Time for change

Football is different than basketball when it comes to coaches changing jobs once a season ends

In basketball, if your team is in the NCAA tournament, you most likely will not be leaving for your next job until after the team you presently coach iis eliminated. If your team has a good showing just to get there and it either pulls off an upset or nearly does so, then there is a good chance a press conference will take place to announce the hiring of the next coach. That’s how it is usually done during basketball season.

This fall has been interesting since so many football coaches were fired after only a few games due to some poor showings and losses to seemingly weaker opponents. Once the first loss hit, it just seemed like the coach never could get the team back on track. We’ve already discussed the firing of Scott Frost at Nebraska. Wisconsin fired Head Coach Paul Chryst after a 2-3 start and 0-2 in the Big 10. This is a guy that had a 67-26 record at Wisconsin, 6-1 in bowl games.

No mulligans for you pal. Don’t let the door hit your back pockets on the way out the door!

I’m sure the several million dollar severamce package will help but still who would be embarrassed to have a record like that on a resume?

Now, it is Luke Fickell’s turn to see how great he can make Wisconsin Badger football. Fickell had great success at University of Cincinnati and was hired by Wisconsin over the weekend.

The Bearcats were in the Final Four a year ago after going undefeated.

This year UC went 9-3 and will be in another bowl game — this time without Fickell. UC will be moving to the Big 12 soon and I’m not sure if that move was an influence or if Fickell wanted to coach in the Big 10. Or was it a really good payday? Since the guy that fired Chryst hired Fickell maybe there is a little bit more security for him.

As for Nebraska football, the Cornhuskers hired Matt Rhule. Rhule turned around Temple and Baylor and would be hired by Carolina of the NFL. Rhule was fired from that job in October.

The NFL isn’t always a good place for a successful college coach. Rhule has an 8-year contract to work with, but he needs to win soon.

Cornhusker fans don’t like to lose. If he wins, all will be right with the world.

Arizona State hired 32-year-old Oregon offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham as its next head football coach. Dillingham is a 2012 ASU grad and has some coaching experience there, as well. So the Sun Devils go from Herm Edwards who had a lot of coaching experience to a young guy with Arizona ties. You never know where this will lead.

All coaches want an opportunity to prove their philosophy will work. But it comes down to recruiting the best athletes and hiring the best assistant coaches.

— Dale Anderson is a sports columnist from Ritzville. E-mail him at

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