5
Vanderbilt just fired their football coach who was 27-55 in six seasons. He actually took Vandy to two bowl games, beat Tennessee 3 straight times and had three 5 win seasons. Can there be a more thankless job in college football, student-athletes aside, than coaching Vanderbilt football. The coach of Princeton, is mentioned as a possible replacement.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Nov 30, 2020 15:07:09 GMT -5
James Franklin did just fine at Vanderbilt, utilizing his relative success there to become the head coach at Penn State. Compared to how the program fared in the 1980's, 1990's and early 2000's, the program hasn't been THAT BAD in more recent times. I think they've been to 5 bowl games since 2008 after not having qualified for one since 1982 prior to that.
I know the SEC is a different animal, but if Northwestern, Duke, BC and Stanford can put together fringe Top 25 teams on a semi-regular basis, it can be done in Nashville. They're not going to win a conference championship down there minus a once-in-a-generation type of team that also gets some luck, but a good hire could string together some winning seasons.
One thing that helps Vandy a little -- the SEC East is definitely a little bit softer than the West. With the recent conference expansion to 14 teams, they only have to face Alabama, Auburn, LSU and TX A&M each only twice every 12 years. This is because the SEC hasn't followed other conference's lead and still maintains an 8-game league schedule. On top of that, every team in the SEC has a "primary partner" in the other division that they play every year. Tennessee gets to draw Alabama annually. Georgia gets Auburn. Florida gets LSU. Vanderbilt gets to suit up against Ole Miss each year, typically one of the weaker West teams.
So Vanderbilt's league schedule every year is as follows:
Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Ole Miss, [one of the other 6 SEC West teams]
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Post by timholycross on Nov 30, 2020 15:18:46 GMT -5
I would think in general the 2020 season would be on the light side in terms of firings, which would then set up 2021 to be a bloodbath in that regard.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Nov 30, 2020 15:25:00 GMT -5
I think the 27-55 record is pretty good for a Vandy coach--it's the 0-8 this year that did him in.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Nov 30, 2020 16:00:14 GMT -5
I think the 27-55 record is pretty good for a Vandy coach--it's the 0-8 this year that did him in. I wouldn't consider that "pretty good" considering that means an average season of 4-8. Not acceptable at any P5. Though you're right that his overall record was skewed by a couple REALLY BAD seasons, including this year when their was no non-conference to juice up the winning %. If I were affiliated with Vandy, my rough expectations would be the following: 3-5 record or better in conference play, on average 5 to 7 regular season wins / year, depending on who's on the non-conference schedule BEAT TENNESSEE!!!!! |
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Post by hchoops on Nov 30, 2020 16:37:49 GMT -5
I think the 27-55 record is pretty good for a Vandy coach--it's the 0-8 this year that did him in. I wouldn't consider that "pretty good" considering that means an average season of 4-8. Not acceptable at any P5. Though you're right that his overall record was skewed by a couple REALLY BAD seasons, including this year when their was no non-conference to juice up the winning %. If I were affiliated with Vandy, my rough expectations would be the following: 3-5 record or better in conference play, on average 5 to 7 regular season wins / year, depending on who's on the non-conference schedule BEAT TENNESSEE!!!!! As Trimster pointed out, he beat Tennessee 3 straight years. |
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Nov 30, 2020 16:54:21 GMT -5
I wouldn't consider that "pretty good" considering that means an average season of 4-8. Not acceptable at any P5. Though you're right that his overall record was skewed by a couple REALLY BAD seasons, including this year when their was no non-conference to juice up the winning %. If I were affiliated with Vandy, my rough expectations would be the following: 3-5 record or better in conference play, on average 5 to 7 regular season wins / year, depending on who's on the non-conference schedule CONTINUE TO BEAT TENNESSEE!!!!! As Trimster pointed out, he beat Tennessee 3 straight years. Fixed it. |
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Post by newfieguy74 on Nov 30, 2020 17:25:00 GMT -5
My wife graduated from Vanderbilt in the late 70's. Admittedly she is not the biggest sports fan but she says that all the students expected Vandy to stink every year. Part of this is due to Vandy reportedly having higher academic standards for its athletes. We went to a Vandy home game two years ago and the atmosphere was very laid back, not what you would see at other SEC venues. It was not a sell out. My daughter now attends graduate school at Vandy and echoes her mother's comments: there is a lot of indifference on campus. Coaching the football team is a difficult proposition.
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Post by nycrusader2010 on Nov 30, 2020 18:31:53 GMT -5
My sister graduated Vanderbilt in 2012. Her freshmen year was actually the year they made their first bowl game in 26 years, beating BC 13-10 in the Music City Bowl in Nashville. I never got to a home game down there in large part due to my own HC Football obligations, however I did make it to that bowl game.
Because of the attraction of Nashville as a tourist spot and Vandy's central location within the SEC, a lot of their home games wind up being 50-70% opposing fans.
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Post by hchoops on Nov 30, 2020 18:35:20 GMT -5
My wife graduated from Vanderbilt in the late 70's. Admittedly she is not the biggest sports fan but she says that all the students expected Vandy to stink every year. Part of this is due to Vandy reportedly having higher academic standards for its athletes. “Reportedly” Those reports are accurate. |
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Post by matunuck on Nov 30, 2020 19:39:39 GMT -5
Wife also a Vanderbilt grad. Completely agree with above comments. Vandy home games get a ton of opposing fans. The SEC likes Vandy’s academic profile and Vandy likes to cash those SEC checks.
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Post by timholycross on Dec 1, 2020 14:16:45 GMT -5
Northwestern was the same way, had a pretty long losing streak IIRC. Plus, no NCAA basketball tournament appearances save for one 2-3 years ago.
What changed there, at least w/regard to football? Basketball IMHO has returned to the norm after that appearance*
*for those who liked/like to crap on Bill Carmody, he's tied w/Collins in terms of winning percentage. Bill Foster, who took Duke to the NCAA final game in 1978, losing to Ky, had a winning percentage of .277.
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