Stewart Mandel believes he’s stumbled on to college football’s latest sin: ageism.
Generally speaking, there’s only one thing a head coach must do to keep his job: win. But if the 2010-11 coaching carousel has taught us anything, it’s that some athletic directors are adding a caveat: win, and don’t be old.
As proof, he offers us the cases of Bill Stewart, 58, and Ralph Friedgen, 63. Both do have one thing in common, besides being over 55. They both led programs to winning records in less than strong conferences this season, but weren’t able to win the conference title outright (in WVU’s case) or play in the conference title game (Maryland) in a weak setting. Is that enough to justify canning them? That’s not for me to say, but if you’re an athletic director who thinks his football program should be able to play in the ACCCG or a BCS bowl, it’s certainly enough to question if you’ve got the right guy at the helm for that.
Which leads me to one little detail that Mandel mentions but completely glosses over. Perhaps you see it, too.
Here’s Hint #1: “West Virginia AD Oliver Luck, who started on the job last June…”
And here’s Hint #2: “Maryland AD Kevin Anderson, meanwhile, inherited an admittedly awkward situation when he arrived in September.”
Maybe the real trend here is that if you’ve compiled a mediocre record and the AD who hired you is no longer your boss, you’d best quickly figure out a compelling justification for your continued employment in the same position. Which is nothing new, if you think about it.
Get The Picture 
I suppose he doesn’t cover the Big 10… Joe PA just thumbed his nose at him.r
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Hmmm…are there some examples of new ADs coming into the SEC and then the HC underperforming?
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No the only new AD in the SEC I can think of is McGar………oh wait, nevermind. 🙂
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Hey, smart guy! Richt was underperforming LONG before the new AD got here!!!!
(I guess I told him, didn’t I?)
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How can a writer for a national magazine run out of interesting things to write about THIS season?
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I’m not that old, …. old age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill …
“An article in today’s Wall Street Journal asserts that, while various life skills seem to deteriorate as people get older, our skill at making personal-finance decisions doesn’t peak until the ripe age of 53. “Baseball players are said to peak in their late 20’s,” writes David Wessel. “Chess players in their mid-30’s. Theoretical economists in their mid-40’s. But in ordinary life, there’s an obvious tension between sheer smarts, often seen in the supple minds of the young, and experience, which comes only with age.””
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this reminds me of my favorite joke about economists: If you took all the economists in the world and laid them end to end, they still wouldn’t reach a conclusion.
thank you, thank you, I’ll be here all week. Don’t forget to tip your waitresses, and enjoy Journey!!!!!
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Nothing like putting together unrelated events to lead to a made up conclusion. Ralph was fired last year. They just couldn’t afford to do right away. He lost all support and nothing short of a miracle would have saved him. Then when they lost the Off Coodinator, and probably most of the assistant coaches going with him, he (the AD) had to do something to keep recruits. Guarantee if a coach is winning 10 games a year, it doesn’t matter how old he is. (just don’t have a rebuilding year or two)
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Freidgen won’t be out of work long – if he wants to continue coaching. Not a bad OC to have around. Not much of a recruiter.
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