UF coaching reset: Will Muschamp, 2010

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If you could go back in a time bubble with the aid of hindsight, who would you have selected to replace Urban Meyer in 2010 instead of Will Muschamp and how might that have changed the trajectory of Florida football over the past seven years?

Let's try and make this at least somewhat realistic. In other words, who was available at the time and who could we have realistically considered in place of Muschamp?

James Franklin? (bit of a stretch)
Steve Spurrier? (too old?)
Kyle Whittingham?
Dan Mullen? (unpopular)
Etc., etc., etc.
 

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Franklin was available at the time, but I'm not sure Foley could have sold the administration on a guy with a limited resume and no SEC experience, esp on the heels of Meyer. In hindsight, he would have been a great hire
 

GatorJ

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Chump was the right call. But was kept 1 year too long. Should’ve been fired after losing to GS.
 

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Maybe. But we were mocking him relentlessly at that time for underperforming. The fan base would have been up in arms.
As it turned out, his record took off the following season.
 

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SOS was 55 at the time. He had more run in him. South Carolina was coming off its initial berth in the SEC Championship, albeit an embarrassing loss to Auburn, which somewhat clouds my thinking.

I think he would have returned if asked. I think we'd be in much better health today if had he.
 

GatorJ

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SOS was 55 at the time. He had more run in him. South Carolina was coming off its initial berth in the SEC Championship, albeit an embarrassing loss to Auburn, which somewhat clouds my thinking.

I think he would have returned if asked. I think we'd be in much better health today if had he.

Foley would’ve never asked. His ego was too big.
 

Swamp Donkey

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SOS was 55 at the time. ...

I think he would have returned if asked. I think we'd be in much better health today if had he.
My best friend from law school work in the ADs office prior to law school. He said he was sure SOS would never work for Foley again and vice versa. Egos were both too big for my one room. I believe him.

I believe him.
 

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My best friend from law school work in the ADs office prior to law school. He said he was sure SOS would never work for Foley again and vice versa. Egos were both too big for my one room. I believe him.

I believe him.
By that point, Foley had already delusionally convinced himself he was infallable and bigger than the program. I wish whoever was president at the time had taken his ass to the woodshed.
 

Captain Sasquatch

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SOS was 55 at the time. He had more run in him. South Carolina was coming off its initial berth in the SEC Championship, albeit an embarrassing loss to Auburn, which somewhat clouds my thinking.

I think he would have returned if asked. I think we'd be in much better health today if had he.
He's gone from 55 to 72 years old since then. I guess it's true what they say about coaching being a stressful job.
 

BMF

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Here's all the coaches that were hired that year (out of 23 hires looks like only 2 or 3 are still at that same school):

Ranking College Football's New Coaches for 2011

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-football-coaching-carousel

4. Will Muschamp, Florida
Previous Job: Defensive coordinator, head coach-in-waiting, Texas
Pros: Muschamp has been one of the most highly respected defensive coordinators over the past decade and has coached under some of the best in the game. He is young (40 on opening day) and brings a ton of energy.
Cons: None, other than a lack of experience as a head coach on any level. It didn’t go too well the last time Florida hired someone without head coaching experience. Remember Ron Zook?
Final Analysis: Muschamp, an SEC grad (Georgia) who has coached at two other SEC schools (LSU, Auburn), is a tremendous fit at Florida. It will be a major surprise if he doesn’t win at a high level in Gainesville.

12. James Franklin, Vanderbilt
Previous Job:
Offensive coordinator, head coach-in-waiting, Maryland
Pros: Franklin, regarded as an outstanding recruiter, is a high-energy coach who will inject some much-need enthusiasm into the Vanderbilt program. He has experience in the NFL (2005, Green Bay) and served as offensive coordinator for a total of five seasons at two different BCS conference schools (Kansas State, Maryland).
Cons: Franklin’s offenses at Maryland weren’t the most explosive, ranking 80th in the nation in 2010, 102nd in ’09 and 68th in ’08. He has no experience, on any level, as a head coach, and he wasn’t the school’s first choice for the job.
Final Analysis: The Vanderbilt administration turned to Franklin after Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn backed out following a lengthy courtship. Franklin isn’t concerned that he was second on the depth chart. He has embraced the many challenges at Vanderbilt, and he has assembled a staff of young and hungry coaches who share his vision. Most believe it’s almost impossible to win consistently at Vanderbilt. Franklin isn’t among them.

14. David Shaw, Stanford
Spring_200.jpg
Previous Job:
Offensive coordinator, Stanford
Pros: Shaw played a key part in Stanford’s renaissance, serving as Jim Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator from 2007-10. He is a Stanford alum — which will help him recruit to the school — and he also has nine years of experience as an assistant in the NFL.
Cons: While Shaw had the title of offensive coordinator, the Cardinal attack was directed more by Harbaugh and Greg Roman, the associate head coach.
Final Analysis: Shaw has had one goal since graduating college — to be the head coach at his alma mater. Well, that goal has been attained. But he’s in a tough spot. Harbaugh reached legendary status after leading Stanford to a top-5 ranking and a victory in a BCS bowl game. The Cardinal faithful will expect Shaw to keep their team at the top of the Pac-12 food chain.
 

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Here's all the coaches that were hired that year (out of 23 hires looks like only 2 or 3 are still at that same school):

Ranking College Football's New Coaches for 2011

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-football-coaching-carousel

4. Will Muschamp, Florida
Previous Job: Defensive coordinator, head coach-in-waiting, Texas
Pros: Muschamp has been one of the most highly respected defensive coordinators over the past decade and has coached under some of the best in the game. He is young (40 on opening day) and brings a ton of energy.
Cons: None, other than a lack of experience as a head coach on any level. It didn’t go too well the last time Florida hired someone without head coaching experience. Remember Ron Zook?
Final Analysis: Muschamp, an SEC grad (Georgia) who has coached at two other SEC schools (LSU, Auburn), is a tremendous fit at Florida. It will be a major surprise if he doesn’t win at a high level in Gainesville.

12. James Franklin, Vanderbilt
Previous Job:
Offensive coordinator, head coach-in-waiting, Maryland
Pros: Franklin, regarded as an outstanding recruiter, is a high-energy coach who will inject some much-need enthusiasm into the Vanderbilt program. He has experience in the NFL (2005, Green Bay) and served as offensive coordinator for a total of five seasons at two different BCS conference schools (Kansas State, Maryland).
Cons: Franklin’s offenses at Maryland weren’t the most explosive, ranking 80th in the nation in 2010, 102nd in ’09 and 68th in ’08. He has no experience, on any level, as a head coach, and he wasn’t the school’s first choice for the job.
Final Analysis: The Vanderbilt administration turned to Franklin after Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn backed out following a lengthy courtship. Franklin isn’t concerned that he was second on the depth chart. He has embraced the many challenges at Vanderbilt, and he has assembled a staff of young and hungry coaches who share his vision. Most believe it’s almost impossible to win consistently at Vanderbilt. Franklin isn’t among them.

14. David Shaw, Stanford
Spring_200.jpg
Previous Job:
Offensive coordinator, Stanford
Pros: Shaw played a key part in Stanford’s renaissance, serving as Jim Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator from 2007-10. He is a Stanford alum — which will help him recruit to the school — and he also has nine years of experience as an assistant in the NFL.
Cons: While Shaw had the title of offensive coordinator, the Cardinal attack was directed more by Harbaugh and Greg Roman, the associate head coach.
Final Analysis: Shaw has had one goal since graduating college — to be the head coach at his alma mater. Well, that goal has been attained. But he’s in a tough spot. Harbaugh reached legendary status after leading Stanford to a top-5 ranking and a victory in a BCS bowl game. The Cardinal faithful will expect Shaw to keep their team at the top of the Pac-12 food chain.
Gotta love Athlon's comment on Muschamp's cons. None, OTHER THAN.
 

Durfish

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Chump was the right call. But was kept 1 year too long. Should’ve been fired after losing to GS.
THIS

Remember, Muschamp had considerable exposure due to his "HC in waiting" status at Texas. Even though he had zero HC experience he was seen as an "it" hire. It's a damn shame he could never solve the offense side of things. I loved his fire on the sidelines.

I think Mullen would have been a tough sell to UAA and fan base. All we knew about him at the time was he was a solid OC under one of the pre madonna (sp, seems like the right thing to do here) offensive minds in the game in Meyer. And I'm not sure he would have accomplished much as he needed time to grow into the HC role. I think there's a decent chance his tenure would have been 3-4 years as he figured things out, and if he wasn't able to accomplish what Meyer did he might have been shown the door anyway.
 

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